Bones in the Wilderness

Inspector Littlejohn and Sgt Cromwell are a likable team and in this procedural, they leave England for the south of France and look for a murderer among the small villages, cowboys, sheep herders, and antique dealers. There was a little too much of the travel log, especially in the first quarter of the book, but I enjoyed Cromwell's take on all of the new experiences. The investigation proceeds in a leisurely fashion, with a few good red herrings. The French police counterparts added a nice dimension to the book. All in all, this is a solid entry in the Littlejohn series.

“What’s happened to Mr. Cheever?” is the cry on the lips of everyone- except Mrs. Cheever. Philandering Samuel Cheever, “antiques dealer”, has disappeared on a trip to France and it is up to Littlejohn and Cromwell to carry out the investigation into what turns out to be murder when Cheever’s body is found in the wilderness of the Camargue.

The Inspector and his Sergeant follow Samuel’s route south to the Riviera. With them is a mysterious miniature Cromwell bought from Mrs. Cheever and which Samuel had been excited about.

They receive help from the French police concerning l’affaire Cheever while enjoying the marvellously described scenery of the South of France and many great examples of French cuisine.They encounter the Berluc-Vidal family, owners of a vast estate: one of their workers is also murdered and his cabin ransacked.

In Cannes they visit an odd antique shop (complete with a mischievous monkey) where the miniature was bought and find out about a document concerning the history, elopement and death of the woman in the picture.

At this point Cromwell decides “The whole things a mess…” but dogged detection wins out in the end and there is a dramatic conclusion in High Provence.

This is not my favourite in the series but the convoluted sub plots and wonderful descriptive passages evoking French scenery, food and hospitality make for very good reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ipso Books for the review copy.

Antiques dealer Cheever is missing. Or is he? Why is his wife not concerned about his ever lengthening antiques hunting trip to France? Scotland Yard's Inspector Littlejohn ( and avid Francophile) is the man called in to find out. This British, golden age of mystery book traces the Yard's stalwart Inspector Littlejohn chasing down clues in Britain and ultimately France. All the while Mr. Cheever continues to become more and more enigmatic. Thanks to Ipso publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC copy.

Thanks to this ARC from netgalley, I was introduced to George Bellairs. I'd read of him, but Bones in the Wilderness was my first foray into his books. I was charmed by the time and the place -- England and France in the mid-20th century. (The book was first published in 1959). Bellairs wrote very lovingly of France, regions both obscure and celebrated. But this was more than a literary time capsule, and confirmed that a good story is timeless. What was unexpected for me was the amount of humor laced into the suspense and skillful travelogue. I will seek out more of Detectives Littlejohn and Cromwell.