Inspector French's Greatest Case

Drags a bit.

Freeman Wills Crofts is a puzzler of the first order. Only recently have I discovered him and look forward to many happy hours in the vicarious company of Inspector French. For those that are intrigued by character studies and well developed twists and turns....Crofts is your man!

Very nice...

Very well written and interesting story and characters.

A good mystery. Detailed description of methods, which back in 1924 were not routine.

Crofts does solid work, and this--French's first appearance--is one of the best. Crofts attention to detail lends a distinct period feel to setting and character. Crofts' Death of a Train, usually and regrettably out of print, is a classic WWII anti-Nazi mystery piece and another excellent read.

Vintage Croat, involving memorably dream characters train and steamer schedules and a cipher. Settle down with a drink on your most comfortable chair and enjoy!

A worthwhile yarn at a good price

Martin Edwards aptly describes Crofts' prose style as 'sober' and 'functional'; Julian Symons places Croft (unfairly, I think) in 'the humdrum school'. Yet the intricate plot is engaging, and Inspector French--dogged and often at wit's end--is a charming and sensible companion.

This is my fourth FWC book having started inauspiciously with 12.30 from Croydon where you pretty much know whodunnit from the start and it is really just a clever exploration of how they dunnit. On our own bookshelves I found The Sea Mystery which had Inspector French meticulously following up leads and sharing his analyses with the reader. That prompted me to look for more FWC and I came across The Hogs Back Mystery which was great fun, intricate, evocative of an earlier age and place and can be read knowing that the clues are in the text (and will be referenced at the end) - don't just guess at whodunnit but try to work howtheydunnit. That sent me off to read FWC's Inspector French books in sequence. Greatest Case is the first and makes a good introduction. The plot is a little less intricate than the Hogs Back Mystery, but still plenty of meat for Inspectior French to have to chew over. Yes it involves a diamond theft, but murder makes the plot relevant. These books are much more closely plotted and clue-laden than Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, but lighter on charcterisation than Sayers: French's character is less eccentric than Wimsey, Campion, Poirot or Marple. FWC sets out to write crime puzzler plots that move along in a manner unmatched by other Golden Age authors. I am off to read the Starvel Tragedy next...

I was very impressed with the speed of detaching/arriving, the books arrived before the promised date and when I contacted the company, about a query, I got a speedy and helpful response to my e-mail.I would thoroughly recommend the Inspector French stories to anyone who likes a murder mystery. These are all written and set in the 1920's and 30's and capture the era. They are not an intensive read and very good for reading on holiday, where you want a good paced Mystery in the Agatha Christie vain. There are no hidden surprises all the clues are shown to the reader, so you are able to join in.

Having decided to give much of modern detective fiction with its brutality and sheer nastiness a miss for a while, I have turned to the so-called golden age of detective fiction and found a lot of it wanting. Not this though - it is well plotted and absolutely compulsive reading. It is a period piece but still remarkably fresh and doesn't feel dated at all. The twists and turns really keep you guessing. The detective Inspector French is likeable but, it has to be said, not a great character of a detective. However, I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Another of Croft's highly detailed murder mystery puzzles. Every piece you need to solve it is there - somewhere. Try to solve it yourelf, or just follow as Inspector French finally fills in the sky pieces.

Another excellent Inspector French police procedural by Freeman Wills Croft.

I liked this-- an easy read with a strong plot and interesting deductions. Crofts gives an overall view of detective fictionand life in a particular period (1925) and if you haven't read any of this author's works, this is a good book to read as a starterof this author.

A great author of the old school. His knowledge of transport and it links in the 1930's is unrivaled, and the anyone with an interest in this period and with a transport interest (railways, shipping etc.) will find this book interesting. The story moves along at a good pace with several dead ends before finally reaching the solution. The author has several books to his credit, and he has not disappointed in any of them.

This is another well written book by Freeman W Crofts, I have read many of his books over the last year or so.There is a lot of detail, something you don't get in the books of today. I find his books have more to hold my attention than most.

typically clever story by this master plotter of detective stories. great fun, if that's the way to describe fraud, robbery and murder!

This was a pleasant read and a well constructed plot. Perhaps not the greatest detective novel, but not al att bad.

Good yarn.

Excellent.

It was simply a good read. Quite different to present day detective novels both in style and content but none the worse for that.PL

Excellent mystery & characters interesting.