Murder in Miniature: The Short Stories of Leo Bruce

by Leo Bruce

As an exponent of the classic detective novel in its pure form, Leo Bruce is unquestionably in the front rank. These stories complete the oeuvre of a major detective novelist. Here Bruce's gift for entertaining dialogue is at its peak, and so is his extraordinary gift for he teases, tangles and contrives with cunning. Even the slightest of the stories is deft and telling, skillfully narrated, with economy and point. The best are worthy additions to the canon, elegant, clever and satisfying. All but one story in this collection were written for the London Evening Standard , where they appeared between 1950 and 1956. This collection contains twenty-eight stories, only two of which have been previously ten feature Sergeant Beef, eight feature Sergeant Grebe and ten have no series character. They add to our knowledge of Sergeant Beef, one of the most colorful of fictional detectives (and one whose full-length cases are too few in number); they introduce an unexpected second detective, the astute and resourceful policeman, Sergeant Grebe; and they offer a last chance to encounter anew their author's characteristic wit and ingenuity. Few writers so adroitly avoid the formulaic quality of crime writing by the variety and vitality of their characters.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories

208 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1992

About the author

Pseudonym for Rupert Croft-Cooke.

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like one reviewer in another site appropriately describe it, this book is Beef with a side of Grebe. Never read anything where Grebe appeared but I was pleasantly surprised.

I already read and gave my opinion on the first two Beef stories, Clue in the Mustard and Holiday Task. This book is an anthology of short stories by Rupert Croft-Cooke aka Leo Bruce. It contains 28 stories.

Murder in Miniature, the short story not the book is a three stars in my opinion, there are too many inconsistencies that didn’t make Beef shine. The Doctor’s Wife is another Beef’s adventure and a very cunning one indeed a solid four stars for inventiveness. In Beef and the Spider we see another intricate plot, very good indeed but we needed more pages, a four stars. Summons to Death is another Beef short story this one is disappointing in its conclusion therefore a three star.

The Chicken and the Egg was masterfully done…a five stars. In On the Spot is not Beef who shines but rather Detective Inspector Simler, Bruce offer us a rather rushed story so it is a two stars for me. Blunt Instrument is another Beef short story, meticulously written and a joy to read five stars. I, Said the Sparrow has Beef and Thackeray discussing a murder with a bow and arrow. What a master class in plotting! Five stars. A Piece of Paper was a baffling and sad case for Beef, four stars. In Letter of the Law we have a very short story that needed more pages, two stars. A Glass of Sherry is a solid three stars. In The Scene of the Crime a simple conversation leads to murder, wonderful plot therefore four stars.

Murder in Reverse (I simply love the titles of these stories) is the first Detective Sergeant Grebe story in the book, a very interesting case that merits four stars. In Woman in the Taxi is another Grebe’s story, unfortunately this one is predictable and boring, two stars. The story The Nine Fifty-Five contains a very clever idea but it’s rushed execution merit the story a three stars. In Person or Persons Grebe solves the case but it is perplexing at how he got to his conclusion, a two stars. The Wrong Moment have a good story but it is missing facts, a three stars. A Box of Capsules is a solid three stars. In Blind Witness we have Grebe expertly solve a murder, four stars. Deceased Wife’s Sister is actually very good, four stars. Riverside Night and Rufus and the Murderer are each a four star story based on it’s intricate plot and wonderful solution. The Marsh Light is an underwhelming Grebe’s short story, a two stars. In A Stiff Drink Grebe wins again but for me is a three stars. Into Thin Air was a very bad short story because it was missing crucial elements, one star. A Case for the Files awards Grebe with four stars.

I unabashedly love Leo Bruce’s stories and novels he is a fine craftsman of plots and characters. An unrecognized wonderful voice of the genre.

[Catherine Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Leo Bruce's stories especially the Sergeant Beef ones. These weren't all Sergeant Beef and usually the ones that weren't were not as good as the ones that were. There were some very short ones which were ok to pass a few moments but consequently hadn't got a lot of character and were more about being tricky. A few were just unpleasant and two were just variations on the same mystery. So not my favourite outing with Leo Bruce but still has entertainment value.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots and lots of very short detective stories that share a lesser number of plots. Like the Father Brown stories, they are best read separately as reading one ofter the other results in an awful lot of repetition.

I love the Sergeant Beef stories which are funny as well as clever. The volume begins with about twenty of these. Once Beef disappears the book tails off.

The stories are all plot based and the plots present a problem that is then unravelled by deductive thinking by the police officer or detective. Some would have delighted Edward de Bono and his “Lateral Thinking” exercises.

To be filed under “glad I read it but won’t be reading it again”.

[Umer Abbas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and light read as expected. The stand out stories with good puzzle elements and detection are obviously sergeant Beef's

"chicken or egg" "blunt instrument" and "piece of paper".

[Olena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Supremely enjoyable

[Adam Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection of 28 classic stories from the pen of Leo Bruce. Full review at: https://murderatthemanse.substack.com...

[Tamsin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Beef stories are fun; others not so much.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories by the master. The best The scene of the crime. A man talks to an old man who lives in a house where a murder has been committed many years ago. Buy some clever deduction he comes to the conclusion that the nephew had been the murderer only to learn that the old guy was indeed the nephew. Some years older than the uncle. Very nice. Other stories not quite as strong.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy these short stories by Leo Bruce, but much prefer his novels with Carolous Dean as protagonist.