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The Tyler Mystery
A Paul Temple Mystery It all began with a police patrol finding an abandoned Jaguar with the murdered body of a young girl jammed into the boot. Her name was Betty Tyler and she had been strangled with her own scarf. Scotland Yard enlist the help of Paul Temple, but three more people are fated to die and Temple's own life was in danger before he could solve the mystery and stop the slaughter.
Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1957
About the author
Francis Durbridge
338 books34 followersFrancis Henry Durbridge was an English playwright and author born in Hull. In 1938, he created the character Paul Temple for the BBC radio serial Send for Paul Temple.
A crime novelist and detective, the gentlemanly Temple solved numerous crimes with the help of Steve Trent, a Fleet Street journalist who later became his wife. The character proved enormously popular and appeared in 16 radio serials and later spawned a 64-part big-budget television series (1969-71) and radio productions, as well as a number of comic strips, four feature films and various foreign radio productions.
Francis Durbridge also had a successful career as a writer for the stage and screen. His most successful play, Suddenly at Home, ran in London’s West End for over a year.
A crime novelist and detective, the gentlemanly Temple solved numerous crimes with the help of Steve Trent, a Fleet Street journalist who later became his wife. The character proved enormously popular and appeared in 16 radio serials and later spawned a 64-part big-budget television series (1969-71) and radio productions, as well as a number of comic strips, four feature films and various foreign radio productions.
Francis Durbridge also had a successful career as a writer for the stage and screen. His most successful play, Suddenly at Home, ran in London’s West End for over a year.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 22, 2018
Although I am a big Paul Temple fan, one thing cannot be denied: if you know one case, you know them all. Only eleven (if I remember correctly) cases were translated into German - all of which I know - the Tyler case was my first original Paul Temple case in English as a book.
Here, too, the story follows a familiar pattern: a murder arouses the curiosity of Paul Temple, who throws himself into the investigation with his wife Steve because the police can't get any further. Soon there is one (or more) murder(s), many opaque but highly suspicious people appear (and disappear again), there are cliffhangers, twists and turns and surprises. In almost every Paul-Temple case the Temples get into a precarious situation, in which their car is to be pushed off the road, or becomes. At the beginning there is always a mysterious caller who wants to pass on information that could contribute to the immediate resolution of the case - of course the informant is silenced beforehand. The story takes its course before Temple invites the suspects to a cocktail party at the end of the story, or all the suspects are gathered in one place to unravel the story and expose the main criminal.
As I said, I'm a fan of this radio plays - but there are two things that bother me when I listen to them: the clarification of cases, and the image of women.
The clarification of the cases - also in the Tyler case - is the same in every episode, and even if Paul Temple delivers a more or less conclusive chain of evidence at the end, as a listener / reader you never have a chance to solve a case yourself and thereby clarify the case. Many things do not appear at all, but are then revealed as a decisive indication or hint during the enlightenment. It is not so much determined, but rather shanged from coincidence to coincidence.
Then there is the image of women. Of course, the cases take place at a time when women at best were either the beautiful accessories of their gods' spouses, or simply a cooking, cleaning, babysitting person. Nevertheless I am really speechless in some scenes - how Paul acts towards his wife, but also how Steve behaves. After the autocrash scene in the Tyler case, Steve first powders her nose. In the Margo case Steve is kidnapped, and when they let her walk again at the Houston Station, she first goes to the ladies toilet to make herself pretty for Paul (this is described in the book). She can't ask questions about the current case without upsetting Paul, she has to stay home to have tea and cocktails ready as soon as her husband returns. And don't let her try to get something out on her own - Pauli can get very angry.
All in all, the atmosphere in the radio plays and the excellent cast of speakers are the main reasons why I love Paul Temple cases so much. In the books it goes down a bit, but they are not automatically bad.
Here, too, the story follows a familiar pattern: a murder arouses the curiosity of Paul Temple, who throws himself into the investigation with his wife Steve because the police can't get any further. Soon there is one (or more) murder(s), many opaque but highly suspicious people appear (and disappear again), there are cliffhangers, twists and turns and surprises. In almost every Paul-Temple case the Temples get into a precarious situation, in which their car is to be pushed off the road, or becomes. At the beginning there is always a mysterious caller who wants to pass on information that could contribute to the immediate resolution of the case - of course the informant is silenced beforehand. The story takes its course before Temple invites the suspects to a cocktail party at the end of the story, or all the suspects are gathered in one place to unravel the story and expose the main criminal.
As I said, I'm a fan of this radio plays - but there are two things that bother me when I listen to them: the clarification of cases, and the image of women.
The clarification of the cases - also in the Tyler case - is the same in every episode, and even if Paul Temple delivers a more or less conclusive chain of evidence at the end, as a listener / reader you never have a chance to solve a case yourself and thereby clarify the case. Many things do not appear at all, but are then revealed as a decisive indication or hint during the enlightenment. It is not so much determined, but rather shanged from coincidence to coincidence.
Then there is the image of women. Of course, the cases take place at a time when women at best were either the beautiful accessories of their gods' spouses, or simply a cooking, cleaning, babysitting person. Nevertheless I am really speechless in some scenes - how Paul acts towards his wife, but also how Steve behaves. After the autocrash scene in the Tyler case, Steve first powders her nose. In the Margo case Steve is kidnapped, and when they let her walk again at the Houston Station, she first goes to the ladies toilet to make herself pretty for Paul (this is described in the book). She can't ask questions about the current case without upsetting Paul, she has to stay home to have tea and cocktails ready as soon as her husband returns. And don't let her try to get something out on her own - Pauli can get very angry.
All in all, the atmosphere in the radio plays and the excellent cast of speakers are the main reasons why I love Paul Temple cases so much. In the books it goes down a bit, but they are not automatically bad.
May 1, 2013
Definitely one for fans of the radio series. I nearly cheered the first time Paul said "By Timothy!". You can hear Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury in your head while reading, a sign that the actors inhabited the characters completely.
This seems to be one of the few Paul Temple books that was not (as far as I can tell) adapted from a pre-existing radio play. And some of it is visual enough that I don't know how it would have worked on radio.
It is a very short book. I read it in one sitting of two or three hours. Admittedly, I couldn't put it down during that time. The story is quick and well-paced, with the heroes thrown into peril suitably often to keep things fresh. I don't know how much it would make sense or appeal to people who hadn't heard or didn't like the radio series. It's style and form is very much upper-class post-WWII, different even from Agatha Christie. But if you are already a fan of Mr Temple, this book is a bite-sized treat.
This seems to be one of the few Paul Temple books that was not (as far as I can tell) adapted from a pre-existing radio play. And some of it is visual enough that I don't know how it would have worked on radio.
It is a very short book. I read it in one sitting of two or three hours. Admittedly, I couldn't put it down during that time. The story is quick and well-paced, with the heroes thrown into peril suitably often to keep things fresh. I don't know how much it would make sense or appeal to people who hadn't heard or didn't like the radio series. It's style and form is very much upper-class post-WWII, different even from Agatha Christie. But if you are already a fan of Mr Temple, this book is a bite-sized treat.
March 20, 2025
I enjoyed this from start to finish. A quick read but wonderful too. Paul and Steve are a good double act and in 'The Tyler Mystery', what seemed at the outset to be a complicated case when three young women are murdered; was not so complicated at all once Paul discovered a paper with' Crown Jewel' written on it and figured out its significance. So enjoyable did I find this the first of the 'Paul Temple' mysteries, that I intend to read them all!
October 22, 2011
I really liked the Tyler Mystery as the way Francis Durbridge moved the story really well. Paul Temple is trying to sole a murder that hasn't been solved. Every move Paul Temple makes is vital to the story, and you must read every detail in the story to understand what has/will happen.
The Tyler Mystery is one of thoes books you can't put down, and has suspence in every chapter. Paul Temple is like Poriot (Agatha Christie) and knows what he is doing and, spots every detail in everything he does. When Paul Temple makes a new friend will that lead him closer to solving The Tyler Mystery?
I really liked this book because I thought it had a lot of detail. I enjoyed this book the tempo of the book was flowing and nice and easy, even though it was detailed.
The Tyler Mystery is one of thoes books you can't put down, and has suspence in every chapter. Paul Temple is like Poriot (Agatha Christie) and knows what he is doing and, spots every detail in everything he does. When Paul Temple makes a new friend will that lead him closer to solving The Tyler Mystery?
I really liked this book because I thought it had a lot of detail. I enjoyed this book the tempo of the book was flowing and nice and easy, even though it was detailed.
February 24, 2020
Paul Temple and his wife, Steve, have recently moved into a new flat. Still working on arranging things when Betty Tyler is found dead and Scotland Yard has been called in to investigate. The newspapers speculate that Paul Temple will be called in to assist. Paul is a well-known novelist and criminologist with a good track record of solving crimes.
Paul's wife, Steve, is not beyond doing a little detecting on her own, and once again does and gets herself into a tight place.
Things get even more alarming when a second girl, Jane Dallas, is found murdered in her own flat. The connection between the two victims is that they work for the same business, Marian Coiffeur de Dames.
Temple feels there is much more than the girls working for the same boss to cause their murders. Is there something they know that someone doesn't want others to know?
A classic English murder mystery set in the late 1940s - early 1950s. The Temples set out to interview any and all involved and then stage the usual scene of all the those involved coming together to hear the investigation results and who the murderer is - a la Ellery Queen or Nero Wolfe.
Yes, I did enjoy it!
Paul's wife, Steve, is not beyond doing a little detecting on her own, and once again does and gets herself into a tight place.
Things get even more alarming when a second girl, Jane Dallas, is found murdered in her own flat. The connection between the two victims is that they work for the same business, Marian Coiffeur de Dames.
Temple feels there is much more than the girls working for the same boss to cause their murders. Is there something they know that someone doesn't want others to know?
A classic English murder mystery set in the late 1940s - early 1950s. The Temples set out to interview any and all involved and then stage the usual scene of all the those involved coming together to hear the investigation results and who the murderer is - a la Ellery Queen or Nero Wolfe.
Yes, I did enjoy it!
March 6, 2020
Another fun listen, with Paul dragged reluctantly into the investigation of a body found in a car near Oxford because an old lag he knew seemed to be involved.
June 7, 2022
I gave this book 3 stars because I have listened to it as an audiobook three times, and I have never been interested enough to actually follow the story. But I do like the series as a whole
August 25, 2022
A perfect companion story to the radio show. brought back so many memories of listening to the show
April 22, 2025
Another 1930s mystery story
February 25, 2026
Read this out of nostalgia as I can vaguely remember the TV show. The book, however, is very formulaic and dated and the plot, such as it is, slightly ridiculous.
December 28, 2024
I grew up listening to the German Paul Temple audioplays on the radio. Every Saturday morning it was crime time. Of course the cases are all very similar and - seen from today's point of view - full of stereotypes. It's a trip down memory lane and also how my love of crime stories started. This case Paul Temple and the Tyler Mystery hasn't been translated into German. This audiobook is read by Anthony Head.
The case starts with a woman's body in the trunk of a stolen car. The Temples are very reluctant to get involved because they want to go to Paris. But of course the useless London police needs the help of Paul Temple to solve the case which includes a lot of different personnel, the abduction of Steve (with no consequences) and some more (attempted) murders. It ends with the usual cocktail party where Paul Temple reveals the solution after a thorough consideration of all the facts. It is one of the less complicated cases and not a really interesting one. I also kept missing the typical voices of Steve and Paul (Elisabeth Scherer and René Deltgen) of the audioplays. But it was a short reunion with some beloved characters.
The case starts with a woman's body in the trunk of a stolen car. The Temples are very reluctant to get involved because they want to go to Paris. But of course the useless London police needs the help of Paul Temple to solve the case which includes a lot of different personnel, the abduction of Steve (with no consequences) and some more (attempted) murders. It ends with the usual cocktail party where Paul Temple reveals the solution after a thorough consideration of all the facts. It is one of the less complicated cases and not a really interesting one. I also kept missing the typical voices of Steve and Paul (Elisabeth Scherer and René Deltgen) of the audioplays. But it was a short reunion with some beloved characters.
January 5, 2013
It's Paul Temple, in book form. Not quite as effective as the radio series, though the pacing remains the same. If anything the book gets to be more descriptive about scenes and thoughts of characters.
It is a good read, and if one is a Paul Temple fan I would say definitely get this. There are, possibly, some nice revelations about the Temples.
Warning, though, like all Temple tales there is a thin line between entertaining and silly, and if one has trouble suspending belief even a little then this book is not for you sadly.
It is a good read, and if one is a Paul Temple fan I would say definitely get this. There are, possibly, some nice revelations about the Temples.
Warning, though, like all Temple tales there is a thin line between entertaining and silly, and if one has trouble suspending belief even a little then this book is not for you sadly.
July 25, 2011
Not her best. Enough said.
Read
May 4, 2012Not very good at all. Weak ending. I like mysteries from that time period so I'll give another one by her a try.
September 30, 2016
Enjoyed this book. Easy to read. Not much thinking.
November 23, 2019
pretty standard for its time but not a bad read
April 5, 2017
Sadly disappointed in this story. And who says "By Timothy" anyway?
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews