Crime Fiction ABC: Author: Cyril Hare

Crime Fiction ABC: Authors, Books and Characters


Cyril Hare: Novels and short story collections

Tenant for Death Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1937 An Inspector Mallett novel. "Two young estate agent's clerks are sent to check an inventory on a house in Daylesford Gardens, South Kensington. Upon arrival, they find an unlisted item - a corpse. Furthermore, the mysterious tenant, Colin James, has disappeared. In a tale which uncovers many of the seedier aspects of the world of high finance, Hare also introduces his readers to the formidable Inspector Mallett of Scotland Yard. Upon first publication the Times Literary Supplement praised Tenant for Death as 'a most ingenious story' while the Spectator celebrated its 'wit, fair play, and characterization' and also declared that 'a new star has risen'."	Buy from amazon.co.uk

Death is No Sportsman Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1938 "The banks of the river Didder in the summertime seem, at first glance, idyllic: the sun is shining and the trout are rising. But then the body of a local landowner is discovered, and the peaceful surface of the countryside is shattered. It soon becomes apparent that there are quite a few local people who disliked the deceased man, but which one of them actually murdered him? Inspector White, always deeply suspicious of the country, is brought in from Scotland Yard. Although quick to disentangle the complex relationships linking the suspects and the victim, it is only by mastering the subtleties of fly fishing that he uncovers the evidence to lead him to the killer. Lovers of crime novels and fishing alike will delight in Hare's ingenious mystery."	Buy from amazon.co.uk

Suicide Excepted Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1939 An Inspector Mallett novel. " Inspector Mallett's stay at the country house hotel of Pendlebury Old Hall has been a disappointment. Room, food and service have been a letdown and he eagerly anticipates the end of his holiday. His last trial is to sit and listen when an elderly and boorish man, whose family once owned the house, joins his table. The next day the man is dead and Mallett unwittingly finds himself investigating the suspicious 'suicide'."	Buy from amazon.co.uk

Tragedy At Law Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1942 A Francis Pettigrew novel. "Tragedy at Law follows a rather self-important High Court judge, Mr Justice Barber, as he moves from town to town presiding over cases in the Southern England circuit. When an anonymous letter arrives for Barber, warning of imminent revenge, he dismisses it as the work of a harmless lunatic. But then a second letter appears, followed by a poisoned box of the judge's favourite chocolates, and he begins to fear for his life. Enter barrister and amateur detective Francis Pettigrew, a man who was once in love with Barber's wife and has never quite succeeded in his profession - can he find out who is threatening Barber before it is too late?"	Buy from amazon.co.uk

With a Bare Bodkin Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1946 A Francis Pettigrew novel. "England is in the grip of the Second World War and the Blitz has forced the evacuation of various government offices from London. Francis Pettigrew, an unsuccessful barrister and amateur detective, accompanies his ministry to the distant seaside resort of Marsett Bay where the civil servants must make the best of their temporary home. In this strange atmosphere, Pettigrew begins to fall in love with his secretary, Miss Brown, who is also being courted by a widowed man who is much older than her. Bored and restless, the ministers start playing a light-hearted game of 'plan the perfect murder' to pass the time. Pettigrew, caught up in his love for Miss Brown, remains detached from the silliness - until a real murder happens, and he is drawn into solving the mystery."	Buy from amazon.co.uk

The Magic Bottle Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1946 A children's book. "When Philip and his sister Mary opened the oddly-shaped bottle and found that they had released a Djinn, Philip, who knew his Arabian Nights, feared the worst. But the Djinn was an unexpected kind of Djinn, and his release was the start of some very unexpected adventures."	Buy from amazon.co.uk

When the Wind Blows Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1949 A Francis Pettigrew novel. "Famous solo violinist Lucy Carless is making a guest appearance with the provincial Markshire Orchestra, only to be found strangled with a silk stocking part-way through the concert. Everyone in the orchestra had access to the scene of the crime, and the police officer in charge, Inspector Trimble, has no idea where to start. Luckily retired barrister and amateur detective Francis Pettigrew has been acting as an honorary treasurer to the Markshire Orchestral Society, and he is soon on his way to finding the murderer."	Buy from amazon.co.uk

An English Murder Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1951 "The snow is thick, the phone line is down, and no one is getting in or out of Warbeck Hall. With friends and family gathered round the fire, all should be set for a perfect Christmas, but as the bells chime midnight, a mysterious murder takes place. Who can be responsible? The scorned young lover? The lord's passed-over cousin? The social climbing politician's wife? The Czech history professor? The obsequious butler? And perhaps the real question is: can any of them survive long enough to tell the tale?"	Buy from amazon.co.uk

That Yew Tree's Shade Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1954 A Francis Pettigrew novel. "Francis Pettigrew, a former barrister and sometimes amateur detective, is plucked out of what promises to be a peaceful retirement in the Home Counties to deputise for the County Court judge. The proceedings offer him some unexpected insights into the lives of the new neighbours that he has - until now - only observed through his field glasses. When the body of a penniless widow known for her good works is found on Yew Hill, a famous local beauty spot, Pettigrew is drawn into the case as a witness. Despite his best efforts to leave the inquiry to the police, it is he, with the unconscious help of a teenage boy, who puts the finishing touches on the solution."	Buy from amazon.co.uk

He Should Have Died Hereafter Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1958 An Inspector Mallett and Francis Pettigrew novel. "Francis Pettigrew is holidaying with his wife, Eleanor, in Exmoor when the past returns to haunt him. When he stumbles over a body on a remote hill on the moor, it brings back his childhood memory - and nightmares - of discovering a corpse in the exact same spot. This time around though the body mysteriously disappears."

Best Detective Stories Cyril Hare Faber & Faber 1959 "These thirty stories, selected and introduced by fellow crime writer and lawyer Michael Gilbert, are a terrific introduction to Cyril Hare's inventive and clever Golden Age detective fiction, which often turns on an ingenious use of the law. Two of the stories in this collection feature Francis Pettigrew, a barrister and amateur detective who appeared in several of Hare's novels and was perhaps his best-loved creation." The contents are; Where There's A Will Miss Burnside's Dilemma Name Of Smith Murderer's Luck The Tragedy Of Young Macintyre Weight And See It Takes Two . . . Death Of A Blackmailer The Old Flame As The Inspector Said . . . Death Among Friends The Story Of Hermione A Surprise For Christmas The Heel The Rivals The Ruling Passion The Death Of Amy Robsart I Never Forget A Face A Life For A Life The Markhampton Miracle A Very Useful Relationship Sister Bessie Line Out Of Order Dropper's Delight Monday's Child Tuesday's Child Wednesday's Child Thursday's Child Friday's Child Saturday's Child	Buy from amazon.co.uk Buy from amazon.co.uk