Other Fiction Campbell, Malcolm: Salute to the Gods. V1. 23 October 2012

[Pulpmeister]

Sir Malcolm Campbell is best known for his land and water speed records, but before he turned to record-breaking he raced on circuits in UK and Europe.

He also produced, through ghostwriters, several books.

This one is in effect a motor racing murder mystery. In the Early 1930s a new British team enters Grand Prix racing and is hit by a series of disastrous (and very strange) crashes. No fault can be found in the cars, and the drivers were all experienced and skilled. What, then, is going on?

The story moves across Europe, including races in Spain and France, and an endurance record attempt at Brooklands, and climaxes at Rheims.

The from-the-cockpit scenes of the racing are grittily authentic, as they ought to be given Campbell's own experience, as is the background. The rest of the narrative is fairly straightforward. I spotted the villain before the revelation in the final chapter, but failed to spot the method.

An unusual book, long out of print.

Campbell died in 1948, and this book is in the PD in Canada and Australia.

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