Gently Does It (George Gently)

"This is a detective story, but not a whodunit. Its aim is to give a picture of a police investigator slowly building up his knowledge of a crime to a point, not where he knows who did it - both you and he know that at a fairly early stage - but to a point where he can bring a charge which will convince the jury." So writes the author Alan Hunter as an introduction to this his first Chief Inspector George Gently novel. I did not read this book first, and thus missed the above admonition which explains the philosophy of the series.This is the best book in the series that I have read. There is plenty of action: it starts with a motorcycle rider on the "Walls of Death" at a local fair, and ends with a shootout in a lumber mill. There are plenty of potential "chummies" (suspects) in the murder of a local businessman, and Gently must work through them all to come up with the culprit. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and highly recommend it.

I found Gently different than the TV version character, but interesting all the same. If you are a fan of the TV series, give this a try.

Having seen 4 of the BBS episodes of this character I decided to try the book version. I have to say the character in the book is somewhat different than the one in the TV version. And the sidekick in the TV series is nowhere to be seen in this book, which I believe was the first of some 40 or so mysteries with this character. So I imagine he shows up later.I guess it all depends on what style of mystery one likes. On the plus side, I solved this one, which I usually am not good at doing. But if you preference is for the Jo Nesbo, Mankell, Ake Edwardson, etc., (which are my preferences), Inspector Gently may not be your cup of tea.

I watched all the Gently series on t v or at least the ones that were available to we viewers in America, I loved them. I googled the authors name and saw his novels. I decided to try and see if they lived up to the series and I wasn’t disappointed in the least. I had a face to put on Gently and thoroughly enjoyed the book

Like many others who came to this series, I very much enjoy the show. I knew it was originally a book series going in, but I was content with seeing Martin Shaw playing George. However, I've read so much in recent years my usual authors and genres have grown somewhat stale, so I figure why not start to read the books all the British shows I watch are based from?I had no expectations going into Gently's first book, but I thought it a bit strange Alan Hunter felt the need to explain his intentions by saying "This is a detective story, but not a 'whodunit'..." Was Gently a rare bird in the 1950s? Seemed like a fairly straightforward murder mystery to me, and this is most certainly not the oldest book in the genre I've read. That was what I liked most about it too; nothing fancy, just a good old-fashioned crime drama that wasn't overlong.Having said that, I felt Gently himself could've used more fleshing out. It seemed as if I missed a story before this one because I never really got to know George all that well; someone who's good at his job and not much more than that... beyond being addicted to peppermint creams. Also, while the pacing was consistent, there wasn't much in the way of tension or suspense. The story took it's time very leisurely, almost to the point of being plodding but not quite. Not a criticism per se, just an observation.If nothing else, reading Gently Does It made me want to watch the show again, and if you're a fan I'd recommend picking the books up as well just to see how it all began. Keep in mind however that there are A LOT of books in this series, and that can be a little intimidating for some. On to the next installment!

Plot is typical Gently-make no conclusions until all the facts are available. Savor the prose and lookup every unfamiliar word, you'll learn a lot!

GENTLY DOES IT by Alan Hunter.This is the first George Gently title, published in 1955, of 40+ George Gently detective/mystery novels written by the late Alan Hunter.George Gently is a detective chief inspector and we receive intimate instruction in his detective skills. In GENTLY DOES IT, DCI Gently is on holiday when he is asked to help investigate the murder of a local lumber merchant in the city of Norchester.I am a big fan of the British tv series (George Gently) and have watched all episodes. It is a very well-done series. There are differences, to be sure, but both the tv production and the books are fantastic.The time period (late 1950’s & 1960’s) is a distinct change from current action-packed police dramas. The characters are interesting, complex, clever. Mr. Gently is very detailed, methodical, sensitive to all the suspects and their personalities.The locations are not the usual big-city, well-known places.A good detective series worth a read.

A very good read with some surprises, and an Inspector with no romantic or domestic problems, for a change.This is my first experience with this author and it was an enjoyable one.

The first Gently book and sets you up perfectly for the rest!! Great read and grips you from the first page

Good

Great character. Love the TV series! The books are equally good. Some are hard to find.

It was a good way to pass the time, nothing exceptional.

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