Nicolas Freeling facts for kids

Nicolas Freeling (born Nicolas Davidson; 3 March 1927 – 20 July 2003) was a British writer. He was famous for his detective stories. His most well-known books were about a detective named Van der Valk. These books became popular TV shows. The first show, Van der Valk, aired in the 1970s and 1990s. A new version of Van der Valk started in 2020.

About Nicolas Freeling

Nicolas Freeling was born in London, England. He traveled a lot during his life. He lived for a long time in a place called Grandfontaine in France. He had many different jobs before becoming a writer. He worked in the armed forces and in restaurants.

Freeling started writing while he was in prison for three weeks. He had taken some veal home from a restaurant where he worked. This was a common practice in the restaurant business at the time.

His Famous Detectives

Freeling wrote many books about his Dutch detective, Van der Valk. But he got tired of writing about him. So, in 1972, he wrote a book where Van der Valk was shot and died. Freeling did not want to bring him back to life.

After that, he wrote two books where Van der Valk's wife, Arlette, became the detective. Then, he started a new series about a French police inspector named Henri Castang. He did this to help his income. Later, he did bring Van der Valk back to life in the book Sand Castles (1989).

Awards and Adaptations

Nicolas Freeling won important awards for his books. His novel The King of the Rainy Country won an Edgar Award in 1967. This award is given by the Mystery Writers of America for the best novel.

His book Gun Before Butter won France's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière. It was also a runner-up for the UK Crime Writers' Association's 1963 Gold Dagger Award.

Some of Freeling's books were made into movies and radio shows. The film Amsterdam Affair (1968) was based on his novel Love in Amsterdam. A radio play of his Henri Castang novel The Night Lords was made in 1990.

Nicolas Freeling's Books

Nicolas Freeling wrote many detective novels and other books.

Van der Valk Series

These books feature the Dutch detective Van der Valk.

• Love in Amsterdam (1962), a.k.a. Death in Amsterdam

  In this book, Van der Valk investigates the death of Elsa de Charmoy. She was a potter. The story takes place in Amsterdam, including a remand center where Freeling himself was once held.

• Because of the Cats (1963)
• Gun Before Butter (1963), a.k.a. Question of Loyalty
• Double-Barrel (1964)
• Criminal Conversation (1965)
• The King of the Rainy Country (1966)

  Van der Valk is asked to find Jean-Claude Marschal, who has disappeared. Van der Valk follows him to different cities in Europe. He finds Marschal dead.

• Strike Out Where Not Applicable (1967)
• Tsing-Boum! (1969)
• Over the High Side (1971), a.k.a. The Lovely Ladies
• A Long Silence (1972), a.k.a. Auprès de ma Blonde
• Sand Castles (1989)

Van der Valk's Wife, Arlette

These books feature Arlette Van der Valk as the detective.

• The Widow (1979)
• One ... Thing After Another (1981), a.k.a. Arlette

Henri Castang Series

These books feature the French police inspector Henri Castang.

• Dressing of Diamond (1974)
• What are the Bugles Blowing For? (1975), a.k.a. The Bugles Blowing
• Lake Isle (1976), a.k.a. Sabine
• The Night Lords (1978)
• Castang's City (1980)
• Wolfnight (1982)
• The Back of the North Wind (1983)
• No Part in Your Death (1984)
• Cold Iron (1986)
• Lady Macbeth (1988)
• Not as Far as Velma (1989)
• Those in Peril (1990)
• Flanders Sky (1992), a.k.a. The Pretty How Town
• You Who Know (1994)
• The Seacoast of Bohemia (1994)
• A Dwarf Kingdom (1996)

Other Novels

These are other novels written by Nicolas Freeling.

• Valparaiso (1964, first edition as by F. R. E. Nicolas)
• The Dresden Green (1966)
• This is the Castle (1968)
• Gadget (1977)
• A City Solitary (1984)
• One More River (1998)
• Some Day Tomorrow (1999)
• The Janeites (2002)

Non-Fiction Books

Freeling also wrote books that were not fiction.

• The Kitchen (1970)
• Cook Book (1972)
• Criminal Convictions (1994)
• The Village Book (2001)
• The Kitchen and the Cook (2002)

Adaptations of His Work

Nicolas Freeling's books have been made into TV shows, movies, and radio plays.

Television Shows

• Van der Valk (1972 TV series)

  This British crime drama was based on Freeling's novels. It first aired in 1972 and ran until 1992.

• Van der Valk (2020 TV series)

  This is a newer version of the original TV show, also produced for ITV.

Movies

• Amsterdam Affair (1968)

  A British film with German actor Wolfgang Kieling as Van der Valk.

• Pas de frontières pour l'inspecteur (Van der Valk)

  These were three French-West German TV films. Frank Finlay played Van der Valk.

  • Van der Valk und das Mädchen (Le milieu n'est pas tendre) (1972)
  • Van der Valk und die Reichen [de] (Discrétion absolue) (1973)
  • Van der Valk und die Toten (Le bouc émissaire) (1975)
• Because of the Cats (1973)

  A Dutch/Belgian movie with British actor Bryan Marshall as Van der Valk.

Radio Plays

Several of his books were adapted for BBC Radio.

• Gun Before Butter (1993)
• King of the Rainy Country (1994)
• Arlette and The Widow (1999)
• Not as Far as Velma (1990)

  This was a six-part BBC Radio series.