The Complete Dangerous Davies: "Dangerous Davies", "Dangerous in Love", "Dangerous by Moonlight"

Dangerous Davies #omnibus 1-3

by Leslie Thomas

As plain-clothes men go, Dangerous Davies looks like a non-starter. The small fry of petty larceny and minor disturbances in the backwaters of north-west London are his daily round. His philosophising Welsh drinking companion Mod, his outsized and unruly dog Kitty, his quarrels with his landlady Mrs Fulljames - none of these bodes well for the efficient solving of crimes and outwitting of villainy. But Davies is encouraged by his beautiful friend Jemma, and every so often he stumbles upon something really big.Gathered together for the first time in one volume, here are Leslie Thomas's three books about the most endearing comic hero he has ever created.

Genres: Fiction

782 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 12, 1995

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

[Gram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leslie Thomas is a master storyteller and these 3 books are a joy to read, full of humour and pathos about a police detective called "Dangerous" Davies, who's known as "The Last Detective". As his best friend and drinking companion, the unemployed Welsh philosopher, Mod, explains - Davies is the last detective because he's "the last one they send - unless there's a madman to tackle"!
Although Davies mostly deals with minor crime and often ends up in hospital, in these 3 books he deals with a 25 year old murder case, the suspicious death of a down and out and the disappearance of a con man and even has time to fall in love with Jemma, a social worker who often brings troubled clients to stay at her home. Davies and Mod live at a boarding house along with Davies' ex wife Doris and the landlady, the redoubtable Mrs Fulljames. Set in the 1970's and 80's, these are marvellous tales which highlight the seamy and seedy side of life in North West London.

[Tony Deadman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about the way Leslie Thomas portrays his male protagonists: their vulnerablbility and gulibility, especially when it comes to their involvement with females. If there is a man like that out there, and there may well be, they are not so common. 'Dangerous' Davies is a victim and a hero and a lover and a dreamer, but most of all, he is almost always led by the nose, not by the astuteness of his nose, into a murky pre-millennium confuscation of innocent-looking girls, suspects with well-harboured secrets, grim-faced criminals, and the luckless down and out, all with their own foibles and faults. The settings hark back to the 40s, 50s and 60s with very little focus on modern policing methodology and the trappings of modern technology.
It is a world that is well drawn and good to escape into, with 'Dangerous,' always a likeable chap you can empathise with, at the centre of the action - with a little help, from an unemployed Welshman whoes studious nature keeps him tied to the local library. He is well-endowed with apparent trivia, which when utilised by the brain of someone named after Tchaikovsky's brother must count for something, no matter how Modest.

[Derick Parsons · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyable

Certainly a bit different, and enjoyable. The second wasn’t as good as the first and the third was a little tired but they were still readable. My only issue really was the timeline, in the first one, in 1976, Davies was 33. In the second, in 1987, he was in his mid-fifties. In the third, set in 1993, he’s still mid-fifties. And his dog, which was decrepit and near knackered in the first, is still going strong. All the violence he endures gets a bit silly too but, Overall, worth reading.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dangerous Davies trilogy is a thoroughly enjoyable set of humorous tales about a policeman and his acquaintances set in a run down area of London. Davies invariably gets the jobs no one else wants or the mysteries that have long been discarded by the rest of the force. Each tale has a very human aspect that will lend a touch of sadness to the over-arching descriptive humour. Definitely worth a read :-)

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun

These three novels were the basis for the British TV series, “The Last Detective”. I really liked the show on BritBox, so I got the Complete Dangerous Davies to read. All three stories kept me amused and interested. I did not find myself figuring out the cases until Dangerous did. They may not be great literature, but they were quite entertaining to read.

[GERARD MC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read the four books in the series and really enjoyed them. The characters are humorous as are the situations they find themselves in. Not in the same league as Inspector Morse, Sherlock Holmes or the like but the books create at times very humorous situations that could occur at times in ones life. Solving his crimes is luck, determination and folly but alongside his sidekick Mod they muddle through.
On the negative side too many life threatening injuries to be believable, too many steaming dinners and a lot of pints.
But light hearted reading for a snip of a price £2-99 all in. The film "Dangerous Davies" made in the 1980's with Bernard Gubbins a true reflection of the novel and worth a watch.

[David Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Three, wonderfully, silly,amusing and entertaining stories. Leslie Thomas has created a wonderful character and given him a tricky but ultimately satisfying life, littered with some very amusing dialogue and some interesting stories.

[Irene Treadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Davies

Brilliant wrighter enjoyable read very witty would reccomend to anyone with a sense of humour that wants a good laugh

[Graham Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story telling from a really accomplished author. The plots are well crafted, the characters believable with a blend of pathos and humour. I find all of his work compelling reads.

[John Milliner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leslie Thomas is always a good read, and this story was another good one

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining but dated mysteries featuring the hapless Detective Constable Davies

[Keith Hollinshed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The good - the novels are excellent and very funny
The bad - the attitudes and language are a little old fashioned or of their time
The very bad - the title, it isn’t complete!

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having watched 'The last detective' TV series I thought I'd try the books and they were a joy.

[Richard Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fun read!

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. I was inspired to read the book from watching the NPR series "The Last Detective". While the book is not quite the same as the TV version is has all of the charm and humor. Davies, MOD, the landlady and the assortment of police and criminals who are characters in the book are interesting and likable.

[andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading about dangerous Davies the nice detective. Who gets all the jobs no body else wants drama mystery may be a bit of romance may be not a lovely read sadly the author has passed away his other books are a good reading would recommend them to men or woman a top author. Will not be a waste of time will make you smile as the book goes on the last detective dangerous Davies

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

charming

[Susan Aldrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous mysteries, lovable detective.