6 OCTOBER 1961, Page 29

And now, after more than ten years of re- viewing

crime fiction, six of them in the service of this paper, first as 'Christopher Pym' and more recently under my own name, I lay down my poison pen. My successor is a lady with a notably criminal turn of mind : Miss Esther Howard takes over in a few weeks' time. For my- self, it's time I read some other kind of book for a change, preferably something very long in which nothing at all ever happens. The Prime Minister speaks highly of Trollope.

CYRIL RAY