The exploits of extraordinary elderly eccentrics DCIs Arthur Bryant and John May of the Peculiar Crimes Unit in London are misremembered with much black humour in Bryant’s memoirs of 12 lost cases in this anthology of short stories by Christopher Fowler. Bryant has a mandate to ignore the rules of policing the city, and for all his apparent bumbling, he is as dexterous as a magician as he pulls unforeseen answers from the sleeves of his Harris Tweed overcoat and solves oddball mysteries with verve and a lot of wit. Fowler is playful, eccentric and funny, up there with the best mystery writers, hiding clues amongst the humour. Bryant dazzles with his explanations and final reveals and his partner May smoothes the way as cases are solved. So much fun. Read our full review.
