Series
Publication
Macmillan Digital Audio (2017)
Original publication date
1981
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Description
Morse switched on the gramophone to "play", and sought to switch his mind away from all the terrestrial troubles. Sometimes, this way, he almost managed to forget. But not tonight... Anne Scott's address was scribbled on a crumpled note in the pocket of Morse's smartest suit. He turned the corner of Canal Street, Jericho, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 3rd October. He hadn't planned a second visit. But he was back later the same day as the officer in charge of a suicide investigation...
User reviews
LibraryThing member Noisy
While I've had hints of misgivings about earlier books in the Morse canon, this fifth outing is solid and hits all the right notes.
Morse once again is tormented by a (potential) relationship with a woman, and then it all goes sadly wrong. He has to battle through a tangled web of relationships to
Reading this is like slipping on a comfortable item of clothing: everything's in it's place, and the detective mystery buttons are all pushed. I still failed to give it a really high rating, and the only reason that I can think of to hold back is that it's too short. No, I think I've come up with another reason: it's just too easy to read. OK, there are some challenging words and foreign phrases, but the language isn't ... highbrow?, elegant?, mature? ... enough for me. This probably says more about me than about the book.
Anyway, for anyone who's ploughing their way through the series, this volume makes the disappointment of the first couple something that can be borne without any regret.
Morse once again is tormented by a (potential) relationship with a woman, and then it all goes sadly wrong. He has to battle through a tangled web of relationships to
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get to some version of the truth, and once again pulls Lewis in to do the grunt work. There is very much a literary theme to this book, with a literary club, a publisher and a classical reference coming to the fore. Reading this is like slipping on a comfortable item of clothing: everything's in it's place, and the detective mystery buttons are all pushed. I still failed to give it a really high rating, and the only reason that I can think of to hold back is that it's too short. No, I think I've come up with another reason: it's just too easy to read. OK, there are some challenging words and foreign phrases, but the language isn't ... highbrow?, elegant?, mature? ... enough for me. This probably says more about me than about the book.
Anyway, for anyone who's ploughing their way through the series, this volume makes the disappointment of the first couple something that can be borne without any regret.
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LibraryThing member the.ken.petersen
The great advantage in coming late to a series of books is that they may be consumed in their prescribed order. This has the advantage that I have seen the character of Morse grow from book to book. Unlike the TV series, this Morse is a believable person battling, in this case, both a re-run of the
After reading so many whodunits over the years, I am usually just ahead of the man, or woman, with the little grey cells. This is not because I am destined to be the next Sherlock Holmes, but because there are but a small number of story lines redressed to appear new. Although this book was not entirely original, the disguise was sufficiently good to leave me surprised when the villain was apprehended and, the clues are then patiently spelled out and one must conceded that it was all there for the reader to have out smarted the detective.
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Oedipus story and a case of switched identity that, whilst most implausible in the cold light of day, makes for a cracking detective story. After reading so many whodunits over the years, I am usually just ahead of the man, or woman, with the little grey cells. This is not because I am destined to be the next Sherlock Holmes, but because there are but a small number of story lines redressed to appear new. Although this book was not entirely original, the disguise was sufficiently good to leave me surprised when the villain was apprehended and, the clues are then patiently spelled out and one must conceded that it was all there for the reader to have out smarted the detective.
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LibraryThing member mrtall
I love Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse crime novels, but had never read this fairly early entry in the series.
Unfortunately, this is perhaps the weakest of the many Morse novels I've read.
Briefly, a hot but lonely woman whom Morse met once at a party is found dead in her home -- is it suicide? It
Morse of course launches into the investigation with his characteristic combo of brains, bluster and beer, with Sergeant Lewis pitching in eventually.
The characters, as ever in Dexter's novels, are a delight, but the storyline here is too fussy and convoluted even for Morse. This one never builds up the urgency you really want in your crime fiction.
Unfortunately, this is perhaps the weakest of the many Morse novels I've read.
Briefly, a hot but lonely woman whom Morse met once at a party is found dead in her home -- is it suicide? It
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certainly appears to be the case . . . .Morse of course launches into the investigation with his characteristic combo of brains, bluster and beer, with Sergeant Lewis pitching in eventually.
The characters, as ever in Dexter's novels, are a delight, but the storyline here is too fussy and convoluted even for Morse. This one never builds up the urgency you really want in your crime fiction.
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LibraryThing member Quickpint
Read it simply because I was curious to see what all the fuss was about. Haven't really read much mainstream crime fiction. Thought the plotting was neat, and the setting was good. Dexter's Morse was quite different to John Thaw (not that I was at all hooked on the tv series either). But I also
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thought it was a bit boring. Meh. It's still a middle-class cozy, for all the darkness Dexter might have tried to inject, and I prefer me noir. Show Less
LibraryThing member mstrust
Inspector Morse meets an attractive woman at a party and his hopes are raised, but he quickly figures out that the woman is unavailable and so lets it go. A few months later he learns of her suicide and takes over the investigation, as he still wonders what might have been with this woman. Morse
This was my first Inspector Morse and I like him. He's a grumpy, snapping alcoholic who basically hates himself but he's very likable to the reader.
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and Sergeant Lewis find that her death was far from a typical suicide and that her copy of Oedipus was very important to her.This was my first Inspector Morse and I like him. He's a grumpy, snapping alcoholic who basically hates himself but he's very likable to the reader.
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LibraryThing member fdholt
Another mystery with Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis. This one deals with a suicide (or is it) and a murder. What makes this book interesting is that Morse met the victim several months before the apparent suicide and the book is colored by this encounter. As usual, Colin Dexter has all the
And just to clarify, Jericho is the name of a section of Oxford. To help the reader, Dexter includes a street map of Jericho. Missing was a complete map of Oxford but, if you have read other Morse mysteries, not critical
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clues and the red herrings in the story and Morse solves this in his usual style. This is an enjoyable read.And just to clarify, Jericho is the name of a section of Oxford. To help the reader, Dexter includes a street map of Jericho. Missing was a complete map of Oxford but, if you have read other Morse mysteries, not critical
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LibraryThing member ClicksClan
Found the way that Morse became involved a bit contrived, doubt whether he'd really be allowed to investigate it if he'd known the woman and behaved as he did.
Remembered bits of it from the TV series but couldn't remember how it ended.
Kind of tricky to solve on your own, found it tricky to keep
Remembered bits of it from the TV series but couldn't remember how it ended.
Kind of tricky to solve on your own, found it tricky to keep
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track of what was going on. Liked the map. Show Less
LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
I continue my Inspector Morse reading. This is #5. It's as good as ever.
Media reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Laconic, lonely Inspector Morse of Oxford meets attractive widow/teacher Anne Scott at a party and starts harboring romantic ideas. . . only to learn a few months later that she's hung herself. Or did she? Morse has his suspicions. Unfortunately, the chief suspect has an airtight alibi. Dexter
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winds up with a puzzle-plot that is too cleverly complicated for its own good. Yet, also once again, his stylish, dark-toned storytelling remains enough reason for Anglophile mystery-fans to want to keep following the existentially acerbic Inspector Morse. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Other editions
The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter (Paperback)