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Inspector Blampignon
A Telegram from Le Touquet
Gwen Marrable, at fourty-something, is rich, attractive and independent. She is also imperious and man-mad. Her house party fizzles out after two guests assault each other and her adopted daughter learns that she will be disinherited if she marries a man Gwen doesn't approve of. Gwen goes off to her house in the South of France, but arrives there, dead and bundled into her own trunk. As her various relatives and hangers-on converge on Villa Paradou, the local detective tries to find out exactly what happened after Gwen left England.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
43 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
John Bude
56 books79 followersJohn Bude was a pseudonym used by Ernest Carpenter Elmore who was a British born writer.
He was born in 1901 and, as a boarder, he attended Mill Hill School, leaving in 1919 and moving on to Cheltenham where he attended a secretarial college and where he learned to type. After that he spent several years as games master at St Christopher School in Letchworth where he also led the school's dramatic activities.
This keen interest in the theatre led him to join the Lena Ashwell Players as stage manager and he took their productions around the country. He also acted in plays produced at the Everyman Theatre in Hampstead, where he lived for a time. He honed his writing skills, whenever he had a moment to spare, in the various dressing rooms that he found himself in.
He eventually returned to Maidstone, the town of his birth, and during the Second World War he ran his local Home Guard unit as he had been deemed unfit to serve in the forces.
He later lived in Loose, Kent, and after that near Rye, East Sussex, and enjoyed golf and painting but never learned to drive although that did not stop him apparently offering advice to his wife when she was driving! He had met his wife, Betty, when producing plays back in Maidstone and they married in 1933.
After becoming a full-time writer, he wrote some 30 crime fiction novels, many featuring his two main series characters Superintendent Meredith and Inspector Sherwood. He began with 'The Cornish Coast Murder' in 1935 and his final two crime novels, 'A Twist of the Rope' and 'The Night the Fog Came Down' were published posthumously in 1958.
He was a founder member of the Norfolk-based Crime Writers Association (CWA) in 1953 and was a co-organiser of the Crime Book Exhibition that was one of the CWA's early publicity initiatives. He was a popular and hard-working member of the CWA's committee from its inception through to May 1957.
Under his own name he also wrote a number of fantasy novels, the most well-known of which is 'The Lumpton Gobbelings' (1954). In addition he wrote a children's book, 'The Snuffly Snorty Dog' (1946).
He was admitted to hospital in Hastings on 6 November 1957, having just delivered his what turned out to be his final manuscript to his publisher, for a routine operation but he died two days later.
Fellow British crime writer Martin Edwards comments, "Bude writes both readably and entertainingly. His work may not have been stunning enough to belong with the greats, but there is a smoothness and accomplishment about even his first mystery, 'The Cornish Coast Murder', which you don't find in many début mysteries."
Interestingly he was the dedicatee of 'The Case of the Running Mouse' (1944) by his friend Christopher Bush. The dedication stated, 'May his stature, and his circulation, increase.'
NB: He was not born on 1 January but the system does not allow a date of birth without a month and date so it defaults to 1 January.
He was born in 1901 and, as a boarder, he attended Mill Hill School, leaving in 1919 and moving on to Cheltenham where he attended a secretarial college and where he learned to type. After that he spent several years as games master at St Christopher School in Letchworth where he also led the school's dramatic activities.
This keen interest in the theatre led him to join the Lena Ashwell Players as stage manager and he took their productions around the country. He also acted in plays produced at the Everyman Theatre in Hampstead, where he lived for a time. He honed his writing skills, whenever he had a moment to spare, in the various dressing rooms that he found himself in.
He eventually returned to Maidstone, the town of his birth, and during the Second World War he ran his local Home Guard unit as he had been deemed unfit to serve in the forces.
He later lived in Loose, Kent, and after that near Rye, East Sussex, and enjoyed golf and painting but never learned to drive although that did not stop him apparently offering advice to his wife when she was driving! He had met his wife, Betty, when producing plays back in Maidstone and they married in 1933.
After becoming a full-time writer, he wrote some 30 crime fiction novels, many featuring his two main series characters Superintendent Meredith and Inspector Sherwood. He began with 'The Cornish Coast Murder' in 1935 and his final two crime novels, 'A Twist of the Rope' and 'The Night the Fog Came Down' were published posthumously in 1958.
He was a founder member of the Norfolk-based Crime Writers Association (CWA) in 1953 and was a co-organiser of the Crime Book Exhibition that was one of the CWA's early publicity initiatives. He was a popular and hard-working member of the CWA's committee from its inception through to May 1957.
Under his own name he also wrote a number of fantasy novels, the most well-known of which is 'The Lumpton Gobbelings' (1954). In addition he wrote a children's book, 'The Snuffly Snorty Dog' (1946).
He was admitted to hospital in Hastings on 6 November 1957, having just delivered his what turned out to be his final manuscript to his publisher, for a routine operation but he died two days later.
Fellow British crime writer Martin Edwards comments, "Bude writes both readably and entertainingly. His work may not have been stunning enough to belong with the greats, but there is a smoothness and accomplishment about even his first mystery, 'The Cornish Coast Murder', which you don't find in many début mysteries."
Interestingly he was the dedicatee of 'The Case of the Running Mouse' (1944) by his friend Christopher Bush. The dedication stated, 'May his stature, and his circulation, increase.'
NB: He was not born on 1 January but the system does not allow a date of birth without a month and date so it defaults to 1 January.
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May 19, 2025
A Telegram from Le Touquet was first published in 1956 and is typical of a Golden Age mystery. It is the third book I have read by this author and I find I enjoy his writing very much.
The story is introduced by one of the main characters, Nigel Derry, but later he becomes a suspect and the second half of the book is told from the viewpoint of Inspector Blampignon of the French police. Similarly the setting opens in a country house in England and later on we find ourselves on the Cote d'Azur. It is not hard to guess who is going to die nor who is the guilty party, but it is still a lot of fun finding out the how and the why.
Altogether a very enjoyable read with an interesting mystery and a cast of well written characters. Highly recommended if you enjoy this kind of mystery.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The story is introduced by one of the main characters, Nigel Derry, but later he becomes a suspect and the second half of the book is told from the viewpoint of Inspector Blampignon of the French police. Similarly the setting opens in a country house in England and later on we find ourselves on the Cote d'Azur. It is not hard to guess who is going to die nor who is the guilty party, but it is still a lot of fun finding out the how and the why.
Altogether a very enjoyable read with an interesting mystery and a cast of well written characters. Highly recommended if you enjoy this kind of mystery.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 3, 2025
Author John Bude first introduced the affable, sweaty Nice policeman Inspector Blampignon in Death on the Riviera, the fourth novel in Bude’s excellent series featuring Inspector William Meredith. Blampignon returns in A Telegram from Le Tourquet, and he does a wonderful job carrying this mystery cozy virtually on his own.
Gwenny Marrable, a very wealthy but very impulsive widow, refuses her adoptive daughter’s request to marry Mrs. Marrable’s own godson, a good young man who Mrs. Marrable has adored. Why? The widow also upsets a number of mooching hangers-on and her own younger sister, the naïve and timid Deborah Gaye. Soon after, Mrs. Marrable heads to her villa on the French Riviera, but her body is found murdered in a steamer trunk. With so many suspects, how can poor perspiring Inspector Blampignon find the true murderer?
Bude does his usual yeoman’s work of providing lots of tips to the police and twists for the readers. While he plays a bit unfair with the ending, this novel is still highly recommended.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.
Gwenny Marrable, a very wealthy but very impulsive widow, refuses her adoptive daughter’s request to marry Mrs. Marrable’s own godson, a good young man who Mrs. Marrable has adored. Why? The widow also upsets a number of mooching hangers-on and her own younger sister, the naïve and timid Deborah Gaye. Soon after, Mrs. Marrable heads to her villa on the French Riviera, but her body is found murdered in a steamer trunk. With so many suspects, how can poor perspiring Inspector Blampignon find the true murderer?
Bude does his usual yeoman’s work of providing lots of tips to the police and twists for the readers. While he plays a bit unfair with the ending, this novel is still highly recommended.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2024
For my full review click on the link below:
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https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
September 27, 2024
The body in the trunk…
Nigel Derry is paying a visit to Cockfosters, the house of his godmother, Gwenny Marrable. Gwenny is a rich widow, having married an elderly gentleman who promptly and obligingly died, leaving her all his money. Still only in her forties, Gwenny likes men and always has one or two hanging around, usually wastrels who are happy to live on her money. But eventually she tires of them and they get their marching orders. Currently George Gammon is resident in Cockfosters – a drunken boor of a man, who made me wonder why Gwenny had felt he was an improvement on celibacy. But George is coming to the end of his time in the sun and she’s also invited a new man to stay, André Duconte, French, suave and smooth – equally unlikeable but rather more physically attractive than poor George! George has turned to Deborah Gaye for comfort, Gwenny’s sister, who has never shared her sister’s ability to attract men. (She didn’t have a rich dead husband, of course.) And there’s Sheila, Gwenny’s ward, whom she took in when Sheila’s parents died in her infancy, and has brought up almost as her own daughter. Nigel and Sheila are in love, but Gwenny won’t give her permission for their marriage – in fact, she’s made it a condition in her will that Sheila will inherit nothing if she marries before she’s thirty. Tensions are running high, and when a fight breaks out that leads to a neighbour, artist Harry Skeet, being injured, Gwenny tells everyone to leave, shuts up the house, and goes off to her villa in Cap Martin in the South of France. And it’s in the villa that a body will be found, naked, in a travelling trunk, a few days later…
The first part of the story is told in the first person by Nigel and has all the traditional elements of a vintage mystery – a house-party, a group of characters at odds with each other, plenty of motives for potential murders. At this point, we don’t know who the victim will be, but I suspect we could all make a good guess! Nigel is a likeable narrator, and the mystery of why Gwenny should be so against Sheila marrying is intriguing. The characters are well drawn and promise to be a fun bunch of suspects. It’s all very promising…
And then we get to France. Now it changes over to a neutral third person narrative, following the investigation of Blampignon, one of the Sûreté’s finest detectives. And it goes downhill. Blampignon is not an interesting character – all we really get to know about him is that he eats, drinks and sweats a lot, and thinks highly of himself. We don’t hear much else from or about Nigel, and the focus becomes as much about where the murder was done and how the body ended up in the villa as on the promising motives of the suspects. There’s lots of checking of alibis and working out the length of journeys between various towns in France, and it’s all quite long-winded and dull. The human interest aspect more or less disappears, so that by the time the murderer is revealed I had reached a point where I didn’t care enough about any of the characters to be either pleased or shocked. There’s a very short appearance from Bude’s regular policeman, Superintendent Meredith, but only because he helps check an alibi at the English end of the route.
Bude gives a good picture of Menton, the town nearest the villa where most of the action takes place, sweltering in the summer sun and coping with the summer influx of tourists, mostly from England. The French part starts with the couple who act as caretakers and servants in Gwenny’s villa, and, like the English characters in the first part, they’re very well drawn and enjoyable. But like Nigel, they soon disappear from the focus, leaving us with Blampignon and his equally bland colleagues.
The main suspect and the motive are both pretty obvious from fairly early on to both Blampignon and the reader, and the remaining mystery is only to work out how the murderer did it. The other mystery, why Gwenny didn’t want Sheila to marry, is more intriguing, and there’s a separate strand about the feud between Harry Skeet, the artist, and André Duconte, Gwenny’s latest boyfriend, which I found more interesting than the main plot too. All the major points are cleared up at the end, but there are several loose ends left over. I felt it needed an epilogue – avoiding spoilers, but several of the remaining characters’ lives had been affected in one way or another by the fallout from the murder, and I was left wanting to know what happened to them. It was as if, having revealed the murderer, Bude lost interest in the survivors.
A disappointing one for me. After a very promising start, the change of perspective was disconcerting, dropping the early focus on the characters in preference for a painstaking police investigation, and the book never really recovered from it. The highest praise I could give it is to call it mediocre, and that’s not very high praise at all, I fear.
Nigel Derry is paying a visit to Cockfosters, the house of his godmother, Gwenny Marrable. Gwenny is a rich widow, having married an elderly gentleman who promptly and obligingly died, leaving her all his money. Still only in her forties, Gwenny likes men and always has one or two hanging around, usually wastrels who are happy to live on her money. But eventually she tires of them and they get their marching orders. Currently George Gammon is resident in Cockfosters – a drunken boor of a man, who made me wonder why Gwenny had felt he was an improvement on celibacy. But George is coming to the end of his time in the sun and she’s also invited a new man to stay, André Duconte, French, suave and smooth – equally unlikeable but rather more physically attractive than poor George! George has turned to Deborah Gaye for comfort, Gwenny’s sister, who has never shared her sister’s ability to attract men. (She didn’t have a rich dead husband, of course.) And there’s Sheila, Gwenny’s ward, whom she took in when Sheila’s parents died in her infancy, and has brought up almost as her own daughter. Nigel and Sheila are in love, but Gwenny won’t give her permission for their marriage – in fact, she’s made it a condition in her will that Sheila will inherit nothing if she marries before she’s thirty. Tensions are running high, and when a fight breaks out that leads to a neighbour, artist Harry Skeet, being injured, Gwenny tells everyone to leave, shuts up the house, and goes off to her villa in Cap Martin in the South of France. And it’s in the villa that a body will be found, naked, in a travelling trunk, a few days later…
The first part of the story is told in the first person by Nigel and has all the traditional elements of a vintage mystery – a house-party, a group of characters at odds with each other, plenty of motives for potential murders. At this point, we don’t know who the victim will be, but I suspect we could all make a good guess! Nigel is a likeable narrator, and the mystery of why Gwenny should be so against Sheila marrying is intriguing. The characters are well drawn and promise to be a fun bunch of suspects. It’s all very promising…
And then we get to France. Now it changes over to a neutral third person narrative, following the investigation of Blampignon, one of the Sûreté’s finest detectives. And it goes downhill. Blampignon is not an interesting character – all we really get to know about him is that he eats, drinks and sweats a lot, and thinks highly of himself. We don’t hear much else from or about Nigel, and the focus becomes as much about where the murder was done and how the body ended up in the villa as on the promising motives of the suspects. There’s lots of checking of alibis and working out the length of journeys between various towns in France, and it’s all quite long-winded and dull. The human interest aspect more or less disappears, so that by the time the murderer is revealed I had reached a point where I didn’t care enough about any of the characters to be either pleased or shocked. There’s a very short appearance from Bude’s regular policeman, Superintendent Meredith, but only because he helps check an alibi at the English end of the route.
Bude gives a good picture of Menton, the town nearest the villa where most of the action takes place, sweltering in the summer sun and coping with the summer influx of tourists, mostly from England. The French part starts with the couple who act as caretakers and servants in Gwenny’s villa, and, like the English characters in the first part, they’re very well drawn and enjoyable. But like Nigel, they soon disappear from the focus, leaving us with Blampignon and his equally bland colleagues.
The main suspect and the motive are both pretty obvious from fairly early on to both Blampignon and the reader, and the remaining mystery is only to work out how the murderer did it. The other mystery, why Gwenny didn’t want Sheila to marry, is more intriguing, and there’s a separate strand about the feud between Harry Skeet, the artist, and André Duconte, Gwenny’s latest boyfriend, which I found more interesting than the main plot too. All the major points are cleared up at the end, but there are several loose ends left over. I felt it needed an epilogue – avoiding spoilers, but several of the remaining characters’ lives had been affected in one way or another by the fallout from the murder, and I was left wanting to know what happened to them. It was as if, having revealed the murderer, Bude lost interest in the survivors.
A disappointing one for me. After a very promising start, the change of perspective was disconcerting, dropping the early focus on the characters in preference for a painstaking police investigation, and the book never really recovered from it. The highest praise I could give it is to call it mediocre, and that’s not very high praise at all, I fear.
March 12, 2024
In his Introduction to this 1956 offering, Martin Edwards quotes the approval of Julian Symons , particularly with regard to characterisation, and himself opines:-
‘The plot is intricate, but after an investigation that Nigel Derry describes as “tireless and brilliant”, Blampignon finally makes sense of everything that has happened, while emphasising in the closing words that the vital lead was indeed the “telegram from Le Touquet”.’
While I do not take issue with quite all of this, my overall feeling is that the novel does not quite work, and that while the ease of the writing propels one pacily to the denouement, the characters are rather stereotypical, the structure is peculiar , the solution predictable and the French setting not terribly convincing.
Blampignon comes over to me as a very English kind of detective and his investigation seems to have little Gallic methodology about it, as, quite oddly,he travels about and gathers information rather in the manner of Inspector French.
As to the plot, I would describe it as unfeasibly over-elaborate rather than intricate.I was not convinced that the murderer could have cooked up and organised it all, nor that that they could have imagined that it would be successful. It is difficult to be specific without spoiling things, but most readers of GAD know that simplicity and not involving others are usually the keys to murderous success and that leaving false clues to mislead the police is rarely a good idea.
There were some interesting and slightly unexpected twists in the relationships and backstory about which my projections were wrong. However the structure, with a prelude introducing the main characters and raising a few questions about their relations, followed by the main narrative of murder, investigation and resolution, is awkward, and a lot of information has to be dumped towards the end to make the solution work.
Somewhat unsatisfactory as a puzzle, but well- enough-written to merit 3.5 stars.
‘The plot is intricate, but after an investigation that Nigel Derry describes as “tireless and brilliant”, Blampignon finally makes sense of everything that has happened, while emphasising in the closing words that the vital lead was indeed the “telegram from Le Touquet”.’
While I do not take issue with quite all of this, my overall feeling is that the novel does not quite work, and that while the ease of the writing propels one pacily to the denouement, the characters are rather stereotypical, the structure is peculiar , the solution predictable and the French setting not terribly convincing.
Blampignon comes over to me as a very English kind of detective and his investigation seems to have little Gallic methodology about it, as, quite oddly,he travels about and gathers information rather in the manner of Inspector French.
As to the plot, I would describe it as unfeasibly over-elaborate rather than intricate.I was not convinced that the murderer could have cooked up and organised it all, nor that that they could have imagined that it would be successful. It is difficult to be specific without spoiling things, but most readers of GAD know that simplicity and not involving others are usually the keys to murderous success and that leaving false clues to mislead the police is rarely a good idea.
There were some interesting and slightly unexpected twists in the relationships and backstory about which my projections were wrong. However the structure, with a prelude introducing the main characters and raising a few questions about their relations, followed by the main narrative of murder, investigation and resolution, is awkward, and a lot of information has to be dumped towards the end to make the solution work.
Somewhat unsatisfactory as a puzzle, but well- enough-written to merit 3.5 stars.
June 20, 2015
Nigel Derry arrives at the house of his godmother, Gwen Marrable, determined to ask her permission to marry her adopted daughter, Sheila. The young couple is astonished to encounter inexplicable resistance to this otherwise wholly suitable match. The entire house party is fraught with tension, because Gwen has not one, but two eager suitors dancing attendance on her, both with mercenary motives. On top of that, a local artist, Harry Skeet, goes berserk the moment he lays eyes on Andre Duconte, one of Gwen's admirers. Duconte flees to his home town of Menton in the South of France, followed soon by Gwen, who's had it with her household.
A few days later, the caretakers of Villa Paradou discover that their mistress h has arrived... dead, and stuffed into her own trunk. It is clear that there have been various mysterious visitors to the Villa in the days around the arrival of the trunk, and it's up to the local French detective to piece it all together. As Gwen's relatives and friends arrive at Villa Paradou, the plot thickens.
It's a pleasant enough mystery, but I gave this book two stars because the change in voice midway through did not work for me. The story starts in the first person singular, with Nigel Derry as the narrator. He is mainly concerned with the state of his relationship with Sheila, but after he receives a mysterious telegram from Le Touquet calling him to Menton, he, should, by all the rules of the game, be positioned as the amateur detective who solves the crime. Instead, there is a brusque switch to the third person singular, with the point of view of the French detective. Nigel barely features in the story after that, except as a suspect. So the book sets expectations (amateur detective trying to solve a mystery so he can get married) that are not realized.
A few days later, the caretakers of Villa Paradou discover that their mistress h has arrived... dead, and stuffed into her own trunk. It is clear that there have been various mysterious visitors to the Villa in the days around the arrival of the trunk, and it's up to the local French detective to piece it all together. As Gwen's relatives and friends arrive at Villa Paradou, the plot thickens.
It's a pleasant enough mystery, but I gave this book two stars because the change in voice midway through did not work for me. The story starts in the first person singular, with Nigel Derry as the narrator. He is mainly concerned with the state of his relationship with Sheila, but after he receives a mysterious telegram from Le Touquet calling him to Menton, he, should, by all the rules of the game, be positioned as the amateur detective who solves the crime. Instead, there is a brusque switch to the third person singular, with the point of view of the French detective. Nigel barely features in the story after that, except as a suspect. So the book sets expectations (amateur detective trying to solve a mystery so he can get married) that are not realized.
April 21, 2025
Good mystery; I would have rated it a bit higher if Nigel Derry's first-person narrator had stuck around. He could have been an observer of Inspector Blampignon or even turned amateur sleuth himself.
January 20, 2025
I continue to enjoy the British Library Crime Classic reprints of lesser known or forgotten golden age mysteries, I believe this is number 100 or 101 reprints completed. In “A Telegram from Le Touquet”, John Bude leaves Superintendent Meredith aside in England and instead brings back French Inspector Blampignon of the Sûreté Nationale, first introduced in “Death on the Riviera”.
The story is set in two parts, the first taking place in England. We see things through the eyes of Nigel Derry, who’s been invited for Easter break to the country house of Gwenny Marrable, his godmother “Aunt Gwenny”, a rather odd older lady, headstrong and always picking up (and rapidly discarding) boyfriends who are mostly interested in her money. Nigel is more interested in her adopted daughter, Sheila Marrable, whom he intends to marry and is planning on asking Aunt Gwenny’s permission during this vacation. George Gammon, the old boyfriend, and André Duconte, the new boyfriend, also complete the party, along with Gwenny’s sister Deborah Gaye and assorted others, including the mysterious local painter Harry Skeet, who seems to have some sort of hold over Aunt Gwenny.
But this idyllic setting is anything but peaceful. A knife fight, screaming arguments, a secret affair, and other confrontations all make for a tension-filled week, culminating with Aunt Gwenny’s refusal to allow her daughter to marry Nigel, for reasons unknown. Gwenny decides to end the vacation early and sends everyone on their way, as she packs the house and prepares to go to her summer villa on the French Riviera.
Part two takes us across the channel to France, where we see that the preparations for opening up the villa are cut short when Gwenny’s body is discovered in her massive steamer trunk at the house. Enter Inspector Blampignon, who has to not only solve the identity of the murder but also where she was killed, since her route didn’t make sense if she actually sent “A Telegram from Le Touquet”.
An interesting mystery from the 1950’s, with well-developed characters and plenty of juicy family secrets that make this an interesting read. John Bude’s mysteries continue to be a step above the usual fare, and a fascinating look at a lost time and place.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
The story is set in two parts, the first taking place in England. We see things through the eyes of Nigel Derry, who’s been invited for Easter break to the country house of Gwenny Marrable, his godmother “Aunt Gwenny”, a rather odd older lady, headstrong and always picking up (and rapidly discarding) boyfriends who are mostly interested in her money. Nigel is more interested in her adopted daughter, Sheila Marrable, whom he intends to marry and is planning on asking Aunt Gwenny’s permission during this vacation. George Gammon, the old boyfriend, and André Duconte, the new boyfriend, also complete the party, along with Gwenny’s sister Deborah Gaye and assorted others, including the mysterious local painter Harry Skeet, who seems to have some sort of hold over Aunt Gwenny.
But this idyllic setting is anything but peaceful. A knife fight, screaming arguments, a secret affair, and other confrontations all make for a tension-filled week, culminating with Aunt Gwenny’s refusal to allow her daughter to marry Nigel, for reasons unknown. Gwenny decides to end the vacation early and sends everyone on their way, as she packs the house and prepares to go to her summer villa on the French Riviera.
Part two takes us across the channel to France, where we see that the preparations for opening up the villa are cut short when Gwenny’s body is discovered in her massive steamer trunk at the house. Enter Inspector Blampignon, who has to not only solve the identity of the murder but also where she was killed, since her route didn’t make sense if she actually sent “A Telegram from Le Touquet”.
An interesting mystery from the 1950’s, with well-developed characters and plenty of juicy family secrets that make this an interesting read. John Bude’s mysteries continue to be a step above the usual fare, and a fascinating look at a lost time and place.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
May 16, 2025
John Bude’s A Telegram from Le Touquet was first published in 1956. Bude (real name Ernest Elmore) was a prolific author with thirty novels published under that pseudonym, between 1935 and 1958. In this late book, we see the last echoes of the world Bude knew when he was a younger man. There is the implicit presence of servants with phrases such as “Tea had just been served in the loggia” with guests at a week-long house-party.
I think this is my favourite Bude novel so far. It’s in two parts: the first part is narrated by Nigel Derry and concerns a visit to his godmother, Gwenny. Nigel wants to persuade Gwenny to give permission for Nigel and her ward, Sheila, to get married. However, Gwenny flatly refuses to countenance the match and tells Nigel that if anything happens to Gwenny, Sheila will inherit half Gwenny’s estate – unless she marries before the age of thirty, in which case she loses it all. Although Gwenny has a house-party in progress, she tells all her guests that they’ll have to leave by Friday a she’s decided to go to her villa in France.
The second half of the book takes place in France. Gwenny’s caretakers – the Fougères - have received a telegram from her, telling them she’ll be delayed by a day or so. However, when they go up to the villa, they find her trunk in the hall, containing a dead body. The famous Inspector Blampignon is sent from Nice to investigate. Nigel turns up at Gwenny’s villa, stating that he also received a telegram from Gwenny, sent from Le Touquet, asking him to come at once.
Bude’s description of a murder investigation in the South of France reminded me of George Bellairs, an author who loved the area and wrote vividly of the heat reflecting off the roads; the cool cafes and restaurants; and the blue sky and turquoise sea. Bude has captured the atmosphere just as well as Bellairs does, although his Inspector Blampignon is very different to Bellairs’ dapper Nice-based Inspector Dorange. Although we are introduced to several people at the house-party, each person has a vital part to play in this highly satisfying whodunnit. I was impressed by the way Bude uses each character like pieces in a jigsaw: each one is interesting, but when you see them all put in the right place and all together, the complete picture is emphatically greater than the separate pieces scattered in a random unconnected manner.
I think this is my favourite Bude novel so far. It’s in two parts: the first part is narrated by Nigel Derry and concerns a visit to his godmother, Gwenny. Nigel wants to persuade Gwenny to give permission for Nigel and her ward, Sheila, to get married. However, Gwenny flatly refuses to countenance the match and tells Nigel that if anything happens to Gwenny, Sheila will inherit half Gwenny’s estate – unless she marries before the age of thirty, in which case she loses it all. Although Gwenny has a house-party in progress, she tells all her guests that they’ll have to leave by Friday a she’s decided to go to her villa in France.
The second half of the book takes place in France. Gwenny’s caretakers – the Fougères - have received a telegram from her, telling them she’ll be delayed by a day or so. However, when they go up to the villa, they find her trunk in the hall, containing a dead body. The famous Inspector Blampignon is sent from Nice to investigate. Nigel turns up at Gwenny’s villa, stating that he also received a telegram from Gwenny, sent from Le Touquet, asking him to come at once.
Bude’s description of a murder investigation in the South of France reminded me of George Bellairs, an author who loved the area and wrote vividly of the heat reflecting off the roads; the cool cafes and restaurants; and the blue sky and turquoise sea. Bude has captured the atmosphere just as well as Bellairs does, although his Inspector Blampignon is very different to Bellairs’ dapper Nice-based Inspector Dorange. Although we are introduced to several people at the house-party, each person has a vital part to play in this highly satisfying whodunnit. I was impressed by the way Bude uses each character like pieces in a jigsaw: each one is interesting, but when you see them all put in the right place and all together, the complete picture is emphatically greater than the separate pieces scattered in a random unconnected manner.
February 15, 2025
A Telegram from Le Touquet is a 1956 detective novel by John Bude and the latest release from the always excellent British Library Crime Classics series published by Poisoned Pen Press here in the U. S.
The novel has an unusual structure in that the first quarter of the story is told in first person from the perspective of Nigel Derry who has gone to visit his godmother at her country home in England over the Easter holiday. Not everything is peaceful among the guests and the arguments that ensue will set up the murder to come later in the book.
The second part of the book is then told in third person as it chronicles the investigation by Inspector Blampignon of the Sûreté who is called in to solve the mystery. All of the guests of the guest house are suspects but the ultimate solution will come as a great surprise for the reader.
This novel feels a little like Bude was experimenting with story structure. By the time this novel had been originally published he had already established himself as one of Britain's premier detective novelists. It is no wonder, then, that he might want to try something a little more unconventional in the latter stages of his career.
If I had not been warned about the unusual story structure in Martin Edwards' excellent introduction to the book, I might have been put off a little bit more by it. However, I found that it did work well for me even though Derry was not considered as much of a suspect as I might have expected given that he was the narrator for the first part of the novel.
One other common criticism of the book is that Bude does not play fair with the reader in revealing the murderer. Upon reflection, I felt the clues were there even if they weren't always in plain sight and a seasoned reader of the genre should have been able to reasonably solve the crime.
The great joy I have found in the British Library Crime Classics series is the introduction to writers and their novels that have been overlooked. A Telegram from Le Touquet is a welcome addition to this long running series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance copy of this book for this review. No other consideration was received.
The novel has an unusual structure in that the first quarter of the story is told in first person from the perspective of Nigel Derry who has gone to visit his godmother at her country home in England over the Easter holiday. Not everything is peaceful among the guests and the arguments that ensue will set up the murder to come later in the book.
The second part of the book is then told in third person as it chronicles the investigation by Inspector Blampignon of the Sûreté who is called in to solve the mystery. All of the guests of the guest house are suspects but the ultimate solution will come as a great surprise for the reader.
This novel feels a little like Bude was experimenting with story structure. By the time this novel had been originally published he had already established himself as one of Britain's premier detective novelists. It is no wonder, then, that he might want to try something a little more unconventional in the latter stages of his career.
If I had not been warned about the unusual story structure in Martin Edwards' excellent introduction to the book, I might have been put off a little bit more by it. However, I found that it did work well for me even though Derry was not considered as much of a suspect as I might have expected given that he was the narrator for the first part of the novel.
One other common criticism of the book is that Bude does not play fair with the reader in revealing the murderer. Upon reflection, I felt the clues were there even if they weren't always in plain sight and a seasoned reader of the genre should have been able to reasonably solve the crime.
The great joy I have found in the British Library Crime Classics series is the introduction to writers and their novels that have been overlooked. A Telegram from Le Touquet is a welcome addition to this long running series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance copy of this book for this review. No other consideration was received.
March 9, 2025
📖 Genre: Classic Detective Fiction ⭐ Rating: 4/5
📚 Overview
A Telegram from Le Touquet, originally published in 1956, is a classic detective novel by John Bude. The story is divided into two distinct parts: the first is narrated in the first person by Nigel Derry, one of the suspects, and the second follows the investigations of the French police. The novel is set in the picturesque Côte d’Azur, where a vacation takes a dark turn with the occurrence of a murder. Inspector Blampignon of the Sûreté Nationale leads the investigation, unraveling a complex web of motives and alibis.
🧐 What I Loved
✔ Dual Narrative Structure: The division of the novel into two parts, with the first narrated by a suspect and the second focusing on the police investigation, offers a unique and engaging storytelling approach.
✔ Atmospheric Setting: Bude's vivid descriptions of the French Riviera immerse readers in the locale, enhancing the novel's ambiance and providing a rich backdrop for the unfolding mystery.
✔ Intricate Plotting: The novel's complex plot keeps readers guessing, with well-placed clues and red herrings that maintain suspense throughout.
🤔 What Could Be Better
🔹 Character Depth: While the plot is compelling, some characters, including Inspector Blampignon, could benefit from more development to fully engage readers on an emotional level.
🔹 Pacing Variations: Certain sections of the novel may feel slower due to detailed descriptions, which could affect the overall pacing for some readers.
✨ Final Thoughts
A Telegram from Le Touquet is a noteworthy addition to classic detective fiction, showcasing John Bude's talent for crafting intricate mysteries set against evocative backdrops. The novel's unique narrative structure and atmospheric setting make it a compelling read for fans of the genre.
📌 Would I recommend it? Yes, especially for enthusiasts of classic detective stories and those who appreciate richly described settings.
📚 Overview
A Telegram from Le Touquet, originally published in 1956, is a classic detective novel by John Bude. The story is divided into two distinct parts: the first is narrated in the first person by Nigel Derry, one of the suspects, and the second follows the investigations of the French police. The novel is set in the picturesque Côte d’Azur, where a vacation takes a dark turn with the occurrence of a murder. Inspector Blampignon of the Sûreté Nationale leads the investigation, unraveling a complex web of motives and alibis.
🧐 What I Loved
✔ Dual Narrative Structure: The division of the novel into two parts, with the first narrated by a suspect and the second focusing on the police investigation, offers a unique and engaging storytelling approach.
✔ Atmospheric Setting: Bude's vivid descriptions of the French Riviera immerse readers in the locale, enhancing the novel's ambiance and providing a rich backdrop for the unfolding mystery.
✔ Intricate Plotting: The novel's complex plot keeps readers guessing, with well-placed clues and red herrings that maintain suspense throughout.
🤔 What Could Be Better
🔹 Character Depth: While the plot is compelling, some characters, including Inspector Blampignon, could benefit from more development to fully engage readers on an emotional level.
🔹 Pacing Variations: Certain sections of the novel may feel slower due to detailed descriptions, which could affect the overall pacing for some readers.
✨ Final Thoughts
A Telegram from Le Touquet is a noteworthy addition to classic detective fiction, showcasing John Bude's talent for crafting intricate mysteries set against evocative backdrops. The novel's unique narrative structure and atmospheric setting make it a compelling read for fans of the genre.
📌 Would I recommend it? Yes, especially for enthusiasts of classic detective stories and those who appreciate richly described settings.
October 18, 2025
John Bude took me to the South of France where I was excited to see Inspector Blampignon again. He was also in the very first #BritishLibraryCrimeClassic I read in 2018. In Death on the Riviera he collaborated with Detective Inspector Meredith who came down from London for to chase down a crook at the Mediterranean coast.
But let’s start at the beginning where Nigel Derry visits his Aunt Gwen at her English country house and finds himself in an awkward position. She is not really his aunt but his wealthy godmother who has a big influence on his future. Things don’t go well and Gwenny departs to her house in the South of France.
But maybe not all is lost after all when he receives A Telegram from Le Touquet and Gwenny invites him to join her. Has she changed her mind? But not only sunshine awaits him and he finds himself suspect in a murder investigation.
Interesting and a bit of unusual is that the perspective of the story changes as we change locations. In England we are close to Nigel but in the second part which is set in France, Inspector Blampignon takes over and leads us through the investigation.
I was hooked early on and to my delight I figured out some clues but not what really happened. My favourite kind of thing to happen in a mystery.
Another great title in the BLCC series and it was so nice to meet Blampignon again and also Inspector Meredith made a brief appearance. Now I will have to track down the other John Bude titles. I read a few but don’t own all of them. Which reminds me that I have to post a review of The Sussex Downs Murder, which I recently read as audiobook but now also own in print.
But now I need to say a big thank you to Em from @bl_publishing for sending me a copy of A Telegram from Le Touquet! 💕 I really appreciate this! I love this series and am so grateful for this. Thank you 🙏
The book was a gift but opinions are all my own. #reviewbook
But let’s start at the beginning where Nigel Derry visits his Aunt Gwen at her English country house and finds himself in an awkward position. She is not really his aunt but his wealthy godmother who has a big influence on his future. Things don’t go well and Gwenny departs to her house in the South of France.
But maybe not all is lost after all when he receives A Telegram from Le Touquet and Gwenny invites him to join her. Has she changed her mind? But not only sunshine awaits him and he finds himself suspect in a murder investigation.
Interesting and a bit of unusual is that the perspective of the story changes as we change locations. In England we are close to Nigel but in the second part which is set in France, Inspector Blampignon takes over and leads us through the investigation.
I was hooked early on and to my delight I figured out some clues but not what really happened. My favourite kind of thing to happen in a mystery.
Another great title in the BLCC series and it was so nice to meet Blampignon again and also Inspector Meredith made a brief appearance. Now I will have to track down the other John Bude titles. I read a few but don’t own all of them. Which reminds me that I have to post a review of The Sussex Downs Murder, which I recently read as audiobook but now also own in print.
But now I need to say a big thank you to Em from @bl_publishing for sending me a copy of A Telegram from Le Touquet! 💕 I really appreciate this! I love this series and am so grateful for this. Thank you 🙏
The book was a gift but opinions are all my own. #reviewbook
July 2, 2024
I enjoyed it - but I gave in to the notion of dropping my rating down from 4 to 3 stars a few hours ago.
By 1956, the 'Golden Age' fair-play whodunit had lost some of appeal. Psychological Crime fiction, Police Procedurals, and even gritty Hard-Boiled Crime novels had swooped in and offered something fresh. This is a simplistic way of putting it, and it doesn't mean that Mysteries that hearken back to the Golden Age - even if they came late - can't wow me. But I started thinking about this one in particular.
Everything about it is familiar to me...from umpteen books spread out across - oh, I dunno - 1922 up to 1940. Reasons for the murder, alibi shenanigans, what people are hiding from their pasts, dramatic large-scale red herrings that dominate a lot of the book, tampering with evidence, frame-up attempts, causes of late unexpected mayhem, family dynamics...
Even if this was copyright 1930, it would still be competing with many others like it, right down to the nuts and bolts, the why's and wherefores. Nevertheless, I might leave it at 4 stars, if it were from the 1930s, because this is in many ways a superior playing out of many tropes. This book is as good as - maybe better than - its older sisters and brothers. But in the end, I have no qualms about feeling that, by 1956, this has been done so many times...that this is a very entertaining murder mystery but with ingredients I have become bored with, ingredients past the expiry date.
Engrossing during the reading, but very familiar in all its tricks and reveals.
By 1956, the 'Golden Age' fair-play whodunit had lost some of appeal. Psychological Crime fiction, Police Procedurals, and even gritty Hard-Boiled Crime novels had swooped in and offered something fresh. This is a simplistic way of putting it, and it doesn't mean that Mysteries that hearken back to the Golden Age - even if they came late - can't wow me. But I started thinking about this one in particular.
Everything about it is familiar to me...from umpteen books spread out across - oh, I dunno - 1922 up to 1940. Reasons for the murder, alibi shenanigans, what people are hiding from their pasts, dramatic large-scale red herrings that dominate a lot of the book, tampering with evidence, frame-up attempts, causes of late unexpected mayhem, family dynamics...
Even if this was copyright 1930, it would still be competing with many others like it, right down to the nuts and bolts, the why's and wherefores. Nevertheless, I might leave it at 4 stars, if it were from the 1930s, because this is in many ways a superior playing out of many tropes. This book is as good as - maybe better than - its older sisters and brothers. But in the end, I have no qualms about feeling that, by 1956, this has been done so many times...that this is a very entertaining murder mystery but with ingredients I have become bored with, ingredients past the expiry date.
Engrossing during the reading, but very familiar in all its tricks and reveals.
January 26, 2025
John Bude writes interesting Golden Age whodunits with spades of red herrings and sprinkles of wit. His writing is engrossing but not quite as strong as some of his esteemed colleagues. However, I scoop up them up, knowing I'll be entertained and taken back in time when mysteries were at their zenith. British Library Crime Classics are the ultimate!
Nigel Derry and Sheila are keen to marry. The two are amongst a handful of guests at Aunt Gwenny's austere mansion where they expect the unexpected from Gwenny. She has unabashedly had many questionable men in her life, dresses opulently and is an atypical woman who adopted Sheila and was godmother to Nigel. Her sister, Deborah, is demure and the grace to blush. When Gwenny objects to the marriage, angers flare and other matters simmer. Aunty flounces off to France, leaving her guests to their own devices. Outright arguments, mayhem and murder ensue. French Inspector Blampignon steps in to fit the pieces together.
Bude's humour caused me to chuckle a few times. I like quirky characters (the housekeeper's husband!) and storyline a lot. But I wish Bude would have delved deeper into the characters and built up angst more believably. Still. My time reading A Telegram from Le Touquet was enjoyable.
Nigel Derry and Sheila are keen to marry. The two are amongst a handful of guests at Aunt Gwenny's austere mansion where they expect the unexpected from Gwenny. She has unabashedly had many questionable men in her life, dresses opulently and is an atypical woman who adopted Sheila and was godmother to Nigel. Her sister, Deborah, is demure and the grace to blush. When Gwenny objects to the marriage, angers flare and other matters simmer. Aunty flounces off to France, leaving her guests to their own devices. Outright arguments, mayhem and murder ensue. French Inspector Blampignon steps in to fit the pieces together.
Bude's humour caused me to chuckle a few times. I like quirky characters (the housekeeper's husband!) and storyline a lot. But I wish Bude would have delved deeper into the characters and built up angst more believably. Still. My time reading A Telegram from Le Touquet was enjoyable.
January 13, 2025
I'm a big fan of Golden Age detective ficton, but the more I read of John Bude, I just cannot see why he is held in such high regard within this genre, While he is by no means the worst of the Golden Age writers, he is not a good one either and I find his popularity singularly unaccountable. This book is a good example of his lack-lustre output - thin plot, one-dimensional characters that one can't summon up any regard for, and a completely inept detective. Contrast Budes books with those of say, E C. R Lorac, and you will see what I mean.
I didn't take to Inspector Blampignon at all and I don't rate him as a story-book detective. He seemed to be hailed some sort of detective deity by all, but was very hard to see why. He didn't seem to detect so much as simply jump to conclusions, and the titular telegram seemed to have a significance for the Inspector that I was at a loss to fathom, myself. The whole thing was predictable, tedious and dull. For devotees of the Golden Age, I would say defintely read it but more for the sake of completness than because it is actually a good book.
Thanks to Netgalley for a free review copy of this book.
I didn't take to Inspector Blampignon at all and I don't rate him as a story-book detective. He seemed to be hailed some sort of detective deity by all, but was very hard to see why. He didn't seem to detect so much as simply jump to conclusions, and the titular telegram seemed to have a significance for the Inspector that I was at a loss to fathom, myself. The whole thing was predictable, tedious and dull. For devotees of the Golden Age, I would say defintely read it but more for the sake of completness than because it is actually a good book.
Thanks to Netgalley for a free review copy of this book.
January 24, 2025
"A Telegram from Le Touquet" is a mystery set in England and France, which was first published (and is set) in 1956. The story started in England and in Nigel's viewpoint, so we saw what occurred leading up to the murder. Once the body was discovered in France, we switched to the viewpoint of the detective. Some clues were hidden (but guessable) because Nigel didn't witness them. The detective asked good questions and followed up on leads, but the clues were confusing. We pretty much got what the detective did until the end, when he confronted whodunit and got a full confession. While I didn't guess exactly how it was done, I did guess parts of it (like whodunit had an obvious motive) and certain secrets. So it felt like a fair puzzle mystery.
Though the mystery was completely solved and made good sense, the ending was pretty abrupt. We never learned how certain things played out as some things were left unresolved. It felt like we were missing the final chapter. There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing mystery.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Though the mystery was completely solved and made good sense, the ending was pretty abrupt. We never learned how certain things played out as some things were left unresolved. It felt like we were missing the final chapter. There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing mystery.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 23, 2025
This story, one of the last ones that Bude wrote, was really snappy, and filled with incredibly well drawn characters. Part one is told through the eyes of a young man who visit’s his Godmother and also is in love with a young woman who is this same woman’s guardian. It’s not a happy visit and ends with Gwenny, kicking everyone out and heading off to a Villa (she owns) in France.
Pt 2- A murder occurs and the very difficult job of figuring out who killed the victim occurs; especially as, most of the preceding events and needed information happened in England.
A lively mystery, great characters and certainly a plot to puzzle over for the puzzle lovers. This mystery really shows off Bude’s storytelling abilities and it’s really sad that he didn’t live longer and write more!
I guess there were three other books of his after this one.
This mystery features Inspector Blampignon (who is first seen in a previous story) and in this story, Blampignon reaches out to Superintendent Meredith for help.
Pt 2- A murder occurs and the very difficult job of figuring out who killed the victim occurs; especially as, most of the preceding events and needed information happened in England.
A lively mystery, great characters and certainly a plot to puzzle over for the puzzle lovers. This mystery really shows off Bude’s storytelling abilities and it’s really sad that he didn’t live longer and write more!
I guess there were three other books of his after this one.
This mystery features Inspector Blampignon (who is first seen in a previous story) and in this story, Blampignon reaches out to Superintendent Meredith for help.
April 19, 2024
Nigel wants to marry Shelia but her guardian, Aunt Gwenny, won't allow it. Although Gwen is a widow she is in no way dowdy and staid but instead she is young (by todays standards) and trendy. The disperate group of men she collects around her are an interesting bunch.
The author John Bude tries something different with the first third of this book. This section is a first person point of view written though Nigel's eyes. As I was reading this I felt myself really warming to the character of Gwen. She was a brilliant character. Bude sketches her really well.
The puzzle in this story was a good one but the real joy of this book comes from imagining what the high life in the South of France might have been in the 1950s.
The author John Bude tries something different with the first third of this book. This section is a first person point of view written though Nigel's eyes. As I was reading this I felt myself really warming to the character of Gwen. She was a brilliant character. Bude sketches her really well.
The puzzle in this story was a good one but the real joy of this book comes from imagining what the high life in the South of France might have been in the 1950s.
June 4, 2024
This novel has two sections: the first, written in first person, follows a young man, Nigel, as he visits his godmother and the assorted hanger-ons that live with her. The relationships between the individuals seem odd; what's going on beneath the surface that Nigel doesn't know?
The second part of the novel takes place in France, and is written in the third person. One of the characters from the first section has been murdered, and the others all converge as the detectives try to discover who has done what. One by the one, the mysteries are all solved.
This is an enjoyable and relaxing read. A good example of golden age crime fiction.
The second part of the novel takes place in France, and is written in the third person. One of the characters from the first section has been murdered, and the others all converge as the detectives try to discover who has done what. One by the one, the mysteries are all solved.
This is an enjoyable and relaxing read. A good example of golden age crime fiction.
May 23, 2025
Nigel’s Easter visit to his eccentric aunt’s English country house ends with a murder in the south of France. Inspector Blampignon’s investigation into a puzzling crime unfolds against the backdrop of the French Riviera.
I really loved the opening chapters of this book. After the move to France and the change in viewpoint, the story lost steam a little for me. Nigel is emotionally involved in the unfolding story, while the inspector is more aloof. The mystery itself is clever and kept me guessing.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I really loved the opening chapters of this book. After the move to France and the change in viewpoint, the story lost steam a little for me. Nigel is emotionally involved in the unfolding story, while the inspector is more aloof. The mystery itself is clever and kept me guessing.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
June 29, 2025
My next reading destination takes place in the South of France and revolves around the death of a wealthy woman found dead in a trunk at her French villa. This 1950s British crime classic from the golden age of detective fiction did not disappoint. The plot moved along at a nice pace and there are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing who, what, when, where, why and how. John Buda also does a good job of capturing the French culture along the southern coast of France. A nice summery mystery read.
April 28, 2024
This was interesting up until the point where the original first person narrator disappears and the action moves to France. I do think this was a mistake, the author having spent so much time introducing us to the characters in Kent and to the feelings and personality of the first person narrator.
I gave up halfway through and didn’t finish because I just found it dragging and I lost interest.
I gave up halfway through and didn’t finish because I just found it dragging and I lost interest.
June 18, 2024
Murder mystery
This an entertaining murder story set in the nineteen fifties.
A rather obnoxious rich woman is found dead in her house in southern France.
A celebrated French detective sets out to resolve the who and where she was killed.
There are several suspects whom he methodically eliminates till he finds his murderer.
It kept me reading, although I found the ending far fetched.
This an entertaining murder story set in the nineteen fifties.
A rather obnoxious rich woman is found dead in her house in southern France.
A celebrated French detective sets out to resolve the who and where she was killed.
There are several suspects whom he methodically eliminates till he finds his murderer.
It kept me reading, although I found the ending far fetched.
December 24, 2024
An enjoyable Golden Age mystery if that is your thing. There were a few too many characters, a few too many motivations, and a few too many coincidences for it to be truly excellent, and the solution was confusingly complicated, but if you've read everything Agatha Christie wrote and you're in the mood for more of the same, you could do significantly worse.
I read an ARC for free but these are my honest opinions.
I read an ARC for free but these are my honest opinions.
May 1, 2025
1954 Inspector Blampignon of the Surete Nationale is called out to the Paradou Villa in Menton, in the South of France, owned by Mrs Gwenny Marrable. As a body has been discovered in a luggage trunk. But why were they killed and where and by whom. Soon various relations and friends of Mrs Marrable descend on the town.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of varied characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Originally published in 1956
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of varied characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Originally published in 1956
April 4, 2024
Somewhat odd style with the set up in the first quarter or so of the book in a first person narrative and the rest, set in France, in third person.
Styling aside, I enjoyed and was pretty gripped throughout, it’s a compelling whodunnit let down only slightly for me by the complexity of its ending.
Styling aside, I enjoyed and was pretty gripped throughout, it’s a compelling whodunnit let down only slightly for me by the complexity of its ending.
May 25, 2024
Eh, it's bearable, but I worked too much out too early to be truly entertained in this instance, and the way it's written isn't really to my taste.
2.5 stars rounded down, mainly for the style of the actual writing, but for goodness' sake, one ought not have worked out the end solution of one of the B plots within the first 50 pages! *SMH*
2.5 stars rounded down, mainly for the style of the actual writing, but for goodness' sake, one ought not have worked out the end solution of one of the B plots within the first 50 pages! *SMH*
September 13, 2024
Inspector Blampignon investigates the murder of an English woman in France, found in a luggage case at her holiday home.
Starting in England in the first person from the view of Nigel Derry, where we see the murdered woman falling out with everyone (certain death in this kind of book!), before moving to France in the third person to follow the investigation. A fun mystery.
Starting in England in the first person from the view of Nigel Derry, where we see the murdered woman falling out with everyone (certain death in this kind of book!), before moving to France in the third person to follow the investigation. A fun mystery.
April 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this Anglo-French murder mystery and its array of characters. The narrative moves at a good pace, is nicely descriptive of location and the dialogue drew me in to the story very well. I was kept guessing as to the perpetrator(s) right up to the big reveal at the end. I will undoubtedly look out for Bude's other crime novels.
December 28, 2025
Mi è piaciuto! Scritto davvero bene e strutturato in modo originale.
È il primo classic crime della British Library che leggo e sono contenta che ve ne siano parecchi disponibili (in inglese) su Kindle Unlimited, perché adoro i gialli golden age. Ho già adocchiato i prossimi che leggerò. Sicuramente altro di John Bude, ma non solo.
È il primo classic crime della British Library che leggo e sono contenta che ve ne siano parecchi disponibili (in inglese) su Kindle Unlimited, perché adoro i gialli golden age. Ho già adocchiato i prossimi che leggerò. Sicuramente altro di John Bude, ma non solo.
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