Melissa M. (MemoRandom) reviewed The Dead Shall be Raised and Murder of a Quack (British Library Crime Classics) on + 78 more book reviews
I like a mystery that is strong on characterization, atmosphere, and intelligent conversation. So these British novels (two in this volume) are just my cup of tea. The author, George Bellairs, worked in the same bank for 45 years and for him, writing was an enjoyable sideline. His writing career spanned nearly four decades - with the same publisher. He was a modest, decent man whose affability and sense of humor are mirrored in his creation of Detective Littlejohn. He wrote the Littlejohn series to give his fellow Brits a little distraction from the stress and loss incurred by WWII. If you are looking for graphic violence and gore, you won't find it here. But you will find a solid mystery set in the atmosphere of the English village and populated with interesting characters whose dialog will entertain and perhaps even bring a chuckle.
Carol S. (waucondacarol) reviewed The Dead Shall be Raised and Murder of a Quack (British Library Crime Classics) on + 319 more book reviews
Two mystery novels in this book. In 1940 the home guard is digging trenches preparing for a maybe German invasion. An skeleton is unearth and proves to be a man who disappeared during the First World War. He was suspected of murdering his friend over a woman they both wanted and then running off. Now the police must rethink their theory of the first murder and look for the real killer. In the second novel, a practitioner called a bone setter is found murdered. He was beloved in the town and people came from wide around for treatment. The new local doctor who is an inept alcoholic is losing patients to the bone setter and threatens him. Soon other strange characters are in the eyes of the police when another murder occurs. Both are really intriguing stories.
