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'Two women had committed suicide, and a third had had to be led gently away by men in white coats. There had been an outbreak of anonymous letters. . .That was not so very much. But there was something more, intangible but perceptible.' Inspector Van der Valk changes his mind about the routine nature of his mission to Drente. What lies behind the small-town immoralities, eaves-dropping, hysteria? Could he by chance have stumbled upon one of the century's most wanted criminals?
Nicolas Freeling, best known for producing some of the finest of modern crime fiction, began his working life as an apprentice cook in a large French hotel, and continued cooking professionally for many years. Here is his memoir drawn from these experiences, a blend of the culinary and the literary, and includes recipes.
From an Edgar award winner, French Inspector Castang investigates cases close to his personal life in a mystery rich with “penetrating character sketches” (Kirkus Reviews). It seems there’s no escape from crime for Police Commissaire Henri Castang. While in Munich with his wife, he becomes embroiled in a child custody case that suddenly turns sinister. Once back at home, Castang is faced with the mysterious disappearance of a friend’s wife, along with what could be a romantic double suicide if it didn’t look suspiciously like murder. It’s all in a day’s work for Inspector Castang in these three interconnected mysteries—crimes which challenge even the enigmatic, brilliant mind...
The grisly murder of a young woman and political scandal rear their ugly heads in this Henri Castang mystery. And there are connections with the killings of two ordinary citizens, and a beautiful, antagonistic prostitute. This is a rare glimpse at human nature at its very worst in one of Freeling's classics.
The 37th novel from vintage crime writer Nicolas Freeling, creator of the ever-popular Van der Valk and Castang detective series, this is a tale of love and death in the cynical political worlds of Strasbourg and Paris. 'Freeling's Inspector Van der Valk is less rugged than Rebus, less parsonical than Dalgliesh, more Morse than Frost, and more Maigret than any of them. Marvellous' - Anita Brookner '...elegant style and continually interesting narrative which give his novels their special flavour' - P.D. James
Since setting up shop in Strasbourg with her new husband, Arlette, widow to the notorious Van der Valk, has garnered something of a name for herself. Getting shot at, kidnapped and blackmailed seem to have simply become a part of daily life. Being taken under the wing of the local police commissioner has come in handy – especially when it came to the gun license – but being connected to the police can be dangerous. When Arlette returns from a relaxing holiday, she finds that her cases have not stalled in her absence, but piled up one on top of the other. Dealing with the different issues of her clients is one thing, but when one particularly nasty case arises, Arlette must decide if she will break the police commissioner's cardinal rule, and stick her nose into police business. One Damn Thing After Another, first published in 1981, sees Arlette plunging into danger, and acting the part of a private eye once again.
Dutch police inspector Piet Van der Valk finds himself repeatedly crossing paths wiht the beautiful yet troubled Lucienne Englebert, the daughter of a famous conductor recently killed in a car accident. Whern the maverick inspector investigates the seemingly senseless killing of a man in Amsertdam, will Lucienne turn up again? In this gripping and tragic thriller, Freeling's irascible and unorthodox protagonist beomes involved in an extraordinary case involving murder, double indentities, and the Eurpoean black market. The Green Popular Penguins Story It was in 1935 when Allen Lane stood on a British railway platform looking for something good to read on his journey. His choice was limited t...
Hubertus van Biji, a 70-year-old retired Dutch flower grower, makes a rambling, broken confession.
Commissaire Van der Valk, appointed to his new position after surviving a bullet through the leg, is getting rather bored of his new quiet life in the town of Lisse. Whilst getting home in time for dinner and golf at the weekends is all well and good, a little excitement wouldn't go amiss. So when a local man is found dead in suspicious circumstances, Van der Valk is on the case in a trice. Getting to know the local riding school's characters proves a daunting task, revealing a maze of illicit relationships, family secrets and disappointed women. But which suspect had enough of a motive? Who truly had it in them to kill? First published in 1967, Stike Out Where not Applicable is a classic murder mystery, set against the delightful backdrop of the tulip fields and windmills of Holland.