"The Case of the Demented Spiv" by George Bellairs

"The Case of the Demented Spiv" by George Bellairs is part of the Inspector Littlejohn Mysteries series. The story begins with a dramatic entrance—a disheveled and unstable man bursts into the Oddfellows' Arms pub, ranting about a body at Fennings' Mill. When the police investigate, they discover a peculiar scene: a corpse with theatrical makeup and a false mustache. Inspector Littlejohn is called in to unravel the mystery, which leads him through a web of lies and secrets in a seemingly quiet English village.

This classic British detective novel showcases Bellairs' knack for creating intriguing plots and atmospheric settings