This is one of a series featuring private investigator Paul Temple and his journalist wife who is affectionately known as Steve, following her writing name (Steve Trent). The first book came out in the late 1930s, and expanded to BBC radio plays, films, a TV series and even a cartoon strip that ran in the London Evening News from 1951 -71.

For all of that, this is the first time I have come across any mention of them. For some reason Scotland Yard seem to run to Temple whenever a crime (in this case a suspected murder) is committed. Where Sherlock Holmes brought his superior intellect and deductive skills, Temple (and Steve) bring their ability to infratilt in places where the Yard will be conspicuous.

The story here is interesting, but the clues are mundane, and the sleuthing by Temple and Steve not really believable.

Overall it is a good 'palate cleanser', as another reviewer (of another book) called their target.

If I see another second hand copy of another in the series, I will certainly consider buying it, if only to test whether there is any variation in the model adopted in this series.

Big Ship

2 August 2023 ( )

Paul Temple and his wife, Steve, have recently moved into a new flat. Still working on arranging things when Betty Tyler is found dead and Scotland Yard has been called in to investigate. The newspapers speculate that Paul Temple will be called in to assist. Paul is a well-known novelist and criminologist with a good track record of solving crimes.

Paul's wife, Steve, is not beyond doing a little detecting on her own, and once again does and gets herself into a tight place.

Things get even more alarming when a second girl, Jane Dallas, is found murdered in her own flat. The connection between the two victims is that they work for the same business, Marian Coiffeur de Dames.

Temple feels there is much more than the girls working for the same boss to cause their murders. Is there something they know that someone doesn't want others to know?

A classic English murder mystery set in the late 1940s - early 1950s. The Temples set out to interview any and all involved and then stage the usual scene of all the those involved coming together to hear the investigation results and who the murderer is - a la Ellery Queen or Nero Wolfe.

Yes, I did enjoy it! ( )

A pleasant read. I don't think I could read too many of these books - I think Perfect Paul could quickly become an annoying character. I enjoyed this one while I was reading, and finished it quickly. ( )

A pleasant palate cleanser, no more. Only picked up because Anthony Head was reading. ( )

As someone who has fond memories of the 'Paul Temple' series when it was transmitted on the radio,I was delighted to come across this book by Francis Durbridge. In 'The Tyler Mystery' ,Temple together with his wife and fellow sleuth,Steve are drawn into investigating the murders of two young women. There are also attempts at their own lives too. Minor characters included Detective Inspector Vosper,who I suspect appears as a series character and Mariano,who is a rather outrageous ladies hairdresser.
The writing and story-line are rather conventional but at the same time the book makes for an easy and pleasant read. ( )