Gerald Verner - The Vampire Man - Linford - 2018


 


Gerald Verner  - The Vampire Man - Linford  - 2018

2018 reprint of book first published in 1940

Gerald Verner (1897-1980) also wrote using a variety of pen-names, including Derwent Steele, Nigel Vane and Thane Leslie. He wrote a number of Sexton Blake stories under the name Donald Stuart. 

I don't suppose anyone believes that Gerald Verner aspired to literary greatness, but in the early part of this book, some of the writing was so bad I wondered whether to persevere.

I'm glad I did however, as once I got into it I found The Vampire Man an absorbing and enjoyable read.  

The story is an old-fashioned murder mystery, with our intrepid sleuth, amateur criminologist Conway Jackson, seeking the explanation for a number of killings but also, as the title implies,  investigating the nature of the person, or creature,  committing the crimes. 

Some might say that aspects of the story are a bit daft but for me personally, I  read these things primarily for enjoyment and I'm prepared to make allowances. 

At the end of the book I was  seriously interested in reading another book featuring Conway Jackson, but as far as I can tell, this is Mr Verner's only novel to feature this character.

 If there are any others, I'd be interested to hear of them. 



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