Gently Floating

[YnysMon]

Has anyone else come across this crime novel by Alan Hunter? Written in the early 1960s. Although the author has given alternative names to the places on the Broads, the central location of this novel is clearly Potter Heigham, with the murder taking place near one of the bungalows north of the bridge. The victim is the owner of a successful boatyard there. I’m very much enjoying this read...am roughly half way through. 

I meant to do stuff today (non-working day), but so far have got completely distracted with reading.

[vanessan]

This is one of the George Gently series of books. I have read a couple of the Gently books but don’t think I have heard of this one, I will search it out. I used to quite like the TV series, especially Martin Shaw in the title role.

[vanessan]

I have just looked Alan Hunter up on wiki. He was born in Hoveton and went to school in Wroxham. Then worked on his father’s farm near Norwich and enjoyed dinghy sailing on the Broads!

[vanessan]

Have you read any of David Blake’s yet Helen? 

[YnysMon]

I read the first David Blake Broads book but gave up reading on the St Benet’s one half way through. I just found the description of a death too gruesome. The method of killing was just macabre.

[YnysMon]

I’m assuming that Alan Hunter lived in Brundall. All the books I’ve read so far have the postscript ‘Brundall’ and the year it was written.

[MauriceMynah]

Yeah, I agree! Why couldn't they kill people nicely like they do nowadays?

[YnysMon]

Yes, I know. But I’m reading for pleasure and relaxation. The great thing about reading is being able to pick and choose. Escapism!

[vanessan]

11 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

I read the first David Blake Broads book but gave up reading on the St Benet’s one half way through. I just found the description of a death too gruesome. The method of killing was just macabre.

Funny you should say that, I’m reading St Benet’s at the moment. It is rather gruesome but I need to know ‘who dunnit’!

[YnysMon]

I usually want to know whodunnit too...in this particular case I found myself really conflicted between that and not wanting to read any more. Ho hum. I still have the book. If you can promise me that it doesn’t get any worse I might actually go back to it.

In the first book, did you find the setting of the murder in Wroxham a bit confusing? I thought he’d got his location a bit muddled.

[vanessan]

20 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

I usually want to know whodunnit too...in this particular case I found myself really conflicted between that and not wanting to read any more. Ho hum. I still have the book. If you can promise me that it doesn’t get any worse I might actually go back to it.

In the first book, did you find the setting of the murder in Wroxham a bit confusing? I thought he’d got his location a bit muddled.

I did wonder if he might have been trying to muddy the waters a bit. 

I would think you are a follower of Chris Crowther too?

[YnysMon]

Yep! Managed to get a couple more books on a visit to the chandlery in Wroxham last month. Not read them yet. I might save them up for our next cruise.

[addicted]

I've read a lot of books by David Blake who writes crime novels set on the Broads mainly set in and around Wroxham., They're not bad,  made all the more interesting of course because of being set in such familiar surrounding, with the protagonist police officer working out of Wroxham police station and actually living on a boat.

 

 

Carole

[vanessan]

11 minutes ago, addicted said:

I've read a lot of books by David Blake who writes crime novels set on the Broads mainly set in and around Wroxham., They're not bad,  made all the more interesting of course because of being set in such familiar surrounding, with the protagonist police officer working out of Wroxham police station and actually living on a boat.

 

 

Carole

Makes me smile, the number of police officers supposedly based at Wroxham police station. I suspect in reality it’s a two-man band! The stories do make Wroxham sound like a real den of iniquity.

[YnysMon]

Made me chuckle too. Seriously though, the idea of actual detectives based at Wroxham!