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Inspector Quantrill #3
A Talent for Destruction
The skull is buried in the snow. Little Justin and Adrian think at first that it's a football -- but footballs don't have eyeless, noseless sockets and grinning teeth.
Detective Chief Inspector Douglas Quantrill is the first policeman on the scene. He finds the skeleton of what appears to be a young man dressed in jeans. He could have been a derelict who died of drugs, he could have fallen down an embankment from a nearby highway -- or it could be murder. But who is he? Nobody has been reported missing.
Detective Chief Inspector Douglas Quantrill is the first policeman on the scene. He finds the skeleton of what appears to be a young man dressed in jeans. He could have been a derelict who died of drugs, he could have fallen down an embankment from a nearby highway -- or it could be murder. But who is he? Nobody has been reported missing.
167 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
32 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Radley
24 books3 followersSheila Mary Robinson was born and brought up in rural Northamptonshire, one of the fortunate means-tested generation whose further education was free. She went from her village school via high school to London University, where she read history.
She served for nine years as an education officer in the Women’s Royal Air Force, then worked variously as a teacher, a clerk in a shoe factory, a civil servant and in advertising. In the 1960s she opted out of conventional work and joined her partner in running a Norfolk village store and post office, where she began writing fiction in her spare time. Her first books, written as Hester Rowan, were three romantic novels; she then took to crime, and wrote 10 crime novels as Sheila Radley.
She served for nine years as an education officer in the Women’s Royal Air Force, then worked variously as a teacher, a clerk in a shoe factory, a civil servant and in advertising. In the 1960s she opted out of conventional work and joined her partner in running a Norfolk village store and post office, where she began writing fiction in her spare time. Her first books, written as Hester Rowan, were three romantic novels; she then took to crime, and wrote 10 crime novels as Sheila Radley.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 5, 2018
"The skull is buried in the snow. Little Justin and Adrian think at first that it's a football -- but footballs don't have eyeless, noseless sockets and grinning teeth.
"Detective Chief Inspector Douglas Quantrill is the first policeman on the scene. He finds the skeleton of what appears to be a young man dressed in jeans. He could have been a derelict who died of drugs, he could have fallen down an embankment from a nearby highway -- or it could be murder. But who is he? Nobody has been reported missing.
"Quantrill hates murders that involve real bodies, having to break the news to wives or mothers and witness their grief. But a skeleton seems less real, less like a once-living person -- it's just a piece of evidence.
"Still, it's difficult to find a murderer without knowing the identity of the deceased. And as this particular skeleton was found in their meadow, Quantrill starts his inquiry with the Reverend and Mrs. Robin Ainger.
"Handsome and charismatic. Robin Ainger is the kind of clergyman who inspires adoration in his female parishioners. And Gillian Ainger is the competent clergyman's wife that seminarians dream about. Only one thing seems wrong in the Aingers' life -- Gillian's father, old and senile, lives in the house and is unhappy and demanding.
"But as Quantrill observes the Aingers further, he senses that something more serious is wrong. Robin is almost insanely jealous, and Gillian is tense and frightened. Probing their lives, Quantrill comes increasingly and sadly closer to identifying both the victim and the murderer.
~~front & back flaps
Sheila Radley always sets the scene -- the background -- for her mysteries in charming detail, describing the neighbors, the village, the hedgerowed lanes, etc. It's one of the reasons I like her books so much. She's also excellent at developing her characters: they're always people you probably already know -- ordinary everyday people. Except that some of them aren't of course. Otherwise there wouldn't be any murders, would there?
I highly recommend any of her books -- always well written, always well plotted, always a completely believable surprise at the end.
"Detective Chief Inspector Douglas Quantrill is the first policeman on the scene. He finds the skeleton of what appears to be a young man dressed in jeans. He could have been a derelict who died of drugs, he could have fallen down an embankment from a nearby highway -- or it could be murder. But who is he? Nobody has been reported missing.
"Quantrill hates murders that involve real bodies, having to break the news to wives or mothers and witness their grief. But a skeleton seems less real, less like a once-living person -- it's just a piece of evidence.
"Still, it's difficult to find a murderer without knowing the identity of the deceased. And as this particular skeleton was found in their meadow, Quantrill starts his inquiry with the Reverend and Mrs. Robin Ainger.
"Handsome and charismatic. Robin Ainger is the kind of clergyman who inspires adoration in his female parishioners. And Gillian Ainger is the competent clergyman's wife that seminarians dream about. Only one thing seems wrong in the Aingers' life -- Gillian's father, old and senile, lives in the house and is unhappy and demanding.
"But as Quantrill observes the Aingers further, he senses that something more serious is wrong. Robin is almost insanely jealous, and Gillian is tense and frightened. Probing their lives, Quantrill comes increasingly and sadly closer to identifying both the victim and the murderer.
~~front & back flaps
Sheila Radley always sets the scene -- the background -- for her mysteries in charming detail, describing the neighbors, the village, the hedgerowed lanes, etc. It's one of the reasons I like her books so much. She's also excellent at developing her characters: they're always people you probably already know -- ordinary everyday people. Except that some of them aren't of course. Otherwise there wouldn't be any murders, would there?
I highly recommend any of her books -- always well written, always well plotted, always a completely believable surprise at the end.
January 5, 2019
A police procedural from the 80s, when England was no longer the idyllic country of the well-mannered Golden Age of Mysteries murder. Inspector Quantrill happens to be on the spot when two boys find a bleached skull in the grounds belonging to the parsonage. A full skeleton is eventually found and this is determined to be that of a young Australian with the unlikely name of Athol Garrity, who spent the previous summer camping on the meadow. The parson and his wife, the Aingers, are less than forthcoming about their interactions with the beer-loving Antipodean, and very silent about the fact that they had an Australian houseguest during that same summer.
I didn't care too much for this mystery because the story did not unfold for the reader by dint of police procedure or amateur sleuthing; it was all suddenly unfolded for us by the omniscient narrator voice. So the net result was that, knowing as we did that the Aingers had something to hide, we lost interest in Quantrill's deductions about the fact that .. .the Aingers had something to hide. The story also got unnecessarily complicated at the very end, by the introduction of a subplot that had not been foreshadowed in any significant way. So all in all, rather humdrum.
I didn't care too much for this mystery because the story did not unfold for the reader by dint of police procedure or amateur sleuthing; it was all suddenly unfolded for us by the omniscient narrator voice. So the net result was that, knowing as we did that the Aingers had something to hide, we lost interest in Quantrill's deductions about the fact that .. .the Aingers had something to hide. The story also got unnecessarily complicated at the very end, by the introduction of a subplot that had not been foreshadowed in any significant way. So all in all, rather humdrum.
December 28, 2024
Likely as good as it gets with this series. The mystery itself is of interest, and the investigation is well portrayed; and at least here, DCI Quantrill is less of a focus for his personal romantic life, but then the other dramatis personae evince more than enough to overbalance that. There’s a “rcommended daily allowance” for all such things, and writer Radley’s books been hopelessly addicted to exceeding it.
Beyond that, the story works. A recently deceased body is found, already largely reduced to skeleton by weather and critters. First job is to see if a cause of death can be ascertained, then an attempt to identify the corpus, and last to determine where that leads. In this case it seems, the largest factor is the secretive and bizarre behaviors of those who may have had any connection to the deceased. In the end all is revealed, but unfortunately Radley then felt compelled to add an unsettling addendum foretelling the future misdeeds of “the one that got away…”
Beyond that, the story works. A recently deceased body is found, already largely reduced to skeleton by weather and critters. First job is to see if a cause of death can be ascertained, then an attempt to identify the corpus, and last to determine where that leads. In this case it seems, the largest factor is the secretive and bizarre behaviors of those who may have had any connection to the deceased. In the end all is revealed, but unfortunately Radley then felt compelled to add an unsettling addendum foretelling the future misdeeds of “the one that got away…”
November 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this little book and didn’t expect to, but glad I read it. Very cozy feeling yet fast paced. Loved the characters yet the twist wasn’t exactly laid out in a surprise or shocking manner, but it still was a good way to pass a few hours. I’ll have to look more into this author!
July 15, 2025
This Inspector Quantrill mystery begins as a standard cozy with the discovery of a skeleton during an East Anglia winter snow storm. Midway through the plot gets darker like a Ruth Rendell. The villain is unexpected.
January 27, 2017
Radley's books have some of the same psychological what if's of Agatha Christie or PD James. Well worth adding these to your to read pile.
January 4, 2013
A skeleton is discovered in a filed next to the vicarage and Chief Inspector Douglas Quantrill is convinced both the vicar and his wife are lying to him when they say they do not know the identity of the skeleton. Gradually the tragic story is revealed to the reader by means of a few chapters in the second half of the book which detail the events of the previous summer.
Quantrill himself is finding he misses his former Sergeant, Martin Tait who has been promoted to Inspector and moved on to other work and there are several aspects of the current case which he would be best suited to investigate. Somehow he manages to piece the story together and finds himself between the law and natural justice.
This is a well written, carefully plotted crime novel with some interesting psychological aspects and some well-drawn characters. I like Quantrill himself with his less than perfect marriage and his all too human failings. If you enjoy crime novels which have a strong puzzle element then try this series which can be read in any order.
Quantrill himself is finding he misses his former Sergeant, Martin Tait who has been promoted to Inspector and moved on to other work and there are several aspects of the current case which he would be best suited to investigate. Somehow he manages to piece the story together and finds himself between the law and natural justice.
This is a well written, carefully plotted crime novel with some interesting psychological aspects and some well-drawn characters. I like Quantrill himself with his less than perfect marriage and his all too human failings. If you enjoy crime novels which have a strong puzzle element then try this series which can be read in any order.
September 11, 2007
Two boys discover a skeleton in the snow. Inspector Quantrill discovers a connection to the Rectory. But just who killed the man and why?
I liked this book at first. The opening was promising. But too soon we were presented with too few suspects. The whole explanation of crime was a little far-fetched and I found the end disappointing and vague. We find out the identity of the murderer, but the motivation was weak and never explained to my satisfaction.
I expected more.
I liked this book at first. The opening was promising. But too soon we were presented with too few suspects. The whole explanation of crime was a little far-fetched and I found the end disappointing and vague. We find out the identity of the murderer, but the motivation was weak and never explained to my satisfaction.
I expected more.
July 2, 2015
very enjoyable portrait of a family and the young woman who comes into their lives and wrecks them irretrievably. It's the third mystery about Inspector Quantrill.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews