Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our Feb/March 24 Buddy Read of Helen Passes By Book 23 in the Bobby Owen series this was published in 1947.

"I don't like it, Olive. No good, plain evidence, not so much as the smell of a fingerprint. Nothing but psychology and an atmosphere of doubt, menace, and suspicion."

Bobby Owen's latest case begins with him warily lending five shillings to an old reprobate. But this is driven from his mind when he hears of the murder of one Itter Bain, found shot in the woods. Bobby is called into the case, one already made controversial by the alleged shielding of an aristocratic suspect. The evidence certainly ought to make the aristocrat a figure of particular interest to the police. But Bobby needs to tread lightly to prevent a national scandal.

Other suspects include the irresistibly beautiful Helen, Wing Commander Winstanley (a rival for Helen's affections), and a suspiciously well-informed reporter on a local newspaper. All the while the killer is biding time before striking again - unless Bobby can unmask the fiend first.

Please do not post spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

I will be reading this eventually. The books I own are always last on the list.

Started now and interested to see if Bobby will return to Scotland Yard.

My kindle died just as the mystery was getting started. I got quite a few years out of it, but it was still frustrating timing.

Vanessa wrote: "My kindle died just as the mystery was getting started. I got quite a few years out of it, but it was still frustrating timing."

My sympathies!

I miss Olive. Bobby letters are fine but her feedback always helped his thought process.

And I find this fascination with Helen very annoying. Doubt this will be favorite in the series.

As well as my Kindle 11, I still have my 12yr old PW1 as good as new so I'm lucky. You will have actually lost nothing so replace your dead Kindle with a new one and everything is still there waiting in the Cloud for you.