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Although this is not my favourite in the Gervase Fen mysteries, it still an enjoyable outing. Fen is in the small village of Sanford Angelorum, bizarrely standing as an independent candidate for Parliament. His reasons for doing so are fairly vague, but his musings - and speeches - on politics make enjoyable reading.
This novel involves an escaped lunatic from a nearby asylum, a pig which eats constantly but refuses to grow, several eccentric characters (this was published in 1949 and I was inter ...more
This novel involves an escaped lunatic from a nearby asylum, a pig which eats constantly but refuses to grow, several eccentric characters (this was published in 1949 and I was inter ...more
Gervase Fen is staying at an inn in a small hamlet of Sanford Angelorum. He has gotten a wild hair to stand for Parliament as the local independent candidate, and is there to 'press the flesh.' Of course, the hijinks ensue (there is even an escaped lunatic!) as he plays sleuth while campaigning.
Here's why I love Crispin's writing - "Morning to you, sir," said the man. "Hope we didn't get you up too early." "Not a bit," Fen replied without cordiality. "I feel better already-" the man spoke, howev ...more
Here's why I love Crispin's writing - "Morning to you, sir," said the man. "Hope we didn't get you up too early." "Not a bit," Fen replied without cordiality. "I feel better already-" the man spoke, howev ...more
Another enjoyable entry in the Gervase Fen series. Fen is running for Parliament in a remote country seat and his antics and musings about politics form the highlights of this novel. There is a major clue to the identity of the guilty party fairly early but despite recognizing this, I was unable to put the pieces together. Overall, I think that some of the earlier books in this series were superior to this one but it is still worth reading.
This was another in this rather quirky and lighthearted series featuring Gervase Fen, Oxford Professor of English and amateur sleuth. This outing sees Fen running for Parliament (for reasons which remain unclear) in the small town/village of Sanford Angelorum. There he encounters mysterious deaths, unexplained road accidents, an escaped lunatic and enough other odd characters to satisfy any lover of a good English countryside mystery. There's lots to enjoy, and Crispin's books are full of intere
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This starts with us being told that Fen has decided to run as an independent candidate for a small district, with a view to becoming a member of Parliament. He is travelling by train in order to canvas before the local election at this small town. He has booked in to a small inn that is being renovated, but on arriving there he hears that a lunatic has escaped from a local asylum, and is causing trouble to the locals. He finds that an acquaintance of his from Scotland Yard, is incognito, staying
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Crispin's chance to thoroughly criticize, through satire, the failings of both Labour and Conservative parties after the war. A Labour candidate who's an Industrial magnate and a Tory who's a farm worker who went to night school. Also getting in a few gibes at Oxbridge: "Unlike Oxford, Watkins had no time to waste on lost causes." No part of British politics is sacrosanct, least of all the voting public.
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Edmund Crispin is wonderful. He deserves to be better known than he is. Four and a half stars.
Mar 26, 2016
Miss M
marked it as second-in-line
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-own,
crime_classic-and-ga
Jul 26, 2023
Diana
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery,
read-in-2023
Apr 17, 2025
Andy
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
detectives,
books-i-like,
contemporary,
1940s,
author-male,
british-humour,
english,
kobo,
20th-century
