finding murder in manchester

A recent stay at the parental home on the outskirts of Manchester afforded me the opportunity for some well-spent time in the centre of Manchester. Over four decades ago I worked at Jardine’s Bookshop in Peter’s Square - sadly closed in the mid 1980s and the block where it was housed was demolished years later to make way for a smarter high-rise building.
Trawling secondhand bookshops has long been a favourite occupation, although, sadly, the excellent Paramount Books on Shude Hill was closed. However, pleased to say that I spotted the book market nearby and spent some glorious time exploring the treasures there.

‘A bookshop is a first rate place for unobtrusive observation,’ he continued. ‘One can remain in it an indefinite time, dipping into one book after another, all over the place.’

Crime reporter and amateur detective Francis MacNab again assists Scotland Yard in this treat of a bibliomystery, set against the backdrop of London’s Charing Cross Road and the House of Commons - an MP’s detective story, Death on the Desk, has some relevance to the case! The latest release from the British Library is another great treat for GA readers - John Ferguson’s Death of Mr Dodsley, (1937), published on February 10th. He was the author of ten mysteries, including Murder on the Marsh (1930) and The Grouse Moor Mystery (1934).

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I’ve certainly got ‘Death on the Desk’ - including ones I’m looking forward to reading including, Jacqueline Winspear’s The White Lady, a standalone mystery set in 1947, introducing heroine Elinor White, from the author of the wonderful Maisie Dobbs series, published in March. Another from Allison & Busby, published this month, is Christina Koning’s Murder in Dublin, the seventh in the series.
The first two in the series, The Blind Detective (aka Line of Sight), Murder in Regent’s Park (aka Game of Chance), are also being re-released. The latter two I’ve read, along with the others that will be available later in the year - wonderful covers!

Just re-released from Joffe books, are five V C Clinton-Baddeley Dr Davie books, including Death’s Bright Dart, My Foe Outstretche’d Beneath the Tree & Only a Matter of Time.

And from the attic - an apt title from the biblio-mysteries stack when seeking a ‘lost’ mystery - ha!

That's it for this week - back with more finds soon!

Richard
(Do get in touch - [email protected])




Titles mentioned:
V. C. Clinton-Baddeley: Death’s Bright Dart (9781804056790)
My Foe Outstretch’d Beneath the Tree (9781804056806)
Only a Matter of Time (9781804056790)
John Ferguson: Death of Mr Dodsley (9780712354721)
The Grouse Moor Murder (9781616464073)
Murder on the Marsh (9781915475183)
Christina Koning: The Blind Detective (1) (9780749029531)
Murder in Dublin (7) (9780749029838)
Murder in Regent’s Park (2) (9780749029685)
Jacqueline Winspear: The White Lady (9780749029135)

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