The Christmas Stocking Murders

It is 1976 and once again Inspector Frank Grasby recounts events recorded in his diaries. Three days before Christmas in 1953 he is summoned to the office of Superintendent Juggers and informed that they are to travel to the fishing village of Uthley's Bay to investigate a murder. The body of a man with a stocking wound around his head had been found on the beach. Shortly after their arrival another body is found and in the evening quantities of packets of ladies' stockings cover the beach. Grasby soon realises that they are in Uthley's Bay to investigate a murder.

What follows is the often bungling attempt of the two police officers as they attempt to solve the crimes. Snow has arrived in the area and the White Christmas is not helping the investigation. The villagers are closing ranks and it is difficult for the police to know who to trust. Superintendent Juggers also has a tendency to make rash decisions leaving Grasby with the task of finding a solution. Grasby is well aware that Superintendent Juggers will claim the credit for any success made in the investigation.

The Christmas Stocking Murders by Denzil Meyrick a sequel to Murder at Holly House.  There is plenty of action, an array of eccentric characters and lots of humour as the two policeman attempt to solve the crime against the odds.

Murder at Holly House

Scottish author, Denzil Meyrick, is best known for his series of DCI Daley crime novels set in Kinloch. However his new crime novel, Murder at Holly House, is set in north Yorkshire. Detective Inspector Frank Grasby has been sent to the small community of Elderby to investigate a series of robberies in the area. He soon discovers that Elderby is not your normal rural community. Frank describes the initial reaction of any visitor to Elderby as seeing a picture perfect place. 

'I don't think any visitor could help themselves loving it, with its little lanes, pretty shops - everything wrought in that grey Yorkshire stone that makes the village look as if it sprang from the earth by force of nature alone. As I am finding out, though, it's a village of secrets, mystery and death.' [page 259]

 While interviewing the landed gentry about another possible robbery he discovers a body in the chimney. This is only the beginning of a series of crimes, past and present, that Frank becomes aware of including attempts on his life. But it is when he is warned from headquarters to avoid over investigating the cases but just locate a culprit for the robberies that Frank knows that this is definitely not your normal community or normal crimes. The problem is is there anyone that he can trust?

Denzil Meyrick has written a fast paced, often humorous crime novel with so many twists and turns it is hard to keep up with what is happening. The novel is set during winter, a few days before Christmas, so there is also the weather to contend with. The effects of the Second World War remain, especially rationing. However as the novel progresses it is obvious that the politics of war still exists in this this part of northern England.