Evans Above
by Bowen, Rhys
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Fine/Fine
- ISBN 10
- 0312168284
- ISBN 13
- 9780312168285
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: St Martin's, 1997. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. The first Constable Evans mystery. Set in Wales. First edition (first printing with a numberline ending in 1). A fine hardcover in fine dust jacket. This copy is inscribed to Otto Penzler, the founder of the Mysterious Press and the editor of the Kwik Krimes anthology that included a contribution from Rhys Bowen, "To Otto, Cofion cynnes iawn (warm wishes in Welsh) Rhys Bowen.
Synopsis
Constable Evan Evans expected idyllic Llanfair to be a calm oasis far away from the violent crime of the big city. That was, until a string of murders erupts in the town, putting every "charming eccentric" under suspicion...
Reviews
On Jun 26 2023, a reader said:
"Listen here, Evans. You're the village policeman, not bloody Inspector Morse. If I find you poking your nose in where it's not wanted and going off on hare-brained schemes of your own again, I'll report you to your chief. Do I make myself clear?"
Evans Above is the first book in the Constable Evans series by award-winning British-born author, Rhys Bowen. Evan Evans hasn't been back in Llanfair all that long when he is alerted to a body on the mountain. His superior, DS Watkins brings another Constable to photograph the scene, and it is discovered that there are in fact two bodies, in different spots.
With his mountain-climbing skills, Evans believes the men have been murdered, but Watkins isn't convinced, and anyway, Caernarfon have their hands full with the assault and murder of an eleven-year-old girl found by the A55, which takes precedence over two likely inexperienced, unfortunate climbers. But "Evan would quietly go on with his snooping until someone told him to stop."
Turns out the bodies are those of a London policeman and a Liverpool salesman, neither of whose families knew they were in Wales. Evan's questions tease out a possible link between them, but Watkins remains sceptical. When the potential solution just about falls into his lap, he is uncomfortable with the praise heaped on 'Evans the Law' by the village and by his colleagues.
Then another body found on the mountain, this one definitely murdered, puts their earlier arrest in doubt, and Watkins begins to credit his village Constable with some intelligence: they decide to do a little investigating under the radar of the Detective Inspector who insists everything goes by the book.
Meanwhile, even though his landlady, ever intent on feeding him up, is matchmaking him with her granddaughter, and the barmaid at the Red Dragon is very interested, Evan only has eyes for teacher Bronwen Price. The rivalry between the two vicar's wives keeps him busy chasing up petty complaints, while a competitive attitude between Evans the Meat and Evans the Milk typifies the Welsh village background. Both provide a source of humour in the story, as do his avoidance antics while chaperoning the teen dance.
Setting the first of this cosy crime series in the early 1980s means that the police have access to less technology so need to rely much more on intelligent guesswork. With cultural and current affair references, Bowen easily evokes her era, and her descriptive prose really captures her setting.
She inserts a few red herrings that distract Evan, keeping the reader guessing and the pages turning. Evan's detective work is impressive for a village policeman and even the most astute reader is unlikely to guess the perpetrator or motive. This is very enjoyable cosy Welsh crime fiction and #2, Evan Help Us, is eagerly anticipated.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Downtown Brown Books, ABAA (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 328568
- Title
- Evans Above
- Author
- Bowen, Rhys
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- ISBN 10
- 0312168284
- ISBN 13
- 9780312168285
- Publisher
- St Martin's
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1997
- Bookseller catalogs
- MYSTERY;
Terms of Sale
Downtown Brown Books, ABAA
All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned within 30 days for a refund. If the item arrives damaged or does not match the description, we'll refund the purchase price plus shipping.
About the Seller
Downtown Brown Books, ABAA
Biblio member since 2019
Portland, Oregon
About Downtown Brown Books, ABAA
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Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...