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Sergeant Beef #6
Case for Sergeant Beef
In the cleverly plotted Case for Sergeant Beef, Mr. Wellington Chickle, a retired watchmaker, plans the perfect murder, but he chooses the wrong victim. The dead man's sister refuses to accept the idea that her brother committed suicide and calls in the unprepossessing Sgt. Beef who unravels the plot with the aid of the local police. Meanwhile, Townsend, Beef’s indefatigable chronicler, comes to a completely different—and completely wrong—conclusion. A delightful read by one of the best mystery plotters who ever lived.
- GenresMystery
190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1947
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52 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 19, 2020
A wonderfully witty mystery! I LOVED it.
A crime, an investigation, a great detective supported by his own Watson and pints of beer what's not to love?
Great characters (who wouldn't feel out of place at Cold Comfort Farm) who all have a reason to have committed the crime kept me turning the pages as I needed to know whodunnit!
A crime, an investigation, a great detective supported by his own Watson and pints of beer what's not to love?
Great characters (who wouldn't feel out of place at Cold Comfort Farm) who all have a reason to have committed the crime kept me turning the pages as I needed to know whodunnit!
May 19, 2023
This is a most amusing take on the inverted mystery genre and a must for those who like their fiction to be meta. There are lots of echoes of the Holmes-Watson dynamic, with Beef constantly "beefing" about his sidekick-chronicler, Townsend and his inadequate puffing of the great detective's exploits. Additionally, there are lots of references to other books in the series - one of the suspects is reading "Case with Ropes and Rings" when Beef and Townsend visit.
Beef also has some thoughts on writers which will chime with the feelings of regular GAD fiction readers:-
‘I’ve noticed that when you fellows want to make your story go further you always put in the inquest. What for? Nothing ever comes out that you don’t know already. Yet you spin it out and describe all the witnesses and introduce the coroner, and all the time kid your readers they’re learning something more about the crime.'
Townsend too gives vent to his thoughts on detective fiction writing:-
"There followed a day of inactivity for me, during which Beef did what he called ‘studying his notes’. I have long since given up doing anything of the sort myself, for in reading other detective novels with the eye of an experienced chronicler I have come to the reluctant conclusion that lists of suspects, time-tables, elaborate catalogues of clues and so on are the resort of those who feel the need to fill another chapter when nothing in the way of true detection presents itself."
Although I did anticipate the twist at the end, this was an engrossing read as the plot licks along with no dips in pace and provides plenty of amusing turns in the path to the solution.
Beef also has some thoughts on writers which will chime with the feelings of regular GAD fiction readers:-
‘I’ve noticed that when you fellows want to make your story go further you always put in the inquest. What for? Nothing ever comes out that you don’t know already. Yet you spin it out and describe all the witnesses and introduce the coroner, and all the time kid your readers they’re learning something more about the crime.'
Townsend too gives vent to his thoughts on detective fiction writing:-
"There followed a day of inactivity for me, during which Beef did what he called ‘studying his notes’. I have long since given up doing anything of the sort myself, for in reading other detective novels with the eye of an experienced chronicler I have come to the reluctant conclusion that lists of suspects, time-tables, elaborate catalogues of clues and so on are the resort of those who feel the need to fill another chapter when nothing in the way of true detection presents itself."
Although I did anticipate the twist at the end, this was an engrossing read as the plot licks along with no dips in pace and provides plenty of amusing turns in the path to the solution.
August 21, 2024
Is revealing who-dun-it at the beginning of the book carrying "Fair Play" too far?
Sergeant Beef would say so. He believes in holding his cards close to his vest and to heck with giving his readers all the clues. If readers know as much as the detective, who needs a detective at all? What if readers who figure out the identity of the murderer before the end of the book start demanding a cut of his fee?
The Englishman who wrote mysteries under the name Leo Bruce wasn't a member of the famous Detection Club, so no one can accuse him of breaking the Sacred Oath. Perhaps this book is a send-up of mystery writers who took themselves a bit too seriously by Leo's standards. Or maybe he was a risk-taker who wanted to see if he could pull off a tricky act.
Chapters 2 through 6 consist of the diary of an odd little man named Wellington Chickle who plans to become immortal in a most unscrupulous way. But first we have to hear from Beef's sidekick and narrator, Lionel Townsend. Far from being the stereotypical hero-worshipping follower of the Great Detective, Townsend puts the "grunt" in "disgruntled." And now he's HAD IT.
Tired of writing up the heavy-handed antics of a detective with the sophistication and subtlety of a hungry rhino, Townsend's going back to selling insurance. Townsend goes to Beef's agency to turn in his notice and they have the usual argument over which one does the heavy lifting in their uneasy partnership.
It doesn't matter because Miss Shoulter of Kent has hired the agency to find out how her brother ended up shot to death in the woods near her house. Beef has no intention of losing that fee and Townsend can't pass on the opportunity to get another book out of the case. So off they go.
God knows Ron Shoulter was no prize. A complete waster, he's gone through life seeking money without working for it. An accurate definition of crime, which suited Ron. Still, his sister objects to the police saying her brother committed suicide, knowing full well that he lacked the guts to blow his head off, even if he wanted to. Miss Shoulter is a tough countrywoman and has no illusions about her no-good brother, but she draws the line at letting a murderer walk free.
So who killed him? Was his sister pushed over the edge by his abusive behavior? Was her friendly new neighbor involved in some way? He recently sold a business in London, where Ron Shoulter has spent most of his life. His hard-working housekeeper is a bit of a mystery. Why is she willing to do physical labor at a remote cottage when she could be managing a staff of servants in a stately home?
Then there's the shady Mr Flipp and his down-trodden wife, also recent newcomers from London. Did Mr Flipp's business as a chemist (pharmacist) bring him into contact with Ron Shoulter? When young Jack Ribbon finds the body in the appropriately named Deadman's Wood, no one seems too concerned, but gloomy Constable Watts-Dunton has no choice but to turn out. Like Hercule Poirot, he disapproves of murder. Unlike Poirot, the constable disapproves of everything.
Sergeant Beef and Townsend set up housekeeping in a pub called "The Crown" and Beef starts getting the lay of the land, while sampling the beer and challenging the skills of the village dart-players. Mr Bristling the landlord is welcoming, but it looks like he may know more about the murder than he wants to say. Finally, there's a hot-tempered young farmer who's feuding with everyone in sight. And of course he was in Deadman's Wood that night (along with half the inhabitants of the area.)
CID Inspector Chatto is a reasonable man. He's more confident in his own abilities than those of a low-rent private detective, but he's willing to trade information and he quickly notices Beef's genius for getting people to confide in him. All except Mrs Pluck, housekeeper for Mr Chickle. She's not giving away anything and Beef has to resort to subterfuge to find out about her background and if she's connected to the murder victim.
In addition to the main suspects, there are some wonderful minor characters, including the resourceful Jack Ribbon, the flabby, greedy parson and his cheerful sister, and the Boy Scouts who prove so invaluable to Beef's plan to find evidence in the dense thickets of Deadman's Woods. Typically, the author's view of marriage is cynical, although there's a sweet young couple still very much in love.
It's a shame Bruce wasn't a member of the Detection Club, because he was a shrewd student of psychology and how it affects crime and criminal investigations. Chickle is a pathetic little man who's been humiliated all his life and has coped by convincing himself that he's a genius and a master criminal. He's absurd, but no less dangerous because of it.
Everyone knows that the hardest criminal to catch is the random murderer. Without a motive, police have no place to start. And yet, it's obvious that some planning will lessen the chances of getting caught. Where is the fine line between spontaneous and careless?
This book is important because Bruce wasn't just the creator of a humorous detective. He was a skillful writer who had important things to say about the field of crime and detection. It's the sixth in the eight-book series and I'm sad that it's coming to an end. Leo Bruce was a unique talent and I'm happy to have discovered him.
Sergeant Beef would say so. He believes in holding his cards close to his vest and to heck with giving his readers all the clues. If readers know as much as the detective, who needs a detective at all? What if readers who figure out the identity of the murderer before the end of the book start demanding a cut of his fee?
The Englishman who wrote mysteries under the name Leo Bruce wasn't a member of the famous Detection Club, so no one can accuse him of breaking the Sacred Oath. Perhaps this book is a send-up of mystery writers who took themselves a bit too seriously by Leo's standards. Or maybe he was a risk-taker who wanted to see if he could pull off a tricky act.
Chapters 2 through 6 consist of the diary of an odd little man named Wellington Chickle who plans to become immortal in a most unscrupulous way. But first we have to hear from Beef's sidekick and narrator, Lionel Townsend. Far from being the stereotypical hero-worshipping follower of the Great Detective, Townsend puts the "grunt" in "disgruntled." And now he's HAD IT.
Tired of writing up the heavy-handed antics of a detective with the sophistication and subtlety of a hungry rhino, Townsend's going back to selling insurance. Townsend goes to Beef's agency to turn in his notice and they have the usual argument over which one does the heavy lifting in their uneasy partnership.
It doesn't matter because Miss Shoulter of Kent has hired the agency to find out how her brother ended up shot to death in the woods near her house. Beef has no intention of losing that fee and Townsend can't pass on the opportunity to get another book out of the case. So off they go.
God knows Ron Shoulter was no prize. A complete waster, he's gone through life seeking money without working for it. An accurate definition of crime, which suited Ron. Still, his sister objects to the police saying her brother committed suicide, knowing full well that he lacked the guts to blow his head off, even if he wanted to. Miss Shoulter is a tough countrywoman and has no illusions about her no-good brother, but she draws the line at letting a murderer walk free.
So who killed him? Was his sister pushed over the edge by his abusive behavior? Was her friendly new neighbor involved in some way? He recently sold a business in London, where Ron Shoulter has spent most of his life. His hard-working housekeeper is a bit of a mystery. Why is she willing to do physical labor at a remote cottage when she could be managing a staff of servants in a stately home?
Then there's the shady Mr Flipp and his down-trodden wife, also recent newcomers from London. Did Mr Flipp's business as a chemist (pharmacist) bring him into contact with Ron Shoulter? When young Jack Ribbon finds the body in the appropriately named Deadman's Wood, no one seems too concerned, but gloomy Constable Watts-Dunton has no choice but to turn out. Like Hercule Poirot, he disapproves of murder. Unlike Poirot, the constable disapproves of everything.
Sergeant Beef and Townsend set up housekeeping in a pub called "The Crown" and Beef starts getting the lay of the land, while sampling the beer and challenging the skills of the village dart-players. Mr Bristling the landlord is welcoming, but it looks like he may know more about the murder than he wants to say. Finally, there's a hot-tempered young farmer who's feuding with everyone in sight. And of course he was in Deadman's Wood that night (along with half the inhabitants of the area.)
CID Inspector Chatto is a reasonable man. He's more confident in his own abilities than those of a low-rent private detective, but he's willing to trade information and he quickly notices Beef's genius for getting people to confide in him. All except Mrs Pluck, housekeeper for Mr Chickle. She's not giving away anything and Beef has to resort to subterfuge to find out about her background and if she's connected to the murder victim.
In addition to the main suspects, there are some wonderful minor characters, including the resourceful Jack Ribbon, the flabby, greedy parson and his cheerful sister, and the Boy Scouts who prove so invaluable to Beef's plan to find evidence in the dense thickets of Deadman's Woods. Typically, the author's view of marriage is cynical, although there's a sweet young couple still very much in love.
It's a shame Bruce wasn't a member of the Detection Club, because he was a shrewd student of psychology and how it affects crime and criminal investigations. Chickle is a pathetic little man who's been humiliated all his life and has coped by convincing himself that he's a genius and a master criminal. He's absurd, but no less dangerous because of it.
Everyone knows that the hardest criminal to catch is the random murderer. Without a motive, police have no place to start. And yet, it's obvious that some planning will lessen the chances of getting caught. Where is the fine line between spontaneous and careless?
This book is important because Bruce wasn't just the creator of a humorous detective. He was a skillful writer who had important things to say about the field of crime and detection. It's the sixth in the eight-book series and I'm sad that it's coming to an end. Leo Bruce was a unique talent and I'm happy to have discovered him.
Want to read
December 16, 2019Synopsis: former Sergeant Beef joins forces with the police over the difficult Shoulter murder case, and faces formidable problems.
May 5, 2021
Tedious
August 8, 2017
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October 28, 2014
With the opening line: 'I had made up my mind to have no more to do with murder.' this was a fun read! Mr. Bruce made little funny remarks picking on literary sleuths and even added himself in the fun. M. Amer Picon is Hercule Poirot and Lord Simon Plimsoll is Lord Peter Wimsey. And Sgt. Beef, when retired from the police force, insisted on buying a house on Baker Street and hanging out a sign Beef Investigations. Fun characters names too, Wellington Chickle, Mrs. Pluck, Inspector Chatto and Mr. and Mrs. Flipp, not to mention the little cottage Labour's End.
The story is told from the point of view of Mr. Townsend. He followed Sgt. Beef around on his investigations and chronicled them into mystery books. It was the fashion then for the top detectives to have their own 'chronicler'. In chapter one he had made up his mind to retire from this and go into a business for himself, but when telling Beef about his decision Beef was able to persuade him to go along for one more very unusual investigation.
In chapter two we are introduced to Mr. Chickle and his journal. He has decided to commit a murder. An unsolvable murder, because there will be no motive as he won't know the victim. In this way he will become immortal and famous. He plans meticulously down to the smallest detail. Recording it in his journal for the police to have after he has died and the case is long unsolved. Once he is ready he moves to the cottage in the woods and establishes himself there as a friendly retired old watchmaker and our murder mystery unfolds! Will it go to plan or will someone throw a monkey wrench in the works. Will Mr. Chickle get away with it? You'll have to find a copy to find out!
The story is told from the point of view of Mr. Townsend. He followed Sgt. Beef around on his investigations and chronicled them into mystery books. It was the fashion then for the top detectives to have their own 'chronicler'. In chapter one he had made up his mind to retire from this and go into a business for himself, but when telling Beef about his decision Beef was able to persuade him to go along for one more very unusual investigation.
In chapter two we are introduced to Mr. Chickle and his journal. He has decided to commit a murder. An unsolvable murder, because there will be no motive as he won't know the victim. In this way he will become immortal and famous. He plans meticulously down to the smallest detail. Recording it in his journal for the police to have after he has died and the case is long unsolved. Once he is ready he moves to the cottage in the woods and establishes himself there as a friendly retired old watchmaker and our murder mystery unfolds! Will it go to plan or will someone throw a monkey wrench in the works. Will Mr. Chickle get away with it? You'll have to find a copy to find out!
October 28, 2014
A very fun little bit of crime fiction, with some nicely playful metafictional touches (at one point, the detective spots an earlier book about him by Leo Bruce on a suspect's study desk and makes disparaging remarks upon it,for example--who could trust someone who would read stuff like that, he laughs).
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews