Nicolas Freeling
The death has occurred in France
on 20 July 2003 of Nicolas
Freeling, a novelist best known
for his Van der Valk and Castang
crime stories.
Born in London in 1927 he spent his
childhood
in England, Ireland and France.
As a young man yearning to write
he travelled in Europe and,
while working as a chef in
Amsterdam, was arrested and
interviewed by the Dutch police.
This experience gave him the
basis for the creation of
Inspector Van der Valk in his
first novel 'Love in Amsterdam'
published in London in 1962.
He returned to live in Amsterdam
and further novels followed but
he upset his readership when,
having moved to France and
lost touch with the current
idiom of Holland he killed off
Van der Valk. He then concentrated on
a new hero, the French
detective, Henry Castang, who
first appeared in 'A Dressing of
Diamond' in 1974, and his Castang novels were
eventually regarded by many as the superior
of the two.
There have been
thirteen Van der Valk and
sixteen Castang titles as well
as seven other books. A
winner of the Crime Writers'
Gold Dagger (1964) and the Edgar
Allan Poe (1966), his work has been
critically
acclaimed as being that of a
literary novelist who used crime
as a background rather than as a
straight crime writer.
Peter Harrington
Stephen Foster reports: It is
with sadness that we record the
death on 13th August of a
well-known bookselling colleague
Peter Harrington, founder and
co-owner of Peter Harrington
Antiquarian Books, The Old
Church Galleries and The Chelsea
Bindery.
Peter started selling books in
the late 1960's, and his brother
Adrian joined him in the
business in the early 1970's.
Harrington Brothers were a major
presence in the Kings Road
Chelsea for over 25 years,
selling fine bindings, travel
and literature. In the late
1990's the brothers sold the
premises and there was a mutual
split of the business, Adrian
moving to 64a Kensington Church
Street and Peter to 100 Fulham
Road, where he was joined by his
son Pom in their splendidly
fitted shop.
Despite his illness, Peter's
death came as a real shock.
Being my bookselling father's
oldest customer, I remember him
being an active part of my
formative years in the book
trade - always a keen and astute
buyer. He was always so full of
a love of life and had a
tremendous generosity and
energy, as well as a good tale
and a ready laugh. He will be
greatly missed.
The bookshop, gallery and
bindery will continue to be run
by the family and their capable
staff. There will be a memorial
service at 11am on September 4
at the Brompton Oratory,
Brompton Road, London SW7, and
rather than flowers Peter had
asked for donations to be made
to The Royal Marsden Hospital,
to help support those that
provided expertise and kindness
during his illness.
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