Wycliffe and Death in a Salubrious Place (Wycliffe Series)
Wycliffe and Death in a Salubrious Place (Wycliffe Series) book cover

Wycliffe and Death in a Salubrious Place (Wycliffe Series)

Paperback – March 1, 2005

Price
$7.36
Format
Paperback
Pages
224
Publisher
Orion Publishing
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0752865355
Dimensions
4.3 x 0.66 x 6.8 inches
Weight
6 ounces

Description

Review “Whenever a character comes back as many times as Chief Superintendent Wycliffe, a reviewer is faced with a dilemma: What can you say that you haven’t already said? We called attention to Burley’s solid plotting, well-described and colorful settings, and intriguing characters . . . Finally, we have no choice but to repeat ourselves by emphasizing one more time how pleasurable the familiar conventions of the genre can be in the hands of a writer as good as Burley.” — Booklist 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 novels were extremely popular and were adapted for a highly successful TV series starring Jack Shepherd. W.J. Burley died in 2002.

Features & Highlights

  • There was no doubt at all that the girl was dead. The front of her skull and her facial bones had been shattered like the shell of an egg. Even more shocking was the setting of the murder—an idyllic corner of the Scilly Isles, where violent crime is almost unknown. Angry and distressed, the villagers instinctively turn against the only stranger in their midst, teenage pop idol Vince Peters. But Superintendent Wycliffe has his doubts. Slowly, methodically, he begins to dig beneath the calm surface of the community—and soon uncovers a violent undercurrent of fear.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(62)
★★★★
25%
(51)
★★★
15%
(31)
★★
7%
(14)
23%
(47)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Very good in a quiet sort of way

The Wycliffe series by W. J. Burley is an enjoyable one -- and Death In a Salubrious Place is no exception. I place these books in the middle of the mystery spectrum. They certainly aren't "cozies" but neither are they gritty, dark, macabre, or super action-oriented. Wycliffe is a gentle sort of detective -- there's nothing flashy about him. Neither does he possess serious character flaws or obsessions. He's pretty well-balanced, with a much-valued family life. You can easily imagine him mowing his yard or attending his daughter's recital. He's a decent man. He's an excellent "guv'nor" and vigorously supports his team. Wycliffe is dedicated to doing his job properly. The reader is carried along through the story by Wycliffe's impressions, musings, and conjectures. The narrative is pretty straight-forward in each of the series' novels (no tricky organization or devices). The settings are fascinating locales scattered in the West Country (mostly Cornwall and in this particular novel, in the Scilly Islands). You really can't go wrong with a Wycliffe mystery, but I'm miserly with awarding 5 stars because I save them for "knock-your-socks-off" novels that you can't bear to put down. The Wycliffe series, while certainly pleasing, isn't quite up to that calibre, in my opinion.
4 people found this helpful
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Death on an island

Wycliffe is called to investigate a death on an island community. A young girl has been found in a quarry with injuries more serious than could be expected from a fall. The community is convinced that a pop star who has moved to the island is responsible but Wycliffe is not so sure. I thought the claustrophobic atmosphere of a small community where everyone knows everyone and is probably related to them was very well done.

I thought the plot was well constructed and the dialogue believable and I liked the way the characters interacted. The sense of things going on under the surface was always there. I especially liked Wycliffe's lunch with the Warden of the islands where many messages were delivered but little actually said. I liked the eccentric characters which you get in any small community.

This is an enjoyable read for those who like their crime novels to be written in the conventional way with little on the page violence or bad language. If you enjoy Alan Hunter's Gently series then you may enjoy Wycliffe. The series starts with Wycliffe and the Three Toed Pussy (Wycliffe Mystery)
1 people found this helpful