This book features two of Bellairs' favourite locations _ the Isle of Man and France. The plot moves along briskly and I found the World War II and Resistance elements very authentic and a change from the usually eccentric characters found in his English settings _ an indication of his writing versitility. Please reissue more of Littlejohn!

George Bellairs was at the end of last year the surprise find for me through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited.  It can be hard enough finding something worth reading on that platform but the Bellairs covers really attracted me and that first story really hit the spot.  I have now returned to this author on two further occasions, this time thanks to the Crime Classics Advance Readers Club.

This is the third novel by this author I have read and I am really beginning to enjoy his books.  In the main they appear to be considered fairly light crime novels with a distinctly humorous edge but I am finding that as the series progresses the settings and basis of the stories are becoming more important and the cosy jokey nature is being left behind.  But then with the first novels being published in the early 1940s and ‘Death Spins the Wheel’ written in the mid-sixties, much had changed in Britain and Europe and this is certainly reflected in the author’s writing.

This novel, the 42nd in the Littlejohn series, is set (and written) around 20 years after the end of the second world, a war which casts a distinct shadow over the proceedings following the murder on which the story is based.  Through this novel I certainly saw a progression in the quality of the author’s writing; these are no longer simply light, humorous novels in the crime genre but have become as much a study of class and national identities and how this sat in Europe’s recovery in the years following the war.  The humour is still there but there is a lot more to get your teeth into with this novel, both in terms of the solving of the murder and in the complex background in which the story is set.  

I’m very pleased I stumbled upon this author and even more pleased that many of the novels are being republished to hopefully bring them to the attention of a new generation of crime and mystery fiction fans.  Bring on the remaining 48 novels in the series!

This is a pleasant little mystery in the classic English tradition. Although it was published in 1965, it belongs in style with books from a quarter-century earlier. Most of the interest focuses on the mildly comic domestic affairs and friendships of the investigators, and the mystery itself always takes a backseat to scenery, food, drink and manners; moreover information is frequently repeated multiple times. Nevertheless, the crime and investigation are crafted well, according to the traditional rules. There are plenty of clues, mostly placed obviously, but the story is convoluted enough that the reader has to think carefully to put things together.

One sidelight, amusing to me, is this book came out just a few years after two MIT scientists--Claude Shannon, the father of information theory, and Ed Thorp, the mathematics professor who perfected blackjack card counting--built the world's first wearable computer to beat roulette in Las Vegas. In this book a brilliant computer scientist and a brilliant physics professor team up to beat roulette, and appear to use the same misdirection devices employed by Shannon and Thorp. However this story branches out is a total different--and absurd--direction.

I recommend this as a pleasant read, full of eccentric characters and local color, with enough of a mystery to give some plot structure. It has a timeless quality that comes from putting 1920s characters and social attitudes in remote backwaters four decades later.

As an avid reader of British Golden Age crime fiction, I'm really enjoying the Detective Littlejohn stories set on the Isle of Man. This plot encompasses events during the French Resistance in the Second World War, and how they played out 20 years later. What makes them unusual is the background detail and rounded characterisation, which makes it a really interesting and well paced read, bound up with complicated family relationships and the Isle of Man casino in the 1960s. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates well written detective fiction.

An excellent entry in the Inspector Littlejohn series! George Bellairs offers a mystery filled with gentle wit and evocative depictions of life in the 1960s. France and the Isle of Man are featured in this story, and connections are made to the French Resistance of WWII, bringing the past into sharp focus.

I first came across the detective stories of George Bellairs in 2017 and have over the last year read nearly a dozen of his books. I consider him an absolute gem of a writer, who manages to create in the reader a sense of amiability towards his books. I am therefore very pleased that more of his books are to be reprinted.

In Death Spins the Wheel we follow Inspector Littlejohn, who is asked to assist the Manx police in investigating the death of a female roulette player, who has been found dead on the beach at Douglas. It soon becomes clear to Littlejohn that the solution to the crime has nothing to do with the victim’s success at roulette but more to her past life in France.

Littlejohn and his friend the Archdeacon of Man soon find themselves journeying to Evian, where they unearth many secrets of the dead woman and a story of intrigue, treachery and disaster in the French Resistance during the Second World War is established.

The plot and investigation are strong and fairly complex. As in many of his cases Littlejohn proceeds to solve the murder and unmask the perpetrator by putting together a detailed life history of the victim.

In essence Death Spins the Wheel is a leisurely but fascinating investigation into the life of the victim that maintains your interest and imagination by way of the evocative descriptions of the various French and Manx locations and the development of the many characters that we encounter during the investigation.

In Detective Littlejohn Bellairs has created a real breath of fresh air. He has a gentle and unobtrusive manner, which is quite endearing, combined with an acute intelligence that allows him to solve his cases.

George Bellairs' Inspector Littlejohn is fantastic and this was another enjoyable read. Interesting characters and well thought out plots set on the intruiging Isle of Man...who could ask for more? This time the adventures take Littlejohn to France and back into wartime history. Very satisfying. Highly recommend.

Delightful read even if a mystery weren't involved.  The atmosphere is true to the 1960s, including our fascination with precognition and the lingering influence of WWII.  Unraveling the layers leading to the truth is on Littlejohn's radar, just not front and center.  Enjoying the company of his friends and lingering over dinners as they travel the countryside is much more essential.  This is a very British tale with a mystery as a bonus.

This is the 42nd book featuring Superintendent Littlejohn.  Set on the Isle of Man and originally published in 1965.

Superintendent Littlejohn is on the Isle of Man visiting his friend the Archdeacon of Man. There's a new casino on the Isle of Man and a guest, Madame Garnier, is killed on the beach.  Superintendent Littlejohn and the Archdeacon investigate the murder with the help of the Isle of Man police and various police officers in France.

This is a traditional mystery with excellent twists and turns in the plot.  It kept my attention throughout. This is a plot-driven tale and characterization is minimal which was standard when this book was written.  The book has aged well and is well-worth reading or re-reading.

An excellent book from George Bellairs. This one had the Inspector and his faithful sidekick the archdeacon traveling to the continent in their pursuit of the solution to a murder on the Isle of Man. Great fun and interesting characters, this book is more readable than some of Bellairs' convoluted plots. A great example of British detective novels, and this was is NOT from the 1930s as is so often the case to find good reading (original publication 1965). This is definitely in the classic vein of traditional detective stories without the blood, gore, and excess violence of recent years. Highly recommended!

There are few delights in life as uncomplicated as a perfectly adequate cozy mystery. I was unfamiliar with George Bellairs and Inspector Littlejohn (and what better place to start than volume 42?) but found this very easy to digest and completely pleasant.

Many of the deluge of cozy mysteries that I have read in recent years hinge on some sort of final plot twist, some late-in-the-game revelation that illuminates what was obscured in the case, so I enjoyed the change of pace in this one, which felt more like a very respectable and orderly investigation moving at a very respectable and measured clip. Rather than saving up his reveals until the end and waiting to surprise you, meting out a few oblique clues along the way, Bellairs invites you along as the mystery is thoughtfully unraveled, which means you feel more involved, less shut out. The mystery itself may seem a bit standard at first, but it ends up going some interesting places (namely, the French Resistance), although sometimes...too interesting, to the point of being perhaps a touch unrealistic in a book that is otherwise fairly well-grounded in reality.

This book was originally published in 1965—which makes for a nice, quaint procedural, as opposed to a garish modern one—and I was confused when a character complained about a £25 dinner being extremely expensive, as I thought that surely inflation couldn't have been that bad, but I've actually run some numbers just now and it turns out that this would be worth £470.15 today (or so I have read). It's fun to learn!

This was also very exciting for me as it is the first ARC I have ever been allowed to view. Thank you to my new dear friends at Agora Books! The book has a very nice cover and that is why I chose it, and I am pleased! I am going to look at some pictures of the Isle of Man.

This was a review copy courtesy of Crime Classics, Agora books and Netgalley.   I like George Bellairs, and in this one his strengths are to the fore. He very successfully locates the motivation and background in Vichy France, unravelling the story through what was, at the time, very recent history. Bellairs rises above a black and white view of WWII and presents a nuanced view of human behaviour and historical context.

It is a change to encounter friendship and collaboration between detectives across the English Channel as well as between clergy of varying traditions. I like Bellairs’ ease in writing of friendship and respect. It is thoughtful, competent and relatively sophisticated Golden Age Crime Fiction.

Superintendant Littlejohn is visiting his old friend the Archdeacon of Man when an elderly Frenchwoman, who had been gambling at the casino, is found murdered on the beach. The local Inspector, who knows Littlejohn well, hares round to offer him a busman's holiday, and all three get involved with the investigation. The motive for the crime eludes them: the lady had only been on the island a short time; she had been winning at the casino, but not outrageously; she had not been robbed. Then they hear of a mysterious Frenchman who appeared then rapidly vanished again. Could he be the murderer?

The action moves to Evian in France, where another friend — Inspector Dorange, of the Nice Sûreté — joins them. As they learn more about the background of the victim, potential motives and supects begin to appear.

I have read quite a few of Bellairs' books now and always find them enjoyable. He lived in and loved the locations he wrote about and had a fine touch for description, so that you feel that you have been taken inside the community, not just skimmed the surface, like a tourist. If you like "classic crime" novels, you will enjoy this.

Disclaimer. I received a free copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A little old lady who claims to be a professional gambler?  Yeah, right!  However, it’s true and she is so successful at roulette that casinos discreetly monitor her playing. And it’s Archdeacon Kinrade who works out how she does it – that is even more amazing.

The book is an archetypical Bellairs. Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard and his wife are on holiday, helping his good friend, the Archdeacon of Man, build a greenhouse. Sadly, the aforementioned little old lady/gambler is murdered and, as regular readers would anticipate, Inspector Knell hot-foots it to the Archdeacon’s house at Grenaby, seeking help.

The action takes place in the Isle of Man and the South of France where it’s Inspector Dorange’s turn to take some leave but use it on the case.  Dorange even returns to the IOM with Littlejohn and Kinrade for his first visit. Didn’t they have cost control in those days?!

I read this at one sitting because I found it compelling.  Some of the aspects of the plot are far-fetched, like how the old lady’s gambling is so successful; the French monk who had visited the IOM to watch the TT (when the riders went at speeds of 40mph!); and Dorange deciding to visit the IOM.  However, a judicious suspension of belief made the book thoroughly enjoyable.

I spotted only three typos in the 200 pages, none of which marred my enjoyment.

I have posted this review on Amazon: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Spins-Inspector-Littlejohn-Mysteries-ebook/product-reviews/B07FN7HQZL/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

George Bellairs is one of Britain's  treasures and his series of Littlejohn books I love they are easy reads great for a lazy afternoon or to get away from life for some evenings and journey back in time. 
This time a Old Lady who has decided to become a professional gambler is in the Isle of Man in the early 1940s 
only to turn up dead one evening having been shot on the beach.  Inspector Knell is in the case and as luck would have it Littlejohn and his wife are staying at the Archdeacons home (on the Isle of Man so Knell waste little time in asking the advice of his hero from the Yard. What follows is the discovery of war time secrets and a to to France. George has a way of telling a story and just when you think you have got it all worked out you then discover you've been hooked by the red herring that took you on the wrong path and you have to try and work it all out again, there are plenty of real clues as well it's just a case of working out which are real or just enjoy the story. As in life things are not always what they seem, I do not fear Little John and his team will stay at it but you'll have to find out the truth yourself by readibg this book yourself I think you will enjoy it.  
I do highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it and the others in the series as I have I've not found one bad one yet and there are a lot to read from. 
Thanks publishers and NetGalley for the copy of this great reprint.

Death Spins the Wheel

I’ve been a fan of George Bellairs Inspector Littlejohn mysteries, since I discovered him back in 2014.  Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for the ARC copy that I received for review.  I enjoyed this novel very much.

This particular novel was written in the 1960s, and it has aged well.  It has a well thought out plot that is interesting, very readable,and quite easy to follow.  The story both begins and ends on the Isle of Man, with a trip to France sandwiched in the middle.  The plot involves an elderly French woman, who describes herself as a professional gambler and who is murdered on the Isle of Man. The search for clues and a motive take the detectives to France, where they uncover facets of the murdered woman’s life that both  complicate and illuminate their investigations, and ultimately send them back to the Isle of Man.

Many of the familiar characters from other novels in the series make an appearance in this book. Archdeacon Kinrade, inspector Knell, Maggie Keggins and Inspector Dorange all play a part in the story.  I really enjoy these books and hope that we will be seeing more from this series.

Death Spins The Wheel by George Bellairs, an Inspector Littlejohn book that feels slightly reminiscent of Poirot. A professional gambler dies mysteriously from a gunshot with no reason why, and then Littlejohn gets on the case.

I always love Bellaire and Littlejohn. The Manx stories are always particularly good. I read these because they are mysteries but they offer so much more. The characterizations and the descriptive scene setting are illuminating and really help one get into the story. And once again, I am reminded people are not always what they seem.

This is a good read. Although it is an older book revisited it is still a timely mystery. The hero, Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard, has been featured in a multitude of books by this author. This particular tale deals with happenings in the French Resistance during the Second World War and how events then have come to effect the lives of those caught up in a murder years later. Inspector Littlejohn is a calm, quiet policeman whom the author has keeping his thoughts to himself. He shares the stage with the Archbishop of the Isle of Man and the local Constable Knell. Of course he is enlisted while on vacation but that never stops the true crime solver. Together the three men unwrap the mystery layer by layer in both the Isle of Wright and France by constantly digging for information from the past. Although the ending was not a complete surprise, the revelation of why and how was completely unexpected. I will look for more of this author’s work.

This is the forty second novel to feature Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard & was originally published in 1965.
Set on the Isle of Man and in France.
Littlejohn is on holiday on the Isle of Man when Inspector Knell asks if he could advise on his murder investigation into the death of French pensioner and professional gambler, Mme Sylvie Garnier, shot dead on the beach late at night.
She was a visitor from Evian so the investigation not only  involves Superintendent Littlejohn but also Inspector Knell, Archdeacon Kinrade and Dorange of the French Police. 
Another very good read the story is straight forward & it’s not hard to work out the culprit but strong characters & a well written plot make this a light easy enjoyable read

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read