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A review by bookaneer808
Death of a Bookseller by Bernard J. Farmer
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Set in the seemingly genteel
but often shady world of rare book collectors, the plot begins when Sergeant Wigan escorts a tipsy book dealer, Michael Fisk, home one night and becomes fascinated by the world of rare book collecting. The two men become friends and Fisk teaches Wigan about books - and then Fisk is found stabbed to death in his own library. A rare book is missing...but who committed the murder?
An obvious suspect turns up very quickly, but Sergeant Wigan, a conscientious policeman and a humane man, is convinced they have the wrong man - even when the jury disagrees & the judge puts on the black cap.
I really enjoyed the details of bookselling, collecting & dealing, and all the characters in that world. It was interesting to read a book published in 1956 that was so strongly against the death penalty; even the prison warders are troubled by the terror evoked in the condemned man and look for him to be put into a drugged sleep so they don't have to hear his screams as the execution date looms.
The prose is workmanlike and tells the story plainly, although there are several startling, not to say grotesque, flourishes towards the denouement.
but often shady world of rare book collectors, the plot begins when Sergeant Wigan escorts a tipsy book dealer, Michael Fisk, home one night and becomes fascinated by the world of rare book collecting. The two men become friends and Fisk teaches Wigan about books - and then Fisk is found stabbed to death in his own library. A rare book is missing...but who committed the murder?
An obvious suspect turns up very quickly, but Sergeant Wigan, a conscientious policeman and a humane man, is convinced they have the wrong man - even when the jury disagrees & the judge puts on the black cap.
I really enjoyed the details of bookselling, collecting & dealing, and all the characters in that world. It was interesting to read a book published in 1956 that was so strongly against the death penalty; even the prison warders are troubled by the terror evoked in the condemned man and look for him to be put into a drugged sleep so they don't have to hear his screams as the execution date looms.
The prose is workmanlike and tells the story plainly, although there are several startling, not to say grotesque, flourishes towards the denouement.