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The Unexpected Legacy: A Carter & Bell Mystery
First novel in E.R. Punshon’s Inspector Carter & Sergeant Bell Scotland Yard detective series, out of print for almost a century‘Sergeant Bell is one of the most human and engaging detectives that it has been our good fortune to encounter’ New York Times; ‘A duo portrayed with a sardonic touch that seems ahead of its time’ Martin Edwards, The Golden Age of Murder; ‘Carter and Bell are one of fictions’ most engaging heroes’ Saturday Review‘The Unexpected Legacy really thrills… involves the death of a man found battered, shot at and dosed with arsenic’ The Daily Mirror
There are a myriad ways to commit murder. Usually a single method is sufficient. A stiletto to the back of the neck; Being beaten to death with a blunt instrument; A drop of poison in a cocktail. All would do the trick. The man found dead one summer’s morning on London’s Windmill Common had been shot, his head smashed in and had ingested arsenic. Why had the unfortunate victim been attacked in three murderous ways? The only clue found was on the bloodied corpse – a photograph of a young woman, a Miss Doris Yorke. Miss Yorke had recently been informed she was to be the recipient of a substantial – and wholly unexpected – legacy. Scotland Yard’s most incongruous duo, the deft promotion-hunter Inspector Carter and intuitive Sergeant Bell, get to work.
About the Author
Ernest Robertson Punshon was born in East Dulwich, London, in 1872. He experienced a rather chequered early career, failing as an office junior aged fourteen. He then tried his hand as a farmer in Canada, this also was unsuccessful and he returned to England penniless. In desperation he turned to writing and won one of the first open writing competitions. His first novel was published in 1901 and his first mystery novel in 1907. However, Punshon’s best writing belongs to the Golden Age of crime fiction, and he was admitted to the exclusive ranks of the ‘Detective Club’ in 1933. His first series characters were Inspector Carter and Sergeant Bell, an incongruous pair of Scotland Yard detectives who starred in five novels. Carter is essentially a hollow man, thrusting and showy, but seeing no more than the surface of things and easily led to false conclusions. His real gift is for self-promotion and depends on his sergeant to solve their cases, though taking the credit himself. Sergeant Bell is astute but unassertive, a melancholic man who resigns himself to his superior’s need to bolster himself at the expense of a subordinate. Punshon’s most popular literary creation was the sophisticated, Oxford-educated Scotland Yard detective, Bobby Owen. The ever-methodical Bobby starred in over thirty-five novels and progressed through the ranks to Commander. Today, he is perhaps the least well-known and researched of this influential group of crime writers. E.R. Punshon continued to write until he was eighty-three and died in Streatham, London in 1956.
Praise for ‘E.R. Punshon’
‘What is distinction? The few who achieve it step – plot or no plot – unquestioned into the first rank. We recognized it in Sherlock Holmes, and in Trent’s Last Case, in The Mystery of the Villa Rose, in the Father Brown stories and in the works of Mr E.R. Punshon we salute it every time.’ Dorothy L. Sayers
The Cottage Murder
‘Readers on the lookout for a story of crime which is well written and well-constructed may be confidently recommended to The Cot
There are a myriad ways to commit murder. Usually a single method is sufficient. A stiletto to the back of the neck; Being beaten to death with a blunt instrument; A drop of poison in a cocktail. All would do the trick. The man found dead one summer’s morning on London’s Windmill Common had been shot, his head smashed in and had ingested arsenic. Why had the unfortunate victim been attacked in three murderous ways? The only clue found was on the bloodied corpse – a photograph of a young woman, a Miss Doris Yorke. Miss Yorke had recently been informed she was to be the recipient of a substantial – and wholly unexpected – legacy. Scotland Yard’s most incongruous duo, the deft promotion-hunter Inspector Carter and intuitive Sergeant Bell, get to work.
About the Author
Ernest Robertson Punshon was born in East Dulwich, London, in 1872. He experienced a rather chequered early career, failing as an office junior aged fourteen. He then tried his hand as a farmer in Canada, this also was unsuccessful and he returned to England penniless. In desperation he turned to writing and won one of the first open writing competitions. His first novel was published in 1901 and his first mystery novel in 1907. However, Punshon’s best writing belongs to the Golden Age of crime fiction, and he was admitted to the exclusive ranks of the ‘Detective Club’ in 1933. His first series characters were Inspector Carter and Sergeant Bell, an incongruous pair of Scotland Yard detectives who starred in five novels. Carter is essentially a hollow man, thrusting and showy, but seeing no more than the surface of things and easily led to false conclusions. His real gift is for self-promotion and depends on his sergeant to solve their cases, though taking the credit himself. Sergeant Bell is astute but unassertive, a melancholic man who resigns himself to his superior’s need to bolster himself at the expense of a subordinate. Punshon’s most popular literary creation was the sophisticated, Oxford-educated Scotland Yard detective, Bobby Owen. The ever-methodical Bobby starred in over thirty-five novels and progressed through the ranks to Commander. Today, he is perhaps the least well-known and researched of this influential group of crime writers. E.R. Punshon continued to write until he was eighty-three and died in Streatham, London in 1956.
Praise for ‘E.R. Punshon’
‘What is distinction? The few who achieve it step – plot or no plot – unquestioned into the first rank. We recognized it in Sherlock Holmes, and in Trent’s Last Case, in The Mystery of the Villa Rose, in the Father Brown stories and in the works of Mr E.R. Punshon we salute it every time.’ Dorothy L. Sayers
The Cottage Murder
‘Readers on the lookout for a story of crime which is well written and well-constructed may be confidently recommended to The Cot
222 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2025
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About the author
E.R. Punshon
73 books17 followersAka Robertson Halket.
E.R. Punshon (Ernest Robertson Punshon) (1872-1956) was an English novelist and literary critic of the early 20th century. He also wrote under the pseudonym Robertson Halket. Primarily writing on crime and deduction, he enjoyed some literary success in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, he is remembered, in the main, as the creator of Police Constable Bobby Owen, the protagonist of many of Punshon's novels. He reviewed many of Agatha Christie's novels for The Guardian on their first publication.
E.R. Punshon (Ernest Robertson Punshon) (1872-1956) was an English novelist and literary critic of the early 20th century. He also wrote under the pseudonym Robertson Halket. Primarily writing on crime and deduction, he enjoyed some literary success in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, he is remembered, in the main, as the creator of Police Constable Bobby Owen, the protagonist of many of Punshon's novels. He reviewed many of Agatha Christie's novels for The Guardian on their first publication.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 20, 2025
It was a complete coincidence that after reading a series of books that used police incompetence and corruption as a recurring theme, I stumbled upon this book which has an incompetent police supervisor as a main character. I found the theme in the modern stories annoying, anger provoking and disrespectful and rated them accordingly. This Golden Age book treats the subject in an amusing, lighthearted and even endearing manner. I loved everything about the writing, the characters and the plot. I just wish the other 3 Carter and Bell books were available. I've searched in vain so they must be long out of print. I would love to see what the twosome are up to...
February 22, 2025
Awesome!
E.R.Punshon is a fantastic Golden era British mystery writer! Terrific plots, engaging characters & plenty of action! Most enthusiastically Recommend!!!
E.R.Punshon is a fantastic Golden era British mystery writer! Terrific plots, engaging characters & plenty of action! Most enthusiastically Recommend!!!
March 2, 2025
Enjoyable & Humourous
I read this book in one sitting!
It was a fun, enjoyable, and light read. Would definitely recommend for mystery lovers.
I read this book in one sitting!
It was a fun, enjoyable, and light read. Would definitely recommend for mystery lovers.
September 12, 2025
meh... didn't care for the writing style or characters - very dated and flippant. I like his other series much better.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews