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Chief Inspector Littlejohn #22
Corpses in Enderby
Ned Bunn wasn’t popular in the sleepy village of Enderby. But when he is murdered in plain sight, on the doorstep of his own shop, the town is left reeling.
With the murder weapon in hand and no shortage of motives, Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is expecting an easy case. But one look at the victim’s family reveals a tangled web of secrets and deceit and the looming threat of another murder.
As the case unravels Littlejohn finds himself faced with in an unexpected dilemma. Someone clearly has a vendetta against the Bunn family but is the enemy a stranger… or does the danger lie within?
With the murder weapon in hand and no shortage of motives, Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is expecting an easy case. But one look at the victim’s family reveals a tangled web of secrets and deceit and the looming threat of another murder.
As the case unravels Littlejohn finds himself faced with in an unexpected dilemma. Someone clearly has a vendetta against the Bunn family but is the enemy a stranger… or does the danger lie within?
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1954
237 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
George Bellairs
73 books100 followersAKA Hilary Landon
George Bellairs is the nom de plume of Harold Blundell, a crime writer and bank manager born in Heywood, near Rochdale, Lancashire, who settled in the Isle of Man on retirement. He wrote more than 50 books, most featuring the series' detective Inspector Littlejohn. He also wrote four novels under the alternative pseudonym Hilary Landon.
George Bellairs is the nom de plume of Harold Blundell, a crime writer and bank manager born in Heywood, near Rochdale, Lancashire, who settled in the Isle of Man on retirement. He wrote more than 50 books, most featuring the series' detective Inspector Littlejohn. He also wrote four novels under the alternative pseudonym Hilary Landon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 17, 2022
Another great Littlejohn story, set in that quiet market town location that Bellairs writes about so well.
It's definitely a case of scratch the surface and you'll discover; greed, blackmail, hatred and sex very close to the surface.
A huge family torn apart by the murder of one of their own, but who did it? Someone knows and as the family close ranks it becomes more and more difficult to find out....
It's definitely a case of scratch the surface and you'll discover; greed, blackmail, hatred and sex very close to the surface.
A huge family torn apart by the murder of one of their own, but who did it? Someone knows and as the family close ranks it becomes more and more difficult to find out....
October 27, 2017
This is the third Inspector Littlejohn story I've read in the past month and it's very different from the others. The plot is denser and the characters are all decidedly unlikeable.
In some ways, Bellairs excelled himself with this one. The scenes of quietly desperate, domestic squalor, the massively-tentacled clan at the centre of the story, the monstrous matriarchs just about holding things together, the names... it's almost Dickensian.
However, the author committed the cardinal sin of mystery writing - the twists and turns of the story itself were hard to follow, partly because I had trouble keeping the various characters clear in my mind - a cast list might have been useful - and partly because the story rambles (mostly enjoyably) down various tracks. For example, I had to re-read the first part of the book to recall who the original suspect was - and I still can't remember what happens to him.
This book isn't a frothy distraction to be read a chapter-a-night at bedtime - it needs a bit more attention than the usual Golden Age story if you're to follow the story-line and keep the characters straight.
If this were the first Littlejohn I'd read, I think I might have stopped there.
(I received a free copy of this book via the Bellairs website at http://www.georgebellairs.com/.)
In some ways, Bellairs excelled himself with this one. The scenes of quietly desperate, domestic squalor, the massively-tentacled clan at the centre of the story, the monstrous matriarchs just about holding things together, the names... it's almost Dickensian.
However, the author committed the cardinal sin of mystery writing - the twists and turns of the story itself were hard to follow, partly because I had trouble keeping the various characters clear in my mind - a cast list might have been useful - and partly because the story rambles (mostly enjoyably) down various tracks. For example, I had to re-read the first part of the book to recall who the original suspect was - and I still can't remember what happens to him.
This book isn't a frothy distraction to be read a chapter-a-night at bedtime - it needs a bit more attention than the usual Golden Age story if you're to follow the story-line and keep the characters straight.
If this were the first Littlejohn I'd read, I think I might have stopped there.
(I received a free copy of this book via the Bellairs website at http://www.georgebellairs.com/.)
December 16, 2017
Having read three books by George Bellairs — Death of a Busybody, The Dead Shall Be Raised and Murder of a Quack — I jumped at the chance to buy the twenty-second book in the series featuring Scotland Yard detective Thomas Littlejohn for free on Kindle Unlimited. Although not as good as the latter two, I still was glad to have read Corpses in Enderby.
Ned Bunn, a bitter. bullying shopkeeper, isn’t lamented at his death — least of all by his family, which suffered from his stubbornness and meddling. But Littlejohn and Sergeant Robert Cromwell plod through to the end, through twist and turn and error, until the very end, which I never saw coming.
Newbies will find that they can still follow the story, and there’s no need to read these books in order. While I didn’t like this particular mystery as much as the others I’ve read, I’m still hoping that there will be more reissues soon.
Ned Bunn, a bitter. bullying shopkeeper, isn’t lamented at his death — least of all by his family, which suffered from his stubbornness and meddling. But Littlejohn and Sergeant Robert Cromwell plod through to the end, through twist and turn and error, until the very end, which I never saw coming.
Newbies will find that they can still follow the story, and there’s no need to read these books in order. While I didn’t like this particular mystery as much as the others I’ve read, I’m still hoping that there will be more reissues soon.
May 2, 2017
Another great book from George Bellairs, Littlejohn and Cromwell joins forces again for another investigation. The characters they encounter are so strange and different from every book he writes and very funny with action and humour from page one till the end. Very well worth reading a true page turner yet again.
August 1, 2018
I was sent a free download of this novel from the Poison Pen website in exchange for an honest review.
The novel is more than just a crime followed by a dry investigation. It is an entertaining story written with humour and panache, with colourful characters driving the plot to a plausible conclusion.
The Victorian names of the Bunn clan give the novel an old fashioned feel given that it was published in the 1940s. The cast of characters is initially confusing as the Bunns are so numerous but they soon settle down and the key players emerge. Aunt Sarah is a typical pseudo-Victorian matriarch who keeps the toadies in line by threatening to disinherit anyone who displeases her. She throws her weight around - literally and metaphorically - and works out the culprit before the police do. The cheerful wastrel Jubal is a fool but she protects him because for all his faults he is still family. Littlejohn the detective recognises her bona fides in the final scene.
Even the minor, usually lower class characters have a backstory which illuminated their motivations - the master/servant dynamic between Aunt Sarah and her housekeeper is a good example because the housekeeper has been with Aunt Sarah so long that she is de facto family, and the giving notice/being fired charade is just the way the two of them spar with each other for their own entertainment. Scenes of this sort where the two women bicker while the policemen exchange wry glances bring the novel to life as more than just detective fiction.
The killer is initially shadowy but Bellairs competently draws the threads together to the point where it can only be the one person who links all the key characters and motivations for the murder. The second murder, intended to throw suspicion elsewhere, only serves to confirm the real culprit’s guilt. A less skilful writer might have tipped over the edge into melodrama but apart from an escape attempt and a shooting st the end, Bellairs avoids sensationalism and ends on a rational discussion.
I enjoyed reading this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys detective fiction.
June 11, 2019
Like other reviewers, I found it difficult to keep track of the large, badly-mannered family and how each was related. But in the end, it didn't really matter who most of the minor characters were. Let the panoply of names scroll by and follow the good Inspector's lead. The main characters will emerge from the crowd, whereon Littlejohn will have his flash of insight right before you do.
I do like these Bellairs mysteries, although they present a more quotidian side of Britain (unlike Agatha Christie's cozy villages and even more glamorous settings). Littlejohn keeps poking away at his witnesses for answers, finally snagging the clues that open up the mystery.
I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for a candid review.
I do like these Bellairs mysteries, although they present a more quotidian side of Britain (unlike Agatha Christie's cozy villages and even more glamorous settings). Littlejohn keeps poking away at his witnesses for answers, finally snagging the clues that open up the mystery.
I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for a candid review.
October 30, 2017
In style this borders on farce. There is a tongue-in-cheek quality that brings a smile and reminds the reader that this is an artificial world and not to be taken too seriously. The plot is suitably convoluted and the murderer ultimately suitably predictable. The downside is the proliferation of stereotyped characters- the extended Bunn family in particular, insufficiently distinguished from each other and difficult to keep track of.
A bit of fun.
A bit of fun.
November 8, 2025
A Game of Unhappy Families in the village of Enderby , crazy old Aunties, love sick puppies and murder in an open and shut case or is it?
Once again you see Littlejohn and Cromwell together again, Looking for Bunns and secrets and lies hidden in plan sight,a pub landlord in love,a true old fashioned mystery set inn 1950s .
Once again you see Littlejohn and Cromwell together again, Looking for Bunns and secrets and lies hidden in plan sight,a pub landlord in love,a true old fashioned mystery set inn 1950s .
October 28, 2017
Good read in its genre. Nicely plotted.
September 10, 2017
Ned Bunn, born Wood, is, so it seems. a somewhat obnoxious member of a generally unlikeable family. When he is shot one rainy night, suspicion falls on his assistant, Flounder, who had been thwarted in his wooing of the boss’ daughter.
Littlejohn and Cromwell are called in, although the local Inspector, Myers is deeply resentful, since he considers local knowledge to be important in solving the crime: this proves to be largely correct.
A further murder is committed right under Littlejohn’s nose. There are plenty of suspects for both killings. The evidence against one member of the Bunn clan mounts up.
The book does have great character sketches and Bellairs is particularly good at depicting strong women. The humour is a bit overdone, often descending into gross caricature and farce rather than displaying the subtle wit found in other novels.
This is one of the poorer Bellairs in some respects. The murderer becomes pretty obvious at a fairly early stage and the Inspector is really negligent in not pursuing that person even though there seems to be evidence enough. The “wrap up” is overly long.
I think that there is a mistake in the last chapter where the following passage is located:-
“… You see, he made the mistake of mentioning that he left Melton at half-past nine on the night of Ned’s murder. He introduced it in conversation, casually, and I corrected him. Then he got so insistent that I was suspicious. Besides, he called for nothing at my place that night. He must just have been giving himself an alibi.”
George Bellairs. Corpses in Enderby (Kindle Locations 3305-3307). Ipso books. Kindle Edition.
The murderer had stated to the police that he left Melton at ten, thus giving himself an alibi for the time of Bunn’s death. Surely he must have said the same to Aunt Sarah who is quoted here?
This case does rank as a failure for the usually meticulous Littlejohn. By not acting timeously, he is responsible for one person losing their life unnecessarily.
Littlejohn and Cromwell are called in, although the local Inspector, Myers is deeply resentful, since he considers local knowledge to be important in solving the crime: this proves to be largely correct.
A further murder is committed right under Littlejohn’s nose. There are plenty of suspects for both killings. The evidence against one member of the Bunn clan mounts up.
The book does have great character sketches and Bellairs is particularly good at depicting strong women. The humour is a bit overdone, often descending into gross caricature and farce rather than displaying the subtle wit found in other novels.
This is one of the poorer Bellairs in some respects. The murderer becomes pretty obvious at a fairly early stage and the Inspector is really negligent in not pursuing that person even though there seems to be evidence enough. The “wrap up” is overly long.
I think that there is a mistake in the last chapter where the following passage is located:-
“… You see, he made the mistake of mentioning that he left Melton at half-past nine on the night of Ned’s murder. He introduced it in conversation, casually, and I corrected him. Then he got so insistent that I was suspicious. Besides, he called for nothing at my place that night. He must just have been giving himself an alibi.”
George Bellairs. Corpses in Enderby (Kindle Locations 3305-3307). Ipso books. Kindle Edition.
The murderer had stated to the police that he left Melton at ten, thus giving himself an alibi for the time of Bunn’s death. Surely he must have said the same to Aunt Sarah who is quoted here?
This case does rank as a failure for the usually meticulous Littlejohn. By not acting timeously, he is responsible for one person losing their life unnecessarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2018
This is the second book I’ve read in Bellairs Inspector Littlejohn series, after reading Death of a Busybody a few days ago. I got a free download from https://www.georgebellairs.com/ and I see quite a few titles that are free to download for Kindle Unlimited members for which I’m very grateful!
While Death of a Busybody read very much like a traditional cosy English mystery, this one is rather different in its approach. Set in the little village of Enderby, we meet the Bunn family, full of quirky and for the most part unlikeable characters! Most of the Bunns are wealthy bullies, used to getting their own way except for the few who are on the fringes and struggling to make ends meet. When Ned Bunn, a particularly wealthy and nasty specimen is shot in front of his shop, Inspector Littlejohn and his deputy Cromwell are called in to get to the bottom of the mystery.
What I enjoyed in this book was how detailed Bellairs gets with the descriptions of the various Bunn family members. Aunt Sarah, Bathsheba, Bertha Bunn, the Medlicotts, Simon Edgell, Violet Mander, William Flounder, Mr. Blowitt and a host of others. He draws pictures with his words and his characterisations are equally astute and thorough. Given that the actual mystery is interesting but fairly straightforward, the descriptive narrative kept me engaged with the story, although I must confess that there were a few facts in the reveal at the end that were pretty surprising and well thought out!
I enjoyed this book more than I did Death of a Busybody primarily because of the Bunn family and its intrigues that Bellairs describes so well. This is now definitely a series that I will dip into from time to time when in need of a mystery ‘fix’ 😊
While Death of a Busybody read very much like a traditional cosy English mystery, this one is rather different in its approach. Set in the little village of Enderby, we meet the Bunn family, full of quirky and for the most part unlikeable characters! Most of the Bunns are wealthy bullies, used to getting their own way except for the few who are on the fringes and struggling to make ends meet. When Ned Bunn, a particularly wealthy and nasty specimen is shot in front of his shop, Inspector Littlejohn and his deputy Cromwell are called in to get to the bottom of the mystery.
What I enjoyed in this book was how detailed Bellairs gets with the descriptions of the various Bunn family members. Aunt Sarah, Bathsheba, Bertha Bunn, the Medlicotts, Simon Edgell, Violet Mander, William Flounder, Mr. Blowitt and a host of others. He draws pictures with his words and his characterisations are equally astute and thorough. Given that the actual mystery is interesting but fairly straightforward, the descriptive narrative kept me engaged with the story, although I must confess that there were a few facts in the reveal at the end that were pretty surprising and well thought out!
I enjoyed this book more than I did Death of a Busybody primarily because of the Bunn family and its intrigues that Bellairs describes so well. This is now definitely a series that I will dip into from time to time when in need of a mystery ‘fix’ 😊
October 10, 2025
Having just re-read this after 12 years. I thoroughly enjoyed it again and my original review as below still stands.
Another typical English small town murder. Bellairs, I think, is very good at these. Excellent descriptions of the characters with a wonderful trace of wit. Ned Bunn is wealthy and unpopular business man and one of a large clan. When he is found murdered Littlejohn and Cromwell have to look deep into the past to uncover the many motives for wanting him dead. More murders occur during the investigation. Plenty of clues and red herrings. I've given it 4 stars but then I like these plodding police procedurals and I think that others might find this a bit generous.
Another typical English small town murder. Bellairs, I think, is very good at these. Excellent descriptions of the characters with a wonderful trace of wit. Ned Bunn is wealthy and unpopular business man and one of a large clan. When he is found murdered Littlejohn and Cromwell have to look deep into the past to uncover the many motives for wanting him dead. More murders occur during the investigation. Plenty of clues and red herrings. I've given it 4 stars but then I like these plodding police procedurals and I think that others might find this a bit generous.
May 27, 2013
It is unashamedly a nostalgia trip on my part and the world that's painted is cosier than it really was but that doesn't detract from solid storytelling, some good descriptive passages and a crime writer who plays fair by the reader.
June 5, 2025
Hot cross Bunns.
You wouldn't think the Bunns have much to complain about, but that doesn't stop them. They're energetic and shrewd in business (also ruthless and unethical.) Most are prosperous. Yet they're constantly crabbing at each other and everyone else. THEN, Ned Bunn is murdered. Everyone hated him, including his only child, but he was a Bunn, dammit!
This is an unusual Inspector Littlejohn mystery in that it has a relatively low body count (only four) and that three of the murders are by gunshot. In England in the 1950's, rural landowners had rifles or shotguns, but handguns were rare and strictly limited.
When the back of Ned Bunn's head is blown off one stormy night, fingers are pointed at his store clerk. The clerk and Ned's daughter wanted to get married, but her father was determined that she would spend the rest of her life taking care of him. The local CID man thinks it's a closed case, but his Chief Constable insists on calling in Scotland Yard. Let THEM deal with the Bunns!
When the case against the clerk starts looking shaky,the next suspect is the husband of one of Ned Bunn's sisters. By their father's will, all three siblings inherit money when Ned dies and Jubal Medlicott (married to one of the sisters) is a poor provider. Are they desperate enough for the money to kill Ned? A witness who claims to have evidence against Medlicott is murdered and the shoe prints match Medlicott's.
Inspector Littlejohn and Sargeant Cromwell suspect they're being force-fed clues to build the perfect case against Jubal Medlicott. Do non-fictional cops question what looks like a perfect case? Or do they send up a prayer to the Archangel Michael (patron saint of law enforcement) thanking him for sending them an easy one? I don't know, but this is a book and Littlejohn and Cromwell keep looking for other suspects. Sadly, this means they're spending a lot of time with the Bunns and neither of them is enjoying it much.
The Bunns are singularly lacking in charm and none has ever livened up a party. They're "chapel" and strict tee-totalers. The Bunn men have been known to drink a glass (or two or three) of port or whiskey or brandy, but strictly for medicinal purposes. And only if someone else was paying.
The two family matriarchs Aunt Sarah and Aunt Bathsheba are battling it out for position as top dog. Right now it looks like Aunt Sarah is winning, but it would be a mistake to discount Aunt Bathsheba. Even elderly and confined to wheelchairs, the Bunn women are tough and resourceful.
Aunt Sarah urges Littlejohn to look outside of her family for the murderer. She claims that the male Bunns are a bunch of psalm-singing weaklings who couldn't swat a fly. Maybe, but how much of their psalm-singing is hypocrisy? There are a surprising number of shot-gun marriages in the family. For that matter, Ned Bunn himself wasn't really a Bunn. His mother gave birth to him out of wedlock and Jeremiah Bunn adopted the boy. He certainly had the Bunn personality. A case of nurture beating nature?
But who else benefited by Ned Bunn's death? It was either a relative or someone clever enough to direct attention away from himself (or herself) and there's got to be a motive.
Turns out one of the old ladies has known the secret all along, but was willing to let the guilty party go unpunished as long as none of her relatives suffered. Littlejohn has to apply a little pressure on her to get her to tell what she knows. Sadly, there's another murder and then a suicide before the dust settles.
I don't want to give away the identity of the murderer, but of the last four Bellairs books I've read, two murderers came from the same profession. Did George Bellairs have something against them? We can only speculate. I think this is a charming series of mysteries. Inspector Littlejohn and Sargeant Cromwell are both likable and they work well together, never forgetting to see the humor in their jobs. I'm half way through and enjoying them all.
You wouldn't think the Bunns have much to complain about, but that doesn't stop them. They're energetic and shrewd in business (also ruthless and unethical.) Most are prosperous. Yet they're constantly crabbing at each other and everyone else. THEN, Ned Bunn is murdered. Everyone hated him, including his only child, but he was a Bunn, dammit!
This is an unusual Inspector Littlejohn mystery in that it has a relatively low body count (only four) and that three of the murders are by gunshot. In England in the 1950's, rural landowners had rifles or shotguns, but handguns were rare and strictly limited.
When the back of Ned Bunn's head is blown off one stormy night, fingers are pointed at his store clerk. The clerk and Ned's daughter wanted to get married, but her father was determined that she would spend the rest of her life taking care of him. The local CID man thinks it's a closed case, but his Chief Constable insists on calling in Scotland Yard. Let THEM deal with the Bunns!
When the case against the clerk starts looking shaky,the next suspect is the husband of one of Ned Bunn's sisters. By their father's will, all three siblings inherit money when Ned dies and Jubal Medlicott (married to one of the sisters) is a poor provider. Are they desperate enough for the money to kill Ned? A witness who claims to have evidence against Medlicott is murdered and the shoe prints match Medlicott's.
Inspector Littlejohn and Sargeant Cromwell suspect they're being force-fed clues to build the perfect case against Jubal Medlicott. Do non-fictional cops question what looks like a perfect case? Or do they send up a prayer to the Archangel Michael (patron saint of law enforcement) thanking him for sending them an easy one? I don't know, but this is a book and Littlejohn and Cromwell keep looking for other suspects. Sadly, this means they're spending a lot of time with the Bunns and neither of them is enjoying it much.
The Bunns are singularly lacking in charm and none has ever livened up a party. They're "chapel" and strict tee-totalers. The Bunn men have been known to drink a glass (or two or three) of port or whiskey or brandy, but strictly for medicinal purposes. And only if someone else was paying.
The two family matriarchs Aunt Sarah and Aunt Bathsheba are battling it out for position as top dog. Right now it looks like Aunt Sarah is winning, but it would be a mistake to discount Aunt Bathsheba. Even elderly and confined to wheelchairs, the Bunn women are tough and resourceful.
Aunt Sarah urges Littlejohn to look outside of her family for the murderer. She claims that the male Bunns are a bunch of psalm-singing weaklings who couldn't swat a fly. Maybe, but how much of their psalm-singing is hypocrisy? There are a surprising number of shot-gun marriages in the family. For that matter, Ned Bunn himself wasn't really a Bunn. His mother gave birth to him out of wedlock and Jeremiah Bunn adopted the boy. He certainly had the Bunn personality. A case of nurture beating nature?
But who else benefited by Ned Bunn's death? It was either a relative or someone clever enough to direct attention away from himself (or herself) and there's got to be a motive.
Turns out one of the old ladies has known the secret all along, but was willing to let the guilty party go unpunished as long as none of her relatives suffered. Littlejohn has to apply a little pressure on her to get her to tell what she knows. Sadly, there's another murder and then a suicide before the dust settles.
I don't want to give away the identity of the murderer, but of the last four Bellairs books I've read, two murderers came from the same profession. Did George Bellairs have something against them? We can only speculate. I think this is a charming series of mysteries. Inspector Littlejohn and Sargeant Cromwell are both likable and they work well together, never forgetting to see the humor in their jobs. I'm half way through and enjoying them all.
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October 11, 2020I really enjoyed this book. It has the sharp dialogue and sometime harsh characterizations that Bellairs is known for. While the plot is fairly simple, there are several good red-herrings. It is light on suspense, but I liked how Littlejohn and Cromwell uncovered just that little bit more of information with each encounter. It was much like a “real” police investigation where multiple pieces have to be fit together in order to reveal the culprit. It was interesting that Bellairs gives us a glimpse into the future of the investigation in the passage “the drama Littlejohn was to watch for some days to come and which, according to some, was to terminate in his worse failure.” Like any true Golden Age Mystery, all of the clues are there for you to solve the crime. I will admit that while I knew the who and the why, this is one where I did not anticipate the ending.
Bellairs is excellent at setting the tone for his mysteries with his vivid descriptions of surroundings and characters, and this book is a great example of that. Everything comes across as quite dark and gloomy. The weather is rainy, Enderby is dull and drab, and the homes are shabby or squalid. With few exceptions, the characters are an unsympathetic, unpleasant, and obsequious lot. And while there are quite a number of characters, for me each added richness to the story. The Bunn family and “its ramifications” alone allowed Cromwell “to enjoy himself among this galaxy of queer characters.”
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good mystery, but be warned, if you haven’t read anything else of Bellairs, don’t make this the first one.
Source: Review copy via the georgebellairs.com
Bellairs is excellent at setting the tone for his mysteries with his vivid descriptions of surroundings and characters, and this book is a great example of that. Everything comes across as quite dark and gloomy. The weather is rainy, Enderby is dull and drab, and the homes are shabby or squalid. With few exceptions, the characters are an unsympathetic, unpleasant, and obsequious lot. And while there are quite a number of characters, for me each added richness to the story. The Bunn family and “its ramifications” alone allowed Cromwell “to enjoy himself among this galaxy of queer characters.”
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good mystery, but be warned, if you haven’t read anything else of Bellairs, don’t make this the first one.
Source: Review copy via the georgebellairs.com
October 16, 2017
I always find it interesting to read mysteries written in the past, especially those from England in the so-called Golden Age. So I approached this one with high expectations. I probably shouldn't have, since I had not read much about Bellairs and his detective, CI Littlejohn. I have always enjoyed mysteries on two levels, the mystery (especially if it adheres to the play fair rules and allows me to play along) and the detective. One is drawn to books by Christie, Sayers, Conan Doyle, Rex Stout, Chandler because of Poirot and Marple, Lord Peter, Holmes, Wolfe and Marlowe, detectives with distinct and fascinating lives and personalities. With Bellairs, I did enjoy the mystery, though it seemed to take a while to get started and there were way too many characters thrown at the reader in the beginning. And for me, the killer was fairly obvious about three-quarters of the way. What was disappointing was Littlejohn. Perhaps it was because this book is way into the series, but he remained a cipher through the whole book. He seemed to be just a regular policeman going about his job. There's nothing wrong with that; plenty of mystery novels are about regular policemen going about their jobs, but there is usually something about them that makes us care or empathize with them. With Littlejohn, I didn't care about him one way or the other and while the mystery was interesting, it was not fascinating enough to carry the whole book. Unless someone convinces me otherwise, I am not likely to read another Bellairs novel.
August 14, 2018
This is an excellent classic crime novel taking place in England, although not quite as good as Death Spins the Wheel. During a storm in Enderby, a group is talking in the pub. Mr. Bunn is threatened by Hetherow when Bunn tells Hetherow he wants Hetherow's store. A little later, Bunn goes home and finds his daughter Bertha is snuggling with Flounder, his shopman. Bunn tosses Flounder out his door into the rain, where he falls in a ditch. Then a shot is heard and Bunn falls into the gutter. The local police accuse Flounder, and he tries to hang himself, but pulls down the roof of the shed instead. Finally the local police call in Scotland Yard and Littlejohn an Cromwell arrive. They find out a lot about the Bunn family, all of whom are crazy about money, and not very likeable, but described with wit. They also hear about Bunn's will and his wanting to return to his own name.
They are also fairly ugly other than Anne, who was once a beauty. Aunt Sarah, a huge and ugly "head" of the family, arrives in Enderby to watch over the investigation. While Littlejohn is trying to find out alibis, another man (who trying to make money as a detective) gets killed. It appears someone is trying to set up Medlicott, the husband of Anne Bunn. There are lots of twists and turns and suspects, but Littlejohn and Cromwell finally complete their job.
They are also fairly ugly other than Anne, who was once a beauty. Aunt Sarah, a huge and ugly "head" of the family, arrives in Enderby to watch over the investigation. While Littlejohn is trying to find out alibis, another man (who trying to make money as a detective) gets killed. It appears someone is trying to set up Medlicott, the husband of Anne Bunn. There are lots of twists and turns and suspects, but Littlejohn and Cromwell finally complete their job.
November 9, 2017
This is a strange little book but I did enjoy it. I have never read any George Bellairs before but have gone out and bought another.
Ned Bunn, a rather nasty Enderby villager, is shot dead in the middle of storm one evening. Needless to say there are many suspects as he was not well liked even by his daughter.
His large extended family descend on Enderby, for the funeral but more importantly, for the will reading.
Inspector Littlejohn and Sergeant Cromwell come up from Scotland Yard to investigate.
Slowly the finger of suspicion points inexorably at one person but Littlejohn remains unconvinced.
The characters we meet are to a (wo)man unsavoury types, manipulative, mean and basically, with a few exceptions, plug ugly. You’d think there would be no one you could gel with but some particularly strong willed women show more backbone than the male counterparts and become more interesting.
There are other deaths, some quite sad, but Littlejohn ploughs on.
There are many dark secrets being hidden by the Bunn family and some long held grudges that slowly reveal themselves.
An interesting read.
Ned Bunn, a rather nasty Enderby villager, is shot dead in the middle of storm one evening. Needless to say there are many suspects as he was not well liked even by his daughter.
His large extended family descend on Enderby, for the funeral but more importantly, for the will reading.
Inspector Littlejohn and Sergeant Cromwell come up from Scotland Yard to investigate.
Slowly the finger of suspicion points inexorably at one person but Littlejohn remains unconvinced.
The characters we meet are to a (wo)man unsavoury types, manipulative, mean and basically, with a few exceptions, plug ugly. You’d think there would be no one you could gel with but some particularly strong willed women show more backbone than the male counterparts and become more interesting.
There are other deaths, some quite sad, but Littlejohn ploughs on.
There are many dark secrets being hidden by the Bunn family and some long held grudges that slowly reveal themselves.
An interesting read.
August 12, 2018
What is it about?
Originally published in 1960.
Set in Enderby, Leicestershire. ( I work 5 mins walk from Enderby).
Ned Bunn is an unlikable bullish man who bullies his 40 year old daughter and sees off any potential suitor, to ensure she stays to look after him. She does have a sweetheart and Ned catches them ‘canoodling ‘ and throws him out of the house. Ned is then murdered by a single gun shot to the head, and so begins the tale. Family intrigue and hatred abound.
It shows the snobbery and bigotry of the monied class in a 1950’s small Leicestershire town. George Bellairs has created some characters that you end up really disliking and some, as in Inspector Littlejohn that you enjoy. It’s a great paced story in the vein of Agatha Christie and Josephine Tey with no profanity, just good manners and the grammar and language of the time.
Would I recommend it?
Definitely, The writing is so good I was totally drawn in and enjoyed every minute.
Thank you to Peter Fraser and Dunlop, the publisher for a free copy
June 28, 2017
I discovered George Bellairs through Hoopla, and am so excited to dig in! A British author writing contemporary (to him) work in the 1940's and onward. The 'Corpses of Enderby' is a post-WW2 novel set in England, and was given to me through the estate of George Bellairs in exchange for an honest review. Here it goes! Mr. Bellairs writes in a speedy style, and this cozy mystery is somewhat akin to the work of Christianna Brand and my beloved Patricia Wentworth. Mr. Bellairs writes tongue-in-cheek, and very quickly, with many small asides and insight into the future of the many characters tales he's weaving- so you also must be quick on the uptake to absorb his double entendres... He paints a detailed picture of his setting and characters, very visual. His writing style is lively and enjoyable. I will be reading more of his work and this was a very quick read, with a delightful twist ending.
July 15, 2020
I’m not sure in all my years of reading mysteries, especially British mysteries, how I missed Bellairs and his Inspector Littlejohn. He’s a great character - not stuffy or prissy, not rough on the edges. He’s intelligent, polite and thorough. I really am enjoying this series.
Bellairs doesn’t make his characters into stock players - you don’t have the star-crossed young lovers brought together by crime (Violet isn’t paired off by the end and neither is Helen, the absolutely awful lady of a certain age who’s bitter beyond belief (Aunt Sarah is a fleshed out character, good and bad), the pious beyond belief rector. Mostly his characters are people - pushed a bit into just past normal behavior.
One thing I do love is the throw away asides - the little vignettes about future events foreshadowed in the storyline. That seems to be a Bellairs MO. And I look forward to them.
Bellairs doesn’t make his characters into stock players - you don’t have the star-crossed young lovers brought together by crime (Violet isn’t paired off by the end and neither is Helen, the absolutely awful lady of a certain age who’s bitter beyond belief (Aunt Sarah is a fleshed out character, good and bad), the pious beyond belief rector. Mostly his characters are people - pushed a bit into just past normal behavior.
One thing I do love is the throw away asides - the little vignettes about future events foreshadowed in the storyline. That seems to be a Bellairs MO. And I look forward to them.
October 26, 2018
Inspector Littlejohn and Sergeant Cromwell investigate a pair of murders in Enderby involving the Bunn family. The Bunns are a weird bunch of people with secrets to keep and they lead Littlejohn on a merry chase. The story is not as compelling as others in the series and in several places it is tedious.
There's a dramatic ending which finally brings the story to a conclusion. It would be best to skip this one if you have not read others in the series. It will interest Bellair fans and those who follow the Golden Age of Murder authors.
The author's description of characters and locales is good. The dialogue and some references are colloquial English current to the 1950's when the book was written. This may challenge some modern readers, but it adds local colour.
There's a dramatic ending which finally brings the story to a conclusion. It would be best to skip this one if you have not read others in the series. It will interest Bellair fans and those who follow the Golden Age of Murder authors.
The author's description of characters and locales is good. The dialogue and some references are colloquial English current to the 1950's when the book was written. This may challenge some modern readers, but it adds local colour.
May 9, 2017
This was OK, not brilliant, but a well-written tale with realistic characters - it seems odd to call it a police procedural but is is a pretty decent one. What put me off was an anti-Semitic comment, not out-of-place given when it was set, but it rather jarred now, especially as it was the narrator's voice. One of the problems of republishing novels that were written decades ago; they can provide fascinating insights into social history but attitudes do change. However, I enjoyed it enough that I will look out for more Inspector Littlejohn stories.
December 13, 2017
This is described as one of the series from the "golden age" of English mysteries, but just based on this one, it doesn't appeal to me as much as some of the others. The mystery itself isn't bad, but it's full of unpleasant characters, and the detective, Chief Inspector Littlejohn, isn't a very interesting character. The solution unwinds appropriately, but isn't very exciting. I read in another review that this is not a typical example of this series, so I may give it one more try at some point.
March 14, 2020
After discovering the Littlejohn series, I did some Googling about the author, George Bellairs. At the website being run in his honor, I was offered a free book, "Corpses in Enderby," which allowed me to get to know the Inspector even better. Once again he's in a small town; this time he becomes embroiled with the Bunn family, who seem to have no end of branches to their family tree. George Bellairs indulges his penchant for humorous names, with a whole series of Bunns including the formidable Bathsheba. Someone close to the Bunns has been murdered, and the suspicion falls in turn on many members of the family and other townspeople. (The Bunns, most of whom are "chapel-goers," tend to have strange Old Testament names.) The book was well-written, with a satisfactory ending. Littlejohn doesn't have a strong personality, unlike Morse, Dalziel, Rebus, or others of my favorites, but he's meticulous and has a wry sense of humor. I intend to read more of this series.
August 20, 2020
A joy of a book for the amateur sleuth, the avid murder mystery reader and anyone seeking a good read. Complex family relationships, business dealings and community interactions all identify suspects with valid motives for murder. The story also highlights how good people can often be misrepresented as bad or corrupt and ‘wrong uns’ thrive and are given unjustified respect. The author is expert at leading the reader through a number of avenues of inquiry as we follow the investigation led by Inspector Littlejohn and supported by Sergeant Cromwell.
October 10, 2020
Not a fast read...
I found that I had force myself to read this story. First, I did not care for the Bunn family and all their offshoots. Second the story was not interesting in the least. Third, didn't care for what happened to the main character or even if he solved the murder.
I have it 3stars because I did not see the end coming, but that was the only redeeming quality in the story. A short story would have served the same purpose.
If you are a fan, it may be worth reading, but I'm not going to read any more books in this series.
I found that I had force myself to read this story. First, I did not care for the Bunn family and all their offshoots. Second the story was not interesting in the least. Third, didn't care for what happened to the main character or even if he solved the murder.
I have it 3stars because I did not see the end coming, but that was the only redeeming quality in the story. A short story would have served the same purpose.
If you are a fan, it may be worth reading, but I'm not going to read any more books in this series.
May 1, 2022
I gave this novel 4 stars.
Very much a classic mystery and I gave 4 stars because right until the end of the novel it stumped me. I had decided on one suspect as the guilty one but in a twist and confusion of chaotic happening the guilty as another entirely.
There were a lot of characters and suspects in this story but very interesting.
I was actually given this ebook for free by the George Bellairs Reading Library, so I thank them for it.
Very much a classic mystery and I gave 4 stars because right until the end of the novel it stumped me. I had decided on one suspect as the guilty one but in a twist and confusion of chaotic happening the guilty as another entirely.
There were a lot of characters and suspects in this story but very interesting.
I was actually given this ebook for free by the George Bellairs Reading Library, so I thank them for it.
April 17, 2018
My least favorite of Bellair's long list of murder mysteries so far. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it, either. The writing wasn't as good as I expected from him. Perhaps it was an earlier attempt that he later finished and published due to deadlines.
Doesn't stop me from carrying on though. I'm hooked on Inspector Littlejohn and plan on staying with him until the end.
Doesn't stop me from carrying on though. I'm hooked on Inspector Littlejohn and plan on staying with him until the end.
November 30, 2018
A fabulous cast of quite appalling people set in a miserable little down at heel market town moving through a story written with humour and a sharp eye for the perfect detail. A really enjoyable 1950s detective story. I am now a proper Bellairs fan, and thankfully there are lots of other stories to enjoy.
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