Coffin, Scarcely Used by Colin Watson

[Susan]

In the respectable seaside town of Flaxborough, the equally respectable councillor Harold Carobleat is laid to rest. Cause of death: pneumonia.

But he is scarcely cold in his coffin before Detective Inspector Purbright, affable and annoyingly polite, must turn out again to examine the death of Carobleat’s neighbour, Marcus Gwill, former prop. of the local rag, the Citizen. This time it looks like foul play, unless a surfeit of marshmallows had led the late and rather unlamented Mr Gwill to commit suicide by electrocution. (‘Power without responsibility’, murmurs Purbright.)

How were the dead men connected, both to each other and to a small but select band of other town worthies? Purbright becomes intrigued by a stream of advertisements Gwill was putting in the Citizen, for some very oddly named antique items…

This is the first in the Flaxborough series, a new one for the group and we hope you will join us in discussing it.

Please do not post spoilers in this thread - thank you.

[Judy]

This thread is now open for discussion - who is reading this book? I'm about halfway through and finding it a quick, fun read. so thanks to Rosina for suggesting this one!

[Martha]

I’m also about halfway through and I’m loving the writing style and dry wit of the author. I would definitely like to continue with this series!

[Sandy]

I also love the wit and the story is interesting.

[Jill]

I found this very slow and wordy. I thought the plot was good,but it took ages to follow it as there was a lot of repetition.

[Pamela]

I'll be starting this soon, once I finish Murder at Christmas. I'm interested to see what this series is like.

[Rosina]

I first read some of the Flaxborough novels when they came out - when I was a lot younger. I was really pleased to be able to revisit the sleepy (if homicidal) town thanks to Kindle. I have actually read all of them this year, but will be more than happy to re-reread along with the group, if you decide to carry on with the series.

[Susan]

I thought the beginning was particularly good, with the funeral scene. Yes, I think we definitely need to try the next book, at the very least!

[Jill]

I will read the second book as I always think with the first the author is just getting into it. Also, as it is not until May, I may be feeling differently.

[Susan]

Fair enough, Jill. I don't want to burden us with more than three Buddy Reads a month, but read on and you can still join in with the discussion.

May will be here before we know it though!

[Susan in NC]

I’m about halfway through and like the detectives and the humor, but it feels a bit slow - maybe it’s the odd and very unlikable suspects- I know they’re supposed to be pillars of the community, which automatically makes me think they’re up to something! I’m hoping it will pick up for me tomorrow, and I’ll be able to get a handle on who’s behind the murder and why...

[Susan]

I agree that the beginning was better than the end.

[Susan in NC]

Susan wrote: "I agree that the beginning was better than the end."

Oh, dear, that’s not very encouraging! Well, as a long-time mystery buff, I’m willing to give some leeway to a first book in a series if I like the obviously recurring characters- and in this case, I do. I’d like to try more of the series with Purbright and Love - and hopefully, this apparently demented coroner!

[Susan in NC]

Jill wrote: "I will read the second book as I always think with the first the author is just getting into it. Also, as it is not until May, I may be feeling differently."

Exactly- I can forgive things in a first book if I like the premise.

[Judy]

I'm interested to see that a seven-part TV series based on these books was made in the 1970s, Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle, starring Anton Rodgers as Inspector Purbright and Christopher Timothy as Sgt Love. There is a BBC DVD set available, so I will hope to watch it in future after reading more of the stories.

[Judy]

I will definitely read on with these as I thought this was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the author's witty writing style.

[Ruth]

Judy wrote: "I'm interested to see that a seven-part TV series based on these books was made in the 1970s, Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle, starring Anton Rodgers as Inspector Purbright and Christo..."

I can remember enjoying this series at the time but can't remember anything about it apart from that it starred Anton Rodgers who is an actor I reaaly like.

[Susan in NC]

Having read this first in the series, and seeing the promise with the humor and detectives, I’m envisioning an early Midsomer Murders (or did someone already say that? Sorry, it’s the only humorous British police procedural TV show I’m familiar with!)

[Susan]

For those interested in following on with our Midsomer Murders series, the second book (and a future Buddy Read, Death of a Hollow Man: A Midsomer Murders Mystery 2 is currently 99p in the kindle sale.

[Bicky]

I found this to be a very funny book with an unsurpassed description of the undertaker and the Chief Constable could only have been appointed to his post in good old England.