I'm not sure how I felt about this book. The prose took some time for me to understand. There wasn't much mystery to it since the book doesn't hide the culprits. Yet, it was an enjoyable romp of 1958 England.

A gentle humorous book that takes place in small burg in UK . First written 1958 it is being released again. Two bodies are discovered but no clues as to what happened. Several prminate business men seem involved and it is up to Our right to find the killer. Quick fun read.

This is an old fashioned mystery that modern readers will find challenging. Stereotyped characters and a slow moving plot make this book easy to put down and hard to pick up again.

I received this free from NetGalley and the publisher.
Finding a new author that I really enjoy is a rare occurrence. But it happened on this occasion. Set in England after WWII, the series begins with the supposed accidental/suicide of a person of importance. But not all is as it seems. Enter DI Purbright who sees something more. And then it really gets crazy. People start getting dead. Who is the killer? I know I didn't see the end coming. Great read. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

I am so happy to have discovered Colin Watson's Flaxborough Chronicles! And I'm a little surprised that I've never heard of the books before now. I read a lot of mysteries and crime fiction, and thought maybe Watson's books might seem a little dated. Not so. The clever word play and slightly wacky humor are still very fresh, and Inspector Purbright is an absolute delight. I do believe I've found a new favorite mystery series!

Six months ago, Councillor Harold Carobleat, of the town of Flaxborough, died unexpectedly, but otherwise unremarkably. His heart failed, his physician, Dr. Hillyard signed the death certificate, and his widow had him quietly buried. His business was quietly closed up.

Now his next door neighbor, Marcus Gwill, publisher of the Flaxborough Citizen is dead, found electrocuted at the foot of a power pole. Suicide? A bizarre accident? An equally bizarre murder? Inspector Purbright, of the Flaxborough Constabulary, has to look into this death, however unfamiliar such investigations are in quiet Flaxborough.

It's not long before he and his assistant, Sergeant Love, have many questions about the other respectable citizens who are also neighbors of the two dead men, including Dr. Hillyard, physician to both men, and George Gloss, solicitor to both men.

This book was first published in 1957, and reflects its time, but it's a solid, interesting mystery. Purbright and Love are interesting, likable characters, and others, including the Chief Constable and a couple of the uniformed constables, show signs that as the series progresses (there are at least two more books), they may become so.

The "of its time" social mores caveats include the roles and status of women, and the fact that, as far as I can tell, Every. Single. Person. Smokes.

Nevertheless, an enjoyable light mystery.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

A lovely, old fashioned police procedural. Not too challenging, but very enjoyable. Nice, light, entertaining reading.

Everything old is new again. My initial reaction to Coffin Scarcely Used was that it was very slow, with flashes of dry humor, and an interesting denouement. This is an Agatha Christie type mystery set in a small place, in this instance the town of Flaxborough, and populated by the requisite number of wild and wacky characters and scoundrels who are, above all, proper ladies and gentlemen.

The deaths of a couple of local businessmen appear suspicious to Detective Inspector Purbright, a deceptively friendly and often exasperating man whose powers of deduction as to the why’s and how’s of any given situation rival those of Hercule Poirot. The only difference between the two detectives is that Pulbright pulls it off with a droll and mischievous edge and he is minus the notable Poirot moustache.

Once I got into the rhythm of the narrative and the questionable soul of this supposedly respectable seaside town and its foible filled inhabitants, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable read. I will definitely be adding author Colin Watson and his cast of quirky characters to my list of authors to follow.

Review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery (see link)

Even though I love mystery/thriller type books I was unable to connect with the story. My guess this is all due to WHEN the book was actually written. The writing is dated, with a slight hint of sexism that just stuck with me.

British mystery with many twists and turns. In this bucolic English village people are dropping like flies. Nothing connects them until the local constabulary uncovers salacious goings on. The writing is charmingly British. Read it for that alone.

Councillor Harold Carobleat has died, having succumbed to a lingering illness. Soon after, his neighbor and solicitor are found dead under mysterious circumstances. As both are colleagues of Carobleat, and one suspected to be intimate with Carobleat’s wife, Inspector Purbright investigates Harold’s passing as a possible murder as well, eventually connecting it all to a shady business deal.

Often throughout the story, complicated sentences obstruct meaning just as characters obstruct justice in their attempts to thwart Inspector Purbright. It’s worth it in the end, though. The last line is killer!

I received this delightful cozy mystery through NetGalley.

I posted my review on my website, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and B&N.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publishers. Not sure what to write about this book as I really enjoyed this book in a funny sort of way and will definitely read the other 11 books in the investigations of DI Walter Purbright

Crazy characters with seemingly few scruples! I love the "upstanding" citizens and the British police trying to muddle through the secrets. The writing and descriptive phrases were stunning. I immediately read the next book!

I definitely enjoyed this book. A twist at the end, too. Good mystery as well as an interesting inspector.

This book is definitely a product of it's time. When I first started reading, I had a very hard time making the transition to the language used and the way the story was written. However, once I got through that, it was an enjoyable read. Most mysteries that I read have lots of action and running around, but I think of the words soft and quiet to describe this book.

I really enjoyed this cozy little mystery, reminds me of Agatha's stories! How Inspector Purbright and Sergeant Love finally figure out whodunit is fascinating reading, with a delightful cast of characters and a dry sense of humor throughout. This series was originally from the late 50's, but don't let that put you off, this is a wonderful police procedural and I look forward to the rest of the series. Thanks to #netgalley for allowing me to preview this book.

What a delightful start to a new series for me! I love the quirky characters and the tone of the novel. I will enjoy continuing the adventures of Professor Purbright.

Although I am not familiar with Colin Watson’s work, when I read the title of Coffin, Scarcely Used, I just had to request the novel from Netgalley. Watson began writing in the late 1950’s and published more than a dozen books by the early 1980’s. This novel is his first.

No one thinks anything of the death of businessman Mr. Carobleat until the more unusual death of Mr. Gwill, the proprietor of the local paper and Carobleat’s next-door neighbor. Mr. Gwill was found in a field near an electric plant, apparently electrocuted. Inspector Purbright of the Flaxborough police wonders if the death could be suicide, but this seems an unusually cruel way to go. Purbright is also interested in the comments of Mrs. Poole, Mr. Gwill’s housekeeper, hinting at some kind of supernatural events from next door.

When Inspector Purbright begins looking into Mr. Gwill’s affairs, he is struck by some advertisements Gwill has clipped from his own paper that seem to be coded in a particular way. Whatever Gwill was involved with, it seemed to also involve several other local businessmen—Dr. Hillyard, the undertaker Mr. Bradlaw, and the lawyer Mr. Gloss.

This mystery is fairly complicated, but aspects of it are relatively easy to figure out. I was well ahead of the inspector in regard to what was going on with the ads but did not guess what else was going on. The novel is characterized by a wry sense of humor, particularly in discussions among the various police. I found it mildly entertaining.

I really don't know how I managed to miss this author's work during the 30+ years of working in libraries. I am familiar with the name, but despite loving crime fiction, especially those from the 1920s to the 1950s, I seem to have missed Colin Watson. I am delighted to have finally discovered his work and to know that I have a lot of books to get through. A great series for those who love Miss Marple and other series with a real sense of the period they portray.