"Death in Room Five" is one of the Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard series. In it, a group from a small English town are taking a free trip to the French Riviera thanks to a wealthy benefactor. On their first night in Cannes, one of the group--Alderman Dawson who is also the town's former Mayor--is stabbed. The victim asks for Inspector Littlejohn, who happens to be vacationing on the Riviera with his wife. Littlejohn reluctantly goes to Cannes only to find that the victim has died. The village vacationers, speaking little or no French, insist that Littlejohn work with the French police to solve the crime. The villagers' antics and attempts to appear sophisticated are especially funny. Evocative descriptions of the 1950s French Riviera, combined with a classic British mystery, add up to an entertaining book.

Chief Inspector Littlejohn and his wife are on holiday on the French Riviera, but he is called to help with a investigation when the murder victim just before he dies asks for Littlejohn. It seems a group of people from Bolchester are on holiday, but who would want to kill this seemingly popular man, But this is not the last of the murders. Time is running out for Littlejohn to solve the cases before the French police take over.
The plot moves at a good pace as we get to know about all the people involved and their connection to the victim, exposing their motives and all the red herrings.
An enjoyable well-written mystery
Originally written in 1955.

George Bellairs does it again! Brilliant plot, wonderful characters and Chief Inspector Littlejohn on top form. What more could a liver of Classic Crime novels want? This is one of the best Bellairs stories that I have read. Please please republish all of the Littlejohn books.

Poor Inspector Littlejohn can’t have a holiday away with his long suffering wife without murder falling at his feet.

A party of British tourists on a coach holiday to the French Riviera from Bolchester, a small northern industrial town, find themselves in trouble when one of their group is stabbed and dies in the local hospital whispering something that sounds like a code from his time helping the Resistance during the war.
Alderman Dawson was, outwardly at least, an upstanding member of the community but, as always in these excellent mysteries, all is not as it seems.

Littlejohn is without his loyal Sergeant in this installment, although he does get a brief mention on a flying visit back home, but his place is amply filled by a delightfully eccentric French Policeman named Dorange of the Nice Police.

This has a nicely claustrophobic atmosphere akin to an Agatha Christie holiday mystery, with everyone holed up in a hotel in foreign parts desperate to get home.The characterisation and description of surroundings is excellent, as I have come to expect from Bellairs, and the differing policing styles of the two officers made for good contrast.

I recommend this book without hesitation and look forward to more.

Chief Inspector Littlejohn has a problem - his holidays so often turn into a busman's holiday! This time, he and his wife are in the south of France, anticipating a pleasant holiday in spite of the post-war currency restrictions. Post war conditions come into play again when one of a group of English tourists is found dying from a knife attack. He had been active in the area during the War - according to the stories he told back home, he was quite the hero, but local partisans had a different view of his activities. But he may have had other enemies - he, and everyone on the tour, came from the same small town; one of those so often found in Bellairs' books, with many undercurrents hidden by their superficial propriety. Someone is influential enough to arrange for Littlejohn to assist the French police, and yet again, his vacation is ruined!

This particular adventure has a more intricate plot than some of the other novels in the series, with plenty of red herrings. There was one bit that didn't quite ring true for me, but on the whole, the author has played fair with the reader - the solution to the mystery is obvious once Littlejohn reveals it, but well-hidden earlier on. As usual, the details of the setting and minor characters give a flavour of what the place and the people were like back in the 1950s, which is a bonus when reading books written and set in earlier times.

Overall, this is another light and entertaining read for those who like the older, classic type of detective story.

This was a very entertaining mystery with a good cast of characters. Alternating between an appealing French Riviera setting and small town England in Athens 1960s there were good twists, an enjoyable police inspector and a satisfying, didn’t guess it solution

I love George Bellairs' mysteries and I think this the best I read so far.
It's fast paced, with a complex plot full of twists and turns, and unputdownable.
Inspect Littlejohn is at his best and the cast of characters is well thought and interesting, each of them with secrets and something to hide.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and red herrings, and it kept me guessing til the last turn that came as a surprise.
This book aged well and the description of the historical background is interesting.
I look forward to reading the next Bellairs' book.
It was an excellent read, strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Agora Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

"Death in Room Five" is a mystery that was originally published in 1955 and is set in France and England. The characters were described with a humorous touch, especially as the British vacationing in France thought the French behaved oddly. They didn't want to cooperate with the French police, so Inspector Littlejohn was taken from his vacation in France to question the suspects and determine whodunit.

Inspector Littlejohn followed up on obvious leads and questioned many people, slowly uncovering possible motives and actions until he was finally able to put it all together. There were clues, and the reader can guess whodunit, though I was never completely sure I was right since there were several strong suspects. The mystery was more complex than I expected. There were no sex scenes. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.

Not my first of George Bellairs' Inspector Littlejohn books ,this is the one where he meets Inspector Dorange of the Nice police.St on the French Riviera where Littlejohn is on holiday with his wife.
A British holidaymaker is murdered and Littlejohn is asked to investigate, The victim an Alderman back home was involved as an Army liaison officer with the French Resistance during the war,and an indiscreet liaison with a frenchwoman led to the resistance group being betrayed and all but wiped out by the Germans.The French examining magistrate is initially sure that this is a revenge killing but lack of evidence and two further killings lead the authorities to suspect that one of the group of travellers from a small British town of whom the victim was one is the more likely culprit.
They all appear to have cast iron alibi's and this strange motley class conscious group are appalled to think one of their number could be to blame 'We're British for God's sake' much easier to blame a 'foreigner'.It takes Littlejohn some time chasing red herrings false leads and lack of information but all is revealed at the end and I for one didn't see it coming though to be fair neither does Littlejohn and he has to be quick on his feet to avoid another tragedy.
As with all Bellairs books this is well written craftily plotted and if it is a little dated and of its time its all the more interesting for it.A proper old fashioned police detective novel and a smashing read.

This is a very good classic crime. Littlejohn spends awhile gathering details, and then suddenly has everything solved in an exciting ending.

Littlejohn and his wife are on vacation in Juan-les-Pins on the Mediterranean Sea. Shortly after he arrives he gets a call that an Englishman has been stabbed in Cannes. Littlejohn goes to the hospital in Cannes, and finds Alderman Dawson from Bolchester in England in Room Five. He dies just as Littlejohn arrives. Dawson was part of a group from Bolchester who were on a bus trip and staying at a house in Cannes. Dawson had been in the Maquis during the war, and told some secrets to a woman in the group who turned out to be a spy. At first the police thought someone local may have murdered him, but soon Littlejohn realizes it must be someone in the travel group, none of whom seemed to like Dawson.

Chief Inspector Littlejohn is on holiday with his wife in France when the body of an Englishman in a tour party is found.

Who has killed Alderman Dawson and why?

Littlejohn has no option to give up the peace & relaxation of the French Riveria to assist the local police with solving this crime.

First published in 1955 Death in Room Five is an excellent "old fashioned" murder mystery from the pen of George Bellairs and one get I thoroughly recommend

classic-crime, international-crime-and-mystery, law-enforcement, France, post-WW2

CI Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is suffering from too much publicity. He and his wife just wanted to have a little vacation in the south of France but he is accosted by his countrymen at the behest of a man who was stabbed. By the time they get to the hospital the man has died and the French police claim no need to investigate. This proves to be a ruse to chase off the civilians as the police are well aware of Littlejohn's reputation. And so it goes with more loosely related murders and tiresome tourists. But in between we are treated to vivid descriptions of the countryside and other scenery. Of course the mystery is well crafted and most interesting, just as I expected!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Agora Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Littlejohn’s vacation on the French Riviera with his wife is interrupted by the murder of an English Alderman who was on a tour with other residents of his home town, and it’s pretty clear throughout that Littlejohn resents the interruption. Quite a number of decent red herrings to sort through before the mystery is solved. Enjoyable read.

If you have read any of the Littlejohn books before & are like me you will know that you are if for a great read, if this is your first & you are wondering if you should buy it then it is a yes I promise you.
Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is on holiday in the South of France with his beloved wife and gets a visit from two Englishmen from the Northern English town of Bolchester, to ask his help because one of their party Alderman Dawson has been stabbed and had asked for Littlejohns help.
If you ever go away and find out that Littlejohn of the Yard is on Holiday near by normally either Southern France or the IOM first thing to do is get out of there the second work out how you managed to travel back in time. This adventure is set in the 1950s
The Alderman doesn't survive and is soon joined by others but that's as much of the plot to give you without ruining it, Dawson a self proclaimed hero of the resistance in France was not the hero he claimed exactly but he was known for his role in the fight and the lady who turns out not to be what she seemed. But would be a bit sad if everything played out as you expect. As such George Bellairs will leave you guessing and hooked for me I was hooked from page one but just his name on the cover is enough to have me read because I haven't yet found a bad book that he has written not bad for a bank manager.
The plot has its twists and turns and unique characters all with their own identity like real life only one is a murderer, the French Police allow Littlejohn a free hand in a spirit of collaboration as asked for by the Yard. There are a few candidates for you to pick from and several red herring along the way which allow for some very fun twists if that's the right way. The French bobbies don't seem as deducted as it of that time one guarding the group send to have a very casual approach as opposed to the best Bobby that stands guard outside a place of interest here. So read on and see what I mean
I really enjoyed this book and my guesses were wrong so you will probably do better than me and I obviously recommend this book as a great read one to relax ponder and enjoy.

My Rating: 4.25/5

I always look forward to reading new Bellairs titles (reprints). If you have been following the series, you would know that most of the crimes occur when Littlejohn is on a vacation, Letty and Thomas Littlejohn are looking forward to spending a quiet time at Cannes when two men come to their hotel, asking for Littlejohn.

An Alderman is stabbed and is on the deathbed. He's asked for Littlejohn but by the time Thomas arrives at the hospital, the man is dead. Soon, more bodies are found and the French police are losing their patience. Can Littlejohn solve this case before it is too late?

Most of the Bellairs titles give a lot of preference to the detailed descriptions. The French Riveria, the food, the beach and Pernod, at times it felt like I was in Cannes and not at the comforts of my home, reading this book.
The mystery is well-maintained throughout the story. The red herrings on red herrings were quite a catch! Well, let's just say, Littlejohn wasn't the only one who got sidetracked by it. Hmph!

Overall, Death in Room Five was an entertaining read!

My thanks to the Bellairs estate for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed it but not as much as some of the other Littlejohn mysteries, which are funnier with fewer tiresomely stereotypical episodes. Still, this is a mild mannered melodrama from the classical age of mysteries and it is a product of its age. The story is well plotted and the clues are there to spot, although the ending was a surprise to me as well as Littlejohn, it appears.

Unusually, we find Littlejohn on the French Riviera on holiday with his wife when an excruciatingly English coach party staying nearby summon his assistance on the fatal stabbing of one of their number, a coal merchant alderman and the ex mayor of Bolchester. Littlejohn, however, must work to French police direction. This is a story first published not long after the war, so there are possible motives stemming from the unfortunate alderman’s war record with the guerilla maquis resistance, but, as Littlejohn discovers back in Bolchester without its holiday makers, there are many motives for others too. One murder leads to another - the town’s casino owner - and then another, before the melodramatic end game.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the French coastal resort and the contrast of it with the small English town of Bolchester on the edge of the Pennines and Littlejohn’s police helper there, the solidly English plod, Haddock, who knows everything about everybody in his town. The characters in the casino and the scene of the small time crooks and relatives who gather for the owner’s funeral are memorable.

The story is a bit slow by modern standards although the body count approaches a massacre by the end. The book is not quite a classic but it is a good entertainment.