Gordon Ashe (John Creasey) - Come Home to Death - Mystery Book Guild - 1958

 

Gordon Ashe   - Come Home to Death - Mystery Book Guild - 1958

Gordon Ashe was a pseudonym used by John Creasey for a series of novels featuring his character Patrick Dawlish.

This is the first Dawlish novel I have read, but I understand that in the preceding novels he is portrayed as a former intelligence officer turned freelance crime fighter, possibly a man of action rather than a man of reflection. 

This book must have been something of a departure. 

As the story begins, Dawlish and his wife are preparing to go on holiday. She has been seriously ill and he feels both would benefit from a break. Only as the story proceeds do we realise how much of a toll his wife`s illness has taken on him. 

Reluctantly, he becomes involved with a case brought to him by a young woman who believes she is being followed. He does what he can do help and arranges for some of his associates to deal with the matter while he is away.

Returning to England he finds himself the suspect in a murder case. Those senior Police Officers who he has had dealings with in the past have either been transferred to other work or are keeping him at arm`s length. Only a couple of rank-and-file P.Cs show any friendliness or sympathy. 

Worse, his key investigator has departed abroad leaving no message, and he finds himself doubting the loyalty of his team. Who can he trust ? Do they even trust him ?

So far so good. However, his own handling of the case seems clumsy, a fact that he himself seems to realise.

While he does uncover many of the facts in the case, in fact he is not the person who eventually finds the solution. 

John Creasey`s status as a legendary crime writer is well-deserved and it was probably his skill as a storyteller that kept me engrossed to the end. 

I enjoyed the book. I will doubtless read it again and still enjoy it, but I don`t think this is his best work by any means.