What do you think?
Rate this book
Desmond Merrion #53
Found Drowned
Found Drowned , first published in 1956 as a Crime Club Detective Story, features Inspector Henry Arnold and Desmond Merrion, no. 53 in the series of British mysteries by Miles Burton (a pen-name for prolific author Cecil Street [1884-1964]). From the This skillful detective story is set in Greycliffe-on-Sea, a holiday resort in the north of England. Mr. Merrion revisits his old preparatory school in Greycliffe and while reminiscing with the headmaster, recalls the school doctor of his own day, a Dr. Harpole—he learns that Harpole's two sons are still living in Greycliffe. Charles, the eldest, is a master at the school, but Arthur, his younger brother, is a waster, always out of work. One morning Arthur is found drowned and investigation reveals all too many reasons why it should not have been an accident. A marriage, a legacy, old scores and new, provide a tangle of motives for the police and Mr. Merrion to unravel. The seaside town is an effective background for Miles Burton's cunningly solid novel.
- GenresMystery
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1956
About the author
Miles Burton
96 books26 followersAKA John Rhode, Cecil Waye, Cecil J.C. Street, I.O., F.O.O..
Cecil John Charles Street, MC, OBE, (1884 - January 1965), known as CJC Street and John Street, began his military career as an artillery officer in the British army. During the course of World War I, he became a propagandist for MI7, in which role he held the rank of Major. After the armistice, he alternated between Dublin and London during the Irish War of Independence as Information Officer for Dublin Castle, working closely with Lionel Curtis. He later earned his living as a prolific writer of detective novels.
He produced two long series of novels; one under the name of John Rhode featuring the forensic scientist Dr Priestley, and another under the name of Miles Burton featuring the investigator Desmond Merrion. Under the name Cecil Waye, Street produced four novels: The Figure of Eight; The End of the Chase; The Prime Minister's Pencil; and Murder at Monk's Barn. The Dr. Priestley novels were among the first after Sherlock Holmes to feature scientific detection of crime, such as analysing the mud on a suspect's shoes. Desmond Merrion is an amateur detective who works with Scotland Yard's Inspector Arnold.
Critic and author Julian Symons places this author as a prominent member of the "Humdrum" school of detective fiction. "Most of them came late to writing fiction, and few had much talent for it. They had some skill in constructing puzzles, nothing more, and ironically they fulfilled much better than S. S. Van Dine his dictum that the detective story properly belonged in the category of riddles or crossword puzzles. Most of the Humdrums were British, and among the best known of them were Major John Street.
-Wikipedia
Cecil John Charles Street, MC, OBE, (1884 - January 1965), known as CJC Street and John Street, began his military career as an artillery officer in the British army. During the course of World War I, he became a propagandist for MI7, in which role he held the rank of Major. After the armistice, he alternated between Dublin and London during the Irish War of Independence as Information Officer for Dublin Castle, working closely with Lionel Curtis. He later earned his living as a prolific writer of detective novels.
He produced two long series of novels; one under the name of John Rhode featuring the forensic scientist Dr Priestley, and another under the name of Miles Burton featuring the investigator Desmond Merrion. Under the name Cecil Waye, Street produced four novels: The Figure of Eight; The End of the Chase; The Prime Minister's Pencil; and Murder at Monk's Barn. The Dr. Priestley novels were among the first after Sherlock Holmes to feature scientific detection of crime, such as analysing the mud on a suspect's shoes. Desmond Merrion is an amateur detective who works with Scotland Yard's Inspector Arnold.
Critic and author Julian Symons places this author as a prominent member of the "Humdrum" school of detective fiction. "Most of them came late to writing fiction, and few had much talent for it. They had some skill in constructing puzzles, nothing more, and ironically they fulfilled much better than S. S. Van Dine his dictum that the detective story properly belonged in the category of riddles or crossword puzzles. Most of the Humdrums were British, and among the best known of them were Major John Street.
-Wikipedia
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 13, 2026
Another ripping yarn!
I thoroughly enjoyed this later Desmond Merrion outing. Plenty of red herrings and a bit more input from Mavis Merrion, Inspector Arnold and the local police inspectors this time, all of which was refreshing.
As usual, Merrion is on hand when a murder is committed (he actually helps to fish the corpse out of the sea, ruining the catch of mackerel into the bargain) and, as usual, Arnold is brought in from the Yard to investigate. Lots of interaction and intrigue between a variety of characters with a lot of information about tides and rivers from Merrion, as he drags the hapless Arnold on a 12 mile trek along a river bank to prove his point.
Neatly tied up at the end, with Miles Burton unusually resolving several romantic loose threads!
I thoroughly enjoyed this later Desmond Merrion outing. Plenty of red herrings and a bit more input from Mavis Merrion, Inspector Arnold and the local police inspectors this time, all of which was refreshing.
As usual, Merrion is on hand when a murder is committed (he actually helps to fish the corpse out of the sea, ruining the catch of mackerel into the bargain) and, as usual, Arnold is brought in from the Yard to investigate. Lots of interaction and intrigue between a variety of characters with a lot of information about tides and rivers from Merrion, as he drags the hapless Arnold on a 12 mile trek along a river bank to prove his point.
Neatly tied up at the end, with Miles Burton unusually resolving several romantic loose threads!
October 11, 2022
Complex murder mystery
Another intriguing mystery involving Desmond Merrion and Inspector Arnold. A good read indeed.
Hopefully more of these Miles Burton books will be released on kindle.
Another intriguing mystery involving Desmond Merrion and Inspector Arnold. A good read indeed.
Hopefully more of these Miles Burton books will be released on kindle.
May 20, 2026
A good read
A good plot which left me guessing to the end. The style is of its time and there is a very successful back story of romance.
A good plot which left me guessing to the end. The style is of its time and there is a very successful back story of romance.
Read
June 17, 2015Like other mysteries by the same author I enjoyed the twists and turns that led from the crime to its solution. Mr. Burton (Cecil Street) really knew how to write a good yarn that would entertain the reader. And he played fair by providing clues that give the reader at least a chance of solving the mystery.
February 11, 2014
A bit over wordy at times but not bad at all. Plenty of detection and all the clues were there for the reader to get the general picture of what was happening. The ending, though, was very disappointing.
Want to Read
October 6, 2018Synopsis: Desmond and his wife Mavis are holidaying by the sea when a drowned body is discovered.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews