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Superintendent William Meredith #16
Death on the Riviera
When a counterfeit currency racket comes to light on the French Riviera, Detective Inspector Meredith is sent speeding southwards - out of the London murk to the warmth and glitter of the Mediterranean. Along with Inspector Blampignon - an amiable policeman from Nice - Meredith must trace the whereabouts of Chalky Cobbett, crook and forger.
Soon their interest centres on the Villa Paloma, the residence of Nesta Hedderwick, an eccentric Englishwoman, and her bohemian house guests - among them her niece, an artist, and a playboy. Before long, it becomes evident that more than one of the occupants of the Villa Paloma has something to hide, and the stage is set for murder.
This classic crime novel from 1952 evokes all the sunlit glamour of life on the Riviera, and combines deft plotting with a dash of humour. This is the first edition to have been published in more than sixty years and follows the rediscovery of Bude's long-neglected detective writing by the British Library.
Soon their interest centres on the Villa Paloma, the residence of Nesta Hedderwick, an eccentric Englishwoman, and her bohemian house guests - among them her niece, an artist, and a playboy. Before long, it becomes evident that more than one of the occupants of the Villa Paloma has something to hide, and the stage is set for murder.
This classic crime novel from 1952 evokes all the sunlit glamour of life on the Riviera, and combines deft plotting with a dash of humour. This is the first edition to have been published in more than sixty years and follows the rediscovery of Bude's long-neglected detective writing by the British Library.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1952
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869 people want to read
About the author
John Bude
56 books79 followersJohn Bude was a pseudonym used by Ernest Carpenter Elmore who was a British born writer.
He was born in 1901 and, as a boarder, he attended Mill Hill School, leaving in 1919 and moving on to Cheltenham where he attended a secretarial college and where he learned to type. After that he spent several years as games master at St Christopher School in Letchworth where he also led the school's dramatic activities.
This keen interest in the theatre led him to join the Lena Ashwell Players as stage manager and he took their productions around the country. He also acted in plays produced at the Everyman Theatre in Hampstead, where he lived for a time. He honed his writing skills, whenever he had a moment to spare, in the various dressing rooms that he found himself in.
He eventually returned to Maidstone, the town of his birth, and during the Second World War he ran his local Home Guard unit as he had been deemed unfit to serve in the forces.
He later lived in Loose, Kent, and after that near Rye, East Sussex, and enjoyed golf and painting but never learned to drive although that did not stop him apparently offering advice to his wife when she was driving! He had met his wife, Betty, when producing plays back in Maidstone and they married in 1933.
After becoming a full-time writer, he wrote some 30 crime fiction novels, many featuring his two main series characters Superintendent Meredith and Inspector Sherwood. He began with 'The Cornish Coast Murder' in 1935 and his final two crime novels, 'A Twist of the Rope' and 'The Night the Fog Came Down' were published posthumously in 1958.
He was a founder member of the Norfolk-based Crime Writers Association (CWA) in 1953 and was a co-organiser of the Crime Book Exhibition that was one of the CWA's early publicity initiatives. He was a popular and hard-working member of the CWA's committee from its inception through to May 1957.
Under his own name he also wrote a number of fantasy novels, the most well-known of which is 'The Lumpton Gobbelings' (1954). In addition he wrote a children's book, 'The Snuffly Snorty Dog' (1946).
He was admitted to hospital in Hastings on 6 November 1957, having just delivered his what turned out to be his final manuscript to his publisher, for a routine operation but he died two days later.
Fellow British crime writer Martin Edwards comments, "Bude writes both readably and entertainingly. His work may not have been stunning enough to belong with the greats, but there is a smoothness and accomplishment about even his first mystery, 'The Cornish Coast Murder', which you don't find in many début mysteries."
Interestingly he was the dedicatee of 'The Case of the Running Mouse' (1944) by his friend Christopher Bush. The dedication stated, 'May his stature, and his circulation, increase.'
NB: He was not born on 1 January but the system does not allow a date of birth without a month and date so it defaults to 1 January.
He was born in 1901 and, as a boarder, he attended Mill Hill School, leaving in 1919 and moving on to Cheltenham where he attended a secretarial college and where he learned to type. After that he spent several years as games master at St Christopher School in Letchworth where he also led the school's dramatic activities.
This keen interest in the theatre led him to join the Lena Ashwell Players as stage manager and he took their productions around the country. He also acted in plays produced at the Everyman Theatre in Hampstead, where he lived for a time. He honed his writing skills, whenever he had a moment to spare, in the various dressing rooms that he found himself in.
He eventually returned to Maidstone, the town of his birth, and during the Second World War he ran his local Home Guard unit as he had been deemed unfit to serve in the forces.
He later lived in Loose, Kent, and after that near Rye, East Sussex, and enjoyed golf and painting but never learned to drive although that did not stop him apparently offering advice to his wife when she was driving! He had met his wife, Betty, when producing plays back in Maidstone and they married in 1933.
After becoming a full-time writer, he wrote some 30 crime fiction novels, many featuring his two main series characters Superintendent Meredith and Inspector Sherwood. He began with 'The Cornish Coast Murder' in 1935 and his final two crime novels, 'A Twist of the Rope' and 'The Night the Fog Came Down' were published posthumously in 1958.
He was a founder member of the Norfolk-based Crime Writers Association (CWA) in 1953 and was a co-organiser of the Crime Book Exhibition that was one of the CWA's early publicity initiatives. He was a popular and hard-working member of the CWA's committee from its inception through to May 1957.
Under his own name he also wrote a number of fantasy novels, the most well-known of which is 'The Lumpton Gobbelings' (1954). In addition he wrote a children's book, 'The Snuffly Snorty Dog' (1946).
He was admitted to hospital in Hastings on 6 November 1957, having just delivered his what turned out to be his final manuscript to his publisher, for a routine operation but he died two days later.
Fellow British crime writer Martin Edwards comments, "Bude writes both readably and entertainingly. His work may not have been stunning enough to belong with the greats, but there is a smoothness and accomplishment about even his first mystery, 'The Cornish Coast Murder', which you don't find in many début mysteries."
Interestingly he was the dedicatee of 'The Case of the Running Mouse' (1944) by his friend Christopher Bush. The dedication stated, 'May his stature, and his circulation, increase.'
NB: He was not born on 1 January but the system does not allow a date of birth without a month and date so it defaults to 1 January.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
May 21, 2023
The first trio of John Bude’s mysteries were set firmly on home ground; The Cornish Coast Murder, The Lake District Murder and The Sussex Downs Murder. However, in this later novel, he turns to the more exotic location of the French Riviera. First published in 1952, Bude was, at that time, an extremely successful author and responded to the wish of a public, tired by rationing and austerity, for sunshine and glamour.
Detective Inspector Meredith and Acting-Sergeant Freddy Strang are sent to the South of France to investigate a currency racket. The gang producing the counterfeit notes, which are flooding the Riviera, are said to be led by an Englishman, while “Chalky” Cobbett is rumoured to be the forger. On the way, Meredith and Strang meet Bill Dillon, who is also going to the Riviera, to visit the Villa Paloma; owned by wealthy widow, Nesta Hedderwick.
This book effortlessly weaves and intertwines the stories of the counterfeit inquiry with those of the inhabitants of the Villa Paloma. For Bill Dillon’s visit will lead, ultimately, to murder and both Meredith and Strang become involved – the young Freddy Strang not least because he falls in love with Dilys, the niece of Mrs Hedderwick. Other members of the household include Tony Shenton, Kitty Lindon and an artist called Paul Latour, who all have their secrets.
Although this novel is set in the early 1950’s, it is clear that the war is all still too present – not only with Bude’s audience of readers, but on the scars it has physically left on the landscape. When Meredith and Strang first meet up with Bill Dillon, the men are trying to negotiate their way out of Dunkirk, with virtually all the roads destroyed and not a single road sign in evidence. Indeed, Dillon recalls being there as a soldier and those memories were all too close to most of the audience reading this book. However, although the war was touched on, what Bude gives us is an enjoyable mystery – with secrets galore, some organised crime and a rather touching love story. A good read for anyone who enjoys Golden Age crime novels.
Detective Inspector Meredith and Acting-Sergeant Freddy Strang are sent to the South of France to investigate a currency racket. The gang producing the counterfeit notes, which are flooding the Riviera, are said to be led by an Englishman, while “Chalky” Cobbett is rumoured to be the forger. On the way, Meredith and Strang meet Bill Dillon, who is also going to the Riviera, to visit the Villa Paloma; owned by wealthy widow, Nesta Hedderwick.
This book effortlessly weaves and intertwines the stories of the counterfeit inquiry with those of the inhabitants of the Villa Paloma. For Bill Dillon’s visit will lead, ultimately, to murder and both Meredith and Strang become involved – the young Freddy Strang not least because he falls in love with Dilys, the niece of Mrs Hedderwick. Other members of the household include Tony Shenton, Kitty Lindon and an artist called Paul Latour, who all have their secrets.
Although this novel is set in the early 1950’s, it is clear that the war is all still too present – not only with Bude’s audience of readers, but on the scars it has physically left on the landscape. When Meredith and Strang first meet up with Bill Dillon, the men are trying to negotiate their way out of Dunkirk, with virtually all the roads destroyed and not a single road sign in evidence. Indeed, Dillon recalls being there as a soldier and those memories were all too close to most of the audience reading this book. However, although the war was touched on, what Bude gives us is an enjoyable mystery – with secrets galore, some organised crime and a rather touching love story. A good read for anyone who enjoys Golden Age crime novels.
September 21, 2020
Another great mystery reissue by the British Library Crime Classics.
Detective Inspector Meredith accompanied by Acting-Sergent Freddy Strang are in the Riviera to track down a counterfeiter Tommy "Chalky" Cobbett. The police in Nice discovered counterfeit currency popping up with English tourists and it had Chalky's hallmarks. What unfolds for most of the book is a very engaging story surrounding the investigation of the counterfeit ring and trying to uncover the participants as the British and French police work the case. It was wonderful as a procedural and the characters were delightful. There's also a thread of the story of the inhabitants and goings-on at the Villa Paloma, home of Nesta Hdderwick. Nesta is a wealthy widow and living with her are her niece, Dilys, companion Miss Pilligrew and a couple of hangers-on, Paul Latour (self-proclaimed bohemian artist), Tony Shenton and Kitty Linden. There's also Bill Dillon, who initially meets Meredith and Strang at the outset on his way to the Riviera, he too comes to stay at Villa Paloma resulting in a bit of domestic upheaval.
This was a treat to puzzle out with the officers and their questions were my questions and they sometimes fell for red-herrings I did and other times asked the question that hadn't yet occurred to me. I was having so much fun with the counterfeit story that I forgot for a while that there's supposed to be a death/murder because of the title. Well, there's a great buildup to the counterfeit solution and then the death/murder takes place (around the 66% mark). I usually am annoyed by this circumstance but apparently if given another very engaging mystery to solve, I don't mind so much. The death/murder investigation is less intricate a plot but still enjoyable and that takes up the remainder of the book. The only criticism I had with this is that the gears shift so abruptly between the counterfeit ring and the death/murder that there is one thing left hanging. There's one character that is pivotal in the counterfeit ring that the story doesn't account for in the end. Everyone else involved is apprehended but seems to have absconded and no one mentions pursuit of him again. I actually went back to reread because I thought I'd missed something. I hadn't. It's a weird omission in an otherwise tightly told story.
The characters were great whether I liked them or not and the plot tidy and well-paced. I couldn't have asked for much more in a mystery. I've read Bude's The Cheltenham Square Murder and as there are a few other Inspector Meredith mysteries in the BLCC collection, I look forward to more.
I almost forgot, this gave me two new crossword words: pip emma (for evening, afternoon i.e PM) and ack emma (for morning). Coming across this reminded me of Christie's Agatha Christie's "A Murder is Announced" where there are estranged siblings that had only been known as "Pip and Emma" which cause a wry eyebrow raises in the story but I completely didn't get while reading.
Recommended.
Detective Inspector Meredith accompanied by Acting-Sergent Freddy Strang are in the Riviera to track down a counterfeiter Tommy "Chalky" Cobbett. The police in Nice discovered counterfeit currency popping up with English tourists and it had Chalky's hallmarks. What unfolds for most of the book is a very engaging story surrounding the investigation of the counterfeit ring and trying to uncover the participants as the British and French police work the case. It was wonderful as a procedural and the characters were delightful. There's also a thread of the story of the inhabitants and goings-on at the Villa Paloma, home of Nesta Hdderwick. Nesta is a wealthy widow and living with her are her niece, Dilys, companion Miss Pilligrew and a couple of hangers-on, Paul Latour (self-proclaimed bohemian artist), Tony Shenton and Kitty Linden. There's also Bill Dillon, who initially meets Meredith and Strang at the outset on his way to the Riviera, he too comes to stay at Villa Paloma resulting in a bit of domestic upheaval.
This was a treat to puzzle out with the officers and their questions were my questions and they sometimes fell for red-herrings I did and other times asked the question that hadn't yet occurred to me. I was having so much fun with the counterfeit story that I forgot for a while that there's supposed to be a death/murder because of the title. Well, there's a great buildup to the counterfeit solution and then the death/murder takes place (around the 66% mark). I usually am annoyed by this circumstance but apparently if given another very engaging mystery to solve, I don't mind so much. The death/murder investigation is less intricate a plot but still enjoyable and that takes up the remainder of the book. The only criticism I had with this is that the gears shift so abruptly between the counterfeit ring and the death/murder that there is one thing left hanging. There's one character that is pivotal in the counterfeit ring that the story doesn't account for in the end. Everyone else involved is apprehended but seems to have absconded and no one mentions pursuit of him again. I actually went back to reread because I thought I'd missed something. I hadn't. It's a weird omission in an otherwise tightly told story.
The characters were great whether I liked them or not and the plot tidy and well-paced. I couldn't have asked for much more in a mystery. I've read Bude's The Cheltenham Square Murder and as there are a few other Inspector Meredith mysteries in the BLCC collection, I look forward to more.
I almost forgot, this gave me two new crossword words: pip emma (for evening, afternoon i.e PM) and ack emma (for morning). Coming across this reminded me of Christie's Agatha Christie's "A Murder is Announced" where there are estranged siblings that had only been known as "Pip and Emma" which cause a wry eyebrow raises in the story but I completely didn't get while reading.
Recommended.
February 29, 2016
This is my second John Bude novel, and I am now a firm fan.
He writes with a light hand, adept characterisation, and a dry sense of humour.
Death on the Riviera starts with the secondment of Detective Inspector Meredith to the French Riviera where a counterfeit currency racket has been linked to an Englishman, Chalky Cobbett, a well known crook and forger.
Aided by Sergeant Strang and Inspector Blampignon, Meredith follows the clues to Villa Paloma, the residence of an eccentric Englishwoman and her odd assortment of guests. There is smuggling, a clandestine love affair, a wronged husband, a cad, and, of course, a body.
This is a highly enjoyable classic murder mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the gift of an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
He writes with a light hand, adept characterisation, and a dry sense of humour.
Death on the Riviera starts with the secondment of Detective Inspector Meredith to the French Riviera where a counterfeit currency racket has been linked to an Englishman, Chalky Cobbett, a well known crook and forger.
Aided by Sergeant Strang and Inspector Blampignon, Meredith follows the clues to Villa Paloma, the residence of an eccentric Englishwoman and her odd assortment of guests. There is smuggling, a clandestine love affair, a wronged husband, a cad, and, of course, a body.
This is a highly enjoyable classic murder mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the gift of an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
September 8, 2020
So.Much.Fun. 3.5 stars.
I do so enjoy Inspector Meredith (now with Scotland Yard). He is an amiable chap, full of good humor and sharp intelligence. He and his French counterparts made a great team as they tracked down master forger 'Chalky' Cobbett and his cohorts.
Bude had almost too much going on in this one. One on hand he had the forgery case; on the other he had a love triangle, centered among the ex-pat residents of Villa Paloma, that resulted in murder. The only connection between the two was the Villa and its residents.
Bude did a good job of fleshing out the residents so that they were 'people' rather than 'types'.
As a bonus, he gave us a sweet romance between Meredith's young assistant, Sgt. Freddy Strang, and Dilys, niece of Villa Paloma's owner, Nesta Hedderwick.
All in all, an enjoyable way to pass a few hours.
I do so enjoy Inspector Meredith (now with Scotland Yard). He is an amiable chap, full of good humor and sharp intelligence. He and his French counterparts made a great team as they tracked down master forger 'Chalky' Cobbett and his cohorts.
Bude had almost too much going on in this one. One on hand he had the forgery case; on the other he had a love triangle, centered among the ex-pat residents of Villa Paloma, that resulted in murder. The only connection between the two was the Villa and its residents.
Bude did a good job of fleshing out the residents so that they were 'people' rather than 'types'.
As a bonus, he gave us a sweet romance between Meredith's young assistant, Sgt. Freddy Strang, and Dilys, niece of Villa Paloma's owner, Nesta Hedderwick.
All in all, an enjoyable way to pass a few hours.
July 11, 2021
This was mostly...boring. The death the title promised happens very late into the book and before that Meredith is hunting for a counterfeiter ring and that is just not something that interests me very much, no matter how ingenious the bad guys' schemes are. And when over half the book is spent on a different crime there's not much space left to craft an interesting murder case...I did call all the twists before Meredith and would probably have been even faster if I hadn't been too bored to listen attentively to everything.
Additionally...John Bude's female characters are just...not great. He's no Gil North but that's very faint praise in that aspect. The only woman who's portrayed fairly likeable is the sergeant's love interest and that's also her entire character.
Additionally...John Bude's female characters are just...not great. He's no Gil North but that's very faint praise in that aspect. The only woman who's portrayed fairly likeable is the sergeant's love interest and that's also her entire character.
January 14, 2018
John Bude’s Death on the Riviera proves as clever and charming as his previous novels. I simply can’t get enough of Scotland Yard Superintendent William Meredith and his adventures. In this one, Meredith heads to the French Riviera along with Sergeant Freddy Strang to get his hands on an English bank-note forger who has been printing near-perfect pound and franc notes. Of course, Meredith gets his man, but not before he tumbles on to a most ingenious murder and ferrets out various other secrets. As always, Bude makes the novel both suspenseful and amusing.
British Library Publishing, in conjunction with Poison Pen Press, has been re-releasing Bude’s wonderful novels, and they can’t release them fast enough for me!
British Library Publishing, in conjunction with Poison Pen Press, has been re-releasing Bude’s wonderful novels, and they can’t release them fast enough for me!
March 11, 2017
This is the second book I have read by John Bude featuring Inspector Meredith of the C.I.D. It was easily as enjoyable as the first.
This time around, Meredith is sent to assist the local police in the south of France with finding a counterfeiting organization that is flooding the area with forged thousand franc notes. The leader of the group is believed to be an English. The forger is also suspected to be an Englishman, Chalky Cobbett. Assisting Meredith is young, over-eager Acting=Sergeant Freddy Strang. Meredith and Strang bump into Bill Dillon, a young Englishman, who is also heading to the Riviera. They quickly part ways, but will soon meet up again in Villa Paloma, the home of the wealthy Nesta Hedderwick, a widow who spends her time between France and England. Her household includes her niece, Dilys; Tony Shenton, a young man whose connection to Nesta is mysterious, to say the least; his girlfriend, Kitty Linden; and an artist, Paul Latour. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not what they appear in Villa Paloma - and the arrival of Bill Dillon just sets it all off.
This is a light, entertaining mystery with a beautiful setting - the colorful, sun-drenched Riviera in the 1950s. Bude captures the era well and the characters are interesting. There is no murder until easily 3/4 of the way through the book and it doesn't take long to figure out who did it. Most of the book is spent setting up the crime. The only part that falls flat for me is Freddy's romance with Dilys. It got very tedious very fast and could easily have been left out because it didn't add anything to the plot. Other than that, though, this was a fun read and I highly recommend it.
This time around, Meredith is sent to assist the local police in the south of France with finding a counterfeiting organization that is flooding the area with forged thousand franc notes. The leader of the group is believed to be an English. The forger is also suspected to be an Englishman, Chalky Cobbett. Assisting Meredith is young, over-eager Acting=Sergeant Freddy Strang. Meredith and Strang bump into Bill Dillon, a young Englishman, who is also heading to the Riviera. They quickly part ways, but will soon meet up again in Villa Paloma, the home of the wealthy Nesta Hedderwick, a widow who spends her time between France and England. Her household includes her niece, Dilys; Tony Shenton, a young man whose connection to Nesta is mysterious, to say the least; his girlfriend, Kitty Linden; and an artist, Paul Latour. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not what they appear in Villa Paloma - and the arrival of Bill Dillon just sets it all off.
This is a light, entertaining mystery with a beautiful setting - the colorful, sun-drenched Riviera in the 1950s. Bude captures the era well and the characters are interesting. There is no murder until easily 3/4 of the way through the book and it doesn't take long to figure out who did it. Most of the book is spent setting up the crime. The only part that falls flat for me is Freddy's romance with Dilys. It got very tedious very fast and could easily have been left out because it didn't add anything to the plot. Other than that, though, this was a fun read and I highly recommend it.
July 9, 2023
3.5 stars for this confounding mystery starring Inspector Meredith of Scotland Yard, ably assisted by young Sgt. Strang, who gets a romantic subplot. I don’t mind, as Bude doesn’t let the young lovers hijack the mystery.
Scotland Yard is sent to the Riviera to crack a counterfeiting ring; Meredith looks forward to nabbing a master forger suspected of running the ring. What follows is an interesting and frustrating (for our detectives and their French counterparts) case which eventually centers around the inhabitants of a wealthy English widow’s villa. They aren’t sure how the production and passing of counterfeit notes is done, or who all is involved in the ring, but the lady is a rather eccentric collector or young men down on their luck - an artist, a rather shifty playboy type - so possibilities for suspects abound. The beautiful scenery isn’t really a star, but is remarked upon, and the two English detectives certainly appreciate being there!
No spoilers, but I just realized Bude doesn’t account for one of the suspects at the end; in fact, there is a murder and the case seems to veer off in a whole different direction. Maybe the author didn’t think his initial counterfeiting case was complex enough, or needed a murder to top it off? I enjoyed it, but it did seem to go on a bit at the end.
Scotland Yard is sent to the Riviera to crack a counterfeiting ring; Meredith looks forward to nabbing a master forger suspected of running the ring. What follows is an interesting and frustrating (for our detectives and their French counterparts) case which eventually centers around the inhabitants of a wealthy English widow’s villa. They aren’t sure how the production and passing of counterfeit notes is done, or who all is involved in the ring, but the lady is a rather eccentric collector or young men down on their luck - an artist, a rather shifty playboy type - so possibilities for suspects abound. The beautiful scenery isn’t really a star, but is remarked upon, and the two English detectives certainly appreciate being there!
No spoilers, but I just realized Bude doesn’t account for one of the suspects at the end; in fact, there is a murder and the case seems to veer off in a whole different direction. Maybe the author didn’t think his initial counterfeiting case was complex enough, or needed a murder to top it off? I enjoyed it, but it did seem to go on a bit at the end.
March 5, 2016
Death on the Riviera starts with Bill Dillion crossing from England to Dunkirk, reminiscing of the last time he was there---with German dive-bombers circling overhead. Now he's heading for the French Riviera---in specific, the Villa Paloma. That is also the destination of Inspector Meredith and his compatriot, Sergeant Strang, en route to assist the French in capturing a wanted criminal. There's a ring of smugglers now dispensing counterfeit pound notes, tied to known forger "Chalky" Cobbett, wanted by Scotland Yard, and Meredith has been tasked to capture him. As fate would have it, everything seems to revolve around the Villa Paloma, the residence of the eccentric Englishwoman Mrs. Hedderwick and her odd assortment of guests. More than one of these guests has something to hide, and with tension building between them, there's more than enough motive and means for murder...
Mystery readers expecting a corpse in the early chapters may be disappointed, as the novel starts out focused on the ring of smugglers and counterfeiters running rampant in the Riviera. Since one of the suspects may be residing at the Villa Paloma, the lives of the Villa's inhabitants begins to take up more and more of the plot, establishing their relationships and developing their characters. It involves a complex love triangle between Bill Dillon, Tony Shenton, and a young woman named Kitty; meanwhile, Strang falls for Mrs. Hedderwick's niece in a whirlwind romance. While it can be a bit melodramatic at times, with developments revealed much like in a soap opera, it's both necessary and important to build these characters and their relationships. Soon after the smuggling ring is blown open, one of the two men is murdered---but was it Bill who did Tony in, or did Tony knock off Bill? Meredith leaps at the chance to exercise his investigative prowess, and a series of theories are created and discarded before the truth is revealed.
It's interesting to read one of Bude's later books, written almost twenty years after he introduced the Superintendent Meredith character. In the last Bude novel I read, The Sussex Downs Murder, Meredith was still an ambitious young detective, returning back to discuss his findings with his superior while eagerly jumping to conclusions. By the time of Death on the Riviera, Meredith has developed into a character more steady and sure of himself, and departs for France with his own subordinate---Sergeant Freddy Strang--- in tow. Stylistically, Bude's writing is still very light and marked by adept characterization, dry humor, and a keen sense of plotting, but much has changed from his earlier books. Instead of solving murders in tranquil 1930s England, his characters are investigating a smuggling ring in the exotic Riviera. And throughout the novel, there's an underlying sense of how the Britons and French are living in the aftermath of World War II.
Indeed, World War II is usually the demarcation line where the Golden Age of Mystery begins to end. But with Death on the Riviera, John Bude returned to his classic pre-war form with longstanding series character Meredith, while focusing on a new and exotic mystery. This is perhaps Bude writing at top form, working not one but two criminal plots into the book, including a complex web of relationships, and of course including his trademark characterization and wit. While it is not flawless---the Villa Paloma can be a bit melodramatic soap-opera-y, and the smuggling/counterfeiting plot didn't quite have the same intensity as the murder---this is a very strong book. It's a charming and fun read, one I'd be quick to recommend to fans of vintage mysteries.
Mystery readers expecting a corpse in the early chapters may be disappointed, as the novel starts out focused on the ring of smugglers and counterfeiters running rampant in the Riviera. Since one of the suspects may be residing at the Villa Paloma, the lives of the Villa's inhabitants begins to take up more and more of the plot, establishing their relationships and developing their characters. It involves a complex love triangle between Bill Dillon, Tony Shenton, and a young woman named Kitty; meanwhile, Strang falls for Mrs. Hedderwick's niece in a whirlwind romance. While it can be a bit melodramatic at times, with developments revealed much like in a soap opera, it's both necessary and important to build these characters and their relationships. Soon after the smuggling ring is blown open, one of the two men is murdered---but was it Bill who did Tony in, or did Tony knock off Bill? Meredith leaps at the chance to exercise his investigative prowess, and a series of theories are created and discarded before the truth is revealed.
It's interesting to read one of Bude's later books, written almost twenty years after he introduced the Superintendent Meredith character. In the last Bude novel I read, The Sussex Downs Murder, Meredith was still an ambitious young detective, returning back to discuss his findings with his superior while eagerly jumping to conclusions. By the time of Death on the Riviera, Meredith has developed into a character more steady and sure of himself, and departs for France with his own subordinate---Sergeant Freddy Strang--- in tow. Stylistically, Bude's writing is still very light and marked by adept characterization, dry humor, and a keen sense of plotting, but much has changed from his earlier books. Instead of solving murders in tranquil 1930s England, his characters are investigating a smuggling ring in the exotic Riviera. And throughout the novel, there's an underlying sense of how the Britons and French are living in the aftermath of World War II.
Indeed, World War II is usually the demarcation line where the Golden Age of Mystery begins to end. But with Death on the Riviera, John Bude returned to his classic pre-war form with longstanding series character Meredith, while focusing on a new and exotic mystery. This is perhaps Bude writing at top form, working not one but two criminal plots into the book, including a complex web of relationships, and of course including his trademark characterization and wit. While it is not flawless---the Villa Paloma can be a bit melodramatic soap-opera-y, and the smuggling/counterfeiting plot didn't quite have the same intensity as the murder---this is a very strong book. It's a charming and fun read, one I'd be quick to recommend to fans of vintage mysteries.
November 11, 2020
A counterfeit currency racket comes to light on the French Riviera and with an Englishman, 'Chalky' Cobbett, supposedly heavily involved, Detective-Inspector Meredith and his trusty sidekick Acting-Sergeant Freddy Strang are detailed to leave Scotland Yard and investigate.
En route to the warmth and glitter of the Mediterranean they temporarily meet up with another Englishman, Bill Dillon, who is also going to the Riviera. Meanwhile at the Villa Paloma in Menton on the Riviera an eccentric Englishwoman, Nesta Hedderwick, has a selection of bohemian houseguests, including her niece, an artist and a playboy. And they are later to be joined by Dillon, whose arrival proves to be the catalyst for murder, and subsequently Meredith and Strang as they pursue their investigations.
Meredith liaises with his French counterpart Inspector Blampignon at Nice to discuss the intricacies of the case and the latter is helpful in that he has some local knowledge on the issue. They pool their ideas but every avenue they go down draws a blank. And they are not helped by the misleading information supplied by the residents of the Villa Paloma. But once a death is reported, things become more dramatic.
Meredith, Strang, Blampignon and another French detective Gibaud persevere and dig deeper but it still looks as though they are to be unsuccessful. Then, suddenly, Meredith, has a moment of inspiration and he slowly but surely begins to realise where 'Chalky' is, how the counterfeiting operation works and also the ingenious, and quite surprising, manner in which the murder has been committed. And all the while a love affair between Dilys, Nesta's niece, and Freddy Strang is bubbling under, much to Meredith's surprise.
It's a great plot, the setting evokes all the glamour of life on the Riviera, the characters are very believable and Martin Edwards provides an insightful introduction.
En route to the warmth and glitter of the Mediterranean they temporarily meet up with another Englishman, Bill Dillon, who is also going to the Riviera. Meanwhile at the Villa Paloma in Menton on the Riviera an eccentric Englishwoman, Nesta Hedderwick, has a selection of bohemian houseguests, including her niece, an artist and a playboy. And they are later to be joined by Dillon, whose arrival proves to be the catalyst for murder, and subsequently Meredith and Strang as they pursue their investigations.
Meredith liaises with his French counterpart Inspector Blampignon at Nice to discuss the intricacies of the case and the latter is helpful in that he has some local knowledge on the issue. They pool their ideas but every avenue they go down draws a blank. And they are not helped by the misleading information supplied by the residents of the Villa Paloma. But once a death is reported, things become more dramatic.
Meredith, Strang, Blampignon and another French detective Gibaud persevere and dig deeper but it still looks as though they are to be unsuccessful. Then, suddenly, Meredith, has a moment of inspiration and he slowly but surely begins to realise where 'Chalky' is, how the counterfeiting operation works and also the ingenious, and quite surprising, manner in which the murder has been committed. And all the while a love affair between Dilys, Nesta's niece, and Freddy Strang is bubbling under, much to Meredith's surprise.
It's a great plot, the setting evokes all the glamour of life on the Riviera, the characters are very believable and Martin Edwards provides an insightful introduction.
December 28, 2015
This book is a part of the British Library Crime Classics. These are classic British mysteries, most of which were written during the golden age of crime writing, that are being re-published. This gem was originally published in 1952 and is now scheduled to be re-published March 2016. They have lovely covers also!
Detective Meredith and Sergeant Strang head to the French Riviera to investigate information that "Chalky", one of the world's greatest counterfeiters, is working there. We also learn about the even more mysterious than the mystery the Villa Paloma, home to the rich and eccentric elderly Nesta Hedderwick who lives with a number of also mysterious and eccentric houseguests. Its like the reader is reading two different stories, one about Meredith and Strang, one about Nesta and her houseguests, wondering when the two shall meet...
This book does not have a slow part to it! It is always interesting and always mysterious. It is an intelligent mystery with puzzle pieces that won't disappoint! The characters are so eccentric and all have something to hide. And I was continually trying to figure out what each one had to hide! The French Riviera is the perfect setting to give this author a chance to show off his descriptive writing. The characters plus the setting plus just the right amount of humor made this mystery a very original and fun read.
This book was provided to me by the Publisher and NetGalley and did not affect this review.
Detective Meredith and Sergeant Strang head to the French Riviera to investigate information that "Chalky", one of the world's greatest counterfeiters, is working there. We also learn about the even more mysterious than the mystery the Villa Paloma, home to the rich and eccentric elderly Nesta Hedderwick who lives with a number of also mysterious and eccentric houseguests. Its like the reader is reading two different stories, one about Meredith and Strang, one about Nesta and her houseguests, wondering when the two shall meet...
This book does not have a slow part to it! It is always interesting and always mysterious. It is an intelligent mystery with puzzle pieces that won't disappoint! The characters are so eccentric and all have something to hide. And I was continually trying to figure out what each one had to hide! The French Riviera is the perfect setting to give this author a chance to show off his descriptive writing. The characters plus the setting plus just the right amount of humor made this mystery a very original and fun read.
This book was provided to me by the Publisher and NetGalley and did not affect this review.
February 25, 2024
This story is really two mysteries that are intertwined. Chief Inspector Meredith and Sergeant Freddy Strang are in the south of France to investigate a counterfeit money operation that is led by an Englishman. Meredith and Strang are working in conjunction with the French police and I enjoyed their working relationships with the two local inspectors very much. The second and later mystery has Meredith and Strang investigating a suicide/possible murder and it involves some of the same characters that we’ve already met. The solutions to both mysteries are clever but somehow the last third of the book felt a bit unwieldy. I enjoyed the investigations around the counterfeit case more. The murder investigation in the final third is quite sad in several ways. Also what about character L? He seems to have dropped out of the story. Untied loose end? Or did I miss something?
There is a lot to enjoy about this story. The setting in warm, sunny France is lovely. Freddy Strang falls into an unexpected and amusing romance. There is a good bit of humor and some fun characters. The post-WWII setting is interesting too. This is my second John Bude and I will definitely pick up more by him.
There is a lot to enjoy about this story. The setting in warm, sunny France is lovely. Freddy Strang falls into an unexpected and amusing romance. There is a good bit of humor and some fun characters. The post-WWII setting is interesting too. This is my second John Bude and I will definitely pick up more by him.
March 1, 2018
A light and undemanding read that has some fun by placing our British detectives on the French Riviera. The plot is definitely one of two halves: the first concerning a counterfeiting and smuggling ring, the second a murder which, arriving at 70% through the book, feels like a last minute add-on. It has, too, one of the craziest solutions ever - worth a read for that alone!
January 25, 2016
Death on the Riviera is another in the British Library Crime Classics series, which republishes classic crime for a new, modern audience. Death on the Riviera was originally published in 1952.
This book is labeled as a “murder mystery,” but the murder does not actually occur until about 3/4 of the way through the book. It begins with Detective Inspector Meredith and Sergeant Strang, who have been sent from Scotland Yard to the French Riviera. They are on the trail of ‘Chalky’ Cobbett, known forger, and is suspected of running a counterfeit ring in the Riviera.
For me, it is great fun to read a mystery written 60+ years ago (originally published in 1952). The motives behind the crime are typically the same as a modern mystery – jealousy, greed, anger, etc. But socially, the characters behave so differently than they would in 2016. And without cell phones, DNA swabs, and the like, the detectives must rely on their investigative skills and small clues instead of our modern day technology.
Mr. Bude approaches Inspector Meredith’s detective work in an unusual way. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, who gathers all evidence before constructing a theory, Inspector Meredith loves to think of what might have happened, and then set off to prove if that theory is correct or not.
Death on the Riviera may not be a traditional murder mystery in the sense that the murder occurs so late in the book, but it was a fun read. The mystery of the counterfeit ring and search for Chalky made this an entertaining page turner. An excellent outing in classic crime.
See my full review at Hidden Staircase.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is labeled as a “murder mystery,” but the murder does not actually occur until about 3/4 of the way through the book. It begins with Detective Inspector Meredith and Sergeant Strang, who have been sent from Scotland Yard to the French Riviera. They are on the trail of ‘Chalky’ Cobbett, known forger, and is suspected of running a counterfeit ring in the Riviera.
For me, it is great fun to read a mystery written 60+ years ago (originally published in 1952). The motives behind the crime are typically the same as a modern mystery – jealousy, greed, anger, etc. But socially, the characters behave so differently than they would in 2016. And without cell phones, DNA swabs, and the like, the detectives must rely on their investigative skills and small clues instead of our modern day technology.
Mr. Bude approaches Inspector Meredith’s detective work in an unusual way. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, who gathers all evidence before constructing a theory, Inspector Meredith loves to think of what might have happened, and then set off to prove if that theory is correct or not.
Death on the Riviera may not be a traditional murder mystery in the sense that the murder occurs so late in the book, but it was a fun read. The mystery of the counterfeit ring and search for Chalky made this an entertaining page turner. An excellent outing in classic crime.
See my full review at Hidden Staircase.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2015
A collection of people staying in a villa on the French Riviera might seem an unlikely venue for the crime detecting abilities of Inspector Meredith. He and Sergeant Strang have been sent to France in pursuit of a currency forger, Chalky Cobbett and with the assistance of the amiable Inspector Blampignon they find themselves investigating more than one crime.
I enjoyed reading this entertaining crime story. I thought it stood the test of time very well indeed and the crime committed would probably work equally well now as they were really quite ingenious. Meredith gets involved in murder when one of the guests at the Villa Paloma is found dead at the foot of a cliff and all the villa's inhabitants become suspects including the young woman Sgt Strang has fallen in love with at first sight.
This is a well written and fast paced story with several strands to it and Meredith, as ever, is an excellent detective. It is good to see these older mysteries becoming available to new readers through the British Library Crime Classics series. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
I enjoyed reading this entertaining crime story. I thought it stood the test of time very well indeed and the crime committed would probably work equally well now as they were really quite ingenious. Meredith gets involved in murder when one of the guests at the Villa Paloma is found dead at the foot of a cliff and all the villa's inhabitants become suspects including the young woman Sgt Strang has fallen in love with at first sight.
This is a well written and fast paced story with several strands to it and Meredith, as ever, is an excellent detective. It is good to see these older mysteries becoming available to new readers through the British Library Crime Classics series. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
July 30, 2023
Inspector Meredith and his young deputy Sergeant Strang are sent to the French Riviera to investigate a counterfeiting gang. While there, their enquiries draw them to a group of wealthy English people who all seem to have plenty to hide.
This was a jolly mystery with a nice setting and some interesting characters, although it took rather a while for the ‘Death on the Riviera’ to actually happen. Most of the story is taken up with the forgery investigation which was quite ingenious and I enjoyed seeing Meredith and Strang combine to work it out. The murder felt a little like an add on and relied quite heavily on a witness opportunely appearing and offering the key to the mystery, but it was quite entertaining nonetheless.
I like Bude’s mysteries with their technical plots (though this relies much less on timetables and measurements than previous books) and this also had a pleasant romance that enhanced rather than overshadowed the plot. 3.5* for me.
This was a jolly mystery with a nice setting and some interesting characters, although it took rather a while for the ‘Death on the Riviera’ to actually happen. Most of the story is taken up with the forgery investigation which was quite ingenious and I enjoyed seeing Meredith and Strang combine to work it out. The murder felt a little like an add on and relied quite heavily on a witness opportunely appearing and offering the key to the mystery, but it was quite entertaining nonetheless.
I like Bude’s mysteries with their technical plots (though this relies much less on timetables and measurements than previous books) and this also had a pleasant romance that enhanced rather than overshadowed the plot. 3.5* for me.
August 20, 2017
I found it hard to stay engaged and instead drifted into thoughts about what wasn't working with this book. It has good elements - setting, red herring characters, somewhat witty detectives. The turning point for me was when the detectives figure out the money-laundering crime and I had to slog through a chapter of them talking about it but not revealing anything. But It really comes down to the outdated conversational styles. This is a dialog-based book. Absent more timeless elements, such as observations and descriptions of the characters or the setting, the witty banter-based narrative was hard to follow because it was full of idioms whose meanings have been lost through time.
July 10, 2022
Ich glaube für den Mord war am Ende keine Zeit mehr und er musste noch irgendwie reingequetscht werden, damit der Titel Sinn macht.
January 16, 2017
Sun, sea and murder...
Inspector Meredith and his young sidekick Acting-Sergeant Freddy Strang have been sent to the Riviera to help the French police hunt down a counterfeiter – a Brit who seems to be involved in laundering fake money in the little towns along the coast. While they’re there, a murder is committed amongst some of the English people living on the Riviera, so they become involved in that investigation too, especially since it seems that the two crimes may both link to the various people staying in the home of Nesta Hedderwick. This is quite handy for young Freddy, since he’s fallen in love with Nesta’s niece, Dilys…
The title of the book made me think this would be mainly a murder mystery, but in fact the bulk of the book is about the counterfeiting investigation, with the murder and subsequent investigation only happening quite late on. It’s a personal preference thing, and I’m not quite sure what it says about me(!), but I really prefer my crime fiction to be about murders. I’ve never managed to get up much interest in theft or fraud as a plotline. So, true to form, I enjoyed the murder investigation of this one, but found the counterfeiting plot rather dull.
In both sections, it’s really more of a howdunit – the villains are relatively obvious from fairly early on. In the counterfeiting plot, the question is more about how the money is being disseminated. This involves Meredith and Strang in quite a lot of driving along the coast, visiting the various small towns. Bude creates an authentic feel to the setting, with all the cafés and rich tourists, the gorgeous scenery and glorious weather, and Meredith and Strang have plenty of time to enjoy their stay while working on the case, complete with a fair amount of fine dining and wine-tippling.
The murder plot is something of an ‘impossible’ crime, though not of the locked room variety. I’m not going to reveal much about it since it would be hard without spoilers. But it’s fiendishly contrived, with a neat (if rather incredible) solution. The who is easy, the how less so, though I did guess how it was done a few microseconds before it was revealed. I felt the motive was a little shaky, to be honest, but it’s really more about the puzzle than the motivation.
Both Meredith and Freddy are likeable characters. Meredith is methodical and efficient, while Freddy works more on intuition. Freddy has shades of a Wodehouse character – I felt he would fit in well at the Drones Club (though as one of the more sensible ones – think Kipper Herring rather than Gussie Fink-Nottle), which I have to say made me wonder why he was slumming it working for the police. I’d have liked to know a little more about him, but even without much background to his character he adds a touch of lightness and occasional humour, and his romance with Dilys is nicely handled.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, despite not being enthralled by the counterfeiting strand – the writing is very good, the plotting is clever, especially of the murder, and the characters well enough drawn to be interesting. Another intriguing author resurrected by the British Library – one I’d be happy to read more from.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Inspector Meredith and his young sidekick Acting-Sergeant Freddy Strang have been sent to the Riviera to help the French police hunt down a counterfeiter – a Brit who seems to be involved in laundering fake money in the little towns along the coast. While they’re there, a murder is committed amongst some of the English people living on the Riviera, so they become involved in that investigation too, especially since it seems that the two crimes may both link to the various people staying in the home of Nesta Hedderwick. This is quite handy for young Freddy, since he’s fallen in love with Nesta’s niece, Dilys…
The title of the book made me think this would be mainly a murder mystery, but in fact the bulk of the book is about the counterfeiting investigation, with the murder and subsequent investigation only happening quite late on. It’s a personal preference thing, and I’m not quite sure what it says about me(!), but I really prefer my crime fiction to be about murders. I’ve never managed to get up much interest in theft or fraud as a plotline. So, true to form, I enjoyed the murder investigation of this one, but found the counterfeiting plot rather dull.
In both sections, it’s really more of a howdunit – the villains are relatively obvious from fairly early on. In the counterfeiting plot, the question is more about how the money is being disseminated. This involves Meredith and Strang in quite a lot of driving along the coast, visiting the various small towns. Bude creates an authentic feel to the setting, with all the cafés and rich tourists, the gorgeous scenery and glorious weather, and Meredith and Strang have plenty of time to enjoy their stay while working on the case, complete with a fair amount of fine dining and wine-tippling.
The murder plot is something of an ‘impossible’ crime, though not of the locked room variety. I’m not going to reveal much about it since it would be hard without spoilers. But it’s fiendishly contrived, with a neat (if rather incredible) solution. The who is easy, the how less so, though I did guess how it was done a few microseconds before it was revealed. I felt the motive was a little shaky, to be honest, but it’s really more about the puzzle than the motivation.
Both Meredith and Freddy are likeable characters. Meredith is methodical and efficient, while Freddy works more on intuition. Freddy has shades of a Wodehouse character – I felt he would fit in well at the Drones Club (though as one of the more sensible ones – think Kipper Herring rather than Gussie Fink-Nottle), which I have to say made me wonder why he was slumming it working for the police. I’d have liked to know a little more about him, but even without much background to his character he adds a touch of lightness and occasional humour, and his romance with Dilys is nicely handled.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, despite not being enthralled by the counterfeiting strand – the writing is very good, the plotting is clever, especially of the murder, and the characters well enough drawn to be interesting. Another intriguing author resurrected by the British Library – one I’d be happy to read more from.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
June 9, 2016
The British Library Crime Classics just get better and better. 'Death On The Riviera' sees Inspector Meredith leave London on the trail of a counterfeit racket. What I really enjoyed about this book was the side plot of the Villa Paloma residents running alongside and weaving into the counterfeit investigation. All the guests are wonderfully described, some you love, some you hate and of course as with all good crime tales, some you are instantly suspicious of. I also love the pairing of Detective Meredith and his plucky young side-kick, Sergeant Sprang. Some of the conversations between them did make me chuckle!
This book is exactly my type of read, crime with the glamour of the Riviera mixed in, a plethora of wonderful characters and a dash of humour. There are so many things I delighted in whilst reading, it made the perfect antidote for a chilly January.
This book is exactly my type of read, crime with the glamour of the Riviera mixed in, a plethora of wonderful characters and a dash of humour. There are so many things I delighted in whilst reading, it made the perfect antidote for a chilly January.
March 1, 2016
English mystery of the last century_____3.5 stars
The language structure here definitely reflects the 50's origins of this novel. An interesting look into writing in that era. The English detectives' journey to France, the tracking down of the forgerer and then other criminal happenings hold one in suspense, worthy of Sherlock Holmes. A tad 'golly gosh' mixed in with Boy's Own Magazine daring-do's and sleuthing.
All the usual suspects with a couple of unusual ones thrown in for good measure.
Enjoyable, with amusingly archaic turns of phrases as seen from sixty or so years on.
A NetGalley ARC
The language structure here definitely reflects the 50's origins of this novel. An interesting look into writing in that era. The English detectives' journey to France, the tracking down of the forgerer and then other criminal happenings hold one in suspense, worthy of Sherlock Holmes. A tad 'golly gosh' mixed in with Boy's Own Magazine daring-do's and sleuthing.
All the usual suspects with a couple of unusual ones thrown in for good measure.
Enjoyable, with amusingly archaic turns of phrases as seen from sixty or so years on.
A NetGalley ARC
October 14, 2024
This murder mystery was fast paced and had 3 crimes the investigators were looking into. There were lively and interesting characters, and a number of avenues for the French and English investigators to look into. But despite the multiple crimes, the story was never confusing.
We are introduced to a group of people living at the French villa of a wealthy English widow, Nesta Hedderwick. There's her niece, Dilys, her friend, Miss Bertha Pilligrew, an aquantiance, Kitty, her love interest Tony Shenton, and supposed artist, Paul Latour. We also are introduced to Bill Dillon, a British engineer who says he's traveling in the area.
We learn that two English investigators, Meredith and Stang, have come to the south of France to catch a skilled counterfeiter. They also learn that someone is bringing American cigarettes on shore and selling them for a high price. The investigators get help from several French officiers: Blampignon, Gibaud, and a few others who help out.
We learn, through the investigation, that the two counterfeiters are a Russian, Bourmin, and an Englishman, Chalky. Then, the counterfeiters seem to be the ones involved with selling the cigarettes too. They have come up with clever disguises and a hollow rock they put on shore to mark the landing spot and hide the money. Chalky's disguise especially throws them off the track for a bit. Latour, the fake artist, has been buying paintings from another little known artist, and claiming them as his own, which is another crime on the side.
At the Villa, we learn that Kitty, is crazy about Tony. But Bill Dillon, who comes to visit at the Villa, is actually her estranged husband. He learns Kitty is expecting so tries to pressure Tony into marrying her, and Bill will file for divorce. However Tony backs off and says he wont marry Kitty. About 3/4 the way through the story, a body is discovered below a cliff, with Kitty claiming Bill killed himself. Tony's car is spotted in several locations around the time of the murder. And the body has been disfigured so it's uncertain if the deceased is Tony or Bill.
Meredith and Stang do some careful investigating and come up with the guilty party of the complicated crime. .
There was quite a bit to hold my attention throughout the book, making it a quick read! I did feel however, that the death comes too late in the story and winds up a bit quickly. But prose is good and the characters so interesting.
We are introduced to a group of people living at the French villa of a wealthy English widow, Nesta Hedderwick. There's her niece, Dilys, her friend, Miss Bertha Pilligrew, an aquantiance, Kitty, her love interest Tony Shenton, and supposed artist, Paul Latour. We also are introduced to Bill Dillon, a British engineer who says he's traveling in the area.
We learn that two English investigators, Meredith and Stang, have come to the south of France to catch a skilled counterfeiter. They also learn that someone is bringing American cigarettes on shore and selling them for a high price. The investigators get help from several French officiers: Blampignon, Gibaud, and a few others who help out.
We learn, through the investigation, that the two counterfeiters are a Russian, Bourmin, and an Englishman, Chalky. Then, the counterfeiters seem to be the ones involved with selling the cigarettes too. They have come up with clever disguises and a hollow rock they put on shore to mark the landing spot and hide the money. Chalky's disguise especially throws them off the track for a bit. Latour, the fake artist, has been buying paintings from another little known artist, and claiming them as his own, which is another crime on the side.
At the Villa, we learn that Kitty, is crazy about Tony. But Bill Dillon, who comes to visit at the Villa, is actually her estranged husband. He learns Kitty is expecting so tries to pressure Tony into marrying her, and Bill will file for divorce. However Tony backs off and says he wont marry Kitty. About 3/4 the way through the story, a body is discovered below a cliff, with Kitty claiming Bill killed himself. Tony's car is spotted in several locations around the time of the murder. And the body has been disfigured so it's uncertain if the deceased is Tony or Bill.
Meredith and Stang do some careful investigating and come up with the guilty party of the complicated crime. .
There was quite a bit to hold my attention throughout the book, making it a quick read! I did feel however, that the death comes too late in the story and winds up a bit quickly. But prose is good and the characters so interesting.
August 21, 2017
Detective Inspector Meredith and his sidekick Sergeant Strang are sent to the Riviera to unmask the brains behind a gang of counterfeiters, who is suspected to be an Englishman. Hampered by their poor linguistic skills, they soon join forces with Inspector Blampignon at Nice and the local Inspector Gibaud at Menton, where they are based. The French Police face the additional burden of putting a stop to contraband cigarette smuggling across the Mediterranean from Africa. Soon it appears that the two illicit activities are intertwined and all clues point to the Villa Paloma owned by a rich and hospitable English widow, Nesta Hedderwick who has opened her doors to a number of young people-her pretty niece Dilys Westmacott, a handsome young Englishman Tony Shenton, his current girlfriend, the glamourous Kitty Linden, and the Bohemian, bearded artist Paul Latour, soon to be augmented by an old wartime acquaintance, the pilot Bill Dillon. Unraveling a tangle of promising clues seems to lead nowhere, but the Inspector finally appears to make a breakthrough. Then things are further complicated by a suicide or a possible, a murder. But complexities, which would make anyone give up, only spur the Inspector to greater effort, and the mystery is finally solved. An enjoyable read.
November 1, 2022
Ich habe einige Krimis von John Bude (Pseudonym für Ernest Carpenter Elmore), dem Golden Age Autor, auf Englisch gelesen und war daher begeistert, als ich gesehen habe, dass es einige Bücher von ihm auf Deutsch gibt. Nachdem seine ersten Kriminalromane in seiner englischen Heimat spielen, ist dieses an der Französischen Riviera angesiedelt.
Inspector Meredith ermittelt diesmal zusammen mit dem jungen Sergeant Freddy Strang. Sie sind nicht nur Geldfälschern auf der Spur, sondern müssen auch bald in einem mysteriösen Mord und Verschwinden ermitteln. Die Charaktere, die in der Villa der reichen Witwe Nesta Hedderwick verkehren sowie die anderen Personen der Handlung sind detailliert gezeichnet, eine Liebesgeschichte entwickelt sich schnell, und auch der Humor darf nicht zu kurz kommen. Alles in allem ein unterhaltsamer Whodunit-Krimi, auch wenn ich den Ablauf der Handlung manchmal etwas verwickelt fand.
Danke an den Klett-Cotta Verlag und Netgalley für ein Ebook im Gegenzug zu einer ehrlichen Rezension.
Inspector Meredith ermittelt diesmal zusammen mit dem jungen Sergeant Freddy Strang. Sie sind nicht nur Geldfälschern auf der Spur, sondern müssen auch bald in einem mysteriösen Mord und Verschwinden ermitteln. Die Charaktere, die in der Villa der reichen Witwe Nesta Hedderwick verkehren sowie die anderen Personen der Handlung sind detailliert gezeichnet, eine Liebesgeschichte entwickelt sich schnell, und auch der Humor darf nicht zu kurz kommen. Alles in allem ein unterhaltsamer Whodunit-Krimi, auch wenn ich den Ablauf der Handlung manchmal etwas verwickelt fand.
Danke an den Klett-Cotta Verlag und Netgalley für ein Ebook im Gegenzug zu einer ehrlichen Rezension.
July 6, 2018
Gradevole giallo, letto nell'ambito della mia serie "Gialli estivi". E l'ambientazione in Costa Azzurra è davvero azzeccata.
La maggior parte delle indagini sono incentrate su un traffico di banconote false, facendo rientrare il libro quasi in un sottogenere di stampo avventuroso e meno classico. Ma la contemporanea presentazione di Villa Paloma e dei singolari personaggi che la abitano prelude al vero enigma e al morto che arriva nell'ultimo quarto del romanzo. Il colpevole è facilmente identificabile, dato che a quel punto ormai rimangono ben poche possibilità. Ma tutta la faccenda delle modalità è stata per me un po' complicata da seguire. Avevo capito che doveva esserci una sorta di indizio nelle primissime pagine del libro, ma non ne avevo colto il vero significato.
La maggior parte delle indagini sono incentrate su un traffico di banconote false, facendo rientrare il libro quasi in un sottogenere di stampo avventuroso e meno classico. Ma la contemporanea presentazione di Villa Paloma e dei singolari personaggi che la abitano prelude al vero enigma e al morto che arriva nell'ultimo quarto del romanzo. Il colpevole è facilmente identificabile, dato che a quel punto ormai rimangono ben poche possibilità. Ma tutta la faccenda delle modalità è stata per me un po' complicata da seguire. Avevo capito che doveva esserci una sorta di indizio nelle primissime pagine del libro, ma non ne avevo colto il vero significato.
July 17, 2023
Superintendent Meredith and his sergeant Strang, are sent to France to find a currency forger, who has flooded the market with counterfeit banknotes. With the help of the local police, it is found that the counterfeiting centres around a villa belonging to a wealthy widow who seems to have taken various people to live there with her. One being a bogus artist and another a playboy type. We follow the investigation, which does unravel a well-organized gang who are responsible for the banknotes and their spreading, but this turns out to be only part of the mystery.
The mystery was well done but I did tire of the continuous searching of buildings and boats, and the answer to the murder which takes up the last part of the book did seem a bit farfetched to me.
The mystery was well done but I did tire of the continuous searching of buildings and boats, and the answer to the murder which takes up the last part of the book did seem a bit farfetched to me.
May 12, 2024
Ich habe das Buch vor allem wegen des Covers gekauft und weil ich seit "Zärtlich ist die Nacht" weitere an der Riviera angesiedelte Literatur gesucht habe.
Positiv überrascht war es ein solider Krimi mit gut ausgearbeiteten Figuren und einer spannenden vielschichtigen Handlung.
Der Autor selbst ist recht unbekannt und schreibt laut Anhang unter einem Pseudonym, konnte sich aber gerade in den 1940ern/1950ern einer breiten Leserschaft erfreuen.
Seichte Urlaubsliteratur in Agatha Christie Manier (ich bin überzeugt, dass der Name des weiblichen Hauptcharakters auch ein Fingerzeig auf Christie ist).
Positiv überrascht war es ein solider Krimi mit gut ausgearbeiteten Figuren und einer spannenden vielschichtigen Handlung.
Der Autor selbst ist recht unbekannt und schreibt laut Anhang unter einem Pseudonym, konnte sich aber gerade in den 1940ern/1950ern einer breiten Leserschaft erfreuen.
Seichte Urlaubsliteratur in Agatha Christie Manier (ich bin überzeugt, dass der Name des weiblichen Hauptcharakters auch ein Fingerzeig auf Christie ist).
August 30, 2024
idk if this is a spoiler but the murder does not happen until more than halfway through the book & that frustrated me lowkey, especially because most of the information from the first half kind of becomes irrelevant.
also, no female character takes action in this book, they only really serve to move the plot forward or to give information. the love story between the sergeant & the niece is wholesome at first but absolutely unnecessary in the end - we just witnessed a highly disturbing murder based on jealousy & unrequited love? let's get married!
apart from that, a solid detective novel. i enjoyed reading it nonetheless. could barely put it away.
also, no female character takes action in this book, they only really serve to move the plot forward or to give information. the love story between the sergeant & the niece is wholesome at first but absolutely unnecessary in the end - we just witnessed a highly disturbing murder based on jealousy & unrequited love? let's get married!
apart from that, a solid detective novel. i enjoyed reading it nonetheless. could barely put it away.
July 8, 2023
Slightly less enjoyable than Death Makes a Prophet with crime on the Riviera. Our detective gets to go abroad with a side kick and enjoy the exotic landscape and food, along with the co-operation of the French police as they go after a counterfeiting gang. This is complicated by a murder with an implausible escape plan for the murderer. Bude does seem to get bored of his plots and sweep them up a little too rapidly. One nice touch is the hiding place of one of the counterfeiters. That I could believe!
June 4, 2020
A new fan of Bude's work is born. This 1950s police procedural is a great addition to the British Library Crime Classics. I think some of the confusion for the reviews on here was they expected a traditional murder mystery, and that's not this really. There are elements of the golden age of murder mysteries in terms of the characters but this is a more wider "crime" novel, with a murder being part of that. I'll be reading more Bude for sure.
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