Fly in the Cobweb

I discovered Fly in the Cobweb, and Frank Parrish (and Dan Mallett) in a brouse through. "Oh well, you like Brit mysteries, give it a go." So I did. Parrish is a subtle and entrancing writer, and Dan Mallett is as easy going as is Parrish's writing. I do not know whom to compare either with. They both are as different as I can imagine from anything I have read in my 50+ years of reading mysteries. The slow start was almost a "ho-hum, do I really want to go further?" Then, after a few pages, I was hooked. Marvelous. I wish my non-fiction articles could have the character and delight I find in Dan (the rascally character who is a thief with a heart of gold, who has a penchant for getting himself embroiled in the mysteries of "who done it? Not me. But they won't believe me, I'd bettter find out who did!") And he does. The reader moves leisurely through the exquisite details of life in the wooded thickets around the villages in Somewhere in England. Dan and his arthritic mother live in a small cottage in the wood near Somewhere, but all the folk in the vilage know he is the rogue who by all rights should have been hanged long ago. In this particular novel, he is drawn by affection to a quite pretty American who is on a tour of Europe with her Aunt. Those two ladies are attracted to a polyglot bunch of wannabe actors for a fortnight of joint inspiration in an old manor house. Meanwhile, Dan, on one of his midnight jaunts to pilfer the valued silver (of course, he will only sell it because he needs the money to pay for an operation for his widowed mum, who refuses to go the the public health service for service) just happens to witness a murder. And the murderer witnesses Dan witnessing him. This totally is out of character for Dan. Dan is the retiring soul who loves to travel only by bicycle, then walk, so as to blend in with the walls and never be noticed. Then the plot thickens. And thickens. And thickens. I recommend Dan Mallett highly to those who enjoy a circuituous plot, a slow word picture move through the countryside Somewhere in England, and an invitation to come to know the various non-human life forms Dan sees and knows one a first name basis. To this, Parrish has added an exquisite analysis of the inner character and motivations of numbers of folk. I regret this book is out of print. It is, however, worthy of a quest through the out-of-print venues. Frank Parrish provides the reader with fun and frolic, a dash of spoof and mystery, and, oh yes, a restrained romance in the background. A delight worth the quest.