Alibi for Inspector West

Inspector West #39

by John Creasey

It began in a courtroom. Mario Rapelli was accusedof " assault with intent to main." There were three witnesses for the defense, two for the prosecution, bit players in a petty, cruel drama. But then one of the defense witness began to talk, about bribery and perjury. Plunging in deeper, chipping away at Rapelli's alibi, Roger West began to piece together the whole picture, much more terrifying than the sum of its deadly parts.

Genres: Mystery

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

AKA Gordon Ashe, M E Cooke, Norman Deane, Robert Caine Frazer, Patrick Gill, Michael Halliday, Charles Hogarth, Brian Hope, Colin Hughes, Kyle Hunt, Margaret Lisle, Abel Mann, Peter Manton, J.J. Marric, Richard Martin, Rodney Mattheson, Anthony Morton, Jeremy York, Henry St. John Cooper and Margaret Cooke.

John Creasey (September 17, 1908 - June 9, 1973) was born in Southfields, Surrey, England and died in New Hall, Bodenham, Salisbury Wiltshire, England. He was the seventh of nine children in a working class home. He became an English author of crime thrillers, published in excess of 600 books under 20+ different pseudonyms. He invented many famous characters who would appear in a whole series of novels. Probably the most famous of these is Gideon of Scotland Yard, the basis for the television program Gideon's Way but others include Department Z, Dr. Palfrey, The Toff, Inspector Roger West, and The Baron (which was also made into a television series). In 1962, Creasey won an Edgar Award for Best Novel, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Gideon's Fire, written under the pen name J. J. Marric. And in 1969 he was given the MWA's highest honor, the Grand Master Award.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best of the Inspector West stories. Convoluted plot, well written. Close to 5 stars, but one or two of the elements tying all the ends together seemed a bit contrived. Impressive, though.

[Delores Alger]

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