Death Has Deep Roots: A Second World War Mystery

Death Has Deep Roots is the 5th book by Michael Gilbert with Inspector Hazlerigg (who has a cameo here). Originally published in 1951, this reformat and re-release, out 5th Nov 2019 is part of the British Library Crime Classics series by Poisoned Pen Press. The new edition is 288 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. (Other editions available in other formats).

This is a classic courtroom drama/mystery with locked room overtones. This is a really enjoyable and well written legal procedural from an author who wasn't well known to me. I haven't yet read a single clunker from the British Library Classics. This one, as the others in the series, is introduced with background from the ever erudite mystery maven Martin Edwards. These intros are frankly worth the price of admission by themselves and include background info on the authors, the history, and (in this case) the film adaptation. Good stuff.

The language is precise and the book is very well written if ever so slightly dated (it's almost 70 years old). The mystery is cerebral with a very interesting back history about WW2 and the French resistance and WW2. I would definitely recommend it to fans of legal and classic mysteries of the period. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.