by Catherine Aird, read by Derek Perkins

An Audiobook Review by Jackie Houchin

LAST RESPECTS is a classic English Detective mystery by Catherine Aird. A boat, a bronze “marble,” a ship’s bell, and a body are found on, near, above, or in a rural country river. The body is the most crucial problem to solve, of course, but the other things are disturbing, niggling.

Where the body is discovered, how long it’s been there, how it expired, and who in the world is it?  These are questions that tease and worry Detective Sloan, and his sometimes fast-thinking (but not usually) and usually speed-seeking (in any vehicle) Constable Crosby.

It’s an interesting but long journey before Sloan discovers one tiny bit of evidence, heard in an off-handed way, that blows the investigation wide open. Then the pieces – plus a few other bodies – all fall into place, except for a few items that turn out to not really matter at all. Surprise, surprise!  Huh?  Ohhhhhh, I see. These must be “red herrings,” or McGuffins, or Maltese Falcons, or whatever. I got it now.

Anyway, once the question of the body is solved and the murderer identified, the climax is a breath-taking race against time (See the grinning Constable with wind whipping his hair!).  Even then, you wonder, did he do it?  Or wait, what happened? Fortunately, the last scene is a mop-up that explains it all.

And then, this fun mystery ends with a corny, groan-worthy, “Dad” joke!  Seriously!!  I loved it!

Perkins is a top-notch narrator. I enjoyed the listen.

FOUR and a half stars.

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