Death of Anton

By Alan Melville and Martin Edwards

Seven Bengal tigers are the star attraction of Carey's Circus. Their trainer is the fearless Anton, whose work demands absolute fitness and the steadiest of nerves. When Anton is found lying dead in the tigers' cage, it seems that he has lost control and been mauled by the tigers - but Detective-Inspector Minto of Scotland Yard is not convinced.

Minto's investigations lead him deep into the circus world of tents and caravans, clowns and acrobats, human and animal performers. No one is above suspicion. Carey, the circus-owner with a secret to hide; Dodo, the clown whose costume is scratched as if by a claw; and Lorimer, the trapeze artist jealous of his flirtatious wife - all come under Minto's scrutiny as the mystery deepens.

This amusing and light-hearted novel from the golden age of British crime writing has long been neglected, and this new edition will help to restore Melville's reputation as an author of extremely entertaining detective fiction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Release date: Dec 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9781464208737

Alan Melville

ALAN MELVILLE (1910–1983) was a well-known television broadcaster, as well as a playwright, producer, and scriptwriter. Among his works are several crime novels from the 1930s, often set in the popular entertainment world he knew firsthand. Quick Curtain and Death of Anton were reissued as British Library Crime Classics in 2015.

Reviews for Death of Anton

[liz1564 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This mystery was sent to me by Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you.The Death of Anton is a great fun! Lion-tamer Anton, the star attraction at the Carey Circus, has been found dead in the lion cage and it appears that his cats have killed him. Inspector Minto of Scotland Yard happens to be a guest at a party given by Dodo a circus clown and so is on the scene when the body is recovered. Very quickly he determines that the cause of Anton’s death is not the beasts but rather three neatly placed bullets in his chest. Who among the colorful residents of the traveling circus hated Anton enough to kill him and why? Is it his understudy who has been demoted to roustabout because he couldn’t handle the cats. Or the young trapeze artist whose wife was too friendly with Anton. Maybe it was the owner who was hoping Anton would buy the circus or even Dodo who found the body. Then, again, it could have been someone outside the circus who was worried that Anton might have discovered some shenanigans in the field where the circus was pitched.Minto,in town for his sister’s wedding to an innocuous vacuum-cleaner salesman, has his hands full because his suspects keep getting themselves murdered! It doesn’t help that Minton’s brother is the local parish priest who actually has had the murderer confess to him and is bound by the seal of the confessional not to reveal the murderer.The mystery is atmospheric and funny. Minto is a droll detective and the other characters are quirky. So pop some popcorn, find a comfy chair, and enjoy an afternoon’s read