Book Review: Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers

Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers by Wilkie Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A brilliant inspector and their clever sidekick is a commonly used trope. And that’s fine, it’s used often because it works – and I love that. But it’s also fun to turn the trope on it’s ear, so to speak. (I know walls have ears, but do tropes?) The series is part horror, part comedy, set in a little town called Sorenchester in the Cotswolds, and alternates between creepy and cozy.

Inspector Hobbes is indeed a brilliant inspector. He’s also not quite human and can be downright brutal when the situation calls for it. For reasons you’ll have to read the first book for, he’s sort of adopted Andy Caplet, a down-on-his-luck fella who’s out of work, out of a home, out of love, out of hope, and probably out of socks. Hobbes, and his housekeeper, Mrs. Goodfellow. Don’t ask to see her tooth collection. *shudder*

In this installment, an American girl named Kathy shows up on Hobbes doorstep and turns everyone’s lives upside down. Caplet nearly dies a few times, Mrs. Goodfellow’s magnificent meals continue to prop the poor fellas up to continue their sleuthing, and is love in the air? Is gold in the rocks? Perhaps. It’s a crazy, brilliant ride from start to finish.

As I finished this story, I felt a bit sad. Now, I only have two more books left to read in this marvelous series.