Turmoil in Zion

by George Bellairs

Old Alderman Harbuttle, an elder of Zion Chapel, grew unusually frolicsome at the Anniversary Tea Party, even condescending to lead a game of follow-my-leader round the precincts.

In the darkest part of the chapel, however, the revels became a riot, for the Alderman was stabbed to the heart with a bread knife. Superintendent Nankivell, of the local police, comes close to solving the mystery, but not before he has stirred up the dark depths of the lives of many of the pillars of Zion...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature

136 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

AKA 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.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t get me wrong: I welcome every George Bellairs novel, including Death Stops the Frolic (first titled Turmoil in Zion when released in 1943). But, to be honest, Superintendent Nankivell, chief of the Swarebridge police, is no Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Thomas Littlejohn. Perhaps Bellairs himself realized it, as he limited himself to just one Nankivell novel.

A conceited alderman and church elder gets murdered at an evening church celebration, and there is no end of likely suspects whose lives would be better without the hypocritical old curmudgeon. As always, Bellairs’ sly commentary on villagers and village life is the best part of the novel.

I missed Littlejohn and his trusty sidekick, Sergeant Robert Cromwell, but Death Stops the Frolic, if not an absolute party, was still pretty good.

[Bev · Rating 2 out of 5]

The village of Swarebridge is all set to celebrate the anniversary of the Zion Chapel, the central religious community for the town, with an annual tea. The celebration includes a "tea" (really a large feast at which the members seem out to investigate just what is so sinful about about gluttony anyway...), followed by singing (but no dancing), recitations, and a game of "Follow-My-Leader" led by the Alderman Harbuttle. The Alderman is known for being very strict on religious matters, but uncharacteristically leads them on a much more intricate route...straight into the church sanctuary. Due to the blackout because of the war, all is in darkness, so no one is sure what has happened at first when the Alderman disappears from the front of the line. Careful investigation reveals that he has fallen down a trap door--mysteriously left open--and is now dead. But the fall didn't kill him. Oh, no. Someone waited at the bottom of the opening and stuck a very sharp bread knife into him.

Superintendent Nankivell is on the spot (ready to see his wife home from the revels) and immediately begins an investigation that reveals many who had differences with the Alderman, a few with real motives, but apparently no one with opportunity. Patient investigation and a bit of local knowledge is what it will take to get to the bottom of this one.

The best part of the book is the descriptions of small village life during World War II. The talk of the black outs, rationing, black market goods, and an installation of military men nearby all serve as reminders that Britain is in the middle of wartime. Bellairs gives a good sketch of the village and its inhabitants and the reader feels as though she knew the place and people well.

But the story itself is a mess--as is the writing style overall. For reasons known only to himself, Bellairs provides bizarre switches from present tense to past tense which completely upsets the flow of the narrative. There is no purpose to such tense changes that I can see. The basic motive and mystery plot is fine, but it does get lost somewhat between the really very good descriptions and the weird tense changes. The cluing isn't the best either. And, finally, I'm afraid I balk at classic crime novels that kill off children. The murder of poor little Willie really wasn't necessary to the story line except to add another body to the mix. I'm afraid that Bellairs really lets readers down in this one. Not one of his best and I can't really recommend it.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Since this is an early Bellairs' book, I would guess it is understandable that it is not his best. Originally published as “Turmoil in Zion,” it does not feature Inspector Littlejohn (who is a favorite of mine).

The writing, as always, is superb, but this book did not hold my interest as much as the later ones. Of course, the reader must realize the era in which the book was written to understand some of the archaic language and attitudes of the inhabitants of the little village.

I want to thank NetGalley and Agora Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and review.

[Stephen Robert Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very much a WWII book and set in 1943. Bellairs wrote 4 Littlejohn books in 3 years so when his 5th book came out everyone expected an other one but no he changed to Superintendent Nankivell first very silly name and no Littlejohn this book flopped in 1944 which is shame.
Set around Zion religion and follow your leader this rationing WWII murder classic. Party games and knifing the church. This short but full of description of the people. But Nankivell is no Littlejohn he just wasn't a good replacement for Littlejohn and he dispersed into history. Bellairs never changed to anyone but Littlejohn after this flopped. Which is shame.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars is really too generous for this book as the plot is a little weak and the ending tame but the writing is just superb. The descriptions of the characters makes them almost come alive with that element of wit that makes Bellairs stand out (for me anyway) . Superintendent Nankivell, unusually a uniformed officer, is a very likeable policeman with similar humane characteristics as Littlejohn who does not appear in this one. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes police procedurals written in marvellous English.

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was truly dreadful. I didn't think there was a Bellairs book I didn't like, but then this did not feature my favorite character, Inspector Littlejohn. I would not bother with this Kindle Unlimited boring book.

[Dave Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of the Littlejohn series by the same Author known as George Bellaire I'm delighted to find this gem from a different series. Our detective here is Nankivell yes George loves playing with names and the are some great ones to find in this book like all the others of his I have read.
George has a great sense of humor which is readily displayed here as well as a great whodunit, It is set in the Middle of the second world war during the time of blackouts & rationing, The story begins when the Church Anniversary at Zion Church is ruined with the death of a towns Alderman the great (to be) detective Nankivell gets to work and when inquires if Scotland Yard can help he is advice to get on and solve it by himself, so then that's what he sets out to do. With a hall full of suspects who slowly all have alibis his job gets harder by the hour. But as with all good detectives he presses on with his gang at the station and the result is a great book that I really want to recommend to you. The characters are quirky as always with Mr Bellaire's but not far fetched all very believable and in character to how i imagine they would be at this time in Britain. This is a great book which can easily hook you and also give you a flavor of how live went on in Britain for those left at home whilst the brave soldiers fought for our future there were hero's and villains carrying on keeping British going. I really enjoyed this book it is a nice escape from life and as hinted a look back at the past and well worth taking the ride.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is very apt, with the death in the story stopping the frolic that members of a church were indulging in (much to the distaste of quite a few of the members). The victim was a man who had enough time on his hands to pick fights with everyone in town.
The extreme physical descriptions, more of women than the men, was a little off-putting, in a different mood of reading it might not have been as annoying. Some of the narrative descriptions did hold their own uniqueness, and I must admit to having chuckled at a few. It does paint a very vivid and intricate picture of the goings-on of the people in the town. The town's history and the way it was told was also quite interesting. The mystery plot itself was almost sidelined. As a reader, we are not given much of an opportunity to solve the case. The information revelations happen mostly as confessions and leave no room for actual sleuthing. In the beginning, the police do conduct diligent interviews, so it was not all up to the admissions by suspects since they had to become suspects first.
It is a quick read, and I have a few others by the author left to read.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Marilyn Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a little different from the Inspector Littlejohn series that I love. It is an earlier book of Bellairs, first published under the name Turmoil in Zion, 1943. However, it still has the flair toward unusual names and the tendency to allow us to peek into English village life during the war years. Bellairs will always be one of my favorite Writers from the period because of his characters and the satire he sprinkles generously throughout the plot.

Start with another Bellairs though if this is your first read with the Author. I found the Story enjoyable but different from his later work. Still, a good "who dunnit" and much better than many of today's mysteries which is why I enjoy Bellairs. This Mystery is worth having in your collection as one of his stand-alone works.

My thanks to Netgalley and Agora Books

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This early book by Bellairs doesn't feature his series detective Inspector Littlejohn. Instead, local detective Nankivell is almost on the spot when a member of a prominent local religious sect is murdered during a celebration. The dead man had many detractors, but it doesn't seem that most of his feuds were serious enough to lead to his death.

[Julie Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read a novel by Bellairs before and was somewhat taken aback as I slowly got into it.
Humorous, parochial, and different, I ended up enjoying it.
Characters are well differentiated and puzzling, which I appreciated.
I will read more of this author's books.
Recommended

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be another interesting case for Inspector Littlejohn but we have a brand new guy on the block in the form of Superintendent Nankivell - is that Nanki-vell, making me think of Nanki-poo from The Mikado, or is it Nan-kivell - no matter, he is as pleasant a character.
All Bellairs books are quirky, peopled by ‘grotesques’ and this one has the added quirk (?) of having the author narrate parts of the story to you.
Anyway, in a busy little country town a leading, elderly, finger-in-every-pie, sitting on every committee type, Harbuttle by name, meets a sticky end when frolicking through the town leading a Congo dance.
Nankivell, obviously feeling a bit out of his depth and being a bit too involved with the locals, thinks Scotland Yard should be called in but his superior feels he is more than capable to sort it out.
Piece by piece information is forthcoming and when Nankivell finally has all the pieces it’s just a case of disproving an airtight alibi.
I liked Nankivell he is very much like Littlejohn, pleasant and compassionate but I think with Littlejohn Bellairs had it just right.

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

KU Free Trial | Ooof. Not a great effort | I have read so many Bellairs mysteries, and I feel a little maternal toward the late author, who apparently didn't have enough confidence in his own abilities. I can soften my low review by pointing out that this is an early effort, doesn't feature his star sleuth, and was written during a chaotic time. But the truth is, the writing is poor. The plotting is thin, mystery is slight, detective work almost nonexistent. Long, unnecessary paragraphs are spent in extensive and unflattering detail to describe every person and room, regardless of their lack of importance. And in an apparent effort to create a "snapshot of the moment", he waxes poetic in the present tense while telling the story in the past tense. If he did this only to set up the story, opening the novel with a present tense description of the town before firmly reverting to the past for storytelling, fine. But he switches throughout, and within paragraphs, with no reason or warning.

[Lisa T. Ungerer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly satisfactory

Not an inspector Littlejohn book, but a good solid story. Murder in a country church, in the dark, with all major suspects having seemingly impregnable alibis. However, the local inspector pieces together the real story and order is restored in the end. Recommended

[Suzie Grogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun, if not a perfect whodunnit and I missed Inspector Littlejohn, but this is an early Bellairs and Nankivell is a humorous detective and likeable. Discovering George Bellairs is a joy. Give him a try.

[George Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

delightful

This was a total gift of humor and ingenious depictions of life then and now. For those who see only the last, look around. The scene may be very different but the human wants, needs and foibles remain the same.

[Paulette Mcdaniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely cosy mystery

This isn’t a Lovejoy mystery, but very enjoyable.
Catching the killer depends on an understanding of the personalities of the townspeople and the wartime environment. Highly recommended

[Ron Kastner · Rating 3 out of 5]

an okay mystery but the condescension of the author to his characters was not pleasing.

[Elizabeth Wilhoit · Rating 5 out of 5]

death stops the frolic

This was totally delightful! Bellairs can write in a way that intrigues me.
I enjoy his Littlejohn books but these are so good and unusual.

[Katy Kunkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m just gonna leave this review short: The storyline was not gripping but I enjoyed the many different accents and sometimes reading aloud in my room was super enjoyable. 😂

[Hugh Dunnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Bellairs is very good.
If you like your crime novels light and infused with humour but with a well-constructed plot and good characterisation, then George Bellairs is hard to beat. He may not have been particularly radical in his approach to the crime novel but he certainly had a distinctive style and that is a style I have really warmed to over the past few years.

The previous George Bellairs novels I have read have all involved his indomitable detective, Inspector Littlejohn and been part of a series. This novel as far as I can tell is a standalone novel from 1943, quite early in the author’s writing life, and concerns another detective, Superintendent Nankivell, who has a very different back story and position, being from the local area and local police force. But although altering our perspective on the crime by being based in the locality, not having Littlejohn as the detective has little negative impact on the book, the story was as enjoyable as almost any other Bellairs novel I have read. It still has the tropes, details and flourishes that I have come to expect from Bellairs’ Littlejohn series: precise plotting with enough twists and red herrings to keep the story interesting but without becoming frustrating; relatively unlikely scenes and characters, just this side of believable (the main thing I love about Bellairs) and genuine humour throughout. Much of the humour comes from the colourful incidental characters, always described with great detail and care, and helping to add interest to the story and making it entertaining, if not themselves driving the story. It is for this alone that I would and indeed do keep returning to George Bellairs.

Added to this great little crime novel is the incidental comments on the time this was written (1943), a time just within living memory, so very recent and yet so very distant. This novel is a time capsule and a comment on British society during the Second World War which adds to its interest and value. But even without this, it is still a very enjoyable little mystery novel. Just don’t come to this expecting modern day shocks or gore or other fetishes; this is good clean murder, and all the better for it.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like this as well as the Littlejohn books. However, as I got into it, it was a good yarn. The book started slowly, with a lot of description of each character. It tells how Swaresbridge got built up with Pogsley's Snugsleep Blankets factory, and how he started his Zion church. Each character introduced has a fairly long description. Then we come to the 25th anniversary of the church well after Pogsley's death.

Alderman Harbuttle is getting ready to go home from the party, when he is convinced he must do his "game", a single file march through the church with about 150 parishioners making a long line, each holding the person in front as Harbuttle leads them round and about in the dark (it's October 1941 during the blackout). Suddenly, the leader, Harbuttle disappears through a trap door in the choir loft. He's found on the floor below with a knife through his heart.

Inspector Nankivell takes on the task to discover the culprit. Harbuttle was not universally admired, and had made several enemies. He had lived alone in a big house on the hill from which he spied on his neighbors, as well as argued with everyone in the church and was against his daughter's marriage. Nankivell found out that Harbuttle had been thinking of marrying a much younger woman. This all leaves a huge number of suspects. At one point, a young boy told someone he had seen someone in the kitchen during the game. Soon the boy is found dead.

The book moves faster as Nankivell begins to get some clues, and finally solves the case.

[Merrilee Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Bellairs wrote a number of books featuring his character Inspector Littlejohn. But before that, he created another indelible character, Superintendent Nankivell, who is the lead in this rollicking mystery tale. Along with Nankivell, we are provided with a whole village full of unforgettable characters from village of Swarebridge, population 600.

We are provided with a full complement of individual back-stories, descriptions, and local history and current politics. One wonders why Bellairs chose to use this interesting creation just the once. I guess we will never know.

But this is a memorable story, starting with a rather unseemly frolic through the local chapel in the High Street, to the tune of The Grand Old Duke of York. But in the midst of the festivities, the Zionists come to an abrupt halt when their leader, Mr. Alderman Harbuttle, abruptly disappears. It soon transpires that he has fallen to his death.

The Zionists are thunderstruck, and it soon falls to Superintendent Nankivell, chief of the Swarebridge police, to find a solution. That process keeps us absorbed and entertained through the remainder of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and enthusiastically recommend it. My thanks to author, publisher, The George Bellairs estate, and NetGalley, for providing an advance copy to read and provide an honest review.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had only read Bellairs’ Littlejohn books before this, earlier, one and to be honest was a little doubtful during the first chapter as it got off to a slightly slow start.
The Policemen, Nankivell and Cresswell, are more or less a prototype Littlejohn and Cromwell but I liked them as soon as they appeared, and we soon had the first murder which warmed it up nicely.
Bellairs’ characterisation and physical descriptions are as strong as with his later books with some stonking good names such as Mr Wildbore and Dr Cowslip, with a wonderful Mrs Fingerbowle appearing near the end.

Set among a church congregation in a northern industrial town of blanket factories during the war, Alderman Harbottle is murdered during a church social event after some years of rubbing his neighbours up the wrong way.
The list of suspects was divers and many with, at one point Nankivell unsuccessfully asking his superior for help from Scotland Yard which could have seen him meet his alter-ego!

I would recommend this as a good yarn to while away an evening or two.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

An early Bellairs featuring Superintendent Nankivell rather than the familiar Inspector Littlejohn. It was a nice departure to have this murder of a local worthy in the Zion Church dealt with efficiently by the local police force. Nankivell shares some characteristics with Littlejohn and is an endearing character.

Religion outwith the Established Church is at the receiving end of some sardonic wit and a little farce which, at times, brought to mind the much later Flaxborough novels of Colin Watson which I have recently re-read.The politics and personalities of a small town are effectively put under the microscope.

There is also interest in the wartime background-this first appeared in 1943-which plays its part in the plot.

Most enjoyable with plenty red herring and two murders to keep the reader occupied.

Highly recommended.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m very glad This was not the first of George Bellairs books I read. I have become a bit of a fan but this was, to say the least, disappointing. I tried to convince myself that he was attempting satire, but if so, he was unable to sustain it. It appears that he was simply sending up his own characters, portraying the church community in which the story is set, as parochial, petty, hypocritical, self-serving and narrow-minded.

This might be forgiven in satire, but not in a murder mystery. It made this reader feel grubby, as if I were colluding, being asked to take an attitude of condescension towards a whole community.

I’m assuming this was an early book and Bellairs is experimenting with stance and setting. Any other assumption casts doubt on my enjoyment of the others of his I have read.

[TLBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a longtime fan of George Bellairs' Inspector Littlejohn novels. Death Stops the Frolic is an early work and does not feature Littlejohn, but rather Inspector Nankivell.

Bellairs is a good storyteller and this was a solid mystery, but I did not enjoy it as much as the Littlejohn novels. The narrator describes the local people and likely suspects and, especially in the first half of the novel, adopted a somewhat condescending and at times contemptuous tone to tell us about the locals. This took me aback a bit, but the second half of the novel was more in keeping with the Bellairs' of Littlejohn tradition. Nankivell, though no Littlejohn, is likable and the police procedural come to a satisfying end.

George Bellairs remains one of my favorite Golden Age authors and I look forward to reading future reprints of his novels.

[darin chew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read an of this author's other novels, tho friends rave about his Littlejohn novels.

One afternoon something strange happens at Zion Chapel’s Anniversary Tea Party. The infamous Alderman Harbuttle is behaving uncharacteristically playful – laughing with the assembly and leading people in a game of Follow The Leader throughout the chapel’s winding halls. But his fun is cut short when the revellers find the Alderman’s murdered body in the chapel, a bread knife buried to the hilt in his chest.

I was a little weary because the first chapter was a bit slow but it definitely picked up after. Not really my cup of tea, but it was a good read.

3.5-4 stars.


Thank you to NetGalley and the George Bellair for providing a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t get me wrong: I welcome every George Bellairs novel, including Turmoil in Zion (published as Death Stops the Frolic when it was first released in 1944). But, to be honest, Superintendent Nankivell, chief of the Swarebridge police, is no Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Thomas Littlejohn.

A conceited alderman and church elder gets murdered at an evening church celebration, and there is no end of likely suspects whose lives would be better without the hypocritical old curmudgeon. As always, Bellairs’ sly commentary on villagers and village life is the best part of the novel.

I missed Littlejohn and his trusty sidekick, Sergeant Robert Cromwell, but Turmoil in Zion, if not heaven to read, was still pretty good.

[Caroline Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another very welcome reissue from my favourite Golden Age of Crime author, George Bellairs. Do not look for his famous detective Tom Littlejohn in this novel, this is a stand alone detective story featuring Superintendent Nankivell. The detective may change but the quality of the writing is as high as ever. This novel relates to nasty goings on at a chapel social evening during the war. As usual I will not be giving much away as the whole point of reading a detective story is to try and solve the crime. The novel features a wealth of quirky characters, hidden secrets, jealousy and tied me in knots before the final denouement. As usual Mr Bellairs gets five stars from me and his work is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy L. Sayers et al.