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Arthur Crook #6
The Bell of Death
The bell of St Ethelburga's had stopped ringing. It had pealed out its customary call to the faithful, its gentle reproach to the sluggards; but somehow that morning it did not seem to ring as long as usual. For Death had been busy in the belfry, where a startled vicar made an appalling discovery.
The murder in the church begins another mystery for the inimitable Crook and Parsons, who shine with their trademark ingenuity and impudence.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1939
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14 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Gilbert
134 books38 followersAnthony Gilbert was the pen name of
Lucy Malleson
an English crime writer. She also wrote non-genre fiction as
Anne Meredith
, under which name she also published one crime novel. She also wrote an autobiography under the Meredith name, Three-a-Penny (1940).
Her parents wanted her to be a schoolteacher but she was determined to become a writer. Her first mystery novel followed a visit to the theatre when she saw The Cat and the Canary then, Tragedy at Freyne, featuring Scott Egerton who later appeared in 10 novels, was published in 1927.
She adopted the pseudonym Anthony Gilbert to publish detective novels which achieved great success and made her a name in British detective literature, although many of her readers had always believed that they were reading a male author. She went on to publish 69 crime novels, 51 of which featured her best known character, Arthur Crook. She also wrote more than 25 radio plays, which were broadcast in Great Britain and overseas.
Crook is a vulgar London lawyer totally (and deliberately) unlike the aristocratic detectives who dominated the mystery field when Gilbert introduced him, such as Lord Peter Wimsey.
Instead of dispassionately analyzing a case, he usually enters it after seemingly damning evidence has built up against his client, then conducts a no-holds-barred investigation of doubtful ethicality to clear him or her.
The first Crook novel, Murder by Experts, was published in 1936 and was immediately popular. The last Crook novel, A Nice Little Killing, was published in 1974.
Her thriller The Woman in Red (1941) was broadcast in the United States by CBS and made into a film in 1945 under the title My Name is Julia Ross. She never married, and evidence of her feminism is elegantly expressed in much of her work.
Her parents wanted her to be a schoolteacher but she was determined to become a writer. Her first mystery novel followed a visit to the theatre when she saw The Cat and the Canary then, Tragedy at Freyne, featuring Scott Egerton who later appeared in 10 novels, was published in 1927.
She adopted the pseudonym Anthony Gilbert to publish detective novels which achieved great success and made her a name in British detective literature, although many of her readers had always believed that they were reading a male author. She went on to publish 69 crime novels, 51 of which featured her best known character, Arthur Crook. She also wrote more than 25 radio plays, which were broadcast in Great Britain and overseas.
Crook is a vulgar London lawyer totally (and deliberately) unlike the aristocratic detectives who dominated the mystery field when Gilbert introduced him, such as Lord Peter Wimsey.
Instead of dispassionately analyzing a case, he usually enters it after seemingly damning evidence has built up against his client, then conducts a no-holds-barred investigation of doubtful ethicality to clear him or her.
The first Crook novel, Murder by Experts, was published in 1936 and was immediately popular. The last Crook novel, A Nice Little Killing, was published in 1974.
Her thriller The Woman in Red (1941) was broadcast in the United States by CBS and made into a film in 1945 under the title My Name is Julia Ross. She never married, and evidence of her feminism is elegantly expressed in much of her work.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 1, 2026
This is I think the 6th book in the Mr Crook series. I've not read the series in order. If I had, I probably would not have read any further books.
The first third of The Bell of Death was great: we had a mystery that slit into several other mysteries - a death, a disappearance, and a character with a mysterious past.
Then Mr Crook appeared, and the story went downhill from there.
Mr Crook is a lawyer who seems to appear almost uninvited, and then bores everyone with his need to uphold his reputation of being able so solve all mysteries. In the process, we have several proclamations of how clever Mr Crook is, how none of the other characters are as clever as Mr Crook, and how - even in the direst circumstances - people need to get a grip and just do as he says.
There is no empathy for the mother, whose child has been kidnapped and whose husband is being tried for murder. There is no empathy for the man haunted by his past experience and guilt.
Mr Crook is an insufferable ass.
As for the plot, I liked the premise of the story that was presented in the first 30% of the book, but then we have this declaration from Mr Crook's assistant:
“So that’s the story,” brooded Crook.
“Part of the story,” amended Bill. “This sort of case is like one of those Crime Club yarns. You have to read the last paragraph before you’re sure of your man.”
This would have been in good jest if only it actually introduced a great number of unreasonable plot twists, totally bonkers hunts for characters donning disguises, and a stand-off with the main villain that resembled one of these silly scenes in James Bond where the villain spends an unrealistic amount of time explaining himself instead of getting on with his escape.
I'm not sorry I've read The Bell of death, but I may want to cull my stack of other books in this series.
The first third of The Bell of Death was great: we had a mystery that slit into several other mysteries - a death, a disappearance, and a character with a mysterious past.
Then Mr Crook appeared, and the story went downhill from there.
Mr Crook is a lawyer who seems to appear almost uninvited, and then bores everyone with his need to uphold his reputation of being able so solve all mysteries. In the process, we have several proclamations of how clever Mr Crook is, how none of the other characters are as clever as Mr Crook, and how - even in the direst circumstances - people need to get a grip and just do as he says.
There is no empathy for the mother, whose child has been kidnapped and whose husband is being tried for murder. There is no empathy for the man haunted by his past experience and guilt.
Mr Crook is an insufferable ass.
As for the plot, I liked the premise of the story that was presented in the first 30% of the book, but then we have this declaration from Mr Crook's assistant:
“So that’s the story,” brooded Crook.
“Part of the story,” amended Bill. “This sort of case is like one of those Crime Club yarns. You have to read the last paragraph before you’re sure of your man.”
This would have been in good jest if only it actually introduced a great number of unreasonable plot twists, totally bonkers hunts for characters donning disguises, and a stand-off with the main villain that resembled one of these silly scenes in James Bond where the villain spends an unrealistic amount of time explaining himself instead of getting on with his escape.
I'm not sorry I've read The Bell of death, but I may want to cull my stack of other books in this series.
January 19, 2016
The bell for the early service doesn't ring as long as usual - which pleases Mr Crook as he can go back to sleep. When a dead body is found entangled in the bell rope, Mr Crook soon becomes involved. As usual he is helping the underdog and endeavouring to find out the truth which the police are unwilling or unable to do. Featuring a resourceful small boy, a strange nun, a disappearing beard and moustache as well as various subterfuges by Mr Crook and his associates this is an intriguing and amusing murder mystery.
I've read a few of the Mr Crook mysteries and I think they stand the test of time very well. There is no amateur detective quite like Mr Crook in fiction - or not that I've come across so far in my reading of classic crime stories and I suspect readers either love him or hate him. His methods are unorthodox but he is always full of good humour and does his absolute best for his many clients. His knowledge of human nature and his ability to spot the tiniest detail results in him solving some complex cases.
The reader never really gets to know anything about Mr Crook's private life but that somehow doesn't matter because his whole life is his work. The picture this book paints of the fringes of the criminal underworld and the lives of those on the bread line is masterly. If you want something a bit different in crime fiction then do try the Mr Crook mysteries.
I've read a few of the Mr Crook mysteries and I think they stand the test of time very well. There is no amateur detective quite like Mr Crook in fiction - or not that I've come across so far in my reading of classic crime stories and I suspect readers either love him or hate him. His methods are unorthodox but he is always full of good humour and does his absolute best for his many clients. His knowledge of human nature and his ability to spot the tiniest detail results in him solving some complex cases.
The reader never really gets to know anything about Mr Crook's private life but that somehow doesn't matter because his whole life is his work. The picture this book paints of the fringes of the criminal underworld and the lives of those on the bread line is masterly. If you want something a bit different in crime fiction then do try the Mr Crook mysteries.
February 2, 2018
3.5 stars
This was an interesting murder mystery with some insights into life in England between the two World Wars.
I have now read three of these A G Crook novels in a row and, while I find him an interesting twist on the usual detective/ lawyer, the books do have a number of similarities in construction and themes.
This was an interesting murder mystery with some insights into life in England between the two World Wars.
I have now read three of these A G Crook novels in a row and, while I find him an interesting twist on the usual detective/ lawyer, the books do have a number of similarities in construction and themes.
August 9, 2019
En esta entrega de la Colección El Séptimo Círculo, Anthony Gilbert nos presenta un nuevo caso del abogado Arthur Crook
Un hombre, del que no se conocen datos, es asesinado al pie de la campana de una iglesia londinense. Un ayudante en la misma desaparece, y es acusado del crimen.
Crook cree en su inocencia y se lanza en su búsqueda, y en la del verdadero culpable.
Nos encontramos aquí con una típica novela de misterio, que, sin mayores sorpresas, y sin salirse de los cánones tradicionales del género, está bien narrada, en un tono coloquial y con toques de humor, especialmente al describir ciertas situaciones o a ciertos personajes. Además no falta la acción y alguna dosis de suspenso, por lo que es una buena opción para quienes pretenden pasar un buen momento con la lectura.
https://sobrevolandolecturas.blogspot...
Un hombre, del que no se conocen datos, es asesinado al pie de la campana de una iglesia londinense. Un ayudante en la misma desaparece, y es acusado del crimen.
Crook cree en su inocencia y se lanza en su búsqueda, y en la del verdadero culpable.
Nos encontramos aquí con una típica novela de misterio, que, sin mayores sorpresas, y sin salirse de los cánones tradicionales del género, está bien narrada, en un tono coloquial y con toques de humor, especialmente al describir ciertas situaciones o a ciertos personajes. Además no falta la acción y alguna dosis de suspenso, por lo que es una buena opción para quienes pretenden pasar un buen momento con la lectura.
https://sobrevolandolecturas.blogspot...
September 5, 2018
Demasiadas páginas, demasiadas conversaciones.
Esperaba una novela en la qué averiguar quién hizo qué y por qué motivo y me he encontrado una en la que lo dan casi todo hecho. Enseguida se sabe quién y por qué y el resto son giros de mayor o menor interés.
Decepcionante.
Esperaba una novela en la qué averiguar quién hizo qué y por qué motivo y me he encontrado una en la que lo dan casi todo hecho. Enseguida se sabe quién y por qué y el resto son giros de mayor o menor interés.
Decepcionante.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews