Softcover

ISBN 10: 0099542137 ISBN 13: 9780099542131

Publisher: Vintage Books, 2009

The Case of the Gilded Fly is the first of nine Gervase Fen stories. First published in 1944, it is a classic English detective story from the Golden Age of crime writing and a wonderful introduction to this idiosyncratic and entertaining Oxford detective.

About the Author:

Edmund Crispin was the pseudonym of Bruce Montgomery, an English crime writer and composer. He graduated from St John's College, Oxford, in 1943, with a BA in modern languages, having for two years been its organist and choirmaster. From 1943 to 1945 he taught at Shrewsbury School and in 1944 published the first of nine Gervase Fen novels, The Case of the Gilded Fly. He became a well respected reviewer of crime, writing for the Sunday Times from 1967 until his death in 1978. He also composed the music for many of the Carry On films. From the original editions: 'Edmund Crispin's recreations are swimming, excessive smoking, Shakespeare, the operas of Wagner and Strauss, idleness and cats. His antipathies are dogs, the French Film, the Renaissance of the British Film, psychoanalysis, the psychological-realistic crime story and the contemporary theatre.'

Review:

"One of the last exponents of the classical English detective story...elegant, literate, and funny" The Times "The Case of the Gilded Fly...couldn't be more British if it came packaged with fish and chips" New York Sun "I very much enjoy Edmund Crispin" PD James "Has all the ingredients of a Golden Age detective story" -- Brandon Robshaw Independent on Sunday "Both a classic detective story and a ludicrous literary farce" Guardian