The houseboat murder of Paul Rocello, in town only two weeks before he was the unfortunate recipient of deadly head blows, rocked the town of Medwell. But what was his connection with the mysteriously absent owner of the boat, James Cooper? What on earth was David Henderson, reputable local schoolmaster, doing at the scene of the murder just before the body was discovered? And why was he less than candid with the police? In a classic investigation into deceit and deadly secrets, Inspector Ford must delve beneath the virtuous façade of respectability to discover the sinister truth. The creator of Paul Temple, Francis Durbridge was a successful writer for both stage and screen, and adapted many of his scripts into novels. Six of his classic thrillers have now been republished by Bello.
Author
Francis Henry Durbridge was an English playwright and author born in Hull. In 1938, he created the character Paul Temple for the BBC radio serial Send for Paul Temple. A crime novelist and detective, the gentlemanly Temple solved numerous crimes with the help of Steve Trent, a Fleet Street journalist who later became his wife. The character proved enormously popular and appeared in 16 radio serials and later spawned a 64-part big-budget television series (1969-71) and radio productions, as well as a number of comic strips, four feature films and various foreign radio productions. Francis Durbridge also had a successful career as a writer for the stage and screen. His most successful play, Suddenly at Home, ran in London’s West End for over a year.
