A Rake's Progress

HEIR PRESUMPTIVE.
By Henry Wade.
Macmillan.
1935. Reissued: 1953. 209 pages. $2.50

Henry Wade's novel . . .

. . . neatly combines the attractions of the inverted story with those of the detective story proper; and the book finishes with a brilliant and powerful twist ending. — Nick Fuller, The GAD Wiki

Some people will stop at nothing:

Eustace Hendel is alerted by a newspaper item to the fact that he just might be line for an inheritance that will solve all his financial problems. And those problems are pressing; he is running out of cash, and risks losing his lovely but greedy girlfriend as a result. However, he sees a possible route to becoming the next Lord Barradys. Unfortunately, some family members stand in his way—you can guess what rascally Eustace starts to contemplate . . . . — Martin Edwards, DO YOU WRITE UNDER YOUR OWN NAME? (5 November 2010)

From THE SATURDAY REVIEW (October 17, 1953):

British wastrel, at end of rope (and family line), plots own enrichment. - Violent terminal switcheroo mars otherwise skilfully-told story. - Verdict: Plus mark, on balance.

From AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME (August 5, 2011):

. . . 'Heir Presumptive' has got to be one of the greatest mysteries ever written. It’s a successful inverted murder story and told brilliantly through the main character. The characters are complex and you really feel you get to know them. . . . There are suspenseful scenes, and the plot twists and turns so much you feel you’ve been taken on an emotional roller-coaster ride. There is real horror here—the ordeal of the investigations feels exhausting. The finale is just brilliant.

Here is a previous ONTOS article about another Wade novel.

Category: Detective fiction