Ok, first things first: reading this book should have been a delight. It was an irritation. NOT because of the story, which I quite enjoyed. Not because of the writing, which is just fine considering this was first written in the nineteen forties (this is a re-release and good show to the publishers!). It was an irritation because, for reasons I absolutely cannot comprehend, there are letter combinations that are ENTIRELY MISSING FROM THIS BOOK. Why? For the love of little green apples, why?!

I first thought it might have been a review copy thing. But that doesn’t makes sense, because review copies shouldn’t be a pain to read; publishers want people to enjoy the books, yes? It’s just the queerest thing I’ve ever seen in a book. And, it isn’t just one letter combination. It’s multiple. All of the ‘ff’s are missing: ‘suffer’ becomes ‘suer.’ All the ‘fi’s are missing, so ‘find’ becomes ‘nd’ and together with the previous combo ‘office’ becomes ‘oce.’ ‘Fl’s are missing, which in combination with the double eff turns ‘ruffled’ into ‘rued’ and let me tell you that caused some confusion the first time. I just don’t understand, and my frustration with this ‘quirk’ seriously dampened my enjoyment of the book itself.

That said: Bodies in a Bookshop is a charming little bookish murder mystery. The protagonists are hilarious in their characterization and in their interactions with each other. The reflections of the narrator, the character Max, are in turn snide and sarcastic and more than once I found myself giggling out loud at his observations or remarks. The plot itself is pretty good; I didn’t have the murderer worked out until near the end myself, and I usually get there earlier than that. The setting of wartime London was exceptionally well done, and it is evident that the author must have been very familiar with the city, which translates into the descriptive passages and the ease with which he trots the protagonists around. It is also a lovely quick read, and bookish as well so boxes ticked there.

In all, a lovely little book. A damned shame about the missing letters though, that was an irritant right til the last page.

Written in 1946, I found this book to be a good mystery but needed to remember when it was written. I enjoyed reading a hard-boiled mystery for a change. I received a copy from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This was delightful journey down the memory lane of bygone mystery stories. Written in 1946, it has a sidekick narrator, a couple of corpses, a Scotland yard detective and a crusty amateur sleuth professor. The characters are well drawn ; indeed the musty of old book shop is a character itself.

This was a really nice stroll down the lanes of history and attitudes of times. The mystery was very good with lots of twists and turns and characters. And the characters were well drawn out and very solid.
I certainly enjoyed it, reprinted from a vintage time, it really shows the writing style of the era.

Bodies in a Bookshop was written in 1946 and takes place in London. Although it’s a bit musty, it is not unlike some of the bookstores visited by botanist Max Boyle, a sometimes-reluctant aid to amateur detective Professor Stubbs. Along with Chief Inspector Reginald F. Bishop of Scotland Yard, this unlikely trio sets out to solve the mystery of the two men found dead in a small bookshop in Tottenham Court. What follows is a lovely mystery that evolves from blackmail, illegal pornography and, eventually, murder.

R.T. Campbell’s book is obviously dated, with some vernacular no longer in use. Nevertheless, the characters are interesting and the interplay between the three men is entertaining. Even though it is obvious that they respect each other and even, at times, enjoy each other’s company, there is also disharmony and frustration as they attempt to solve a mystery that has provided more than a few suspects.

While I wouldn’t read this type of book on a regular basis, it is a nice departure from the thriller/suspense books that have become so popular the last few years. Bodies in a Bookshop will take the reader back to a little gentler, slow-paced time, when investigations were conducted in a civilized and methodical manner. Since it’s a short book, this side-trip into London shortly after WWII won’t take long, but it will be satisfying.

In 1946 London, the Bodies in a Bookshop pile up while a would-be Sherlock Holmes tries to find the killer.

Allan Leslie is a bookseller. When he is found murdered in a locked room with another victim, thriller reader and amateur detective Professor Stubbs and his assistant Max Boyle are on the case. Mr. Leslie was into unsavory pursuits like porn and stolen property. Could his sidelines have been the motive for his death? Also, what was the connection between him and the other victim, Cecil Baird?

It is hard not to laugh at the frequent allusions to book buying being as addictive as alcoholism. The book was written in 1946 London and the atmosphere of relief from wartime fears is palpable. Everyone, even Chief Inspector Bishop, is constantly drinking. While the setting is evocative of an earlier time, the mystery itself was extremely easy to solve so only 3 stars from me.

Thanks to Dover Publications and NetGalley for a copy.

And now for a golden oldie. Never heard of the author or his detective series (this isn’t book one, but it reads as a standalone), but love, love bibliomysteries, so this one intrigued me. This is basically a standard premise of a genius eccentric detective (actually professor of botany with a knack for detecting) and his more conventionally normal and less gifted sidekick, who assist a not so talented inspector in solving crimes. In this case, double murder in (obviously) a bookshop. The novel is narrated (prototypically as the form demands) by the sidekick, a man who, much like the author and probably everyone reading this review, has an ardent passion for books. It is he in fact who stumbled upon a crime scene in the first chapter, thus getting inextricably involved in the case. The detecting professor speaks in a thick Scottish burr or burrs in a thick Scottish speak, drives like a maniac and is as observant as his more famous fictional counterparts, but he is personable enough to not merely solve crimes machine like, but to pause to consider all the aspects and interpret justice accordingly. The sidekick is tall, gaunt, exceedingly polite properly British gentleman whose book loving ways are sure to make him appealing to all the readers. The mystery component didn’t really wow here and I was able to figure out quite easily, but the novel itself has a considerable charm of the bygone era, it’s sort of droll and quippy and surprisingly humorous, so that was lovely. Just right for a quick light entertainment. Thanks Netgalley.