Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers

Unhuman #3

by Wilkie Martin

Receiving unwanted attention after foiling an armed robbery, the unhuman Inspector Hobbes takes a long-overdue camping holiday, with Andy, his accident-prone friend, and Dregs, the delinquent dog. In the bleak and dangerous Blacker Mountains, Andy stumbles across something shocking, before falling for an attractive widow, while Hobbes wonders why an old gold mine has reopened.

On their return to the sleepy Cotswold town of Sorenchester, Hobbes is dumbfounded when Kathy, a reminder of his hippy days, turns up on the doorstep with her baggage. Since Hobbes has to solve a gold robbery and contemplate some perfectly ordinary rocks, Andy must entertain Kathy while trying to protect his new love from a monstrous opponent working for the sinister Sir Gerald Payne. Despite his usual blunderings and an inability to throw straight, Andy displays genuine courage.

Can Andy survive dinner with a vampire? Can Hobbes recover the gold? And what is Kathy’s relationship to Hobbes?

This, the third in Wilkie Martin’s unhuman series of fast-paced comedy crime fantasies will reveal all.

'I always knew you'd get ahead some day.'

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Crime, Supernatural

Audiobook

First published September 27, 2014

About the author

Wilkie Martin sets his Unhuman series of novels in the Cotswolds, where he lives. He introduces readers to a close-knit, small-town community filled with quirky and occasionally dangerous inhabitants, and an ‘unhuman’ policeman who maintains law and order.
Read/listen to samples of his books with these Nielsen widgets:

Inspector Hobbes and the Blood - unhuman I - http://book2look.com/vBook.aspx?id=ZrFHGPVxgR

Inspector Hobbes and the Blood was shortlisted for the Impress Prize for New Writers 2012

Inspector Hobbes and the Blood audiobook narrated by Tim Campbell was nominee for Audiobook Reviewer Listener Awards 2018 Mystery, Fantasy, Humor

Inspector Hobbes and the Curse - unhuman II - http://book2look.com/book/NqlwpcMhNm

Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers - unhuman III - http://www.book2look.co.uk/vBook.aspx?id=o8I6rbXQPo

Inspector Hobbes and the Bones - unhuman IV
- http://www.book2look.com/book/6EJ4xgUg5Z

Inspector Hobbes and the Bones audiobook narrated by Tim Campbell won Independent Audiobook Fantasy 2019 and was a nominne for VoiceArts Award Fantasy 2019


Razor - https://b2l.bz/qPxBBc


Wilkie Martin Website
twitter @wilkiewrites

Reviews

[carol. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something about this series has proven to be a perfect little in-betweener, amusing reads that go down smoothly without late nights or missed appointments. The third in a series about Inspector Hobbes and the hapless Andy, Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers details the adventures of the two as they go on holiday and investigate a bank robbery. For those who have yet to read the series, this installment can stand alone. However, there is background mystery to a couple of characters revealed here, as well as interesting character growth from the first, all the more satisfying with the build.

Can I confess? I was on the lookout for the puns. This one had me giggling, probably because it was so unexpected:

“‘Hardly, old boy, I’ve slowed down with age.’
‘Age?’ said Hobbes, looking severe. ‘More like your drunken life style.’
‘Drunken? I haven’t touched a drop since 1950.’
‘Since it’s only ten-past eight, now,’ said Hobbes, ‘you’ve lasted all of twenty minutes.’“

There’s an extended one based on Shakespeare that had me chuckling–and groaning. But don’t worry; it’s not all puns. There’s some straight-forward humor as well:

“‘I banged my head on the windscreen, but I’ll be alright in a moment.’
‘Yes,’ said Hobbes, ‘I saw that. What have I told you about seatbelts?’
‘Umm… seatbelts are for wimps?’
‘No… well, I may have said it once, but I also said that you should wear one.’“

In all seriousness though, Martin did a nice job of keeping within the structure of his world and character set-up and still managing to surprise me. Hobbes and Andy follow the Hobbes-Watson dynamic, with Inspector Hobbes is similar to his namesake; clever, observant and multi-talented, although with a penchant for cracking marrow bones over taking cocaine. Like Watson, Andy is usually two steps behind, frequently distracted by good food and a pretty face. As usual, Hobbes–and the reader–solve the mystery before Andy, so part of the enjoyment is seeing how it all unfolds. I also appreciate the development of Andy’s character. Although Andy plays the role of fool, the laughter around him is more from fondness than mocking, and that Andy is learning to appreciate the humor in it as well.

All in all, this installment tied up a number of interesting background threads as well as a lovely sunset montage that would be a satisfying series ending.

“It was worth hanging in there because I’d seen so many things I wouldn’t have otherwise. It was true some of them gave me nightmares, but it was great to have a life and to be building up a store of memories.“

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely

I do so love reading these books. They are urban fantasy with an unique English style.

Hope mr Martin keeps on writing this series.

[Arnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/201...

[kartik narayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review at my blog Digital Amrit

This, he’d stated, was neither a punishment, nor that my name had sprung to mind as a competent and reliable reporter. It was because no one else was available. Such remarks, typical of the man, made me question why I worked for him. I wouldn’t have, had I believed anyone else would employ me, and had I dared hand in my notice, for the Editorsaurus was a big, scary man, yet neither as big or scary as Hobbes, if rumours were to be believed … and I believed them..

Introduction
The Unhuman series , written by Wilkie Martin, consists of four books so far. These are ‘Inspector Hobbes and the Blood’, ‘Inspector Hobbes and the Curse’, ‘Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers’ and ‘Inspector Hobbes and the Bones’.

This series stars the eponymous Inspector Hobbes as well as Andy Caplet, the protagonist who is written in first-person. He is clumsy, unsure, dim-witted and possesses no redeeming qualities when we meet him. Inspector Hobbes on the other hand is the quintessential British Copper who is polite, smart, dynamic and not human. If Andy Caplet is best described as Bertie Wooster + Watson + Arthur Dent, then Hobbes is Jeeves + Holmes + Ford Prefect.

The stories revolve around solving mysteries in an outrageously punny way. These mysteries are set in the Cotswolds in the present world and are not too complex.

Read the full review at my blog Digital Amrit

[Alisi ☆ wants to read too many books ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of this series. I loved it all, from start to finish. Well, mostly all of it.

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong focus on character makes this another good entry in the series.

World: The world building is good once again, it’s very casual and cozy in the way in which it introduces new pieces to the world, especially the supernatural. Additionally the fact that the world building is mostly tied to characters and their origins and past makes this world feel lived in, cohesive and real. The new Vampire and also the gold angle was interesting and I really liked the locale change this time around, it was kinda fresh for the series.

Story: I liked how character driven and quiet moments this book was. There is a lot of bonding time between Andy and Hobbes and I really enjoyed it. It not only helped Andy as a character (which I am not a fan of) but it also gave a layer of depth to Hobbes which was missing. The story which is tied into their relationship and also the past is also an interesting one as at the core of this new book it’s about family and finding a place in the world for themselves and this book goes into that. I also liked the locale and the mystery, which was not really all that heavy and was kinda lost in the midst of all the drama, but it was still pretty good.

Characters: Andy is still a wet blanket but he has changed a bit over the series and this time he does come into his own a bit. He’s still a wet blanket but there are some dry patches that are comfortable and relatable. Hobbes and his situation this time around was great, giving great depth for him and his past which I think grounded him and made him less an enigma and more of a relatable character. The new characters from XXXX to XXXX both serve well for this book, one for Andy and one for Hobbes, they did a good job at expanding the cast of characters.

I really liked this new chapter in the series, it was character focused and I am more and more connected with these characters.

Onward to the next book!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really have enjoyed this series - it makes me laugh at unexpected things and the stories and characters are fun.

[Carolyn Injoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free kindle copy of Inspector Hobbes & the Gold Diggers unhuman III (humorous mystery) by Wilkie Martin published by The Witcherley Book Company from NetGalley for fair review. I gave it four stars. It reached my quirky sense of humor.

Andy Caplet, the disaster prone side kick of Inspector Hobbes might have found romance on a visit to the Blacker Mountains. He discovers a skeleton, the police are called, the widow arrives to identify the remains & over it, Andy was struck by the appeal of the widow, Daphne.

This is the third of a series but it serves well as a stand alone novel.

The characters are interesting: the unhuman (seriously large & strong) Inspector Hobbes, his housekeeper & excellent cook Mrs. Goodfellow, Sid the wealthy banker who is a vampire, Billy the multi-talented little person & Dreggs, the big black dog. It also has a full cast of dastardly villians: Sir Gerald Payne, Denny & Rupert. The bartender is Featherlight. This quote describes him well. "...attempted a look of wide eyed innocence that suited him as well as lipstick suits a fish."

After a narrow escape of a bullet Andy speaks of the attractiveness of new experiences being less attractive than a rut.

Can Andy escape his own clumsiness? Will Sir Gerald Payne meet his comeuppance? Where does Kathy fit into Hobbes' life?

Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O...

[Viking Jam · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://koeur.wordpress.com/2014/09/29...


Publisher: The Witcherley Book Company
Publishing Date: September 2014
ISBN: 9780957635180
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5

Publisher Description: Receiving unwanted attention after foiling an armed robbery, the unhuman Inspector Hobbes takes a long-overdue camping holiday, with Andy, his accident-prone friend, and Dregs, the delinquent dog. In the bleak and dangerous Blacker Mountains, Andy stumbles across something shocking, before falling for an attractive widow, while Hobbes wonders why an old gold mine has reopened.

Review: Pretty lame cover art.

Once again I was transported into another world where the characters are interesting and build in tandem with the story line. This author has become one of my favorites as he uses his characters to showcase a dry wit in tense situations. No one character leaves the story unscathed by this rapier like wit.

We finally get an idea as to what Inspector Hobbes truly is while riding along in search of stolen gold and the mystery of the Blacker Mountains. Although the plot is easily figured out early in the novel, most of your interest is in Andy. Why Andy? Well you can’t help but pull for the bungler especially when a cute damsel is in play.

Have fun with this one and hope that the author writes another.

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to the previous book, this one has a couple of huge improvements. Andy's behaviour isn't as obnoxious. I mean, he is completely dumb only once here. He no longer jumps when Mrs. Goodfellow speaks and he genuinely cares for Hobbes. He cared before too, but this time he shows us that too.
In 'Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers' Andy finally settles with these weird and wonderful people.

Another thing I loved is you finally get more information about Hobbes. And I love this character so much.

The mystery is decent too. There's a bank robbery, a skeleton and corrupted people to be dealt with. Even Andy finds more courage than before.

I really didn't like their American visitor, although she redeems herself a bit in the end.

[Tanya Avines · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magic is back! I was worried a bit when Mrs. Goodfellow went to visit a relative, and I absolutely could not stand Kathy's rudeness. But the old banter, witty jokes & Mrs. Goodfellows return, plus a little mystery, made for another fun book. Love Dregs, Hobbes & Andy.

[Tammie Painter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my absolute favorite Hobbes book so far.

The story line ran more smoothly than the first two books (which can take some side tangents that leave you scrambling to get back to the main path), I loved learning more about what Hobbes really is, and Andy -- although still a bumbling clod -- manages a win for once.

Also Mrs Goodfellow just gets funnier and funnier, and the puns and play-on-words jokes keep getting more and more grin-inducingly groan worthy : )

I feel you'd be a little lost if you started the series with this book, and the characters' progression wouldn't be as meaningful, so although this one was great, I'd still recommend reading books one and two before diving into three.

And I strongly recommend the audiobooks over the eyeball versions since the narrator really makes all the bad puns and character quirks come to life.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andy, who tells the story is a likable fellow prone to making well-intentioned mistakes, laid back but with a temper, and Hobbes' friend. Hobbes, in Andy's words, “... was a man, but a non-human one, if that made any sense.” Hobbes is also a policeman of prodigious size and strength. The story opens with Hobbes chasing bank robbers, and their getting away.

Before resuming the pursuit, Hobbes takes Andy for a vacation in the wilds. There, they discover things and meet the locals of varied character. That discovery and some of those locals turn out to be involved as Hobbes resumes the case.

As I began, I had the observation that this was like reading a comic book without pictures. That feeling never went away, but as I went on, I did find this an enjoyable read of a light-hearted nature. Yeah, it's funny sometimes (watch out for Hobbes' puns that go right past Andy.). This was my first foray into this series. I'm not sure if I will be back.

[David Grieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of the same. Great fun, intriguing and engrossing. If you like one you'll like them all. Gentle self-deprecating humour some of which is laugh out loud funny.

[Scott S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are surprisingly wholesome. Very much on the same level of class as a Holmes book. Our anti-hero remains somewhat unlikable, though it felt like the underpinnings were being put in place to correct that... just in time for the last book. We'll see.

Great narration.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really entertaining book and the latest in the Inspector Hobbes series, but, the first one I have read. I want to rate it 4 1/2 stars, actually, but, I can't give that rating here.

The world of Inspector Hobbes and his side-kick, Andy Caplet, is a fantastical place filled with unsuspecting humans, other-worldly folk, vampires and lots of mythical and unusual creatures, all living together in rural England. Hobbes is a policeman and has super-human strength and power beyond any ordinary man. He is a kind and caring man and takes the hapless Andy under his wing when he loses his job as a reporter. Living in Hobbes's house with his housekeeper, Mrs Goodfellow, Andy often helps Hobbes with cases he is working on, very often, causing more confusion along the way!

I loved this book from the first page. Andy is the narrator and is such a self-depreciating character that it is hard not to like him whilst feeling a little sorry for him, at the same time. The world built by Wilkie Martin is really unusual and is teaming with all kinds of creatures living together, but, seemingly unbeknown to most humans. It is amusing from the start and a really enjoyable read. Whilst this book does stand alone and the characters are easy to pick up with, I do think I would have benefitted from reading the series from the beginning, even if only to get the full back story on why Andy lost his job and ended up living with Hobbes and Mrs Goodfellow, in the first place.

If you like to read light-hearted, enjoyable books with a twist of the unusual about them, then I can highly recommend the Inspector Hobbes books.

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion the best book in the series so far. Hobbes, Mrs. Goodfellow and all the other usual suspects from Sorenchester are as quirky and charming as ever and there are a couple of interesting new additions, my favourite being the local banker/vampire Sid.
Wilkie Martin has also finally managed to find some sort of balance between narrator Andy Caplet's streaks of bad luck, his disposition between self-pity and self-deprication and him actually showing some backbone, the latter interestingly always happening in dangerous or threatening situations.
While in the previous books, Andy's bad luck went more and more over-the-top as the story progressed and simultaneously became so common that at some point it just wasn't funny anymore, Wilkie Martin doesn't overdo it too much this time. Yes, Andy is still prone to funny accidents, but he isn't a magnet for desaster and chaos anymore, or at least his bad luck sometimes works in his favor in this installment.
While still a bit dense, Hobbes and the reader usually being far ahead of him in their conlusions regarding the current case, Andy has actually come to a point where you can rightly call him likeable. Although there was a point at the end of the book which made me cringe a little, when Andy had some "conflicting feelings" about his new love interest and another woman he had just met a few hours before, suggesting he instantly falls for every beautiful woman who is a bit nice to him.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have become a fan of Inspector HOBBS and Andy Caplet. This funny tale had me smiling and laughing as I read it. This story of the unhuman set in Cotswold. The players are so well developed that I can see them in action. The Inspector is huge, strong and fast. He can be either tough and friendly as the needs may be. Beware don't mistreat a woman in his presence. Poor Andy means well but makes a lot of mistakes. When he in in trouble HOBBS shows up. Other Important people are Mrs Goodfellow, Featherweight, Denny and Billy. In this book we find Kathy, his daughter(?), Daphne and Pinky. We must not forget Dreggs, his dog. I looking forward to reading the next adventure of the subhuman series.

Full Disclosure: I a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley for a honest review. I would like to thank them for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.

[Laura Koerber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun series. The narrator has low self-esteem and low expectations, but strives. In the earlier books he was irritatingly self-defeating but in this the third in the series, he is finally beginning to grow up. The main character is possibly a werewolf or maybe a were bear--can't tell. Some kind of not-human. He lives as a human though, a detective in a small English town. The plot of each book centers on some mystery requiring his specialized skills. There's a mix of pathos, depth of character, and slap stick humor in each book. The series is lots of fun, a great merger between fantasy and the small town English detective genre.

[Janet Mahlum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot happens in this book. We find out just exactly what Hobbes is. And Andy, poor Andy. He is just as dense and clutzy as ever. "Andy, they are just rocks." "So?" "They are just rocks." "I don't get it." "I'll let you think about it for a while." I listened to this and the narrator is very good! It's another laugh-out-loud read, or in this case, listen.

[michelle+8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy really grows and matures in this book, and it's a welcome development. Although I worked out the mystery fairly early in the book, it was still an enjoyable journey. So far the entire series has been full of excitement and laugh-out-loud moments that make my husband ask which part I'm on, having read them all previously.

[Readsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly delightful story. As before, Andy's misadventures had me in stitches laughing. It so nice to occasionally read a mystery with humor. I only hope there will be more adventures with Andy and Hobbes.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun

[AudioBookReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My original Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Creepy, Kooky, Mysterious and Quirky!!!  Hobbes and Andy are at it again!  Hobbes takes a vacation to the Blacker Mountains and Andy goes with him – they are going to rough it … and of course, poor Andy finds himself smack dab in the middle of a murder case, falling for a smart and beautiful widow, dinner with a vampire, and struggling to maintain his space in Hobbes’ home!

Hobbes is investigating a series of bank robberies, a reopened gold mine, ducking reporters, and dealing with Kathy, his alleged daughter who hails from America.  All the while, Hobbes keeps order and keeps Andy from getting hurt too badly!

The fun and action are non-stop.  One cannot help but love the slapstick humor of Andy and the puns of Hobbes. Andy’s growth in this book is far more than previous ones; one thing is certain – he is loyal and cares greatly for Hobbes, Mrs. Goodfellows, and Dregs.

Wilkie Martin delivers yet another delightful book of puns, crazy slapstick humor, and new interesting and dangerous characters! Each book is better than the last, new twists and character growth.  I enjoyed the first book and the second one as well but this one is even funnier and more dangerous for Andy and Hobbes than any of the others.  I also find that Sid, the Vampire Banker is downright lovable!

Tim Campbell’s performance is spot on!  Each character has their own voice and personality that shines due to Campbell’s amazing talent.  Campbell becomes each character, reflecting them and their personality accurately throughout the book.  Love to hear him perform the Hobbes series.  I cannot imagine another voice as Andy or Hobbes!  This was a great listen - it has everything, fun, mystery, intrigue, romance and of course unhumans!

There no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers - Humorous Cotswold British Detective Cozy Mystery - unhuman Book 3
Author: Wilkie Martin
Publisher: The Witcherley Book Company
Published: 9-30-2014
Pages: 329
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub-Genre: Sci Fi & Fantasy; Humorous; Cozy Mystery
ASIN: B00O0AG24Y
ISBN: 9780957635180
Reviewed For: NetGalley and The Witcherley Book Company
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 Stars


Inspector Hobbes, the unhuman inspector and an ever changing cast of houseguest of otherworldly beings still push accident prone human Andy to his limits sometimes but he knows that Hobbs do his work detecting evil and protecting the little Cotswold village of Sorenchester.


Andy's new love interest is not what she seems. Hobbes is investigating the re-opening of a gold mine, the return an old flame, a robbery and a collection of rocks. This comedy mystery will keep you in stiches as you read. I do know I am glad I don't live in Sorenchester, but I like visiting in once in a while. In many way it reminds me of the old three stooges skits. You can't help but love the series and crave more.


My rating of "Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers is 4.5 out of 5 stars



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[Laura Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful series!

I have truly enjoyed these books about Inspector Hobbes. I feel I know each of the main characters and love them all! I can identify with poor, dear Andy Caplet, always good intentioned and who tries to be good and brave but who always seems to attract catastrophe, failing in some very funny ways. Mrs Goodfellow is still a bit of a mystery, I hope the author will some day tell us more about her and where she learned to cook so well. Inspector Hobbes himself is such a genuine hero and gentleman I liked and respected him right away. All of the other characters were brought to life as well, Featherlight and Billy, Sid and Denny, all the others seem now just like friends I haven’t seen in a while. The mysteries themselves are pretty clever but having Andy’s “help” makes the story so entertaining. I certainly hope to see more of these stories and highly recommend them to anyone who needs to laugh out loud for real while reading.

[James Frederick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third installment in the series and it finally revealed the true nature of Hobbes and some of the other characters in the book.

A new love interest is introduced for Andy, which often results in amusing situations, as readers would expect. Hobbes' daughter (?!?) is also introduced and provides more comic fodder.

There were parts of this that felt contrived, which I also felt somewhat in the second book. By the end of the book, you kind of understand why it was done the way that it was. But you are still left with the feeling that, "If only these people would communicate, this would all be over much quicker and with far less drama." Sometimes, you can pull that kind of thing off. In this case, you know it is coming, but it still grates a bit.

The story sometimes seems like an afterthought in these books. That is mostly okay, because the journey is mostly a pleasant ride.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's bigotry (general sexism, fat phobia, possibly a failure to have ever had a genuine conversation with a human woman) continues to mar what would otherwise be an entirely enjoyable series.
Despite that, this installment of the series continues to entertain. All the old oddballs are back, along with a few new quirky characters. Some of the mystery of Hobbes' "unhuman"ness is addressed at last. Andy continues to haphazardly get through his (mis)adventures against all the odds, and with slightly less self pitying than in previous books. There is no depth, but the giddy confusion of the plot and various running jokes makes it a quick fun read, even as an audiobook.
The excellent narration makes the audiobook particularly enjoyable, and adds to the sense that each of the characters has a whole bizarre backstory just waiting to be revealed.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even Better Than The Last

While I have enjoyed the whole series so far, Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers is far and away the best so far. With Andy finally becoming less bumbling and learning more about Hobbes the character advancement is simply great.

It feels like the pacing was better but that might be due to a number of factors. I still can't believe I'm enjoying a series from an unknown writer as much as I am. For the money you won't find a better series out there.

That's not to say the writing is without flaws but in some ways those flaws make things that much more believable and the rest comes down to editing. Overall the whole of the Inspector Hobbes series is amusing and the tropes are done well. I'm off to grab the next pretty much straight away.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

I enjoyed this more than the previous entry in the series as Andy didn’t appear as useless or annoying as he did before.
The main series characters were all present and it was nice to meet them again.
A new character this time around, I think, was the vampiric bank manager who seems like a really nice guy.
The plot is centred on bank robbers stealing gold coins and the reopening of an old gold mine. Not much difficulty tbh in seeing the connections there.

A good entertaining read that just failed to make 4 stars for me - perhaps I am in a hard to please mood at the moment.
Still a definite recommendation with the added note to at least read the initial book in the series before starting this one.