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The Long Divorce

A Gervase Fen Mystery

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The Long Divorce

By: Edmund Crispin
Narrated by: Paul Panting
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About this listen

As inventive as Agatha Christie, as hilarious as P.G. Wodehouse – discover the delightful detective stories of Edmund Crispin. Crime fiction at its quirkiest and best.

Long inhabited by a collection of profoundly offbeat locals, there has been a recent influx of the newly rich and well to do arriving in the village of Cotten Abbas … and not everyone is happy about it. New arrivals are receiving anonymous letters that know a little too much about dark secrets and dirty laundry.

Gervase Fen is summoned to the scene, but soon finds more than he bargained for. A suicide on Friday, a murder by Sunday, and some villagers that seem hell bent on keeping this mystery unsolved…

©1951 Edmund Crispin (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers Limited Amateur Sleuths Cosy Detective Historical Mystery Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Fiction Village Crime Witty Suspense

Critic reviews

‘Both the mature and the discerning young choose to pick up one of Crispin's beautifully turned crime novels’
The Times

‘Crispin isn't in it for the mystery, but for the enigmas’ Guardian

‘His books are full of high spirits and excellent jokes, with constant literary allusions and an atmosphere of bibulous good humour. But at times the mood turns darker, and Crispin is capable of passages of both genuine suspense and ingenius deduction’
Daily Telegraph

‘Crispin is noted for an ability to embellish clever story lines with Marx Brothers touches’
New York Times

‘Rightly elevated to classic status’
New York Sun
All stars
Most relevant
I think this is my favourite Crispin book - not as madcap as some of his books, but instead whimsical, well plotted and touching.

Wonderful writing and a great plot

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Adore Edmund Crispin’s work and Gervase Fen is one of my favourite detectives. Great storyline, wonderfully drawn characters; Fen gets even better in later books.

Great Book

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