An Interesting alternative to the inspector Littlejohn series, of which I have read several. This was an enjoyable story with a plausible ending. Sometimes hard to get really stuck in to it but I'm glad I persevered.

"Before there was Littlejohn, there was Nankivell. With his classic wit and trademark style, George Bellairs delivers this standalone mystery sure to keep you guessing.

And when they’re up, they’re up-up-up, And when they’re down, they’re down, And when they’re half-way up...

On a joyous afternoon filled with tea and cake, something strange happens at Zion Chapel’s Anniversary Tea Party. The infamous Alderman Harbuttle is behaving uncharacteristically playful - laughing with the assembly, singing rhymes, and leading people in a rousing game of Follow-My-Leader throughout the chapel’s winding halls.

But his jubilee is cut short when the revellers find the Alderman’s murdered body in the dark recesses of the chapel, a bread knife buried to the hilt in his chest.

Superintendent Nankivell of the local police force takes up the case, and his investigation quickly stirs up sinister secrets lurking within the walls of Zion Chapel. His suspect list soon proves massive, as he learns there are many people who would be happier without the sanctimonious Alderman Harbuttle around...

Death Stops the Frolic was first published as Turmoil in Zion in 1943."

A classic British whodunit!

A pleasantly written story in the back drop of wartime England with dry humour and a neat plot. Though the cast of characters is huge, it is not confusing and the author deftly handles it. A thoroughly enjoyable book.

law-enforcement, murder-investigation, murder, England, sly-humor, 1940s

It's a good and interesting cottage mystery, but the best parts are the understated humor that permeates the story and the creative descriptions of people, events, and vistas. Especially the people. Not just the visual aspects, but their personalities as well! As for the murder mystery, there are many twists, misdirections, and flat out red herrings while Supt Nankivell diligently investigates the murders and some other things that turn up. Excellent fun read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Agora Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

My rating is more 3.5/5 than 3/5. I'm a huge fan of George Bellairs and have read many of the Littlejohn series. Unfortunately this is not a Littlejohn. The writing was rather mechanical which made it difficult to engage in the plot or with the characters. Yes, the solution was a good one, but the presentation wasn't at all satisfying, as it was just sort of handed to you.

Death Stops the Frolic from 1943 is in quite a different style to most of the George Bellairs books I’ve read before. It’s possible to see it as the exuberance of a new novelist (he’d only published 4/5 books before this one). He’s playful with words and involves the reader, “It will be as well for us to get over the origins and topography of Swarebridge before the reader wearies…”. The first two chapters are written in the present tense although not the first person, so it could be worse! That aspect really grated but I persevered and the book was well worth it.

Superintendent Nankivell’s wife and daughters attend Zion Chapel, although he doesn’t and prefers to mow the lawn on Sundays. We learn that at the start of Chapter Two and I expected Mrs N’s relationship with the other chapel members to add some interesting complexities to the plot. However, unlike Letty Littlejohn, Mrs Nankivell is almost completely absent from the story. We don’t discover her first name and only hear three sentences from her, all in one speech as Nankivell comes to bed late one evening.

The murders take place in Nankivell’s hometown – he knew the victims – but there is little sense of pre-existing relationships. I think the a more experienced author would have either avoided that super-local connection or made it core to the story. However, I guess Bellairs didn’t want to write another Littejohn of Scotland Yard story and had to have a reason for not involving Scotland Yard, thus using a local policeman.

I enjoyed the story. There are plenty of wartime aspects like rationing and the blackout to remind us this was published during WWII. If Littlejohn written further Nankivell novels, that would mean fewer Littlejohn stories to savour and we would have been the poorer. If, however, we could have had more Nankivells, together with the Littlejohn canon, I would happily read take them all.

#DeathStopstheFrolic #NetGalley

George Bellairs never fails to entertain with his books, this book was a good read, but not one of his best ones, in my opinion. It moved a little slow , and maybe because Detective Inspector Littlejohn played no part in this book, I found it not to my liking. Whilst the period is set in 1941, we have the chapel of Zion, a congo line dance around the blackout and a murder to start - a good beginning followed by lots of characters and events. Good but not his best.

Bellairs delivers a strong opening in this book, setting up an interesting and unusual crime, with a man falling to his death through a trap door and then being stabbed, when he is at the front of a follow-your-leader dance line, which just so happens to be taking place in a church at night during the blackout. The crime setup poses several questions for the reader - How did the killer know Harbuttle would take the conga line on a new route? Why did he even take a new route in the first place? And of course who would want him dead? Moreover, the fact that most of the congregation were in the follow-your-leader line means they have an iron cast alibi, as no one left the line, so they couldn’t have finished him off with a knife in the heart. With such a crime Bellairs could have attempted an impossible crime mystery. It is a pity he did not!
The text heads into difficulty when the investigation begins. There are no clues to be gained from the crime scene, which is handy for the killer, but less so for the reader and the investigating officer has to focus on the motive angle. In fairness to Bellairs he does give us an interesting array of motives for the crime, though perhaps some of them needed more developing and foregrounding. There is a large cast of characters to contend with in this novel and we don’t get to spend too much time with most of them, (Superintendent Nanikivell, being the person we get to know the most). In addition, the issue with the focus on motives is that this is information which can only be handed over to the reader directly, rather than be used as an opportunity for the reader to work things out. Moreover, when a particular motive comes up, it will become apparent to the seasoned mystery reader that this is the motive to follow. The secondary death in the novel is relatively easy to anticipate, though I feel Bellairs uses it to good effect, revealing a killer who knows how to use social distractions to good advantage.
This novel was published early on in Bellairs career, yet previous titles to this one were much stronger, so I think this book is something of a blip in the Bellairs canon. I was quite surprised to discover that contemporary reviews of this title were quite positive. I came across this one in The Saturday Review’s Criminal Record: ‘Painstaking detecting enlivened by pungent and amusing portraits of strange sectarians. Solution not unguess-able but suspense holds up until end. First Class.’
I think my final rating will be 3.5/5, in part because I know Bellairs can write much better! The main difficulty with this book is that it does not contain a mystery you can figure out. The writer simply tells us information, rather than giving us the chance to piece anything together. So as the plot progresses it becomes more of a collation of information as opposed to a narrative which synthesises information and in order to crack the case the Superintendent has to be handed a character who will spill the beans.

I have enjoyed all the Littlejohn titles I read so far but I wish I could say the same about this standalone novel featuring Superintendent Nankivell.

Bellairs' is a terrific writer; from characterizations to quirky mysteries to quaint country settings, there's nobody who's as good as our dear Bellairs. Having said that, Death Stops the Frolic wasn't a mystery. When I say this, I mean - the readers were told what was happening around. Nankivell hardly does any investigation - the chap gives up before the case investigations could even begin - this isn't something I expect from a main character/sleuth.

The story starts well, we have the usual Bellairs setting - Mr Harbuttle's human crocodile(follow-me-leader) and his 'vanishing act' that didn't end well. The story then falls flat. The suspects and witnesses are described in detail - which, in my opinion, was a bore. Things start getting better in the second half of the story - after the second murder. Everybody seems to have an alibi but that cannot be right, can it?

If you are familiar with Bellairs' works, you would know how his stories usually end. No surprise there.

Overall, this was an okay read. Honestly, this is much better than few of the Mystery Classics out there. Not Bellairs' best work but good for a one-time read.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death Stops the Frolic by George Bellairs and in the company of Superintendent Nankivell I found I didn't miss Inspector Littlejohn at all.

The provincial town in wartime was amusingly described and the characters were well drawn and frequently comic. I particularly enjoyed the scene when the matronly women of the Zion Chapel engaged in some feminine fisticuffs! The pompous victim Alderman Harbuttle deserved his fate and there were a plethora of potential suspects with excellent motives. Thoroughly recommended for lovers of Golden Age detective fiction.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Unlike the previous Bellairs books I have read, this one does not feature Littlejohn. Instead, Superintendent Nankivell is unable to pass on a particularly tricky investigation to Scotland Yard, whose representatives do not have immediate family members associated with the organization in question and do not have to live in the community during the aftermath. Of course, the Superintendent carries out a thorough investigation – perhaps with a few tactics that we would not see today – and brings it to a successful conclusion.

The action takes place in one of Bellairs’ typical provincial towns – one gets the impression that it is a bit of a blot on an idyllic rural landscape, and is dominated by the outwardly-upright big fish who run the local businesses and the town itself. In this case, they also dominate the local non-conformist church, set up by a now-deceased local entrepreneur. The place is still going strong in World War II, providing a social centre for its members, some of whom would like it to move a bit with the times. The oldest member usually holds the line on such changes, but is murdered during his trademark party game during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the chapel. Fortunately Nankivell and the local doctor, waiting to pick up their families, are at hand and can take charge.

This is another entertaining classic detective novel. I think that character development and particularly setting are Bellairs’ strengths. In this book, it feels a bit like these details are not worked into the narrative as well as they might be, but that’s a minor point. Overall, the book is still an enjoyable read.

I had only read Bellairs’ Littlejohn books before this, earlier, one and to be honest was a little doubtful during the first chapter as it got off to a slightly slow start.
The Policemen, Nankivell and Cresswell, are more or less a prototype Littlejohn and Cromwell but I liked them as soon as they appeared, and we soon had the first murder which warmed it up nicely.
Bellairs’ characterisation and physical descriptions are as strong as with his later books with some stonking good names such as Mr Wildbore and Dr Cowslip, with a wonderful Mrs Fingerbowle appearing near the end.

Set among a church congregation in a northern industrial town of blanket factories during the war, Alderman Harbottle is murdered during a church social event after some years of rubbing his neighbours up the wrong way.
The list of suspects was divers and many with, at one point Nankivell unsuccessfully asking his superior for help from Scotland Yard which could have seen him meet his alter-ego!

I would recommend this as a good yarn to while away an evening or two.

I didn't like this as well as the Littlejohn books. However, as I got into it, it was a good yarn. The book started slowly, with a lot of description of each character. It tells how Swaresbridge got built up with Pogsley's Snugsleep Blankets factory, and how he started his Zion church. Each character introduced has a fairly long description. Then we come to the 25th anniversary of the church well after Pogsley's death.

Alderman Harbuttle is getting ready to go home from the party, when he is convinced he must do his "game", a single file march through the church with about 150 parishioners making a long line, each holding the person in front as Harbuttle leads them round and about in the dark (it's October 1941 during the blackout). Suddenly, the leader, Harbuttle disappears through a trap door in the choir loft. He's found on the floor below with a knife through his heart.

Inspector Nankivell takes on the task to discover the culprit. Harbuttle was not universally admired, and had made several enemies. He had lived alone in a big house on the hill from which he spied on his neighbors, as well as argued with everyone in the church and was against his daughter's marriage. Nankivell found out that Harbuttle had been thinking of marrying a much younger woman. This all leaves a huge number of suspects. At one point, a young boy told someone he had seen someone in the kitchen during the game. Soon the boy is found dead.

The book moves faster as Nankivell begins to get some clues, and finally solves the case.

1941 October. It is time for the Zion Chapel’s Anniversary Tea Party but this will not end well for one person, when falling through a trapdoor he is found stabbed. Will this be the only death. Inspector Nankivell investigates.
Not really an entertaining story, I onlyjust made it to the end, and it was made worse by being written in the prestent tense. No where near the best of Bellairs.
A NetGalley Book

As a fan of the Littlejohn series by the same Author known as George Bellaire I'm delighted to find this gem from a different series. Our detective here is Nankivell yes George loves playing with names and the are some great ones to find in this book like all the others of his I have read.
George has a great sense of humour which is readily displayed here as well as a great whodunit, It is set in the Middle of the second world war during the time of blackouts & rationing, The story begins when the Church Anniversary at Zion Church is ruined with the death of a towns Alderman the great (to be) detective Nankivell gets to work and when inquires if Scotland Yard can help he is advice to get on and solve it by himself, so then that's what he sets out to do. With a hall full of suspects who slowly all have alibs his job gets harder by the hour. But as with all good detectives he presses on with his gang at the station and the result is a great book that I really want to recommend to you. The characters are quirky as always with Mr Bellaire's but not far fetched all very believable and in character to how i imagine they would be at this time in Britain. This is a great book which can easily hook you and also give you a flavor of how live went on in Britain for those left at home whilst the brave soldiers fought for our future there were hero's and villains carrying on keeping British going. I really enjoyed this book it is a nice escape from life and as hinted a look back at the past and well worth taking the ride.

I normally very much enjoy George Bellairs novels, but I now realize it’s because I adore Littlejohn. Unfortunately, this book is not of that series. Not only that, but I didn’t necessarily care for the flippant tone of the parts written in present tense. It was as if he was just experimenting with a new tone.

Having said all that, it’s still Bellairs and still better written than much of what’s published today. Consequently, I would still recommend it, with a little explanation of the difference in this to other Bellairs novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and the George Bellairs Literary Estate for providing a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

I am a longtime fan of George Bellairs' Inspector Littlejohn novels. Death Stops the Frolic is an early work and does not feature Littlejohn, but rather Inspector Nankivell.

Bellairs is a good storyteller and this was a solid mystery, but I did not enjoy it as much as the Littlejohn novels. The narrator describes the local people and likely suspects and, especially in the first half of the novel, adopted a somewhat condescending and at times contemptuous tone to tell us about the locals. This took me aback a bit, but the second half of the novel was more in keeping with the Bellairs' of Littlejohn tradition. Nankivell, though no Littlejohn, is likable and the police procedural come to a satisfying end.

George Bellairs remains one of my favorite Golden Age authors and I look forward to reading future reprints of his novels.

Alderman Harbuttle, a man who irritates many, but not enough to incite murder one would think, is stabbed to death after falling through a trap door in the church as he led his fellow Zionists in a game of follow-my-leader. Superintendent Nankivell (actually on the scene waiting to pick up his wife) is all for calling in the yard, because it’s likely to be a politically dicey affair, but he is put off, due to his particular knowledge of all the people involved. Things heat up even more when a boy who claims to have seen something is also murdered. Engaging police procedural - the superintendent is quite likeable and cleverly solves the case.

George Bellairs never fails to deliver and I'm never disappointed by his books even if I have very high expectations.
This is an excellent stand alone story with a great description of village life and a solid mystery.
The cast of characters is fleshed out and the description of the historical background is vivid and realistic.
One note: some observation can be a bit un-politically correct but this is part of the time mindset.
I was an excellent read that I couldn't put down, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

3 stars

Since this is an early Bellairs' book, I would guess it is understandable that it is not his best. Originally published as “Turmoil in Zion,” it does not feature Inspector Littlejohn (who is a favorite of mine).

The writing, as always, is superb, but this book did not hold my interest as much as the later ones. Of course, the reader must realize the era in which the book was written to understand some of the archaic language and attitudes of the inhabitants of the little village.

I want to thank NetGalley and Agora Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and review.