The Crispin Chronicles

Buried for Pleasure

In the autumn of 1947 (or possibly 48) Gervase Fen arrives in sleepy Sanford. His latest enthusiasm is to become a politician, and he is standing as an Independent in the by-election.

Where Fen goes, murder follows. In this case, the unfortunate D.I. Bussy dies. Bussy was there, officially unofficially, to investigate the suicide of a Mrs Lambert. He and Fen are old acquaintences, and he tells Fen his suspicions. Sadly, while on a mysterious midnight errand, he gets stabbed, and it's up to Fen, with the help of Inspector Humbleby (whose first appearance this is) and Superintendent Wolfe, to find the villain.

Along the way, Fen meets the sort of characters only he could attract: the non-doing pig, Mr Judd, the statuesque Jacqueline, the lunatic Elphinstone, the Rector and his poltergeist, Mr Beaver, Harry and Olive (the mollockers), and Dr Boysenberry.

The case itself presents little challenge to Fen, but the atmosphere is superb. This is a tale to be read in the sun in the garden, with a pitcher of good beer.

The chase scene, which sees the killer come to grief at the hands of the lunatic, is another Fen special.

Sadly, the non-doing pig does not survive the tale, but ends up flattened and dead, rather than fattened and red.

Incidentally, Fen won the election but was disqualified, to his relief, on a technicality.