The Man Who Hated Banks and Other Mysteries

Published in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of Michael Gilbert's first book, The Man Who Hated Banks and Other Mysteries gather together eighteen previously uncollected stories about Gilbert's most popular sleuths: seven about Inspector Hazlerigg, five about solicitor Henry Montacute Bohun, three about former copper Bill Mercer, and three about Inspector Patrick Petrella. Gilbert's tales range from Scotland Yard police procedurals to classic country-house mysteries, action-packed thrillers, and tales of the seamy side of London life. In all of them, Gilbert displays his seemingly effortless characterization, his use of authentic detail, and, above all, his ability to engage the reader from the first sentence. It is a rare (perhaps, non-existent) reader who can put down a Michael Gilbert story before finishing it.