Inspector French's Greatest Case

I had read Mystery in the Channel from this series as a British Library Crime Classic several years ago and had liked it, so I had planned to explore that series further. However, I did not enjoy this book at all and abandoned it after 89 pages/33%.

The beginning was good and I was interested in the case, but I was increasingly bored because nothing really happened in the investigation. Moreover, both Inspector French and his subordinate are insufferable, especially when it comes to their behavior towards women. Flirting with a young, inexperienced woman, inviting her on a date and getting her drunk, just to gain a little bit of information about her employer, is a strategy that seems totally appropriate to these men. And don't get me show more started on Inspector French's attitude towards his wife.

There was a lack of women in Mystery in the Channel and I criticized this in my review, but it might have been merciful because it spared me from things like those mentioned above. No more Inspector French for me. show less

To be honest, my favourite part of this book was Mrs French's addressing of him as Watson. I laughed quite hard at that.
Inspector French investigates a theft of Diamonds and murder where there are a lot of red herrings and travel and also a lot of clever twists and turns before the story concludes. I really enjoyed how, even though sometimes the next step was obvious it still was necessary to conclude the story and that motive was as important as whodunnit.
It was a bit slow to start but once it gained momentum I found it hard to put down.

I think I would have rated this much higher if it weren't for the title. If this was Inspector French's Greatest Case, then it's no wonder that his books are virtually forgotten today.

A man goes to work at a jewelry shop only to find the dead body of a senior clerk and an empty safe. French takes over the case. The investigation is described in mind-numbing detail, along with his frequent trips to Europe - the Netherlands, Spain, France, etc, which are either by rail (with the entire route carefully described, including a time table) or by sea. At this point, I had all but given up. So when I temporarily misplaced this book, I wasn't exactly heartbroken. And when I got it back, I finished more because I wanted to get it over with than show more because I really cared how it ended.

It ended with a big climax aboard another ocean-going ship, complete route included (just in case you wanted to book passage) and Inspector French being surprised by the identity of the murderer.

This was a classic example of "tell, don't show." Not recommended for anyone. If you want to try another book by this author (this was his first book, and it really shows) Inspector French and Cheyne Mystery is better. Although even then, the ending could have been much better. Crofts seems to go for the very conventional story.

To be fair, this might have been a much better read at the time. But as a modern reader, I kept thinking that if he had taken a plane ride, it would have sped up the plot a lot. And where was Scotland Yard getting all this money to pay for his fares? Never once does French end up short on cash or miss his connection. Silly read, all around. show less

This is Inspector French’s debut mystery story, written in 1925 or so. French investigates a robbery and murder of a diamond merchant in London’s Hatton Garden. His investigation takes him all around London and also to Europe: Switzerland, Spain, France and Portugal. The exciting capture of the villain takes place in Oporto, Portugal. So in addition to the whodunit, there’s also the adventure of train and ship travel to entertain the reader.

French is the narrator and star of the story. He has no “sidekick” like Holmes had Dr. Watson. His sounding boards are his wife and his superior officer back at Scotland Yard. Readers see the various suspects through French’s eyes and experiences.

The plot is engaging – not overly show more complicated – and moves along at a good clip. Several times French thinks he has his culprit, only to have them slip away. He is frustrated but keeps going. The resolution comes in the last chapter , with the howdunit details revealed in the following Epilogue. A satisfying conclusion to an interesting murder mystery.

Note: The eBook I read was not a British Library Crime Classic edition, so there was no Martin Edwards’ Introduction which usually appears in them. I enjoy those essays and missed having one here. show less

The first book about Crofts' best-known sleuth still makes for good reading, if you can overlook his flaws (in terms of writing style he makes Agatha Christie look like Henry James). The plot here involves a robbery at a Hatton Garden jewellers' firm, in which the chief clerk is murdered, and French's dogged pursuit of the criminals. Some red herrings are not developed very well, and an astute reader will probably spot the plot twist rather easily, but it's still worth your time if you like Golden Age mysteries.

Lots of travel for the good detective as he attempts to solve a diamond robbery and murder. Not much in the way of suspense, just a concentration on detecting.

I enjoyed it, especially somebody running around London and getting anywhere he wished to be in a matter of minutes!

This is called "inspector French's Greatest Case" but it was also the first Inspector French case, so it did not have much competition at the time. My recollection is that there are laterFrench cases I liked better. This one involves a clerk reporting finding an open safe at a diamond merchant's office --and the body of the merchant's chief clerk.