One of the presses I’d hoped to get to during #ReadIndies in February was Galileo Publishers; a recent discovery, they’re a Cambridge-based outfit who specialise in re-issuing Golden Age crime, and they’ve been kind enough to provide several titles for review. All of them sound fascinating, but when I was casting about for my next read, one particular book caught my eye – “The King and Corpse” by Max Murray. With its stylish cover and its Riviera setting, it sounded like the perfect escapist read I was craving – and it really was!

Murray is an author I hadn’t come across before, and he was an Australian journalist who, after a stint on a Sydney newspaper, travelled around the world doing a variety of jobs. As well as working for the BBC during WW2, he wrote a number of crime novels, including eleven which contained the word ‘corpse’ in the title. This particular volume is the second in the sequence, and gets straight into the action from the very first page!

Anthony Tolworth is sidekick, social secretary and general factotum to Rudolph, the exiled king of Althenia. The entourage, aboard the royal yacht, is anchored on the Riviera and Tony stumbles across a body on the beach. This turns out to be the notorious Leonardo Manetti, known for his dodgy dealings and a bit of a bad lot all round. The authorities are initially inclined to cover up the death, until an envoy arrives from Althenia; for it turns out that Manetti was one of their citizens and they want the murder investigated. The police are promptly put on the case, but it turns out that one of the main suspects is the lovely Eve Raymond, with whom Tony is rather obsessed…

Needless to say, Tony is drawn into trying to investigate and get to the truth. Complications ensue when Rudolph also appears to be rather taken with Eve; Tony summons his formidable Aunt Ethelreda, a school headteacher from London, who wants to investigate herself; and two bright-eyed young boys from her school turn up on holiday on the Riviera, and are intent on getting in on the action. However, there seem to be a plethora of suspects, with many people happy to see Manetti dead. But what *is* his connection with Rudolph and Althenia? How is Eve’s somewhat reclusive father involved with Manetti, and why does he seem familiar to Ethelreda? And how will things pan out for Tony, Eve and all with an interest in Althenia?

I have to say that Murray tells a lively, witty and very entertaining story; this book was a real treat to read! There’s humour and snappy dialogue, plenty of action, a smattering of romance, and the characters of Ethelreda and the boys Roger and John added a wonderfully funny aspect to the mystery. There were a good number of red herrings, the Riviera setting was beautifully conjured and I found the book a perfect piece of escapist reading. Tony himself, the nearest we have to a formal detective, was an engaging protagonist and a great foil to the rather pompous Rudolph (who, rather unexpectedly, has a sideline in selling cars to make ends meet!)

As for the mystery, no, I didn’t guess who was the murderer before the reveal! The ending of the book was very satisfying, with order being restored and a suitable destiny arranged for all. “King…” is a well-written book, and although it has the central murder and mystery, the lives of the characters and their pasts and futures are given plenty of space to develop, which made the story even more enjoyable. On the basis of this one, I’m really keen to read more of Murray’s mystery books, and well done to Galileo for making his work available again!

Review copy kindly provided by the publisher, for which many thanks!