The Original Inspector George Gently Collection: Gently does it & gently by the shore

It took me a while to adjust from the TV Gently characters, this is set in a slightly earlier period and the characters are completely different to the TV series. If you recently watched the Magpie Murder series on tv this is more like the Gently books. Having said that these books are hugely enjoyable, with a good injection of humour written in. As the author has said its not a whodunnit as such as it becomes pretty obvious but its how George Gently gets his man or woman that is so engrossing. I'm only on book three so looking forward to a long relationship withe the new (old) characters.

The difference between the George Gently books and the TV series is rather interesting.The TV series is necessarily a period piece and sometimes self consciously so. It emphasises gloom and angst.The books are contemporary with the time in which they're written, which means that they remind us of some darknesses that the author doesn't even need to think about.With their sometimes flippant oversight of serious stories, the originals are very much better. You realise as you go along how well written they are and a compelling read.Recommended.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the George Gently TV series I was interested to go back to the beginning of the saga. This book was initially published in 1955 and it is a very different place and time. The writing is perfectly OK but betrays the idioms and styles of the time and almost reads as a history book. I was 15 then so I remember it well but I'm glad it's far and gone. Gently is not the man that Martin Shaw portrays and there is no John Bacchus. Even the locale is different being Norwich rather than Gateshead and the North East. Easily read and fairly forgettable but it passed a few hours.I suppose the germ for the TV series appears in later episodes of the Gently books as there seem to have been an awful lot of them. However, on the evidence of this first volume I shall not be bothering to work my way forward - not just yet anyway.

Excellent writing, superb plot structure and characterisation. The books were written in the mid 1950's and give a full flavour of the time. Alan Hunter was an excellent writer and should have been recognised far earlier than he was for his character Inspector George Gently. The books are far better tan the television series and I don't think that Peter Flannery has done the books any favours by moving the action to the North East and introducing his side kick John Bacchus. Some of the previous reviewers who have said the TV series is far better than the books have obviously missed the point and should really stick to watching EastEnders or Coronation Street. I have now ordered more of the series and am becoming slowly addicted to peppermint creams. Superb..

A gentle and civilised read in the traditional fashion. Perhaps a bit old fashioned for some modern tastes, little violenceand blood shed, but a good satisfying read based on intelligent reasoning.Dont think its anything like the recent TV series and you wont be disappointed.Am not knocking the TV project but the two have no connection with each other.

77 mentions of peppermint creams in one collection - just ridiculous! You paint a character by building them up: subtle nuances, dialogue, background. Having a character eat endless peppermint creams is not creative - it's boring! This is my second attempt at reading a Gently novel - I give up. It is rare that the TV series is better than the book - but this is one of those cases! The Gently books I’ve read so far all seem to be badly written, with a strange style which somehow prevents the reader warming to anyone - including the author. Very disappointing.

This is an early writing of the Gently books and doesn't, for me, have anything like the atmosphere of the T.V. series with the excellent Martin Shaw and his sidekick Sergeant Bacchus.

I had seen some episodes of the tv serie with Inspector Gently on the tv here, so I tried to know more about it all. Found the novels though, and tried with this two-set of them. I have to say that they are really intriguing, and if different from the tv episodes, they keep you glued to the pages with the smile of a cat waiting what's on the next chapter! Beyond, the writing is charming, smooth, elegant, never boring.

Love the TV series so I decided to read the books. This is a good start because it is yhe first teo books in one.

This is a lovely mystery series set in the 1960s . I ordered it originally because it stars Martin Shaw, but found it to be very well produced, with great acting, spectacular locations, and a lot of historical 60s detail that gives it authenticity. It also shows how far we've come in workplaces and society since those days, and how far we still haven't progressed. Very enjoyable.

Story is set in the 1950s in a very different England from today. Well written and engaging plot. Slow and well paced rhythm

I am a great fan of the TV series and when I saw this I couldn't wait to buy and read it.. I was not disappointed.. I will be buying more of the Inspector George Gently books in the future..

Entertaining story lines, good plots