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theseventhl's review against another edition
5.0
My first introduction to the world of Morse and it is wonderful. Very humorous and clever - and I love the characters Morse and Lewis, natch. Even the non-Morse stories were really good (especially the one with Sherlock Holmes). I'm really going to have to hunt down the rest of the series now!
feliciar33ds's review against another edition
3.0
The mysteries were good, but I don't love short stories.
2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge #20
2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge #20
lisa_mc's review against another edition
4.0
This story collection includes some stories featuring Inspector Morse/Sergeant Lewis and others not; they are all focused on crime or some element of deceit, with a twist (or two) at the end. The title story (actually in the middle of the book) is a brief vignette that will make you look at Morse with a wistful smile. There's even a Sherlock Holmes story, Mycroft and all!
Dexter's writing is typically terse with a few well-chosen details for effect. Some stories are more memorable than others, as is usually the case with a collection, but they're engaging and enjoyable overall.
Dexter's writing is typically terse with a few well-chosen details for effect. Some stories are more memorable than others, as is usually the case with a collection, but they're engaging and enjoyable overall.
zaisgraph's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Colin Dexter is a quintessential British mystery writer. As genre fan, I am compelled to try at least one of his books. I guess I picked the lame one. Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories is a collection of shorts that are mostly set in the Morse universe, with an exception of one which is Dexter's take on a Sherlock Holmes story (this was one of the highlights of the book for me).
Inspector Morse is a demanding boss now close to retirement age. He is a bit crude and sorta unlikeable. He certainly loves a drink and I'm worried about his liver tbh. While he is a step or two behind Poirot, I think there is plenty of charm on how he solves mysteries. He is definitely more brash in technique.
The shorts here are a mixed bag as one can expect from collections. I did find that some of the stories were not very clever. Some even read as unfinished. Even the story dubbed as the "Greatest" was a dud. I guess I'll have to read a proper novel.
Read the trade paperback while listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was a tad too British and challenged my comprehension of the English language. This was rather difficult to read and wish I did not pick this up. 2 stars.
Inspector Morse is a demanding boss now close to retirement age. He is a bit crude and sorta unlikeable. He certainly loves a drink and I'm worried about his liver tbh. While he is a step or two behind Poirot, I think there is plenty of charm on how he solves mysteries. He is definitely more brash in technique.
The shorts here are a mixed bag as one can expect from collections. I did find that some of the stories were not very clever. Some even read as unfinished. Even the story dubbed as the "Greatest" was a dud. I guess I'll have to read a proper novel.
Read the trade paperback while listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was a tad too British and challenged my comprehension of the English language. This was rather difficult to read and wish I did not pick this up. 2 stars.
cj_mo_2222's review against another edition
5.0
Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories includes eleven stories, and more than half of them feature Morse. Some are longer than others, but my favorite is the titular story which is only six pages long and is a wonderful story taking place at Christmastime. I like the Morse stories the best, but also enjoy the very well-written Sherlock Holmes tale.
hornmp's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
zaiborg's review against another edition
2.0
Colin Dexter is a quintessential British mystery writer. As genre fan, I am compelled to try at least one of his books. I guess I picked the lame one. Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories is a collection of shorts that are mostly set in the Morse universe, with an exception of one which is Dexter's take on a Sherlock Holmes story (this was one of the highlights of the book for me).
Inspector Morse is a demanding boss now close to retirement age. He is a bit crude and sorta unlikeable. He certainly loves a drink and I'm worried about his liver tbh. While he is a step or two behind Poirot, I think there is plenty of charm on how he solves mysteries. He is definitely more brash in technique.
The shorts here are a mixed bag as one can expect from collections. I did find that some of the stories were not very clever. Some even read as unfinished. Even the story dubbed as the "Greatest" was a dud. I guess I'll have to read a proper novel.
Read the trade paperback while listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was a tad too British and challenged my comprehension of the English language. This was rather difficult to read and wish I did not pick this up. 2 stars.
Inspector Morse is a demanding boss now close to retirement age. He is a bit crude and sorta unlikeable. He certainly loves a drink and I'm worried about his liver tbh. While he is a step or two behind Poirot, I think there is plenty of charm on how he solves mysteries. He is definitely more brash in technique.
The shorts here are a mixed bag as one can expect from collections. I did find that some of the stories were not very clever. Some even read as unfinished. Even the story dubbed as the "Greatest" was a dud. I guess I'll have to read a proper novel.
Read the trade paperback while listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was a tad too British and challenged my comprehension of the English language. This was rather difficult to read and wish I did not pick this up. 2 stars.
annagrac's review against another edition
2.0
Like a lot of short story collections, this is really a series of half-ideas that weren't good enough to develop into full length books. That can work with other authors who build suspense, plot and character presence quickly, but unfortunately, this format doesn't sit Dexter's writing style, which builds more slowly and needs more time to create atmosphere.