The last part of the Lucifer Box trilogy sees our hero aged and approaching retirement. Set in the 1950's Black Butterfly clearly draws influence from the early Bond novels. Gatiss writes with his usual flair and wit and there is much here to amuse, ranging from puns (the sinister organization A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.) to parody (the game of snooker Box plays against the scout leader was clearly inspired by Bond's round of golf with Goldfinger).

I was never sure about the idea of having each part of the trilogy set at a different time of Box's life. In Black Butterfly Box is struggling to accept the fact that he can't get up to the full range of antics that he enjoyed in his youth, and as a reader I also regretted that Box here is clearly past his prime.

The plot is a little too slap dash for its own good and the book feels that Gatiss wrote it on a bit a whim whilst preoccupied with weightier matters. Recommended only for fans of the first two. ( )

In 1953, Lucifer Box, once the brilliant agent of a very special branch of the secret service, is due to retire. And he's not happy about it. Or about his advanced age for that matter. But there's one more adventure in store when he gets tangled in a case of the black butterfly, which takes him to Turkey and Jamaica. ( )

The final part of the Lucifer Box Trilogy. Box is aged but as still deliciously naughty as ever. Fantastic fun. ( )

Pleasant lightweight read. Further Lucifer Box novel when Lucifer is near retirement. He starts investigating his friends suspicious death only to find a much larger conspiracy. ( )

It was a snappy & OK read, I just thought Gattiss left too much fun out that was more pronounced in the first 2 books. ( )