Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist (Wycliffe Series) [Paperback]

W. J. Burley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005 | Series: Wycliffe Series

On the peaceful and secluded estate of Lord and Lady Bottrel, the body of amateur flautist Tony Mills has been found, shot by his own gun. It appears to be suicide—but a closer inspection reveals some sinister inconsistencies, and Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is called in to investigate. As Wycliffe begins to unravel the last days of the dead man, another mystery is revealed—the disappearance of Lizzie Biddick, a pretty young girl who worked for the Bottrell family as a maid. Gradually, bitter family feuds and illicit relationships are uncovered—and then another body shatters the pastoral serenity of the Cornish estate for ever.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Chief Superintendent Wycliffe at his most introspective as he confronts the murder, ineptly disguised as suicide, of Tony Miller, estate foreman of the Duloe estate, spread along the Fal river in Wycliffe's peaceful Cornish turf. Lord Hugh and Lady Cynthia Bottrell live in the shabby manor house, with Hugh's psychologist brother James, a bachelor, and lawyer Simon Lander, wife Beth, and daughter Jean occupying cottages on the grounds. The homosexual bond between Miller and Bottrell is soon uncovered, but more pressing is the disappearance of young Lizzie Biddick, a maid at the manor house, on the eve of her departure (with unexpectedly ample funds) for London. Wycliffe moves thoughtfully among these chatty neurotic characters, until events precipitate a crisis in which he manages to rescue yet another victim. Contrived motivation, unconvincing relationships, slow-motion pace, and a Wycliffe detached and sluggish add up to tepid stuff- -well below the Burley norm (Wycliffe and the Winsor Blue, etc., etc.). -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

W.J. Burley lived near Newquay in Cornwall, and was a schoolmaster until he retired to concentrate on his writing. His many Wycliffe books include, most recently, Wycliffe and the Guild of Nine. He died in 2002.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Orion Publishing (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752864904
• ISBN-13: 978-1407221915
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,251,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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