Joyce Porter - Böcker

“I think that it is desirable to discuss the affair – here, in the room in which the Bishop’s body was found.”A pernicious parson outwits the thieves of a priceless chalice from the parish treasury. A beloved vicar contemplates a perfect crime when a blackmailer comes knocking. Poisoned pen letters lead to a fall from grace for a rector’s wife, and a suspicious fall from the second storey for the rector.Gathered here in this new collection are some of the greatest mystery tales in which the tendrils of crime steal into the churchyard, featuring clergymen and nuns as victims, amateur sleuths and villainous perpetrators of the devil’s work. Replete with a fascinating introduction and notes from one of the guiding lights of crime fiction, Martin Edwards, this anthology delivers cosy brainteasers and fiendishly-fashioned stories with a sting in the tail, from a congregation of writers including Joyce Porter, H. C. Bailey, Cyril Hare and Edmund Crispin.

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?For its own very good reasons, Scotland Yard sends Dover off to remote Creedshire to investigate the disappearance of a young housemaid, Juliet Rugg. Though there's every cause to assume that she has been murdered – she gave her favours freely and may even have stooped to a bit of blackmail – no body is to be found. Weighing in at sixteen stone, she couldn't be hard to overlook. But where is she? And why should Dover, of all people, be called upon to find her? Or, for that matter, even bother to solve the damned case? Editorial reviews:“Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph“Joyce Porter is a joy… Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian“Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times“Wonderfully funny.” Spectator“Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun“You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?One February evening in northern England, a young woman is shot in the head and left in a coma. Eight months later she dies, thus becoming a welcome excuse to dispatch the odious Inspector Dover as far as possible from London.It soon appears that Isobel Slatcher could have been smothered in her hospital bed with a pillow. Now Dover may have two murderers to catch: one who pulled the trigger, the other the last visitor she had in her short lifetime.If, that is, the town's warring Catholics and Protestants will only stop distracting him. Editorial reviews:“Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph“Joyce Porter is a joy… Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian“Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times“Wonderfully funny.” Spectator“Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun“You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?It seemed that everyone in the bleak little village of Thornwich had been honoured with the most obscene poison pen letters imaginable. And they showed no signs of letting up. So off goes Chief Inspector Dover of Scotland Yard, his unfortunate young colleague MacGregor in tow, to track down the source.Not-so-comfortably ensconced in the miserable lodgings of the Jolly Sailor, Dover's easy confidence is shaken when he suddenly has to deal with two suicides – one attempted, the other all-too-successful – black-market babies, and various bowel disorders.When the second suicide begins to look more like murder, however, it is only a matter of time before Dover comes face-to-face with a most determined, and totally unlikely killer. Editorial reviews:“Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph“Joyce Porter is a joy… Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian“Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times“Wonderfully funny.” Spectator“Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun“You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?When Mrs Dover witnesses a young policeman's suicide and has the bad taste to report it, Dover's vacation ends abruptly at the seaside wasteland of Wallerton.As he sluggishly investigates the matter, an earlier case of murder and mutilation turns up as well. Suspecting that the town's Ladies' Club may be oddly involved, Dover devises an elaborate and utterly wicked trap.His bait: his overworked, unsuspecting assistant MacGregor.

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? The town of Pott Winckle owes its prosperity to the firm of Wibbley Ware. Naturally, when the owner's daughter is murdered, the call goes out for Scotland Yard's finest. Once again, Dover is off, the reluctant Sergeant MacGregor in tow. All Dover has to do to clinch this one is settle back in Wibbley's Rolls Royce, perhaps bend a bit of evidence, or maybe a few fingers. Oddly enough – and not for the first time – his methods result in something resembling a solution. 'Something quite out of the ordinary.' - Daily Telegraph 'Joyce Porter is a joy... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.' - Guardian 'Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.' - New York Times 'Wonderfully funny.' - Spectator 'Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.' - Sun 'You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.' - Harper's AUTHOR: Joyce Porter was born in Cheshire, England and educated at King's College, London. In 1949 she joined the Women's Royal Air Force, and, on the strength of an intensive course in Russian, qualified for confidential work in intelligence. Porter became best known for her series of novels featuring Detective Inspector Wilfred Dover.

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?Sully Martin had probably been a picturesque English village before the earthquake nearly destroyed it. And construction tycoon Walter Chantry might have been taken for another of the many casualties if it hadn't come out that he had been strangled.This time Dover is in for much more than his usual share of the bother. For a start, the town's only hotel is unlicensed, and there's not a drop of booze to be had. But almost as alarming are the unmistakable signs that someone is actually out to kill Dover.Unless, that is, against all odds Dover strikes again.

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?This time, Scotland Yard sends Detective Chief Inspector Dover and his woeful assistant MacGregor off on the Stately Home circuit to look into murder.Since Lord Crouch, master of Beltour, can hardly make ends meet despite the hordes of tourists visiting the manor, his hospitality is meagre – though his vegetarian sister, Lady Priscilla, would love to cook for Dover. And the victim couldn't be a drearier sort: "the wettest thing since nappies," according to Dover.In short, the inspector can't wait to be quit of the whole thing, and chief suspects begin to pop up everywhere.

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?Dover and the Claret Tappers is a surprising departure for the series featuring Scotland Yard's least competent detective, and the first to depart is none other than Dover himself.When the doubtful detective suddenly vanishes from Scotland Yard, along comes an ultimatum from a gang of kidnappers, the Claret Tappers. They demand not only a stout ransom, but also the release of two prisoners - a multiple bigamist and a nymphomaniacal shoplifter.How Dover gets out of this one is only the beginning. For just as the case is getting cold, the Claret Tappers strike again. And once more Dover is aroused from his stupor in a most unexpected way.

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case?When word gets out that Pomeroy Chemicals is seeking to fill the lucrative position of Chief Security Officer, Dover is keenly interested. All he needs, he feels, is one smashing success and the prestigious title is his.When a young pregnant girl known to no one in the town of Frenchy Botham turns up murdered, Dover eagerly comes up with more totally plausible suspects, persuasive motives, and airtight solutions than the sharp mind of his assistant Sergeant MacGregor, can process.In fact, if you've ever wondered when or how MacGregor would reach his breaking point, this is the book to read.