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 Shore – Book
II
Gently Down The Stream – Book
III
Landed Gently – Book
IV
Gently Through the Mill - Book
V
Gently In The Sun – Book
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
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