Of All the Bloody Cheek

The Commissions of Augustus Mandrell #1

by Frank McAuliffe

Meet Augustus Mandrell – but be careful when you do… Mandrell Ltd. is a specialist firm for whom no ‘commission’ – providing the remuneration is considerable and forthcoming – is impossible. Success and complete discretion is assured by the company’s most efficient and experienced (in fact, only) executive: Augustus Mandrell. Mandrell Ltd. always guarantees satisfaction in their one and only sphere of business – murder – but if you are thinking of hiring their expertise, be careful. No one is sure who Augustus Mandrell is, where he came from or where he will turn up next. He is a man of many disguises and expert assassin and he doesn’t leave witnesses. Written with tongue firmly in cheek in a haughty English ‘voice’ (as if P.G. Wodehouse had turned to the Dark Side) but actually by an American, Frank McAuliffe, the three volumes of the ‘Mandrell Commissions’ became instant classics of comic crime-writing when first published between 1965 and 1971.

Genres: Humor, Fiction

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Frank Malachi McAuliffe aka Frank Malachy

Frank McAuliffe was born the eldest of eight children to Irish immigrants, Con and Margaret McAuliffe in New York City, New York. He married Rita Gibbons and they had seven children together. After moving to Ventura, California, McAuliffe worked as a technical writer for the Navy, but spent most of his spare time writing fiction. In 1972 Frank McAuliffe was awarded the Edgar Allan Poe Award for his novel, For Murder I Charge More. Upon accepting the award for The Best Paperback Mystery of the Year, McAuliffe responded, "Ladies and Gentlemen, you have impeccably good taste."

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

You definitely have to read Mandrell’s Commissions in order, there are many characters that reappear and since the author recounts previous incidents, if you do not like spoilers be warned.

My favorite commission by far is the first in this book, The Dr. Sherrock Commission. It is so good that it make me purchase his whole series.

The way he constructs a story is very interesting, he gives you bits and pieces of the main plot, they are always intriguing and humorous and at the end everything makes perfect sense but he really surprises you with who really hired him. The chameleon of assassins, Mandrell is a unique and almost perfect evil character.

[Bill Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been raving about the Commissions of Augustus Mandrell (3 vol. Ballantine paperbacks, 1965, 1968 & 1971) since reading them when they first came out. Black comedy at its finest, set just prior to, during and just following WW2. They are crime novels, but they aren't "whodunnits". We know "whodunnit". Augustus Mandrell did it, brilliantly, as he never tires of telling us - the books are narrated in the first person. An arrogant and amoral hired assassin, the joy is in finding out exactly how he did it. Maybe he didn't even pull the metaphorical trigger; maybe he conned someone else into doing it. Sometimes things don't go according to plan (no matter how exceptional that plan is) and he has to improvise, often hilariously. Other regular characters drift in and out of Mandrell's life, many as amoral as he is, but none as clever.
There are a few passionate devotees besides myself out there, and I'm trying yet again to get people to read these, since the original 3 volumes have been reprinted for both Kindle and trade paper by an outfit that I've never heard of: Ostara Publishing. Point Blank Press (an offshoot, I believe, of Wildside) announced a reissue series in 2008 and eventually got Of All the Bloody Cheek out, along with an unpublished 4th book found in McAullife's papers before they went out of business.
There is nothing I can recommend more highly.

[Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Jesus! Augustus Mandrell is a new hero in my pantheon. Dark, twisted, funny. Another reviewer referred to him as Dexter. That's got it. I was totally unaware of Frank McAuliffe's work until a couple weeks ago and I'm glad I found him. These stories are just classic. Convoluted at times, but making perfect sense. Clever and astutde Mandrell always gets his man A serial killer--or hitman if you will--to root for.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: Augustus Mandrell has no birth certificate, passport or ID. Neither does he have a licence to kill. But he does. Who is Mandrell?

[SB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this in my most recent HPB buying spree despite the confusing back-cover text. I had no idea what it was about when I got it and was blown away once it read the bemused memoirs of an almost supernaturally skilled amoral (it’s strongly implied/confirmed that he smuggled Hitler out of Germany) assassin. The first person narration is constantly hilarious as Mandrell observes and manipulates the lives of everyone around him. You know that he’ll never get caught or fail to complete a job, but the tension is in figuring out how he’ll overcome the massive odds on each job he’s on. I’m writing this after reading all four of this character’s novels (I own but haven’t read the anthology that has his Maltese Falcon commission) and am in love with this series. Spotting the repeating characters and connections between the 12 short stories in the first three novels was a complete joy, especially in tracking all of the physical calamities he causes one particular law enforcer (Proferra). The final book is really good too, but I missed the short-story structure of the first three. I can’t say enough good things about this series. Black comedy of the highest order.

[Mr Mark Hawksford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the bloody cheek!

I really struggled to get into this book and nearly gave it up. However, I don’t like giving up on a book. Parts of the book did improve as the book went on, but it did not capture my interest and I found myself putting it down fairly quickly each time I started reading it. I would say 3.25 out of 5 from me.

[Ejstancliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

Very droll. Loved it. A great spoof of spy tales. Engaging and lively. Looking forward to reading the next book.

[DoctorM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes! The Augustus Mandrell stories are back in print! These are wonderfully dark, wicked, hilarious, twisted stories about Augustus Mandrell, assassin-for-hire in late-'40s through mid-'60s England. What to say? Hmmm... Dexter on Carnaby Street? Let's just say that I've waited ever since I was maybe seventeen to see these back in print. Funny, bleak, and the perfect way to laugh your way through a summer.

[DoctorM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes! The Augustus Mandrell stories are back in print! These are wonderfully dark, wicked, hilarious, twisted stories about Augustus Mandrell, assassin-for-hire in late-'50s through mid-'60s England. What to say? Hmmm... Dexter on Carnaby Street? Let's just say that I've waited ever since I was maybe seventeen to see these back in print. Funny, bleak, and the perfect way to laugh your way through a summer.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharply written with wry humor. Very good.