Alan Hunter (25 June 1922 – 26 February 2005)
was an English author of
crime fiction
Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...
, writing 46 novels featuring Inspector
George Gently
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd President ...
.
Initially a farmer, he became an antiquarian bookseller before writing his first novel.
Life
Hunter was born at
Hoveton
Hoveton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located within the Norfolk Broads, and immediately across the River Bure from the village of Wroxham. Whilst Hoveton is north of the river, Wroxham is south; but man ...
,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
and went to school across the
River Bure
The River Bure is a river in the county of Norfolk, England, most of it in the Broads.Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. . The Bure rises near Melton Constable, upstream of Aylsham, which was the original head of ...
in
Wroxham
Wroxham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish of Wroxham has an area of 6.21 square kilometres, and in 2001, had a population of 1,532 in 666 households. A reduced population of 1,502 in 653 households ...
. He left school at 14 and worked on his father's farm near Norwich. He enjoyed dinghy sailing on the
Norfolk Broads
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North ...
, wrote natural history notes for the local newspaper, and wrote poetry, some of which was published while he was in the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
during the Second World War.
He married, in 1944, Adelaide Cubitt, who survived him with their daughter. After the war he managed the antiquarian books department of
Charles Cubitt in Norwich. Four years later, in 1950, he established his own bookshop on Maddermarket in the city.
He retired to
Brundall
Brundall is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located on the north bank of the River Yare opposite Surlingham Broad and about 7 miles (11 km) east of the city of Norwich.
History
Brundall's name is of Anglo ...
in Norfolk where he continued his interests in
local history
Local history is the study of history in a geographically local context, often concentrating on a relatively small local community. It incorporates cultural and social aspects of history. Local history is not merely national history writ small bu ...
, natural history, and sailing.
From 1955 to 1998 he published a
George Gently
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd President ...
detective novel nearly every year. The majority are set in Norfolk.
Bibliography
*''The Norwich Poems'' (1944)
* The George Gently Series
** ''Gently Does It'' (1955)
** ''Gently by the Shore'' (1956)
** ''Gently Down the Stream'' (1957)
** ''Landed Gently'' (1957)
** ''Gently Through the Mill'' (1958)
** ''Gently in the Sun'' (1959)
** ''Gently with the Painters'' (1960)
** ''Gently to the Summit'' (1961)
** ''Gently Go Man'' (1961)
** ''Gently Where the Roads Go'' (1962)
** ''Gently Floating'' (1963)
** ''Gently Sahib'' (1964)
** ''Gently with the Ladies'' (1965)
** ''Gently North-West'' (1967)
** ''Gently Continental'' (1967)
** ''Gently Coloured'' (1969)
** ''Gently with the Innocents'' (1970)
** ''Gently at a Gallop'' (1971)
** ''Vivienne -- Gently Where She Lay'' (1972)
** ''Gently French'' (1973)
** ''Gently in Trees'' (1974)
** ''Gently with Love'' (1975)
** ''Gently Where the Birds Are'' (1976)
** ''Gently Instrumental'' (1977)
** ''Gently to a Sleep'' (1978)
** ''The Honfleur Decision - Gently Under Fire'' (1980)
** ''Gabrielle’s Way - Gently Heartbroken'' (1981)
** ''Fields of Heather - Gently In The Past'' (1981)
** ''Gently Between Tides'' (1982)
** ''Amorous Leander - Gently With Passion'' (1983)
** ''The Unhung Man'' (1984)
** ''“Once a Prostitute”'' (1984)
** ''The Chelsea Ghost'' (1985)
** ''Goodnight, Sweet Prince'' (1986)
** ''Strangling Man'' (1987)
** ''Traitor's End'' (1988)
** ''Gently with the Millions'' (1989)
** ''Gently Scandalous'' (1990)
** ''Gently to a Kill'' (1991)
** ''Gently Tragic'' (1992)
** ''Gently in the Glens'' (1993)
** ''Bomber’s Moon'' (1994)
** ''Jackpot!'' (1995)
** ''The Love of Gods'' (1997)
** ''Over Here'' (1998)
** ''Gently Mistaken'' (1999)
Adaptations in other media
In 2007 the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
''. Two more stories, 'The Burning Man' (adapted from the book 'Gently Where the Roads Go') and 'Bomber's Moon' (adapted from the book of the same name), were broadcast by the BBC in July 2008. All three were written by
who is credited with creating the series for television. The role of George Gently is played by
. A second series (with the title expanded to ''
'') was broadcast in 2009, a third in 2010, a fourth in 2011, a fifth in 2012, a sixth in 2014 and a seventh in 2015. The series differs markedly from the books, being set in
rather than in Norfolk, and with different characters (other than the eponymous Gently).