The Gimmel Flask

Masters and Green #9

by Douglas Clark

The senior partner in the firm of Hardy, Williams and Lamont, auctioneers and estate agents in a quiet East Anglian town, dies soon after lunch one Sunday. The autopsy reveals poison as the cause of death, but the poison in question is a now virtually unobtainable substance called croton oil. The police send out a general call. Every pharmacy in the country is visited; not one of them stocks croton oil. Nor does any drug wholesaler, or any hospital dispensary. The extraordinary thing about croton oil is that in the 19th century, before its deadly properties were fully realised, it was—in diluted form—in regular use as a purge, for humans and animals. The oil, obtained heaven knows where, was apparently slipped to the unfortunate Hardy in his salad oil bottle—he liked to mix his own dressing at table—and now the bottle has stolen, presumably, by the murderer, who hasn’t left a clue. In some despair, the local police call in the Yard, and soon we have the subtle Superintendent Masters and the aggressive Inspector Green on the Douglas Clark’s regular team, and we are launched upon another of his fascinating medical whodunits. Douglas Clark was born in Lincolnshire, 1919. He wrote over 20 crime novels and under other names, including James Ditton and Peter Hosier.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Procedural

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Douglas Malcolm Jackson Clark was a British author.

He was also known by the pseudonyms James Ditton and Peter Hosier.

Reviews

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the senior partner of Hardy, Williams and Lamont--auctioneers and estate agents in a small Anglian town, is poisoned with a rare, virtually unobtainable poison that goes by the name of croton oil, the local police have quite a mystery on their hands. Somebody who knew Fred Hardy's habit of mixing his own oil and vinegar salad dressing at table substituted the oily poison for harmless kitchen oil. And then made a second trip to his house to retrieve the suspect container...and old-fashioned, two-necked bottle called a gimmel flask.

Superintendent Masters and Inspector Green are sent by the Yard to help out the local police force who have hunted high and low, but found no source for the poison and have about the same success coming up with motives for the auctioneer's murder. At one time in the 19th Century, the oil was used in diluted form as a purge for humans and animals, but it has long since been removed from pharmacies as too dangerous even when diluted. It's up to the team from the Yard to not only discover who wanted Hardy dead, but also the source of such a hard-to-get means of dispatch.

This is the ninth entry in the Masters and Green series and it is, I believe, the very first one I ever read (long before blogging). The men have finally reached the point where they can work together without getting on one another's nerves (well...mostly). They've begun to realize that their differences are part of what makes their team so successful. It also seems that their initial antagonism served to spur each of them to try and outdo the other--in a way that was productive for the team's detective work. Masters has even deliberately requested Green stay on and recommended him for an upgrade in rank.


The interesting murder method and the way the team works together is what hooked me on this series initially and I find myself enjoying it even more in this reread--especially after seeing the incredible antagonism between Masters and Green in the early installments. We learn quite a bit about the ins and outs of the auction room and how regular bidders operate. There is an added complication of an auction "ring"--a group of professionals (antique dealers and the like) who manage a system that allows them to buy cheap and edge out competition, The team from the Yard must determine whether the sharp dealings of the ring had anything to do with Hardy's murder. It all makes for an intricate investigation and, of course, Masters and company navigate the complexities to arrive at the solution in record time. ★★★★ and 1/2, rounded up here.

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

[Chris Wackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a joy to read a good old fashioned murder mystery !!! Written in 1977 when policemen still went to the pub , smoked and there were no mobile phones , internet or sadistic serial killers !!
So nice to have an interesting read where the cast were more philosophers than investigators .
Odd too that I don't recall this author when in those days I devoured crime fiction like this .
And a whole back catalogue to dip into whenever !!! Nice 😁

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was near the top of my stack of books and I thought it would be a quick read. I finished it only to find out who did it. Sometimes I did not like the main police characters - they easily got short tempered when people asked a simple question. I did a lot of skimming to get through it.

[Doug Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

The senior partner in a firm of auctioneers and real estate agents is killed with croton oil, a poison widely used as a purgative in the nineteenth century but now unheard of and rarely found. The poison was delivered in an unusual vessel, the gimmel flask of the title. The case seems well suited to the talents of the Scotland Yard team of Superintendent George Masters and (newly promoted) DCI Bill Green.

Masters and Green quickly learn that the auctioneers have been guilty of some shady dealing, an indication that multiple people may have had a motive for the murder. But who had the means and opportunity? This mystery includes lots of fascinating details about medicines of long ago and the antique business.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Limpid. Hardy, a partner in the local auctioneers and a town councillor is murdered. Poisoned by croton oil via his use of a gimmel flask. Superintendent Masters and his team are sent to investigate and also happen to uncover cases of corruption.
An entertaining mystery
Originally published in 1977

[Michele M Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine British Village Intrigue

I am charmed by Mr Clark's style of writing. It's the best in my opinion. Sublime, witty and while descriptive not verbose. George Masters is the "ideal" thinking detective , quite a bit like Sherlock. Love, love, love these books!!!!

[P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bad tempered and less that clever DI Green, now dubbed Greeny for rehabilitation purposes, is still part of the crew, managing to be less obnoxious, even if his clever comments are often beside the point. Best offer = a good enough read.

[Richard Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice low key murder

It’s a very enjoyable and interesting book. There’s a good deal about the wicked ways of antique dealers, estate agents and auctioneers. The police are intelligent and witty. The murdered man got what he deserved as did his murderer. The setting is in the east of England and it’s well described
.

[Mrs. A.A. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antiques, Murder and Fraud

An interesting. Detective story with details about antiques and auction procedures. A murder occurs and fraudulent activities discovered. Written with knowledge, detail and wit. An enjoyable read.

[John Sargent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting plot

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable 'cosy' crime novel - no blood and gore, which makes a pleasant change. The novel was written in the 1970s, when such visceral police procedurals were less common.

[Barry Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Another difficult case for Detective Chief Superintendent Masters and his team of Chief Inspector Green, Detective Sergeant Reed and Detective Constable Berger. This time they have to investigate the suspicious death of a Solicitor. The local police suspect poison as the flask that he mixes salad oil and vinegar has gone missing, this is confirmed by the Pathologist. Masters and his team have a lot of work to do to unmask the killer.

[Cynthia Grove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adequate, a bit disappointing; this is not one of the better books about Masters and Green. The first few chapters I found hard to cope with re writing style. As the Yard team entered the story it did improve but lacked the cohesiveness and succinctness of others in the series. It was enjoyable to see the entrance of Berger to the team.
The information about antiques was interesting and I enjoyed the character of Benson.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these Masters and Green police procedurals. Clever and not sentimental, but good solid teamwork that develops (over the series of books) between not only two decent English policemen but their wives and families. Unfortunately, out of print. If you see one in a used-book store, pick it up and give it a try.

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy the characters and the plot just seemed to wane until it was boring.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A leisurely paced police procedural. The murder and investigation take place over just a few days but nothing about it feels rushed.