Dead of Jericho (Inspector Morse)

Preferring Kindle editions of books, and after waiting more than two years for it to be available, I alas ordered the paperback edition to finish up the three volumes I had not previously read.Loved reading Dexter's witty and insightful detective mystery story. His accepting approach to each character's unique traits and weaknesses makes his stories come alive with pithy observations of people and life. I also appreciate his willingness to add the occasional "forgotten" or "neglected" word and bring in back into use to stimulate our vocabulary skills, while we dust of dictionaries to understand Dexter's subtle meanings.This early volume in the series adds some important character development for both Morse and Lewis, supporting well their actions and motives in later books in the series.I find this plot and storyline especially endearing because if how it illustrates the human weaknesses in Morse's analytical genius. The believable tale is well told, and I found myself refreshed and energized after reading it.I had seen the BBC version of this book but found the added book details more complete and enjoyable, even though the TV version was a fair and generally accurate adaptation.

Do you like your detective fiction to be:a. Very literate in style with brainy quotations at the beginning of each chapter?b. Complex plots and three dimensional characters to investigate?c.A quirky, briliant and classical music loving loser with women who is the star of the police department? Think Inspector Morse?d. A fast moving plot which produces many red herrings and a plot which uses Sophocles Oedipus Rex story as a paradigm for the soliving of the nettlesome case? If your answer to any or all of the above questions is "YES" then you are an excellent candidate to become hooked on the Colin Dexter Inspector Morse novels. The Plot of "The Dead of Jericho". Bachelor Inspector Morse is a melancholy man who has never been married. At an Oxford Party he meets the fetching Anne Scott. He will later investigate a suicide case in which Anne is found hanging dead by a rope in her kitchen? Why did she kill herself? What is murder? Later a murder victim will be found bludgened to death in his seedy apartment. How are the crimes connected if at all? What about Anne's past? To discover the answers solve the case in the company of Inspector Lewis and his fellow detective Sergeant Lewis. These tales which have been seen by millions of viewers on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery are even better in print. Enjoy this fine entry in the series and you will read them all! Recommended for a light and mind challenging read!

This is not my favorite Inspector Morse, but as always, the writing is terrific and it's a good story. I'm not sure "dark" is the descriptor needed, and really, I think the presentation of a string of adjectives is not quite the thing for reviewing a fairly complex book...

Another wonderful book by Colin Dexter. Pure Morse. Easy to get completely absorbed by it.

Enjoyable puzzle, full of twists, turns, clues and occasional misdirection. And as always, the repartee of Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis.

Typically good character writing by Colin Dexter, with Morse and Lewis engaging in work and play, and with the supporting personae. We wish Dexter the best in retirement, but also wish he would come out of retirement now and then with a new Inspector Morse.

Book in excellent shape on time

Vintages Inspector Morse. I cared about the characters. Unusual in a detective story.

After the first few, shaky novels the series warmed up a bit (Service for all the dead) and a lot with this one. Clever and well written, it still relied a bit too much on coincidence. After all, cops always travel in twos and there was no way the Richards bros we’re getting away without seeing Morse and Lewis together. Didn’t spoil the story too much, which was extremely sad and yet written in a curiously warm and comfortable tone. More believable than his earlier efforts, too, though a woman killing herself because she’s pregnant by the love of her life stretches the credulity more than a little.

When Morse meets Anne Scott at a party he i is instantly attracted to her. When she is found dead Morse looks into the case even though it isn't his. Then he is put in charge and he and Lewis have another murder on their hands which is connected to Anne Scott.The Dead of Jericho is a well written and highly entertaining novel. Full of twists and turns it is full of larger than life characters.Highly recommended.

Beautifully plotted ,written and characterised...Dexter really was a master of the format-always liken his style to that of Simenon ,and Morse does indeed bear more than a passing resemblance to the countenance of Maigret...

Well written as one would expect from Dexter, full of twists and turns and the clever slightly grumpy detective who doesn’t suffer fools but always admires an attractive woman.

At first I did wonder if this was really about Morse - clever Colin! As usual lots plot twists and turns and further development of the relationship with Lewis. Enjoying the nostalgia of the TV series as I read the series.Annie