Send For Paul Temple is the first in a series of 1940's mysteries starring the famous crime novelist and man-about-town Paul Temple. Although not a detective, his mystery novels have proven so successful that Scotland Yard accepts him as one of their own - and he usually uncovers the plot slightly ahead of them!
In the dead of night, a watchman is brutally attacked and with his dying breath cries out, "The Green Finger!"
Scotland Yard has become so mystified with trying to break a string of deadly and brazen robberies, that the public begins an outcry in the newspapers: "Send For Paul Temple!".
He had previously stumbled into a police matter and solved it. These petitions cause Commissioner Sir Graham Forbes to ask politely, would Mr. Temple unofficially look into things.
Paul has help in the form of a persistent female reporter (indeed it was she who started the campaign to send for him). Her byline is Steve Trent, and she is affectionately and from here on in referred to as 'Steve', as the couple work together in a race to uncover the ring of thieves.
Although we are introduced to the gang, witness the smash-and-grab heists, and follow them as they hideout in various remote country inns, there is still a lot of tension and surprise as the action unfolds. The gang begins to turn on each other, several are killed off, there are unreliable police investigators, and no one knows who the head of the gang - known as The Knave of Diamonds - really is, with a genuine surprise when identities are revealed!
These are classic stories of detection, with lots of clues revealed just in time, as well as those you think you've already figured out but will be pleasantly mistaken! Steve works her own investigation to be the first to scoop the story for her paper, and as much as Paul is a debonair fellow, he is always thinking ahead and not afraid of hand to hand action at the drop of a hat.
Written in 1938, these were published alongside a tremendously popular radio show, with several being filmed as movies. Frances Durbridge has created a non-detective to outsmart them all; brisk and full of humour these are the real deal for those who like classic English crime thrillers.
The whole series has been recently been reprinted by Harper Collins Crime Club.
Highly recommended!
1938 / Tradeback / 288 pages
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