I have recently found a highly readable series of detective novels by Stephen Higgs (I have read a number of them, and will be on the lookout for more). This post looks at this series.
THE BASIC STORY
A long retired detective superintendent, Albert Smith, sets out on a round Britain trip with the intention of learning how to cook all his favourite foods. His constant companion is a former police dog, who has allegedly been disposed of because of his bad attitude, but another hypothesis emerges as the series progresses: he has been got rid of because he makes his handlers look bad.
Smith’s visits are invariably interrupted by crimes which he and his dog then help to investigate. As the series progresses it becomes clear that the crimes are all linked, and in the some of the later volumes we see things from the side of the perpetrator, moving the books on from simple whodunnits to questions of will he get away with it? Smith’s three children are all themselves serving police officers, and they reluctantly come to see that he is on to something, and discreetly provide him with assistance.
I highly recommend these books.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
