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Chief Inspector Littlejohn #52
Murder Adrift
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
First published in 1972, this is a Chief Inspector Littlejohn mystery full of secrecy, duplicity and twisted loyalties.
The Todds, governed by the widowed matriarch, Mrs Todd, are well-known in Fordinghurst.
When Heck, the philandering youngest son, is found murdered on his boat, they do their best to hush up the scandal.
With the local constabulary depleted through illness and strained by an epidemic of illegal immigration, Chief Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard and his new recruit, Hopkinson, are called in to investigate. Faced with a tangle of family jealousy, marital betrayal and racial prejudice, Littlejohn persists, leading to a slew of confessions.
First published in 1972, this is a Chief Inspector Littlejohn mystery full of secrecy, duplicity and twisted loyalties.
The Todds, governed by the widowed matriarch, Mrs Todd, are well-known in Fordinghurst.
When Heck, the philandering youngest son, is found murdered on his boat, they do their best to hush up the scandal.
With the local constabulary depleted through illness and strained by an epidemic of illegal immigration, Chief Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard and his new recruit, Hopkinson, are called in to investigate. Faced with a tangle of family jealousy, marital betrayal and racial prejudice, Littlejohn persists, leading to a slew of confessions.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1972
36 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
George Bellairs
74 books100 followersAKA Hilary Landon
George Bellairs is the nom de plume of Harold Blundell, a crime writer and bank manager born in Heywood, near Rochdale, Lancashire, who settled in the Isle of Man on retirement. He wrote more than 50 books, most featuring the series' detective Inspector Littlejohn. He also wrote four novels under the alternative pseudonym Hilary Landon.
George Bellairs is the nom de plume of Harold Blundell, a crime writer and bank manager born in Heywood, near Rochdale, Lancashire, who settled in the Isle of Man on retirement. He wrote more than 50 books, most featuring the series' detective Inspector Littlejohn. He also wrote four novels under the alternative pseudonym Hilary Landon.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 4, 2021
A local womanizing black sheep ends up dead in his cabin cruiser, and Inspector Thomas Littlejohn comes to investigate. Heck Todd, the younger scion of a prominent family, had so many scams going on that the field of suspects is wide open.
Littlejohn comes accompanied by a shiny-new, overly eager junior detective named Michael “Hoppy” Hopkinson. This humorless, clueless prig certainly doesn’t replace the lugubrious and clever Detective Sergeant Robert Cromwell, and I deducted a star on Hoppy alone. I hope we’ll see Cromwell back again.
Littlejohn comes accompanied by a shiny-new, overly eager junior detective named Michael “Hoppy” Hopkinson. This humorless, clueless prig certainly doesn’t replace the lugubrious and clever Detective Sergeant Robert Cromwell, and I deducted a star on Hoppy alone. I hope we’ll see Cromwell back again.
January 2, 2022
This set around a small costal town its one of later Littlejohn mystery books published in 1972 but I think it is the late 1960s. The murder is at sea on local boat. The local police cannot work the case because they have all got food poisoning, so Scotland Yard is sent for.
The victim is from well to do family of wine sellers who sell ghastly plonk that tastes like bull's piss.
Nobody has good word for the victim a wife beater, cheating, thief except his wheelchair old mother who thinks he is the best.
The local Mayor goes on like he's The Mayor of London and not small town that nobody knows where it is.he thinks Littlejohn is his best friend and will not leave him alone until he too becomes a suspect.
This is very much classic Littlejohn this twisting funny well written book.
The victim is from well to do family of wine sellers who sell ghastly plonk that tastes like bull's piss.
Nobody has good word for the victim a wife beater, cheating, thief except his wheelchair old mother who thinks he is the best.
The local Mayor goes on like he's The Mayor of London and not small town that nobody knows where it is.he thinks Littlejohn is his best friend and will not leave him alone until he too becomes a suspect.
This is very much classic Littlejohn this twisting funny well written book.
November 9, 2017
This is a late one, from 1972, in which Chief Superintendent Littlejohn is called to the port of Fordinghurst to investigate the murder of Hector Todd. He is accompanied by a junior detective named Hopkinson. The absence of his usual partner, Cromwell, is unexplained.
Todd has been found shot, in his cabin-cruiser, adrift at sea. The area police force is under pressure and the Todd family is locally important. These are good reasons to call in Scotland Yard.
All is not as it seems, and soon Littlejohn uncovers a tangle of family and other local scandals and dubious dealings.
Hector was an unpleasant philanderer, involved in a lot of shady business , despised by his wife and brother and protected by an imperious mother.
The plot is fairly mundane and again the early chapters contain the best writing. Despite the small town coastal setting which Bellairs uses effectively in other books, there are none of the scenic descriptions I enjoyed in some of the earlier novels. No real eccentrics, and little humour either, except at the expense of Pollitt, the local mayor.
Rather pedestrian and not too difficult to work out. An easy, fairly light read.
Todd has been found shot, in his cabin-cruiser, adrift at sea. The area police force is under pressure and the Todd family is locally important. These are good reasons to call in Scotland Yard.
All is not as it seems, and soon Littlejohn uncovers a tangle of family and other local scandals and dubious dealings.
Hector was an unpleasant philanderer, involved in a lot of shady business , despised by his wife and brother and protected by an imperious mother.
The plot is fairly mundane and again the early chapters contain the best writing. Despite the small town coastal setting which Bellairs uses effectively in other books, there are none of the scenic descriptions I enjoyed in some of the earlier novels. No real eccentrics, and little humour either, except at the expense of Pollitt, the local mayor.
Rather pedestrian and not too difficult to work out. An easy, fairly light read.
July 3, 2024
The murder of the wastrel son of a prominent local family. A bit more harm scarum than the usual Littlejohns: lots of shouting and carrying on. Also, Littlejohn has a new assistant. What happened to Cromwell??
September 3, 2024
Todd Heck is found dead on his boat and his family try to hush it up. Littlejohn and Hopkins go to investigate. Can they figure out what is going on and who the murderer is?
Great classic mystery.
Great classic mystery.
May 10, 2020
Excellent Mystery
As he always does, he has crafted a wonderful detective mystery with great characterizations. The reader is able to see the story in three dimensions.
As he always does, he has crafted a wonderful detective mystery with great characterizations. The reader is able to see the story in three dimensions.
August 12, 2022
Very enjoyable.
May 17, 2025
Just re-read after 12 years and my original review as below still stands..
If not set in The Isle of Man or The South Of France then Bellairs books are usually set in a small British Town where an old established and influential family get involved in Murder. This one is no exception. For some unexplained reason Littlejohn's normal sidekick Cromwell is not featured or even mentioned. Strange ...
Not bad but not one of his best. The ending is fairly predictable.
If not set in The Isle of Man or The South Of France then Bellairs books are usually set in a small British Town where an old established and influential family get involved in Murder. This one is no exception. For some unexplained reason Littlejohn's normal sidekick Cromwell is not featured or even mentioned. Strange ...
Not bad but not one of his best. The ending is fairly predictable.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews