Dead Man Walking

DS Johnny Inch #1

by J.F. Straker

After a break in at a bank, Scotland Yard’s top team is brought into investigate.

Detective Superintendent Richard Sherrey heads up the case, followed by Detective Sergeant Johnny Inch and Detective Sergeant Humphrey Nicodemus.

Johnny is a bit of maverick, and decides to take matters in to his own hands.

He uses his shady connections to sound out the suspects.

And soon he is sure he knows who the perpetrator is.

But then his suspect turns up dead.

And before long more murders are committed.

Are the murders connected to the robbery?

What is the motive behind them?

Can Johnny use his unorthodox methods to crack the case?

Or will he find himself in a world of trouble…?

At cracking pace, relieved only by moments of dry humour and startling insight into human motives, J F Straker reveals plot and counter-plot, cross and double-cross, until, with a mixture of luck, intelligence, and downright clumsiness, Johnny Inch and the team find all the answers.

Will Johnny uncover the terrible mystery?

Or will he find himself to be a ‘Dead Man Walking’?

Genres: Mystery, Amazon, Fiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 27, 2015

Reviews

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has been a bank robbery, and the team of Sherrey, Inch, and Nicodemus (SIN) are on the case. Then there are several suspicious deaths— could there be a connection? And was there a local crime syndicate behind it all. Recommended for fans of British police procedurals.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three men believe they have performed the perfect crime, a bank raid. But they were wrong. Superintendent Sherrey with sergeants Inch and Nicodemus investigate. But there is more to the crime then they thought.
An entertaining 1960s mystery
Originally published in 1968

[Doug Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this 1968 novel, a bank is robbed of 70,000 pounds on a Sunday morning during a scheduled power outage. A special squad from Scotland Yard is called in right away to investigate. Consisting of Detective Superintendent Richard Sherrey and Detective Sergeants Johnny Inch and Humphrey Nicodemus, the squad is known as SIN for short. (The original title of the novel was SIN and Johnny Inch.)

As the three start their investigation, the list of people who seem to be involved somehow soon becomes astonishingly long. An explanation of the confusing array of clues is elusive, but the three are quite an effective team, and their solution of the complex case is a mix of serendipity and skill. This is an entertaining and absorbing mystery that holds up well 57 years after its original publication.

[J Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A convoluted plot; a good read.
This book is set in the 1960s, and it still works wellThere is what seems to be a perfect crime. Thieves breaking into a bank vault during a power cut and leave few clues. A highly regarded 3 manpoilce team are in charge of thecase, much to the ire of the local police.
There are lots of seemingly unrelated incidents in and around the small town that draw the reader in,and the whole thing builds to a very good conclusion.

[Michael W Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

dead man walking

A lot of Characters involved in a complicated heist! Day by day the information gathered shows a pattern emerging to which lack of sleep delays the results.
A fun read!

[John L Brentlinger]

Im close to 90 so I grew up during the books era. It had the old fashioned stuff that was familiar. TV computers etc were not around. It took me back to that time. living now is easier. It was a fun book to read.

[donna hennebury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book one

This is the first instalment of the Detective Inch series.This was a very enjoyable read.The characters come to life as you read and you get to know Detective Inch,he is a likable character .Looking forward to more of his cases

[Christine Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bank robbery, deceit and manipulation

After a daring bank robbery, the participants lived unravel. The police and others are on their trail, leading to disappointment, death and betrayal.

[Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should have come with subtitles. Otherwise a decent read.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow but good

I found this a bit slow for my liking. Was able to guess most of the outcome
That being said, I did enjoy reading it.