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Inspector Alvarez #1
Mistakenly in Mallorca
There is no real justice in the world…
Elvina Woods's death at her home in Mallorca is sudden and unexpected.
Another few days and her great-nephew would have inherited, through her, enough to buy the English farm he craves.
So when he returns to the house and finds her dead, his first thought is to conceal her death for a short time, his second how to do it.
It is only after that begins to question whether such an action was wise…
But – still grieving for his recently murdered fiancée – John Tatham already has enough reason to despise the law's insistence on the letter rather than the spirit. And he plans his deception carefully.
Elvina was not exactly popular with the English community on the island, nor with certain Mallorquins. And with her peculiar reputation, oft to acting impulsively, few would enquire about the mad woman if she were not seen around.
And when, later, her body was discovered, her death would be seen to be a fatal accident ...
Unfortunately, Tatham fails to reckon with Inspector Alvarez, the local policeman, with whom he has more in common than he thought.
And he fails to reckon with the fact that to a policeman his own role would look highly suspect.
Has Tatham in effect framed himself? And has he, in doing so, inadvertently involved himself in another's crime?
Mistakenly in Mallorca is filled with ingenious twist and turns that will keep you hooked.
'A first-rate whodunit turning on the resourcefulness of a country gentleman who exploits the process of the law to delay its action. Author on the top of his legal and social form.' - Francis Goff, The Sunday Telegraph
‘Roderic Jeffries established a very high reputation for himself.' -Maurice Richardson, The Observer
‘The resulting legal intricacies make fascinating reading.' - Hester Makeig, The Spectator
'First-class, smoothly told, fine court scenes and sketches of lawyers entirely absorbing.' - John Clarke, Evening Standard
‘The most ingenious of Mr. Jeffries's exercises in legal trickery.' - Julian Symons, The Sunday Times
'...is for the mystery story connoisseur and particularly the man who can appreciate this ingenious exercise in legal trickery.' - Police World
Roderic Jeffries was born in London in 1926 and was educated at Harrow View House Preparatory School and the Department of Navigation, University of Southampton. In 1943, he joined the New Zealand Shipping Company as an apprentice and sailed to Australia and New Zealand, but later transferred to the Union Castle Company in order to visit a different part of the world. He returned to England in 1949 where he was admitted to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn and read for the Bar at the same time as he began to write. He was called to the Bar in 1953, and after one year's pupilage, practiced law for a few terms during which time there to write full time. His first book, a sea story for juveniles, was published in 1950.
Elvina Woods's death at her home in Mallorca is sudden and unexpected.
Another few days and her great-nephew would have inherited, through her, enough to buy the English farm he craves.
So when he returns to the house and finds her dead, his first thought is to conceal her death for a short time, his second how to do it.
It is only after that begins to question whether such an action was wise…
But – still grieving for his recently murdered fiancée – John Tatham already has enough reason to despise the law's insistence on the letter rather than the spirit. And he plans his deception carefully.
Elvina was not exactly popular with the English community on the island, nor with certain Mallorquins. And with her peculiar reputation, oft to acting impulsively, few would enquire about the mad woman if she were not seen around.
And when, later, her body was discovered, her death would be seen to be a fatal accident ...
Unfortunately, Tatham fails to reckon with Inspector Alvarez, the local policeman, with whom he has more in common than he thought.
And he fails to reckon with the fact that to a policeman his own role would look highly suspect.
Has Tatham in effect framed himself? And has he, in doing so, inadvertently involved himself in another's crime?
Mistakenly in Mallorca is filled with ingenious twist and turns that will keep you hooked.
'A first-rate whodunit turning on the resourcefulness of a country gentleman who exploits the process of the law to delay its action. Author on the top of his legal and social form.' - Francis Goff, The Sunday Telegraph
‘Roderic Jeffries established a very high reputation for himself.' -Maurice Richardson, The Observer
‘The resulting legal intricacies make fascinating reading.' - Hester Makeig, The Spectator
'First-class, smoothly told, fine court scenes and sketches of lawyers entirely absorbing.' - John Clarke, Evening Standard
‘The most ingenious of Mr. Jeffries's exercises in legal trickery.' - Julian Symons, The Sunday Times
'...is for the mystery story connoisseur and particularly the man who can appreciate this ingenious exercise in legal trickery.' - Police World
Roderic Jeffries was born in London in 1926 and was educated at Harrow View House Preparatory School and the Department of Navigation, University of Southampton. In 1943, he joined the New Zealand Shipping Company as an apprentice and sailed to Australia and New Zealand, but later transferred to the Union Castle Company in order to visit a different part of the world. He returned to England in 1949 where he was admitted to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn and read for the Bar at the same time as he began to write. He was called to the Bar in 1953, and after one year's pupilage, practiced law for a few terms during which time there to write full time. His first book, a sea story for juveniles, was published in 1950.
177 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
156 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Roderic Jeffries
134 books19 followersaka Peter Alding, Jeffrey Ashford, Roderic Graeme, Graham Hastings.
Son of Graham Montague Jeffries
Roderic Jeffries was born in London in 1926 and was educated at Harrow View House Preparatory School and the Department of Navigation, University of Southampton.
In 1943 he joined the New Zealand Shipping Company as an apprentice and sailed to Australia and New Zealand, but later transferred to the the Union Castle Company in order to visit a different part of the world.
He returned to England in 1949 where he was admitted to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn and read for the Bar at the same time as he began to write. He was called to the Bar in 1953, and after one year's pupilage practiced law for a few terms during which time there to write full time.
His first book, a sea story for juveniles, was published in 1950.
His books have been published in many different countries and have been adapted for film, television, and radio.
He lived for a time in the country in a 17th century farmhouse, almost, but not quite overlooking Romney Marsh before he and his wife moved to Mallorca. They have two children.
Son of Graham Montague Jeffries
Roderic Jeffries was born in London in 1926 and was educated at Harrow View House Preparatory School and the Department of Navigation, University of Southampton.
In 1943 he joined the New Zealand Shipping Company as an apprentice and sailed to Australia and New Zealand, but later transferred to the the Union Castle Company in order to visit a different part of the world.
He returned to England in 1949 where he was admitted to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn and read for the Bar at the same time as he began to write. He was called to the Bar in 1953, and after one year's pupilage practiced law for a few terms during which time there to write full time.
His first book, a sea story for juveniles, was published in 1950.
His books have been published in many different countries and have been adapted for film, television, and radio.
He lived for a time in the country in a 17th century farmhouse, almost, but not quite overlooking Romney Marsh before he and his wife moved to Mallorca. They have two children.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 19, 2024
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November 2, 2025
Englishman John Tatham is passionate about being a dairy farmer, but he lacks the capital to really make much of a living at it. His great aunt Elvina wants to help make his dream a reality. Her godfather is on his deathbed, and she will receive a large inheritance when he dies. She lets John know about her plans while he is visiting her on the island of Mallorca.
During that visit, John arrives at Elvina's home one rainy evening and finds that she has died, apparently from a fall. With his hopes for a farm suddenly dashed, he concocts a desperate plan. Putting Elvina's body in a freezer, he determines to hide her until the godfather's death, then make it look as if she died after that. But can he fool the neighbors and the local police? Detective Enrique Alvarez is puzzled by some of the details he notices, and he has a number of questions.
I loved this mystery that was originally published in 1974. The Mallorcan setting is fascinating, and Alvarez is a flawed but attractive character.
During that visit, John arrives at Elvina's home one rainy evening and finds that she has died, apparently from a fall. With his hopes for a farm suddenly dashed, he concocts a desperate plan. Putting Elvina's body in a freezer, he determines to hide her until the godfather's death, then make it look as if she died after that. But can he fool the neighbors and the local police? Detective Enrique Alvarez is puzzled by some of the details he notices, and he has a number of questions.
I loved this mystery that was originally published in 1974. The Mallorcan setting is fascinating, and Alvarez is a flawed but attractive character.
October 27, 2025
This book is set in Mallorca where Tatham's great aunt Elvina has died suddenly and if she had died a few days later he would have inherited the vineyard he worked in, so he thought it would be a good idea to hide her body and have it discovered a few days after her death so he could claim her house and vineyard. This is a bit of a slow book and it didn't really hold my attention that well, Inspector Alvarez can smell a rat here and is constantly on Tatham's back trying to flush him out as the killer of his great aunt. There are some comical moments in the book, but for the main part it is slow and I was beginning to despair of Tatham and found myself losing the plot. I did read to the end which was quite funny in a way! But it's not a book I would keep.
October 17, 2025
Boring. Stereotypical characters. A "hero" who covers up a murder he did not commit, to benefit from a will? A police detective who colluded in the cover-up because both he and the "hero" were " men of the soil"? And he gets away with it! And surprise, surprise, he gets the girl! We even had the "Dirty Harry style" disruption of the posh suspect's lunch party. All that was missing was the round-up of all the suspects in the drawing room to reveal the killer!
Weak in every department!
Weak in every department!
October 14, 2025
Compelling reading though slow
It was one of those books where you need to keep reading to find the point. It was not my cup of tea really and rather slow but I guess that was intentional. Kind of twists at end but could have been better.
It was one of those books where you need to keep reading to find the point. It was not my cup of tea really and rather slow but I guess that was intentional. Kind of twists at end but could have been better.
November 11, 2025
A farmers tale in Mallorca .
A interesting story.a farmer goes to a foreign land to visit a relative money death and rich people not normally my favourite things but it kept my interest going so I got through the boring parts about riches and that.
A interesting story.a farmer goes to a foreign land to visit a relative money death and rich people not normally my favourite things but it kept my interest going so I got through the boring parts about riches and that.
October 7, 2025
An OK read
Took a while to develop but an interesting if somewhat unusual story. Definitely an unusual ending for a crime thriller.
Took a while to develop but an interesting if somewhat unusual story. Definitely an unusual ending for a crime thriller.
August 14, 2012
Very good, very different, lots of twists...
Want to read
November 13, 2018Synopsis: Elvina's death is unexpected. John was close to inheriting so he decides to conceal the body. He fails to reckon with Inspector Alvarez.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews