Hardcover, No DJ, Very Good.

 

Of the eighteen mystery novels written by Glyn Carr that featured mountain-climbing detective and government agent Abercrombie Lewker, only seven have been published in the US, and only five of these appeared contemporaneously with the British editions.  Three of Lewker’s adventures were published under Carr’s real name, Showell Styles.  Settings for the Lewker books include all of the obvious ones, and some that aren’t: Norway, Austria, Switzerland, Nepal, Majorca, France and Wales.  Surprisingly enough, “Filthy,” as he is called by his friends, is described as short, bald and fat. Perhaps there is hope for all of us.

 

Styles-Carr had a life filled with many of the same kind of escapades as his hero, seeing much duty with the Royal Navy during World War II.  His first book, Death on Milestone Buttress (Geoffrey Bles, 1951) was recently published by Rue Morgue Press (2002), its first ever publication in the US.  His second and third books were published by Dutton as Guilt Edged mysteries. Born in 1908 and now in his 90s, Styles-Carr makes his home in his native Wales.