Customer Reviews
roar of the butterflies - By: E. Olsen, 21 Aug 2008 
A welcome return for Joe Sixsmith & as usual the story is fast paced & made me laughin several places. Joe is a bumbling detective, he finds facts almost by mistake & generally excels at beingin the worng place - but at the right time!
The story revolves around a local golf club & thankfully Joe is no golfer so any references to golfing are made simple through his lack of understanding. The original case does not seem too exciting & Joe despairs of being able to do anything. This is where Reginald Hill proves that he can write a good mystery, as Joe ploughs around trying to find something that will help he uncovers layer after layer of new mysteries & ends up solving a murder & defusing a business takeover.
My favourite part is where Joe is attackedin his flat - just read the book to find out why this is funny. I would thoroughly recommend this story, well up with the rest of the series if you have read them, & it will make you want to read the rest if you haven't.
Brief But Fun Visit - By: Kevan James, 07 Aug 2008 
Nice to see the return of Joe Sixsmith, Reginald Hill's other series hero. He's a likeable character, solving crimesin a bumbling, almost accidental, manner. He reminds me a bit of Miss Marplein the way he's discounted by those around him & he's able to pick up clues that maybe wouldn't be left if the perpertrators thought a 'real' detective was on to them.
This is a very short book, more of a long short story than a full novel but it makes an entertaining read. With the last few Dalziel & Pascoe books being somewhat less interesting than previous installments, it's nice to see the return of Joein a well plotted romp. I hope Mr Hill brings him back again soon!
High Summer in Luton - By: NickR, 26 Jul 2008 How nice to see Joe Sixsmith back again. If you're a Reginald Hill fan, but haven't yet read any of the Sixsmith books, you'rein for a (pleasant) surprise. There's none of the dark undertone of the Dalziel & Pascoe books, but a clear impression that the prolific Mr Hill enjoys dashing off these lighter-weight rompsin his spare moments. Good stuff.
If I have one grumble, it's about the physical object (this is the HarperCollins UK hardback edition). The printed cover is, well, OK, I suppose, but will soon get dented & marked. It's the illustrations inside which really let the book down. They contribute nothing to the telling of the tale; the illustrator doesn't even get a credit (which suggests some embarrassment on the part of the publisher); & for anyone who has already formed their own visual image of Joe, they are actually counterproductive. Having just finished Hill's excellent collection of short stories, There are no Ghostsin the Soviet Union, I found myself missing that book's less ambitious look & feel.
Perfect summer read (and great for winter too!) - By: UK, French, Canadian tri-national, 06 Jul 2008 Most readers know Reginald Hill for his Dalziel & Pascoe books, & very good they are too. The Joe Sexsmith series showcases the lighter side of this wonderful crime writer. In this book Sexsmith, a somewhat tubby middle-aged black PI, is asked to help a popular local golf-club member fight the allegation that he cheated during an important match. Sounds like a minor problem to Joe, but while investigating the incident he turns up something much nastier. I'm not a golfer myself & though the game of golf is front & centrein the plot I had no trouble following along as any arcane terms were subtly explained. Joe's lissome nurse girlfriend, his cat Whitey, & a forceful, jealous boxer are just a few of the beautifully described & very funny charactersin this book, while the plot is so gripping that I literally could not put it down. This is a wonderful read for a summer's afternoon - but beware. Supper could be late!
