Dover Beats The Band

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? The naked, burned and mutilated body of a middle-aged man has been found at the Muncaster Municipal Dump. When the autopsy reveals a peculiar clue, DCI Dover and his ever-unwilling assistant MacGregor set off on a trail that leads them to a squalid seaside resort. A mysterious organization, they learn, had convened there recently. Their inquiries bring them smack into the midst of an undercover investigation by Special Branch of a dangerous right-wing secret society. Never before has Dover been in such an equivocal spot. Though a vicious murder cries out to be solved, one doesn’t readily tamper with Dover’s legendary inertia. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? One February evening in northern England, a young woman is shot in the head and left in a coma. Eight months later she dies, thus becoming a welcome excuse to dispatch the odious Inspector Dover as far as possible from London. It soon appears that Isobel Slatcher could have been smothered in her hospital bed with a pillow. Now Dover may have two murderers to catch: one who pulled the trigger, the other the last visitor she had in her short lifetime. If, that is, the town's warring Catholics and Protestants will only stop distracting him. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? Sully Martin had probably been a picturesque English village before the earthquake nearly destroyed it. And construction tycoon Walter Chantry might have been taken for another of the many casualties if it hadn't come out that he had been strangled. This time Dover is in for much more than his usual share of the bother. For a start, the town's only hotel is unlicensed, and there's not a drop of booze to be had. But almost as alarming are the unmistakable signs that someone is actually out to kill Dover. Unless, that is, against all odds Dover strikes again. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy ... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? This time, Scotland Yard sends Detective Chief Inspector Dover and his woeful assistant MacGregor off on the Stately Home circuit to look into murder. Since Lord Crouch, master of Beltour, can hardly make ends meet despite the hordes of tourists visiting the manor, his hospitality is meagre – though his vegetarian sister, Lady Priscilla, would love to cook for Dover. And the victim couldn't be a drearier sort: "the wettest thing since nappies," according to Dover. In short, the inspector can't wait to be quit of the whole thing, and chief suspects begin to pop up everywhere. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy ... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? When word gets out that Pomeroy Chemicals is seeking to fill the lucrative position of Chief Security Officer, Dover is keenly interested. All he needs, he feels, is one smashing success and the prestigious title is his. When a young pregnant girl known to no one in the town of Frenchy Botham turns up murdered, Dover eagerly comes up with more totally plausible suspects, persuasive motives, and airtight solutions than the sharp mind of his assistant Sergeant MacGregor, can process. In fact, if you've ever wondered when or how MacGregor would reach his breaking point, this is the book to read. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Honestly, why should he even be bothered to solve the case? Collected here are eleven unforgettable short stories in the Dover series, from the 1969 story ‘Dover Pulls a Rabbit’, to ‘A Souvenir for Dover’. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s

Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? Dover and the Claret Tappers is a surprising departure for the series featuring Scotland Yard's least competent detective, and the first to depart is none other than Dover himself. When the doubtful detective suddenly vanishes from Scotland Yard, along comes an ultimatum from a gang of kidnappers, the Claret Tappers. They demand not only a stout ransom, but also the release of two prisoners – a multiple bigamist and a nymphomaniacal shoplifter. How Dover gets out of this one is only the beginning. For just as the case is getting cold, the Claret Tappers strike again. And once more Dover is aroused from his stupor in a most unexpected way. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy ... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s