The Case Against Paul Raeburn

Inspector West #7

by John Creasey

The reappearance of a long lost business partner and the desperate actions of a clever, and prosperous businessman present Inspector West with a baffling murder case

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Procedural

243 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1948

About the author

AKA Gordon Ashe, M E Cooke, Norman Deane, Robert Caine Frazer, Patrick Gill, Michael Halliday, Charles Hogarth, Brian Hope, Colin Hughes, Kyle Hunt, Margaret Lisle, Abel Mann, Peter Manton, J.J. Marric, Richard Martin, Rodney Mattheson, Anthony Morton, Jeremy York, Henry St. John Cooper and Margaret Cooke.

John Creasey (September 17, 1908 - June 9, 1973) was born in Southfields, Surrey, England and died in New Hall, Bodenham, Salisbury Wiltshire, England. He was the seventh of nine children in a working class home. He became an English author of crime thrillers, published in excess of 600 books under 20+ different pseudonyms. He invented many famous characters who would appear in a whole series of novels. Probably the most famous of these is Gideon of Scotland Yard, the basis for the television program Gideon's Way but others include Department Z, Dr. Palfrey, The Toff, Inspector Roger West, and The Baron (which was also made into a television series). In 1962, Creasey won an Edgar Award for Best Novel, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Gideon's Fire, written under the pen name J. J. Marric. And in 1969 he was given the MWA's highest honor, the Grand Master Award.

Reviews

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul Raeburn had been one of Inspector West's targets for many years for West knew that not only was he a millionaire but he was certain that he was a racketeer to boot. And he knew that he was evil and was more than likely behind many of the wrongdoings that were going on in London at the time.

The murder of a small-tome crook sets West off again in his attempt to bring Raeburn to justice and, with his trusty team, he shadows Raeburn and his associates. As can be imagined this leads West and his boys into all sorts of difficulties but, in true Scotland Yard tradition and with the help of friends and associates of Raeburn, they manage to extricate themselves from them all.

Not only that but they eventually succeed in bringing Raeburn to justice with the help of a few informers. And West is then able to resume a more normal family life with his long-suffering wife and two children.

John Creasey captures late 1950s London admirably, as much of the action centres on the capital and its environs; the ambience is good and the atmosphere is at times almost palatable.

[ShanDizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roger went over Raeburn’s known record with a patience which was wearing thin, looking for the odd factor of importance that he might have missed.

Raeburn had first become prominent four years ago, as the owner of several greyhound racing tracks. The first time Roger had suspected him of criminal activity was after a series of dopings and an outcry among backers and bookmakers. No case had been proved, but the Yard had become very interested in Raeburn. He was wealthy, and had been wealthy before he had opened his greyhound tracks. He had bought small house property in country and coastal areas when it was cheap, and sold at a large profit...One very interesting factor emerged: Among Raeburn’s acquaintances were several men, rather like Halliwell, who had been caught and convicted of insurance and other frauds. The latest to be caught was a builder who had dreamed up a brilliantly clever scheme to defraud building societies.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Raeburn is on his way home in his fancy Rolls Royce when he's hailed by a man blocking the road. It winds up being a man he thought was dead. A man who thinks Raeburn done him dirty (leaving him to hold the bag on a little matter of fraud and arson) and he means to make Raeburn pay...through the nose. But Raeburn isn't having any of that...he knocks the man out and then runs over him with his Rolls. When Raeburn is nabbed by a constable who was practically on the spot, Inspector Roger West is delighted. He's positive that this time the police have a case that will stick.

But West is wrong. A surprise witness appears at the trial to support Raeburn's claim of an unavoidable accident. She swears that the man dashed in front of the car and there was no way Raeburn could have missed him. Raeburn is set free and West redoubles his efforts to find a way to put the unscrupulous businessman behind bars. Raeburn seems to have the upper hand...but everyone makes mistakes. West just has to be patient and wait for Raeburn to make the one that will lead to his downfall. When men associated with the case begin to die, West knows that time is coming soon.

Definitely not a whodunnit--we know from the beginning that Raeburn is a killer. We know who he killed and how he did it. The only question is will this slimy high-end crook get away with it? Inspector West repeatedly thinks he's got Raeburn exactly where he wants him, only to have the man slide out of his grasp. It's not looking good for the forces of good even as the last few pages come in sight.

Creasey writes a darn good police procedural and this one is better than most. We get to see all the details as West endeavors to get his man. And they're not tedious details--very interesting maneuvers to rightfully pin the crimes on the man behind it all. It's a definite challenge when Raeburn seems able to cover his tracks and manage to make West look bad in the press all at the same time. A fascinating study of a real battle of wits and nerve.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The villain, Paul Raeburn, has been eluding arrest for a number of years. He's squarely on Inspector West's radar, so much so that it might be viewed as an obsession on the part of the detective.

Raeburn, a wealthy and powerful man, has been able to thwart police efforts by always being just this side of the law or, failing that, able to use his prestige, money, and important connections to appear innocent of any charges whatsoever.

Reading this, I couldn't help but notice how Raeburn closely resembles an American politician who is very much in legal hot water these days despite this book having been written decades ago. Obviously, it is not a new phenomenon that well-to-d0 and powerful people seem to be able to skirt the law much more often than "common" criminals.

But not this time -- not if Inspector West has his way.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this kind of book as a glimpse into what people read for fun in the past (the 50s in this case). Also I salute Creasey, he wrote 600 novels apparently. I assume he didn't read them all.