The Detection Club was founded in 1928 by Anthony Berkeley. You can read a bit more about it and see who else are members on the gadetection wiki page. Simon Brett is the current President.
I wonder if this oath is still in use? It begins:
The Ruler shall say to the Candidate:M.N., is it your firm desire to become a Member of the Detection Club?
Then the Candidate shall answer in a loud voice:
That is my desire.
Ruler:
Do you promise that your detectives shall well and truly detect the crimes presented to them, using those wits which it may please you to bestow upon them and not placing reliance on nor making use of Divine Revelation, Feminine Intuition, Mumbo-Jumbo, Jiggery-Pokery, Coincidence or the Act of God?
Candidate:
I do.
Ruler:
Do you solemnly swear never to conceal a vital clue from the reader?
Candidate:
I do.
I recently had the good fortune to see Peter Lovesey at a book signing in Houston. He talked about the Detection Club and said they still use the original oath.
ReplyDeleteHee hee, I like the bit about not concealing a vital clue from the reader! Quite a few modern authors would not qualify on that basis, but definitely not including Martin. It is gery good news for him, and well-deserved based on the books of his I've read so far.
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