# Any Colin Watson ( The Crime Writer ) Fans Out There

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-colin-watson-the-crime-writer-fans-out-there/284877>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 15, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-colin-watson-the-crime-writer-fans-out-there/284877 "2005-01-15T17:18:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-colin-watson-the-crime-writer-fans-out-there/284877/1 "2005-01-15T17:18:00Z")

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The UK has produced a string of crime writers , ranging from Agatha Christie to Ian Rankin. One person who tends to be overlooked is Colin Watson. He wrote a dozen novels in the 60’s and 70’s but died at the comparatively young age of 60. All his novels are set in the small , east England town of Flaxborough which is probably Boston , Lincolnshire in real life. The “hero” is Inspector Purbright who investigates various crimes ( including murder ) amongst what appears to be a genteel town but is seething with lust , jealousy and corruption. If you haven’t read any and are running out of crime authors I recommend these books. They are funny , rather rude and very enjoyable.

The BBC made a few programmes based on these stories back in the 70’s , starring Anton Rodgers , but it has been years since they were broadcast. Lets hope they can be resurrected. As for the books they can be readily found , second hand, on Ebay and Amazon.They sometimes come under the generic title of the _Flaxborough_ _Chronicles_. Give them a try!