Helen Robertson

The Chinese Goose - Helen Robertson 1960 UK hardcover 1st edition, 1st impression published by Macdonald in London A lovely book, pretty much near fine in bright unclipped dust jacket The book is very tid, clean bright cloth, just a hint of offsetting to endpapers Tight and straight with no names or stamps The dustwrapper is an acknowledged classic with artwork by Broom Lynne Lovely and clean, no loss and priced 12/6 as called for Synopsis A surrounding multitude of white feathers and a curious wound in one leg suggested that before Nancy Portham was drowned by misadventure she had been attacked by the swans which nested so numerously around the tidal mere where her body was found. But what the local publican's handsome wife was doing in this lonely spot on the Kentish marshes, and in the small hours of the morning, was not so easily explained. Many theories were expounded by the regulars of the "Swan With Two Necks"; and all of them were eagerly absorbed by Lucy Cluff, an unusually sagacious teenager exiled from her native Finsbury Park to look after the dead woman's infant son. Her continuing curiosity and misgiving as to how Nancy really died, led Lucy back to the scene of the tragedy and so to a chance encounter with Chief Detective Inspector Lathom Dynes whose mind was not to be denied starting up its own mechanism of enquiry, when confronted with so odd a set of circumstances, even though both mind and mechanism might be officially on holiday. "She can certainly create an atmosphere," wrote Francis lies in The Guardian of Helen Robertson's previous novel, The Crystal-Gamers. Never more effectively, we suggest, than in this hauntingly well-written story of suspense and possible murder set on a stretch of the Thames Estuary, which, though hardly to be termed "From London far", remains the essence of brooding solitude and of silence broken only by the beat of many and powerful wings. A very rare book let alone in this condition and a classic - featured in Cooper and Pike's Artists in Crime For Sale at £SOLD - SORRY, CURRENTLY OUT OF STOCK (approx $SOLD) - free delivery worldwide !

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About the Author Helen Robertson ~ Brief Biography Pseudonym of Helen Jean Mary Edminston born 1913 whose series character was Inspector Lathom Dynes UK Bibliography Winged Witness 1955 Venice of the Black Sea - 1956 The Chinese Goose - 1960 All published in London by Macdonald

Sample of the Author helen Robertson's Work "Come in and give us a hand, Lucy," Roy called from the bar. Lucy went readily, and sat down just inside the door on the wooden bench that ran along the wall. Her mother had stipulated that she should not be allowed to enter the bar, but if Roy had ever taken note of the prohibition he had forgotten it, and Lucy didn't remind him. She would hardly ever have seen Roy if she had observed it, for he spent nearly all his waking time in there. Out of hours he was always in there, polishing the tables with subdued ferocity or mopping the floor and softly cursing the habits of his patrons. In hours he was there dispensing drinks. Her mother had had quite the wrong conception of the bar at the Swan With Two Necks; she had judged it by the standards of London bars, where people were constantly coming and going—roughs often, who were making a round of the pubs and had had more than was good for them before they came in. The bar of the Swan With Two Necks was as decorous as a vestry by comparison; whoever had thought of building a pub in a place like Mere Street needed his head examining anyway. "Evening, Lucy," said Martin Rimnier, staring at her with eyes that were permanently wide and belligerent. "Still finding it quiet?" "Like a graveyard," said Lucy. She smiled at the other regular, Foxy Meakin, smallholder and poultry-keeper, and, looking back to find Martin still staring, pulled a face at him. He laughed,

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