The Body in the Dumb River: A Yorkshire Mystery by George Bellairs

James Lane is found face down in a dirty, flooded area wrapped around a tree. Inspector Littlejohn has one of his more interesting cases because Jimmy was leading a double life. He had owned a shop that was unsuccessful and so he had taken to the road to earn a living. Those monies went to support a wife who considered herself much too good for him and their three Daughters. But a double life is bound to come out as will murder.

George Bellairs writes a tight plot with very defined characters in this Book. The plot has a lot of twists and turns which always makes for great reading. This is a part of English village life that moves in greed, violent temper and strong drink. The Women are particularly interesting in their whining, dis-satisfied lives trying to keep up appearances. Inspector Littlejohn has a lot on his plate when he interviews them and tries to separate who is lying from the rest of the cast of villagers.

I have become an Admirer of George Bellairs. His characters are not always attractive but they are real and convincing. They build the story often through shadowy lives. The unintended consequences are almost as prevalent if we had a cast of Oliver Twist nineteenth century models to follow. If you like older murder mysteries set in England from the 1940's to the 1960's this is a very good Author to read. Personally I do. I give this five stars and highly recommend it.

Blurb:

Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder
'A decent, hardworking chap, with not an enemy anywhere. People were surprised that anybody should want to kill Jim.'
But Jim has been found stabbed in the back near Ely, miles from his Yorkshire home. His body, clearly dumped in the usually silent ('dumb') river, has been discovered before the killer intended – disturbed by a torrential flood in the night.
Roused from a comfortable night's sleep Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is soon at the scene. With any clues to the culprit's identity swept away with the surging water, Bellairs' veteran sleuth boards a train heading north to dredge up the truth of the real Jim Teasdale and to trace the mystery of this unassuming victim's murder to its source.