Five Roundabouts to Heaven (Classic Crime) [Mass Market Paperback]

John Bingham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1987 | Series: Classic Crime

Told in flashbacks, this novel concerns Philip Bartel's attempts to leave his beautiful but cold wife Beatrice, for passionate Lorna. His friend Peter Harding offers advice, then he too meets Lorna, with fatal results. Even the narrator-hero's part in the tragedy is far from innocent.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'A book lit by flashes of dark humour, a little shocking yet invigoratingly delightful.' HRF Keating, Crime and Mystery: The 100 Best Books" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

John Bingham (1908-1988) was the pen-name and family name of Lord Clanmorris. Between 1952 and 1977 he wrote a total of 17 crime novels and espionage thrillers. He is the father of novelist Charlotte Bingham. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (July 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140081194
• ISBN-13: 978-0140081190
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,979,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moody and Sensual Mystery, January 7, 2000

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Five Roundabouts to Heaven (Classic Crime) (Mass Market Paperback)

It's a real shame that this book is out of print. John Bingham was a classic mystery writer from the early 50s in the UK and he belongs in the ranks of the best of breed. Five Roundabouts is his second novel.

The book has much of the dark moodiness and imperfect characters that you'd find in a book by someone like Patricia Highsmith. You won't find the stock sympathetic characters here. Roundabout's characters commit adultery, lie to each other, mock their friends, and contemplate murder. The reader looking for someone to cheer for will be rather hard put in this instance.

Definitely not typical escapist detective fiction, and all the better for it, IMO.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a little gem!, July 13, 2009

By 

P. Vandevenne -. Datarescue (Belgium) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Roundabouts to Heaven: A Novel (Paperback)

I picked that one in a bargain bin at a supermarket because of Le Carre's endorsement but wasn't expecting much. After about twenty pages, I was hooked and finished the book in a single session. While we are essentially told what has happened in the first chapters and while it is in many ways an archetypal mystery novel, the excellent writing that drives the clean (very little suspension of disbelief required) plot leaves enough open paths to keep the reader speculating about the multiple possible endings.

This is an atemporal intrigue, deeply grounded in human psyche. Read it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars What motivates murder?, November 2, 2010

By 

Michael Dea (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Roundabouts to Heaven: A Novel (Paperback)

Solid crime story. Not a mystery, but rather an exploration of the psychology that could prompt an average person to contemplate murder, and ultimately to be able to commit murder. This is also known as 'The Tender Poisoner'