Quinton Graissey

A Mystery Series

It’s the 1950s in Britain, and Quinton Graissey lives in Ramsden, in the old West Riding of Yorkshire. In many ways, he’s an ordinary sort of man: he could be your neighbor. He doesn’t drink, and he’s a fairly mediocre author who writes unsuccessful detective stories.

But what really makes him distinctive is his level of curiosity. And it’s the satisfying of that curiosity which can lead him into unexpected situations – situations which are always interesting and occasionally extremely unpleasant.

I

Quinton Graissey is a writer of indifferent detective fiction, so it is perhaps a good thing that his late wife has left him fairly well off. Whether he travels around the Britain of the late 1950s or stays at home, his curiosity about his fellow men and women draws him into unusual, and occasionally deadly, situations.

And Quinton is also on an inner journey, as unpredictable as the people he meets on his adventures.

IN THIS VOLUME

The Good Samaritan
In which Quinton catches up with two old friends in a Devonshire village, finds out why the local taxi service is so unreliable, and is outwitted by a clever Frenchwoman.

The Cloven Cats
In which Quinton buys a car and puts a bed in it, tries to determine why several cats have met an unpleasant end, and resists being seduced by a capitalist offer.

The Sea View
In which Quinton witnesses a peculiar exchange in a tea-room, encounters the attractive but unpredictable Audrey Wyatt-James, and fails to get the better of two delightful old ladies.

The Work of Genius
In which Quinton reveals his loathing of a highly respected author, revisits some people he worked with in secret during World War II, and uncovers a case of reverse plagiarism.

The Long-Lost Brothers
In which Quinton’s new cleaning-lady proves to have excellent cleaning skills, a liking for men with missing fingers, and several shady brothers whom she hasn’t seen in many years.

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II

Four new tales featuring the middle-aged and unsuccessful author of detective fiction. Quinton finds that uncertainty, while rarely the high road to knowledge, is more often than not the pathway to peace.

IN THIS VOLUME

The Game of Tennis
In which an unexpected letter reminds Quinton of an idyllic summer’s day, he meets a young lady who says very little, and there proves to be more to the local school headmistress than
meets the eye.

The Floral Surprise
In which Quinton tries to help a post-war refugee from Germany, offers hospitality to a ferocious great-aunt and her beautiful companion, and inadvertently prevents someone from moving to South America.

The Dead Detective
In which Quinton deals with a persistent and annoying fan, is frank with an American independent producer, and fails entirely to make a film.

The Harvest Festival
In which Quinton gets mistaken for something he is not, the local vicar endures a prolonged and unpleasant correspondence, and a man who survived the war fails to survive a meeting with two women.

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III

It may be true that "the Great Way is not difficult, as long as you do not pick and choose." But as Quinton discovers, knowing something and putting it into practice can often be two very different endeavors.

IN THIS VOLUME

The Cold Square Dish
In which Quinton attends a wedding, contemplates the possibility of his own, and finds that playing with a ouija board can indeed be a dangerous thing.

The Worship of Writers
In which Quinton attends a writers’ retreat, concludes that he is a brilliant author, and finds it hard to feel at peace over the death of his father.

The Incapable Man
In which Quinton succeeds only partly in righting an injustice, finds himself at war with “the establishment,” and wonders how innocent an “innocent” man may actually be.

The Single Reed
In which Quinton contemplates the nature of commitment, a dog solves a murder, and Audrey Wyatt-James makes an interesting proposal.

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IV

In his dealings with other people, Quinton can see all too clearly that they would rather cling to their beliefs than determine the truth. It can come as a shock to him, therefore, when he sometimes makes the same mistake himself.

IN THIS VOLUME

The Conscience Round
In which Quinton takes care of some paintings, learns of a peculiar court-martial from nearly forty years earlier, and has difficulty in determining who murdered a retired military officer.

The Master In the Snow
In which Quinton is surprised by the behavior of several religious officials, mingles with society ladies in London, and takes a car journey that threatens to end prematurely – at least for him.

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Quinton Graissey

A Mystery Series

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About the Author

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