Adverse Report

Keith Calder #12

by Gerald Hammond

In Adverse Report , Hammond adds a new twist to the seriesThis time, the story is told by a bemused Londoner who meets Calder, and a host of other local characters, when they all become embroiled in a Highland whodunit.When Englishman Simon Parbitter journeys to Scotland to view a piece of property he has inherited from a recently deceased relative, he learns that the “shooting accident” that killed his uncle may not have been quite so accidental.Picking up the unpleasant scent of murder, Parbitter turns to Keith Calder for help in investigating the incident; but when Calder himself is injured in another such mishap, he and Parbitter are forced to throw themselves into a full-fledged hunt for the killer.What follows is a taut, complex mystery, a true test of Keith Calder’s mental resources.“Gerald Hammond’s series about gunsmith Keith Calder is rewarding indeed.” - Ellery Queen’s Mystery MagazineBorn in 1926, Gerald Hammond lived in Scotland, where he retired from his profession as an architect in 1982 to pursue his love of shooting and fishing and to write full time. After his first novel, Fred in Situ , was published in 1965, Gerald became a prolific author with over 70 published novels. Most of his novels were published under his own name, but he also wrote under the pseudonyms Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden.

Genres: Mystery

172 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1989

About the author

Gerald Hammond, (Gerald Arthur Douglas Hammond) son of Frederick Arthur Lucas (a physician) and Maria Birnie (a nursing sister) Hammond; married Gilda Isobel Watt (a nurse), August 20, 1952; children: Peter, David, Steven. Education: Aberdeen School of Architecture, Dip. Arch., 1952. He served in the British Army, 1944-45. Although born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, he worked in and retired to the country he most loved, Scotland.

He also writes under the names of Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden. He was an architect for thirty years before retiring to write novels full-time in 1982. He has written over 50 novels since the late 1960s.

His novels center around guns, shooting, hunting, fishing, and dog training.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

In book 12 of the Keith Calder mysteries, writer Simon Parbitter joins the cast. His Uncle George has been killed in what authorities are content to call a shooting accident. Simon inherits Tansey House, a small, stone 19th century farm house, and 50 some acres. London being in the grip of a nasty heatwave, Simon decides to stay for awhile. He is also interested in Keith Calder's idea that the death of Uncle George did not occur as authorities have lad it out. And off we go!

The investigation into Uncle George's death eventually merges with an investigation Keith conducts as a favor to Police Superintendent Munro. This novel has great character development of both good guys and bad guys, interesting background and historical information, a look at rural Scottish life, a fine plot and an exciting ending.

[Mrs. Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adverse Report

Enter a new character, and one who fits in well from the very beginning. Also enter a new dog, Boss, guaranteed to be a star turn in the future.

[George Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

very enjoyable

[Viva · Rating 3 out of 5]

As this series should be read from the beginning, I won't explain the setting or the characters. This is one of those mystery series where the setting and people count more than the mystery plot.

Spoilers ahead. The twist in the publisher's blurb is that in this book we see the story from Simon Parbitter's POV instead of Keith Calder (the erstwhile main protagonist). Parbitter is a mystery/historical author from London who inherited his uncle's 2nd home (Tansy House) on his death. Since he was in between books and relationships he decided to come up to take a look.

The first order of business was his uncle's (Hatton) death. At the inquest the authorities settled on misadventure (a black powder only shotgun blown up due to using modern nitro powder) as the cause of death. However, Calder who was called as a non-expert witness disputes this.

As Parbitter settles in at Tansy House for a short stay, more things happen. A sometime housekeeper is tied up while Tansy House was ransacked, someone tries to kill Calder as he investigates Hatton's death and Parbitter falls in love with his uncle's young housekeeper Alice.

He is also drawn into a second event. There has been a rash of home invasion burglaries in Edinburgh and during a police raid, one of the robbers (a woman) was shot to death by a policeman. Alice was drawn into the investigation when it's revealed she knew the woman in school and also possibly another one of the robbers from the same school.

The crux of the plot is that the proceeds of one of the robberies was hidden in Tansy House and the robbers were trying to find it but the death (killing) of Hatton is never adequately or reasonably explained. The whole plot seemed to be half a**ed put together and only the things which make this series good saved this book from getting a 1 star. At this point I'm wondering why I liked this series enough to buy the whole set from England. Hammond actually does mention in the book: "real life crime stories which might never sell a million but which would do well in the libraries".

[Susan Mccaig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super plots great characters .I love Keith

One of the best set of crime novels .excellent plots and wonderful grasp of crimes and clues .I'm going to read them all .I'm only at book 12 . Bring them in .😊😊

[RYAN · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry but I got excited about this book, which is unusual because I usually love reading mysteries from English and Scottish authors, but I just couldn’t get in to this book.