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cimorene1558's review
2.0
Meh. Less of a snooze-fest than Death on the Agenda, but well down the list of Moyes' books.
bookaneer808's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Loved this atmospheric mystery; from seedy London clubs to the canals of rural Holland, seemingly unconnected threads weave to a sinister shroud.
A small-time crook is shot and killed, members of a foreign affairs committee die, and Henry's "nose" senses something fishy...
Highly entertaining with a tense ending.
A small-time crook is shot and killed, members of a foreign affairs committee die, and Henry's "nose" senses something fishy...
Highly entertaining with a tense ending.
bev_reads_mysteries's review
3.0
Death & the Dutch Uncle (1968) by Patricia Moyes opens just after the murder of a small-time gambler and crook. The shooting occurred in the gents in the private bar at the Pink Parrot--a meeting place for various members of the British crime scene which has somehow managed to steer just to the right side of the law. Nothing can ever be proven against anybody--not against the owner nor the patrons. And, of course, true to form, nobody saw or heard anything when "Flutter" Byers lost his last gamble. Superintendent Tibbett is annoyed by the blank innocence that greets the investigation, but there is little to be done when a whole roomful of people all claim to have been unaware of what happened. It seems that Flutter's murder is destined to be an unsolved crime.
But a then dinner with a man who works as an interpreter for an organization (PIFL) that handles international disputes over boundaries and the like makes Tibbett realize that Flutter had gotten mixed up in a very high-stakes game indeed. It soon becomes apparent that someone has been killing off members of the committee which will decide the boundary line between two obscure African countries. And they have their sights on a final member who holds the deciding vote. What can be so important about a barren piece of land in Africa? Why does Tibbett have to go to Amsterdam to look for the solution to the case? And...will he be in time to save the man in the crosshairs?
This is a fun mystery that does take a fair amount of suspension of disbelief. There are a number of coincidences; Tibbett's taking Emmy along straight into danger is a bit much; and the gentleman from PIFL deserves a bigger dressing down than he gets for deliberately losing his police guardian. But--if you're looking for an escapist read and an enjoyable time following Henry Tibbett as he ferrets out exactly who's behind it all, then this is a quite decent afternoon's read--fast moving (especially after the action moves to the Netherlands) and interesting.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
But a then dinner with a man who works as an interpreter for an organization (PIFL) that handles international disputes over boundaries and the like makes Tibbett realize that Flutter had gotten mixed up in a very high-stakes game indeed. It soon becomes apparent that someone has been killing off members of the committee which will decide the boundary line between two obscure African countries. And they have their sights on a final member who holds the deciding vote. What can be so important about a barren piece of land in Africa? Why does Tibbett have to go to Amsterdam to look for the solution to the case? And...will he be in time to save the man in the crosshairs?
This is a fun mystery that does take a fair amount of suspension of disbelief. There are a number of coincidences; Tibbett's taking Emmy along straight into danger is a bit much; and the gentleman from PIFL deserves a bigger dressing down than he gets for deliberately losing his police guardian. But--if you're looking for an escapist read and an enjoyable time following Henry Tibbett as he ferrets out exactly who's behind it all, then this is a quite decent afternoon's read--fast moving (especially after the action moves to the Netherlands) and interesting.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
cmbohn's review
5.0
This book opens with the murder of a small time crook. Patrons in the pub did see the murderer--a man wearing a false beard and dark glasses. Newly promoted Superintendent Henry Tibbett is puzzled by the murder, but even more puzzled by a friend's request to investigate the deaths of two elderly politicians. His friend is convinced the two men, both members of PIFL, a mythical division of the UN or something that solves minor border disbutes, were actually murdered. Henry is not convinced, since there appears to be no logical motive. But he investigates anyway, and soon, finds a link between the death of the crook and the deaths of two men involved in an African border dispute. Two beautiful sisters, one an employee of PIFL and one a frequent visitor to the pub where the man was murdered, know a lot more than they're saying. Henry follows the clues to Holland, accompanied by his wife, Emmy. Emmy should have stayed at home, though, because she become involved in the final confrontation with an international criminal determined to escape one more time.
I enjoyed this murder. The plot is really hard to summarize and probably sounds quite confusing, but it really works out quite well in the book. The pace is a little slow, but once the characters get to the Netherlands it proceeds very quickly. I really like Patricia Moyes. Henry and Emmy are great characters. If you like old-fashioned mysteries without a lot of graphic violence or sex and not as dark as many modern writers, I think you'd like this book. I am only sorry it's not in print.
I enjoyed this murder. The plot is really hard to summarize and probably sounds quite confusing, but it really works out quite well in the book. The pace is a little slow, but once the characters get to the Netherlands it proceeds very quickly. I really like Patricia Moyes. Henry and Emmy are great characters. If you like old-fashioned mysteries without a lot of graphic violence or sex and not as dark as many modern writers, I think you'd like this book. I am only sorry it's not in print.
pina's review
3.0
This was my first book by Patricia Moyes. While a bit long winded in places, it was a very enjoyable read with fleshed out characters. She writes well and in great detail. I especially got a great introduction to Amsterdam and learnt a lot when I looked up some references. I’ll definitely be reading more of Inspector Tibbett and his eager unofficial ‘partner’ wife Emmy! She is a darling.
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