Roy Lewis (2) (1933–)

Arnold Landon has one great passion in life: wood. His late father taught him from boyhood all about wood, in its natural state and especially how humans have used it from time immemorial for everything from houses to bowls. Arnold has been happy to have found a job with the County Planning office, because although it is not directly linked to his passion, he is able to be out in the field making assessments with respect to land use applications and so is often to be found in old buildings show more or just out among the natural elements. When a failed farmer requests a land use change by which he would sell his property to a developer who has plans for urbanizing the area, Arnold sets about his usual thorough inspection of the farm. He comes across an old barn on the property and is soon convinced that it is a 13th Century creation and thus worthy of preservation. A number of people are against this notion, particularly the farmer, the prospective buyer and an academic who is an authority on medieval life and who believes Arnold is mistaken. Tempers flare, and before too long a body is found…. This series of books was written in the 1980s, so there are no cell phones or other technological innovations of recent decades; there is really only Arnold and his absolute faith in his knowledge of all things wooden. Unprepossessing in most circumstances, he becomes eloquent in defense of his knowledge; after all, if he is wrong about what he knows, then has his life (and his father’s before him) any meaning at all? The book is quiet in its style, and some of the writing is wonderfully lyrical, but best of all is the character of Arnold Landon. I fell in love with him about half a chapter in, and am looking forward to reading more stories about him; recommended! show less

Setting: Northumberland, England in the early 1980s
Protagonist: Planning Inspector Arnold Landon
Series: #1

Sent to inspect Rampton Farm before the Planning Commission decides on a
change of use, Landon finds the Old Wheat Barn, what he believes to be a
thirteenth century structure. When he makes his views known, he stirs up a
big tempest in a teapot, with media-crazy Professor Fisher leading the pack
of opponents. Since Landon has no "formal" education--nothing past our
American equivalent of high show more school--his opponents think he's the prize lamb
at the slaughter. They didn't reckon on Landon's will of iron or his soul of
the romantic. Landon knows his wood, and he's willing to stake everything on
the Old Wheat Barn. What he doesn't realize is that there is someone else
who's willing to kill over an ancient barn that hides a secret or two.

What on the surface looked to be a run-of-the-mill cozy mystery turned into
something much more. Landon is a very memorable character. He does have the
soul of a poet when he's traipsing over hill and dale or when he's looking
and touching the wood he loves so much. Lewis made me feel this character's
passion intensely, and it was a pleasure to see him best all those around
him with their fancy degrees and titles. Written in the early 1980s, this
book didn't seem dated at all. I think I've stumbled upon a gem of a series,
and I'll definitely be looking for more! show less

Originally published in 1980 as A Certain Blindness, this is the first Eric Ward mystery. I first became acquainted with Roy Lewis's writing by reading his Arthur Landon series. Landon is a medieval architecture expert and researcher in Northumberland, and I really enjoyed the history and landscape that Lewis put into the books. That same landscape figures prominently here in The Sedleigh Hall Murder. It was refreshing to read a mystery where there are no cell phones and no DNA. One of the show more secondary characters, former jockey Jackie Parton, complains that it's almost impossible for him to reach Ward because Ward never seems to be in the office by his phone. You don't see that happening in current mysteries.

Although Lewis's writing style is a bit dry and the book is plot- rather than character-driven, I enjoyed it. The mystery had plenty of twists and turns, and Eric Ward-- like Arthur Landon in the other series-- is a strong central figure. His chronic glaucoma can hit suddenly and put him out of commission for quite a while, so that unknown factor adds tension to the story. Another character tells Ward that he was "always a good liaison copper," and what made him a good police officer makes him a good lawyer. He knows how to deal with people from all walks of life. He knows how to talk with them to get the information he needs.

Although I do prefer mysteries that are more character-driven, The Sedleigh Hall Murder was a good change of pace and a reminder of how much I've enjoyed Lewis's books in the past. Something tells me I'll be meeting Eric Ward again in the future. show less

A Lover Too Many by Roy Loomis
Inspector John Crow Book 1

Wanting to read what was touted as a reissue of a “classic mystery from an acclaimed writer” first published in the late 60’s I thought, “Why not?” I was in high school when this book was published and do remember days without cell phones and all the gadgets that no doubt have been developed to solve crimes more easily over the past fifty years or so. And, I kind of wondered how mystery novels have evolved over half a century, show more too. So, in I jumped meeting Inspector Crow on his first published murder mystery story.

The writing and crime solving and action is definitely different with less police procedural description and more description of people and thoughts and events instead. I believe in the past readers, including myself, relied on words to fill our minds and senses differently than we might these days when special effects and fast paced books and viewing options are so much more dynamic. That is not a bad thing…it just is.

I did enjoy the book. It took me back in time to an era when drinking and driving were more a norm than a taboo and to a time when societal expectations were different. Crow was reticent and didn’t seem to share his thinking often in solving of the case as many newer crime series tend to do. It was a tamer story in some ways rather than action-packed. I did some sleuthing of my own and have a feeling this book may be the author’s first published book as later series are all dated in the 80’s rather than earlier on. The blurb about the author says he has published over sixty books and I wonder how his writing developed over time so may look for another book by him in the future.

Did I enjoy the book? Yes & No
Yes because it is a classic and took me back in time
No because it did not grab my attention as quickly as some others
Would I read more in the series or by this author? I think so

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars show less