What do you think?
Rate this book
Wycliffe #3
Wycliffe/Guilt-Edged
There is wearing along the edges and corners and sme creasing to the spine. The pages have yellowed but the text is clean, bright and tight
199 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
30 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
W.J. Burley
44 books25 followersBurley was born in Falmouth, Cornwall. Before he began writing, he was employed in senior management with various gas companies, before giving it up after the Second World War when he obtained a scholarship to study zoology at Balliol College, Oxford. After obtaining an honours degree he became a teacher. Appointed head of biology, first at Richmond & East Sheen County Grammar School in 1953, then at Newquay Grammar School in 1955, he was well established as a writer by the time he retired at the age of 60 in 1974. He died at his home in Holywell, Cornwall, on 15 August 2002.
John Burley had his first novel published when he was in his early fifties. His second published novel, two years later, saw the appearance of Superintendent Charles Wycliffe.
Over the next 25 years Burley produced another seventeen Wycliffe books and five other books.
Then, late in 1993, one of Burley's Wycliffe stories appeared on television in a pilot starring Jack Shepherd.
The pilot was followed by 37 episodes broadcast over a five year period.
By 1995 the author was, for the first time in his life, financially comfortable. He was over eighty.
But the success of the television series meant that John Burley found himself overshadowed by his creations. To the public, the name Wycliffe brought to mind the unsmiling face of Jack Shepherd, the actor. Even in the bookshops it was Shepherd's face that dominated the covers of Burley's paperbacks.
John Burley, however, continued to write and produced a further four Wycliffe titles. He was working on his 23rd Wycliffe novel, Wycliffe's Last Lap, when he died in 2002.
Recently a wish to restore the balance has emerged from amongst his readers. There is a feeling that we are neglecting a writer of quality, one who deserves to stand beside Simenon, the creator of Inspector Maigret.
Reading through John Burley's books in publication sequence, one notices how the author's voice gets stronger and his views more certain. And how his writing skills grow until, in the later books, a few words are all that it takes to pin down an image. These are the signs of a writer confident in his craft.
John Burley had his first novel published when he was in his early fifties. His second published novel, two years later, saw the appearance of Superintendent Charles Wycliffe.
Over the next 25 years Burley produced another seventeen Wycliffe books and five other books.
Then, late in 1993, one of Burley's Wycliffe stories appeared on television in a pilot starring Jack Shepherd.
The pilot was followed by 37 episodes broadcast over a five year period.
By 1995 the author was, for the first time in his life, financially comfortable. He was over eighty.
But the success of the television series meant that John Burley found himself overshadowed by his creations. To the public, the name Wycliffe brought to mind the unsmiling face of Jack Shepherd, the actor. Even in the bookshops it was Shepherd's face that dominated the covers of Burley's paperbacks.
John Burley, however, continued to write and produced a further four Wycliffe titles. He was working on his 23rd Wycliffe novel, Wycliffe's Last Lap, when he died in 2002.
Recently a wish to restore the balance has emerged from amongst his readers. There is a feeling that we are neglecting a writer of quality, one who deserves to stand beside Simenon, the creator of Inspector Maigret.
Reading through John Burley's books in publication sequence, one notices how the author's voice gets stronger and his views more certain. And how his writing skills grow until, in the later books, a few words are all that it takes to pin down an image. These are the signs of a writer confident in his craft.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 7, 2020
A seeming family feud leads to murder in the tranquil Cornish town of Treen. Superintendent Wycliffe is put on the case to investigate the death of Caroline Bryce, a lady from the top echelon of the society. Her body is dragged from the bottom of the river when spotted by the ferryman who plies his trade between East and West Treen. The townsfolk see the death as quite a scandal and questions are asked all over town. Who would want to kill the beautiful Mrs Bryce? Was it a lover's quarrel or a family feud, of which rumours abound? Or was it a long-held resentment that had suddenly exploded in a moment of madness?
Superintendent Wycliffe is initially puzzled and as he interviews all those who he considers may have played a part in the death, the situation becomes more clouded. And when other deaths occur, the waters become muddier and Wycliffe fears that he is on the trail of a psychotic killer who could strike again.
But determined police work wins out and, despite being side-tracked by a number of the suspects, he unravels a tale of love and hate to identify the killer.
Although the Cornish setting is excellent and the reader is quickly immersed in it, this is perhaps not one of the best of Wycliffe novels, plot-wise, but it is enjoyable and keeps the reader interested all the same.
Superintendent Wycliffe is initially puzzled and as he interviews all those who he considers may have played a part in the death, the situation becomes more clouded. And when other deaths occur, the waters become muddier and Wycliffe fears that he is on the trail of a psychotic killer who could strike again.
But determined police work wins out and, despite being side-tracked by a number of the suspects, he unravels a tale of love and hate to identify the killer.
Although the Cornish setting is excellent and the reader is quickly immersed in it, this is perhaps not one of the best of Wycliffe novels, plot-wise, but it is enjoyable and keeps the reader interested all the same.
August 5, 2011
You always know what you're going to get with a Wycliffe book. There's a murder, a cast of suspects with motives and various secrets to be uncovered, and a dogged detective painstakingly putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. It's not quite as cosy as an Agatha Christie, but it's nowhere near as blood-soaked or hard-edged as many police procedurals. There are no psychotic serial killers here, just a family with a complex history. So, not a challenging read, then, but nevertheless this is a good, solid story with believable characters and a plot that builds nicely and resolves itself without any jaw-dropping contrivances.
April 8, 2020
see review of another edition
December 22, 2013
I can tell that I'm pushing to try and meet my Outdo Yourself/Goodreads Challenge and whizzing right through books....There's a big ol' clue right near the beginning of Wycliffe & the Guilt Edged Alibi by W. J. Burley that I managed to miss. And when we got to the reveal, I all "Oh, yeah. Well that was obvious, wasn't it Bev?" Wonder if anybody out there in follower-land would catch it? [Yes, you might call that a challenge. :-) ]
So...Superintendent Wycliffe is called in to smooth an investigation that involves the wealthy Bryce family and, more importantly, his old schoolmate (and, more recently, former Minister of State) Clement Morley. Beautiful Caroline Bryce, wife of Matthew Bryce and half-sister to Morley, has been found dead in the river that divides the town of Treen into East and West. The Bryce family own half the town--from the timber yard to the canning factory to the coal yard and the harbor installations. It would never do to have a scandal. It is hoped that Wycliffe can quickly get to the bottom of the mystery. But a case that starts with rumors of suicide soon becomes tangled with motives--from jealousy between Caroline and her daughter Zel to a family feud over control of the family business interests to tensions between Caroline and her adulterous lover. Who struck Caroline over the head before she was dumped in the river? And why was she and her car stashed in her brother-in-law's garage for a day before her final dunking? Wycliffe will have to answer these questions and more before he can point the finger of guilt at the culprit.
The Wycliffe books are pretty straight-forward police procedural fare--with just a bit of emphasis on the flair of our leading policeman. He doesn't exactly track down clues in the usual police detective manner--taking long walks to submerge himself in the atmosphere and asking what may seem to be irrelevant questions. But his methods work and the clues are definitely there if the reader is paying proper attention. A good solid British mystery at three stars.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
So...Superintendent Wycliffe is called in to smooth an investigation that involves the wealthy Bryce family and, more importantly, his old schoolmate (and, more recently, former Minister of State) Clement Morley. Beautiful Caroline Bryce, wife of Matthew Bryce and half-sister to Morley, has been found dead in the river that divides the town of Treen into East and West. The Bryce family own half the town--from the timber yard to the canning factory to the coal yard and the harbor installations. It would never do to have a scandal. It is hoped that Wycliffe can quickly get to the bottom of the mystery. But a case that starts with rumors of suicide soon becomes tangled with motives--from jealousy between Caroline and her daughter Zel to a family feud over control of the family business interests to tensions between Caroline and her adulterous lover. Who struck Caroline over the head before she was dumped in the river? And why was she and her car stashed in her brother-in-law's garage for a day before her final dunking? Wycliffe will have to answer these questions and more before he can point the finger of guilt at the culprit.
The Wycliffe books are pretty straight-forward police procedural fare--with just a bit of emphasis on the flair of our leading policeman. He doesn't exactly track down clues in the usual police detective manner--taking long walks to submerge himself in the atmosphere and asking what may seem to be irrelevant questions. But his methods work and the clues are definitely there if the reader is paying proper attention. A good solid British mystery at three stars.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
July 6, 2014
We've just had a holiday in Cornwall and I found three Wycliffe novels in charity shops. This was the last of the three I read, and again he captures the atmosphere of Cornwall perfectly, while Wycliffe winds his way towards a conclusion. Perfect holiday reading, not demanding in any way.
January 13, 2023
Burley paints himself into a corner here with the murder of a woman, a woman with powerful connections, a woman married into a prominent family, a woman whose past needs to be explored. I felt the previous Wycliffe (‘How to Kill a Cat’) echoed Simenon, but this tale returns to the claustrophobia of the cosies – the killer is one of the family or a close associate.
However, as the book progresses, we’ll also be taken into the world of psychopathy … and Burley painting himself further into a corner. This book was published in 1971. The previous year Robert Hare had released “Psychopathy: theory and research” (and Hare would go on, in 1980, to produce the Hare Checklist widely used to ‘diagnose’ psychopaths). Burley clearly picked up on this.
However, use of the term ‘psychopath’ is problematic – the medical and legal professions are very wary of its use, Hare has been subject of controversy and criticism, but his checklist is widely used, he remains the darling of police forces … and is used by fiction writers and film makers as if this was a universally established and recognised condition.
(There are PhD’s and professorships awaiting anyone who can document the role of fiction writing and film making in creating role models and career paths for would-be psychopaths or serial killers – they’ve certainly opened up options for anyone seeking celebrity status.)
There are passages in this book where we see Wycliffe as cantankerous and, well, menopausal … enduring a midlife crisis which is almost organic. Burley keeps reminding us that Wycliffe is a socialist – he’s not a great respecter of rank and wealth, he does treat the poorest people with respect and dignity … and yet he can be abrupt and demanding of junior ranks.
A growing trend in 1970s crime fiction – the role of the pathologist and forensic science in evaluating evidence (cause of death, time of death, blood and hair evidence, etc.). We’ve come a long way from fingerprints.
And yet so much of the story hinges on the mind of the detective – the Holmes like forensic analysis of evidence … sifting the language people use, noting facial movements, etc.
I’m not sure how the character of Wycliffe emerges from this tale, or in this tale. The ending is predictable … it’s a bit too neat in the way it leaves loose ends flapping. My professional interest / background in social science and psychology demands a more thorough investigation, a more professional, academic interpretation – the writer in me screams that the story hasn’t really been thought through.
Disappointed.
However, as the book progresses, we’ll also be taken into the world of psychopathy … and Burley painting himself further into a corner. This book was published in 1971. The previous year Robert Hare had released “Psychopathy: theory and research” (and Hare would go on, in 1980, to produce the Hare Checklist widely used to ‘diagnose’ psychopaths). Burley clearly picked up on this.
However, use of the term ‘psychopath’ is problematic – the medical and legal professions are very wary of its use, Hare has been subject of controversy and criticism, but his checklist is widely used, he remains the darling of police forces … and is used by fiction writers and film makers as if this was a universally established and recognised condition.
(There are PhD’s and professorships awaiting anyone who can document the role of fiction writing and film making in creating role models and career paths for would-be psychopaths or serial killers – they’ve certainly opened up options for anyone seeking celebrity status.)
There are passages in this book where we see Wycliffe as cantankerous and, well, menopausal … enduring a midlife crisis which is almost organic. Burley keeps reminding us that Wycliffe is a socialist – he’s not a great respecter of rank and wealth, he does treat the poorest people with respect and dignity … and yet he can be abrupt and demanding of junior ranks.
A growing trend in 1970s crime fiction – the role of the pathologist and forensic science in evaluating evidence (cause of death, time of death, blood and hair evidence, etc.). We’ve come a long way from fingerprints.
And yet so much of the story hinges on the mind of the detective – the Holmes like forensic analysis of evidence … sifting the language people use, noting facial movements, etc.
I’m not sure how the character of Wycliffe emerges from this tale, or in this tale. The ending is predictable … it’s a bit too neat in the way it leaves loose ends flapping. My professional interest / background in social science and psychology demands a more thorough investigation, a more professional, academic interpretation – the writer in me screams that the story hasn’t really been thought through.
Disappointed.
September 30, 2020
Because I like to read my book series in order (character development, changes in their life etc. etc.) it's been a while since I last read a Wycliffe as I couldn't get hold of The Guilt Edged Alibi. Anyway, finally locating it I settled down to get back into the character made famous on TV by Jack Shepherd.
The book starts with the finding of the dead body of well-to-do Carolyn Bryce, wife of the oldest of three brothers, part-owner of a large local business empire and half sister to the local MP.
Not wanting to give anything away, suspicion immediately falls on the all of the brothers in one form or another as all of their lives are still completely inter-linked and not just through the family business. Wycliffe is sent off to stay in the local village to carry out his investigation whilst being under strict instructions to tread lightly due to the potential political problems.
There are many skeletons in the cupboard of the dead woman, her husband, his brothers, the live-in housekeeper (also a cousin of her husband) and her daughter, none of whom seem particularly fond of her even now that she is dead.
The investigation progresses with the usual lack of support and divulsion of the facts from the family. Along the way there is another murder which Wycliffe and his team are convinced is linked to that of Mrs Bryce.
It's an easy read, with some good twists and turns and I must admit I was pleased with myself as I correctly guessed the culprit! Definitely a nice way to pass a rainy day. A recommended read.
The book starts with the finding of the dead body of well-to-do Carolyn Bryce, wife of the oldest of three brothers, part-owner of a large local business empire and half sister to the local MP.
Not wanting to give anything away, suspicion immediately falls on the all of the brothers in one form or another as all of their lives are still completely inter-linked and not just through the family business. Wycliffe is sent off to stay in the local village to carry out his investigation whilst being under strict instructions to tread lightly due to the potential political problems.
There are many skeletons in the cupboard of the dead woman, her husband, his brothers, the live-in housekeeper (also a cousin of her husband) and her daughter, none of whom seem particularly fond of her even now that she is dead.
The investigation progresses with the usual lack of support and divulsion of the facts from the family. Along the way there is another murder which Wycliffe and his team are convinced is linked to that of Mrs Bryce.
It's an easy read, with some good twists and turns and I must admit I was pleased with myself as I correctly guessed the culprit! Definitely a nice way to pass a rainy day. A recommended read.
April 5, 2025
🍷
Third in the series, third I’ve read, and I have to say these books are a terrific recent discovery. Police procedurals, but largely frameworks for philosophically bent Wycliffe and his interior monologues about life, the universe, and everything…not everyone’s cup of tea surely, but they suit me just fine. They’re just written long ago enough (~50 years or so) not to be influenced by much that seems to dominate our modern world, and as a certified old geezer, that’s even finer!
Here, the little villages of East Treen and West Treen, divided by the River Treen of course, see the murder of a local “somebody,” at least in what passes for high society there, and that of course raises the ante, thus the call to Detective Superintendent Wycliife of the Area CID. His arrival doesn’t fill the locals with joy, as he seems a private and contrary police official to what the locals expected. But he does get results odd as his methods are, and here too he conducts a quirky investigation and once again he gets the case figured out. Excellent read.
Third in the series, third I’ve read, and I have to say these books are a terrific recent discovery. Police procedurals, but largely frameworks for philosophically bent Wycliffe and his interior monologues about life, the universe, and everything…not everyone’s cup of tea surely, but they suit me just fine. They’re just written long ago enough (~50 years or so) not to be influenced by much that seems to dominate our modern world, and as a certified old geezer, that’s even finer!
Here, the little villages of East Treen and West Treen, divided by the River Treen of course, see the murder of a local “somebody,” at least in what passes for high society there, and that of course raises the ante, thus the call to Detective Superintendent Wycliife of the Area CID. His arrival doesn’t fill the locals with joy, as he seems a private and contrary police official to what the locals expected. But he does get results odd as his methods are, and here too he conducts a quirky investigation and once again he gets the case figured out. Excellent read.
December 17, 2020
A decent read - this is one of the earlier books. Some of the later Wycliffe books are more interesting compared to Burley’s earlier ones.
This one has Wycliffe growling and snapping at almost everyone and looking out of windows most of the time. The Cornwall descriptions are quite good and you can visualize it before your eyes.
However, I was surprised that in one of the chapters Wycliffe thinks that “women are fundamentally amoral”. Whatever made him come to this conclusion? Burley would definitely have faced a lot of flak had he written such a sentence in recent times. Most of the Wycliffe books feature naked women in some form or the other, which shows the author's derogatory attitude to women.
This one has Wycliffe growling and snapping at almost everyone and looking out of windows most of the time. The Cornwall descriptions are quite good and you can visualize it before your eyes.
However, I was surprised that in one of the chapters Wycliffe thinks that “women are fundamentally amoral”. Whatever made him come to this conclusion? Burley would definitely have faced a lot of flak had he written such a sentence in recent times. Most of the Wycliffe books feature naked women in some form or the other, which shows the author's derogatory attitude to women.
June 21, 2021
Burley started to get better with his writing the more he did it. It bothers me though that so far all his victims have been women. He just favours manipulative women and I find that irritating. Not that men are entirely innocent but there's more emphasis on one than the other.
July 7, 2021
As you would expect, a little dated, but a good who dunnit, although the perpitrator appeared rather obvious, but the reasoning behind the murders who far from clear until the end. the last 2 chapters were excellent.
December 23, 2024
Brilliant
Just as good as the TV series. Very gripping. I was unable to put the book down, which is the sign of a good author! It kept me in suspense from the start. I am very much looking forward to reading the other Wycliffe books.
Just as good as the TV series. Very gripping. I was unable to put the book down, which is the sign of a good author! It kept me in suspense from the start. I am very much looking forward to reading the other Wycliffe books.
March 20, 2018
Certainly a very old series, this one originally written in the 1970s I think. Good storyline and I enjoyed the read without all the latest technology in crime series.
Read
November 9, 2019Delightful read in a cosy way, a feeling of slight frustration at Wycliffes slow pace but it now has become definite that this his just his way so relax and enjoy it all come together
June 29, 2020
Loved it. Nice easy read, love the plot, the characters! I have no criticism!
May 28, 2021
Good plot, although the reader is not guided to the solution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2021
Dreadful in almost every respect but I do an excellent Jack Shepherd impression and enjoy trying this out.
October 8, 2021
Very dated and slow.
August 16, 2023
A good read, but very of it’s time (1970s). Well written and a great story, but a bit predictable.
January 15, 2025
intrigued with the characters; full of tension
March 18, 2015
Wycliffe and the Guilt Edged Alibi, by W.J. Burley, opens with the discovery of the body of the much younger wife of a prominent Cornish man, son of a dynastic business empire. It takes no time at all to determine that she was murdered, and given the prominence of the family and the fact that she was also the half-sister of a nationally known politician, it is not surprising that Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is called upon to investigate. As he interviews witnesses and tracks down clues, Wycliffe soon finds that there are very few people who can be ruled out as a suspect, and he is running out of time to identify the culprit.... This is one of a series of British detective novels written in the 1960s and 1970s, some of which became the basis for a television series in that country. I like Wycliffe: he is a complex, self-doubting and sometimes brooding character; and I like the Cornish settings of the tales, along with the quite well-drawn characters of the various villagers and others in any given story. I don't much like the near-continuous, very casual sexism in these books (and I suspect they avoid racism only because they're primarily set in a time and place that was populated almost completely by Caucasians), but I am also aware that they are of their times, and in 1971, when this book was published, such attitudes toward and treatment of women in fiction mirrored that of life. I'm glad I live in more enlightened times, and that I am able to place these books in context, thus to at least reduce my indignation. Oh, and the characters all smoke, too. Constantly. If you can stand such things, however, these books are quite entertaining, and so deserve a mild recommendation from me.
July 19, 2021
Although I was sure I had not read this one before at times I thought it seemed familiar. So either I had read it previously or this was one of the handful of novels adapted during the first season on the television series. Of course it is also possible I have read or seen something similar at one time. Whichever the case this is a good one. I had no idea who the murderer was until near the end, and even then I wasn’t sure until Wycliffe explained it all. The cast was interesting. We have a very good motive for the murder and a couple of likely suspects. The final clue is literally staring at us in the face but is so subtle it can be missed. All in all a good one, and much better the the first two in the series.
November 3, 2014
This is the second Wycliffe mystery I've read in Oct/ Nov and once again I've enjoyed very much. I like Burley's writing style. Wycliffe is a diffident copper, one who isn't easy to really like or put a finger on. He has a lazyish style of investigating, preferring to wander about on his own and let the information he accumulates formulate a conclusion. He is distant from the people he works with, often sharp with them but at the same time his number two, Inspector Gill seems to like him and respect him. The story was very interesting, the people interesting as well and I was ultimately satisfied with the result. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Wycliffe mysteries.
February 26, 2009
I had lsited this on my paperbackswap trade list and there it had moldered-until yesterday. When i pulled it out to mail I realized I hadn't read it-so did so before posting it away. I like Wycliffe-I will search out more.
December 31, 2013
Good series.
June 16, 2016
Even more morosely than ever Wycliffe walks the Cornish landscape this time in the estuary town of Treen solving the murder of a politicians sister
September 9, 2008
Another episode in the Wycliffe mysteries. A good mystery with a bit of a surprise twist.
May 1, 2017
One of a series of a police procedural known to me previously only through repeats of an old TV series. These books were reissued in the last decade or so, but the original date of this particular novel was actually 1971 so the lack of mobile phones and other modern technology - the police are typing up all their reports on typewriters, for example - might throw some readers. I wasn't too confused by that as I knew the repeated series had been made around the 1980s. The old date accounts for certain attitudes towards women, and for a nickname given to one character in his boyhood which involves an insulting term that certainly would not be allowed now; slightly odd that the publisher didn't adjust it as the nickname is used only once and in itself is not an important plot point.
The novel is fairly well written and moderately interesting, and is quite a short book printed with large font so a quick read, but I realised 'whodunnit' about half way through. There were some red herrings, mainly around the culprit's motive, in an attempt to throw the reader off, but on the next to last page, the protagonist Wycliffe states exactly the motive I had identified halfway through. So, nice to get it right, but usually crime novels come as a surprise at the end and this didn't. I don't think therefore I will bother with any more of these.
The novel is fairly well written and moderately interesting, and is quite a short book printed with large font so a quick read, but I realised 'whodunnit' about half way through. There were some red herrings, mainly around the culprit's motive, in an attempt to throw the reader off, but on the next to last page, the protagonist Wycliffe states exactly the motive I had identified halfway through. So, nice to get it right, but usually crime novels come as a surprise at the end and this didn't. I don't think therefore I will bother with any more of these.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews