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'''Michael Francis Gilbert''', (July 17, 1912 &ndash; February 8, 2006), was a British writer of mysteries and thrillers who wrote as '''Michael Gilbert'''.  He was a lawyer in London for many years and at one point had Raymond Chandler as his client.  He had a very long and very productive writing career, beginning with his first novel, ''Close Quarters'', in 1946 and continuing through 1999 with ''Over and Out''.  He wrote almost every sort of mystery and thriller, perhaps spreading himself too thin over too many fields to achieve the reputation that many critics felt he deserved.  He wrote police procedurals, spy novels and short stories, courtroom dramas, classical mysteries, adventure thrillers, crime novels, and almost every possible combination of these, all with the same competence, lean narrative style, and dry, detached wit.  "Michael was an exceptionally fine storyteller, but he's hard to classify," said one of his British publishers after his death. "He's not a hard-boiled writer in the classic sense, but there is a hard edge to him, a feeling within his work that not all of society is rational, that virtue is not always rewarded.".<ref>Douglas Greene of Crippen & Landrau, quoted in ''The New York Times'', 15 February 2006</ref>
'''Michael Francis Gilbert''', (July 17, 1912 &ndash; February 8, 2006), was a British writer of [[mysteries]] and [[thrillers]] who wrote as '''Michael Gilbert'''.  He was a lawyer in London for many years and at one point had [[Raymond Chandler]] as his client.  He had a very long and very productive writing career, beginning with his first novel, ''Close Quarters'', in 1946 and continuing through 1999 with ''Over and Out''.  He wrote almost every sort of mystery and thriller, perhaps spreading himself too thin over too many fields to achieve the reputation that many critics felt he deserved.  He wrote police procedurals, [[spy novels]] and short stories, courtroom dramas, classical mysteries, adventure thrillers, crime novels, and almost every possible combination of these, all with the same competence, lean narrative style, and dry, detached wit.  "Michael was an exceptionally fine storyteller, but he's hard to classify," said one of his British publishers after his death. "He's not a [[hard-boiled writer]] in the classic sense, but there is a hard edge to him, a feeling within his work that not all of society is rational, that virtue is not always rewarded.".<ref>Douglas Greene of Crippen & Landrau, quoted in ''The New York Times'', 15 February 2006</ref>


Perhaps among his very best books are two collections of short stories about two gentlemanly but exceedingly hard-boiled British counterspies, [[Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens]], "middle-aged cut-throats" as one of their adversaries bitterly refers to them. One of his earliest novels, ''Smallbone Deceased'', is also highly regarded by many. <ref>H. R. F. Keating included it in his ''Crime & Mystery: The 100 Best Books''</ref>
The British mystery writer and critic [[Julian Symons]] called Gilbert preeminent among modern "entertainers" within the field, writers who do not offer "some personal feelings about the world and society," but who think primarily "instead of what will amuse his audience, and if an idea or a subject seems disturbing it is put aside."  With Gilbert he went on to say, "Yet there remains an impression that he is not quite content to be appreciated just as an entertainer, but that some restraint (legal caution, perhaps) checks him from writing in a way that fully expresses his personality."<ref>''Mortal Consequences, A History From the Dectective Story to the Crime Novel'', by Julian Symons, Harper & Row, New York, 1972, pages 199-201</ref>
 
In a comment in an encyclopediac appraisal of his career, Gilbert relied to Symons: "So I am an entertainer?  A fact that [[H. R. F. Keating|Harry Keating]], in his review of one of my recent books found 'disappointing.'  In fact he went on to say that he found this book less disappointing, in this respect than earlier ones.  I find the whole thing puzzling.  What is a writer to do if he is not allowed to entertain?"."<ref>''Twentieth Century Crime and Mystery Writers'', John M. Reilly, editor, St. Martin's Presss New York, 1980, page 666</ref>
 
Perhaps among his very best books are two collections of short stories about two gentlemanly but exceedingly hard-boiled British counterspies, [[Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens]], "middle-aged cut-throats" as one of their adversaries bitterly refers to them. Gilbert's urbane yet spare style, with its occasional grimness, is perfectly captured in the final pages of ''The Road to Damascus'', a Calder-Behrens story, in which Mr. Behrens is being held at gunpoint by a traitorous British army colonel in a quiet wood:
 
:"One thing puzzles me," said the colonel, breaking into his thoughts.  "During all the time we have been talking here -- and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed our conversation -- I couldn't help noticing that you have hardly moved...."
 
:Mr. Behrens said, raising his voice a little, "If I were to lift my right hand a very well-trained dog, who has been approaching you quietly from the rear while we were talking, would have jumped for your throat."
 
:The colonel smiled.  "Your imagination does you credit.  What happens if you lift your left hand?  Does a genie appear from a bottle and carry me off?"
 
:"If I raise my left hand," said Mr. Behrens, "you will be shot dead."
 
:And so saying, he raised it.."<ref>''Game without Rules'', by Michael Gilbert, Harper & Row, New York, pages 1967, pages 23-24</ref>
 
One of Gilbert's very earliest novels, ''Smallbone Deceased'', is also highly regarded by many. <ref>H. R. F. Keating included it in his ''Crime & Mystery: The 100 Best Books''</ref>


After graduating with honors from the University of London in 1937 he  served with the Royal Horse Artillery in Europe and North Africa during World War II.  He was captured in 1943 and spent time in a prison-of-war camp in Italy; this experience served as the basis for one of his early novels, ''Death in Captivity.''  He also wrote numerous plays for the stage, radio, and television, as well as some non-fiction.
After graduating with honors from the University of London in 1937 he  served with the Royal Horse Artillery in Europe and North Africa during World War II.  He was captured in 1943 and spent time in a prison-of-war camp in Italy; this experience served as the basis for one of his early novels, ''Death in Captivity.''  He also wrote numerous plays for the stage, radio, and television, as well as some non-fiction.


Gilbert was made a C.B.E. (commander, order of the British Empire) in 1980 and was received a Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association for "lifetime achievement" in 1994; the Mystery Writers of America named him a "grandmaster" in 1988.  Quoted in his ''New York Times'' obituary, Gilbert's last publisher, Kent Carroll of Carroll & Graf, said of him: "He was always so utterly urbane and civilized.  He wrote about a sordid world from the perspective of a gentleman.  There was something comforting as well as exciting about that.<ref>''The New York Times'', 15 February 2006</ref>
Gilbert was made a C.B.E. (commander, order of the British Empire) in 1980 and was received a Diamond Dagger from the [[Crime Writers Association]] for "lifetime achievement" in 1994; the [[Mystery Writers of America]] named him a "grandmaster" in 1988.  Quoted in his ''New York Times'' obituary, Gilbert's last publisher, Kent Carroll of [[Carroll & Graf]], said of him: "He was always so utterly urbane and civilized.  He wrote about a sordid world from the perspective of a gentleman.  There was something comforting as well as exciting about that.<ref>''The New York Times'', 15 February 2006</ref>


== Bibliography ==
== Bibliography ==

Revision as of 14:59, 16 May 2007

Michael Francis Gilbert, (July 17, 1912 – February 8, 2006), was a British writer of mysteries and thrillers who wrote as Michael Gilbert. He was a lawyer in London for many years and at one point had Raymond Chandler as his client. He had a very long and very productive writing career, beginning with his first novel, Close Quarters, in 1946 and continuing through 1999 with Over and Out. He wrote almost every sort of mystery and thriller, perhaps spreading himself too thin over too many fields to achieve the reputation that many critics felt he deserved. He wrote police procedurals, spy novels and short stories, courtroom dramas, classical mysteries, adventure thrillers, crime novels, and almost every possible combination of these, all with the same competence, lean narrative style, and dry, detached wit. "Michael was an exceptionally fine storyteller, but he's hard to classify," said one of his British publishers after his death. "He's not a hard-boiled writer in the classic sense, but there is a hard edge to him, a feeling within his work that not all of society is rational, that virtue is not always rewarded.".[1]

The British mystery writer and critic Julian Symons called Gilbert preeminent among modern "entertainers" within the field, writers who do not offer "some personal feelings about the world and society," but who think primarily "instead of what will amuse his audience, and if an idea or a subject seems disturbing it is put aside." With Gilbert he went on to say, "Yet there remains an impression that he is not quite content to be appreciated just as an entertainer, but that some restraint (legal caution, perhaps) checks him from writing in a way that fully expresses his personality."[2]

In a comment in an encyclopediac appraisal of his career, Gilbert relied to Symons: "So I am an entertainer? A fact that Harry Keating, in his review of one of my recent books found 'disappointing.' In fact he went on to say that he found this book less disappointing, in this respect than earlier ones. I find the whole thing puzzling. What is a writer to do if he is not allowed to entertain?"."[3]

Perhaps among his very best books are two collections of short stories about two gentlemanly but exceedingly hard-boiled British counterspies, Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens, "middle-aged cut-throats" as one of their adversaries bitterly refers to them. Gilbert's urbane yet spare style, with its occasional grimness, is perfectly captured in the final pages of The Road to Damascus, a Calder-Behrens story, in which Mr. Behrens is being held at gunpoint by a traitorous British army colonel in a quiet wood:

"One thing puzzles me," said the colonel, breaking into his thoughts. "During all the time we have been talking here -- and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed our conversation -- I couldn't help noticing that you have hardly moved...."
Mr. Behrens said, raising his voice a little, "If I were to lift my right hand a very well-trained dog, who has been approaching you quietly from the rear while we were talking, would have jumped for your throat."
The colonel smiled. "Your imagination does you credit. What happens if you lift your left hand? Does a genie appear from a bottle and carry me off?"
"If I raise my left hand," said Mr. Behrens, "you will be shot dead."
And so saying, he raised it.."[4]

One of Gilbert's very earliest novels, Smallbone Deceased, is also highly regarded by many. [5]

After graduating with honors from the University of London in 1937 he served with the Royal Horse Artillery in Europe and North Africa during World War II. He was captured in 1943 and spent time in a prison-of-war camp in Italy; this experience served as the basis for one of his early novels, Death in Captivity. He also wrote numerous plays for the stage, radio, and television, as well as some non-fiction.

Gilbert was made a C.B.E. (commander, order of the British Empire) in 1980 and was received a Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association for "lifetime achievement" in 1994; the Mystery Writers of America named him a "grandmaster" in 1988. Quoted in his New York Times obituary, Gilbert's last publisher, Kent Carroll of Carroll & Graf, said of him: "He was always so utterly urbane and civilized. He wrote about a sordid world from the perspective of a gentleman. There was something comforting as well as exciting about that.[6]

Bibliography

Mystery novels

  • Close Quarters (1947)
  • They Never Looked Inside (1947) [U.S. He Didn't Mind Danger (1948)]
  • The Doors Open (1949)
  • Smallbone Deceased (1950)
  • Death Has Deep Roots (1951)
  • Death in Captivity (1952)
  • Fear to Tread (1953)
  • Sky High (1955) [U.S. The Country-House Burglar]
  • Be Shot for Sixpence (1956)
  • Blood and Judgement (1959)
  • After the Fine Weather (1963)
  • The Crack in the Teacup (1966)
  • The Dust and the Heat (1967) [U.S. Overdrive (1968)]
  • The Etruscan Net (1969) [U.S. The Family Tomb (1969)]
  • The Body of a Girl (1972)
  • The Ninety-second Tiger (1973)
  • Flash Point (1974)
  • The Night of the Twelfth (1976)
  • The Empty House (1978)
  • Death of a Favourite Girl (1980) [U.S. The Killing of Katie Steelstock]
  • The Final Throw (1982) [U.S. End-Game]
  • The Black Seraphim (1983)
  • The Long Journey Home (1985)
  • Trouble (1987)
  • Paint, Gold and Blood (1989)
  • The Queen Against Karl Mullen (1991)
  • Roller-Coaster (1993)
  • Ring of Terror (1995)
  • Into Battle (1997)
  • Over and Out (1998)

Collections of short stories

  • Game Without Rules (1968)
  • Stay of Execution (1971)
  • Amateur in Violence (1973)
  • Petrella at Q (1977)
  • Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens (1982)
  • Young Petrella (1988)
  • Anything for a Quiet Life (1990)
  • The Man Who Hated Banks (1997)
  • The Mathematics of Murder (2000)
  • The Curious Conspiracy (2002)

Notes

  1. ↑ Douglas Greene of Crippen & Landrau, quoted in The New York Times, 15 February 2006
  2. ↑ Mortal Consequences, A History From the Dectective Story to the Crime Novel, by Julian Symons, Harper & Row, New York, 1972, pages 199-201
  3. ↑ Twentieth Century Crime and Mystery Writers, John M. Reilly, editor, St. Martin's Presss New York, 1980, page 666
  4. ↑ Game without Rules, by Michael Gilbert, Harper & Row, New York, pages 1967, pages 23-24
  5. ↑ H. R. F. Keating included it in his Crime & Mystery: The 100 Best Books
  6. ↑ The New York Times, 15 February 2006

See also

External links

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