An elderly sex-pest is at large in DI Purbright’s home town.Leaping out from behind bushes at unsuspecting females, making lewd suggestions and, when challenged, scuttling away with odd off-balance leaps, he soon earns the nickname of the ‘Flaxborough crab’. No one can identify him, and it turns out that quite a few older gentlemen have begun exhibiting over-familiar behavior around the opposite sex.Suave Dr Meadow knows more than he is letting on, yet how can Purbright, aided once again by the fragrant but dodgy Miss Lucy Teatime, get him to talk? Events take a darker turn before the ill-assorted pair succeed in catching their crab.
Colin Watson was educated at the Whitgift School in South Croydon, London. During his career as a journalist he worked in London and Newcastle-on-Tyne, where he was a leader-writer for Kemsley Newspapers.
His book Hopjoy Was Here (1962) received the Silver Dagger Award. He was married, with three children, and lived in Lincolnshire. After retiring from journalism he designed silver jewellery.
As well as a series of humorous detective novels set in the imaginary town of Flaxborough, featuring Inspector Purbright, Watson also wrote and later revised a study of detective stories and thrillers called Snobbery with Violence.
This is what happens when Agatha Christie meets Shakespeare. Not, you know, the MacBeth Shakespeare will allusions to guilt and all that. No, this is Comedy of Errors kind of Shakespeare where everyone is Quirky, people run around pretending all sorts of things, and there's altogether more than the average amount of bawdy jokes.
The short of it is that someone is accosting the women of Flaxborough (rather unsuccessfully, thankfully). From the descriptions, it seems that the perpetrator is likely a bit older, more than a bit ineffective, and displays an unusual, crab-like gait when running away. At a picnic for the village elderly, it seems as if the problem was indirectly solved, only the attacks resume that very evening. Inspector Purbright is on the case, however, and soon tracks down the identical connection in these cases, even if he can't make his senior officer, Mr. Chubb, believe him.
Written in 1969, it is very, very much of the time period, being 'liberated' with all the double-entendres but very limited in its attention to women's issues. I mean, at the end of the day, 2018, we're all just a little bit tired we still have to have a #MeToo movement, aren't we? So read this after doing some time travel, or after a couple cocktails and a dose of forbearance. I will note that there's a female character, Miss Teatime, that plays a role earlier in the series (I gather that it might have been more adversarial), who ends up solving the case long before Inspector Fulbright. So I was inclined to go easy on dear old Mr. Watson because he seems so very time period, but reasonably enlightened at the same time.
It is cleverly written, with many little witticisms, and there's a scene at the senior picnic that had me laughing out loud despite myself. When the stiff Miss Pollock holds a competition for flower naming, Mrs. Crunkinghorn enthusiastically participates: “She held aloft a dandelion. 'That's naught but a poor little piss-a-bed,' declared old Mrs. Crunkinghorn promptly and with disdain... 'Ah, what's this next one, I wonder?' 'In her hand was a straggle of stalk from which hung several diminutive white bells. 'Tickle-titty,' said Mrs. Crunkinghorn, without hesitation. 'That's what that is, me old duck.' Hastily, Miss Polllock put it down and selected what she was sure was a perfectly innocent wood anemone. Again, Mrs. Crunkinghorn was the sole responding voice. “Poke-me-gently. Very good for green sickness, my mother always reckoned.'"
This mystery itself isn't particularly mysterious. There is a red herring or two, but nothing too confusing. The sad thing is that it will likely be a plot much more familiar to us in this century then in the prior. Not a bad little read at all; amusing and quick, as long as you can move yourself into a spot to ignore sexual assault being played for laughs.
Two-and-a-half stars, rounding up because of Mrs. Crunkinghorn's botany.
This book is volume 48 of 50 books by various authors published by Garland Publishing in 1982. This book was originally printed in hardcover in 1969 by Putnam.
Colin Watson (1920–1983) published a dozen novels between 1958 and 1982. A kind of darkness enshrouds the man himself. There are no biographies, no critical examinations beyond a couple of character studies by the late Earl Bargainnier in the journal 'Clues".
The twelve 'Flaxborough' novels by Colin Watso are typified by their comic and dry wit and set in a fictional small town in England.
In this installment the village of Flaxborough appears to have a sex fiend who attempts to molest women of varying ages as they walk along the riverside or through the woods. Others have reported their underwear has gone missing from laundry lines. So far descriptions of the man vary from tall to short, thin to solid, semi-bald to a full head of hair, but what they all seem to have in common is a scrabbling crab-like gait as the offender makes his escape.
As Detective Inspector Purbright of the Fen Street police station investigates an incident in which the town’s assistant librarian successfully thwarts an attacker, he uncovers other incidents thus far unreported.
The story opens when Alderman Winge is drowned on an excursion to a local reservoir with the Darby and Joan club, and the name of one of the local doctors appears to be cropping up more than it should.
The series consists of:
"Coffin, Scarcely Used" (1958) "Bump in the Night" (1960) "Hopjoy Was Here" (1962) "Lonelyheart 4122" (1967) "Charity Ends at Home" (1968) "Flaxborough Chronicle" (1969) "The Flaxborough Crab" (1969) (USA Title) "Just What the Doctor Ordered" "Broomsticks Over Flaxborough" (1972) (USA title) "Kissing Covens" "The Naked Nuns" (1975) (USA Title) "Six Nuns and a Shotgun" "One Man's Meat" (1975) (USA Title) "It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog" "Blue Murder" (1979) "Plaster Sinners" (1980) "Whatever's Been Going on at Mumblesby?" (1982)
*3 to 3.5 stars. Farrago Books has been republishing these British police procedurals written by Colin Watson in the 1960s and they have been a delight to read--witty, wry and intriguing.
In this outing, an elderly molester of women has been plaguing the town of Flaxborough--so far, he has only succeeded in frightening his victims and runs away in a strange, crab-like manner. When a suspect has a deadly mishap but the attacks continue, the local police are scratching their heads. What is it that could be driving usually respectable older men to such randy behavior??
Once again, the delightful Miss Teatime helps Inspector Purbright and Sergeant Love with their investigation. Watson's character descriptions are usually quite amusing.
I do have a quibble or two with this story however: attempted rape is a serious subject that is perhaps addressed in too light a manner in this story from an earlier era when society may have had the idea or misapprehension that women really want to be 'ravished' by the likes of some dashing, handsome man like Rudolph Valentino in the Sheik. Take me to your Casbah!
I took umbrage from this statement in particular, "{Miss Butters, the assistant librarian} certainly was not apprehensive of being raped: that particular fantasy she considered to be the prerogative of the pretty and the bird-brained." Oh no! Rape is not a fantasy and is more about power than sex, in reality, and therefore, no woman is entirely safe. Take back the night!
I also would have liked to learn the science behind the actual cause of this temporary madness. Inquiring minds want to know!
Thanks once again to Farrago and NetGalley for allowing me access to an arc of this mystery.
The discovery of Colin Watson's Flaxborough novels has been a joy. They are compact gems of wit, acute observation and plotting and every one so far has been an absolute pleasure.
The Flaxborough Crab is the sixth in the series, in which women of the town are subjected to thoroughly inept attempted sexual assaults (which they are often amusingly well able to deal with), apparently by an elderly perpetrator. Things, naturally, become more complex and Purbright and Love find themselves widening their investigation as the magnificent Miss Lucy Teatime also becomes involved.
It's typical Watson – and I mean that as the highest compliment. His portraits of the characters of the town are as shrewd and acerbic as ever and the writing is a masterclass in beautifully crafted prose and dry wit. This, as a "Treat" is being inflicted on the elderly by some of the town's worthies, will give a flavour: "The chief organiser of the treat bustled into the room, rubbing his hands and saying "Fine! Fine!" over and over again. He hosed the Darbys and Joans with his smile and inflicted a vigorous handshake upon as many as lacked the presence of mind to feign earnest search for something on the floor." ("Hosed". Brilliant!)
Flaxborough Crab is a hugely enjoyable instalment in a wonderful series. Very warmly recommended.
(My thanks to Farrago Books for an ARC via NetGalley.)
I would like to thank Netgalley and Farrago for a review copy of The Flaxborough Crab, the sixth novel to feature DI Purbright, originally published in 1969.
There is a sex pest on the loose in Flaxborough and the ladies of the town are frightened. With no clear cut MO. or much of a description except he's elderly and has a sideways run Inspector Purbright is at a loss as how to catch the man dubbed The Flaxborough Crab until Alderman Steven Winge dies after chasing Miss Pollock with amatory intentions. Clearly he is The Flaxborough Crab but Inspector Purbright is not convinced that this is the end of the case.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Flaxborough Crab which is a clever, amusing read. From the opening chapter where a librarian is attacked to the ironic ending the novel held me entranced as it is both situational comedy and a comedy of manners. I know that nowadays any kind of unwanted sexual advances are not acceptable but the idea of an unsuccessful geriatric predator scuttling about like a crab is highly amusing if not very P.C.. The reactions to it are delightfully understated and imply so much more than is actually said and very in keeping with the times it was written in. The involvement of the amoral Miss Lucilla Teatime adds an extra layer as the reader tries to work out her latest scam.
The Flaxborough Crab is an elegant, witty and quintessentially British novel which I have no hesitation in recommending as a good read.
Some rather odd things have been going on in Flaxborough lately, and that includes a number of women being assaulted and the sighting of a man who runs crablike as the assailant. Soon the assailant is identified, but then it leads into more problems such as a suspicious herbal remedy, peddled by no other than Miss Teatime (so glad to see her again) and the increasing amorous behaviour of the elderly men in the community and the tight-lipped doctor who treats them. Enter Inspector Purbright and his squad. This book has some of the funniest scenes in the Flaxborough series and I really enjoyed it.
Jacket design George Paturzo This 1969 "Red Mask Mystery" featuring Inspector Purbright is a hoot. 192 pages of village life, characters, and goofy plot. Fun and funny. Allopaths or herbalists? Features the intriguing Miss Lucilla Teatime.
A brilliant example of English writing at its very best. I cannot recommend The Flaxborough Chronicles highly enough. As well as an interesting plot, there is a chuckle on almost every page. Although they do stand alone, I think they are best read in chronological order as the regular characters evolve and become like familiar old friends, especially Mr Harcourt Chubb, the Chief Constable.
The sixth Flaxborough Chronicle has not worn as well as the others so far in this otherwise delightful series. The jokes here are broader and the general background of elderly men accosting younger women and assaulting them is not at all amusing. Attitudes have changed too radically since the 1960’s and much of the “seaside postcard”-type humour seems misplaced.
Murder comes late in the story. Miss Teatime’s latest scams are also rather more unsavoury than usual. Inspector Purbright treats the issues more seriously than most, but the detection element is rather perfunctory.
This is not one I will return to. There are flashes of wit, but they are not sufficient to outweigh the unpleasantness of the underlying situation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrago (Prelude Books Ltd.) for the digital ARC.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
Reading these novels in order, I really appreciate the various characters; the kind but astute Inspector Purbright, the youthful-looking and long-suffering Sergeant Love, Chief Constable Chubb, who has to be "managed" by Purbright, and of course Miss Teatime, who manages to be on the side of the angels, even while pursuing her less than legal activities.
This was an enjoyable story, although its attitude to sexual harassment/assault on women is very much "of the time". The women here fight off their attackers wth contemptuous ease and take things in their stride, but I don't think this storyline would be written today. A satisfactory plot and resolution.
This turns out to be a humorous and good book with a hard-to-guess culprit. However, when I first started I was a little perturbed that sexual assault was taken so lightly even for the time period, late 1960s. The assaults are less than efffective and some of the circumstances are absurd; no characters are actually hurt during the reading of this book. Otherwise women are treated respectfully and Miss Teatime is just as bright, if not brighter, than the detectives in the story. Readers beware of some political incorrectness and do not read if it offends you.
I'm enjoying reading these so much. I missed this one and the following one on NetGalley so have bought them for myself so that I can carry on working my way through the series in order! I love the regular cast of characters that is popping up now - this has Miss Teatime taking a hand again as well as mini appearances from a couple of other people we met in previous stories.
These aren't groundbreaking, but they are a lovely cozy-style British mystery series.
When a staid librarian arrives at Detective Inspector Purbright’s office to relate a tale of being nearly assaulted while walking home (saved only by the fact that she managed to get a better grip on the gentleman than he was able to get on her) Purbright thinks it might be a one-time occurrence. And after all, with her description of the man sidling away, how many elderly men could their possibly be that fit that description, so it would be easy enough to capture him.
But, as it turns out, there are quite a few actually. In fact, Purbright is puzzled when there is another attack on a young girl who was saved by a passing doctor who seemed to take his time before calling the police. Dr. Meadows, the rescuer, seemed even less concerned because the girl was not injured, and he took a bit of time before even calling the police and then only at the girl's insistence; but Purbright also soon finds that when a respected alderman attacks his assistant and later dies in an accident that Dr. Meadows may know more than he is telling. Even so, he finds it interesting that at the inquest Dr. Meadows blames the alderman’s strange actions on an herbal drug called “Samson’s Salad”. He also learns that the herbal mix is being marketed by none other than Miss Lucilla Teatime, a con artist that Purbright has come in contact with before.
But is it the herbs that is causing the strange behavior in the elderly men or is it something else - something Dr. Meadows knows more about than he’s saying? When Dr. Meadows is later found dead in his surgery, Purbright is convinced the death was not a natural one; but proving that fact and finding out who killed him may be more difficult than even the intrepid Purbright ever imagined...
I truly enjoy this series, as I find Purbright a fascinating man. He senses things are not right when others say they are and he is usually the one who is correct. This time, he's after a bevy of elderly gentlemen who seem to be after women who are out in the evening - even taking to peeping in their windows. When he visits Dr. Meadows he professes to know nothing about these occurrences, but Purbright soon finds that his old friend Lucilla Teatime is involved in the situation.
Miss Teatime is involved indeed, but not in any nefarious dealings. She is the manufacturer of "Samson's Salad" which seems harmless enough; but once she speaks with Sergeant Love she gets a clearer idea that something may be afoot that can benefit her financially - Miss Teatime never misses an opportunity to fatten her purse.
But Purbright discovers that Dr. Meadows was killed because he knew more about the situation than he was telling, and with the coroner refusing to do an autopsy on the man he must find another way to prove it, and it is quite enjoyable to follow along as he conducts his investigation into a killer while watching Miss Teatime conduct her own.
When the end comes and we discover who the killer is and how it was done it is satisfying indeed. This is the sixth book in the series and I look forward to the next. Recommended.
“Something or other is sending half the over-sixties round the twist” in the Flaxborough Crab.
A rash of panty theft, quick grope and runs, and window peeping has befallen Flaxborough. The perps are described as elderly men who scuttle away sideways like a crab. When an esteemed villager is accidentally killed while perpetrating an attack, the police rest easy. But hours later, two more incidents are reported. What is causing the disruption of the usual calmness of Flaxborough life?
This is the sixth book in the Flaxborough Mystery series but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. By using metaphors, the Flaxborough Crab successfully combines naughty details with a totally clean story line that is fine for all ages. Some of the metaphors, especially at the senior picnic using flowers, are laugh-out-loud funny. The mystery is more of a whydunnit than the traditional whodunnit.
The Flaxborough Crab is highly recommended for 20th century police procedural and British cozy mystery fans. It could be likened to a 1950’s precursor of the Stephanie Plum series with the elderly women of the village playing a clean version of Lula. Seriously, this book is funny! 5 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Farrago Books, and NetGalley for a copy. I can’t wait for the next in the series!
Surprise! Surprise! I have visited Flaxborough again and you just never know what will be happening here. I knew about 5 paragraphs in that this was going to be an original story with a very curious mystery. Young women in Flaxborough are being attacked by old men on the streets and in the parks. Initially, Inspector Purbright and Sergeant Love assume that they are looking for one person who is a repeat offender but is that the whole story? Maybe, maybe not. And then, while Sergeant Love is investigating Samson’s Salad he finds Miss Teatime at the helm of the venture. What would Flaxborough be without Miss Teatime? Colin Watson has once again pulled out all the stops with this mystery.
Can you tell that I just can’t get enough of this series? I just love how clever the stories are and the quirky characters. But Inspector Purbright is always there to bring order back to the wacky world of Flaxborough. I found the imagery in this one to be so hilarious I just couldn’t stop reading. This series continues to be the perfect place to tickle your funny bone and your brain all in one sitting. This is book 6 and if you haven’t picked up one of the books in The Flaxborough Series yet, what are you waiting for?
Inspector Purbright is hard at work again as a rash of odd assaults plague Flaxborough. Women of all ages and descriptions are being grabbed, peeped at through windows, and even having their undergarments stolen off the clothesline! And every time the suspect runs off in a strange sideways scuttle like a crab. But can there be more than one culprit? And what is causing the behavior? After a suspect accidentally drowns while pursuing a woman, the autopsy reveals some abnormalities. The inquest also finds that the man had been taking medication prescribed by his doctor as well as herbal remedies he obtained by mail order. Could any of those have caused the strange attacks?
The number of reported assaults mount, patrols are stepped up, vigilante groups begin to form, and still there are no answers. Purbright and his faithful constables follow up on leads concerning the medication and herbal remedies, learning that the herbs come from a nearby farm that has recently changed hands. The deceased suspect's doctor is known to participate in drug trials, but maintains that he has never prescribed anything dangerous. When will it all end?
Those familiar with Flaxborough from previous installments in the series will recognize Purbright and other recurring characters, including Miss Lucy Teatime. Set in an English village in the mid-twentieth century, the novels all deal with crimes investigated by Purbright and the rest of the Flaxborough constabulary in a methodical and respectful way. There are no computers or rogue agents picking locks to find evidence, just a patient gathering of facts and fitting them together.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
This one came to me in a box of small cozy mysteries from various authors. There is one more by this author in the box. It started out rough - very dated and stilted in the language. This one was published in 1960, and is a suitably aged copy. I looked at it as a quick read, and picked it up. I put it down after two short attempts at reading it. I took a little break and read something else. When I picked it up again, it flowed much better, and the plot had thickened. All to the good. Then end was a little rushed, and threw in a few too many little items that could have either been better fleshed out, or skipped entirely. I had guessed a plot point during my first read attempt, but the final answer was a bit convoluted. I feel like it would have been better with a little less detail, and a little more development. Not a bad read, though, once it got going. The reader just has to know up front that it is dated.
I'm still really enjoying Purbright and Watson writes like a dream. But this is not my favourite Flaxborough novel. The least so far.
Of course, even handled with delicacy and absurdity, attempted sexual assault isn't going strike everyone as a topic for humour.
Hmmm .... conflicted.
Anyhow, that's just the start of things. The main theme come back to standard Flax fare: Professionals Behaving Badly.
This one features Miss Teatime. Indeed, she's a central character from about the mid-point on. But it feels a little like her subplot has been added to unwind a particularly tricky problem with detecting the murder (not even the murderer, but the actual murder). Unfortunately, once it had occurred to me that he probably worked backwards from the ingeniously absurd murder method, the house of cards went down for me a bit.
Another fun visit to the village of Flaxborough, with what is surely the highest per-capita rate of cranks, oddballs, nutcases, and devious small-time neer-do-wells of any town in Britain. And I love it; perfect semi-humorous crime escape reading. Flaxborough is enduring a spate of sexual and “sexual-ish” assaults, generally fought off by the redoubtable ladies of the village, but it’s concerning and potentially very dangerous. Inspector Purbright is on the case, but it’s a head scratcher, with possibly several perpetrators. As well, past police foil Lucilla Teatime puts in an appearance and muddles the waters even further. Never fear, the phlegmatic Inspector solves all. Already looking forward to my next visit to Flaxborough.
I think this is the lowest rate I’ve ever given to this series, and not because of the storytelling itself. It still wonderful with dry humor and exciting scenes. However, the topic of molesting women and rape, addressed so lightly as if it’s not a big deal or even something a woman want, was a big turn off for me. I understand that this is a classic novel with probably an outdated view of rape. Still I found it hard to not be offended by it.
Well, if you could look pass through the abovementioned issue, which I couldn’t, this was an enjoyable book.
I was provided a complementary copy by the author / publisher through NetGalley, but this in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions.
Colin Watson's acid wit and clever satire provide a treat for anyone who enjoys a brisk intellectual romp. An editorial comment states it is easy to see why his slower pace of police procedural has been overlooked today. I personally cannot understand how anyone could fail to enjoy it . Yes, it lacks blood and guts , but not much else . I discovered the Series by accident , and am reading my way through it in order , but that is not required . The Flaxborough Crab kept me in stitches throughout . I can heartily recommend it for anyone who enjoys a laugh and a look at mankind through less than rose-colored glasses .
Inspector Purbright and Miss Lucilla Teatime in a pincer action to get to the bottom of the Flaxborough Crab case haha. Colin Watson carefully treads the line in this story involving (minor) sexual assaults so they are both funny but do convey the genuine assault on the victims' peace of mind (even when they use their assailants heads as battering rams) A refreshing change from the relentless (ab)use of threatened or actual menace to women as entertainment in crime fiction.
Purbright's measured demeanour is delightful as ever, as is the breathtaking cheek of Miss Teatime.
As good as it gets: great writing, better humor, and the best characters . I love an intelligent and competent story where you care about the people who shine in the book.
See above cause this author is as good as Christie if not better ; the plot is simpler but the characters are deeper.
I really can not fathom why this extremely gifted writer is not as well known and popular as other top rated Golden Era authors. These Flaxborough books are a delight in every way. The writing is superb, the plots unusual, interesting and well constructed and the characters are all well developed. My only complaint is that there are not more of them...
I have now read 3 of Colin Watson's books. What a treat. Such a relief from the rare available from modern mystery. Well plotted with great characters. I hope to read more.