A Nameless Coffin, by Gwendoline Butler (CT Publishing, £4.99 in UK)

Nice to see Butler's early novels being republished

Nice to see Butler's early novels being republished. I first came across her in the 1960s - this present volume came out in 1966 - and was intrigued to read her to see if the work had dated. It hasn't. Of course the books don't contain the overt sex and violence of today's mystery fiction, but the storylines and psychological insights are still as fresh as they were 30 years ago. In this one, her protagonist, Inspector John Coffin, is investigating a bizarre series of crimes that first began in a Scottish town and has now resurfaced in London. Short, sharp and neatly put together, the book will satisfy any fan of the more traditional type of detective story.