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Bryant & May: Peculiar Crimes Unit #10.5
The Casebook of Bryant & May
The first graphic "comic" version of an Arthur Bryant & John May short story, The Soho Devil!, beautifully illustrated by Keith Page. A bonus second illustrated short, The Severed Claw, is included. This high-quality hardback also contains the essay How to Invent a Mystery Series, Arthur Bryant's Secret Library, The Peculiar Crimes Unit Sketch Gallery, and The Strange Cases of Bryant & May (consisting of the covers and first flyleaf material of all ten B&M novels published so far.)
Planned as an annual series, the second volume will contain a graphic rendering of story The Deptford Demon.
Plans for more volumes have unfortunately been 'shelved'.
Planned as an annual series, the second volume will contain a graphic rendering of story The Deptford Demon.
Plans for more volumes have unfortunately been 'shelved'.
98 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2012
About the author
Christopher Fowler
273 books1,298 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 10, 2013
A great start to what is to be an annual series.
The Soho Devil! is one of award-winning Christopher Fowler's fine short Bryant & May stories. It is beautifully presented by the well-known graphic illustator Keith Page. The lead Bryant & May short story here, and a shorter bonus untold second tale, The Severed Claw, are perfect examples of the many excellent Bryant & May text novels and shorts.
Also included in this hardback is an essay How to Invent a Mystery Series and several other pieces that introduce, and illustrate, the cast of supporting characters in the B&M series.
This is a handsome book, most detailed, and really enjoyable. I'm looking forward to next year's volume: The Deptford Demon.
The Soho Devil! is one of award-winning Christopher Fowler's fine short Bryant & May stories. It is beautifully presented by the well-known graphic illustator Keith Page. The lead Bryant & May short story here, and a shorter bonus untold second tale, The Severed Claw, are perfect examples of the many excellent Bryant & May text novels and shorts.
Also included in this hardback is an essay How to Invent a Mystery Series and several other pieces that introduce, and illustrate, the cast of supporting characters in the B&M series.
This is a handsome book, most detailed, and really enjoyable. I'm looking forward to next year's volume: The Deptford Demon.
March 18, 2017
This was intended as the first "annual" and is a lovely effort. The drawings are by Keith Page and do a wonderful job of evoking both the early days of the unit and the two detectives today. There are two cases: the Soho Devil and the Severed Claw plus sketches of the Unit members and little bios to go with them, although there are a couple of misplaced descriptions. The last view of the severed hand is the sort of thing that creates nervous laughter and shudders.
The Soho Devil is a very strange flying bat story that would be terrifying as a movie.
The whole thing is fun to read over again and I'm sorry there isn't likely to be another.
The Soho Devil is a very strange flying bat story that would be terrifying as a movie.
The whole thing is fun to read over again and I'm sorry there isn't likely to be another.
November 14, 2013
Think those of you who read my reviews may have sussed I'm a massive Christopher Fowler fan- so, has this graphic novel changed my views?
"No" is the short answer: he still writes brilliant "locked-room" detective stories, & the addition of visuals only serves to enhance your enjoyment. Although it can be risky having a visual representation of a character (the audience may well think "that's not how I thought so-&-so looks"....),in this case the artwork was spot on. (John May looks like William Hartnell in his younger days, I reckon!)
There are 2 stories here, both as convoluted as you'd expect from the Peculiar Crimes Unit, also a very good introduction, as well as a summary of the Bryant & May novels to date.
Well worth your time.
"No" is the short answer: he still writes brilliant "locked-room" detective stories, & the addition of visuals only serves to enhance your enjoyment. Although it can be risky having a visual representation of a character (the audience may well think "that's not how I thought so-&-so looks"....),in this case the artwork was spot on. (John May looks like William Hartnell in his younger days, I reckon!)
There are 2 stories here, both as convoluted as you'd expect from the Peculiar Crimes Unit, also a very good introduction, as well as a summary of the Bryant & May novels to date.
Well worth your time.
March 28, 2013
It was okay. One of the guys at the LCS had it in his stack and I asked if it was Christopher Fowler the novelist. Then he let me pluck it from his stack, I saw Bryant and May and had my shoppe owner order it for me. There were way rough transitions in the narrative, but it'll get me back for future issues.
There were two page summaries of each of the books and character bios (none for April May so I wonder what happens between book 6-10). So every time I start a new book I'll have this for reference.
I'm not sure who the target audience for this OGN is. Comics readers that read Bryant and May can't be that large of a pool.
There were two page summaries of each of the books and character bios (none for April May so I wonder what happens between book 6-10). So every time I start a new book I'll have this for reference.
I'm not sure who the target audience for this OGN is. Comics readers that read Bryant and May can't be that large of a pool.
April 24, 2013
I never read or look at comic books, but this is nice to have if you are a fan of the series. The two stories in it are pretty good and I am sure they will get better as more are released.
October 18, 2015
Great to "see" how Fowler & Page view their characters. I missed the playful prose of the novels, but was excited to get two more Bryant & May stories.
April 7, 2014
I enjoy the Bryant and May books so was interesting to read a graphic novel.......
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews