This is the seventh novel in the Railway Detective series set in mid 19th century Britain. Grief stricken by the disappearance of his beloved wife Miriam, Sir Aubrey Tarleton commits suicide by walking into the path of an oncoming train. Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Leeming pursue a number of lines of enquiry, including that Sir Aubrey may have murdered his wife and committed suicide in remorse. Various locals are suspected, but the eventual solution to the mystery was rather surprising and I didn't find it wholly convincing. I increasingly like the main characters and their ongoing character traits are becoming slightly endearing, esp. Leeming's constant missing of his wife and children. I enjoyed this one more than many others, though the resolution of the mystery, as I say, slightly marred this feeling. ( )

Excellent story, well written, interesting. I began it around 12:00 am & I finished just before 4:00 am.

Superintendent Tallis receives a brutal shock upon receiving a telegram informing him that an old army friend, a Colonel whom he much respected, has committed suicide by walking head long into an oncoming train.

The suicide was brought on by the disappearance of his friend's wife and the town's belief (announced in various hate letters) that he murdered her.

Inspector Colbeck & Detective Lemming are assigned to the case and are not convinced that the Colonel murdered his wife, but are unable to prove it until her body is found.

What Inspector discovers is there is no lack of unsavory characters, nor of those who hated the Colonel, but none hated his wife.... so the ending came as a great surprise, one which I have never read before in all my years of reading mysteries.

Very satisfying.....



( )

Another one in the series starring the Railway Detective. A Yorkshire gentleman decides to commit suicide by walking in front of a train. Not nice. Turns out he was an ex-army colleague of Colbeck's boss, and went to his death with a note for him in his pocket. So Colbeck is sent to investigate. Turns into something more complex when it is revealed that the wife disappeared a few weeks ago, and hasn't been seen since. There's then a variety of avenues, including finance, revenge and love before the true events come to light. Well written, as usual, and left me guessing about what had happened until the end. ( )

The wife of Colonel Aubrey Tarleton has disappeared and is feared dead. One day,soon after this the Colonel sets out and calmly walks along the railway line in the path of a fast-moving train with predictable results. Inspector Robert Colbeck is sent to investigate these unfortunate events.
As with most of this series,this is a readable and reasonably interesting story. It is also rather pedestrian and for the most part fairly predictable. If you have nothing better to do to pass a few hours you might do worse than pass them with this tale. ( )

I enjoyed the easy flow of this book, may read more by this author. ( )