‘More Marx Brothers than Agatha Christie, this is crime fiction turned on its head – a giddy spell of sheer delight’ Daily Mail
The charming first novel in a new comic crime series, from one of Britain's most-loved writers, the incomparable Lynne Truss.
Brighton, 1957. Inspector Steine rather enjoys his life as a policeman by the sea. No criminals, no crime, no stress.
So it’s really rather annoying when an ambitious – not to mention irritating – new constable shows up to work and starts investigating a series of burglaries. And it’s even more annoying when, after Constable Twitten is despatched to the theatre for the night, he sits next to a vicious theatre critic who is promptly shot dead part way through the opening night of a new play.
It seems Brighton may be in need of a police force after all…
‘[An] entertaining new crime series … Truss’s affection for a rollicking, twisty caper has transferred to the page with ease … There’s some fine storytelling on display here’ Observer
‘Funny, clever, charming, imaginative, nostalgic and gently satirical’ The Times
‘With plenty of brightly coloured bucket-and-spadery, including ghost trains and Punch and Judy and variety acts, this clever, tongue-in-cheek escapade is a perfect summer read’ Guardian, Crime Books of the Month