Half-mast for the Deemster


Book Description

Inspector Littlejohn is drawn into a perplexing case when a judge is murdered on the Isle of Man in this classic British mystery. The small community of Castletown has plenty of odd customs—one being the office of Deemster, who serves as every sort of judge rolled into one. When Inspector Littlejohn arrives on the island for a sporting holiday, this particular custom is brought to his attention with the utmost urgency . . . because Deemster Quantrell has just been killed. The local police are glad to have the hotshot from Scotland Yard take the lead on such a perplexing case. Though the deemster was beloved by all, someone went to great lengths to poison him with cyanide in his private lunch room. As the investigation uncovers dark secrets and hidden crimes, other victims meet their end. And Littlejohn must act fast before a ruthless killer strikes again.







A Knife for Harry Dodd


Book Description

This night at the pub will be his last . . . A classic whodunit starring the “affable Scotland Yarder” (Publishers Weekly). Harry Dodd needs a ride home from the pub—but it’s not because he’s schnockered. He’s actually been stabbed. Unfortunately, no one realizes it until it’s too late. Who would want to kill such a well-liked fellow? Inspector Littlejohn is called in, and his investigation reveals a recent woeful turn in Dodd’s life, the ambitious family that cast him out, and a cesspit of jealousy, greed, and tawdry secrets. Then another body turns up, and another . . . Praise for the Inspector Littlejohn mysteries “Solid and ingenious.” —The New York Times “Littlejohn achieves his goal spectacularly and successfully.” —Kirkus Reviews “When you get a George Bellairs story you get something worth reading.” —Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch




Death in Dark Glasses


Book Description

The disappearance of a reclusive widower sends Detective Littlejohn on a far-flung hunt for a killer in this classic British mystery. It was meant to be a fool-proof scheme. The victim was someone who wouldn’t be missed, yet even the most meticulous criminals can make mistakes. When questions about a minor case of fraud lead to a missing persons case, the local bank’s chief inspector calls in Detective Littlejohn to investigate. It seems that a bank customer has disappeared just after withdrawing a large sum of money. The only clue to his whereabouts is a note on his front door saying he’d gone abroad. But when they discover the man’s brother had been murdered, Littlejohn realizes something sinister is afoot.




A New History of the Isle of Man, Vol. 5


Book Description

A New History of the Isle of Man will provide a new benchmark for the study of the island’s history. In five volumes, it will survey all aspects of the history of the Isle of Man, from the evolution of the natural landscape through prehistory to modern times. The Modern Period is the first volume to be published. Wide in coverage, embracing political, constitutional, economic, labour, social and cultural developments in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the volume is particularly concerned with issues of image, identity and representation. From a variety of angles and perspectives, contributors explore the ways in which a sense of Manxness was constructed, contested, continued and amended as the little Manx nation underwent unprecedented change from debtors’ retreat through holiday playground to offshore international financial centre.




A New History of the Isle of Man: The modern period 1830-1999


Book Description

A New History of the Isle of Man will provide a new benchmark for the study of the island’s history. In five volumes, it will survey all aspects of the history of the Isle of Man, from the evolution of the natural landscape through prehistory to modern times. The Modern Period is the first volume to be published. Wide in coverage, embracing political, constitutional, economic, labor, social and cultural developments in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the volume is particularly concerned with issues of image, identity and representation. From a variety of angles and perspectives, contributors explore the ways in which a sense of Manxness was constructed, contested, continued and amended as the little Manx nation underwent unprecedented change from debtors’ retreat through holiday playground to offshore international financial center.







The Case of the Demented Spiv


Book Description

When a petty hoodlum encounters murder most foul, Inspector Littlejohn must uncover the dark secrets of a sleepy English village in this classic mystery. It’s a quiet night at the Oddfellow’s Arms until a stranger walks in. He looks like your average, untrustworthy, street corner spiv. But when he starts ranting to anyone who will listen about a dead body at Fennings’ Mill, he seems more like a raving lunatic. When local police investigate the mad-man’s tale, they find a grimly peculiar corpse: the face is smeared with theatrical makeup and a false mustache is pasted neatly over the lip. Once reporters descend on the tiny village, Scotland Yard sends Inspector Littlejohn to assist the investigation. But he quickly discovers that more than a few residents are telling lies, and the victim’s costume conceals a truly perplexing case.




Corpse at the Carnival


Book Description

When a seaside festival ends in murder, Superintendent Littlejohn gets caught up in a baffling investigation in this acclaimed British mystery series. It’s holiday time in Douglas and the town is alive with the local carnival. A brass band and bagpipes lead a procession down the promenade, and the cheering onlookers slowly make their way to the pier. But when the crowd thins and the promenade empties, a man is found dead at the center . . . Detective Littlejohn, who happens to be in town visiting a friend, now faces a perplexing case. In a small town that runs on gossip, nobody seems to know the victim. The waitress who identified him knew him only as ‘Uncle Fred.’ Who would want to murder an anonymous man? It soon becomes clear there is more to Uncle Fred than initially thought. As Littlejohn is pulled deeper into the mystery, the layers of Uncle Fred’s secretive life begin to unravel and the superintendent finds himself racing to prevent a second murder . . .




The Tormentors


Book Description

When a young hooligan is accused of murdering a prominent resident on the Isle of Man, Inspector Littlejohn must uncover the truth in this classic mystery. In a small town on the Isle of Man, an elderly gentleman is found violently stabbed in an alley, andhis wallet missing. All fingers point to a suspicious Teddy-Boy visiting from Liverpool. The victim was a well-known member of a distinguished family, and his relatives are eager to see justice served. To avoid an unwarranted arrest, the Manx police call in Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard to investigate. While the young man maintains his innocence, Littlejohn’s investigations lead him to the Bishop’s Arm pub. There he meets some of the island’s most dubious characters and begins to uncover surprising secrets about one of the island’s most respected individuals.