The Blitz Detective
London’s East End in the early years of the Second World War. German bombing raids are increasing on the packed terraced streets and dockyards. Detective Inspector John Jago, working for the Metropolitan Police CID, is faced with the death of a local businessman and magistrate, Charles Villiers, who was found in his car, either murdered or a suicide. Matters complicate when the body and any associated evidence are subsequently destroyed in an air raid and Jago, along with his younger assistant Detective Constable Peter Cradock, investigate his death and uncover a number of possible suspects who may have wanted the death of Villiers, an unpleasant and disliked man. A second death (this time definitely a murder) complicates matters, as Jago exposes an unseemly mess of fraud, deception and thorough nastiness.
Jago is a bachelor and a veteran of The Great War, with the nightly bombing raids on the East End providing some traumatic reminders of the artillery bombardments he suffered on the Western Front in France. There is fine historical background, well researched and presented with lots of fascinating details. The narrative touches upon the role of the bombing on the London population, how they coped, the historical perception compared to the reality, and how criminal lowlife behaviour continued throughout the war. This is a capably written and plotted story, the story progressing in an expert manner. It seems a little unlikely, though, that DI Jago is asked to accompany a female journalist from the United States to help create a positive propaganda image for the transatlantic audience, given that he is at the same time heading up a double murder investigation, and there are a couple of hefty coincidences which stretch the reader’s credibility. Nevertheless, highly recommended and excellent historical crime fiction. There are more forthcoming volumes in the series, and I look forward to reading more about John Jago.
