Death on the Riviera (British Library Crime Classics) - Softcover

John Bude

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0712356371 ISBN 13: 9780712356374

Publisher: The British Library Publishing Division, 2016

Synopsis

When a counterfeit currency racket comes to light on the French Riviera, Detective Inspector Meredith is sent speeding southwards - out of the London murk to the warmth and glitter of the Mediterranean. Along with Inspector Blampignon - an amiable policeman from Nice - Meredith must trace the whereabouts of Chalky Cobbett, crook and forger.Soon their interest centres on the Villa Paloma, the residence of Nesta Hedderwick, an eccentric Englishwoman, and her bohemian house guests - among them her niece, an artist, and a playboy. Before long, it becomes evident that more than one of the occupants of the Villa Paloma has something to hide, and the stage is set for murder.This classic crime novel from 1952 evokes all the sunlit glamour of life on the Riviera, and combines deft plotting with a dash of humour. This is the first edition to have been published in more than sixty years and follows the rediscovery of Bude's long-neglected detective writing by the British Library.

About this title

Review:

It's an utterly charming book ... [written] with a charm and a light humour that made this an utter page-turner.... A highly enjoyable read that kept me hooked from beginning to end. --In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel

The success of Death on the Riviera is all in the atmosphere, and the insouciant fun of getting to visit the Villa Paloma and its tempestuous inhabitants... It's jam-packed with incident... A very enjoyable romp. --Shiny New Books

I got a huge amount of pleasure from this novel, a good chunk of it due to the wonderful period detail.... Bude evidently adored France, and his love for the place is evident on every page. Add to that the presence of the delightful Inspector, his attractive young assistant, and the cast of somewhat bizarre characters, both French and expat, and you have a recipe for the most delightful escapism, which must have been very welcome to readers in grey, dreary post-war Britain. --Harriet Devine

About the Author:

John Bude was the pseudonym of Ernest Elmore (1901-1957), an author of the golden age of crime fiction. Elmore was a co-founder of the Crime Writers' Association, and worked in the theatre as a producer and director. His first three books - The Cornish Coast Murder, The Lake District Murder and The Sussex Downs Murder --- are all available as British Library Crime Classics.

About this edition

• Publisher: The British Library Publishing Division
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0712356371
• ISBN 13: 9780712356374
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256