William Fryer Harvey (1885–1937)

An excellent golden age mystery.

A visitor to a small village volunteers to look after a used book shop to allow the owner to attend a funeral is met with a number of people who each ask whether he has a copy of an obscure book, to no avail. When a copy comes to light amongst a cache of second hand books offered by 'a young scamp' and is then stolen, questions start coming thick and fast.

Murder is also afoot.

Very enjoyable and recommended.

Big Ship

8 April 2024… (more)

First sentence: When at two o'clock on a sultry July afternoon Athelstan Digby undertook to keep an eye on the contents of the old bookshop in Keldstone High Street, he deliberately forgot to mind his own business.

Premise/plot: This one is a vintage mystery from the 1930s. Athelstan Digby, one of our protagonists, is on holiday. He's temporarily minding a bookshop--while the owners are away for a day (possibly one day and one night). He has THREE people come in and all ask for the same book--The Life and Death of Mr. Badman by John Bunyan. He finds this strange, strange, super-strange. Events in the small village soon reflect this, Athelstan and his nephew, Jim, soon find themselves amateur detectives trying to solve multiple crimes--including murder.

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. It reminded me of all the reasons I love vintage mysteries, particularly British mysteries. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I loved the bookish plot. I loved finding a new-to-me author. Definitely recommended.… (more)