What do you think?
Rate this book
Chief Inspector Littlejohn #9
He'd Rather Be Dead
I could go on like this for ever, but Nemesis, in the form of one Littlejohn, is almost on the doorstep.
The mayor of Westcome, Sir Gideon Ware, has a speciality for painting a target on his own back. Most recently, he has gained numerous enemies for transforming the quaint harbour town into a sprawling, manmade boardwalk through a series of bribes, blackmail, and backhand deals.
So when Sir Gideon Ware dies at his annual luncheon, it’s no surprise that foul play is suspected.
Inspector Littlejohn is brought in to investigate the murder, but with so many motives to sort through, the suspect list is endless. And with the Chief Constable covering up critical clues at every turn, Littlejohn is left on his own to get to the bottom of Ware’s murder.
But when a second body is found, Littlejohn’s investigation gets put on a fatal timer.
The mayor of Westcome, Sir Gideon Ware, has a speciality for painting a target on his own back. Most recently, he has gained numerous enemies for transforming the quaint harbour town into a sprawling, manmade boardwalk through a series of bribes, blackmail, and backhand deals.
So when Sir Gideon Ware dies at his annual luncheon, it’s no surprise that foul play is suspected.
Inspector Littlejohn is brought in to investigate the murder, but with so many motives to sort through, the suspect list is endless. And with the Chief Constable covering up critical clues at every turn, Littlejohn is left on his own to get to the bottom of Ware’s murder.
But when a second body is found, Littlejohn’s investigation gets put on a fatal timer.
246 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1945
237 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
George Bellairs
73 books101 followersAKA 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
July 1, 2025
Three and a half stars would have been about right for this one. An ingenious story with a good amount of detection, plenty of clues with a few red herrings thrown in.
While it has Bellairs's usual excellent prose and powers of description, it lacked, I felt, the witty characterisations of the main participants which I usually expect from him. ( Upon re-reading I was wrong about this. There are many witty descriptions and on reflection I have upped my rating to four stars)
If, like me, you like police procedurals, then Bellairs can be relied upon to give you a good one. He was pretty prolific and I now have over 40 of his books in my collection and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed the vast majority of them.
While it has Bellairs's usual excellent prose and powers of description, it lacked, I felt, the witty characterisations of the main participants which I usually expect from him. ( Upon re-reading I was wrong about this. There are many witty descriptions and on reflection I have upped my rating to four stars)
If, like me, you like police procedurals, then Bellairs can be relied upon to give you a good one. He was pretty prolific and I now have over 40 of his books in my collection and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed the vast majority of them.
February 16, 2022
Sir Gideon Ware has a positive talent for ticking people off. Several years ago, he settled in Westcombe and as soon as he did he set about turning the little town on its ear. He changed the quaint little seaside town into a huge, bustling boardwalk with sideshows and Coney Island-style rides and dance bands. There are tourists everywhere, up till all hours, carousing and carrying on. He gets his way through a combination of bribes, blackmail, and under-the-table deals. And then, somehow, he manages to get elected mayor. He then adds shaking up the town's social sphere to his agenda--appointing men to positions they shouldn't hold and ousting men who have long held other positions.
Per tradition, the town leaders welcomed him to office with a dinner in November and now, in August, it's his turn to provide a lavish dinner in return. He plans on having a grand time watching the fun from his seat of honor. He's deliberately seated bitter enemies next to one another in an effort to add a little spice to the dinner. He rises from his seat to offer a toast to his guests and promptly falls down dead--apparently from poison. The Chief Constable, knowing that Ware had shoehorned him into the position and that some might look askance at him investigating this particular murder, decides immediately to call in Scotland Yard. And so we have Inspector Tom Littlejohn on the job. The Chief Constable is little help, but Detective-Inspector Hazard prove invaluable in providing background and assisting with the legwork and soon Littlejohn is well on his way to finding out who shoved the Mayor out of office--permanently.
Maybe I'm becoming a little jaded, but this is the second vintage mystery in a row that I've read where I just don't feel like suspicion is spread around convincingly. I mean here we have Ware killed off at a dinner where he's surrounded by all sorts of people who have had run-ins of one sort or another with the man and Bellairs immediately narrows the field drastically when he reveals the basic method by which the poison was introduced. And, the way things are revealed, it immediately became obvious to me who the culprit was. It didn't help that I have a vague recollection of a similar murder. Not quite the exact method--but close enough that when the culprit appeared on scene I said to myself: They did it--and I bet they . Well, they didn't exactly do that but I was in the ballpark and when we're told the basic method, then I knew I was right about the culprit. The other slightly annoying thing is that the culprit leaves a journal written in a rambling, slightly florid style that basically tells us everything we already knew. The few bits that were new weren't amazing enough to require us to read through those journal excerpts.
The thing that saves this story from a low rating is Bellairs' way with characters and description. Littlejohn is portrayed here at his most human--sympathizing with nearly all of the suspects because of their ill-treatment at the hands of the victim. He's even understanding of the Chief Constable's inability to provide the kind of support a man in his position should. And even though I was nearly certain I had spotted the killer early on, it was enjoyable to follow Littlejohn about and watch him work his way towards the solution.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
Per tradition, the town leaders welcomed him to office with a dinner in November and now, in August, it's his turn to provide a lavish dinner in return. He plans on having a grand time watching the fun from his seat of honor. He's deliberately seated bitter enemies next to one another in an effort to add a little spice to the dinner. He rises from his seat to offer a toast to his guests and promptly falls down dead--apparently from poison. The Chief Constable, knowing that Ware had shoehorned him into the position and that some might look askance at him investigating this particular murder, decides immediately to call in Scotland Yard. And so we have Inspector Tom Littlejohn on the job. The Chief Constable is little help, but Detective-Inspector Hazard prove invaluable in providing background and assisting with the legwork and soon Littlejohn is well on his way to finding out who shoved the Mayor out of office--permanently.
Maybe I'm becoming a little jaded, but this is the second vintage mystery in a row that I've read where I just don't feel like suspicion is spread around convincingly. I mean here we have Ware killed off at a dinner where he's surrounded by all sorts of people who have had run-ins of one sort or another with the man and Bellairs immediately narrows the field drastically when he reveals the basic method by which the poison was introduced. And, the way things are revealed, it immediately became obvious to me who the culprit was. It didn't help that I have a vague recollection of a similar murder. Not quite the exact method--but close enough that when the culprit appeared on scene I said to myself: They did it--and I bet they . Well, they didn't exactly do that but I was in the ballpark and when we're told the basic method, then I knew I was right about the culprit. The other slightly annoying thing is that the culprit leaves a journal written in a rambling, slightly florid style that basically tells us everything we already knew. The few bits that were new weren't amazing enough to require us to read through those journal excerpts.
The thing that saves this story from a low rating is Bellairs' way with characters and description. Littlejohn is portrayed here at his most human--sympathizing with nearly all of the suspects because of their ill-treatment at the hands of the victim. He's even understanding of the Chief Constable's inability to provide the kind of support a man in his position should. And even though I was nearly certain I had spotted the killer early on, it was enjoyable to follow Littlejohn about and watch him work his way towards the solution.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
April 26, 2022
You cannot go wrong with the Tom Littlejohn books this an early one from 1945 all though the war is on you won't think it. Starts with a huge banquet not something you can get in war years.
This fun murder and golf
This fun murder and golf
June 20, 2018
Despite the title, I’m pretty sure that Sir Gideon Ware, mayor of the seaside resort of Westcombe, would rather be very much alive. However, the social-climbing, abrasive Ware is just the sort who makes so many enemies that he’s begging to be murdered. And, of course, he is and at a banquet in front of dozens of witnesses.
Despite the familiar plot, readers will thoroughly enjoy Scotland Yard Superintendent Thomas Littlejohn and his methodical investigation of the case and author George Bellairs’ fresh approach to the plot. Those aspects, combined with several twists and turns, make the novel a real treat. Fans of the series will welcome seeing Detective-Sergeant Cromwell again, but newbies can easily pick this book and never be at a loss. Recommended.
Despite the familiar plot, readers will thoroughly enjoy Scotland Yard Superintendent Thomas Littlejohn and his methodical investigation of the case and author George Bellairs’ fresh approach to the plot. Those aspects, combined with several twists and turns, make the novel a real treat. Fans of the series will welcome seeing Detective-Sergeant Cromwell again, but newbies can easily pick this book and never be at a loss. Recommended.
January 23, 2021
He'd Rather Be Dead is another of George Bellairs' Inspector Littlejohn stories; I'm not reading them in any kind of order, just picking them up as I come across them or find them on Kindle Unlimited, and luckily that doesn't matter -- you can jump in anywhere. Littlejohn's character doesn't really change or develop: it's purely about the mystery he's investigating. In this case, it's the death of the local Mayor, who died at a banquet surrounded by potential enemies made due to his corruption and efforts to revitalise the town in a way the inhabitants see as vulgar.
As with The Case of the Famished Parson, which I read recently, a lot of the opening detail is a red herring: the events of the banquet are relatively unimportant, and Boumphrey -- who gets a decent introduction -- quickly fades into the background and even becomes rather a suspicious character.
I do enjoy that with George Bellairs' work, you can usually follow Littlejohn's reasoning. As the evidence comes to light, the reader gets to see it too. He's no Sherlock Holmes, all ego and long explanations of his own cleverness; he's decent and honest, and basically what an ideal policeman should be.
The kind of odd thing with this particular instalment was that it ended with several chapters of the killer's diary, which just went over information we already knew, in a rather florid style. It doesn't add much, and honestly... I'd skip it. Otherwise, an enjoyable enough mystery, with George Bellairs' usual qualities.
As with The Case of the Famished Parson, which I read recently, a lot of the opening detail is a red herring: the events of the banquet are relatively unimportant, and Boumphrey -- who gets a decent introduction -- quickly fades into the background and even becomes rather a suspicious character.
I do enjoy that with George Bellairs' work, you can usually follow Littlejohn's reasoning. As the evidence comes to light, the reader gets to see it too. He's no Sherlock Holmes, all ego and long explanations of his own cleverness; he's decent and honest, and basically what an ideal policeman should be.
The kind of odd thing with this particular instalment was that it ended with several chapters of the killer's diary, which just went over information we already knew, in a rather florid style. It doesn't add much, and honestly... I'd skip it. Otherwise, an enjoyable enough mystery, with George Bellairs' usual qualities.
November 9, 2017
Some nice prose, a few smile-inducing phrases, an intriguing mystery and detectives to whom the reader warms and trusts. The characters are reasonably well-delineated. The dossiers device comes close to cheating, but just passes muster. I take issue, however, with the long diary addendum. It is unnecessary and detracts from the narrative.
June 22, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
He'd Rather Be Dead is the 9th Inspector Littlejohn mystery by George Bellairs. Originally released in 1945, this reformat and rerelease by Agora is 245 pages and available in ebook format (earlier editions available in other formats). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is an engagingly written and well constructed golden age mystery. Full of well rendered characters, it proceeds from the murder of a universally loathed crass and mean spirited mayor at an official luncheon through the winnowing of a whole stable of potential murderers by Inspector Littlejohn. The dialogue, though admittedly a product of its time, is well written and urbane, lightly witty and humorous. Although I have enjoyed all the Littlejohn mysteries, this one does work quite well as a standalone, and it's not necessary to have read the other books.
It's really lovely to see these gems being dusted off and re-released to new generations of readers. Bellairs (Harold Blundell) was a gifted writer and a technical master of construction.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
He'd Rather Be Dead is the 9th Inspector Littlejohn mystery by George Bellairs. Originally released in 1945, this reformat and rerelease by Agora is 245 pages and available in ebook format (earlier editions available in other formats). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is an engagingly written and well constructed golden age mystery. Full of well rendered characters, it proceeds from the murder of a universally loathed crass and mean spirited mayor at an official luncheon through the winnowing of a whole stable of potential murderers by Inspector Littlejohn. The dialogue, though admittedly a product of its time, is well written and urbane, lightly witty and humorous. Although I have enjoyed all the Littlejohn mysteries, this one does work quite well as a standalone, and it's not necessary to have read the other books.
It's really lovely to see these gems being dusted off and re-released to new generations of readers. Bellairs (Harold Blundell) was a gifted writer and a technical master of construction.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
June 5, 2020
I have only read one other book by this author, and I had not previously stumbled onto the reason why a few of my blogging friends (Rekha @Book Decoder) to be particular were so fond of Bellairs. I think I finally found the attraction.
I have to begin with the fact that struck me the most, although it has nothing to do with the mystery itself. Almost all the major characters introduced to us, including the victim and the detective have so much about them said to us, that it makes them vividly human. This particular feature is extended to the perpetrator as well. In the regular detective mystery style, there is so much gossip floating around that the victim seems like an irredeemable person and everyone having a motive to commit the crime since they all have secrets. Towards the end of the narrative, however, there was so much included about the leading players that I chastised myself for completely sorting them all out into black or white positions.
After that extra-long description, I move on to the story. The mayor of a (not so) small seaside town dies abruptly in a party in his honour and dramatically too, considering his last words. The local constabulary decided to bring in outside help because of the nuances of the interpersonal relationships. Then Inspector Littlejohn comes onto the scene. The way the story unravels after his arrival, along with all the asides that translate into quite a humourous narrative was quite pleasing. Finally, I would not have guessed the culprit until the very end solely because we see the clues as and when the Inspector does and not a moment before. Overall this has me interested in tackling more of the author's works soon.
I have to begin with the fact that struck me the most, although it has nothing to do with the mystery itself. Almost all the major characters introduced to us, including the victim and the detective have so much about them said to us, that it makes them vividly human. This particular feature is extended to the perpetrator as well. In the regular detective mystery style, there is so much gossip floating around that the victim seems like an irredeemable person and everyone having a motive to commit the crime since they all have secrets. Towards the end of the narrative, however, there was so much included about the leading players that I chastised myself for completely sorting them all out into black or white positions.
After that extra-long description, I move on to the story. The mayor of a (not so) small seaside town dies abruptly in a party in his honour and dramatically too, considering his last words. The local constabulary decided to bring in outside help because of the nuances of the interpersonal relationships. Then Inspector Littlejohn comes onto the scene. The way the story unravels after his arrival, along with all the asides that translate into quite a humourous narrative was quite pleasing. Finally, I would not have guessed the culprit until the very end solely because we see the clues as and when the Inspector does and not a moment before. Overall this has me interested in tackling more of the author's works soon.
June 4, 2020
George Bellairs published,"He'd Rather Be Dead," in 1945. Readers learn more about Inspector Littlejohn's method of tracking down a murderer and his gentle persistence as he checks alibi's and past lives. The holiday town holds many, dark secrets and the Residents would rather Littlejohn not know of the graft and politics that endure. Bellairs always has a dab hand in describing the people and the background in his books. It is one of the things that makes reading him so enjoyable.
WWII in Europe is going on when this Mystery is written, so that makes it particularly interesting to me. I love the Carnival atmosphere and the sidekick the Inspector inherits in Inspector Harvester. The social imbalance is of interest because England was definitely based on a class system much sterner and stricter than ours. Bellairs makes great reading if you are interested in building the background, as well as the characters. I am... so, he has become one of my favorite Authors. Murder once started is hard to control though... will there be more?
My thanks to Netgalley and Agora Books
WWII in Europe is going on when this Mystery is written, so that makes it particularly interesting to me. I love the Carnival atmosphere and the sidekick the Inspector inherits in Inspector Harvester. The social imbalance is of interest because England was definitely based on a class system much sterner and stricter than ours. Bellairs makes great reading if you are interested in building the background, as well as the characters. I am... so, he has become one of my favorite Authors. Murder once started is hard to control though... will there be more?
My thanks to Netgalley and Agora Books
October 16, 2020
When I started reading this book I was really put off due to a few things:
1. Yet another police procedural
2. Number eight in a series of books
3. First published in 1945
I wrote it off before I even read the first page...
Well, I was very wrong and I eat my words! I really enjoyed this book, it was brilliant from start to finish regardless of it being book eight or so in the series.
The book follows Chief Inspector Littlejohn who is called on to assist in an investigation to find the murderer of the mayor in the lively seaside town of Westcombe. The major himself was an odious man who had enough suspects in his murder to make a Christmas episode of Eastenders look like a sedate teatime with your nan.
I liked the irreverent Littlejohn, he was smart and likeable. I found the author to craft the characters extremely well, they were all very human and even the "baddies" had many layers. There is a human side to just about everyone in this book and there is a whole load of heart in it.
I'm really surprised at how much I liked this book and I'm willing to give the whole series a go!
If you're looking for an old fashioned Sherlock Holmes type yarn, then this is the book for you.
A solid 3.75 out of 5.
**I recieved this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
1. Yet another police procedural
2. Number eight in a series of books
3. First published in 1945
I wrote it off before I even read the first page...
Well, I was very wrong and I eat my words! I really enjoyed this book, it was brilliant from start to finish regardless of it being book eight or so in the series.
The book follows Chief Inspector Littlejohn who is called on to assist in an investigation to find the murderer of the mayor in the lively seaside town of Westcombe. The major himself was an odious man who had enough suspects in his murder to make a Christmas episode of Eastenders look like a sedate teatime with your nan.
I liked the irreverent Littlejohn, he was smart and likeable. I found the author to craft the characters extremely well, they were all very human and even the "baddies" had many layers. There is a human side to just about everyone in this book and there is a whole load of heart in it.
I'm really surprised at how much I liked this book and I'm willing to give the whole series a go!
If you're looking for an old fashioned Sherlock Holmes type yarn, then this is the book for you.
A solid 3.75 out of 5.
**I recieved this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2021
Very good!
Currently reading
May 18, 2020Netgalley
pub date June 4, 2020
Agora Books
pub date June 4, 2020
Agora Books
June 9, 2020
This book was first published in 1945. It has now been reprinted by Agora Books and was released on 4th June 2020. It involves the series character Chief Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard.
Sir Gideon Ware, the mayor of the resort town Westcombe, is a self-made and ruthless person who has made several enemies who detest him. During an annual lunch given by him to the Corporation officials, in the middle of giving a speech, he collapses and falls dead. It is subsequently found that he died due to strychnine poisoning But how was the poison administered to him? The guests who partook of the same food and drinks were unaffected.
The Chief Constable is reluctant to personally investigate since the suspects are all big shots in the town. So he decides to call in Scotland Yard and Inspector Littlejohn is sent to investigate. Littlejohn is assisted by Detective Inspector Hazard of the local police. They carry out a thorough investigation including interviews of the several suspects and delving into their past and ultimately nab the culprit but not before a second murder .
The plot is quite good and intricate. It is well-clued. The characterisation is superb. But in my opinion, the book is spoiled by too high a word count with a lot of padding of unnecessary details. This slows down the pace and often make for dull reading. In fact, the last 3 chapters are totally unnecessary and only serve to increase the dullness. Hence I can’t rate it higher than 3.
Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for a free review copy.
Sir Gideon Ware, the mayor of the resort town Westcombe, is a self-made and ruthless person who has made several enemies who detest him. During an annual lunch given by him to the Corporation officials, in the middle of giving a speech, he collapses and falls dead. It is subsequently found that he died due to strychnine poisoning But how was the poison administered to him? The guests who partook of the same food and drinks were unaffected.
The Chief Constable is reluctant to personally investigate since the suspects are all big shots in the town. So he decides to call in Scotland Yard and Inspector Littlejohn is sent to investigate. Littlejohn is assisted by Detective Inspector Hazard of the local police. They carry out a thorough investigation including interviews of the several suspects and delving into their past and ultimately nab the culprit but not before a second murder .
The plot is quite good and intricate. It is well-clued. The characterisation is superb. But in my opinion, the book is spoiled by too high a word count with a lot of padding of unnecessary details. This slows down the pace and often make for dull reading. In fact, the last 3 chapters are totally unnecessary and only serve to increase the dullness. Hence I can’t rate it higher than 3.
Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for a free review copy.
June 6, 2020
From the British Golden Age of Crime.
This mystery is set in the early 1940's, in the holiday town of Westcombe. In which the mayor drops dead at his yearly town luncheon.
Chief Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is called to unravel the knots.
Well plotted mystery with nice twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.
It is always nice for me to revisit books that I have read in the past, and I enjoyed revisiting this one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Published by Agora Books.
Please visit my blog @ https://finalchapterreadersgroup.word... like and follow.
This mystery is set in the early 1940's, in the holiday town of Westcombe. In which the mayor drops dead at his yearly town luncheon.
Chief Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is called to unravel the knots.
Well plotted mystery with nice twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.
It is always nice for me to revisit books that I have read in the past, and I enjoyed revisiting this one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Published by Agora Books.
Please visit my blog @ https://finalchapterreadersgroup.word... like and follow.
April 21, 2021
A Bad Day for the Mayor
Westcombe, like Brighton or Bournemouth, is a holiday fairy land, a place where fun seekers and frolicking families head for a summer outing. Unlike the sister cities up and down the coast, Sir Gideon Ware, the current mayor, was the driving force behind its development into a holiday destination from its humble roots as a quiet fishing village. Ware the developer and builder fashioned this fairyland by pushing aside those who wanted to stop him, trampling on those who opposed him, and took advantage of those who actually built the town into Ware’s dream. A bombast, a narcissist, and, during the celebratory banquet to honor his mayoralty, a dead man. Surrounded by the leaders of the town, each of whom, for their own reasons, either could not abide the man or openly hared him, Ware was poisoned and taken off to hospital, a destination he never made. The only one to hear his final words was a priest who was in attendance at the banquet and accompanied the stricken Ware on his final journey.
With a surfeit of witnesses and suspects – both being the same – the Chief Constable, considering the high status of the individuals who attended the banquet, decided it would not be a career enhancing move, and so called on Scotland Yard to send an Inspector off to Westcombe, that inspector being Littlejohn.
Littlejohn’s first impression of the Chief Constable was less than underwhelming. Fortunately, Detective-Inspector Hazard of Westcombe was assigned by the Chief to serve as Littlejohn’s assistant in this investigation. Whilst Littlejohn was to tackle the town’s brass hats, the Constable would follow up with questioning the sub luminaries and lesser lights. As the investigation continues, another murder, one most distinctive, adds to Littlejohn and Hazard’s caseload.
Littlejohn’s associate Cromwell, back in London, is able to uncover several critical facts concerning one of the key suspects in the story. The association of Littlejohn, Hazard, and Cromwell delivers up the killer in an unusual ending to this story.
George Bellaire treats the written page as Claude Monet did the canvas – artful brushstrokes of words describing characters, capturing the environment, seizing the action on a dance floor or on the beach with color, movement, and an expressionist’s eye. In a few words, Bellaire draws the picture of a character with such insight and clarity, the mind’s eye attaches and feels as the author h ad in drawing the person.
This novel also has another dimension, a psychological one, that is the underpinning of the murderer’s reason for murder, written almost as a short story within the novel. An excellent book, and highly recommended!
Westcombe, like Brighton or Bournemouth, is a holiday fairy land, a place where fun seekers and frolicking families head for a summer outing. Unlike the sister cities up and down the coast, Sir Gideon Ware, the current mayor, was the driving force behind its development into a holiday destination from its humble roots as a quiet fishing village. Ware the developer and builder fashioned this fairyland by pushing aside those who wanted to stop him, trampling on those who opposed him, and took advantage of those who actually built the town into Ware’s dream. A bombast, a narcissist, and, during the celebratory banquet to honor his mayoralty, a dead man. Surrounded by the leaders of the town, each of whom, for their own reasons, either could not abide the man or openly hared him, Ware was poisoned and taken off to hospital, a destination he never made. The only one to hear his final words was a priest who was in attendance at the banquet and accompanied the stricken Ware on his final journey.
With a surfeit of witnesses and suspects – both being the same – the Chief Constable, considering the high status of the individuals who attended the banquet, decided it would not be a career enhancing move, and so called on Scotland Yard to send an Inspector off to Westcombe, that inspector being Littlejohn.
Littlejohn’s first impression of the Chief Constable was less than underwhelming. Fortunately, Detective-Inspector Hazard of Westcombe was assigned by the Chief to serve as Littlejohn’s assistant in this investigation. Whilst Littlejohn was to tackle the town’s brass hats, the Constable would follow up with questioning the sub luminaries and lesser lights. As the investigation continues, another murder, one most distinctive, adds to Littlejohn and Hazard’s caseload.
Littlejohn’s associate Cromwell, back in London, is able to uncover several critical facts concerning one of the key suspects in the story. The association of Littlejohn, Hazard, and Cromwell delivers up the killer in an unusual ending to this story.
George Bellaire treats the written page as Claude Monet did the canvas – artful brushstrokes of words describing characters, capturing the environment, seizing the action on a dance floor or on the beach with color, movement, and an expressionist’s eye. In a few words, Bellaire draws the picture of a character with such insight and clarity, the mind’s eye attaches and feels as the author h ad in drawing the person.
This novel also has another dimension, a psychological one, that is the underpinning of the murderer’s reason for murder, written almost as a short story within the novel. An excellent book, and highly recommended!
July 6, 2020
I’ve read and enjoyed a few Golden-Age mysteries by George Bellairs, featuring Inspector Littlejohn, and so I was happy to be offered an ARC of this title by the publisher/NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
As with the other books I’ve read in this series, I really enjoyed the setting, both time and place. In this case, the action actually occurs during World War II. For example, I liked Bellairs’ rather off-hand sympathy with the ordinary housewife, who has lost out to the staff of the Grand Hotel, who were up in the wee hours of the morning with cash in hand, and thus snagged (legally or not) rationed goods before she had a chance to. And casual references to things like black-out curtains and other wartime adaptations gave a feeling for a war-time life that was very different. The aura of a slightly seedy oceanside resort is also pretty familiar to me, especially when compared to a few trips to the Jersey shore that I’ve made during East Coast US visits.
I also liked Bellairs’ characters, most of whom seemed pretty recognizable, even decades later – the canon with a slimy “avuncular” manner towards pretty young girls, the dentist who botches a treatment, the offended Catholic priest, the socialist with Labour hopes, the anti-development guy in charge of the small town across the river, etc. And then of course, there is the victim himself – a brash and unlikable guy who skates on the edge of legality, or over it, with plenty of folks (see everyone above, and more) who dislike him. Although it’s not clear at first that anyone’s dislike should actually be intense enough to result in murder. But someone’s is…
All-in-all, I quite liked this book, and look forward to reading some of the other many Littlejohn titles available in ebook. Please note that for me, 4 stars out of 5 is a really good ranking, and means I really do recommend the book. I just try to fight “star-flation” a little bit, so I reserve 5 stars for a very few absolute favorite books that I am going to read and then re-read again. Probably no more than one in thirty or forty books that I read gets 5-stars from me. And my thanks again to the publisher and NetGalley!
As with the other books I’ve read in this series, I really enjoyed the setting, both time and place. In this case, the action actually occurs during World War II. For example, I liked Bellairs’ rather off-hand sympathy with the ordinary housewife, who has lost out to the staff of the Grand Hotel, who were up in the wee hours of the morning with cash in hand, and thus snagged (legally or not) rationed goods before she had a chance to. And casual references to things like black-out curtains and other wartime adaptations gave a feeling for a war-time life that was very different. The aura of a slightly seedy oceanside resort is also pretty familiar to me, especially when compared to a few trips to the Jersey shore that I’ve made during East Coast US visits.
I also liked Bellairs’ characters, most of whom seemed pretty recognizable, even decades later – the canon with a slimy “avuncular” manner towards pretty young girls, the dentist who botches a treatment, the offended Catholic priest, the socialist with Labour hopes, the anti-development guy in charge of the small town across the river, etc. And then of course, there is the victim himself – a brash and unlikable guy who skates on the edge of legality, or over it, with plenty of folks (see everyone above, and more) who dislike him. Although it’s not clear at first that anyone’s dislike should actually be intense enough to result in murder. But someone’s is…
All-in-all, I quite liked this book, and look forward to reading some of the other many Littlejohn titles available in ebook. Please note that for me, 4 stars out of 5 is a really good ranking, and means I really do recommend the book. I just try to fight “star-flation” a little bit, so I reserve 5 stars for a very few absolute favorite books that I am going to read and then re-read again. Probably no more than one in thirty or forty books that I read gets 5-stars from me. And my thanks again to the publisher and NetGalley!
November 17, 2017
Frenzied Fun in a Seaside Resort
Sir Gideon Ware is, or rather was, a self-made man, and that usually means trampling on a number of people to achieve his goals. It is at the official banquet to celebrate his appointment as Mayor that Sir Gideon collapses as he is giving his speech, after uttering an extremely apt remark, given the circumstances. The Chief Constable is a competent, experienced officer, at least as far as routine police work goes, and is looking forward to the investigation, but gets the jitters when he realises that he will offend all the bigwigs in town and that they are all well-connected. Concerned for his career, he calls in Scotland Yard and Inspector Littlejohn is sent to Westcombe.
Detective-Inspector Hazard is assigned by the Chief to help Littlejohn with the inquiry for which Littlejohn is thankful as he finds the Chief rather unsavoury. Very soon there is another murder and the manner of this one is very inventive, although rather horrible. Inspector Littlejohn has a knack for seeming to be a harmless, nice kind of man, not at all the usual type of Scotland Yard officer the suspects feared he would be, but perceptions can be faulty.
The author has a delicious sense of irony and a dry humour that delights. The characterisation is superb. One can see fat Canon Wallop, who is described as a gourmand, noisily slurping and chomping his lobster and asparagus like a pig in a trough. Bellairs has a wonderful turn of phrase and articulate descriptive prose. The description of the Gala Day Masked Ball is an absolute “must-read” if you want to have a good laugh at the frenzied activity on the dance floor and on the band’s stage.
This is a well-written murder-mystery with a very good plot and more character-driven than police procedural. A very good read with an unusual insight into the killer’s mind at the end of the book. This is one I can recommend.
Sir Gideon Ware is, or rather was, a self-made man, and that usually means trampling on a number of people to achieve his goals. It is at the official banquet to celebrate his appointment as Mayor that Sir Gideon collapses as he is giving his speech, after uttering an extremely apt remark, given the circumstances. The Chief Constable is a competent, experienced officer, at least as far as routine police work goes, and is looking forward to the investigation, but gets the jitters when he realises that he will offend all the bigwigs in town and that they are all well-connected. Concerned for his career, he calls in Scotland Yard and Inspector Littlejohn is sent to Westcombe.
Detective-Inspector Hazard is assigned by the Chief to help Littlejohn with the inquiry for which Littlejohn is thankful as he finds the Chief rather unsavoury. Very soon there is another murder and the manner of this one is very inventive, although rather horrible. Inspector Littlejohn has a knack for seeming to be a harmless, nice kind of man, not at all the usual type of Scotland Yard officer the suspects feared he would be, but perceptions can be faulty.
The author has a delicious sense of irony and a dry humour that delights. The characterisation is superb. One can see fat Canon Wallop, who is described as a gourmand, noisily slurping and chomping his lobster and asparagus like a pig in a trough. Bellairs has a wonderful turn of phrase and articulate descriptive prose. The description of the Gala Day Masked Ball is an absolute “must-read” if you want to have a good laugh at the frenzied activity on the dance floor and on the band’s stage.
This is a well-written murder-mystery with a very good plot and more character-driven than police procedural. A very good read with an unusual insight into the killer’s mind at the end of the book. This is one I can recommend.
July 6, 2020
When I read George Bellairs I am always surprised that he is not better known today as a writer. Certainly much time has passed since these books were written but he did write more than fifty novels in the Littlejohn series over a forty year period! That is quite a legacy.
He may not have been as innovative as Christie, Marsh or Allingham or other big crime fiction names, and maybe the problem is his coming around ten or so years later, at the very end of the ‘Golden Age’. However, Bellairs’ storylines are based much more in reality than his more famous contemporaries and his books are certainly more revealing of British life in the 1940s and 50s.
Written just at the end of the second world war and based in a similar time, much of the book almost casually mentions the effects of wartime life for those at home and not fighting: describing street lighting during blackout, the effects of rationing on the availability of food in cafes and restaurants and how conversely, much of these rationed items are made available for those who have ‘alternative access’ to them, such as for the Mayor’s dinner where the first murder occurs… The ubiquity of tobacco and social attitudes and life experiences of distinct social classes may come across as more shocking than would have been intended in the 1940s but this too reveals much about real life at this time. For the social comment alone it is worth reading this novel but that is certainly not the only reason.
The plotting is methodical, unfolding the crime and its effects and eventual solution a piece at a time, allowing the reader to form and reform ideas and conclusions throughout. But as always with Bellairs, the genius of his books and the reason why I keep returning to them lies in his characters; from the main protagonists to the most minor parts added for comic effect, all are fully realized and entirely believable.
Excellent writing and great entertainment!
He may not have been as innovative as Christie, Marsh or Allingham or other big crime fiction names, and maybe the problem is his coming around ten or so years later, at the very end of the ‘Golden Age’. However, Bellairs’ storylines are based much more in reality than his more famous contemporaries and his books are certainly more revealing of British life in the 1940s and 50s.
Written just at the end of the second world war and based in a similar time, much of the book almost casually mentions the effects of wartime life for those at home and not fighting: describing street lighting during blackout, the effects of rationing on the availability of food in cafes and restaurants and how conversely, much of these rationed items are made available for those who have ‘alternative access’ to them, such as for the Mayor’s dinner where the first murder occurs… The ubiquity of tobacco and social attitudes and life experiences of distinct social classes may come across as more shocking than would have been intended in the 1940s but this too reveals much about real life at this time. For the social comment alone it is worth reading this novel but that is certainly not the only reason.
The plotting is methodical, unfolding the crime and its effects and eventual solution a piece at a time, allowing the reader to form and reform ideas and conclusions throughout. But as always with Bellairs, the genius of his books and the reason why I keep returning to them lies in his characters; from the main protagonists to the most minor parts added for comic effect, all are fully realized and entirely believable.
Excellent writing and great entertainment!
June 8, 2020
I have read 3 or 4 of the Chief Inspector Littlejohn series by George Bellairs, and all of them have been very entertaining. The latest one for me is “He'd Rather Be Dead”, a Littlejohn mystery from 1945.
It’s getting towards the end of World War II, and the mayor of seaside holiday resort of Westcombe is poisoned while speaking at a luncheon at which all the town notables are present. The victim, Sir Gideon Ware, has not only found a way to antagonize all of the important townsfolks but also enjoys needling them, sitting each next to their enemies. No one is really upset when Sir Ware dies, in fact everyone’s life will be a little better.
With all of the small-town politics issues, and secrets, the chief constable is reluctant to lead this investigation, so he asks Scotland Yard to help. In comes Littlejohn, with no preconceived notions or histories, unafraid to ruffle some feathers, digging up secrets from the past. Unfortunately there’s a second murder before Littlejohn puts it all together and unmasks the murderer.
Mr. Bellairs once again writes a magnificent police procedural, where Littlejohn plods along, uncovering clues, motives, and lies, circling ever closer to his murderer. One of his greatest strengths as a writer is to really bring you into a time and place, here it’s the gaudy midcentury seaside resort towns in Britain: the cheap amusements, the crowds, the hucksters, the showmanship, all designed to part the tourist from their money. Mr. Bellairs also does a fantastic job drawing his characters – real life people, three dimensional, each with a good and bad side. I’m already looking forward to my next Littlejohn adventure.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Agora Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
It’s getting towards the end of World War II, and the mayor of seaside holiday resort of Westcombe is poisoned while speaking at a luncheon at which all the town notables are present. The victim, Sir Gideon Ware, has not only found a way to antagonize all of the important townsfolks but also enjoys needling them, sitting each next to their enemies. No one is really upset when Sir Ware dies, in fact everyone’s life will be a little better.
With all of the small-town politics issues, and secrets, the chief constable is reluctant to lead this investigation, so he asks Scotland Yard to help. In comes Littlejohn, with no preconceived notions or histories, unafraid to ruffle some feathers, digging up secrets from the past. Unfortunately there’s a second murder before Littlejohn puts it all together and unmasks the murderer.
Mr. Bellairs once again writes a magnificent police procedural, where Littlejohn plods along, uncovering clues, motives, and lies, circling ever closer to his murderer. One of his greatest strengths as a writer is to really bring you into a time and place, here it’s the gaudy midcentury seaside resort towns in Britain: the cheap amusements, the crowds, the hucksters, the showmanship, all designed to part the tourist from their money. Mr. Bellairs also does a fantastic job drawing his characters – real life people, three dimensional, each with a good and bad side. I’m already looking forward to my next Littlejohn adventure.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Agora Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
November 5, 2020
Scotland Yard Inspector Littlejohn is dispatched to the seaside English town of Westcombe to investigate the poisoning death of Sir Gideon Ware. Ware was the town's Mayor as well as its leading citizen. However, he was not well-liked, and no-one really grieves his sudden death (aside from his widow who makes a short cameo appearance). There's a long list of potential suspects for Littlejohn to interview, one which is murdered before being questioned. Regrettably, Littlejohn's usual sidekick DS Cromwell makes only a brief appearance late in the story. Despite that, Cromwell is able to unearth a crucial bit of information which helps put Littlejohn on a trail to the killer. The killer's identity is revealed in a denouement several chapters before the book's finish. The last chapters are used to explain a rather sad backstory of the villain.
There's plenty of local colour about Westcombe, a honky-tonk seaside resort developed to great profit by Ware. He's the big man in town and uses his position in cruel and selfish ways. He's the perfect murder victim in the style of the Golden Age crime novels. Westcombe itself plays a leading character role, portrayed as a holiday town of low morals and few redeeming features. It sports several oddball characters who play a minor role in the main mystery story. The town's Chief Constable emerges as someone with a past to hide and eventually faces a day of reckoning.
It's a satisfying traditional police procedural whodunit, a typical Inspector Littlejohn story. Written in 1945 it's an early entry (#8) in a long-running series. Easy to read it as a standalone.
Many thanks to Agora Books and Netgalley for providing a complementary ARC eBook for my independent review.
May 24, 2020
CI Littlejohn does it again. He appears to be very casual, but he gradually learns everything he needs to solve the case. I really enjoy these mysteries which have clever plots and include some humor as well. In this book, Sir Gideon Ware, Mayor of Westcombe, is having a banquet for the important folks in the borough. During his speech, he keels over onto the floor and dies on the way to the hospital in the ambulance with Father Manfred.
Chief Constable Boumphrey doesn't want to stir things up interviewing all the town bigwigs, so he calls Scotland Yard, and Chief Inspector Littlejohn is asked to go to Westcombe. He is met by Inspector Hazard, who take him to the Police Station. Littlejohn is briefed briefly (without all the necessary details), and Hazard is assigned to help. It turns out that Ware had many enemies and had sired an illegitimate son, the local dentist Fenwick (not well known).
When it is found that Ware was killed with strychnine, at first they try to check all the food, but there is no way Ware could have eaten something that someone else hadn't. Soon they knew it was by injection, and the doctor had given him a shot shortly before the luncheon. Later they find Ware had gone to the dentist (Fenwick) after the doctor. Soon there is another death - the doctor's assistant. Meanwhile, Cromwell has been sent out to find out more about the son and dentist Fenwick, and uncovers a lot of background material. The two main suspects are now Fenwick and his friend Dr. Preedy, either of whom could have injected the strychnine. We gradually find out which one, and the end of the book includes full story written by the culprit.
Enjoyable classic crime mystery
Chief Constable Boumphrey doesn't want to stir things up interviewing all the town bigwigs, so he calls Scotland Yard, and Chief Inspector Littlejohn is asked to go to Westcombe. He is met by Inspector Hazard, who take him to the Police Station. Littlejohn is briefed briefly (without all the necessary details), and Hazard is assigned to help. It turns out that Ware had many enemies and had sired an illegitimate son, the local dentist Fenwick (not well known).
When it is found that Ware was killed with strychnine, at first they try to check all the food, but there is no way Ware could have eaten something that someone else hadn't. Soon they knew it was by injection, and the doctor had given him a shot shortly before the luncheon. Later they find Ware had gone to the dentist (Fenwick) after the doctor. Soon there is another death - the doctor's assistant. Meanwhile, Cromwell has been sent out to find out more about the son and dentist Fenwick, and uncovers a lot of background material. The two main suspects are now Fenwick and his friend Dr. Preedy, either of whom could have injected the strychnine. We gradually find out which one, and the end of the book includes full story written by the culprit.
Enjoyable classic crime mystery
August 25, 2017
“Stagnate! I’d rather be dead!”
These were the words spoken by Sir Gideon Ware as he collapsed at the banquet which celebrated his becoming mayor of the seaside resort of Westcombe. It is no surprise to discover that this was murder by poison, surrounded, as he was, by people who had cause to hate him.
Chief Constable Boumphrey, unwilling to offend local dignitaries who may be implicated, sends for Scotland Yard and Inspector Littlejohn arrives to take charge of the investigation.
Littlejohn, aided, locally, by Detective Inspector Hazard, and, at a distance, by Sergeant Cromwell, embarks on a round of interviews, fuelled with information from Boumphrey’s secret files. These reveal a web of corruption and deceit woven by Sir Gideon in the process of making his fortune and tightening his grip on the development of Westcombe.
Bellairs entertains with vignettes encapsulating all the officials, men of religion, and others who have crossed Sir Gideon’s path, and with vivid descriptions of all the delights-even in 1942- of the English seaside, from hotels, to pubs, to funfairs.
But it is Ware’s past which holds the key to his murder, a past which even involves the Chief Constable himself.
This 1945 outing for Littlejohn has a somewhat odd ending, with a rather long recapitulation of the solution in the form of extracts from the murderer’s journal. The murderer is not too difficult to work out anyway in this entertaining read.
These were the words spoken by Sir Gideon Ware as he collapsed at the banquet which celebrated his becoming mayor of the seaside resort of Westcombe. It is no surprise to discover that this was murder by poison, surrounded, as he was, by people who had cause to hate him.
Chief Constable Boumphrey, unwilling to offend local dignitaries who may be implicated, sends for Scotland Yard and Inspector Littlejohn arrives to take charge of the investigation.
Littlejohn, aided, locally, by Detective Inspector Hazard, and, at a distance, by Sergeant Cromwell, embarks on a round of interviews, fuelled with information from Boumphrey’s secret files. These reveal a web of corruption and deceit woven by Sir Gideon in the process of making his fortune and tightening his grip on the development of Westcombe.
Bellairs entertains with vignettes encapsulating all the officials, men of religion, and others who have crossed Sir Gideon’s path, and with vivid descriptions of all the delights-even in 1942- of the English seaside, from hotels, to pubs, to funfairs.
But it is Ware’s past which holds the key to his murder, a past which even involves the Chief Constable himself.
This 1945 outing for Littlejohn has a somewhat odd ending, with a rather long recapitulation of the solution in the form of extracts from the murderer’s journal. The murderer is not too difficult to work out anyway in this entertaining read.
June 9, 2020
3.75 stars
The Inspector Littlejohn series is a boon to lovers of classic mystery. Author George Bellairs wrote for basically 40 years, roughly 1940-1980. Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard generally works by himself on assignment to cases in different towns and locations. He is shrewd, mostly pleasant but steely sharp when required, and very observant.
In this outing, he has been sent to check out the murder by poison of the new mayor in the resort town of Westcombe. The mayor, Sir Gideon Ware, was mostly responsible for transforming Westcombe from a quiet fishing village to a noisy and tourist filled holiday town, and he made plenty of enemies in the process. The poison took effect during the middle of a public luncheon where Ware had surrounded himself with people who disliked him. And the autopsy showed it had been administered by hypodermic. Immediate suspicion falls on the local doctor who had given him a routine shot that very morning.
The murder victim had angered just about everyone in city government, a lot of people from his past, and a fair amount of townspeople. The murderer is revealed several chapters before the book ends and the last section is an actual journal written by the culprit.
The joy in these books is the wonderful descriptions of the characters, both their physical beings and their characters, and a ringside seat for watching Littlejohn untangling the puzzle. It is always a pleasure to spend time with Inspector Littlejohn.
Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The Inspector Littlejohn series is a boon to lovers of classic mystery. Author George Bellairs wrote for basically 40 years, roughly 1940-1980. Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard generally works by himself on assignment to cases in different towns and locations. He is shrewd, mostly pleasant but steely sharp when required, and very observant.
In this outing, he has been sent to check out the murder by poison of the new mayor in the resort town of Westcombe. The mayor, Sir Gideon Ware, was mostly responsible for transforming Westcombe from a quiet fishing village to a noisy and tourist filled holiday town, and he made plenty of enemies in the process. The poison took effect during the middle of a public luncheon where Ware had surrounded himself with people who disliked him. And the autopsy showed it had been administered by hypodermic. Immediate suspicion falls on the local doctor who had given him a routine shot that very morning.
The murder victim had angered just about everyone in city government, a lot of people from his past, and a fair amount of townspeople. The murderer is revealed several chapters before the book ends and the last section is an actual journal written by the culprit.
The joy in these books is the wonderful descriptions of the characters, both their physical beings and their characters, and a ringside seat for watching Littlejohn untangling the puzzle. It is always a pleasure to spend time with Inspector Littlejohn.
Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 8, 2020
As usual an excellent murder mystery featuring Thomas Littlejohn, from the pen of my absolute favourite vintage author, George Bellairs. Thankfully for me and all his other faithful readers, George Bellairs was a prolific writer and I sincerely hope that all his books will be republished.
This particular title tells the tale of an exceptionally hard hearted and unpleasant businessman who has risen to the heights of a knighthood and mayor of his adopted town of Westcombe, a seaside resort which has spread under his rule. When he drops dead at an official lunch, surrounded by a motley collection of enemies, the police are spoiled for choice of suspects, fortunately the Chief Constable calls in the Yard and Tom Littlejohn is despatched to sort out the sorry mess.
I hate reviews which give spoilers so that is all I'm going to say about the plot but, suffice to say, the plotline is complex enough to satisfy the most well read critic. As usual George Bellairs pulls off a first class mystery which I unhesitatingly recommend to all fans of the authors of Golden Age Detective fiction.
This particular title tells the tale of an exceptionally hard hearted and unpleasant businessman who has risen to the heights of a knighthood and mayor of his adopted town of Westcombe, a seaside resort which has spread under his rule. When he drops dead at an official lunch, surrounded by a motley collection of enemies, the police are spoiled for choice of suspects, fortunately the Chief Constable calls in the Yard and Tom Littlejohn is despatched to sort out the sorry mess.
I hate reviews which give spoilers so that is all I'm going to say about the plot but, suffice to say, the plotline is complex enough to satisfy the most well read critic. As usual George Bellairs pulls off a first class mystery which I unhesitatingly recommend to all fans of the authors of Golden Age Detective fiction.
May 28, 2020
After reading just over half of the 56 Littlejohn mysteries, I expected this one to have a more typically straightforward plot. Bellairs always spins a good story with enough plot and historical/geographical detail to keep hold my attention, but his clearer focus is on the characters involved seen through Littlejohn's sharp powers of observation. The plot here does follow the broad outlines of other Littlejohn mysteries, at least until the killer is identified; but the story has much more complex character development than I've found in his books to date. And I was surprised how deeply I found myself drawn into the lives and emotions of the characters - much more than in any previous book by Bellairs. The story line is laid out by various reviewers and sites, but the gut punch of the surprise is not the killer but the back story of the motive(s) and the pain involved for all. The character of the victim(s) and killer are much more nuanced and, unlike many of his other books, there is a great deal of sympathy for all involved when the final chapter ends. Highly recommend.
February 14, 2024
This police procedural starts dramatically then takes two chapters to set up the problem. In Chapter 3, DCI Littlejohn is called in to help the County police and we settle in for his investigation. The initial crime is curious but not overly interesting, but things change dramatically with crime #2, and the real investigation starts. Your enjoyment of this novel boils down to how much you like Bellairs' sleuth DCI Thomas Littlejohn. I like him even although he's almost too laid back, like Columbo on Quaaludes. Bellairs is a pro, though, so this one delivers. If there's a sub-genre called 'cozy police procedurals' then Bellairs is one of its finest practitioners. Acting against my literary instincts, I resumed reading the series with this title, book #9, after reading books #1, 4, 5 and 2 in that order. Littlejohn and Bellairs' writing style appeal to me, but probably not enough to read 53 more titles. Recommended to fans of the genre. My rating is really 3.5 stars, just missing four due to a stately pace in some parts.
June 22, 2020
This is an excellent murder mystery by one of my favorite a Golden Age authors. It combines a twisty, well plotted mystery, with excellent character development and A good sense of time and place.
The setting is the seaside town of Westcombe. As the story begins, we find ourselves at a lavish banquet for Sir Gideon Ware, the nearly universally despised Mayor of the town. During the banquet, the mayor dies, in full sight of many illustrious guests. Since he ate the same food as everyone else, his death is a puzzle. The towns own police force is reluctant to question all these important people so Scotland Yard is asked for assistance, and Imspector Littlejohn arrives.
Despite a Chief Constable that would like to keep some of the towns secrets to himself, Littlejohn is able to solve the mystery of Ware’s murder. The murderer was extremely clever, but not quite clever enough!
I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to more from Bellairs.
The setting is the seaside town of Westcombe. As the story begins, we find ourselves at a lavish banquet for Sir Gideon Ware, the nearly universally despised Mayor of the town. During the banquet, the mayor dies, in full sight of many illustrious guests. Since he ate the same food as everyone else, his death is a puzzle. The towns own police force is reluctant to question all these important people so Scotland Yard is asked for assistance, and Imspector Littlejohn arrives.
Despite a Chief Constable that would like to keep some of the towns secrets to himself, Littlejohn is able to solve the mystery of Ware’s murder. The murderer was extremely clever, but not quite clever enough!
I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to more from Bellairs.
March 16, 2021
A perfectly okay mystery. Sir Gideon Ware, the mayor of Westcome, dies by poison during a dinner in his honor. He was an ambitious man who rubbed many the wrong way and did his best to annoy or hurt those who opposed his wishes, whether it was to build up Westcome to a seaside paradise for folks on holiday or to appoint who he wanted for various municipal positions, regardless of their suitability. He dies early in the novel and Chief Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is sent for. Although there are lots of people who wanted him dead, it seems to come down pretty quickly to just two. The plot plays out in a predictable fashion and Littlejohn gets his man (there are no female suspects). I don't know whether Bellairs was a little bored and ran out of plot, but towards the end there is a 30-page confession by the murderer (who has already died). The style of the confession is florid and full of self-pity so a rather tedious way to end.
June 30, 2020
Another great and highly exciting George Bellairs mystery novel. Inspector Littlejohn, once again, is called upon to solve a complex murder in a seaside resort town of Westcombe, along with the various suspects whom share a personal and professional animosity towards our murdered victim, Sir Gideon Ware.
This is my fifth Inspector Littlejon mystery novel and I continue to be more than pleased and always look forward to a new selection. Another solid, complex story, with delightful twists and turns, red herrings and unexpected developments along the way. George Bellairs' particular attention to detail, character development and mastery of weaving a complex and intriguing plot are evident, once again.
I want to thank Crime Classics and Net Galley for this advance copy to read and review.
This is my fifth Inspector Littlejon mystery novel and I continue to be more than pleased and always look forward to a new selection. Another solid, complex story, with delightful twists and turns, red herrings and unexpected developments along the way. George Bellairs' particular attention to detail, character development and mastery of weaving a complex and intriguing plot are evident, once again.
I want to thank Crime Classics and Net Galley for this advance copy to read and review.
June 16, 2020
I'm in love. WIth DI Littlejohn. I love the period that these books are set in. Long before the advent of cell phones and all the other paraphernalia available to the police today. It was good, hard, old-fashioned detective work. George Bellairs's ability to describe a person leaves me green with envy. He makes the character come to life.
I have to confess that as an avid, impatient, and fast reader, I tend to skip long passages of narrative. Not so when Bellairs gets going. I don't miss a word. He paints the scene and draws you in. You become part of the story, detecting along with Littlejohn, feeling his frustration. And always the ending is a surprise.
I can't wait for the next book!
I have to confess that as an avid, impatient, and fast reader, I tend to skip long passages of narrative. Not so when Bellairs gets going. I don't miss a word. He paints the scene and draws you in. You become part of the story, detecting along with Littlejohn, feeling his frustration. And always the ending is a surprise.
I can't wait for the next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews