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INTRODUCTION |
Introduction As cunning and observant sorts will have noticed, these are pages devoted to the suspense fiction of English writer Edmund Crispin, also known under his real name as a composer of film scores and classical music, Bruce Montgomery. It is our hope to bring notice to the work of this author, and to provide a resource to those who are interested in mystery and suspense fiction, English writers, or those with time on their hands looking for something new to read. My own personal history with Crispin is one of chance good fortune. I first stumbled across Crispin's work when the bookshop for which I was working received two copies of The Moving Toyshop in a neat little Penguin Classic Crime edition. I had never heard of Crispin, being at the young age of nineteen still in my infancy when it came to detective stories. Quickly discerning that this was no ordinary work of suspense fiction, I picked it up and was immediately enthralled. It was, without a doubt, one of the wittiest detective stories that I had ever read, and remains such, in my opinion, some fifteen years on. So began a long search for the works of Crispin, one which gradually yielded a complete collection of these brilliant and delightfully eccentric works. I didn't realise when I undertook the task of building a page about Crispin how many people would be interested...there were more than I expected. My thanks to everyone who has written with tidbits, help, and suggestions. -- William Nedblake |
