Gently Sahib (The Inspector George Gently Case Files) [Paperback]

Gently is about to go away on a fishing holiday when he is asked to investigate a case of a body which may have been mauled by an escaped tiger. Gently does not want to cancel his holiday and so he wants to get the case wrapped up in two days. What he find is a can of worms with the local police not wanting to upset the pillars of the community by asking awkward questions. Gently is not bothered about treading on toes and soon starts rattling a few cages.

This is a much more complex mystery than at first appears and there are some nice twists and turns which will keep even the most observant reader guessing almost to the end of the story. As ever Gently shows himself capable of seeing further through a brick wall than most. I enjoyed this book far more than I enjoyed number eleven in the series. The characters are well drawn with a mixture of nice and nasty. Groton, the wild animal specialist is obnoxious but in a completely comprehensible way. The rest of the suspects are a nicely judged mixture of pleasant and misguided people battling with circumstances from which they can see no escape.

If you haven't tried the Gently series before this might be a good one to start with as it paints a convincing picture of small town life - give or take a few wild animals. The network of interconnecting spheres of influence is well done and convincing. There are some amusing incidents and conversations and some marvellous descriptions. This is the classic crime novel at its best in my opinion.

THE 12th CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT GEORGE GENTLY, C.I.D., MURDER MYSTERY NOVEL. [now a television series starring Martin Shaw]. .. FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, I HAVE SUPPLIED A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BOOK, AND HERE IS WHAT THE DUST JACKET FLAPS [the 'blurb'] STATES :

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A year had passed since the One-Day Wonder of Abbotsham's Tiger - the Saturday when the animal owned by a local zoo-collector had padded disinterestedly round the fast-emptying streets of the little country town before it was shot (almost farcially after the panic it had caused) in the Gentleman's share of the public conveniences in the market place.

A year before the Abbotsham police found the cruelly mauled remains of the tiger's kill in the grounds of a deserted bungalow; and a year and a few days before Chief Superintendent Gently, C.I.D; his promotion sitting easily on his broad shoulders, came down from London in the wake of a sensation-happy mob of long-serving crime reporters, to investigate the macabre case of a tiger which tore a man to shreds - and then decently buried him in his own back garden.

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OTHER "REVIEWS" :

["Gently Sahib"] .... "After eleven books, it is about time that this bloke Gently - now promoted to Chief Supt. Gently C.I.D. - got done. On T.V. Or films. After all, he is as solid (fourteen stone I reckon) as Maigret. Or Cluff. And he comes out very well in this tale of an escaped tiger that eats a blackmailer in an edgy Home Counties market town. A clever murder, says Gently, proves it, shoots a panther, then goes fishing. But he will be back. Many Times, I hope. - (Peter Phillips, 'The Sun')."

"Pipe smoking Gently interviews a colourful array of likely suspects, uncovers the flaws in several 'unquestionable' alibis, steers the case through a violent and exciting climax and, in his wisdom, brings matters to a just and tidy finish. A very readable novel with several pleasing touches of humour. - (Edgar Wallace Mystery Magazine)."

["Gently Does It" - THE DEBUT NOVEL] .... "Fond as we all are of the old familiar faces, it is a particular 9and rare) pleasure to be able to welcome a talented newcomer into the blood-soaked circle of true detective novelists. In Chief Inspector Gently of the Yard, Alan Hunter presents a new and most acceptable detective, owing a good deal perhaps to Inspector Maigret, but nevertheless standing solidly in his own very English boots. I look forward to watching this splendidly sympathetic sleuth consume thousands more of his favourite peppermint creams. - ('Time and Tide')."

I actually bought this as a gift for my husband - he told me it was great and is continuing to enjoy the series. I know it must be a good book because there wasn't a peep out of him for hours.