Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories

A fun collection of short stories from the pen of Colin Dexter: half featuring his great, eponymous creation and, of the other three, two lacking a master detective. the final tale, both in my review, and also the book, is a tale involving, Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. These two giants of detective fiction rival each other to read the facts behind a disappearing bridegroom mystery that has more than an echo of a real Conan Doyle outing. Dexter, however brings them both to ground when Watson proves them both to be in error. Good for you Mr. Dexter, I have long waited to see Holmes taken down a peg or two by his loyal side-kick!

Morse is one of those detectives that, due to the TV series has seeped into the nation's conciousness without you having to read any of the books. This was the first time I've read a Morse book, and the series of short stories set in an around Oxford do not all include Morse. I like him, he's a bit grumpy, he's a bit set in his ways, he's probably a tyrant to work for, but he has a something about him. There's a heart of gold under the gruff exterior, but there's also a sharp inteliigence and a fine knowledge of human nature. Some of these stories feel like they were trial runs for a longer story, it feels like they could be fleshed out, in othercases, it is just the right length. They are, to some extent, dated, the world has moved on show more to mobiles and the like, while Morse continues to exist in a world where there are pay phones on the corners of roads. I wonder if that will make them easier to read in the future as a period paiece, it's almost like it feels old fashioned now, but will be historic in the future. show less

I was only vaguely aware of Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis as British TV shows when I read this collection of stories, 30 years after it's 1996 publication.

I found this to be a very fun read. The stories have fun twists and a decent sense of humor while still managing to keep up a feeling of tension and suspense.

I enjoyed all of the stories--some were rather light and some were really quite clever: I especially enjoyed "Evans Tries An O-Level".

My enthusiasm for Colin Dexter's writing flagged during the course of reading this collection of short stories. My initial high opinion was gradually worn down, in large part due to the sparsity of female characters of any depth: those that do appear are largely sexual objects. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised as Morse on T.V. was always letching after someone or other, but it's still disappointing.

Don't get me wrong, that wasn't the sole issue. I found many of the stories unsatisfying in a vague way what I find hard to describe, although one in particular, the Sherlock Holmes spoof, was pure genius. That and other bits that inspired the odd wry chuckle earn the extra 1/2 a star above "average". Nevertheless, I shan't be show more rushing to seek out more Colin Dexter. show less

Short stories and novellas; about half are Morse stories. Dead as a Dodo is absolutely delightful; most of the rest are interesting.

A DELIGHTFUL COLLECTION OF INSPECTOR MORSE SHORT STORIES, BLENDING WIT, INTELLECT, AND CLASSIC CRIME-SOLVING CHARM.

Inspector Morse mysteries have been my favorites for a while. The mysteries themselves are often a bit convoluted; I think it's the character of Inspector Morse that holds my interest. Morse has a bit of a drinking problem, an eye for the ladies, and a sharp tongue for his underlings, but he's also very intelligent (of course!) and shows compassion and sensitivity. As I reflect on the series as a whole, I think one could probably make some interesting comments on the treatment of female characters in the series (more on that later, maybe!).
Alas, I think I have read them all now.