Mary Agnes Hamilton was a long-time Labour Party political activist who was also a Member of Parliament from 1929 to 1931. That’s probably where she found the inspiration to write a whodunit, ‘Murder in the House of Commons’; however, what’s less clear is the origin of an innovative marketing ploy:
With the final pages of the novel sealed off, the reader was offered a choice:
1. Break the seal to discover the identity of the murderer and the book’s ending.
2. Return the book to the seller and receive a full refund — provided the seal was unbroken.
As ‘Murder in the House of Commons’ was first published in 1931, it’s unlikely that Oxford’s Bodleian Library would be successful in finding the original retailer, let alone claiming back the purchase price. Nevertheless, in theory, it would be possible (if financially inadvisable) because the Bodleian’s copy has the seal present and fully intact.
I learned this and many other fascinating facts about the process of writing and editing at the superb Write Cut Rewrite exhibition at the Weston Library, Oxford, which runs until January 5, 2025. Admission is free, and refreshment and retail facilities are close at hand.
I also enjoyed a refreshing couple of pints of Fuller’s London Pride served by the excellent hosts at Oxford’s oldest pub The Bear. Don’t miss its fantastic collection of ties which dates back to the early 1900s.
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