The Longest Pleasure

Masters and Green #15

by Douglas Clark

Hatred is the longest pleasure, and it is manifested in a particularly horrifying form when almost simultaneously in four widely separated parts of Britain there are calculated outbreaks of botulism. In each outbreak the source is traced to an infected tin of meat, and each tin was bought in one of the supermarkets of the same national chain. The Home Office suppresses news of the outbreaks to prevent widespread panic, and also calls in Chief Superintendent Masters and Chief Inspector Green of Scotland Yard, who rise magnificently to the challenge in an investigation that is technically absorbing and packed with suspense.

Genres: Mystery

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Douglas Malcolm Jackson Clark was a British author.

He was also known by the pseudonyms James Ditton and Peter Hosier.

Reviews

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Longest Pleasure (1981) by Douglas Clark is one of the first Masters and Green books I discovered back in the 1990s. My book-logging was spotty at times before I started blogging, so I'm not sure if this or my next intended reread, The Gimmel Flask, was the first one but it was definitely one of the reasons I got hooked on the series. And it was definitely one of the first mysteries I read where the investigating officers spent so much time getting intricate bits of technical information to help speed their case along. One might think that all that technical detail would make the eyes of non-scientific types like me cross or at the very least be snooze-inducing, but it really doesn't. Clark has a way of bringing the fine details into the story conversationally and in laymen's terms so I feel like I'm learning something without feeling forced to learn something (if that makes sense...).

In this particular outing, we learn all the finer details of botulism. For instance, did you know that there are several types*? This becomes important to the investigation. And that's one good thing about Clark's books--he may foist a bunch of scientific facts on his audience, but they're never info-dumps for the sake of info-dumps. There's always a purpose and if you're sharp enough to put the bits together properly you can keep up with Masters. And Masters is in a bit of a rush this time round. He's got a mad scientist (quite literally) at work doctoring tins of various meats (luncheon meat, ham, fish, etc.) and planting them in various branches of a supermarket chain. Several families fall ill before Masters and his team collect enough information to spot a pattern and figure out the type of murderer we're looking for and what his motivation might be. Masters is determined to work as quickly as possible to prevent any more sickness and death.

It's interesting to watch Masters, Green, and company at work on what seems at first to be a motive-less crime. If crime it is--they're not even sure of that to begin with. We, the readers, are because why else would Clark be giving us this scenario? But following the reasoning of the team to the point where they believe something nasty is going on makes for good reading. It was also interesting (especially in light of the current health crisis and the current administration's "handling" of it) to see intelligent people dealing with a health problem in an efficient and yet humane manner. This is another enjoyable installment in the series with one of the many unusual murder methods that Clark has produced over the run of 27 books. I gave it ★★★★ when I first read it and there is no reason to quibble with that rating now.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of the review. Thanks.

(*labeled A-F in this story--and a quick search on Google shows there's now a G [identified in 1981--apparently after this was published])

[Doug Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this 1981 novel DCS George Masters and DCI Bill Green take on one of their most challenging assignments, finding the source of the botulism that has contaminated three containers of tinned meat imported from three different countries and sold at three different stores in three different cities in England. Since the three stores belong to the same supermarket chain, the detectives adopt the hypothesis that the perpetrator wants to hurt that chain. It appears that he also must be a scientist with excellent laboratory skills. The type of can in which the botulism appears is one helpful clue, and the type of botulism in the cans is another. Data and skillful reasoning help lead them to the criminal within just a few days.

At the start of this series there was a lot of friction between Masters and Green. But they eventually become fast friends, with Green becoming the godfather of Masters' infant son. They work together smoothly in this case.

[P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dangerous threat to the entire English Isle is resolved by Master's quick thinking and intuition, in 5 days. It does seem a bit unrealistic, but there's a mass of detailed explanation of the mechanics of the grave threat to back things up, although I skimmed much of it. Not a bad read.

[Cynthia Grove · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good reliable story. As it deals with food poisoning readers might want to be cautious about meals when reading.
This isn't a scintillating read but very workman like. The scenes on the Isle of Wight took me back a lot of decades which was enjoyable.

[John Sargent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great concept. Well done but motive a little weak.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Botulism. A series of illnesses and deaths have been attributed to botulism found in various tins of meat and fish. But how did it get to the tins, and why, and why only the tins from one nationwide store. Masters and his team investigate
Enjoyable mystery
Originally published in 1981

[Barry Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Chief Superintendent Masters and his team have been given another seemingly impossible task. Somebody with a grudge is placing cans of food contaminated with botulism onto supermarket shelves and people are dying. Scotland Yard have been brought into to catch the culprit.