Another smashing collection of short stories, this one entirely composed of police proedural stories featuring Gilbert's most likable investigators: Hazlerigg (the earliest character who is solid and steady), Bohun, the lawyer turned investigator who has endless time on his hand because he only sleeps 2 hours a night and who informally partners with Haxlerigg, Mercer--the enigmatic character who works for "intelligence" in some fashion but that is always unclear, and Petrella, the youngest, hot-headed sort that quits every time he gets disgusted with humanity.
These short stories date from 1948 to 1979 and they are interesting not only because Gilbert is so good at developing very different characters but because the content of the stories reflect the changing times--the sorts of crimes and police methods of 1948 are really nothing like those of 1979. And, as always, they make a perfect bedtime read as they immediately grip you, move quickly and all lose ends are neatly tied up in just 10-15 odd pages.
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