Half-Mast Murder
A Classic Golden Age Detective Mystery
A flag hangs at half-mast above a seaside summer house. No one can explain who lowered it, or why.
Choose your format
- Kindle length
- 290 pages
- Kindle published
- July 1, 2026
- Kindle access
- Screen reader supported
- Paperback length
- 288 pages
- Paperback published
- July 10, 2026
- Paperback size
- 5.5 × 0.68 × 8.5 in
- Paperback weight
- 15.5 ounces
- ISBN-13
- 979-8186598077
About the book
A compact puzzle at the edge of the sea.
At Cliff’s End, a quiet English estate by the sea, tea, tennis, family visits, and polite conversation give way to a compact Golden Age puzzle.
Every path, errand, glance, and household habit may matter, but Milward Kennedy keeps the mystery cool, precise, and fair: the clues are there for readers who like to match wits with the detective.
First published in 1930, Half-Mast Murder is a classic British whodunit for fans of traditional detective fiction, country-house mystery, locked-room intrigue, and interwar crime fiction.
The Kindle edition supports screen readers, enhanced typesetting, Word Wise, and Page Flip.
Inside this annotated public-domain edition:
- Cleaned, source-checked public-domain text
- Spoiler-free introduction and author biography
- Character guide and Golden Age context
- 48 explanatory notes on period language, police procedure, household customs, and fair-play clues
- Cliff’s End grounds map and summer-house plan
- Afterword and discussion questions for post-reading reflection
- Source note documenting the 1930 Crime Club text
Read it for the impossible setup, the seaside atmosphere, and the pleasure of watching a careful detective turn ordinary details into a case that finally makes sense.
From the Publisher
Half-Mast Murder: Three Reasons to Pick Up This Annotated Classic
A Golden Age Mystery Built on Fair Play
Half-Mast Murder is a 1930 British detective novel rooted in the traditions of Golden Age mystery writing. Milward Kennedy constructs a classic country-house murder in the fair-play whodunit tradition, where all the evidence is placed before the reader and the solution is earned through careful observation. Sight-lines, timing, household routines, and small domestic details are the tools of the investigation. Fans of vintage crime fiction who appreciate puzzle-driven storytelling and honest, clue-based deduction will find this a rewarding entry in the Golden Age canon.
A Seaside Estate Where Every Clue Counts
Set at Cliff's End, a seaside estate where a quiet tea on the terrace gives way to a carefully staged investigation, this country-house murder mystery uses its coastal surroundings to full effect. Garden paths, locked doors, and the rhythms of a seaside household all become part of the clue-based puzzle at the heart of the story. The period setting draws on the atmosphere of 1930 British detective fiction, placing readers inside a world where every errand, every glance across the grounds, and every small domestic routine may hold the key to solving the crime.
An Annotated Edition Ready for Modern Readers
This annotated classic edition presents the public-domain text of Half-Mast Murder with supporting material designed to help modern readers engage fully with the investigation. Period setting notes clarify the social customs, language, and domestic details of 1930 British life without spoiling the mystery. The result is an accessible, thoughtfully prepared edition of a genuine piece of vintage crime fiction — ideal for readers exploring Golden Age mystery for the first time or returning to a beloved tradition with fresh context at hand.
An Accessible Mystery Classic, Thoughtfully Enhanced for Modern Readers
Explore the annotated edition of Half-Mast Murder by Milward Kennedy through a clear landscape infographic featuring original 1930 illustrations, preserved text, detailed image descriptions for accessibility, and reader-friendly footnotes. This enhanced Golden Age mystery edition adds historical context while keeping the classic detective story intact.
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