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This page lists novels and short story collections that feature the policeman Patrick Petrella.

Blood and Judgement

Michael Gilbert

1959

A Patrick Petrella novel.

"When the wife of a recently escaped prisoner is found murdered and partially buried near a reservoir, Patrick Petrella, a Metropolitan Police Inspector, is called in. Suspicion falls on the escaped convict, but what could have been his motive? Petrella meets resistance from top detectives at the Yard who would prefer to keep the inspector out of the limelight, but he is determined to solve the mystery with or without their approval."

Stay of Execution

Michael Gilbert

1971

A short story collection that includes stories that feature Chief Inspector Hazlerigg and Peter Petrella. The contents are:

• Back on the Shelf
• The Blackmailing of Mr. Justice Ball
• Murder by Jury
• Xinia Florata
• Weekend at Wapentake
• The System
• Cousin Once Removed,
• Modus Operandi
• The King in Pawn
• The Rich Man in His Castle
• Where There's a Will
• Mr. Portway's Practice
• Stay of Execution

Petrella at Q

Michael Gilbert

1977

Short story collection.

"Twelve intriguing stories span a year in the career of Detective Inspector Patrick Petrella, officer in charge of Patton Street police station."

• Patrick Petrella: biographical sketch by Gilbert
• Summer: The Elusive Baby
• Summer: The Banting Street Fire
• Summer: The Death Of Mrs. Key
• Summer: Why Tarry The Wheels Of His Chariot
• Autumn: Rough Justice
• Autumn: Counterplot
• Autumn: "To The Editor, Dear Sir–"
• Autumn: A Thoroughly Nice Boy
• Winter: The Cleaners: Part I: Inquest On The Death Of Bernie Nicholls
• Winter: The Cleaners: Part II: A Lively Night At Basildon Mansions
• Winter: The Cleaners: Part III: The Peripatetic Birds
• Winter: The Cleaners: Part IV: St. Valentine's Day
• Spring: Captain Crabtree
• Spring: The Last Tenant
• Spring: Mutiny at Patton Street

Young Petrella

Michael Gilbert

1988

A Patrick Petrella short story collection.

"Patrick Petrella is considered something of a curiosity by his fellow police officers. He is the son of a Spanish policeman and an English school mistress. He speaks four languages and is as good at picking fine wines as he is locks. The short stories contained in this volume follow his career as a constable, dealing with burglars, delinquents of various shapes and sizes, bent lawyers, gangs, drugs trafficking and murder. They are classic police procedural stories and show Michael Gilbert at his best with an eye for detail, wit and humour, and above all suspense right up to the end."

• Prologue: The Conspirators
• Detective Constable:
  Who Has Seen the Wind?
  The Prophet and the Bird
  Nothing Ever Happens on Highside
  Cash in Hand
  Source Seven
  The Night the Cat Stayed Out
• Detective Sergeant:
  Breach of the Peace
  Voyage into Illusion
  The Oyster Catcher
  Dangerous Structure
  Death Watch
  Lost Leader
  The Coulman Handicap
  The Sark Lane Mission
  Paris in Summer

Roller Coaster

Michael Gilbert

1993

"Patrick Petrella has been promoted, but is now installed behind a desk, dealing with a mountain of paperwork on diverse subjects ranging from police race relations to allegations of brutality, press harassment and bribery of officers. He is, however, desperate to get out onto the streets again. In a fast moving novel Gilbert has Petrella detecting the patterns of rival gangs at work and uncovering a paedophile ring which operates as far as Amsterdam. He is soon taking on one of the more unsavoury and unscrupulous outfits in London and a surprising outcome enables him to map out the direction to take. There is violence, dark-humour and fast action in this gripping story."

The Man Who Hated Banks and other mysteries

Michael Gilbert

1997

A short story collection featuring Inspector Hazlerigg, Patrick Petrella, and others.

"Published in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of Michael Gilbert's first book."

• Introduction by Michael Gilbert
• Back in Five Years
• A Neat, Cold Killing
• Ticker Batson's Last Job
• Something Like Hard Work
• Balloons Will Be Released
• The Awkward Customer
• Follow the Leader
• After All These Years
• Every Monday, A New Letter
• An Appealing Pair of Legs
• Money Is Honey
• The Craven Case
• The Man at the Bottom
• The Man in the Middle
• The Man at the Top
• The Terrible Mrs. Barker
• Petrella's Holiday
• The Man Who Hated Banks

The Curious Conspiracy

Michael Gilbert

2002

A collection of 20 previously uncollected short stories published in honour of Michael Gilbert's 90th birthday. Includes stories featuring Inspector Hazlerigg, Patrick Petrella and others. The contents are:

• Introduction by Michael Gilbert
• Audited and Found Correct
• Friends of the Groom
• The Blackmailer
• Squeeze Play
• Under the Last Scuttleful
• Scream in A Soundproofed Room
• The Sheik Goes Shopping
• Clos Carmine
• The Curious Conspiracy
• Blood Match
• The Seventh Musket
• The Inside Pocket
• Freedom of the Press
• Miss Bell's Stocking
• Five on the Gun
• The Jackal and the Tiger
• Judith
• Verdict of Three
• Decoy
• Dead Reckoning

Even Murderers Take Holidays and Other Mysteries

Michael Gilbert

2007

25 previously uncollected short stories featuring Inspector Petrella, Mr. Calder & Mr. Behrens, and Inspector Hazlerigg. The contents are:

• Introduction by John Cooper
• The Girl Who Moved
• Somebody
• Amateur Detective
• Counter Attack
• Deep and Crisp and Even
• It Never Pays to be Too Clever
• Kendrew's Private War
• The White Slaves
• A Real Born Killer
• Old Mr Martin
• The Facts of Life
• The Battle of Bank Street
• Double, Double
• Death Duties
• A Nose in a Million
• Snuffy
• Death Money
• Even Murderers Take Holidays
• The Drop Shot
• Cumberland v Cumberland
• The Indifferent Shot
• Hangover
• When A Girl Moves Among Diplomats
• Twm Carney
• A Very Special Relationship
• The Smiler
• Mrs Haslet's Gone