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Keith Calder #5
The Game
Keith Calder, the engaging rogue who has appeared in Gerald Hammond’s previous novels, is in his element in this new adventure.
Millmont House, not far from Edinburgh, is the headquarters of a group of companies under the name of Personal Service, and Millmont House offers the oldest service – it is a high class and very expensive brothel. In one of its luxury apartments there is substantial evidence that a murder has been committed and it is clear that an antique pistol was the weapon.
But there is no body, in fact no clue as to who might have been killed, never mind who was the murderer. Into this discreet, wealthy atmosphere comes Keith to privately investigate the crime and, with little finesse but with great promptitude, he manages to establish who is dead. He also disturbs a hornets nest of local government corruption and blackmail.
In the tradition we have now come to expect from Gerald Hammond, this is a highly entertaining whodunnit, full of character, detailed background and exciting incident.
Praise for Gerald Hammond
‘A gruesome, lightheartedly complex caper in the Scottish lowlands… the whole tangled romp has a what-ho!, outdoorsy energy that's undeniably appealing.’ – Kirkus Reviews
‘With his expert knowledge of guns and his love of the Scottish countryside, Gerald created marvellous backgrounds against which he set puzzling, credible, and thoroughly entertaining whodunits. His books were not long tedious, padded, thrillers. Instead they are almost of another age, ingenious plots, characters with whom you want to spend time, and a world to which you eagerly anticipate returning.’ – Paul Bishop, author of Deep Water and A Bucketful of Bullets.
Born in 1926, Gerald Hammond lived in Scotland, where he retired from his profession as an architect in 1982 to pursue his love of shooting and fishing and to write full time. After his first novel, Fred in Situ, was published in 1965, Gerald became a prolific author with over 70 published novels. His last title, The Unkindest Cut, was published in 2012. Most of his novels were published under his own name, but he also wrote under the pseudonyms Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden.
Millmont House, not far from Edinburgh, is the headquarters of a group of companies under the name of Personal Service, and Millmont House offers the oldest service – it is a high class and very expensive brothel. In one of its luxury apartments there is substantial evidence that a murder has been committed and it is clear that an antique pistol was the weapon.
But there is no body, in fact no clue as to who might have been killed, never mind who was the murderer. Into this discreet, wealthy atmosphere comes Keith to privately investigate the crime and, with little finesse but with great promptitude, he manages to establish who is dead. He also disturbs a hornets nest of local government corruption and blackmail.
In the tradition we have now come to expect from Gerald Hammond, this is a highly entertaining whodunnit, full of character, detailed background and exciting incident.
Praise for Gerald Hammond
‘A gruesome, lightheartedly complex caper in the Scottish lowlands… the whole tangled romp has a what-ho!, outdoorsy energy that's undeniably appealing.’ – Kirkus Reviews
‘With his expert knowledge of guns and his love of the Scottish countryside, Gerald created marvellous backgrounds against which he set puzzling, credible, and thoroughly entertaining whodunits. His books were not long tedious, padded, thrillers. Instead they are almost of another age, ingenious plots, characters with whom you want to spend time, and a world to which you eagerly anticipate returning.’ – Paul Bishop, author of Deep Water and A Bucketful of Bullets.
Born in 1926, Gerald Hammond lived in Scotland, where he retired from his profession as an architect in 1982 to pursue his love of shooting and fishing and to write full time. After his first novel, Fred in Situ, was published in 1965, Gerald became a prolific author with over 70 published novels. His last title, The Unkindest Cut, was published in 2012. Most of his novels were published under his own name, but he also wrote under the pseudonyms Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden.
- GenresMystery
168 pages, Hardcover
First published July 15, 1982
49 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Hammond
100 books19 followersGerald Hammond, (Gerald Arthur Douglas Hammond) son of Frederick Arthur Lucas (a physician) and Maria Birnie (a nursing sister) Hammond; married Gilda Isobel Watt (a nurse), August 20, 1952; children: Peter, David, Steven. Education: Aberdeen School of Architecture, Dip. Arch., 1952. He served in the British Army, 1944-45. Although born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, he worked in and retired to the country he most loved, Scotland.
He also writes under the names of Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden. He was an architect for thirty years before retiring to write novels full-time in 1982. He has written over 50 novels since the late 1960s.
His novels center around guns, shooting, hunting, fishing, and dog training.
He also writes under the names of Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden. He was an architect for thirty years before retiring to write novels full-time in 1982. He has written over 50 novels since the late 1960s.
His novels center around guns, shooting, hunting, fishing, and dog training.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 19, 2019
Charles van Buren
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Another fine Keith Calder mystery
August 18, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: May 31, 2018
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Language: English
ASIN: B07DGFYVHM
This fifth volume of the Keith Calder mysteries puts more emphasis on the mystery than do the first four volumes. There are still fascinating characters but no dogs. In this one Chief Inspector Munro proves to be a greater - well lets just say he reminds one of the statement of Mr. Bumble in OLIVER TWIST, "If the law supposes that," said Mr. Bumble, squeezing his hat emphatically in both hands, "the law is a ass — a idiot. "
I downloaded this book through Kindle Unlimited.
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Another fine Keith Calder mystery
August 18, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: May 31, 2018
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Language: English
ASIN: B07DGFYVHM
This fifth volume of the Keith Calder mysteries puts more emphasis on the mystery than do the first four volumes. There are still fascinating characters but no dogs. In this one Chief Inspector Munro proves to be a greater - well lets just say he reminds one of the statement of Mr. Bumble in OLIVER TWIST, "If the law supposes that," said Mr. Bumble, squeezing his hat emphatically in both hands, "the law is a ass — a idiot. "
I downloaded this book through Kindle Unlimited.
October 1, 2018
A deliciously sharp~witted murder mystery that will have you chuckling with glee for the sheer ingenuity and clever manipulations and moral pressure points used in this so fascinating book. This is so diabolically clever because it presents to the reader some of man's flaws and/or his weaknesses (like the morally~unbending and the blind~to~the~gray~areas of man's frailty type and most specially clueless to their own failings) and yet present a very human and relatable brand of morality that is not only probable and/or plausible but is doable and also applicable. An admirable and awesome read.
P.S. ~ Thanks to Endeavor Media for this Freebie. This is indeed a gem.
P.S. ~ Thanks to Endeavor Media for this Freebie. This is indeed a gem.
January 3, 2026
Re-reading the series from book 1. This is probably the worst one so far. Spoilers ahead.
This book is what happens when the author has one good idea for a plot and tries to stretch a book around it but it didn't work for me.
I won't go over the characters or the setting as this series should be best read from the start. It turns out (incredibly) that Wallace has been the accountant/advisor for a highly profitable high class brothel that has branched out into being a conglomerate. In the narrative, at times this conglomerate is flush with assets, at times it's on the edge of insolvency depending on what the author wants to convey. And for some reason Wallace has never mentioned that until this book, in fact he had to rely on Calder's generosity to stay in his empty flat when his barge got damaged. Anyway, never let continuity get in the way of a good, nay mediocre, plot.
The crux of the plot is the disappearing corpse. In one of the brothel's chalets (rooms d'amour), a chair with a bullet hole and recently cleaned blood stains are found. They bring Calder in, who based on the evidence, deduces that a man has been killed with an antique firearm nailed to the wall. The story then, is to find the corpse and discover who killed him and why.
Unfortunately a large part of the story is taken up by how the brothel was a benign one and used its surplus cash to become a conglomerate with hands in many legal business pies. I wasn't interested because it's all made up anyway and wasn't interesting. Maybe it was a novel idea in the 1970's but it's been done to death since then, and in real life too.
The story was that a man who worked for a large contractor tried to blackmail an activist whistleblower by getting him to sleep with his own sister but the activist shot the blackmailer instead. Calder was able to trace the contractor by following up two goons who the contractor used to find out what happened to the blackmailing person. The activist also happened to have a lead bullet and powder(?) on him to fit the firearm and Calder was able to trace him through this.
I gave this book low marks because the overall story got too complex and unbelievable for the author to handle. By the time Calder discovered who the contractor was, the story should have ended there but it kept going and the ending was even open ended without a real ending. A disappointment.
This book is what happens when the author has one good idea for a plot and tries to stretch a book around it but it didn't work for me.
I won't go over the characters or the setting as this series should be best read from the start. It turns out (incredibly) that Wallace has been the accountant/advisor for a highly profitable high class brothel that has branched out into being a conglomerate. In the narrative, at times this conglomerate is flush with assets, at times it's on the edge of insolvency depending on what the author wants to convey. And for some reason Wallace has never mentioned that until this book, in fact he had to rely on Calder's generosity to stay in his empty flat when his barge got damaged. Anyway, never let continuity get in the way of a good, nay mediocre, plot.
The crux of the plot is the disappearing corpse. In one of the brothel's chalets (rooms d'amour), a chair with a bullet hole and recently cleaned blood stains are found. They bring Calder in, who based on the evidence, deduces that a man has been killed with an antique firearm nailed to the wall. The story then, is to find the corpse and discover who killed him and why.
Unfortunately a large part of the story is taken up by how the brothel was a benign one and used its surplus cash to become a conglomerate with hands in many legal business pies. I wasn't interested because it's all made up anyway and wasn't interesting. Maybe it was a novel idea in the 1970's but it's been done to death since then, and in real life too.
The story was that a man who worked for a large contractor tried to blackmail an activist whistleblower by getting him to sleep with his own sister but the activist shot the blackmailer instead. Calder was able to trace the contractor by following up two goons who the contractor used to find out what happened to the blackmailing person. The activist also happened to have a lead bullet and powder(?) on him to fit the firearm and Calder was able to trace him through this.
I gave this book low marks because the overall story got too complex and unbelievable for the author to handle. By the time Calder discovered who the contractor was, the story should have ended there but it kept going and the ending was even open ended without a real ending. A disappointment.
January 20, 2025
The game
I loved this book a real murder mystery character are good and the twists and turns keeps you interested I would certainly recommend this book of you like a fast moving mystery.
I loved this book a real murder mystery character are good and the twists and turns keeps you interested I would certainly recommend this book of you like a fast moving mystery.
November 14, 2019
Good read
I was vastly upset with editing or word processing of this book. Periods missing all thru book. Drives me crazy. The story was up to par though.
I was vastly upset with editing or word processing of this book. Periods missing all thru book. Drives me crazy. The story was up to par though.
February 9, 2025
I loved this story, a great cast of people, which made you think…who did it. Highly recommend.
December 26, 2012
When I first read this book many years ago I was intrigued. Here's a book written by a middle aged (well he is now...) Scottish crime writer, and it's about very posh prostitutes...sort of. Along with The Revenge Game, one of my favorite Gerald Hammond books.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews