What do you think?
Rate this book
The Little Walls
Why did he do it?The purpose of Philip Turner's journey to Amsterdam is to investigate the apparent suicide of his bother Grevil. He has not seen him for several years.His enquiries lead him from Holland to Capri in search of a mysterious girl to whom Grevil had written a cryptic farewell note.What part does the shadowy Jack Buckingham play? Why can he not be found? Martin Coxon is the only man who has ever known Buckingham well, but it is the girl who seems to have all the answers if she can be persuaded to talk.'An absorbing story' "Daily Mail"'Packed with suspense' "Daily Telegraph"
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
About the author
Winston Graham
156 books1,078 followersWinston Graham was the author of forty novels. His books have been widely translated and the Poldark series has been developed into two television series, shown in 22 countries. Six of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Winston Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) and in 1983 was invested an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In his death, he left behind a son and daughter.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 13, 2016
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076wbmjDescription: Philip has returned to Europe from America after his brother appeared to commit suicide in Amsterdam. His search for the truth takes him from England to Holland and Italy.
Stars Alex Jennings as Philip Turner, Roger Lloyd Pack as Martin Coxon, Kate Buffery as Leonie Winter, Vivian Pickles as Charlotte Weber and Norman Jones as Captain Sanbergh.
Winston Graham's novel was the first winner of the Crime Writers' Association award for best crime novel of the year in 1955. Dramatised by Juliet Ace.
January 14, 2021
Am I going to be someone who loves Winston Graham’s thrillers but never reads his Poldark novels?
His tales resemble those of Patricia Highsmith in that most of the protagonists are slightly off-centre and lack judgement as they follow their destiny in a manner which is by no means always admirable.
Here it’s 1955 and Philip Turner (jet salesman) returns from California after his happily married, older, father figure brother apparently drowns himself in an Amsterdam canal. He finds this difficult to reconcile particularly when it emerges that a letter recovered from Grevil’s pocket suggests that he has not only been conducting an affaire but that the woman has broken it off and subsequently disappeared along with a man with whom Grevil had been undertaking an archeological dig in the former Dutch East Indies.
Enlisting the help of the enigmatic Martin Coxon, who had met the missing man, Turner follows a trail to the red light district (the little walls of the title) of Amsterdam and on to Capri and the Amalfi coast which, viewed from the grey depths of UK COVID-19 lockdown, seem unattainably and colourfully glamorous.
Escapist heaven.
His tales resemble those of Patricia Highsmith in that most of the protagonists are slightly off-centre and lack judgement as they follow their destiny in a manner which is by no means always admirable.
Here it’s 1955 and Philip Turner (jet salesman) returns from California after his happily married, older, father figure brother apparently drowns himself in an Amsterdam canal. He finds this difficult to reconcile particularly when it emerges that a letter recovered from Grevil’s pocket suggests that he has not only been conducting an affaire but that the woman has broken it off and subsequently disappeared along with a man with whom Grevil had been undertaking an archeological dig in the former Dutch East Indies.
Enlisting the help of the enigmatic Martin Coxon, who had met the missing man, Turner follows a trail to the red light district (the little walls of the title) of Amsterdam and on to Capri and the Amalfi coast which, viewed from the grey depths of UK COVID-19 lockdown, seem unattainably and colourfully glamorous.
Escapist heaven.
August 12, 2022
⭐️ 2.5 stars ⭐️
December 1, 2019
I really enjoyed this book as it reminded me very much of an Agatha Christie murder mystery. The Little Walls was thrilling and kept me in the edge of my seat. I didnt expect the outcome and was pleasantly surprised.
April 1, 2023
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Winston Graham had a number of suspense novels published. The Little Walls was published in 1955; my copy is the fourth impression, 1972. (Those were the days when you could see how often a book was reprinted!)
It’s written in the first person and I found it comparable to Hammond Innes in style and tone, though perhaps less technical. Philip Turner’s older brother Grevil’s body was discovered in a canal in Amsterdam. Suspected suicide. Philip can’t believe it and sets out to determine that it was murder. Apparently, on Grevil’s body was a letter from a woman called Leonie, breaking off their relationship. Philip still did not believe his brother would take his own life. Grevil had been on an archaeological dig with a mysterious adventurer called Buckingham.
Philip takes leave from his business in America and enlists the help of Martin Coxon, someone who knew Buckingham some years ago.
Grevil’s death occurred in the insalubrious district of De Walletjes – which translates as ‘the Little Walls’. ‘At one place, in a cellar decorated with modern murals which would have left Freud practically nothing to interpret…’ (p50).
Dutch Inspector Tholen fears Grevil was involved in some shady dealings and ran foul of local villains. Philip’s investigations take him to Naples and Capri, where he links up with a group of rich individuals with intriguing back-stories and a liking of cocktail parties, which normally were anathema to Philip: ‘The buzz of voices, introductions forgotten as soon as made, remarks which meant nothing drowned by others which meant less…’ (p129).
Reading the story, one could almost believe it had happened – always the sign of a good narrator. The descriptions of the scenery and characters are well done, and there is a burgeoning romance, a betrayal, a fight to the death, and a twist towards the end.
The cover is one of several that feature a character’s facial close-up, all of which are eye-catching. (Though in this case the female protagonist is fair-haired in the book!). These other covers of books I still have to read are: Greek Fire (1957), The Tumbled House (1959), and After the Act (1965).
It’s written in the first person and I found it comparable to Hammond Innes in style and tone, though perhaps less technical. Philip Turner’s older brother Grevil’s body was discovered in a canal in Amsterdam. Suspected suicide. Philip can’t believe it and sets out to determine that it was murder. Apparently, on Grevil’s body was a letter from a woman called Leonie, breaking off their relationship. Philip still did not believe his brother would take his own life. Grevil had been on an archaeological dig with a mysterious adventurer called Buckingham.
Philip takes leave from his business in America and enlists the help of Martin Coxon, someone who knew Buckingham some years ago.
Grevil’s death occurred in the insalubrious district of De Walletjes – which translates as ‘the Little Walls’. ‘At one place, in a cellar decorated with modern murals which would have left Freud practically nothing to interpret…’ (p50).
Dutch Inspector Tholen fears Grevil was involved in some shady dealings and ran foul of local villains. Philip’s investigations take him to Naples and Capri, where he links up with a group of rich individuals with intriguing back-stories and a liking of cocktail parties, which normally were anathema to Philip: ‘The buzz of voices, introductions forgotten as soon as made, remarks which meant nothing drowned by others which meant less…’ (p129).
Reading the story, one could almost believe it had happened – always the sign of a good narrator. The descriptions of the scenery and characters are well done, and there is a burgeoning romance, a betrayal, a fight to the death, and a twist towards the end.
The cover is one of several that feature a character’s facial close-up, all of which are eye-catching. (Though in this case the female protagonist is fair-haired in the book!). These other covers of books I still have to read are: Greek Fire (1957), The Tumbled House (1959), and After the Act (1965).
July 9, 2023
This book won the very first CWA Golf Dagger (then known as the Crossed Red Herring Award) for the best crime novel in 1955. Overall it hasn't aged well and is very much of its time, making some of the language challenging to read in places. However it is a great thriller, with a twisting plot and interesting characters. Graham is better known for writing the Poldark series of novels, which I feel are better in many ways. I'm glad I read one of his crime novels but I don't think I will be seeking any more out!
May 19, 2020
It's fun to go back to the successful books of the genre from that period and identify the elements that elevated the genre to a respectable status. Stereotypical characters, predictable twists and hidden layers, exoticism and glimpses of the high life make up a still enjoyable but dated mix.
July 12, 2013
The Little Walls has been sitting on my shelf for a few years, most likely picked up at a second hand sale because I was familiar with Winston Graham's Poldark series which I read as a teenager and enjoyed. This novel tells the story of Philip Turner who returns to England from America following the death of his brother, the esteemed archaeologist, Greville Turner, in Amsterdam. While it seems to be accepted that Greville killed himself, Philip does not believe his brother would have done that, and is determined to go to Amsterdam to prove otherwise. Philip travels to Amsterdam with Martin Coxon, a former military man, who can help him identify Buckingham, a mysterious character who had apparently taken up with Greville, and may hold the clues to his death. This is a fairly stilted novel, the characters are very detached and not particularly engaging. There is nothing much in the way of action, although Philip does try to kill Coxon late in the novel, having established that he is not who he claims to be. There are a few female characters who do not add much interest, and the action moves between Amsterdam and Italy, before Philip finally accepts Greville's suicide as fact. It is quite dated in style and not in a good way, certainly it has little in common with the Poldark novels.
April 16, 2016
From BBC radio 4 Extra:
Philip has returned to Europe from America after his brother appeared to commit suicide in Amsterdam. His search for the truth takes him from England to Holland and Italy.
Stars Alex Jennings as Philip Turner, Roger Lloyd Pack as Martin Coxon, Kate Buffery as Leonie Winter, Vivian Pickles as Charlotte Weber and Norman Jones as Captain Sanbergh.
Winston Graham's novel was the first winner of the Crime Writers' Association award for best crime novel of the year in 1955. Dramatised by Juliet Ace.
Producer: Ned Chaillet
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1991.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076wbmj
The Poldark Saga:
4* Poldark (Poldark, #1)
4* Demelza (Poldark, #2)
3* Jeremy Poldark (Poldark, #3)
4* Warleggan (Poldark, #4)
4* The Black Moon (Poldark, #5)
5* The Four Swans (Poldark, #6)
4* The Angry Tide (Poldark, #7)
3* The Stranger from the Sea (Poldark, #8)
3* The Miller's Dance (Poldark, #9)
3* The Loving Cup (Poldark, #10)
4* The Twisted Sword (Poldark, #11)
4* Bella Poldark (Poldark, #12)
4* Marnie
4* The Walking Stick
3* Cornish Farm: A Collection of Short Stories
CR The Little Walls
Philip has returned to Europe from America after his brother appeared to commit suicide in Amsterdam. His search for the truth takes him from England to Holland and Italy.
Stars Alex Jennings as Philip Turner, Roger Lloyd Pack as Martin Coxon, Kate Buffery as Leonie Winter, Vivian Pickles as Charlotte Weber and Norman Jones as Captain Sanbergh.
Winston Graham's novel was the first winner of the Crime Writers' Association award for best crime novel of the year in 1955. Dramatised by Juliet Ace.
Producer: Ned Chaillet
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1991.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076wbmj
The Poldark Saga:
4* Poldark (Poldark, #1)
4* Demelza (Poldark, #2)
3* Jeremy Poldark (Poldark, #3)
4* Warleggan (Poldark, #4)
4* The Black Moon (Poldark, #5)
5* The Four Swans (Poldark, #6)
4* The Angry Tide (Poldark, #7)
3* The Stranger from the Sea (Poldark, #8)
3* The Miller's Dance (Poldark, #9)
3* The Loving Cup (Poldark, #10)
4* The Twisted Sword (Poldark, #11)
4* Bella Poldark (Poldark, #12)
4* Marnie
4* The Walking Stick
3* Cornish Farm: A Collection of Short Stories
CR The Little Walls
September 2, 2016
winner of the cwa best book in 1955 and the first in my new challenge to read them all. Stood the test of time really well,despite its cast of middle class men, it is a well made and subtle story. With strong and believable characters,good dialogue and plot it's well worth a read.
December 10, 2015
It starts really interesting and you read it very fast, but in the middle, as the story develops interest starts decreasing.. It is still an nice and well writen story!
April 14, 2016
7 APR 2016 - recommendation through Bettie. Thank you.
Listening link - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076wbmj
13 APR 2016 - a well-done listen-to.
Listening link - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076wbmj
13 APR 2016 - a well-done listen-to.
Want to read
October 29, 2018Synopsis: why did he do it? Philip Turner journeys to Amsterdam to investigate the apparent suicide of his bother Grevil. Things get murky.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews