E P Oppenheim - The Human Chase

Not so long ago, we looked at the works of J S Fletcher and hopefully I convinced you that a writer not normally regarded as one of the greats was nevertheless capable of works that not only stand comparison with the works of others but also stand the test of time.

Now, slightly reluctantly, I have to mention a writer often regarded as a master of his craft didn`t always get it right.

Known in his lifetime as the `Prince of Storytellers`, E P Oppenheim is regarded by many, including myself, as a master of his craft.

His short story collection The Human Chase in many ways anticipates more modern ideas about crime fiction, it contains a story which is a personal favourite of mine (The Great West Raid). Sadly, taken as a whole it fails to convince.

The stories feature Oppenheims` sleuth Peter Benskin, a serving Police Officer. 

Benskin is unlike other fictional sleuths of the time. He is small and slightly built, he is troubled by some aspects of his work and is quite prepared to bend the rules on humanitarian grounds if he feels he should. When we first encounter him he volunteers for a particular assignment but is turned down in favour of a more robust, more competitive Officer. 

All of this could be a great deal more interesting than it is, but time and again there are signs of haste and carelessness that undermine a potentially great collection.

At the end of the day I would say that The Great West Raid is the jewel in this collection - and I already have that in an anthology.  

Just to make it clear, I am a fan of Oppenheim, I just wouldn`t recommend this particular collection.