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depizan's review against another edition
2.0
An all right read, but suffering a bit from being of its time as far as things like class and gender and the like go.
crazygoangirl's review against another edition
4.0
This is the third book I’ve read in the Inspector Littlejohn series by George Bellairs and both author and his creation have become firm favourites!
In this one, we’re treated to two cases, the first involves the discovery of long-buried bones that ultimately lead to the resolution of a cold case; and the second deals with the murder of a bone setter that Littlejohn must help solve. Both cases involve the quintessential English village setting, a cast of quirky characters and a fairly straightforward mystery.
With every successive book I’ve read, Bellairs’ descriptive prose and simple narrative have continued to impress. His keen observations of people, surroundings and behaviour add an authenticity to his tales and considerably enhance the reading experience! Each time I begin a book, I find myself completely lost in the English village where it’s set, happy to follow in Inspector Littlejohn’s footsteps and thoughts :) Each time I reach the end, I’m reluctant to leave!
I love that the Inspector is written as a normal man. He’s intelligent, courteous, dedicated, honest and happily married! There’s no unnecessary angst nor complications in his personal or professional life, although this is only my third book. But as a seasoned mystery reader, you can tell, Littlejohn is a dedicated & hardworking policeman and a ‘gentleman’ in every sense of the word that counts!
I also love that the series can be read out of order without significant continuity issues. Each book is self-contained and feels complete in itself. Yes, I’m sure a few details here and there might be missed when read out of order but none vital to the story at hand. I’m very grateful to the British Library for reissuing these books and to Kindle Unlimited for offering this one for free 😀
In this one, we’re treated to two cases, the first involves the discovery of long-buried bones that ultimately lead to the resolution of a cold case; and the second deals with the murder of a bone setter that Littlejohn must help solve. Both cases involve the quintessential English village setting, a cast of quirky characters and a fairly straightforward mystery.
With every successive book I’ve read, Bellairs’ descriptive prose and simple narrative have continued to impress. His keen observations of people, surroundings and behaviour add an authenticity to his tales and considerably enhance the reading experience! Each time I begin a book, I find myself completely lost in the English village where it’s set, happy to follow in Inspector Littlejohn’s footsteps and thoughts :) Each time I reach the end, I’m reluctant to leave!
I love that the Inspector is written as a normal man. He’s intelligent, courteous, dedicated, honest and happily married! There’s no unnecessary angst nor complications in his personal or professional life, although this is only my third book. But as a seasoned mystery reader, you can tell, Littlejohn is a dedicated & hardworking policeman and a ‘gentleman’ in every sense of the word that counts!
I also love that the series can be read out of order without significant continuity issues. Each book is self-contained and feels complete in itself. Yes, I’m sure a few details here and there might be missed when read out of order but none vital to the story at hand. I’m very grateful to the British Library for reissuing these books and to Kindle Unlimited for offering this one for free 😀
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