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Death on the Riviera

John Bude (Pseudonym),

Ernest Elmore

Start date: July 1, 2024

Finish date: July 31, 2024

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Dec 03, 2015 Candace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, mystery, netgalley

This book is a part of the British Library Crime Classics. These are classic British mysteries, most of which were written during the golden age of crime writing, that are being re-published. This gem was originally published in 1952 and is now scheduled to be re-published March 2016. They have lovely covers also!

Detective Meredith and Sergeant Strang head to the French Riviera to investigate information that "Chalky", one of the world's greatest counterfeiters, is working there. We also learn a ...more

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Oct 13, 2024 Natalie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, mystery-thriller

This murder mystery was fast paced and had 3 crimes the investigators were looking into. There were lively and interesting characters, and a number of avenues for the French and English investigators to look into. But despite the multiple crimes, the story was never confusing.
We are introduced to a group of people living at the French villa of a wealthy English widow, Nesta Hedderwick. There's her niece, Dilys, her friend, Miss Bertha Pilligrew, an aquantiance, Kitty, her love interest Tony Shen This murder mystery was fast paced and had 3 crimes the investigators were looking into. There were lively and interesting characters, and a number of avenues for the French and English investigators to look into. But despite the multiple crimes, the story was never confusing.
We are introduced to a group of people living at the French villa of a wealthy English widow, Nesta Hedderwick. There's her niece, Dilys, her friend, Miss Bertha Pilligrew, an aquantiance, Kitty, her love interest Tony Shenton, and supposed artist, Paul Latour. We also are introduced to Bill Dillon, a British engineer who says he's traveling in the area.
We learn that two English investigators, Meredith and Stang, have come to the south of France to catch a skilled counterfeiter. They also learn that someone is bringing American cigarettes on shore and selling them for a high price. The investigators get help from several French officiers: Blampignon, Gibaud, and a few others who help out.
We learn, through the investigation, that the two counterfeiters are a Russian, Bourmin, and an Englishman, Chalky. Then, the counterfeiters seem to be the ones involved with selling the cigarettes too. They have come up with clever disguises and a hollow rock they put on shore to mark the landing spot and hide the money. Chalky's disguise especially throws them off the track for a bit. Latour, the fake artist, has been buying paintings from another little known artist, and claiming them as his own, which is another crime on the side.
At the Villa, we learn that Kitty, is crazy about Tony. But Bill Dillon, who comes to visit at the Villa, is actually her estranged husband. He learns Kitty is expecting so tries to pressure Tony into marrying her, and Bill will file for divorce. However Tony backs off and says he wont marry Kitty. About 3/4 the way through the story, a body is discovered below a cliff, with Kitty claiming Bill killed himself. Tony's car is spotted in several locations around the time of the murder. And the body has been disfigured so it's uncertain if the deceased is Tony or Bill.
Meredith and Stang do some careful investigating and come up with the guilty party of the complicated crime. (view spoiler).
There was quite a bit to hold my attention throughout the book, making it a quick read! I did feel however, that the death comes too late in the story and winds up a bit quickly. But prose is good and the characters so interesting. ...more

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