Gidleigh of the Yard

WHERE'S MR. CHUMLEY?
By Seldon Truss (1892-1990).
Crime Club.
1948. 191 pages. $2.25

If you're in the market for Scotland Yard police procedurals, trust in Truss to deliver:

Where indeed is the Reverend Mr. Chumley, curate at Charwell? The police suspect that he is off with an illicit lover, but those who know the good man are dubious, perhaps incredulous. As well they might be, for the unfinished letter to his "lover" turns out to be a forgery. — William F. Deeck, MYSTERY*FILE (3 November 2010)

English curate's strange disappearance first interests local parties, then Scotland Yarder Gidleigh, who quietly unearths some chilling matters. - Excellent suspense item, with good background, lively characters, believable detective, and outcome that may dawn early but is tragically right. - Verdict: High-grade British. — "The Criminal Record," THE SATURDAY REVIEW (January 1, 1949)

Other Seldon Truss works:

   GALLOWS BAIT (1928) a.k.a THE LIVING ALIBI [review HERE; Jump To page 784]

   THE STOLEN MILLIONAIRE (1929) [reviews HERE (Jump To page 682) and HERE]

   The Man Without Pity (1930) a.k.a Number Nought

   The Hunterstone Outrage (1931)

   Mr. Coroner Presides (1932) a.k.a. The Coroner Presides

   Turmoil at Brede (1932)

   THEY CAME BY NIGHT (1933) [review HERE]

   The Daughters of Belial (1934)

   Escort to Danger (1935)

   DRAW THE BLINDS (1936) a.k.a. THE CROOK'S SHEPHERD [review HERE]

   Murder Paves the Way (1936)

   Rooksmiths (1936) a.k.a. Deadline for a Diplomat

   Footsteps Behind Them (1937)

   The Man Who Played Patience (1937)

   She Could Take Care (1937)

   Foreign Bodies (1938)

   The Disappearance of Julie Hintz (1940)

   LADIES ALWAYS TALK (1950) a.k.a. WHY SLUG A POSTMAN? [review HERE]

   NEVER FIGHT A LADY (1950) [review HERE]

   Sweeter for His Going (1950)

   DEATH OF NO LADY (1952) [review HERE]

  ALWAYS ASK A POLICEMAN (1953) [reviews HERE and HERE]

    PUT OUT THE LIGHT (1953) a.k.a. THE DOCTOR WAS A DAME [review HERE]

   THE HIGH WALL (1954) a.k.a. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL [review HERE]

   THE LONG NIGHT (1955) a.k.a. FALSE FACE [review HERE]

   THE BARBERTON INTRIGUE (1956) a.k.a. A STORE OF WRATH [review HERE]

   The Truth About Claire Veryan (1957)

   In Secret Places (1958)

   THE HIDDEN MEN (1959) a.k.a. A MAN TO MATCH THE HOUR [review HERE]

   One Man's Death (1960) a.k.a. One Man's Enemies

   Seven Years Dead (1961)

   A TIME TO HATE (1962) [review HERE]

   TECHNIQUE FOR TREACHERY (1963) [review HERE]

   Walk a Crooked Mile (1964)

   The Town That Went Sick (1965)

   Eyes at the Window (1966)

   The Bride That Got Away (1967)

   The Hands of the Shadow (1968)

   The Corpse That Got Away (1969)

As by George Selmark:

   Murder in Silence (1939)


Category: Detective fiction