Just Finished Reading: Surfeit of Suspects by George Bellairs (FP: 1964) [220pp] 

The once sleepy town of Evingden is sleepy no longer. With development expanding into local farmland and a steadily rising population there is money to be made for those with the drive to do so. Except, it appears, the Excelsior Joinery Company. Known to be in debt since the death of its founder some years previously, the company has failed to take advantage of the changes going on all around it, but worse is to come. When an explosion destroys the company's offices the police and fire brigade rush to the scene in time to stop the fire spreading to the nearby lumber yard. When the fire is finally out three bodies are found in the wreckage – three of the five directors of the firm. But what were they doing, late at night, in the office? If it was an important meeting why were the other two directors excluded and what caused the explosion? When the residue of dynamite is found the local police feel out of their depth and call for help. Scotland Yard responds with Superintendent Littlejohn who quickly discovers that this is no case of accident or simple murder. The more he investigates the more he is certain that there’s a lot more going on below the surface than most would imagine in what seems to be a prosperous and bustling community.  

This was a FUN read from the very first page. I was most pleased by the fact that it wasn’t yet another murder mystery. I know that murder is the ‘sexy’ crime – and one of the most straightforward to portray in fiction I suppose – but there are other crimes out there! The other thing I liked (a lot) was the way the two detectives (the superintendent & his sidekick) went about following the evidence, digging up wrongdoing and bringing people to justice for a whole host of things. It was really interesting seeing how local power and influence, to say nothing of money, operated in a small town and how opportunity gave way to corruption and worse. This was a classic English crime story in many ways – and not just because it's part of the British Library Crime Classics series! - including a rather gentle investigation and then the reveal at the end with all of the suspects present although not, in this case, at an isolated country house! I honestly enjoyed this a great deal – probably more than I was expecting actually. I just fell into the narrative, which I found super cosy and familiar, and was entranced from beginning to end. FULL of interesting characters, good, bad and mixed, with a completely believable and complex plot (just complex enough without losing its way anywhere) I was highly entertained. The author has written a LOT of books with these main (detective) characters, and I’ll be searching them out in future. At least two of them are part of the BLCC set so they’ll be coming my way soon enough. Oh, and another good sign – I'd put aside 3 days to read this and easily managed it in 2. Enough said, I think! If you’re into good solid British crime stories this is definitely for you. Highly recommended.