{"product_id":"coffin-scarcely-used-paperback","title":"Coffin, Scarcely Used - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eColin Watson\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the respectable seaside town of Flaxborough, the equally respectable councillor Harold Carobleat is laid to rest. Cause of death: pneumonia.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut he is scarcely cold in his coffin before \u003cstrong\u003eDetective Inspector Purbright\u003c\/strong\u003e, affable and annoyingly polite, must turn out again to examine the death of Carobleat's neighbour, Marcus Gwill, former prop. of the local rag, the \u003cem\u003eCitizen\u003c\/em\u003e. This time it looks like foul play, unless a surfeit of marshmallows had led the late and rather unlamented Mr Gwill to commit suicide by electrocution. ('Power without responsibility', murmurs Purbright.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow were the dead men connected, both to each other and to a small but select band of other town worthies? Purbright becomes intrigued by a stream of advertisements Gwill was putting in the \u003cem\u003eCitizen\u003c\/em\u003e, for some very oddly named antique items...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWitty and a little wicked, Colin Watson's tales offer a mordantly entertaining cast of characters and laugh-out-loud wordplay.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhat people are saying about the Flaxborough series: \u003cp\u003e\"Colin Watson wrote \u003cstrong\u003ethe best English detective stories ever\u003c\/strong\u003e. They work beautifully as whodunnits but it's really the world he creates and populates ... and the quality of the writing which makes these stories utterly superior.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The Flaxborough Chronicles are satires on the underbelly of English provincial life, very well observed, very funny and witty, written with an apt turn of phrase ... \u003cstrong\u003eA complete delight\u003c\/strong\u003e.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cstrong\u003eIf you have never read Colin Watson - start now\u003c\/strong\u003e. And savour the whole series.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Light-hearted, well written, wickedly observed and very funny - \u003cstrong\u003ethe Flaxborough books are a joy\u003c\/strong\u003e. Highly recommended.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cstrong\u003eHow English can you get?\u003c\/strong\u003e Watson's wry humour, dotty characters, baddies who are never too bad, plots that make a sort of sense. Should I end up on a desert island Colin Watson's books are the ones I'd want with me.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cstrong\u003eA classic of English fiction\u003c\/strong\u003e... Yes, it is a crime novel, but it is so much more. Wonderful use of language, wry yet sharp humour and a delight from beginning to end.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Colin Watson writes in such an understated, humorous way that I follow Inspector Purbright's investigation \u003cstrong\u003ewith a smile on my face from start to finish\u003c\/strong\u003e.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"If you enjoy classic mysteries with no graphic violence and \u003cstrong\u003emarvellously well drawn characters\u003c\/strong\u003e then give the Flaxborough series a try - you will not be disappointed.\"\u003c\/p\u003eEditorial reviews: \u003cp\u003e\"Watson has \u003cstrong\u003ean unforgivably sharp eye for the ridiculous\u003c\/strong\u003e.\" \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Flaxborough is Colin Watson's quiet English town whose outward respectability masks a seething pottage of greed, crime and vice ... Mr Watson \u003cstrong\u003ewields a delightfully witty pen dripped in acid\u003c\/strong\u003e.\" \u003cem\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cstrong\u003eArguably the best of comic crime writers\u003c\/strong\u003e, delicately treading the line between wit and farce ... Funny, stylish and good mysteries to boot.\" \u003cem\u003eTime Out\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A great lark, \u003cstrong\u003efull of preposterous situations and pokerfaced wit\u003c\/strong\u003e.\" Cecil Day-Lewis\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cstrong\u003eOne of the best\u003c\/strong\u003e. As always with Watson, the writing is sharp and stylish and wickedly funny!\" \u003cem\u003eLiterary Review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cstrong\u003eThe rarest of comic crime writers\u003c\/strong\u003e, one with the gift of originality.\" Julian Symons\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Flaxborough, \u003cstrong\u003ethat olde-worlde town with Dada trimmings\u003c\/strong\u003e.\" \u003cem\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 210\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.44 x 7.81 x 5.06 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 03, 2018\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47406927708338,"sku":"9781788420150","price":17.53,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/3891\/1666\/files\/b71b51ae9c7a65bd9019d4f4e4224669.webp?v=1778208886","url":"https:\/\/box.dadyminds.org\/products\/coffin-scarcely-used-paperback","provider":"DADYMINDS BOX","version":"1.0","type":"link"}