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The Bad Detective
Detective Sargeant Jack Stallworthy has been accepting pay-offs for most of his career. And why not? He's spent thirty years putting villans behind bars, surely he's entitled to a little nest-egg? Lily, the pretty wife he deeply loves, dreams of retirement on the paradise island of Ko Samui, but Jack would settle for a bungalow on the coast. Until influential businessman Emslie Warnaby offers him Ko Samui on a plate - first class tickets, and ownership of the Calm Seas Hotel. All Jack has to do is steal an incriminating file from the Fraud Investigation office at police headquarters. As Waraby's deadline draws nearer - and Lily ever more impatient for her life in paradise - Jack plunges deeper and deeper into crime. And soon there is no going back...
6 pages, Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
H.R.F. Keating
157 books54 followersHenry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating was an English writer of crime fiction most notable for his series of novels featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID.
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 24, 2024
Detective sergeant Jack Stallworthy is a bit of a schmo. Although he is the star "thief-taker" in Abbotsport's police department, presumably somewhere in the north of England, he is also not a little corrupt. At one point, he is bribed by a rich industrialist to steal evidence files implicating him in illegal doings.
The bribe is a pair of first class tickets to the tropical paradise of Ko Samui and the deed to a hotel there. Jack agrees because his "English Rose" wife, Lily, has dreamed of moving there ever since seeing a documentary about the place on the telly.
What detracts from the tale of The Bad Detective by H.R.F. Keating is the sheer heavy-handed incompetence of Jack's attempts to purloin the evidence file from the office where it is stored and guarded by two honest and highly competent fellow officers.
I loved Keating's Inspector Ghote novels set in India, but am a bit disappointed by this detective novel set in England.
The bribe is a pair of first class tickets to the tropical paradise of Ko Samui and the deed to a hotel there. Jack agrees because his "English Rose" wife, Lily, has dreamed of moving there ever since seeing a documentary about the place on the telly.
What detracts from the tale of The Bad Detective by H.R.F. Keating is the sheer heavy-handed incompetence of Jack's attempts to purloin the evidence file from the office where it is stored and guarded by two honest and highly competent fellow officers.
I loved Keating's Inspector Ghote novels set in India, but am a bit disappointed by this detective novel set in England.
November 22, 2022
The Bad Detective is quite amazing. It is filled with cliches, perhaps purposely. "Lily's voice sliced into his wrapped-up gloom like a buzz saw." The Scotsman is cheap. A Chinese person is described with a slur. Another character is said to have gone "full paddy." Not sure what that means, but sounds anti-Irish. Of course, these stereotypes might be in the story to describe the detective, Jack's, prejudices.
The detective's wife wants to go to an expensive Spanish restaurant called 'The Costa Lotsa.' I thought that place name was a bit over the top.
Jack, the narrrator's, internal stream of consciousness dialogue swings wildly from 1st person to 3rd person. He appears to tell himself little jokes. Despite these quirks, I found The Bad Detective quite readable. Is it a pastiche of a British mystery, like the recent film, Knives Out? Not sure, never having read anything else by the author. I must say the chapters generally left one guessing and the book has a wild momentum. I read in across 3 days.
The detective's wife wants to go to an expensive Spanish restaurant called 'The Costa Lotsa.' I thought that place name was a bit over the top.
Jack, the narrrator's, internal stream of consciousness dialogue swings wildly from 1st person to 3rd person. He appears to tell himself little jokes. Despite these quirks, I found The Bad Detective quite readable. Is it a pastiche of a British mystery, like the recent film, Knives Out? Not sure, never having read anything else by the author. I must say the chapters generally left one guessing and the book has a wild momentum. I read in across 3 days.
June 16, 2017
Disappointed with this book ,it tracked the life of Mr average and Im afraid it had below average plot line and ending . Shan't bother with any more of Mr Keatings offerings .
April 25, 2019
Interesting, but with a dated feel.
October 6, 2021
Jack Stallworthy is a corrupt and bad Detective but his nagging wife Lily is the worst.
October 24, 2023
Why does this book exist 😂
September 10, 2019
( O Mau Detective )
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews