Coffin Scarcely Used (Flaxborough Chronicles, #1)

by Colin Watson

Described by Cecil Day-Lewis as 'a great lark, full of preposterous situations and pokerfaced wit', Coffin Scarcely Used is Colin Watson's first Flaxborough novel and was originally published in 1958.

The small town of Flaxborough is taken aback when one of the mourners at Councillor Carobelat's funeral dies just six months later. Not only was he Councillor Carobelat's neighbour but the circumstances of his death are rather unusual, even for Flaxborough standards. Marcus Gwill, proprietor of the Flaxborough Citizen has been found electrocuted at the foot of an electricity pylon with a mouth full of marshmallows. Local gossip rules it as either an accident or a suicide but Inspector Purbright remains unconvinced. After all, he's never encountered a suicide who has been in the mood for confectionery at the last moment...

• ISBN10: 0440115116
• ISBN13: 9780440115113
• Publish Date: 1 October 1981 (first published June 1977)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 16 March 2011
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Dell Publishing Company
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Originally published in 1958, Coffin Scarcely Used is Colin Watson's first Flaxborough mystery (of 12). Introducing Inspector Purbright, whose placid and mild surface belies a solid deductive mind, the first Flaxborough mystery has Purbright and colleagues trying to solve the bizarre electrocution murder of a local newspaper owner.

The series, and indeed the author, were unknown to me previously. The reissue of the series by Prelude/Farrago with new covers is due to begin with this, the first book in the series, on 22 Feb, 2018.

This is a wickedly funny, very gently written and imagined tale. It is a murder mystery and police procedural, true (with bonus murders, even), but first and foremost it's a wry skewering of village life and social commentary. Every character is precisely drawn and every seemingly random description written with such unerring humour and precision that the whole is awe inspiring. The dialogue is spot on, the plotting slowish but in every way germane to the tale. This is a book to slow down a bit and savor; there are subtleties and humor that must be thought about.

There were a couple places in the book where I, as reader, wondered why in the world the author included something he'd written, only to shake my head later and think 'Well played, Mr. Watson, well played'!

The book never slides into 'mean-ness' or ridicules the stereotypes of which it makes gentle fun. The book is genuinely funny, and surprisingly very little dated for having been written over 60 years ago.

100% top shelf pure unadulterated clean classic murder mystery. Very light language (occasional 'damn' or 'bloody'). No graphic content.

Four and a half stars. I -really- enjoyed this. Heartily recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.