Michael Gilbert
Encyclopedia
Michael Francis Gilbert, CBE
(17 July 1912 – 8 February 2006) was a British
writer of both fictional mysteries
and thrillers who wrote as Michael Gilbert.
in London for many years and at one point had Raymond Chandler
as his client. He had a very long and very productive writing career, beginning with his first novel, Close Quarters, in 1946 and continuing through 1999 with Over and Out. He wrote almost every sort of mystery and thriller, perhaps spreading himself too thin over too many fields to achieve the reputation that many critics felt he deserved. He wrote police procedural
s, spy novels and short stories, courtroom dramas, classical mysteries, adventure
thrillers, crime novels, and almost every possible combination of these, all with the same competence and dry, detached wit.
Perhaps among his very best books are two collections of short stories about two gentlemanly but exceedingly hard-boiled fictional British counterspies, Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens
, "middle-aged cut-throats" as one of their adversaries bitterly refers to them. One of his earliest novels, Smallbone Deceased, is also highly regarded by many.
Gilbert was educated at Blundell's School
and the University of London
, where he read Law
. After a spell teaching at a prep school, he joined the Honourable Artillery Company
when war broke out, serving in North Africa and Italy. In 1943 he was captured and imprisoned in northern Italy, escaping after the Italian surrender.
He was the father of the writer and broadcaster Harriett Gilbert
and the Independent
journalist Gerard Gilbert.
Details of other short stories can be found in B. A. Pike, The Short Stories of Michael Gilbert. An annotated checklist, 1948-1997 (CADS: South Benfleet, Essex, 1998).
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(17 July 1912 – 8 February 2006) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer of both fictional mysteries
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
and thrillers who wrote as Michael Gilbert.
Life and work
Gilbert was a lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in London for many years and at one point had Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
as his client. He had a very long and very productive writing career, beginning with his first novel, Close Quarters, in 1946 and continuing through 1999 with Over and Out. He wrote almost every sort of mystery and thriller, perhaps spreading himself too thin over too many fields to achieve the reputation that many critics felt he deserved. He wrote police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
s, spy novels and short stories, courtroom dramas, classical mysteries, adventure
Adventure
An adventure is defined as an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome. The term is often used to refer to activities with some potential for physical danger, such as skydiving, mountain climbing and or participating in extreme sports...
thrillers, crime novels, and almost every possible combination of these, all with the same competence and dry, detached wit.
Perhaps among his very best books are two collections of short stories about two gentlemanly but exceedingly hard-boiled fictional British counterspies, Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens
Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens
Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens are fictional counterspies created by the British mystery and thriller writer Michael Gilbert.They have appeared in two collections of stories, Game without Rules and Mr. Calder & Mr...
, "middle-aged cut-throats" as one of their adversaries bitterly refers to them. One of his earliest novels, Smallbone Deceased, is also highly regarded by many.
Gilbert was educated at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
and the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, where he read Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. After a spell teaching at a prep school, he joined the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
when war broke out, serving in North Africa and Italy. In 1943 he was captured and imprisoned in northern Italy, escaping after the Italian surrender.
He was the father of the writer and broadcaster Harriett Gilbert
Harriett Gilbert
Harriett Sarah Gilbert is an English writer, academic and broadcaster, particularly of arts and book programmes on the BBC World Service. She is the daughter of the writer Michael Gilbert...
and the Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
journalist Gerard Gilbert.
Mystery novels
- Close Quarters (1947)
- They Never Looked Inside (1947) [U.S. He Didn't Mind Danger (1948)]
- The Doors Open (1949)
- Smallbone Deceased (1950)
- Death Has Deep Roots (1951)
- Death in Captivity (1952) [U.S. The Danger Within]
- Fear to Tread (1953)
- Sky High (1955) [U.S. The Country-House Burglar]
- Be Shot for Sixpence (1956)
- Blood and Judgment (1959)
- After the Fine Weather (1963)
- The Crack in the Teacup (1966)
- The Dust and the Heat (1967) [U.S. Overdrive (1968)]
- The Etruscan Net (1969) [U.S. The Family Tomb (1969)]
- The Body of a Girl (1972)
- The Ninety-second Tiger (1973)
- Flash Point (1974)
- The Night of the Twelfth (1976)
- The Empty House (1978)
- Death of a Favourite Girl (1980) [U.S. The Killing of Katie Steelstock]
- The Final Throw (1982) [U.S. End-Game]
- The Black Seraphim (1983)
- The Long Journey Home (1985)
- Trouble (1987)
- Paint, Gold and Blood (1989)
- The Queen Against Karl Mullen (1991)
- Roller-Coaster (1993)
- Ring of Terror (1995)
- Into Battle (1997)
- Over and Out (1998)
Collections of short stories
- Game Without Rules (1968)
- Stay of Execution (1971)
- Amateur in Violence (1973)
- Petrella at Q (1977)
- Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens (1982)
- Young Petrella (1988)
- Anything for a Quiet Life (1990)
- The Man Who Hated Banks (1997)
- The Mathematics of Murder (2000)
- The Curious Conspiracy (2002)
- Even Murderers Take Holidays and other mysteries (2007)
- A Pity about the Girl and other stories (2008)
Details of other short stories can be found in B. A. Pike, The Short Stories of Michael Gilbert. An annotated checklist, 1948-1997 (CADS: South Benfleet, Essex, 1998).
External links
- http://www.mysterylist.com/gilbert.htm appraisal of all of Gilbert's books
- The Daily Telegraph obituary
- Article on Michael Gilbert