Stay of execution, and other stories of legal practice,

Henry Bohun

by Michael Gilbert

Michael Gilbert was never afraid in his stories to attack unnecessary and pettifogging bureaucracy, not to cover up the seedier side of the law, or fail to show that justice does not always prevail. Nonetheless, this was always done with his hallmark wit and dry humor, and the general themes can be found in Stay of Execution and other stories about the legal practice. “Back on the Shelf,” in which less than scrupulous lawyers get away with it, is regarded as a classic. Stories in this collection also feature Henry Bohun, who will be familiar to Gilbert readers from the novel Smallbone Deceased and other short story collections.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories

224 pages, Hardcover

First published December 11, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Born in Lincolnshire in 1912, Michael Francis Gilbert was educated in Sussex before entering the University of London where he gained an LLB with honours in 1937. Gilbert was a founding member of the British Crime Writers Association, and in 1988 he was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America - an achievement many thought long overdue. He won the Life Achievement Anthony Award at the 1990 Boucheron in London, and in 1980 he was knighted as a Commander in the Order of the British Empire. Gilbert made his debut in 1947 with Close Quarters, and since then has become recognized as one of our most versatile British mystery writers.

He was the father of Harriett Gilbert.

Reviews

[Jeff Hobbs]

Read so far:

Back on the shelf (aka Mrs. Oliphant deceased)--
The blackmailing of Mr. Justice Ball --
Murder by jury --
Xinia Florata (aka Last laugh, aka Will o'the wisp)--
*Weekend at Wapentake --
The system (aka Underlined in red)--3
Cousin once removed (aka Survivor takes all)--3
*Modus operandi (aka Touch of genius, aka The neat man)--
The king in pawn (aka Pick up the king)--
The rich man in his castle (aka Mouse in a trap)--
Where there's a will (aka Accessories after the fact)--
Mr. Portway's practice (aka The income tax mystery)--2
Stay of execution --3
***
Amateur in violence (aka The amateur, The unstoppable man)--3
Audited and found correct--
Back in five years--
Bird of dawning--
Camford cottage--
The curious conspiracy--3
Drop shot--
Even murderers take holidays--
Fear and trembling's--
The jackal and the tiger--
Judith--
Money is honey--
Ranulph Hall--
The tea shop assassin--3
Trust little Al (aka The case of the purloined philanderer)--
Verdict of three--
Villa Almirante--2
We've come to report a murder, sir--2
The wrong fox (aka Basilio)--