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Wycliffe #12
Wycliffe and the Four Jacks
Wycliffe might be on holiday, but he still finds himself landed with a murder to solve...
Writer David Cleeve lived exactly the way a bestselling novelist should live - in an opulent house set in a beautiful corner of Cornwall. But beneath the successful facade was a private nightmare. For at regular intervals a sinister and mysterious warning was delivered to him: a single playing card, the Jack of Diamonds. Then, one day, the card arrived torn in half - and that night a murder was committed.
Chief Superintendent Wycliffe was on holiday in the area but, far from relaxing, he finds himself drawn into the investigation. Before long there is more than just a single mystery to solve. As Wycliffe investigates, he uncovers a double murder, arson, and a whole series of crimes stretching back over many years...
Writer David Cleeve lived exactly the way a bestselling novelist should live - in an opulent house set in a beautiful corner of Cornwall. But beneath the successful facade was a private nightmare. For at regular intervals a sinister and mysterious warning was delivered to him: a single playing card, the Jack of Diamonds. Then, one day, the card arrived torn in half - and that night a murder was committed.
Chief Superintendent Wycliffe was on holiday in the area but, far from relaxing, he finds himself drawn into the investigation. Before long there is more than just a single mystery to solve. As Wycliffe investigates, he uncovers a double murder, arson, and a whole series of crimes stretching back over many years...
221 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
About the author
W.J. Burley
45 books24 followersBurley was born in Falmouth, Cornwall. Before he began writing, he was employed in senior management with various gas companies, before giving it up after the Second World War when he obtained a scholarship to study zoology at Balliol College, Oxford. After obtaining an honours degree he became a teacher. Appointed head of biology, first at Richmond & East Sheen County Grammar School in 1953, then at Newquay Grammar School in 1955, he was well established as a writer by the time he retired at the age of 60 in 1974. He died at his home in Holywell, Cornwall, on 15 August 2002.
John Burley had his first novel published when he was in his early fifties. His second published novel, two years later, saw the appearance of Superintendent Charles Wycliffe.
Over the next 25 years Burley produced another seventeen Wycliffe books and five other books.
Then, late in 1993, one of Burley's Wycliffe stories appeared on television in a pilot starring Jack Shepherd.
The pilot was followed by 37 episodes broadcast over a five year period.
By 1995 the author was, for the first time in his life, financially comfortable. He was over eighty.
But the success of the television series meant that John Burley found himself overshadowed by his creations. To the public, the name Wycliffe brought to mind the unsmiling face of Jack Shepherd, the actor. Even in the bookshops it was Shepherd's face that dominated the covers of Burley's paperbacks.
John Burley, however, continued to write and produced a further four Wycliffe titles. He was working on his 23rd Wycliffe novel, Wycliffe's Last Lap, when he died in 2002.
Recently a wish to restore the balance has emerged from amongst his readers. There is a feeling that we are neglecting a writer of quality, one who deserves to stand beside Simenon, the creator of Inspector Maigret.
Reading through John Burley's books in publication sequence, one notices how the author's voice gets stronger and his views more certain. And how his writing skills grow until, in the later books, a few words are all that it takes to pin down an image. These are the signs of a writer confident in his craft.
John Burley had his first novel published when he was in his early fifties. His second published novel, two years later, saw the appearance of Superintendent Charles Wycliffe.
Over the next 25 years Burley produced another seventeen Wycliffe books and five other books.
Then, late in 1993, one of Burley's Wycliffe stories appeared on television in a pilot starring Jack Shepherd.
The pilot was followed by 37 episodes broadcast over a five year period.
By 1995 the author was, for the first time in his life, financially comfortable. He was over eighty.
But the success of the television series meant that John Burley found himself overshadowed by his creations. To the public, the name Wycliffe brought to mind the unsmiling face of Jack Shepherd, the actor. Even in the bookshops it was Shepherd's face that dominated the covers of Burley's paperbacks.
John Burley, however, continued to write and produced a further four Wycliffe titles. He was working on his 23rd Wycliffe novel, Wycliffe's Last Lap, when he died in 2002.
Recently a wish to restore the balance has emerged from amongst his readers. There is a feeling that we are neglecting a writer of quality, one who deserves to stand beside Simenon, the creator of Inspector Maigret.
Reading through John Burley's books in publication sequence, one notices how the author's voice gets stronger and his views more certain. And how his writing skills grow until, in the later books, a few words are all that it takes to pin down an image. These are the signs of a writer confident in his craft.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 9, 2016
More well crafted plotting and more intrusive narration from a man who simply cannot keep his views to himself. (You'll find the author's prejudices shared by every major character). Not to worry. Burley is not a great writer, he's not even a good writer, but he is a fine storyteller. Here is an involving plot interspersed with clumsy prose, tired (and occasionally weird) similes, misogyny, aspirant eighties gourmandising (sherry while the wife prepares the meal then sole mornay, parsley potatoes and a half bottle of Hock. This particular hock comes from Germany...it's the white variety.) and a tourist guide to Cornwall to try to match James Herriot's Yorkshire.
Easy to find fault. Difficult to put down.
Easy to find fault. Difficult to put down.
April 5, 2019
Three and a half stars.
Quite good police procedural. An easy read, well plotted with plenty of clues for the reader to work out what went on.
Quite good police procedural. An easy read, well plotted with plenty of clues for the reader to work out what went on.
February 4, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this Wycliffe investigation. Sometimes Burley finds a seamy side to Cornwall and it can be a little depressing. Set on the Lizard peninsula, (where my father enjoyed a favourite lighthouse keeping spell,) this was a good deductive plot, which entertained without horror and distaste. And a kind friend has just called with a plant and three books to read...
March 12, 2018
Read (33 years after publication) after Wycliffe and How to Kill a Cat (reviewed separately) as part of an omnibus and, while the exclamation marks are now under control, the similarities between the novels are striking. Of course the Cornish landscape remains central but it is a remarkably familiar/similar set of characters we are dealing with. This may be a consequence of setting your stories in a rather narrow environment and if not quite detracting from the pleasure of reading the series, it hardly enhances it either. That said, I have only read these two out of the whole series of 22 novels, so that may well not be representative of the whole collection.
February 14, 2022
7,5. Questo romanzo mi ha lontanamente ricordato più le atmosfere di Wallace che quelle di Simenon. Gli ingredienti ci sono ancora tutti: una grande dimora, una strana richiesta di aiuto, personaggi che orbitano tutti in un piccolo villaggio della Cornovaglia, indagini condotte nella solita maniera pacata alla quale Wycliffe mi ha abituata. Ma c’è una nota dissonante, prima nel mezzo assolutamente e inutilmente arzigogolato per porre fine alla vita umana e poi nel romanticismo della spiegazione finale ( i fanti, senza aggiungere spoiler).
Intendiamoci, non è un passo falso e nemmeno un passo indietro, solo un passo di fianco, verso un altro tipo di avventura!
Intendiamoci, non è un passo falso e nemmeno un passo indietro, solo un passo di fianco, verso un altro tipo di avventura!
July 8, 2025
A good book
I've enjoyed the more recent of the Wycliffe series, decided to dig into the older. I love Burley's ability to build characters, especially Wycliffe's. Yes, he can irritate at times, but he's interesting enough to want to keep reading. This was a particularly good book
I've enjoyed the more recent of the Wycliffe series, decided to dig into the older. I love Burley's ability to build characters, especially Wycliffe's. Yes, he can irritate at times, but he's interesting enough to want to keep reading. This was a particularly good book
February 26, 2023
A new to me author, and with a plethora of detectives in this genre, not one I developed a particular affinity to. An easy read, and while I’ll read the other couple of books already on my TBR, I won’t consciously seek out any others.
May 3, 2018
There are many books in W J Burley's Wycliffe series and I enjoy each one. This is a very old series that was made into a TV series.
May 29, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will certainly look to read others.
Great plot and the slow steady investigation by Wycliffe keeps you really interested. I would recommend it. It’s not gory.
Great plot and the slow steady investigation by Wycliffe keeps you really interested. I would recommend it. It’s not gory.
March 7, 2025
Wycliffe is such an excellent character and a great plot that kept me guessing until the end.
February 22, 2026
Not as good as some detective novels I’ve read. Was a little boring.
September 14, 2016
Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is enjoying his vacation in a remote corner of Cornwall when village life is disturbed by the sudden death of a young woman. When it is discovered that she was murdered by poison, Wycliffe’s holiday is interrupted. One of the most affluent members of the community is a world-renowned writer who has himself been threatened, and his connection to the girl and his own past must be unraveled to find the killer….This is the twelfth novel in Burley’s long-running Wycliffe series, and like the ones before it, some of the attitudes expressed are quite of its time: a certain degree of off-handed sexism, for example. But if the reader can get past such annoyances, the story is a good one and Wycliffe remains an engaging and thoughtful lead character. It’s probably not necessary to read these novels in sequence, although that’s generally a helpful thing to do with any series; at any rate, none of the events in this book relate to any earlier novels, so in that sense, it works as a stand-alone. Mildly recommended.
April 30, 2013
A good English mystery!!!
July 7, 2013
I am a huge fan of the Wycliffe series,having probably twelve of them.This book is perhaps my favourite!Just a good solid read.with great characters and great location.
July 15, 2014
My favourite so far, I think. I'd like to give it 3.5.
February 18, 2015
Just a good old fashioned mystery -- well written, intriguing, well plotted and curious until the end. I shall read more of Wycliffe.
July 15, 2014
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews