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Gently With The Innocents
The Inspector George Gently Case Files - Book XVII
Alan Hunter

Robinson (Constable and Robinson)
18 April 2013 / ISBN: 9781780339450
Mystery / 1970 /Norfolk, England

Amazon US || uk

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

An old man was found dead at the foot of his staircase, did he fall or was he pushed? Something of a recluse, James Peachment lived alone in the ancient house called Harrisons and reputed to be sitting on a fortune in hidden gold. It looks as though his nephew and heir might have done the deed if it actually was murder, but he has come to George Gently at his London flat to beg for his help. Though there is a more obvious suspect, things are set to get even stranger before the case is solved.

Each Gently novel is memorable for something, and in the last three books Mr. Hunter was trying out different styles. This novel has a frisson of the Dickon Carr about it to my mind, not precisely a locked room mystery but this author’s own twist on it and a shocking ending. Mr. Hunter’s excellent descriptions of the small dusty towns of Norfolk and of Cross and its ancient house bring the setting alive. Gently grills the various suspects and uncovers more and more of the puzzle in this short but enjoyable tale, keeping the reader on their toes as they try to guess whodunit. I didn’t, and applaud the author for that as I do the claustrophobic atmosphere and sense of impending doom that permeate the book, as Gently edges nearer to the solution amid the darkness and swirling snow of a small isolated place with a deadly secret. One of the best of a fine series.

Other reviews in this series

Gently Does It - Book I
Gently by the ShoreBook II
Gently Down The Stream Book III
Landed Gently Book IV
Gently Through the Mill - Book V
Gently In The SunBook VI
Gently With The Painters Book VII
Gently To The Summit Book VIII
Gently Go Man - Book IX
Gently Where The Roads Go – Book X
Gently Floating - Book XI
Gently Sahib - Book XII
Gently With The Ladies - Book XIII
Gently Northwest - Book XV
Gently Continental - Book XVI
Gently With The Innocents - Book XVII

 
Reviewed 2013
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