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Bobby Owen Mysteries #15
Ten Star Clues
“I’ll have breakfast ready before you’re dressed,” Olive said, her mind full of bacon and eggs, tea, toast.
“Can’t stop,” Bobby told her. “I’ve to be at Castle Wych at once.”
“What’s happened there?”
“Murder,” Bobby answered as he made for the door.
Bobby Owen has left London and is now a policeman in the bucolic county of Wychshire. The local community is stunned when a missing heir returns to Castle Wych, determined to claim his inheritance. But following the ensuing dispute over his identity, Castle Wych plays host to murder. There are ten “star clues” investigated by the resourceful Bobby, with help from his wife Olive, in this delightful and classic example of the golden age mystery novel.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1941
21 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 9, 2022
Punshon has wandered from his usual presentation in this one. The first quarter or so we learn something about the characters, all of whom live within (or very near) Castle Wych. As this is a murder mystery, it is anticipated that one of them will cease to be. Which one? And when a chapter ends with Bobby being called away before breakfast, I admit that I thought there were three possible victims.
This is the story of an heir thought dead for 10 years suddently showing up very much alive. Is he the true heir or is he an imposter? Why would the Earl accept him as his grandson when his claim looks sketchy at best? And how will the previously presumed heir react to his sudden appearance?
I love this series, though not every Bobby Owens mystery is worth 4 stars. This is one of them.
This is the story of an heir thought dead for 10 years suddently showing up very much alive. Is he the true heir or is he an imposter? Why would the Earl accept him as his grandson when his claim looks sketchy at best? And how will the previously presumed heir react to his sudden appearance?
I love this series, though not every Bobby Owens mystery is worth 4 stars. This is one of them.
flipped-to-the-end
March 2, 2018First of these that didn't work for me. Early on in the book we spend a short while in the viewpoint of a strong-willed daughter of a Baron, thinking about her betrothed-from-childhood cousin, who will inherit the title and lands she loves (that she cannot, because she is female). She's plainly uneasy about the marriage, aware that he's just as strong-willed as she, but will have all the power in the relationship. She doesn't want to be separated from her home.
Also present is a meek girl who is very obliging.
At the end of the story, that meek girl is being praised for doing a brave thing, despite being a woman (and despite that this is a thing that the daughter of the Baron would have probably done without quailing at all), while that daughter of a Baron is separated from her home.
I kinda foresaw all that, and skipped to the conclusion because it bugged me.
Also present is a meek girl who is very obliging.
At the end of the story, that meek girl is being praised for doing a brave thing, despite being a woman (and despite that this is a thing that the daughter of the Baron would have probably done without quailing at all), while that daughter of a Baron is separated from her home.
I kinda foresaw all that, and skipped to the conclusion because it bugged me.
November 4, 2022
Bobby Owen is now working in the Midlands county of Wychshire, and is involved in investigating the death of Earl Wych. The old man has been found shot in his library, just after welcoming back his long lost heir Bertram. As most of the family believe Bertram to be an impostor, there are a number of motives for the Earl’s death, and Bobby has some conflicting theories to unravel and ten star clues to lead him to the murderer.
Enjoyable and intriguing mystery with a solid plot and some amusing characters. The idea of a fake heir gave plenty of options for the mystery, and offered the bewildering and tantalising question - why did the Earl recognise such a suspicious character as a family member? Bobby is his usual stolid but resolute self, aided by long sessions of staring at the ceiling, and his relationship with his boss, the volatile Colonel Glynne, is beginning to offer some delightful moments.
One of the better books in the series, I found this entertaining and deliciously puzzling.
Enjoyable and intriguing mystery with a solid plot and some amusing characters. The idea of a fake heir gave plenty of options for the mystery, and offered the bewildering and tantalising question - why did the Earl recognise such a suspicious character as a family member? Bobby is his usual stolid but resolute self, aided by long sessions of staring at the ceiling, and his relationship with his boss, the volatile Colonel Glynne, is beginning to offer some delightful moments.
One of the better books in the series, I found this entertaining and deliciously puzzling.
January 31, 2023
3.5 stars. Bobby Owen has started in his new role as private secretary to the Chief Police Constable in Wych county and the first murder crime involves the local Duke and his family where a claimant to the title has unexpectedly arrived to upset the current arrangements. Soon Bobby is trying to identify a murderer, but it turns out he will also have to establish who it the legal successor to the title. An interesting plot, although you have to suspend some believe that the family cannot identify a nephew who has only been absent for a decade.
October 16, 2022
A very amusing visit with Bobby Owen as Punshon pokes fun at inconsistencies of government policy and the duties of an earldom.
October 27, 2022
Another very enjoyable book from this author. This is about a missing heir who went to America ten years previously due to a scandal in England. His family having heard nothing from him had assumed he was dead until he turns up claiming his position. Many of the family believe this man to be an imposter, but the head of the family, who was the grandfather accepted this man, along with his wife, and so the man takes up the position. This causes a lot of bad feeling among the family, especially between the man who thought he would was heir and has been running the family estate and the grandfather. Unfortunately, the grandfather is found murdered. Bobby Owen is given the job to find the murderer, and so we are taken through his investigation, bringing in all the household members, the local vicar and his daughter, and the local lawyer. Bobby doesn't rush around the country as much in this book, but he does get a chance to have a fight!
November 29, 2019
This mystery is about the sudden appearance after 10 years of an heir who was thought dead and all of the complications & jealousies, not to mention murder that this causes since the grandparents accept him while others think he is an imposter.
...that Ralph's self-control might slip, as indeed whose might not under such a blow that reduced him in one moment from the position of heir to a title and great estates to that of the poor relation dependent entirely on a rich cousin's bounty.
...that Ralph's self-control might slip, as indeed whose might not under such a blow that reduced him in one moment from the position of heir to a title and great estates to that of the poor relation dependent entirely on a rich cousin's bounty.
May 28, 2017
On the face of it, as Curtis Evans points out in yet another excellent Introduction, this is a classic English mystery novel set in a stately home, Castle Wych. Bobby Owen, newly promoted to detective Inspector has to solve a murder and the identity of the claimant to the title Earl Wych.
Punshon departs from his usual format in that the first quarter of the novel is devoted to the main characters and the tensions which abound between them.Bobby only appears once the murder has been carried out.The victim is unexpected but the clue to the murderer is there already. I have to say that I identified the murderer early on but was slightly wrong on the motivation.
This is highly enjoyable and not as dark and imbued with evil as some in this series.
The background of the Phoney War, air-raids and evacuation is interesting. Bobby's summaries of possibles, clues and motives are, as ever, useful.Punshon's female characters are again, strong and able, which is not always a feature of novels of this period.
Highly recommended.
Punshon departs from his usual format in that the first quarter of the novel is devoted to the main characters and the tensions which abound between them.Bobby only appears once the murder has been carried out.The victim is unexpected but the clue to the murderer is there already. I have to say that I identified the murderer early on but was slightly wrong on the motivation.
This is highly enjoyable and not as dark and imbued with evil as some in this series.
The background of the Phoney War, air-raids and evacuation is interesting. Bobby's summaries of possibles, clues and motives are, as ever, useful.Punshon's female characters are again, strong and able, which is not always a feature of novels of this period.
Highly recommended.
January 7, 2018
Another excellent story from this prolific author. It's difficult to understand why he is virtually unknown other than by golden age crime buffs. I personally think he should be up there with Allingham, Marsh and Sayers.
This is another good old English country house murder story with all the required elements. Well drawn characters especially the women (I heartily agree with other reviewers on this point) and a very personable detective in Bobby Owen. Difficult to say more without spoiling. It is in fact number 15 in the series, not #16. Still another 20 to look forward to and all at a bargain price from Kindle.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
This is another good old English country house murder story with all the required elements. Well drawn characters especially the women (I heartily agree with other reviewers on this point) and a very personable detective in Bobby Owen. Difficult to say more without spoiling. It is in fact number 15 in the series, not #16. Still another 20 to look forward to and all at a bargain price from Kindle.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Want to read
December 22, 2019Synopsis: Bobby is now a policeman in Wychshire. A murder takes place at Castle Wych; there are 10 big clues he and his wife work through.
December 10, 2015
I read this novel as part of my participation in a meme at the blog Past Offences where the books read for December 2015 were all published in 1941.
The setting is England in 1940, preparing for a war that most think will never happen. Earl Wych lost three heirs one after another in the First World War, and then came the news that his grandson who had gone rather hurriedly to the United States was also dead. The current heir is a great nephew. Then a man visits the family solicitors with the claim that he is the dead grandson. The immediate family all thinks he is an impostor but Earl Wych and his wife the Countess surprise everyone by acknowledging the arrival as Bertram, the lost grandson.
This is a nice mystery for those who like a puzzle. Detective Inspector Bobby Owen works methodically with the Chief Constable on an astonishing array of suspects, assessing their opportunity and motive.
Punshon, the author, was apparently a great admirer of Agatha Christie, but this novel is stylistically quite different to hers.
It is a carefully plotted Golden Age police procedural which left me feeling that I wouldn't mind trying another in the series, perhaps an earlier one, at some stage. I found the references to the impending war interesting, especially the lack of any idea by the characters that this was going to be very different style of warfare.
The setting is England in 1940, preparing for a war that most think will never happen. Earl Wych lost three heirs one after another in the First World War, and then came the news that his grandson who had gone rather hurriedly to the United States was also dead. The current heir is a great nephew. Then a man visits the family solicitors with the claim that he is the dead grandson. The immediate family all thinks he is an impostor but Earl Wych and his wife the Countess surprise everyone by acknowledging the arrival as Bertram, the lost grandson.
This is a nice mystery for those who like a puzzle. Detective Inspector Bobby Owen works methodically with the Chief Constable on an astonishing array of suspects, assessing their opportunity and motive.
Punshon, the author, was apparently a great admirer of Agatha Christie, but this novel is stylistically quite different to hers.
It is a carefully plotted Golden Age police procedural which left me feeling that I wouldn't mind trying another in the series, perhaps an earlier one, at some stage. I found the references to the impending war interesting, especially the lack of any idea by the characters that this was going to be very different style of warfare.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews