Hi Karen,

My next review is:-

 

“Death Spins The Wheel(The Inspector Littlejohn Mysteries Book 19)” by George Bellairs, published in Kindle by Agora Books on 2 Aug. 2018, 200 pagesASIN: B07FN7HQZL 

This was a highly original but very absorbing and gripping read from such a short book by an author that I had never unfortunately come across before.

It is sent mainly in the Isle Of Man but also in parts of France and Switzerland and concerns a French lady Madame Garnier who comes to Douglas, Isle-Of-Man principally because it is the only place in the UK that allows gambling at the time the book was set which is in the mid 1960’s. Madame Garnier plays roulette every day mostly winning but stopping after she has achieved £200.

Madame Garnier appears to be a very experienced gambler who only bets on specific numbers according to a system that only she knows. After a number of days of doing repeatedly the same methods and time and again winning but after she reaches her £200 limit returning to her hotel room. However, one day she decides instead of returning to her room to  instead go for a walk on the beach. Later, her body is discovered dead on the beach with a bullet hole in her forehead.

By a happy coincidence Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is on the Island visiting his friend Archdeacon Kinrade, when the local Inspector Knell asks if Superintendent Littlejohn would advise him on his investigation into the death of French pensioner and professional gambler Mme Garnier.

Theories for her death are plentiful and have to be checked out and her past and her involvement in events during the Second World War must be examined. The detectives travel to the town in France she originated from. It is always nice to read stories which are based on fact and where the detectives can’t obtain their answers from computer databases but must research old newspapers and interview suspects face to face rather than via skype. There are many twists and turns in the story and I really enjoyed that.

This book was originally published in 1965 but I’m am fortunate that the story has now resurfaced to be enjoyed by a new, fresh audience.

As I said at the beginning I found this story highly unusual but a very gripping and absorbing entertainment that I have no hesitation in recommending most highly.

Best wishes,

Terry
(To be published on eurocrime.co.uk) in due course)

Another great read from George Bellairs with Inspector Littlejohn once again helping the Isle of Man constabulary.
This time its the seemingly senseless murder of a little old French lady holidaying on the I.o.M and surprisingly being very successful at the roulette wheel in the islands new casino.Does she have a winning system and is this the murderers motive ? Then there is the mysterious foreigner found in the dead of night in a small village apparently suffering from a heart attack who disappears after being helped by some of the locals.
When the victim has been identified it transpires that the little old lady was a member of the French resistance and Littlejohn travels to France to learn details of events during the war that may or may not have a bearing on the case.Passionate affairs ,betrayal, german agents and murder but how do they link to the Isle of Man.
Littlejohn methodically follows the evidence dismisses the red herrings to come up with the answers .
I enjoyed this immensely a proper old fashioned police detective story with a terrific backstory and enough twists and turns to keep anyone guessing. Fantastic !!!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Agora books for an ARC of this novel in return for an honest review Having now read several of George Bellairs detective novels, each featuring his lead character Superintendent Littlejohn, I have become a great fan. This novel, first published in 1965, is again set on the author’s beloved Isle of Man, but this time also in the South of France near the Swiss border, another area that Bellairs enjoyed and knew well. I’m afraid that I was lost by the intricacies of gambling with the roulette wheel, although the character of Littlejohn and his friend the Archdeacon seemed to understand it well. The Archdeacon appears in many of these books, being the person Littlejohn is conveniently staying with when a crime is committed so he’s on hand to help out with his specialised Scotland Yard expertise. Policing has certainly moved on. But this ruse doesn’t detract from the novel in any way. Despite all the modern technologies that we now enjoy (?) at home and work this tale doesn’t feel dated. It’s just a straight forward telling of a murder case with all the clues there if the reader can follow them. With the fashion now for “physiological” thrillers with so called twists at the end, this style is an absolute joy. There are however look backs to incidents that happened during the Second World War, which when this book was published was only twenty plus years away and well within the times of all the main characters.. 

It’s wonderful to have this series of novels revived and brought back to a whole new audience.

This is an amusing and challenging mystery. The characters are believable, some even endearing. The plot is not convoluted or tedious. It's an enjoyable read.

My 1st introduction to an Inspector Littlejohn mystery.  Enjoyed the setting in the Isle of Man and the characters were well established throughout the story.  The mystery flowed pretty evenly and overall I was impressed, for this being my first reading of an Inspector Littlejohn mystery.  Always looking for new mystery writers to discover.  Looking forward to reading more by George Bellairs.

I love Inspector Litlejohn mysteries.  This one is well written and engaging from the beginning.  The solving involves lots of very interesting dialogue and descriptive scenes.  Thoroughly wonderful.

Death Spins the Wheel, is an Inspector Littlejohn murder mystery, which takes us on a fast paced journey from a Gambling Casino on the Isle of Man back to the French Resistance during WWII.  Scotland Yard Inspector Littlejohn, now Superintendent, happens to be on holidays helping a friend when he becomes embroiled in solving the murder of an elderly lady at a local casino. Death Spins the Wheel is one of many books written by Harold Blundell under the pseudonym George Bellairs.

Madame Garnier spends the evening gambling and winning.  Shortly after finishing for the evening she takes a walk along the beach and is found dead within less than thirty minutes, shot through the head.  Although everyone initially feels her gambling is to blame, Inspector Littlejohn quickly ascertains that the woman’s past may be even more significant.

I like this book because it is fast paced and takes many twists and turns before it finally becomes clear what has occurred.  The characters in the story are unique and interesting enough to hold the readers interest.  Although written in the 60’s and it is a bit dated in style, there is plenty of intrigue and humour throughout the book.  I recommend this book because I found it entertaining and surprising and I give it a 4 on 5. 

I want to thank NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel, and how quickly I read it.  The first few chapters are a little slow but then I really got into it.  Nicely written, enjoyable characters and some lovely twists towards the end.  A nice story. I will check more titles out by this author.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Death Spins a Wheel is another classic Bellairs mystery novel.  Having read several of Bellairs Inspector Littlejohn"s series, I have come to realize that the main character is not usually the inspector, rather all of the other colorful characters in the story.  This true of this novel also and one can get immersed in Bellairs' description of the characters.  If you like Bellairs, you will like Death Spins a Wheel.

Whilst not amongst the very best George Bellairs novels I have read, this is a decent, solid detective story. The backstory relating to occupied France is nicely developed, and the motivation for the crime was convincing if labyrinthine. At just over 200 pages, it is a nice quick read and never drags. 

Whilst the plot and characterisation are perhaps not as well developed as in Bellairs’ “The Corpse at the the Carnival” or “The Case of the Famished Parson”, Golden Age detective fans will not be disappointed by this effort. I’d give it 7 out of 10, which translates into 3.5/5 - rounded up to 4.

Review submitted to Amazon.co.uk on 14/8/18

Excellent Inspector Littlejohn mystery set on the Isle of Man with a foray into Evian in the French Alps.  Littlejohn is on the Isle of Man in the U.K. on a busman's holiday.   Along with his friends, the Archdeacon and local policeman Knell, they search for the murderer of an elderly French woman who had great success gambling in the new casino before being gunned down.  Characters are well drawn, quirky, and sometimes downright funny.  George Bellairs definitively deserves a place among the great British mystery writers.

Wonderful!

I love the Inspector Littlejohn mysteries set on the Isle of Man, and this is the best yet.

Written in 1965, so 20 years after the end of WWII, it involves murders among the French Resistance, brought to a new investigation by the murder of an elderly French woman who has come to the Isle to play roulette.

The spinning wheel of the title is a roulette wheel, not on a car as I initially assumed.

The setting combines Man and the French side of Lake Geneva, both fascinating.

The details of the war effort are also very compelling.

Yes, I will be posting a review on Amazon but have no way to add a link here.

Another great story from George. This one is equally as good as the other ones I have read. Highly recommended for anyone who likes Golden Age Crime. Can't wait for the next one.

This book starts with a tidy presentation of the case of Madame Garnier and her puzzling demise after visiting a casino on the Isle of Man.  The remainder presents the process of finding the perpetrator, featuring Inspector Littlejohn and colleagues, in the Isle of Man and moving on to France and Switzerland in pursuit of the solution, discovering how times past have influenced present events.  
The story is wonderfully presented and unfolds neatly, taking us step-by-step with Littlejohn.  It held my attention throughout, was entertaining and informative, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

What is it about?

George Bellairs has written a thrilling murder mystery , that was first published in 1965 and is set in the Isle of Man. . A new casino opened and Madame Garnier visits to gamble using her secret system and always wins good amounts but not enough to ‘break the bank’. When Madame Garner is murdered the initial thought is it was her winnings, the murderer was after. But, the investigation, by Inspector Littlejohn uncovers past members of the French resistance, Vichy spies and betrayals. 

What did I like?

George Bellairs, the author,  has created an intriguing Inspector Littlejohn, and great characters in Knell and the Archdeacon to name just a few. The writing is This is a vintage novel and is in the same vein as authors such as Josephine Tey and is easily as good. I’m so glad I’ve discovered Mr Bellairs and will be searching for more of his novels,. 


Would I recommend?

Definitely,  The writing is so good I was totally enthralled and didn’t want it to end.




I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

The Crime Classics Review Club introduced me to George Bellairs and I like his books well enough to have ordered a couple from the library. Death Spins the Wheel is set on the Isle of Man, where yet again Inspector Littlejohn is conveniently taking a break. An elderly Frenchwoman, Madame Garnier, visits the Isle of Man to gamble at the new casino. Then she’s found on the beach, shot dead. At first it seems the murder must be something to do with her successful gambling method but the trail leads Knell and Littlejohn to France, to investigate events in Vichy France in 1944. This is hardly successful police procedure as various people eventually tell them what they want to know but the mystery of the disappearing Frenchman and the affairs of the Garnier family keep up the tension. I’m always interested in novels which lead back to the war and I enjoyed this one.

Although this is my first time reading an Inspector (now Superintendent) Littlejohn story, it is far from the beginning of the series. To this end, it took me a while to place the relationship between Littlejohn, the Archdeacon and Inspector Knell. However, it wasn’t long before I felt at home with the characters, and could concentrate on the plot line. I’ve never been to the Isle of Man but I do know Grenoble, so found the setting of the book and the theme being set around the background of the resistance very intriguing. Although I did guess the aggressor, the story around it and the facts kept me interested to the end. This is an ideal book to read if you have a few hours to spare and don’t want to be overtaxed.
I will definitely be exploring other titles in the same series. T

Madame Garnier, long a widow, goes to the Isle of Mann to play roulette at the Casino.  She seems to have a knack and each night after winning about 200 pounds she goes for a walk and to bed.  One night on the beach, she is shot by a small gun close to her.  Fortunately, Chief Inspector Littlejohn has just arrived to visit the Archdeacon and help him build a Solarium.  Thus, when the local Inspector Knell arrives at the Archdeacon's house, the Archdeacon and Littlejohn were ready to help.  Although someone had broken into Madame Garnier's hotel room, they hadn't found her money which was cleverly hidden in a false bottom of her suitcase.  The Archdeacon and Littlejohn go to Evian to try to find out some of the history of the family.  They also find out that  Madame had called her brother in law Ambroise, and asked him to come to Mann, but no one knew why.  

It seems that an Englishman, Colonel Springer, who lives on Mann had been assigned to the same resistance cell as Madame Garnier, her husband, and Ambroise, but it isn't clear at first why this is important.   The plot is well planned with lots of twists and turns and keeps the reader turning pages as new information or activities keep happening.   

This review can be found on amazon.com kindle page for the book under the name fanmystery and also on goodreads.

Absolutely brilliant, I read this book twice to ensure I didn't miss anything out the first time. The case initially starts on the Isle of Man with the shooting of an elderly lady and Superintendent Littlejohn is called to assist the island police. Littlejohn and the Archdeacon travel to France to carry on the investigation which goes back to World War Two and the murder of a French resistance fighter. The case eventually concludes back on the Isle of Man. George Bellairs is a master at plots and intrigue and keeps me on the edge of my seat right to the very end.

The beginning pulls you in right away. Who would kill a harmless old woman; quiet, unassuming, neat and intelligent. Nothing is what it seems and strand by strand the tale is woven of old sins with long shadows reaching back to France and WWII.