Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our buddy read of Bump in the Night, the second in Flaxborough Mysteries series by Colin Watson. Bump in the Night (A Flaxborough Mystery Book 2) by Colin Watson

The first in the series was a popular buddy read - they have a quirky, Midsomer Murders feel, and can be read independently.

Here is part of the Goodreads blurb:

Tuesday nights have suddenly turned quite ridiculously noisy in the country town of Chalmsbury, where the good folk are outraged at having their rest disturbed. It begins with a drinking fountain being blown to smithereens... Despite the soft-soled sleuthing of cub reporter Len Leaper, the crime spate grows alarming.

Sheer vandalism is bad enough, but when a life is lost the amiable Inspector Purbright is called in from nearby Flaxborough to assist in enquiries.

Feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

I loved the memorial poems. My favourite was
"We never heard you say Goodbye
But you had Gone
And God knows Why"

Oh yes, the poems were great - shades of William McGonagall!

I love the title of The Worst Poet on Earth - William McGonagall !!! I think we need an example...

This is from the Burning of the Exeter Theatre - just an extract, you understand - don't want to excite anyone..

"’Twas in the year of 1887, which many people will long remember,
The burning of the Theatre at Exeter on the 5th of September,
Alas! that ever-to-be-remembered and unlucky night,
When one hundred and fifty lost their lives, a most agonising sight.

The play on this night was called “Romany Rye,”
And at act four, scene third, Fire! Fire! was the cry;
And all in a moment flames were seen issuing from the stage,
Then the women screamed frantically, like wild beasts in a cage.

Then a panic ensued, and each one felt dismayed,
And from the burning building a rush was made;
And soon the theatre was filled with a blinding smoke,
So that the people their way out had to grope".

There is a fabulous website if anyone feels inspired to explore more: https://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/...

Did anyone like Len Leaper? I thought he would actually have made quite a good series detective, though it was a bit creepy that he was so keen on looking through the caravan window in the hope of seeing a woman in the nude!

Creepy behaviour aside, he was a good character. Very keen and eager for a big story :)

Another underling with overlooked talent was the policeman who collected the envelops of evidence. Though he was hardly taking his job seriously when Pointer called in the first explosion.

I enjoyed Len's worried anticipation of meeting the naked lady, and then it all came true.

I hope / plan to continue this series as I enjoy the humor and the detective.

Sandy wrote: "Another underling with overlooked talent was the policeman who collected the envelops of evidence. Though he was hardly taking his job seriously when Pointer called in the first explosion.

I enjoy..."

I really enjoyed the humor also, but was stunned at the lack of SOC officers - these were explosions, for heaven’s sake! Thank goodness for that dedicated officer and his envelopes- I think Purbright mentions it somewhere near the end - the only mention made of any kind of scene-of-crime investigation, I think. Seemed pretty slack to me, I mean the book was published in 1960, I think, and I get the impression it’s supposed to be somewhat in the boonies, but I would’ve thought an explosion in a public place would warrant a more serious investigation before there were three incidents!

I realise that in real life, people do not plan such elaborate murders and definitely do not send mysterious 'In Memorium' in advance, but I found it fitting and strangely believable.

One of the more sympathetic murderers with a sympathetic motive who despite an elaborate plan ensured that no innocent was hurt unless you count the feelings of those to whom the structures mattered!

I enjoyed the humor but was feeling in the beginning that the murderer would be Lurch and that was leading to an unsatisfactory feeling but once Lurch was cleared, the book was really enjoyable with a better plot than the first one.

Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Another underling with overlooked talent was the policeman who collected the envelops of evidence. Though he was hardly taking his job seriously when Pointer called in the first explo..."

Susan, I just finished the third bok in the series and there are lot of forensics there! In fact, the entire mystery is based on forensics.

Bicky wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Another underling with overlooked talent was the policeman who collected the envelops of evidence. Though he was hardly taking his job seriously when Pointer calle..."

Good to know! It seemed a pretty cavalier attitude toward explosions...