5 September 2009

The George Gently novels

Just recently ABC TV here in Australia has been feeding us the George Gently series.



I've really been enjoying them, and have thought about reading some of the novels.
They are really a bit old-fashioned, gentle police procedurals
I thought you might like to know what I've found out.

About George Gently
Inspector George Gently (simply called George Gently for the pilot and first series) is a British television series produced by Company Pictures for BBC One, set in the 1960s and based on the Inspector Gently novels by Alan Hunter and featuring Martin Shaw as the eponymous inspector, and Lee Ingleby as Detective Sergeant John Bacchus. It moved the setting of the stories to Northumberland and County Durham from the Norfolk portrayed in the books.

Following the murder of his wife by notorious gangster Joe Webster, Inspector George Gently is pondering retirement. When he hears about a murder in Northumberland that sounds like Webster's handiwork, he delays his retirement to take on this one last case. Paired with local detective DS John Bacchus, he must track down Webster, while at the same time trying to deal with his headstrong young partner and keep him on the straight and narrow.
Adapted from the 8th novel Gently Go Man, published in 1961.

The pilot was produced in 2007.
There was a series of 2 produced in 2008
and a series of 4 in 2009.
I think we are seeing all 7 as one series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_George_Gently

Alan Hunter 1922-2005, published the first novel in the series in 1955, and the last in 1999
Surprisingly my library has 11 titles including the first
Here is the list from Fantastic Fiction.

Gently Does It (1955)
Gently by the Shore (1956)
Gently Down the Stream (1957)
Landed Gently (1957)
Gently Through the Mill (1958)
Gently in the Sun (1959)
Gently with the Painters (1960)
Gently Go Man (1961)
Gently to the Summit (1961)
Gently Where the Roads Go (1962)
Gently Floating (1963)
Gently Sahib (1964)
Gently with the Ladies (1965)
Gently Continental (1967)
Gently North-West (1967)
aka Gently in the Highlands
Gently Coloured (1969)
Gently in Another Omnibus (omnibus) (1969)
Gently with the Innocents (1970)
Gently at a Gallop (1971)
Vivienne: Gently Where She Lay (1972)
Gently French (1973)
Gently in Trees (1974)
aka Gently Through the Woods
Gently with Love (1975)
Gently Where the Birds are (1976)
Gently Instrumental (1977)
Gently to a Sleep (1978)
The Honfleur Decision (1980)
Fields of Heather (1981)
aka Death on the Heath
Gabrielle's Way (1981)
aka Scottish Decision
Gently Between Tides (1982)
Amorous Leander (1983)
aka Death on the Broadlands
The Unhanged Man (1983)
aka Unhung Man
Once a Prostitute (1984)
The Chelsea Ghost (1985)
Good Night, Sweet Prince (1986)
Strangling Man (1987)
Traitor's End (1988)
Gently With the Millions (1989)
Gently Scandalous (1990)
Gently to a Kill (1991)
Gently Tragic (1992)
Gently in the Glens (1993)
Bomber's Moon (1994)
Jackpot! (1995)
The Love of Gods (1997)
Over Here (1998)
Gently Mistaken (1999)

9 comments:

Peter Rozovsky said...

That looks like a nice, generously sized clip.

Thanks.
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

Heartbeatoz said...

I'm thoroughly enjoying this TV Series so it would be interesting to see what you think of the Books.

Unknown said...

Your review and video clip certainly make one want to see and/or read the books. I just love the BBC productions of mysteries. I hope they one this one here in the US. Thanks again for the info. I will be looking up his books.

bstilwell12 at comcast dot net

Martin Edwards said...

Alan Hunter was, in a way, a disciple of Simenon - as was W.J. Burley. He was a sound writer, though I found Strangling Man a disappointment. I think his earlier books may have been the best.

Kerrie said...

I am constantly amazeed at what you can find on Youtube Peter. As you say a generously sized clip. It seems to me that on YouTube itself you might be able to watch most of that episode if you follow the clips available there.

Kerrie said...

Heartbeatoz I am enjoying it too. he is a really good character isn't he?

Kerrie said...

Hope you enjoy the books as much Barb

Kerrie said...

Thanks for the advice Martin

Nan said...

We saw three episodes on dvd from netflix. Sadly, those are the only ones available. I hope they put the rest of them on dvd. We thought it a wonderful series.

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