Dangerous Davies, der letzte Detektiv

Dangerous Davies #1

by Leslie Thomas

Der Londoner Detective Davies ist ein Einzelgänger, liebt den Alkohol und seinen monströsen Hund Kitty, ist nicht übermäßig intelligent und neigt dazu, seinen Mitmenschen mehr zu glauben, als für ihn gut ist. Seine Kollegen sind daher nicht die einzigen, die den gutmütigen Beamten "Dangerous Davies" oder den "letzten Detektiv" nennen. Davies' Traum, einmal richtige Detektivarbeit leisten zu dürfen, scheint sich nicht zu verwirklichen, denn wer wird einem Polizisten, der noch nicht einmal die Polizeitombola verwalten kann, schon einen wichtigen Fall anvertrauen? Aber Dangerous Davies ist geduldig und hartnäckig. So kommt es, daß er sich auf eigene Faust eines Falles annimmt, weil ihm der Tod einer jungen Frau, die 25 Jahre vor seiner Zeit ermordet wurde, keine Ruhe läßt.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Detective, British Literature, Literature, Humor

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Born in Newport, Monmouthshire, 1931, Leslie Thomas is the son of a sailor who was lost at sea in 1943. His boyhood in an orphanage is evoked in This Time Next Week, published in 1964. At sixteen, he became a reporter, before going on to do his national service. He won worldwide acclaim with his bestselling novel The Virgin Soldiers, which has achieved international sales of over four million copies.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t a book to thrill or laugh along with. The Last Detective is named so because he would be the last detective to ever be assigned something important. I remember a tv mini-series from about 25 years ago that I enjoyed and thought was an amusing description of city police life. I can’t believe it was based on this book. Everything, including Dangerous Dave, is dismal. Set in NW London, all characters are depressing, their lives dismal. Enough of the council flats, petty criminals, dirty canals, life styles and each who “added its own puff of smoke to the congested sky.”

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching "The Last Detective" on Netflix, I decided I had to read the books. Naturally, the books are different than the television series but that didn't distract me from the stories. I kind of liked the fact that "Dangerous" Davies' wife wasn't this gorgeous thing and that he lived in a boarding house with his wife -- albeit in separate rooms -- and Mod, which is just as funny in the books as he is on the series. I enjoyed the mysteries in the books (I purchased the complete series of books in one on Kindle) and liked the original stories as much as I did the TV series. All-in-all, I liked the books tremendously and will probably read them again.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second read. Saw this on my bookshelf while searching for something else and took it down instead. So pleased that I did.

I just love Leslie Thomas. I think I may have mentioned that before. If you find yourself with a moment, give this a chance, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Don’t be swayed by the rather inferior movie and tv series - both of which had some merit, but not a patch on this.

Wonderfully British, in setting, attitude and humour. Onto the second and third in the series.

[Kath B · Rating 4 out of 5]

After loving the TV series, I had to read the books to see if they were as good and this first one did not disappoint. Although the plot differs slightly from the programme, it is still a riveting look at the 1970s when it was first published and provides a fabulous introduction to DC Dangerous Davies, named so because he's regarded by both police and villains as perfectly harmless and gets assigned the most tedious of cases by his world weary boss, DI Yardbird.

Dangerous takes a sardonic but honest view of the world, analysing his cases in the local pub with his friend Mod Hughes, but puts the legwork in to find the answers. In this case he's looking for the whereabouts of a known gang villain and, at the same time, trying to find the killer of a young woman missing and suspected murdered 25 plus years earlier.

This novel pulls in a raft of retro elements seemingly acceptable at the time: a less than honest police force, links to gangland crimes and worrying assumptions that the young woman probably ran off with a man as 'after all she was that kind of girl'.

The book is set in pre Internet times of course, so the police work revolves around finding the right people to ask the right questions of and travelling significant distances to meet potential witnesses.

The characters are fabulously drawn, particularly Dangerous and Mod. There are some very comic moments and an unexpected reveal at the end. Really good read.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is British through and through. The humor must sometimes be taken with a grain of salt or just utter bewilderment, if you're an American reader!
"Dangerous" Davies is supposed to be slow on the uptake and not very good at detecting. He (and his disreputable overcoat) remind me greatly of "Colombo," (and his wrinkled raincoat) who also appears to be not very bright. But, just like Columbo, Dangerous gets his man in the end!
Along the way, there is a hunt for a returning low-life who is planning new dastardly deeds to inflict on the London populace, several petty thefts, and the unearthing of a 25 year-old cold-case, which began as a missing person, but is clearly really a murder. We meet many of the people who adorn Dangerous's life: his friend, "Mod," his landlady, "Mrs. Fulljames," his sometime wife, "Doris," as well as sundry police officers and street people. Note: This book was written in 1976, so a lot has changed since then, mainly phones and computers, but despite that, it doesn't seem dated.
I had to skip over some of the raunchy sex scenes and the fairly rampant foul language did not endear me to this book.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book in the series. The main character is a lost, frequently baffled, frequently drunk detective with questionable attributes for being a detective. His fellow detectives while calling him Dangerous Davies consider him harmless and his boss only gives him assignments if no one else is around or they are risky. But one thing Dangerous is also is patient and dogged. Lots of fun characters including his dog and car. I'd seen a movie pilot for the TV series (which really really followed this book) and had liked it so tried the book. Liked the movie best.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have fond memories of the 1981 TV movie adaptation with Bernard Cribbins so I wanted to give this book a read. The book plays to Leslie Thomas' humorous talents for writing a rogue's gallery of well drawn and unusual characters. That said, the writing is a little uneven. Some scenes are overlong while some are too abbreviated. Overall, the book runs a little long and feels hurried at the end. I liked this one quite a bit although I think RD Wingfield is the king of writing bittersweet, humorous, police mysteries.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was fun to read, good pace. I now look forward to the others in the series.
The Dangerous character is a combination of R.D. Wingfield Jack Frost and M.C. Beaton Hamish Macbeth.

[Gordon Popular · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a British Colombo, he is one of the overlooked people because of their not so bright attitude that people tend tune them out. If you like mysteries and looking for a new detective, try out Dangerous Davies. The plot is easy to follow and unlike some British mysteries and the characters are quirky. Am going to read the rest of his stories.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dangerous Davies is the last detective. The last detective Inspector Yardbird would send to investigate an important case. The last detective you'd want handling anything the least bit delicate or high-profile. But...the first detective you'd give mind-numbing door-to-door questioning to. Everyone wonders how Davies wound up a detective. Even Davies isn't sure how that happened and how he manages to keep on being a detective. And Davies is the first detective you'd send into dangerous situations...because, well, you wouldn't want to lose anyone valuable would you? So...when an antique bed frame goes missing, send Davies (nobody cares about the bed frame, do they? Except the landlady who won't shut up about it). When a large West African man goes a little crazy and threatens to kill anybody who tries to calm him down, send Davies (while the man beats him over the head with a mirror, the other officers will have a chance to subdue him).

But then...Special Branch comes along and wants the local force to help them find a big-name criminal who's managed to slip through official fingers repeatedly. Ramscar, had left Britain to ply his felonious trade elsewhere, but it's rumored he's returned home--to Yardbird's manor--for something really big. Inspector Yardbird is ready to handle it himself or put his best junior man on it, but the bigwigs don't want that. They want a very clumsy investigation--something that will flush Ramscar out. Luckily, Yardbird has just the man--Davies.

In the course of his inquires, Davies manages to rile Ramscar enough that he gets beaten up for his troubles...not once, but twice. But...he also discovers a cold case file from 25 years ago that mentions Ramscar. It was a case of a missing seventeen-year-old girl by the name of Celia Norris. At first, she was thought to be a runaway, but further evidence suggested foul play and Ramscar was one of the suspects. But Celia was never found--dead or alive--and the investigation was dropped. Once Davies sees a picture of Celia in the old case file, he can't help himself from getting interested. Soon, he's on the hunt for clues from 25 years ago. Will Davies solve his first murder ever? And will he find Ramscar for the Special Branch boys while he's at it? Heck, Davies may even get himself a special award before it's all over. If he survives all the beatings...and if the killer who has gone undiscovered all these years doesn't get too worried about the clumsy detective's investigation.

Dangerous Davies seems to me to be a cross between a British Columbo and maybe Steve Conacher (the first private eye that pops into my head when I think of those routinely beaten up, see link for examples). He wears the rumpled coat, drives a beat-up older car, and often has a dog with him--like Columbo. Though I don't think his dog nearly as loveable as Columbo's basset hound. And, as far as I can tell, he behaves much more like a private investigator than a policeman. He goes off on his own to investigate the cold case and has an unlikely side-kick in Mod Lewis. And--as mentioned--he routinely gets beaten up during the course of his investigation. There is, I think, meant to be humor running through this. I can see it here and there, but I don't think I fully appreciate the type of humor on display.

I'm also not terribly fond of the representation of the police force. Are they all a little crooked? It seems so. Except for Davies. Davies seems on the up and up, but he's difficult to take seriously. Yes, he does get his man in the end and, yes, it did take some brains and dedication to get to the bottom of things, but I don't find his character nearly as sympathetic as I do Columbo. It's a decent mystery, but I don't see myself picking up another in the series. ★★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Named dangerous because he was said to be harmless and he was known by the London police as the ‘last detective’ because he was never sent unless it was a very risky job or there was no one else. He was a drunk, frequently laughed at, often foolish but he never lost hope and always felt that one day he would redeem himself. Among his many shortcomings was that he was never suspicious or cautious and got beaten up on a regular basis. When interviewing a suspect most often he was the one answering all the questions. When he solved a case it was because he drank not despite it.

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

TV series...

1. Missing
2. Dangerous By Moonlight

No more of that for me, thank you very much.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful English murder mystery.

[Maggie Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect audio. The humor in Thomas' mystery series reminds me of Carl Hiaasen: irreverent, self-deprecating, laugh-out-loud. The situations that Detective Constable Davies gets into because he trusts people too much and thinks too little are absurd, but also moves Davies closer to the solution. Actually Mod and Josie are the ones who supply the key insights that lead to the solution. And Josie really saves Dangerous's life. This was written in the 50s and is definitely sexist. Dangerous eventually succumbs to temptation that would cause him to lose his job now. However, the whole police department should probably be fired. Unfortunately, the rest of the series do not seem to be available in audio. I purchased this through Audible. The television show, The Last Detective, features Peter Davidson as Davies. I watched this before listening to this. The show is funny, but Davidson is not as clueless as Davies is in the book. There are other changes that don't really make a difference.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, even though I'd already seen the BBC t.v. series and kind of knew how the mystery would turn out! I still enjoyed it for the writing, humor, and glimpse into British life. I plan to get the other 2 books in series, though the library doesn't have them...I'll have to go to Powell's or Murder by the Book.

[Arthur Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming Brirish series about a sort of bungling Detective. I got hooked on the TV series on Netflix, and decided to read the books. This is number one in the series. Beautifully written. A camper, described as listing listlessly in a muddy field. Not a thriller. Relaxingbandva pleasure from beginning to end. Not noir. Great character. Fun

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad sack smart detective solves a case everyone else has given up on. If you've seen the TV series: overall more japes with Mod, more violence to Dangerous' person, and his ex-wife lives in the boarding house (not in Dangerous' room.)

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish. I'll stick to the show where there isn't all the foul language.

[Michael Bafford · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not impressed by this book; I found it too juvenile for me—and I enjoy many YA novels. But I can no longer appreciate the humour in two middle-aged men, who ought to know better—but apparently do not know better, getting falling down drunk and perpetrating silly pranks.

"He was a drunk, lost, laughed at and frequently baffled; poor attributes for a detective. But he was patient too, and dogged..." Or as I would say, a lout who managed to solve this case more by luck than by any other quality.

I read this in Swedish as they had a copy at the local library, and the Swedish translation is less than optimal. Dangerous is called Skräcken for example. The word in Swedish for dangerous is "farlig" but the translator chose instead the Swedish word for "terror". Why, one wonders? The following passages are retranslated by Google with some help from me.

"Davies bit absent-mindedly into one of the cakes and started reading again. He did not like the cake. It stuck to his palate. He put the rest of it in a binder that he randomly chose from the shelf. One day someone would find a cake in the binder... " p. 35-36

The two funny parts:
"in [their boarding house] they found a new tenant at the table, an Indian, Mr Patel, who was soon embroiled in conversation with Mod who asked him about the habits of the tribes on the North-West Frontier, something that Mr Patel did not know anything about because he came from Tottenham..." p. 65

"...'Lottery'. A voice was heard behind his shoulder... 'You should buy a couple of tickets too', she advised Davies. 'They don't like it unless everyone is involved'. She said it as if they were a foreign tribe devoted to peculiar insular rites..." p. 188

"Davies picked up the Lagonda and drove out there in the cold morning hours. Kitty moaned nastily during the first part of the trip, unhappy to be disturbed, but then fell back into a rattling sleep under the tarpaulin. Davies did not tell anyone where he was going. He had not even thought about that. He had his own bill to settle..." p. 223

This is towards the end and contains much of what I dislike.
Davies has a classic sports car which he cares nothing about. The roof cannot be closed fully but is partially open so the rain comes in. It has been like this for thirty years or so. Never repaired.
The dog Kitty lives in the car, under the tarpaulin, sleeping almost all of the time. I have no idea when or what she eats or drinks or where she empties her bowels.
At this point in the story Davies has nosed out the culprits – some of them – and is off to apprehend them, a gang of violent criminals; naturally he tells no one where he is going. This confounds my "willing suspension of disbelief". No one, not even a dumb copper with too many concussions, is that stupid.

The film is better; the films are better. I saw the original film from 1981 with Bernard Cribbens as Dangerous and later also the pilot of the TV series The Last Detective from 2003 with Peter Davison. The film follows the book pretty nearly, although the Dangerous and Mod get only staggeringly drunk, the top is down on the Lagonda and Kitty gets fed. The TV series is "modernised" and oddly enough somewhat bowdlerized! The missing girl, Celia, is presented on TV as a virgin shy of male contact as she certainly was not in the book. And also the main culpret is not longer station Chief Inspector Yardbird, but desk Sergeant Yardley (renamed), one of the few Dangerous colleagues who are portrayed sympathetically. Curious, and sad.

[Jonathan Gurney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, and a nostalgic view of London in the 1970's. One of the first British detective stories to feature an anti-heroic lead character, as the inept and alcoholic Detective Constable Davies is given a rare bite at a big case, or so he thinks. In fact he has been told to trace a missing suspect because the upper ranks want the man to realise he is being pursued, and think Davies can be relied upon to slip up and show his hand. While reading up on his suspect's background, Davies learns of an unsolved disappearance from twenty years earlier, and becomes fascinated with investigating that to the neglect of his instructions. His gentle unfocussed questioning and his willingness to empathise with the confused and the left behind eventually leads him to success, although he nearly gets himself murdered in the process and is saved only by the foresight of an infatuated teenager.

R D Wingfield's readers will probably see a distinct resemblance to a more junior version of Inspector Frost in the hapless DC Davies and his setting. Although the first Frost novel was written in 1972, four years before this book was published, it was initially only published in Canada, with none of the series published in the UK until into the 1980's when unflattering portrayals of senior police officers was more acceptable to publishers.

[AngryGreyCat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dangerous Davies is one of the books that the The Last Detective TV series was based on. I really enjoyed the show and when I found out it was based on books by Leslie Thomas I decided to pick them up. The book is definitely darker in some aspects than the TV series. The main mystery here involves an unsolved missing person case which is basically a cold case. One of the original men questioned is now currently being looked at and Davies takes this opportunity to re-examine the original case. Really cleverly done as there are small hints and clues dripped throughout that lead to the resolution.

[William Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant , brilliant ,brilliant

This is one of my favourite Lesley Thomas books , it spins a great story , is wonderfully in its observations , and maintains an under current of humour . Possibly number one of two of my Leslie Thomas top ten. Forget the tv series , does not even come. Close.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the tv series because I am smitten with Peter Davison, and I am throughly enjoying it. I read the book because I like to follow up with where the series, or movie, came from. The book could hardly be more different, but it's equally enjoyable. Unfortunately my public library has only the first.

[Tay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit disappointing since I love the British TV series. Turns out the original book was published in 1976, and features sexism and negative attitudes toward women as commonplace, including the objectification and lack of protection for underaged teen girls. Bleh. On the positive side, the author writes colorful characters and seedy situations that engage the senses.

[Nazli Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was first published in 1976 - and what a gem of a read! The writing is sharp, hilarious, poignant - and the character development (of Davies and Mod in particular) are excellent. If you like the typical British mystery, I recommend this. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Race Bannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has some amusing scenarios but the overall
character of the "last detective" is not all that
bumbling, and there is too much of tangents
that make for quite a bit of uninteresting reading.

This is very old-fashioned and very contrived
so proceed at your own risk.

[Sue Garwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd forgotten what an excellent writer is Leslie Thomas. An brilliant, funny read and a good plot. No spoilers but this story reverberates today and stands its ground even though it was written nearly 50 years ago.

[Budge Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully funny book, down to Earth, human, compassionate. This is the fourth time I've read it, and still thoroughly enjoying the adventure and delighting in the characters. There are, apparently three other Dangerous Davies ... I suspect it's time to give them a whirl.

[Thomas A · Rating 4 out of 5]

an entertaining read

A most unusual premise for a detective mystery story with a rumpled, clumsy and underperforming constable and his comically pompous unemployed friend. Very cleverly written with both wit and sensitivity.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the character of Davies, the detective who solves a 25 year old crime but have to say it wasn’t a satisfying end. The end just sort d fizzled out with no real vindication for Davis. A rambling story and interesting characters.