In 1970 in a brief, humorous essay, "Death of a Bloodsport," Anthony Shaffer bemoans the passing of "the classic, closed-circle English detective story." Though there are countless television crime series, Shaffer maintains that "lumpfish has replaced...

THE PHENOMENAL world-wide success of his play Sleuth inevitably meant that Anthony Shaffer became known as a one-hit wonder. Yet he wrote other ingenious plays - even if they could never match Sleuth's record - and also had a distinguished career as a screenwriter....

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[In "Withered Murder" Anthony and Peter Shaffer] attempt a formal detective story in the classic Grand Manner: murder on a stormbound island off the coast of Cornwall sternly solved by a flamboyantly eccentric Great Detective. Unfortunately the wit of Mr. Fathom, who admits that he is "the finest detective alive," is more rude than penetrating; his detection more lucky than astute; and the trick solution is both banal and preposterous. But the writing is often literally amusing; ...