The case of the three lost letters

Ludovic Travers #44

by Christopher Bush

I liked him. When I heard of his death I was quite upset.Henry Baldlow is a nervous man. An apparent invalid, he plans to emigrate for his health, yet claims to require a detective to guard his life in the interim. Ludovic Travers isn't initially convinced, but when one of his operatives turns up dead, and then Baldlow himself, he takes charge. A series of visitors were asked to call at specific times on the afternoon of Baldlow's death--was one of these the culprit? Investigating the case entails Travers reluctantly romancing a femme fatale, peeking in at the jewellery business, and exploring the murky world of show-business, before he brings the crime home to the murderer.The Case of the Three Lost Letters was originally published in 1954. This new edition features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans."A model detective story on classical an original central idea, with a complicated plot to clothe it, plenty of sound, straightforward detection by a mellowed Ludovic Travers and never a word that is not strictly relevant to the story." Anthony Berkeley"A beautifully quiet, close-knit problem in deduction very fairly presented and impeccably solved." Sunday Times

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Christopher Bush was educated in the local school. He then won a scholarship to Thetford Grammar, and went on to study modern languages at King's College London, after which he worked as a school teacher.

He participated in both world wars.

He was a prolific writer of detective novels, wrote three autobiographical novels and nine books about Breckland life using the nom-de-plume Michael Home.

He lived in Great Hockham.

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a crackingly-good story which held my attention and kept me fooled right to the end. Ludo Travers is in excellent form and the plotting, pacing and characterisation are all strong. Bush is in very good form here.

I think, however that Curt Evans might have enhanced the general reader's enjoyment by providing some specialised background on the Moral Rearmament movement which features so strongly in the story.

4.5 stars.

[WTD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plodding. The plot is one-paced and tha characters mainly 2-dimensional. The narrator, Travers, is not a particularly pleasant character and the guilty person fairly obvious. You wonder why the police and the private detective never questioned the murderer as a suspect. Shows its age and just plain dull.

[John Maddrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of the Christopher Bush books take you back to a more relaxed time they are al wl good yarns to read.