Inspector Colbeck's Casebook: Thirteen Tales from the Railway Detective
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- Create Date：2021-05-21 10:54:25
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Edward Marston
- ISBN：0749016183
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Summary
In this thrilling selection of stories， a young porter is found dead in a coal-tub， Colbeck devises a trap to catch a thief and a burnt train carriage holds a gruesome secret in a small country village。 As Colbeck and his trusty aide Victor Leeming begin to piece together clues and motives for each crime， it becomes clear the pair must stay a step ahead of the culprits to solve the cases。 With a new suspect at every turn， can the dup unearth the real villains？
Including 'The End of the Line' and 'The Barber of Ravenglass'， jealousy， vengeance and duplicity all collide in this collide in this supercharged anthology， proving once again that Inspector Colbeck is the master of mysteries。
Including 'The End of the Line' and 'The Barber of Ravenglass'， jealousy， vengeance and duplicity all collide in this collide in this supercharged anthology， proving once again that Inspector Colbeck is the master of mysteries。
Reviews
Will Templeton
，
Enjoyable collection of stories featuring railway based crimes。
Jeneva Paul
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Lovely set of stories。 Very satisfying little mysteries that give us a little more insight into the recurring characters。
Rebekah
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This is a good background to the detectives but I find the stories a bit short。 You just get into green and they are over。
Linda Hepworth
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I hadn't read any of the full-length novels featuring these two characters but， although I occasionally found myself distracted by wondering about the history of their relationship， didn't find this too much of a disadvantage。 These gentle， humorous stories are well-written， most have credible plots which， although necessarily condensed to fit the short story format， offer enough intrigue to provide a satisfactory reading experience。 I enjoyed the Victorian setting and， although I tend to prefer I hadn't read any of the full-length novels featuring these two characters but， although I occasionally found myself distracted by wondering about the history of their relationship， didn't find this too much of a disadvantage。 These gentle， humorous stories are well-written， most have credible plots which， although necessarily condensed to fit the short story format， offer enough intrigue to provide a satisfactory reading experience。 I enjoyed the Victorian setting and， although I tend to prefer darker stories， it made a refreshing change to read some gore-free crime！ 。。。more
Dignan107
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Short stories - mini puzzles read during several journeys on the Birmingham-London Euston line to work。 Railway detective fiction provided an enjoyable distraction during my commute。 Another author to explore。 Recommended
Jean Walton
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Finished this before going on holiday and forgot to make comments so I'm rectifying that now。Thirteen tales from the Railway Detective - I pretty much read one a night before settling down to sleep and I think I enjoyed the final tale the best as the perpetrator was a real surprise for me。 Finished this before going on holiday and forgot to make comments so I'm rectifying that now。Thirteen tales from the Railway Detective - I pretty much read one a night before settling down to sleep and I think I enjoyed the final tale the best as the perpetrator was a real surprise for me。 。。。more
Sandy
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Exquisite gems of the Railway Detective’s exploits。 With the familiar characters- swift detecting and not always the Inspector who comes up with the solution！
Robert Hepple
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Published in 2014， 'Inspector Colbeck's Casebook' is a collection of 13 short stories， and forms part of the 'Railway Detective' series of mysteries set in the 1850s。 The stories are mostly well written and competent， with only a couple of them lapsing into improbably daft plots。 Published in 2014， 'Inspector Colbeck's Casebook' is a collection of 13 short stories， and forms part of the 'Railway Detective' series of mysteries set in the 1850s。 The stories are mostly well written and competent， with only a couple of them lapsing into improbably daft plots。 。。。more
Diane Heath
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A collection of short stories。 This gives us the best of Inspector Colbeck's cases。 The books are good but occasionally they drag in the middle。 These being a collection removed that complaint A collection of short stories。 This gives us the best of Inspector Colbeck's cases。 The books are good but occasionally they drag in the middle。 These being a collection removed that complaint 。。。more
Terry Anderson
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An enjoyable quick-read of 13 stories of theft， murder， and other villainous acts occurring on railroads in Victorian England。
Naomi Mouland
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Combining a few short stories following Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Leeming， 'Inspector Colbeck's Casebook' is another triumph of historical crime writing that is true in Edward Marston's other Inspector Colbeck books。 The only reason I have not provided 5 stars for this read， is that as the book is made up of short stories， the crime， investigation and conclusion， as you would expect comes very quickly， whereas I prefer the slow burn of a full book which provides depth and insight into the p Combining a few short stories following Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Leeming， 'Inspector Colbeck's Casebook' is another triumph of historical crime writing that is true in Edward Marston's other Inspector Colbeck books。 The only reason I have not provided 5 stars for this read， is that as the book is made up of short stories， the crime， investigation and conclusion， as you would expect comes very quickly， whereas I prefer the slow burn of a full book which provides depth and insight into the protagonist and the characters around him。 However， should you enjoy short stories then this is a good collection to go to。 I highly recommend and hope those that read it enjoy it as much as I did。 。。。more
Charlotte Holmans
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I loved it！ Short cases， humor filled， suspension and as always feeling sorry for Victor Leeming and his woes of the railway， a great read！
Deborah Dodson
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Prefer to read longer stories。 All seemed a bit predictable。
Cliff
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A number of short stories about the exploits of 'the railway detective'。 They are not all murder mysteries but we have a tale of a con man stalking the railway system and unfortunate goings on in an hotel where the detective and Madeleine， his wife， are staying for a short holiday。 As I have commented before， thee author's time lines are awry。 The stories are set in the late 1850s/early 1860s but Madeleine's fathjer is said to have been a railway man for 50 years， However， the family seem to hav A number of short stories about the exploits of 'the railway detective'。 They are not all murder mysteries but we have a tale of a con man stalking the railway system and unfortunate goings on in an hotel where the detective and Madeleine， his wife， are staying for a short holiday。 As I have commented before， thee author's time lines are awry。 The stories are set in the late 1850s/early 1860s but Madeleine's fathjer is said to have been a railway man for 50 years， However， the family seem to have lived in the London area all their lives and the first railway in the capital didn't open until about 1836。 Otherwise a pleasant， quick， read 。。。more
Caroline
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Really enjoyed these short stories。 Edward Marston is a really good author， whether writing about Railway Detectives like Colbeck and Leeming， or the Restoration detectives of Redmayne and Bale。 I thoroughly enjoy both genres and I like to try and work out who committed the crimes。 I'm usually wrong， as I seem to follow more of the red herrings， but I think that's part of the enjoyment of the books。 Really enjoyed these short stories。 Edward Marston is a really good author， whether writing about Railway Detectives like Colbeck and Leeming， or the Restoration detectives of Redmayne and Bale。 I thoroughly enjoy both genres and I like to try and work out who committed the crimes。 I'm usually wrong， as I seem to follow more of the red herrings， but I think that's part of the enjoyment of the books。 。。。more
Jo Jenner
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A nice little collection of 13 short stories featuring Detective Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Lemming。 I enjoyed this but with the exception of the last story you really need to have read the five or six novels that come before this collection。 With the speed that a scene has to be set in a short story this is no bad thing but it may make the characters less believable for any one who hasn't read the novels。My one disappointment was the thirteenth story。 The story itself was fine but it should A nice little collection of 13 short stories featuring Detective Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Lemming。 I enjoyed this but with the exception of the last story you really need to have read the five or six novels that come before this collection。 With the speed that a scene has to be set in a short story this is no bad thing but it may make the characters less believable for any one who hasn't read the novels。My one disappointment was the thirteenth story。 The story itself was fine but it should have been at the start of the collection not the end。 I had heard the story before and I think it is mentioned in one of the novels but it takes us backwards and tries to explain the relationship between Colbeck， Leeming and their Superintendent Edward Tallis。 Having read the first twelve stories I really didn't need this level of detail and it spoilt the book for me。 I would suggest reading the last story first and if I were the publishers I would definitely be moving that story in the order before the next edition is published。 。。。more
Soozee
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An enjoyable collection of short stories set in Victorian England， all with a railway slant。 Sometimes this seems a little contrived， but the tales are fun and an easy read。 The characters aren't well developed， even a little stereotypical， even though I have read the full length novels as well。 An enjoyable collection of short stories set in Victorian England， all with a railway slant。 Sometimes this seems a little contrived， but the tales are fun and an easy read。 The characters aren't well developed， even a little stereotypical， even though I have read the full length novels as well。 。。。more
Douglas
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Excellent！
Ramona
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As I am always on the lookout for that unusual book， group of stories， I found just the "ticket"， in these humorous， historical， delightful "on the train" mini mysteries！ Our hero of the day is believable。 Reminds me a little bit of the popular BBC TV program "Murdoch's Mysteries"。 Possibly set in the same time period。 So， if you enjoy mysteries that aren't gory。。these are for you！ As I am always on the lookout for that unusual book， group of stories， I found just the "ticket"， in these humorous， historical， delightful "on the train" mini mysteries！ Our hero of the day is believable。 Reminds me a little bit of the popular BBC TV program "Murdoch's Mysteries"。 Possibly set in the same time period。 So， if you enjoy mysteries that aren't gory。。these are for you！ 。。。more
Gerry
，
Inspector Colbeck， the Railway Detective， and his sidekick Sergeant Victor Leeming take a break from their normal lengthy investigations and involve themselves in solving 13 equally baffling mysteries set on and around the railways in Victorian times。A young porter is found dead in a coal tub but， despite all the evidence， it was not his immediate colleagues that killed him; Colbeck surprises his sergeant by unmasking the unlikely killer。There is an excellent art related tale in which Turner's p Inspector Colbeck， the Railway Detective， and his sidekick Sergeant Victor Leeming take a break from their normal lengthy investigations and involve themselves in solving 13 equally baffling mysteries set on and around the railways in Victorian times。A young porter is found dead in a coal tub but， despite all the evidence， it was not his immediate colleagues that killed him; Colbeck surprises his sergeant by unmasking the unlikely killer。There is an excellent art related tale in which Turner's painting 'Rain， Steam and Speed' is stolen by an ingenious band of criminals but they are not too smart for Colbeck， who on this occasion also has the assistance of his artist wife Madeleine to find the painting and arrest the perpetrators of the crime。 Colbeck's superior Superintendent Tallis falls foul of a conman while travelling on the railway and he is too embarrassed to tell anyone other than his Inspector。 Ordering him to find the criminal without revealing his direct interest in the case， he is delighted when Colbeck very cleverly discovers the man's real identity and in arresting him， returns the Super's 'investment'。A railway carriage is set on fire in Ravenglass but when Colbeck is called in a body is discovered within it。 During the investigation Leeming has a haircut and his conversation with the barber not only reveals the identity of the dead person but also leads the duo to an unlikely killer。There is even a cricket related tale in which Colbeck informs Leeming of H H Stephenson's achievement of securing three wickets in three balls， a feat that led to a hat being taken round for a collection。 'Thus the phrase a hat-trick was created，' he tells his Sergeant。 Perhaps not surprisingly in view of the cricket interest this story is set in Sheffield and Colbeck's cunning leads， no surprise here， to three arrests; a hat-trick of another kind！All the stories have the usual Colbeck/Leeming humour and make for enjoyable reading but it does make one wonder why in other circumstances the duo need take so long to resolve their cases， ie， in full length novels！ I only add this for I am not the greatest reader of short stories for， by their very nature， the plots are condensed so as to fit the format。 However， there was no shortage of excitement or loss of detail in these tales but do give me the full length novels every time please。 。。。more
Hayley Quick
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Amazing book。 I have had the pleasure of reading most of the Railway Detective series。 Please keep them coming！
Liz
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Quick， easy read。 Each story is about 20 pages long。
Wilde Sky
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A series of short detective stories related to the railways。 The stories were all reasonable but none of them were that special。
Les Wilson
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I say this every time I enter a book of short stories。 It is difficult to rate the book because of there being more than one story。 This book was to me the exception to the rule。 All 13 stories were enjoyable， and I will undoubtedly read it again。
Ray Melville
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Very readable collection of short detective stories set in Victorian times。
Neil
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Nice， easy holiday read。
Simon
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As a newcomer to Edward Marston's work， I didn't know what to expect from this collection of short stories。 Now I've read them I must say I thoroughly enjoyed them， even though the topic of steam railway is not really something I would normally choose to read。 I will definitely sample more of Mr。 Marston's works in the near future。 As a newcomer to Edward Marston's work， I didn't know what to expect from this collection of short stories。 Now I've read them I must say I thoroughly enjoyed them， even though the topic of steam railway is not really something I would normally choose to read。 I will definitely sample more of Mr。 Marston's works in the near future。 。。。more
Ipswichblade
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Good selection of short stories from this popular series
Alan
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