What do you think?
Rate this book
Trevor Lowe #2
The Hangman
The newspaper headlines screamed: ANOTHER HANGING MURDER AT HILL GREEN SECOND CRIME IN TWO DAYS. WHO IS THE HANGMAN?
Death is stalking through the residential district of Hill Green, and within two days has carried off two prominent members of the community. The first was a man found hanging from a lamp-post; the second a young woman found hanging from the cross-beam in the roof of a barn. When found, both corpses have a hand printed small card pinned to their clothing, bearing the same pencilled message: WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE HANGMAN.
The baffled local police call in Scotland Yard, and Detective-Inspector Shadgold soon realises that this is going to be one of his toughest cases...
Death is stalking through the residential district of Hill Green, and within two days has carried off two prominent members of the community. The first was a man found hanging from a lamp-post; the second a young woman found hanging from the cross-beam in the roof of a barn. When found, both corpses have a hand printed small card pinned to their clothing, bearing the same pencilled message: WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE HANGMAN.
The baffled local police call in Scotland Yard, and Detective-Inspector Shadgold soon realises that this is going to be one of his toughest cases...
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1934
9 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Verner
118 books22 followersGerald Verner is one of the pseudonyms used by John Robert Stuart Pringle, who was born in Streatham, London, on 31 January 1897.
In his early writing days he used the name Donald Stuart, under which name he wrote 44 stories for the Sexton Blake Library as well as six stories for Union Jack and three for the Thriller magazine. In addition he wrote two stage plays, 'Sexton Blake' and 'The Shadow', two films, 'The Man Outside' (1933) and 'The Shadow' (1933) under the Stuart name. Later a number of his books were adapted for radio serials, stage plays and films.
He became a hugely successful thriller writer, producing more than 120 novels that were translated in 35 languages. The Duke of Windsor was a big Verner fan and at one time he was presented with 15 volumes specially bound.
Heavily influenced by Edgar Wallace, he wrote extensively for magazines such as Detective Weekly, the Sexton Blake Library, Union Jack and The Thriller. He also adapted Peter Cheyney's 'Meet Mr Callaghan' and Agatha Christie's 'Towards Zero' for the stage.
He also used the pseudonyms Thane Leslie, Derwent Steele and Nigel Vane.
He died at Broadstairs, Kent, of natural causes on 16 September 1980.
Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2013
In his early writing days he used the name Donald Stuart, under which name he wrote 44 stories for the Sexton Blake Library as well as six stories for Union Jack and three for the Thriller magazine. In addition he wrote two stage plays, 'Sexton Blake' and 'The Shadow', two films, 'The Man Outside' (1933) and 'The Shadow' (1933) under the Stuart name. Later a number of his books were adapted for radio serials, stage plays and films.
He became a hugely successful thriller writer, producing more than 120 novels that were translated in 35 languages. The Duke of Windsor was a big Verner fan and at one time he was presented with 15 volumes specially bound.
Heavily influenced by Edgar Wallace, he wrote extensively for magazines such as Detective Weekly, the Sexton Blake Library, Union Jack and The Thriller. He also adapted Peter Cheyney's 'Meet Mr Callaghan' and Agatha Christie's 'Towards Zero' for the stage.
He also used the pseudonyms Thane Leslie, Derwent Steele and Nigel Vane.
He died at Broadstairs, Kent, of natural causes on 16 September 1980.
Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2013
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 11, 2018
This is a great old fashioned murder mystery set in a the quiet little village of Hill Green, a newly expanded area where old and new residents don't completely trust each other. This is made all the worse by a very public hanging as first one body and then another turns up in quick succession, one hanging from a lamp post and the other hanging in a barn. These trigger the arrival of Detective Inspector Shadgold from Scotland Yard and an almost impossible case to solve. Obviously this is written in a more traditional manner, with the style and language used creating a cozy mystery feel far removed from the more graphic approach taken today, a style I do very much enjoy I must say. The mystery itself is superb and has plenty of twists and turns keeping you guessing until the very end, although you do know that one suspect is too obvious a choice but then your attention is turned to others before the real culprit jumps out of the shadows on the left.
June 20, 2019
This, the second in the author's series featuring dramatist Trevor Lowe, is better than many of the Robert Budd mysteries I have read.
Lowe is nowhere near as irritating as that most famous of writer-sleuths, Paul Temple, and is a good foil to the stolid DI Shadgold. The setting in a 1930s garden suburb is well-done.
The plot, with three murders, attempted murder and abduction, is neatly-contrived, and the culprit difficult to pin until very late on.
Very easy-to-read and enjoyable.
3.5 stars.
Lowe is nowhere near as irritating as that most famous of writer-sleuths, Paul Temple, and is a good foil to the stolid DI Shadgold. The setting in a 1930s garden suburb is well-done.
The plot, with three murders, attempted murder and abduction, is neatly-contrived, and the culprit difficult to pin until very late on.
Very easy-to-read and enjoyable.
3.5 stars.
September 5, 2019
Soon two residents of Hill Green will be dead but what could possible connect them. The local police request the assistance of Scotland Yard. There D.I. Shadgold asks that his friend Trevor Lowe, dramatist and solver of crimes, join him.
An interesting mystery, originally written in 1934
An interesting mystery, originally written in 1934
February 22, 2025
This mystery relied too heavily on coincidence to be fully satisfying, but was still generally interesting and entertaining.
Want to Read
June 9, 2025RK KINDLE
Trevor Lowe #1-11
The Complete Trevor Lowe Series
Gerald Verner
Trevor Lowe #1-11
The Complete Trevor Lowe Series
Gerald Verner
December 12, 2024
My review for this one is exactly the same as the previous one.
Although quite readable in its way, this book has major faults. Firstly, the old chestnut that Scotland Yard would never allow an amateur to run the investigation. In this one the Yard man, Inspector Shadgold did virtually nothing but run around after Trevor Lowe, hanging on his every word. Secondly, all the provincial police are all dimwitted morons. Thirdly, the villain always kills the victims immediately unless it happens to be Trevor Lowe who is tied up to be disposed of later and always manages to escape somehow.
They are nicely written, however.
I quite enjoyed the Superintendent Budd series by this author but fear these are not going to be as good.
Although quite readable in its way, this book has major faults. Firstly, the old chestnut that Scotland Yard would never allow an amateur to run the investigation. In this one the Yard man, Inspector Shadgold did virtually nothing but run around after Trevor Lowe, hanging on his every word. Secondly, all the provincial police are all dimwitted morons. Thirdly, the villain always kills the victims immediately unless it happens to be Trevor Lowe who is tied up to be disposed of later and always manages to escape somehow.
They are nicely written, however.
I quite enjoyed the Superintendent Budd series by this author but fear these are not going to be as good.
April 12, 2025
I enjoyed this book even though it became a trifle obvious. There is one rather annoying bit when two of the locals decide to try to solve the murders themselves. Queue the young lady finding a clue and confronting the person it points to and getting kidnapped! Still well worth a read though, especially on a wet afternoon.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews