A Terminal Case

Inspector Parry #4

by David Williams

The parishioners of Bryntaf, a leafy Cardiff suburb, are far from being shocked when the vicar of St. Samson's announces he is divorcing his wife. Some are surprised, though, when he adds that he plans to remarry - an attractive, young widow - and still keep his job. But then the widow, a hospital consultant, is brutally murdered, her body mutilated with one of her own scalpels. When the circumstances of the crime come out, it's apparent that any number of interested parties could have committed it. Only the wily Chief Inspector Merlin Parry is sharp enough to work out the subtle motive which exposes the true culprit...

Audio Cassette

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.


David Williams (June 8, 1926 – September 26, 2003) was a Welsh advertising executive who became a crime writer after suffering a stroke.

Williams was born in Bridgend in Wales. He started in advertising as a medical copywriter, rising through the ranks to head one of the largest advertising agencies in the country. He suffered a severe stroke in 1977 and realised that he would not be able to return to the stresses of life in the advertising industry. He had written crime fiction in his spare time, with Unholy Writ being written before his stroke in 1976. He turned from advertising to writing "whodunnits": he wrote 23 novels in all, most featuring Mark Treasure, Oxford graduate and vice-chairman of a merchant bank, and his successful actress wife Molly. A second series of books featured Chief Inspector Merlin Parry of the South Wales Constabulary, together with Sergeant Gomer Lloyd. His books were twice shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger award and he was elected as a member of the Detection Club in 1988.