What do you think?
Rate this book
Luke Pagan #3
Over and Out
Luke Pagan is assigned to a perilous assignm ent which takes him and his disreputable side-kick, Joe Narr abone, to the brink of disaster. '
222 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1999
About the author
Michael Gilbert
134 books93 followersLibrarian 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 7, 2021
Proverbs say that the past is a different country, and the Luke Pagan series is a comfortable, saccrin trip into the Britain that was. Written towards the end of a long and prolific career, and published only intermittently in small runs, the three books are a reminiscing send-off from a fading master. I came across the first only by accident (it was 50 cents in a library bin) and immediately appreciated the style. Affectionately, familiarly, Gilbert builds up the pre-WWI setting, forestalling the modern elements of the second half for a yeoman beginning. There's little nostalgia for the days of stratified social-class or rural life, but the author's memory and warmth for the age practically drips off the page.
From there the story expands into a police procedural and then an espionage thriller, drawing heavily on the events and cultural overtones of the time. The language can be confusing (particularly for non-Commonwealth types) and some of the formatting is downright archaic, but in no way is the series bad. In fact, it's quite good, and the first book is one of the best I've ever read. It's ending is a triumphant high note for a character you've come to love, and any casual reader can revel in this literature done well. Similarly, the middle book is just as compelling, at least for a while. There is quite a long slog that can be deterring if you're not invested in the characters or plot, or not interested in the minute detail of early century politics and law. The third suffers from this as well, although in smaller amounts and the use of more characters breaks it up into manageable sections.
This series is truly something, the last familiar wave backwards as a professional slips away to his fate. I've never read anything else of Gilbert's, and I don't think I will. These books are so homely, so affectionate and well-worn, that you can tell how often the author must have visited these memories. These are warm, personal recollections of a time now long gone, with a satisfying and unique story built around them. If you can get the first book from your library, invest a few days and enjoy how it unfolds. If you really like it, try and track down the other two, because the experience will be immensely rewarding.
From there the story expands into a police procedural and then an espionage thriller, drawing heavily on the events and cultural overtones of the time. The language can be confusing (particularly for non-Commonwealth types) and some of the formatting is downright archaic, but in no way is the series bad. In fact, it's quite good, and the first book is one of the best I've ever read. It's ending is a triumphant high note for a character you've come to love, and any casual reader can revel in this literature done well. Similarly, the middle book is just as compelling, at least for a while. There is quite a long slog that can be deterring if you're not invested in the characters or plot, or not interested in the minute detail of early century politics and law. The third suffers from this as well, although in smaller amounts and the use of more characters breaks it up into manageable sections.
This series is truly something, the last familiar wave backwards as a professional slips away to his fate. I've never read anything else of Gilbert's, and I don't think I will. These books are so homely, so affectionate and well-worn, that you can tell how often the author must have visited these memories. These are warm, personal recollections of a time now long gone, with a satisfying and unique story built around them. If you can get the first book from your library, invest a few days and enjoy how it unfolds. If you really like it, try and track down the other two, because the experience will be immensely rewarding.
Displaying 1 of 1 review