Wycliffe and the Winsor Blue [Hardcover]

W.J. Burley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1987

A mysterious death in the Cornish art world - and a murder investigation for Chief Superintendent Wycliffe...

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

When Edwin Garland died of a heart attack, no one outside the expectant circle of his relatives was concerned.  But when, on the evening of his funeral, his son was shot dead, the situation changed dramatically and Superintendent Wycliffe was called in to investigate the seemingly motiveless murder.

The disappearance of another relative and a further death occur before Wycliffe manages to unravel a story that had begun several years before, with the death of a famous Cornish artist.  Only then is he able to identify the killer. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 186 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (May 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575040564
• ISBN-13: 978-0575040564
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,588,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wycliffe quietly unwinds mystery in a classic Burley., April 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wycliffe and Winsor Blue (Paperback)

If you love British detective mysteries, and haven't read a W. J. Burley yet, order this today! This was the first of his books I read, and after years of being a Christie addict, I found it a pure delight to encounter a new unique detective, a solid plot, a clever solution (based on Wycliffe's spotting a wrong use of Winsor Blue paint on a canvas), and above all, a truly gifted writer. Burley can sum up a character in two or three beautifully crafted lines. It's a delight to wander the streets of Cornwall with Wycliffe, who is known for taking walks to figure out a case. Needless to say, his walks lead him into many interesting situations. Wycliffe is happily married, yet still a bit of a loner. Ruthless in his search for justice, but quiet as a mouse. (People often mistake him for a professor or a minister.) It's a shame Burley is out of print in the U.S. Recently, a friend of mine bought up his entire series of Wycliffe mysteries while on a trip to Cornwall. We read through them all, and still wanted more. This is definitely one of his best.

3.0 out of 5 stars entertaining, but not the best of Wycliffe, January 2, 2010

By 

Jules Jones "sf and romance author" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wycliffe and the Winsor Blue (Wycliffe Series) (Paperback)

When local businessman Edwin Garland dies of a heart attack, there's not much surprise in it. But when his son is shot dead on the evening of his funeral, both deaths become the focus of a murder investigation. Was Garland murdered as well? And even if he wasn't, are the deaths connected?

Garland's will hints at some enormous joke perpetrated by Garland and his friend, artist Gifford Tate; a joke that has not yet finished playing out. Tate died some years ago, and the last remaining member of their trio of friends has no idea what his friends were up to. Wycliffe realises that the will may provide more than the obvious financial clues as to motives for murder. But teasing out the real clues from the abundant red herrings may take him a little while...

It's not difficult to work out what joke Gifford and Tate were playing, as the clues are clearly signposted for the reader -- perhaps a little too clearly, because it takes Wycliffe an annoyingly long time to realise what is going on. But there's still plenty of meat in the shifting stories offered by the suspects as they try to protect themselves and their secrets, and knowing what the joke was is only part of what's needed to be sure of whodunnit and why. Watching Wycliffe and his colleagues painstakingly sift through conflicting stories and motives to find the real truth is an entertaining way to pass a couple of hours.