The Murder Came Later

About the Book

The brothers Clinton and Richard Drake graduate as pilots in the Royal Canadian Air force. It is late 1942 and the war is at its height. They are posted overseas, and Richard becomes a Lancaster bomber pilot and Clinton a Spitfire fighter pilot.

Clinton is shot down near London England, but lives to shoot down enemy aircraft.

Richard's Lancaster is shot down over Germany. Richard escapes and makes his way back to England and finishes his tour. His crew become prisoners of war. The War ends, and they return home. Mavis, Richard's war bride arrives three months later, and they make their home in Grandeur Saskatchewan.

Clinton returns still a single man, and attends the University of Saskatoon, Graduating as a Chartered accountant.

Clinton opens an office in Saskatoon, and travels once a week to Grandeur to do the accounting for business places in Grandeur. One of his customers is Mavis and Richard's machinery dealership. Richard buys a helicopter, and adds crop dusting to his farm services.

Grandeur is home to a small group of Nazi sympathizers, who are slowly but surely getting bolder. Their dislike of the Royal Canadian Legion and veterans in general, is surfacing.

The outspoken President of the Women's auxiliary of the Legion is murdered, and Sergeant Doyle of the RCMP faces many roadblocks on the way to the discovery of the murderer.

The community is in shock when Richard Drake dies in a fiery crash of his helicopter.

Clinton Drake took Aircraft Accident investigation during the war, and brings evidence to Sergeant Doyle which points to possible murder in Richard's death. Kurt, a Nazi sympathizer falls in love with Joan, she had been engaged to Richard before he met Mavis. They marry, and Kurt's love is tested to its limit by two murders.

About the Author

Lew Duddridge was born on the family farm at Hanley, Saskatchewan on March 7th, 1918. The terrible flu epidemic was raging throughout the world but the Duddridge family survived, thanks to the efforts of bachelor uncle Fred Duddridge.

Lew and his brother Len trained as pilots, and their mother came to Dauphin, Manitoba to be the first Canadian mother to pin the wings on two sons in the same "wings" parade.

Len and Lew were posted overseas, and Len flew 56 sorties with the famous Spitfire fighter aircraft.

Lew flew the almost as famous Wellington, and Lancaster bombers with the RCAF Squadron 101, and Squadron 419.

Lew married Hilda Thomas of Swansea, South Wales, and their first child Glenys was born in Swansea.

Hilda and Lew made their first home in Hanley and sold farm machinery.

Lew purchased a helicopter, and used it to do crop spraying as an adjunct to their farm service business.

Lew's first book was titled The Best 70 Years of My Life with a subtitle "It's All Downhill From Here". The University of Calgary requested permission to place the book on their "Our Roots" website www.ourroots.ca. Using the name Lew Duddridge, it can be located there. The book was published by Orca Books of Victoria, B.C.

Lew's second book is Who Cares Now, published by Borealis Press in Ottawa, Ontario. Both these books are in many Canadian libraries. Who Cares Now is still available from Borealis Press.

Lew and Hilda have retired to Victoria, B.C. but still make their annual visit to Hanley, where their three boys were born.