Information Received - E.R. Punshon

[Susan]

Published in 1933, this is the first novel featuring Oxford graduate, Constable Bobby Owen.

In his London townhouse, city magnate Sir Christopher Clarke is found lying murdered. At the other end of the house his safe hangs open and rifled, and earlier in the day he had visited his solicitors in order to make a drastic change in his will. Later it is discovered that there has been fraud connected with the dead man, and this is but one of the many complications with which Superintendent Mitchell is faced. Fortunately he has the assistance of young Constable Owen, a talented young Oxford graduate who, finding all other careers closed to him by the ‘economic blizzard’ of the early thirties, has joined the London Police force.

Information Received is the first of E.R. Punshon’s acclaimed Bobby Owen mysteries, first published in 1933 and the start of a series which eventually spanned thirty-five novels.

Please refrain from posting spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

[Susan]

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Here is a link to the previous discussion of this book, in April 16.

[Sandy]

I quite enjoyed this, which is good as I picked up many in the series during a kindle sale.

[Susan]

Yes, me too, Sandy. I know I have the next one.

[Leslie]

Sandy wrote: "I quite enjoyed this, which is good as I picked up many in the series during a kindle sale."

Me three! I think that having the main character be a "lowly" constable was an interesting variation on the police procedural. I got a quite different feeling about the investigation than I generally have when an inspector (such as Alleyn) is the main character.

[Shera]

I too enjoyed this read. Even though it's over 70 years old it still seemed fresh. I'm 'going to read more by this author.

[Susan]

That's a good point, Leslie. It was a totally new perspective to have a police constable, who needed to hang around on the off chance of speaking to someone and who had to ask for permission in order to go undercover. It brought a new dimension to things.

[Jill]

I think the relationship between Mitchell and Owen is pitched just right, friendly but respectful.

[Judy]

I really enjoyed this one first time around, and have been continuing with the series, although I haven't read very many of them yet.

Love the relationship between Owen and Mitchell, and I agree it's interesting to have a constable as our hero - slight shades of Endeavour in his character, as he is a former Oxford student.

[Judy]

I've just started rereading this and enjoyed the first chapter a lot - it introduces several memorable characters and gets the reader hooked. Also reminds me that this was one of several books I read around the same time involving productions of Hamlet.

[Judy]

This must be quite an early police procedural, and it's amusing to see how it has a crack at Sherlock Holmes, with comments like this:

"Glancing at a pile of cigarette ash and deducing therefrom the age, income, and political opinions of the smoker, was a feat entirely beyond his powers. as for false moustaches and cunning masquerades, they were as alien to his habits as they are to those of a suburban vicar."

[Leslie]

Judy wrote: "This must be quite an early police procedural, and it's amusing to see how it has a crack at Sherlock Holmes, with comments like this:

"Glancing at a pile of cigarette ash and deducing therefrom t..."

I had a chuckle at those passages too Judy!

[Susan]

I will confess I have only read one Holmes book and never really felt inspired to read on, but it is interesting how often Sherlock Holmes is referenced in other mysteries.

[Sandy]

Susan wrote: "I will confess I have only read one Holmes book and never really felt inspired to read on, but it is interesting how often Sherlock Holmes is referenced in other mysteries."

If you started with one of the full length novels, try the short stories. They are much better in my opinion. Or just concentrate on the books you like. There is no lack of books to be read!

[Susan]

Well, exactly, Sandy. I am not fond of short stories generally, to be honest.

[Judy]

I agree the Holmes short stories are much better than the full-length novels, except for The Hound of the Baskervilles.

I love the short stories and really enjoyed reading them all - if you like the Poirot and Hastings short stories, you might enjoy the Holmes ones too, Susan, as I think Christie was definitely paying homage to Conan Doyle in these, though I know you are not a short story fan in general.

[Susan]

I prefer the Poirot novels, Judy, although I have read most of the short stories. I've just never warmed to Holmes, on TV or in print.

[Annabel]

I'm not a fan of short stories at all but love the Sherlock Holmes ones. They are very satisfying and there are so many of them that you can carry a book of them about with you and it feels as though you have a novel on the go.

I think Conan Doyle struggled with plotting in his longer novels and fell back on hidden identities to resolve things. Revenge plots too - revenge and 'I was in a secret society when I was younger and now regret it' seem to drive dozens of Victorian story plots.

[Judy]

I love the Holmes short stories and have also enjoyed various short mystery stories by other writers in the anthologies brought out by British Library Crime Classics - I want to go on to read more by some of these authors.

I'm sure I'll be in a minority, but so far I have preferred the Poirot short stories to the full-length novels, as they are more fun and I think some of the more far-fetched plots work better in a short format. However, I'm not very far into the series yet.

[Judy]

Getting back to Information Received, I do enjoy Mitchell - he is so dry and, although he makes fun of Bobby, it's never malicious. In this book he says "Bear looking into" an amazing number of times - I think he cuts back on this catchphrase in the next few books!

[Susan]

The catchphrase did become a little annoying - good to hear he drops that in later books, Judy :)

[Sandy]

Yes, Mitchell is great but you would get tired of most anything after 20-30 books. I wonder how long he will be a part of Bobby's life. I hope Bobby visits him in his retirement.

[Susan]

Bobby will probably take his job, Sandy!

[Carolien]

I'be just completed this one and really enjoyed it. There is some solid police work involved and I like the characters. I guessed the murderer quite early on, but it was a nice read. The next one in the series is $0.99 on Amazon so I grabbed it.

[Sandy]

Carolien wrote: "I'be just completed this one and really enjoyed it. There is some solid police work involved and I like the characters. I guessed the murderer quite early on, but it was a nice read. The next one i..."

That how I acquired so very many of them ... just one more. Luckily I liked the first.

[Susan]

I think a few of us have the next in the series. Possible future nomination and, if not, perhaps we can add the next as a buddy read, somewhere along the line?

[Carolien]

I'd like another buddy read for the next in series at some time.

[Jill]

I did say I would nominate it for the next group read after people who hadn't it before, the last time we read it as a buddy read. If it doesn't win the group read I will happily read it as a buddy read.

[Susan]

Yes, perhaps we can put the second in the next vote and, should it not succeed, we can fit it in as a buddy read. I'd like to read on.

[Leslie]

Carolien wrote: "I'd like another buddy read for the next in series at some time."

Count me in!

[Adrian]

Gosh I've just spotted at least the first 6 books are only 99p each, woo hoo

[Judy]

I've read the first few in the series so would be happy to carry on discussing.

[Gardener0126]

I read this book a couple of years ago, along with several others in the series. I enjoyed it, but will have to go back and re-read in order to join in with the discussion.
Amazon US has 15 of this series available as e-books, (I believe there are around 35 in all), and I managed to pick them all up for free.
I would be up for more of these as buddy reads as well.

[Susan]

I am sure we will fit the next one in as a buddy read, Gardener. Quite a few of us picked up several of the series free.