It is the eve of the annual Castrevenford School Speech Day. Preparations are well under way, but the leading lady in the school play (from the nearby High School) has apparently run away from home with someone who will make her happy. Gervase Fen, Professor of English Language and, coincidentally, amateur sleuth, is present as guest of honour to give out the prizes and is ideally placed to become embroiled in the ensuing crimes. Murder is definitely on the agenda, but who is involved and what are the motives? A passing insurance clerk on a walking holiday stumbles on a possibly unconnected violent incident in a nearby village, which gets Fen thinking, something he is very good at.
Brenda Boyce
A pretty but "wordly" 16-year old pupil at Castrevenford Girls High School whose parents are described, by Miss Parry, as being of the "expensive, cocktail-party-and chromium kind". Behaves strangely after a play rehearsal then disappears.
Mr. Etherege
Schoolmaster who is "devoid both of morality and of human affections" and judged others on the basis of whether they were a suitable and attentive audience for his own deliberations. Operated as a clearing house for school gossip and scandal.
Mr. Love
Teacher of classics and history at Castrevenford School. He is competent and methodical (to excessive degrees), repected rather than liked. Aged 62, he does not intend to retire until he has to. He was "the sort of man who'd return a stamp to the post office if it hadn't been cancelled".
Mr. Merrythought
Bloodhound who is looked after by the Headmaster of Castrevenford School. Originally belonged to a master who died. Liable to homicidal fits, particualrly if you cross him. Fortunately he takes a liking to Gervase Fen.
Elspeth Murdoch
A friend of Brenda Boyce. She is a fan of Gervase Fen and has followed all of his cases. Studying literarture for "Higher Cert."
Miss Parry
Headmistress of Castrevenford Girls High School. Efficient. Described as having "sturdy, uncompromisingly utilitarian legs". Prefers smoking American cigarettes because they have fewer chemicals in them.
Mr. Philpotts
Chemistry master at Castrevenford School "whose principal characteristic lay in a sort of unfocused vehemence, resulting in all probability from an overplus of natural energy." Aged around 50, he wears large horn-rimmed spectacles on a long, sharp nose. Quick to complain.
Peter Plumstead
Insurance clerk from London who has taken a fortnight's walking tour of the Midlands. A young, unmarried, man, "earnest but kindly, with rather large green eyes and stiff, intractable brown hair". Is attracted to Daphne Savage.
Daphne Savage
Blonde and pretty stenographer from London, staying at her aunt's cottage in the village of Ravensward, four miles form Castrevenford School. A friend of Sally Carstairs who appeared in "The moving toyshop". Meets Peter Plumstead in unusual circumstances and their relationship develops.
Michael Somers
The youngest member of staff at Castrevenford School, a teacher of English. Not trusted by the headmaster on the grounds of a certain insincerity, even though he is a competent teacher. Clever, though conceited and not popular..
Supt. Stagge
A tall, burly, youngish police superintendent who always seemed to wear an expression of alarm on his face.
Dr. Stanford
Headmaster of Castrevenford School. " A small, slight man of about fifty, clean shaven, with a long, inquisitve nose, sparse black hair, and a deceptive mien of diffidence and vagueness."
Mr. Taverner
Pompous village carpenter (and lay preacher), "His face was fleshy, of an ochre hue, with pouches beneath the eyes, and his body was shaped like a pear". His manner so antagonises Gervase Fen that he suggests that he refrains from offering people inexpert advice and restricts himself "to pulpits and screwdrivers".
Mr. Weems
A youngish teacher at Castrevenford School who looks to Gervase Fen like a Renaissance intriguer. He was "suave, dark and graceful, with a cold eye, A Machiavellian air and unimpeachable clothes".
Love lies bleeding setting is a fictious English Public School, "Castrevenford".
From it, a gentle slope, planted with elms and beeches and riddled with rabbit warrens, runs down to the river bank. here the school boathouse is situated...The school gates open on the main road. A long drive runs from them, through an avenue of oaks, to the main teaching block...
This is loosely based on Crispin's three year stint at Shrewsbury School and in addition to using an edge-of-country-town location, he must have derived satisfaction from portraying some of the haunts and characteristics of his acquaintances, colleagues and students from this period in his life, including portrayal of a quite separate High School for girls.
Page created 19 February 2002 and last
updated 19 April 2008