Smallbone Deceased

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(CC) Photo: Jerry Bauer
Michael Gilbert on the back cover of Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens, 1982

Smallbone Deceased is a British crime novel by Michael Gilbert, first published in 1950 by Hodder and Stoughton (U.K) and Harper & Row (U.S.). Inspired by Gilbert's career as a solicitor, the novel is set in a London solicitor's office.

The book was ranked 64th in the The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time, published in 1990 by the British-based Crime Writers' Association.[1] Five years later, it was ranked 80th in the The Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time, published by the Mystery Writers of America.[2]

The Guardian's obituary of Gilbert by H. R. F. Keating described the novel as:

a classic of the genre...rich with everyday details of a law practice, both good and naughty, dancing too with pawky humour; at the same time it sets a puzzle to please the most exigent of readers.[3]

The Telegraph's obituary of Gilbert also praised it as "one of his finest novels".[4]

References

  1. (1990) The Hatchard's Crime Companion: 100 top Crime novels. London: Hatchard. ISBN 978-0-904-03002-0. OCLC 60057335. 
  2. The Crown crime companion: the top 100 mystery novels of all time. New York: Crown Trade Paperbacks. ISBN 978-0-517-88115-6. OCLC 31605503. 
  3. Keating, HRF. Obituary: Michael Gilbert, 10 February 2006. Retrieved on 8 May 2016.
  4. Michael Gilbert, 10 February 2006. Retrieved on 8 May 2016.