by P.C. James (Author)  

A Book Review

Hey Diddle Diddle, the RUNAWAY Riddle is P.C. James’s (NOT P.D. James!) cozy mystery set in England in the 1960s, before cell phones. 

I only mention cell phones because there are numerous, no, countless times the retired inspector has to look for and use a phone box to ask for information, give evidence, or call for help. It’s hard to imagine that time! Oh, the inconvenience! Oh, the pockets full of coins!

But the Runaway Riddle is a fun story about a kidnapped teen girl and the vacationing ex-Inspector Tom Ramsey and his border collie, Bracken, who stumbles upon her while she’s making her escape. Ramsey is still quick-thinking and acting, and the foiled kidnappers run right by them.

But why was she kidnapped? There have been NO ransom requests.

A lot of sleuthing and planning in pubs and cafes takes place, but the old gent (with the help of the girl and her boyfriend and some old friends on the force) DOES finally solve “the who and the why” of the mystery.

The problem is, at least for me, that the solution is rather grotesque and diabolical in nature, especially for a cozy. Could he really DO that?  Read it, and you’ll see what I mean. You may disagree.