Inspector French’s Greatest Case (Inspector French, Book 1)

By: Freeman Wills Crofts

Narrated by: Phil Fox

From the Collins Crime Club archive, the first Inspector French novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, once dubbed ‘The King of Detective Story Writers’.

THE FIRST INSPECTOR FRENCH MYSTERY

At the offices of the Hatton Garden diamond merchant Duke and Peabody, the body of old Mr Gething is discovered beside a now-empty safe. With multiple suspects, the robbery and murder is clearly the work of a master criminal, and requires a master detective to solve it. Meticulous as ever, Inspector Joseph French of Scotland Yard embarks on an investigation that takes him from the streets of London to Holland, France and Spain, and finally to a ship bound for South America . . .

Critic reviews

‘Because he is so austerely realistic, Freeman Wills Croft is deservedly a first favourite with all who want a real puzzle.’ TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

“If there is a better writer of detective stories alive, I would like to know his name.”
GLASGOW CITIZEN

Well plotted and well written

Enjoyable story with intriguing twists as French pursues a complex mystery from London to France. Nothing but fast and interesting plotting. Recommended

I really tried to like it but....

I love cosy mysteries. I enjoy observant detail in stories. I am not a person who only enjoys fast-paced novels. But there comes a point when drilling down to the minutiae of an investigation is just plain boring. Imagine, if you will, the author describing every. single. step. taken by the detective, every lead, whether productive or not, every conversation, every thought the detective has as they try to figure it all out. It slowly suffocated every bit of interest I had in following the story.

The bones are good but there is far, far too much flesh on this story. The author needed a brisk and efficient editor to go wild here.