The End of the Track

by Andrew Garve

Peter Mallory, a forest ranger, engages in a battle of wits with a vicious blackmailer. A forest fire immensely complicates matters.

215 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

AKA: Paul Somers, Roger Bax

Andrew Garve was the pen name of Paul Winterton (1908-2001). He was born in Leicester and educated at the Hulme Grammar School, Manchester and Purley County School, Surrey, after which he took a degree in Economics at London University. He was on the staff of The Economist for four years, and then worked for fourteen years for the London News Chronicle as reporter, leader writer and foreign correspondent. He was assigned to Moscow from 1942 to 1945, where he was also the correspondent of the BBC’s Overseas Service.

After the war he turned to full-time writing of detective and adventure novels and produced more than forty-five books. His work was serialized, televised, broadcast, filmed and translated into some twenty languages. He was noted for his varied and unusual backgrounds – including Russia, newspaper offices, the West Indies, ocean sailing, the Australian outback, politics, mountaineering and forestry – and for never repeating a plot.

Andrew Garve was a founding member and first joint secretary of the Crime Writers’ Association.

Reviews

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garve can always be counted upon for a well-crafted, smoothly written tale of suspense, usually about decent, civilized people threatened by criminals but unable to seek help from the police, and so thrown back upon their own resources. Sometimes they are too smoothly written and come perilously close to formula fiction. This one involves a forester versus a blackmailer.

[Paperback Papa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Garve, a pen name of Paul Winterton (1908-2001), wrote many suspense novels. This 1955 novel is the third one I've read, and it further affirms my growing notion that Winterton was one of the very best of the 50's and 60's crime/noir writers.

The thing I love about his stories is that they feel fresh and original. Even if the story focuses on a common type of crime, such as blackmail, kidnapping, or robbery, there's always an aspect of the story that is unconventional.

This 159-page vintage paperback is about a kind and humble family man who becomes a murder suspect. He didn't do it. It's hard to imagine him even being capable of it. But the police are convinced he's guilty. Every shred of evidence points to him. Halfway through the book you can't imagine how the man could possibly escape life in prison, or worse. But the author weaves his tale, throwing in unexpected twists, and arrives at a very interesting and satisfying conclusion. I might also say that this book has one of the greatest last lines I've ever read.

If you like vintage crime/mystery/noir and have never read Andrew Garve, you owe it to yourself to lay your hands on one of his many novels.

[Creolecat]

Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode 'Night of the Owl.'

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Garve is a new-to-me author. Although some of the cultural setting is dated, the story and characters raise timely questions. How far would you go to protect your family's well-being? Main character Peter Mallory finds out.

[Houstonion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah that's more like it, a very engaging and twisty read that really keeps you on your toes. Big fan of the whole ending and last, idk, half of the book