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Murder from the Newsdesk: 10 Headline Hero mystery short stories Kindle Edition

by Peter Bartram (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 out of 5 stars 3,175 ratings

MURDER FROM THE NEWSDESK

Crime reporter Colin Crampton uses every newspaper scam he knows to crack 10 more mysteries

Colin Crampton opens up his casebook to share 10 of the most baffling stories he’s ever chased. Why was a room in a widow’s home filled to the ceiling with second-hand clothes? How did a single red sock lead Colin to unmask a cop killer? What deadly secret was that innocent seafront ice-cream parlour hiding?

Just how was a fraudster fixing races at the greyhound stadium? What secret did the mystery blue suitcase from the railways station’s left luggage office hold? You’ll find the answers to these and other mysteries here.

“A bright and breezy set of stories – there are some clever ideas in them.” – In Search of the Classic Mystery Nove
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  1. Print length
    135 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    April 25, 2016
  5. File size
    4.8 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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From the Publisher

Colin Crampton, crime correspondent of the Brighton evening Chronicle
Brighton is a great town on the south coast of England
Peter Bartram

Meet the author

Peter Bartram brings years of experience as a journalist to his Crampton of the Chronicle crime mystery series. His novels are fast-paced and humorous - the action is matched by the laughs.

The books feature a host of colourful characters as befits stories set in Brighton, one of Britain's most trend-setting towns. Peter began his career as a reporter on a local weekly newspaper before editing newspapers and magazines in London, England and, finally, becoming freelance. He has done most things in journalism from door-stepping for quotes to writing serious editorials. He’s pursued stories in locations as diverse as 700-feet down a coal mine and a courtier’s chambers at Buckingham Palace.

Peter is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers' Association.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Breezy journalist Colin Crampton is very engaging" - Simon Brett, award winning crime writer

About the Author

Peter Bartram brings years of experience as a journalist to his Crampton of the Chronicle crime mystery series. His novels are fast-paced and humorous - the action is matched by the laughs. The books feature a host of colourful characters as befits stories set in Brighton, one of Britain's most trend-setting towns.
 
Peter began his career as a reporter on the Worthing Herald newspaper before working as journalist and editor in London, England and finally becoming freelance. He has done most things in journalism from door-stepping for quotes to writing serious editorials.
 
He's pursued stories in locations as diverse as700-feet down a coal mine and a courtier's chambers at Buckingham Palace. Peter wrote 21 non-fiction books, including five ghost-written, in areas such as biography, current affairs and how-to titles, before turning to crime - and penning Headline Murder,the first novel in the Crampton series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01ETJPIDG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Bartram Partnership
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 25, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.8 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 135 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 3,175 ratings

About the author

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Peter Bartram

Peter Bartram

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Peter Bartram brings years of experience as a journalist to his Crampton of the Chronicle crime mystery series. His novels are fast-paced and humorous - the action is matched by the laughs. The books feature a host of colorful characters as befits stories set in Brighton, one of Britain's most trend-setting towns.

You can download Murder in Capital Letters, a free book in the series, for your Kindle from www.colincrampton.com.

Peter began his career as a reporter on a local weekly newspaper before editing newspapers and magazines in London, England and, finally, becoming freelance. He has done most things in journalism from door-stepping for quotes to writing serious editorials. He’s pursued stories in locations as diverse as 700-feet down a coal mine and a courtier’s chambers at Buckingham Palace. Peter is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers' Association.

Follow Peter on Facebook at www.facebook.com/peterbartramauthor.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3,175 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find these mystery short stories delightful and quick to read, featuring clever plots about journalism. The writing is well-crafted, and customers appreciate the humor and character development, with one review noting the variety of crimes and characters. The stories are fast-paced and intriguing, with one customer highlighting their vintage setting in the 1960s.

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81 customers mention "Readability"73 positive8 negative

Customers find the book delightful and easy to read, describing it as a quick read that's worth their time.

"...The stories are as much fun to read as Bartram likely had writing them...." Read more

"...Very Jessica Fletcher. This is a cute read if you want something light and easy that you won't mind putting down." Read more

"...of short stories from British writer Peter Bartram are a delight to read. The dry humor the Brits are famous for makes this read especially enjoying...." Read more

"...A breezy tale spiced with humour, and written by a journalist in a typically journalistic style. Brilliant." Read more

62 customers mention "Story quality"55 positive7 negative

Customers enjoy the stories in this collection, describing them as clever, fun mysteries about journalism, and full of intrigue.

"...charity ***** An appropriately named villain, Septimus Darke, kicks off this mystery...." Read more

"...A good time killer and some light, easy reading. Nothing too deep or thought provoking...." Read more

"...Sit back and soak in the ironies and humor in the well written stories from across the pond." Read more

"...fellow, he has a knack for following up on hints and turning them into big crime stories, from the seemingly absurd to the major headline crackers,..." Read more

14 customers mention "Character development"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book, with one customer particularly appreciating the flow of the same character throughout the stories and another noting the appropriately named villain.

"...Bartram has even more fun with his characters’ names...." Read more

"...The Mystery of the African charity ***** An appropriately named villain, Septimus Darke, kicks off this mystery...." Read more

"...The characters are wonderful." Read more

"This book was full of intrigue and action. The storyline and the characters were ok. The main character I liked a lot...." Read more

13 customers mention "Humor"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it spiced with wit, with one customer highlighting its great collection of short comedic whodunits and another noting its very proper British phrasing.

"...I liked the author’s humor even though it dangerously flirted with puns, deemed by many to be humor of the lowest form...." Read more

"...The dry humor the Brits are famous for makes this read especially enjoying...." Read more

"...A breezy tale spiced with humour, and written by a journalist in a typically journalistic style. Brilliant." Read more

"I really enjoy Colin Crampton series! It's funny and witty and very interesting. Very authentic...." Read more

9 customers mention "Writing quality"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, describing it as cleverly crafted.

"...Brilliant." Read more

"...The author did a great job and made a very nice collection not only of stories but of characters too...." Read more

"Did not realize these were short stories. They were cute and clever, but not what I expected. I doubt I will read other stories from this author." Read more

"...Okay for some bedtime reading. A few short stories that were well thought out. Not so intense that it got me riled up before I tried to go to sleep." Read more

7 customers mention "Mystery content"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the mystery content of the book, with one review noting it's different from other cozy mysteries and another mentioning it's an entertaining listening experience.

"...I gave this collection four Amazon stars because it kept my interest despite frequent appearances of British English slang, both old and modern...." Read more

"Free ebook for honest review. This was different from other cozy mysteries, a series of short stories like blurbs in the newspaper...." Read more

"...Having said that they are very readable and intriguing, set in the 60s they invoke the spirit of the day...." Read more

"These little stories were fun to read, each was different and left me wanting more. I look forward to reading more by this author." Read more

7 customers mention "Pace"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fast-paced and quick, with one customer noting it's a welcome change of pace.

"...A welcome change of pace, well written." Read more

"...They are cute and humorous. A very quick and enjoyable read." Read more

"A fun read. Quick and punchy vignettes. An unusual writing style and that's not bad. Give it a read. You'll like it." Read more

"Fast moving, easy reading, great for entertainment while eating a meal alone. Loved the flow of the same character through each of the short stories." Read more

5 customers mention "Era"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's era, with one customer noting it reflects the mid-century period, while another mentions it is based in the 1960s.

"...much Intrigue, to build any depth yet definitely reflected the mid-century period--as it's affectionately called now...." Read more

"I liked these stories way more than I thought I would. Vintage setting in place and time, but not dated at all...." Read more

"...well written and complete and filled with English slang and based in the 1960's. On the last page you are offered a free novella." Read more

"...that never gets boring, great references to care and fashions from the early 1960s...an all around great short story to wipe away a lazy afternoon!!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Glynn Young
    5.0 out of 5 stars Seven fun mystery stories about journalism
    Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Seven short mystery stories comprise Murder from the Newsdesk by Peter Bartram. All involve Colin Crampton, the crime correspondent for the Brighton Evening Chronicle. The stories are as much fun to read as Bartram likely had writing them.

    In “The Mystery of the African Charity,” a recent widow is being bothered by her nephew, who’s storing used clothes at her house for an African charity. The nephew is not the type to be involved in philanthropy, and a friend of the widow asks Crampton to look into it. “The Mystery of the Two Suitcases” involves suitcases being left and exchanged at the local railway station. And there’s a mink coat inside one of them.

    “The Mystery of the Single Red Sock” begins with Crampton buying gin at the off-license when a would-be robber arrives, wielding a baseball bat. Crampton thwarts the robber, but is drawn into a larger story. In “The Mystery at the Beauregard Hotel,” Crampton receives a tip (from his landlady) that there’s been a double murder at establishment, and he looks into it only to find something else entirely. “The Mystery of the Precious Princess” involves a greyhound, and who may be fixing races at the local dog racing track.

    “The Mystery of the Note on the Beach” is about an apparent suicide, except Crampton sees something being staged instead of an actual suicide. And in “The Mystery of the Phantom Santa,” a little boy happens to mention to Crampton that he’s been seeing Santa Claus arriving each night at the garage attached to the boy’s house.

    Bartram has even more fun with his characters’ names. And the Evening Chronicle’s editor, Frank Figgis, is a character drawn straight from life (I knew people just like him when I worked for a newspaper in Texas).

    Author Peter Bartram has had a long career in journalism, including being a reporter on a weekly newspaper, an editor for newspapers and magazines in London, and freelance journalism – all of which have been utilized in creating the character of Colin Crampton. Bartram is also a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers’ Association.

    “Murder from the Newsdesk” is light, easy-to-read, and entertaining.
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  • Ron K
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very Proper British Phrasing
    Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Murder from the Newsdesk is a purchase-for-free 69-page novella from Amazon. Author Peter Bartram presents seven stories which I believe fall into the category of “cozy” mysteries. There is no sexual language, which is good because there are no sexual situations. There is no violence. Throughout each of the stories, there is humor, but it is very dated. The collection was published in April 2016, but the jokes come from the 60s. Example: “What did Cinderella say when the developers mislaid her photos?” Answer: “Some day my prints will come.” All humor in the collection follows this vein. Another time reference internal to stories is “The Dave Clark Five were belting out Glad All Over on the juke box.”

    Murder from the Newsdesk might frustrate US readers with British vocabulary that I believe is outdated. What is worse than unfamiliar slang? Answer: Unfamiliar slang that is outdated. Examples: In the field of gambling and horse racing, what are “gee-gees?” Outside the world of horse racing, what are “nobble, scarpered, and shufty?” A quick check of the Kindle dictionary gave me the meaning of two of the four terms, but not the remaining two. I am also unfamiliar with what a Bob, a Pence, and a Pound are worth. I don’t even know if they are in use or whether the Euro either replaced or is used as a tandem currency for financial transactions.

    The Mystery of the African charity ***** An appropriately named villain, Septimus Darke, kicks off this mystery. Colin Crampton, the crime reporter for the Evening Chronicle, knew the name and that cursory knowledge would have been the end of it except for a favor he had promised a fellow employee at the newspaper morgue, Freda. Lennie Stapleton, the husband of Connie, an old friend of Freda, had died recently. A nephew, Denzil, had been bothering Connie about Lennie’s old clothes. Would she donate them to a charity Denzil was running? Connie thought something was wrong and was suspicious about Denzil and his request. She had gone to the police, but they ignored her. Freda had volunteered the help of the newspaper’s crime reporter to dig into Denzil’s activities. Not all charities come with charitable intentions.

    The Mystery of the Two Suitcases ***** This story suggests an answer to the question “How can I give a receive an expensive gift from my lover without my husband knowing?” A solution the wife came up with did not work out well. Why? The answer, in this case, is unusual. I have no idea what “clears off in high dudgeon” means. (Location 418).

    The Mystery of the Single Red Sock ***** Colin wanted to buy a bottle of gin from his favorite retailer and pick up hints of crimes to come from the elderly owner. There are hints that he wanted more than gin; his favorite retailer was only a favorite of Colin’s; most people wanting alcohol went somewhere else. It was unfortunate that the robber picked Colin’s shopping time to rob the owner. It was unfortunate for the robber because the infrequently visited shop had almost no money to hand over. It was unfortunate for Colin as he was minorly injured in a fight with the thief. Colin felt that his editor’s next assignment, to interview a woman who had reported the theft of a red sock one day and a blue sock the following day, was a punishment for Colin achieving fame and a front-page story about the burglary. Bartram ties up three elements and three crimes in this short story.

    The Mystery at the Beauregard Hotel ***** Two couples checked into the Beauregard Hotel. The names of each pair were probably false. In the dining room for the evening meal, Mrs. Green made overt gestures to Mr. Brown, suggesting a later meeting. The following morning Mrs. Green and Mr. Brown had breakfast together before leaving the hotel together. The other couple, Mr. Green and Mrs. Brown, had disappeared and there was a bloodstain on the carpet in their room. Had a double murder occurred? Mrs. Gribble, Colin’s landlady, wanted him to check the situation out. The police had laughed at Mrs. Gribble’s account. My vocabulary mystery for this story is the meaning of “farrago?” (location 677). US readers also might puzzle over the phrase “eating their tea.”

    The Mystery of the Precious Princess ***** Princess is a greyhound whose owner, Fred Dubbins, will run her in an upcoming race. Princess will be listed as a favorite. Fred has noticed that no favorite has won in the past three competitions and calls Colin to discuss the problems that Fred might encounter with possible criminal involvement. Three top owners make up the possibilities for dog race fixing. One mystery is, “Who is cheating?” But there is a better mystery, “How is the guilty party doing it?”

    The Mystery of the Note on the Beach ***** A scam artist specializing in quick return investment schemes has disappeared into the Channel, the probable death was possibly a suicide. That is what the scammer wants everyone to believe. A pile of his clothing was found by the brother of Colin’s landlady, so he thought it logical to go to Colin rather than the police. Colin suspected, even knew that there was no suicide. Colin accompanied the brother to the pile of clothing. Colin stumbled across convincing evidence just in time.

    The Mystery of the Phantom Santa ***** Colin met a small boy practicing football at a public park. Colin was there hoping for a visit from a muse telling him what to write for his newspaper on Christmas Eve. The boy suggested a story about Santa Claus or Father Christmas. The boy had seen Santa behind his house every night for three nights. Santa appeared to be taking, not leaving presents. The boy’s mother, Victoria, appeared to take her son shopping and found out the stories her son had been telling Colin. Victoria was visibly upset and denied the stories vigorously. She seemed to be far more emotional in her disagreements with her son than needed. On a whim, Colin followed the pair on their shopping trip. Were the mother and son buying or selling?

    I gave this collection four Amazon stars because it kept my interest despite frequent appearances of British English slang, both old and modern. I liked the author’s humor even though it dangerously flirted with puns, deemed by many to be humor of the lowest form. This collection is a good “clean” read for a lazy weekend.
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  • cree
    3.0 out of 5 stars Cute compilation of stories, reminds me of Murder She Wrote!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I downloaded this to read on a plane, and for that reason I finished it. I actually read the whole thing in about an hour. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad...it was just OK. A good time killer and some light, easy reading. Nothing too deep or thought provoking.

    This is actually a collection of several short stories. I believe they were originally printed in a newspaper or magazine, and this is a compilation of works by one author about the same character. He's a reported on the crime beat for a local paper, and he finds himself solving all kinds of mysteries in 10 pages or less.

    These stories actually reminded me of a Murder She Wrote type of story. Nothing too deep, but still entertaining. A writer solves all the mysteries, not the police. He's a bit nosy and looks into things when he really shouldn't. And sometimes he makes remarkable leaps that always turn out to be 100% accurate in helping him solve the crime. Very Jessica Fletcher.

    This is a cute read if you want something light and easy that you won't mind putting down.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Cynthia Elmore
    5.0 out of 5 stars The old English dry humor is strong
    Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This collection of short stories from British writer Peter Bartram are a delight to read. The dry humor the Brits are famous for makes this read especially enjoying. Sit back and soak in the ironies and humor in the well written stories from across the pond.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • P. J. M. Beard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant little book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Great collection of short stories, ideal for a book at bedtime. Great fun and well written. A very entertaining way to end the day.
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  • Juran Liu
    5.0 out of 5 stars A really good collection of short stories
    Reviewed in Canada on July 18, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a really good collection of short stories. Most stories are subtle but quaint. I enjoyed them so much.
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  • Dr. Niyati Chitalia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Murder from the newsdesk
    Reviewed in India on March 11, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book,for the lovely anecdotes, and beautiful language. The book is old, but you realize that crime never gets old. I want to read more books by Peter Bartram.
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very good
    Reviewed in Australia on August 21, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Clean, wèll written, funny, just not long enough, I'll look for more by this author and hope they are 5 star
    . long
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  • Brwnsgr
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in Canada on September 20, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A collection of fun short mystery stories. Sometimes suffers from withholding vital clues until the final reveal which can be annoying.
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