What do you think?
Rate this book
Flynn #1
Flynn
Ever since F.X. Flynn made his first appearance in Confess, Fletch , matching wits with the inimitable Irwin Fletcher, he has befuddled, infuriated, and amazed his colleagues on the Boston Police force while in pursuit of blackmailers, murderers, embezzlers, politicians, and, occasionally, his fellow policemen.
It might have been an accident that brought down the Boeing 707 over Boston Harbor, virtually in Flynn’s own backyard. But it seems unlikely, with so many potential targets on The heavily insured, elderly Federal judge; the has-been British actor; the middleweight champ; the Middle Eastern finance minister. The motive could have been greed, murder, revenge, or even terrorism–and it’s up to the good inspector to get to the bottom of it.
It might have been an accident that brought down the Boeing 707 over Boston Harbor, virtually in Flynn’s own backyard. But it seems unlikely, with so many potential targets on The heavily insured, elderly Federal judge; the has-been British actor; the middleweight champ; the Middle Eastern finance minister. The motive could have been greed, murder, revenge, or even terrorism–and it’s up to the good inspector to get to the bottom of it.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1977
132 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
April 28, 2022
Flynn is an interesting spinoff of Gregory McDonald's Fletch series. Francis Xavier Flynn, a Boston police inspector with a mysterious past, is just as irreverent, sarcastic and brilliant as Fletch and perhaps (arguably) a better investigator.
In Flynn, an airplane explodes shortly after take-off (and right near Flynn's home) and he is assigned to serve as liaison to the FBI and Civilian Aeronautics Board investigators. Painting the federal agents as incompetent, arrogant (and quite hilarious) fools, McDonald gives Flynn the task of finding out who was really responsible for the tragedy.
As with most McDonald mysteries, there are a host of possible suspects to choose from most tied to passengers who were wanted dead. There is the middleweight champion boxer who might have gone against the wishes of the mob, the star actor who's walkout from a major stage production likely ruined the producer, the wife of a federal judge who was the recipient of a large amount of life insurance taken out immediately prior to take0ff, the terrorist organization that took public credit for the crime and several others.
It is Flynn's investigations that find the true perpetrator while the Federal agents flounder around with false leads and incompetent investigative techniques. There are two leads/discoveries that are left open ended in the story in ways that tease future books. The first seems likely to be just a plot misdirection to keep the reader from figuring out the mystery. The second is a rather shocking discovery unveiled at the very end of the story and which is suggestive of a crime completely unrelated to the air disaster.
Like the Fletch series, Flynn is based on a character that is, in his own unique way, very counter-culture. A mysterious past as a spy with very little respect for formal authority, reasonable childrearing practices or social norms, there are times when Flynn steps so far beyond accepted behavior that it feels uncomfortable (he puts his twin sons in danger blithely as part of the investigation). Yet part of the joy of McDonald's writing is that his stories marry parody with mystery. It is an approach that is unlike any other author I've read and consistently original.
There are occasional references to Fletch in the book which make more sense if you've read that series, but it's not really necessary to read the Fletch series first. Flynn is fun and funny read and worth the time.
In Flynn, an airplane explodes shortly after take-off (and right near Flynn's home) and he is assigned to serve as liaison to the FBI and Civilian Aeronautics Board investigators. Painting the federal agents as incompetent, arrogant (and quite hilarious) fools, McDonald gives Flynn the task of finding out who was really responsible for the tragedy.
As with most McDonald mysteries, there are a host of possible suspects to choose from most tied to passengers who were wanted dead. There is the middleweight champion boxer who might have gone against the wishes of the mob, the star actor who's walkout from a major stage production likely ruined the producer, the wife of a federal judge who was the recipient of a large amount of life insurance taken out immediately prior to take0ff, the terrorist organization that took public credit for the crime and several others.
It is Flynn's investigations that find the true perpetrator while the Federal agents flounder around with false leads and incompetent investigative techniques. There are two leads/discoveries that are left open ended in the story in ways that tease future books. The first seems likely to be just a plot misdirection to keep the reader from figuring out the mystery. The second is a rather shocking discovery unveiled at the very end of the story and which is suggestive of a crime completely unrelated to the air disaster.
Like the Fletch series, Flynn is based on a character that is, in his own unique way, very counter-culture. A mysterious past as a spy with very little respect for formal authority, reasonable childrearing practices or social norms, there are times when Flynn steps so far beyond accepted behavior that it feels uncomfortable (he puts his twin sons in danger blithely as part of the investigation). Yet part of the joy of McDonald's writing is that his stories marry parody with mystery. It is an approach that is unlike any other author I've read and consistently original.
There are occasional references to Fletch in the book which make more sense if you've read that series, but it's not really necessary to read the Fletch series first. Flynn is fun and funny read and worth the time.
July 9, 2022
This is my first Flynn book after reading a handful of Gregory MacDonald's Fletch books. When MacDonald is writing at the peak of his powers, he's fantastic. He writes wonderful characters and humorous dialogue. But I found that a couple of the Fletch novels were disappointing. It felt like MacDonald just wrote some of those novels because he knew they would sell rather than writing them because he needed to. In one of them, Fletch and the Man Who, the character Fletch seemed to have lost his mojo. He felt stale and, in fact, didn't even feel like the same character. So I switched gears and read Flynn, and I'm glad I did.
Flynn finds MacDonald working again at the peak of his powers. Flynn is another fun character, and the witty dialogue is some of his best. There's even a "sort of" cameo by Fletch. I really enjoyed this book and am curious to check out the Flynn sequels to find out if they end up growing stale as well.
I should point out that this whodunit isn't all that great -- especially the conclusion -- but Flynn is like Fletch. You're not reading the book for the plot; you're reading to watch and listen to the quirky character at its center.
Flynn finds MacDonald working again at the peak of his powers. Flynn is another fun character, and the witty dialogue is some of his best. There's even a "sort of" cameo by Fletch. I really enjoyed this book and am curious to check out the Flynn sequels to find out if they end up growing stale as well.
I should point out that this whodunit isn't all that great -- especially the conclusion -- but Flynn is like Fletch. You're not reading the book for the plot; you're reading to watch and listen to the quirky character at its center.
October 14, 2022
Flynn is affiliated with the Boston Police Department, holding the rank of "Inspector," which is unique inasmuch as there is no such rank on the force. He is more like a consultant. It emerges that he is also works for the No-Name Spy Agency, an association that remains a mystery. Although the story is said to be a standalone, I had the feeling that I missed something by not having previously read Confess, Fletch, in which Flynn first makes his appearance since, at times, aspects of his personality and behavior seem to be assumed of the reader. It started very strong, with Flynn and his boys witnessing the explosion of an aircraft that had just lifted off from Logan airport. It kept my interest until late in the story, where it ran downhill toward an unexceptional denouement.
I also found a number of twists were unrealistic, but well-written comic mysteries are relatively rare, so I give them greater leeway. Like Orinoco Womble, I enjoyed the book despite its shortcomings. Having been written in the mid-1970's, it's style has been outstripped by the creation of technologies that could hardly have been imagined at the time, although there were relatively crude reconnaissance satellites starting around 1959. ("Flynn" is hardly unique for its time. Ian Fleming, who died in 1964, had already written his 12-episode James Bond series. The popular sitcom Get Smart had been on TV from 1965-1970.)
This is the first book in a series of four, although it is the most highly rated of them here on GR, so I am disinclined to pursue it further. However, I can recommend it to readers of comic or cozy mysteries.
I also found a number of twists were unrealistic, but well-written comic mysteries are relatively rare, so I give them greater leeway. Like Orinoco Womble, I enjoyed the book despite its shortcomings. Having been written in the mid-1970's, it's style has been outstripped by the creation of technologies that could hardly have been imagined at the time, although there were relatively crude reconnaissance satellites starting around 1959. ("Flynn" is hardly unique for its time. Ian Fleming, who died in 1964, had already written his 12-episode James Bond series. The popular sitcom Get Smart had been on TV from 1965-1970.)
This is the first book in a series of four, although it is the most highly rated of them here on GR, so I am disinclined to pursue it further. However, I can recommend it to readers of comic or cozy mysteries.
April 8, 2023
I must say that I liked this work better than the Fletch series. I especially enjoyed how Flynn cared about his family, though I didn't see much consistency in his moral compass when he sent his young sons to do dangerous undercover work. It came across as someone who either never had kids or who was so emotionally distant from his kids that he didn't perceive the danger. The storyline was good and the characters were distinct. A quick read with a minimal physical description or internal revelation, which seems to have been McDonald's style.
March 2, 2022
I've ready every Fletch book and was eager to start on this spinoff series. I don't know if I'll continue or not. It was ok, I'd say 3.5 stars. It reads easy enough but to start it was hard to get a visual on Flynn in my head. Oddly enough, Colm Meany (the actor) popped in my head as Flynn and suddenly all was clear.
As a mystery it was so-so. The story was interesting but not gripping. It wasn't "I have to find out what happens next!"
It was a decent read but don't expect anything riveting.
As a mystery it was so-so. The story was interesting but not gripping. It wasn't "I have to find out what happens next!"
It was a decent read but don't expect anything riveting.
July 27, 2016
I read this in a surprisingly short time, so I guess it qualifies as "couldn't put it down." I was going to shelve it as "police procedural"--well it is, and it isn't. As I got into it, I thought of shelving it as spy fiction (not that I have a shelf for that)--well it is, and it isn't. The biggest mystery about it is Flynn himself.
Flynn is employed in the Records Department of the Boston police force. He has a huge ornate office with a fireplace, a camp-bed, a very large dark wood desk, and an aide-de-camp who brings him tea and chess. Apparently he is Boston's only Police Inspector--a specially-created rank no one else has. He is known as the "reluctant arrester"--does this mean he takes the law into his own hands? In a measure, it would appear so. But apparently that's his job. When he and his children watch a transatlantic flight to London explode in the air near their home at 3 AM, Flynn is of course called in to liase with the FBI and the CAB--well, he does, and he doesn't.
Flynn is too Irish for words; his kids call him Da and he speaks with a definite Irish turn of speech. Mention is made of the farm back home on the ould sod (not in those words, nobody's that Irish outside of a 1930s American made movie). But we are told nothing of his background and history--at least not directly. The hints we get of his past are so oblique as to be obscure--and yet they tell us quite a lot without telling much. His wife, Elizabeth/Elsbeth is a mere marker. There appears to be some relationship or connection between Flynn and Fletch, but as I haven't read any of the Fletch novels I have no idea what it may be.
Having praised the book with faint damns, I found it a satisyfing read after an exhausting day. I was so tired, I probably missed huge clues anyway. It did strike me that there are "fashions" in terrorist attacks as in anything else; it's been many years since we heard of a straight-up hijacking.
Flynn is employed in the Records Department of the Boston police force. He has a huge ornate office with a fireplace, a camp-bed, a very large dark wood desk, and an aide-de-camp who brings him tea and chess. Apparently he is Boston's only Police Inspector--a specially-created rank no one else has. He is known as the "reluctant arrester"--does this mean he takes the law into his own hands? In a measure, it would appear so. But apparently that's his job. When he and his children watch a transatlantic flight to London explode in the air near their home at 3 AM, Flynn is of course called in to liase with the FBI and the CAB--well, he does, and he doesn't.
Flynn is too Irish for words; his kids call him Da and he speaks with a definite Irish turn of speech. Mention is made of the farm back home on the ould sod (not in those words, nobody's that Irish outside of a 1930s American made movie). But we are told nothing of his background and history--at least not directly. The hints we get of his past are so oblique as to be obscure--and yet they tell us quite a lot without telling much. His wife, Elizabeth/Elsbeth is a mere marker. There appears to be some relationship or connection between Flynn and Fletch, but as I haven't read any of the Fletch novels I have no idea what it may be.
Having praised the book with faint damns, I found it a satisyfing read after an exhausting day. I was so tired, I probably missed huge clues anyway. It did strike me that there are "fashions" in terrorist attacks as in anything else; it's been many years since we heard of a straight-up hijacking.
Want to read
May 6, 2019Synopsis: F.X. Flynn first made his appearance in Confess Fletch. He amazes his Boston Police colleagues. He looks into a plane crash.
December 19, 2022
So I hadn't read the Flynn books before. The first novel is quite entertaining, although, plot-wise, it's not as strong as the Fletch series. (The air explosion serving as the linchpin of this novel isn't satisfyingly resolved, a big letdown, given Mcdonald's panache for making insane plots believable.) But it does have a lot going for it. The Human Surplus League is a genuinely funny and deranged idea, as is Flynn's idea of fatherhood. What's also strange is how Flynn doesn't quite sound like he did in CONFESS, FLETCH. Mcdonald either deliberately toned down his eccentricity and his Irish dialect or was writing so fast at this point that he mixed up Flynn and Fletch. It's still a great deal of fun to read, as nearly every Mcdonald volume is.
May 18, 2020
This is a book & plot from an earlier age - when planes were not checked so closely and the police were not held in so much derision - and were in fact filled with such irish characters as found in this handy page turner. In a sense the same type of main character as the authors other series "Fletch" the main character has a few pots in the fire and with wry bonhomie manages to keep them all juggled into just the right place at the right time. There are a few slips, he's human after all, but for the most part, it's a moral story of a (trying to be) moral man mixed up in a mystery and surrounded by a host of less aware characters.
At least for me this was a light, humorous read.
At least for me this was a light, humorous read.
October 3, 2011
I first read this years ago, but I just finished a re-read. I love the Flynn character and how he interacts with others, especially his family. It's best to read this series in order, but not as necessary as in many other series. Airport security, terrorism, technology, and other things have dated this series, but not to the point that the action, process, and humor are affected.
December 12, 2023
I picked up this book because the Flynn character was more interesting than the Fletch character in Confess, Fletch. Sadly, while fast-paced and fun, this book was, ultimately, not for me.
Many of the characters are fun and engaging, but Flynn's assistant Grover is not. He seems to be included for comedy relief, but the antagonism between the two is anything but funny. This animosity got tedious quickly and make me wonder is if continues throughout the series. My gut says it will. Flynn's deliberate feud with the FBI, although initiated by an FBI agent doesn't make sense if Flynn wants to "maintain his cover". The implication is that Flynn works with the CIA or some other group that requires a low profile.
Flynn involving his 15-year-old twins in the case was reckless and stupid, as was his justification for their participation. I could go on and on here, but let's say that this was the deal-breaker on me reading any more of the series.
Finally, the ending was very dissatisfying. Sure, Flynn gets his man, and all the loose ends are tied up, but no one is notified, Flynn does nothing and it seems that those he works for will do the same. It almost felt like Flynn was acting out of spite toward the FBI.
That means thousands of dollars will be wasted investigating the plane crash, hundreds of families will get no closure on the deaths of loved ones. There won't be any insurance payouts for possibly years (insurance was a big part of the plot). It really left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Many of the characters are fun and engaging, but Flynn's assistant Grover is not. He seems to be included for comedy relief, but the antagonism between the two is anything but funny. This animosity got tedious quickly and make me wonder is if continues throughout the series. My gut says it will. Flynn's deliberate feud with the FBI, although initiated by an FBI agent doesn't make sense if Flynn wants to "maintain his cover". The implication is that Flynn works with the CIA or some other group that requires a low profile.
Flynn involving his 15-year-old twins in the case was reckless and stupid, as was his justification for their participation. I could go on and on here, but let's say that this was the deal-breaker on me reading any more of the series.
Finally, the ending was very dissatisfying. Sure, Flynn gets his man, and all the loose ends are tied up, but no one is notified, Flynn does nothing and it seems that those he works for will do the same. It almost felt like Flynn was acting out of spite toward the FBI.
That means thousands of dollars will be wasted investigating the plane crash, hundreds of families will get no closure on the deaths of loved ones. There won't be any insurance payouts for possibly years (insurance was a big part of the plot). It really left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
July 31, 2020
Great series-starter, although technically the second appearance of the redoubtable Francis Xavier Flynn was opposite the equally remarkable Irwin Maurice Fletcher in Confess, Fletch. Here, we finally get to see Flynn in his full Irish glory, offering his unique form of charm. Addressing an FBI agent (or "Fibbie," as he calls them) who has been particularly offensive, Flynn asks, "And tell me, did your father indicate to your mother what his name might be the night he spent with her?"
Flynn fears nothing, despises ineptitude in an form, and has origins and connections that are both mysterious and never wholly explained. Now a Boston police "Inspector" (the only person on the force with that title), he is brought in to investigate why a plane out of Logan Airport mysteriously exploded an hour after takeoff. The mystery is intriguing, the characters well-shaped, and Flynn himself is just larger-enough-than-life to make us believe in him and want him on our side. No cliff-hangers; the book is a stand-alone, so you needn't feel forced to continue the series. However, I suspect that you'll be sufficiently beguiled to want to. Go ahead; indulge yourself.
Flynn fears nothing, despises ineptitude in an form, and has origins and connections that are both mysterious and never wholly explained. Now a Boston police "Inspector" (the only person on the force with that title), he is brought in to investigate why a plane out of Logan Airport mysteriously exploded an hour after takeoff. The mystery is intriguing, the characters well-shaped, and Flynn himself is just larger-enough-than-life to make us believe in him and want him on our side. No cliff-hangers; the book is a stand-alone, so you needn't feel forced to continue the series. However, I suspect that you'll be sufficiently beguiled to want to. Go ahead; indulge yourself.
September 9, 2023
This is the second Gregory McDonald book I have read this month and I think I am done with him. The story was engaging and the writing was lively, but he has a dated creepiness about him that makes me want to run far away. I grant you the two books were written in a different time, but I still have my own tastes and I can choose that a dated aspect is something that bothers me enough that I am going to find other writers to dig. In Fletch, as a part of an undercover reporting assignment, he has shacked up with a 15 year old drug addicted prostitute. Fletch is 29. In a few scenes, his interest in a 15 year old is played lightly for laughs. In this book, Flynn sends his 15 year old twin sons off to Harvard Square to go undercover and find an underground organization. One of them does. The other gets involved in a sex group where the 15 year old has sex with a lot of different people of different ages for two straight days. It was mentioned that one of the women he slept was 80 years old. This is played for laughs. It's a big joke. It was icky to me. I am sure people will call me a prude for my attitude but I am cool with just moving on to other writers.
December 1, 2024
Well whilst it is probably not in the best taste to produce quite such a light hearted comic whodunnit thriller around an airline bombing this is actually pretty enjoyable fare like the Fletch novels in which Flynn appears. As with the Fletch novels in which Fletch is the anti-authority figure solving the crimes and Flynn is a bit more of an authority figure, here Flynn is an anti authority figure himself. His wise cracks maybe a wit more wordy blarney but the similarities are patent. The mystery is a bit of a messy disappointment. It introduces local suspects but the solution is international organised crime on a huge scale (and makes little sense at that). In order to solve it Flynn has to be an international intelligence agent himself, working undercover with the Boston Police and drawing down a huge secondary income that enables him to settle a local domestic theft / child social care issue and draw the suspicions of his junior officer who he squabbles amusingly with throughout and seeks to get promoted and off his back. His parental responsibility is a little lacking!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2023
I liked this book until the end. I get the FBI making cracks about Flynn being out at the bars and a drunk living in Boston being a joke for the time it was written (I hope) but dang, I wanted it to be clear that he or at least Boston PD solved the case. I get that's not the point of this character being part of No Name and all, but it still stung. I enjoy that he doesn't need credit for job well done, since we live in a world of taking credit for things, that we might not even be responsible for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2018
This was great! Four and a half. Technically a re-read, but it’s around 30 years since I read it last, so I hadn’t remembered much. In fact I hadn’t remembered ‘who did it’! And the mystery and potential guilty parties kept the story going. Even though each character is only developed very lightly, they still seem very real. McDonal was a really good crime/thriller writer, and very funny! Flynn is lovely and his family are a delight.
December 20, 2020
It was good...probably more a 3.5 star, but I’m feeling generous. I like Fletch as a protagonist significantly more than Flynn, but like most of McDonald’s mystery books, this was an engaging page turner.
Didn’t love the international element but it kept you guessing and entertained the entire way with far moving dialogue and cliff hanging chapters.
Quick read to help me complete my 2020 Reading Challenge
Didn’t love the international element but it kept you guessing and entertained the entire way with far moving dialogue and cliff hanging chapters.
Quick read to help me complete my 2020 Reading Challenge
January 11, 2024
So I was never going to get this (and 31 others) properly written up, so I posted quick, tweet-length thoughts about some things that have needed reviewed for far too long:
I expected the Fletch narrator for some reason, but Corren won me over in minutes. One of my favorite novels of all-time. Great audio version.
I expected the Fletch narrator for some reason, but Corren won me over in minutes. One of my favorite novels of all-time. Great audio version.
October 10, 2024
Inspector Flynn of Boston finds himself investigating a plane bombing much to the chagrin of the officials who think they are the ones actually investigating the plane bombing.
In the tradition of the Fletch series, this is a witty and propulsive mystery that speeds right along and has memorable characters and clever plot. Anything by Gregory McDonald is going to be fun and this is for those who enjoyed Fletch and just need more.
In the tradition of the Fletch series, this is a witty and propulsive mystery that speeds right along and has memorable characters and clever plot. Anything by Gregory McDonald is going to be fun and this is for those who enjoyed Fletch and just need more.
January 7, 2020
A fine book, plenty entertaining. Flynn is a distinctive character, and the novel provides a fun milieu as a playpen. Supporting cast eccentric without being too much, and McDonald weaves a tight story with a satisfying ending. I’ve been enjoying McDonald’s books for the past month, and I continue to look forward to the next once done with the last.
March 7, 2020
Introducing Inspector Flynn
Inspector Flynn of The Boston Police Department is Irish and he is fond of exotic varieties of tea. He is a genius at criminal investigation and he has a very witty sense of humor. Inspector Francis Xavier Flynn is one of the most intriguing and endearing characters ever created in literature.
Inspector Flynn of The Boston Police Department is Irish and he is fond of exotic varieties of tea. He is a genius at criminal investigation and he has a very witty sense of humor. Inspector Francis Xavier Flynn is one of the most intriguing and endearing characters ever created in literature.
November 4, 2021
Following his "book-stealing" appearance in Confess, Fletch, it clearly made sense for McDonald to spin Boston Police Inspector F.X. Flynn in to his own book. Flynn is an enigma to those around him. A police Inspector on a force that doesn't have that rank. A cop who is reluctant to arrest people and wants to actually know the person is guilty and be able to prove it before he moves. And a secret agent for an unnamed agency who may or may not still be active.
After Flynn watches a jet explode minutes after take-off from his back yard, he's called on by the Boston P.D. to act as a liaison with the FBI and the CAB. The feds (the Feebs in particular) are not impressed with Flynn's way of doing business and his perceived lack of assistance. And, of course, Grover (a very by-the-books police Sergeant who acts as Flynn's foil and whipping boy) is back. There are plenty of twists and turns (maybe a few too many to be believable) and we learn a bit more about Flynn's back-story and his family.
This is a fun spin-off from Fletch and a nice start for a series about an interesting and eccentric character. While the book would be understandable as a stand-alone, there is a reasonable bit about Flynn's background in Confess, Fletch that the reader would benefit from reading that book first. Also, keep in mind this was published in 1977. Technology has outstripped this book as have societal norms.
After Flynn watches a jet explode minutes after take-off from his back yard, he's called on by the Boston P.D. to act as a liaison with the FBI and the CAB. The feds (the Feebs in particular) are not impressed with Flynn's way of doing business and his perceived lack of assistance. And, of course, Grover (a very by-the-books police Sergeant who acts as Flynn's foil and whipping boy) is back. There are plenty of twists and turns (maybe a few too many to be believable) and we learn a bit more about Flynn's back-story and his family.
This is a fun spin-off from Fletch and a nice start for a series about an interesting and eccentric character. While the book would be understandable as a stand-alone, there is a reasonable bit about Flynn's background in Confess, Fletch that the reader would benefit from reading that book first. Also, keep in mind this was published in 1977. Technology has outstripped this book as have societal norms.
December 9, 2022
Gregory McDonald is very good at dialogues, Flynn keeps throwing witty replies at everyone and it's the best part of the book. The story is cool but it doesn't follow the usual suspense behind "who did it". I enjoyed listening to the story, but don't be like me and forget this is from the 70s, beware that the world changed a lot since this story was written.
June 16, 2023
Flynn is from the creator of the Fletch series of books. He is the ONLY "Inspector" on the Boston Police force. Flynn, lives near the airport in Boston and one early morning he witnesses a plane explode right after takeoff. What happened, and why did it happen? Flynn is called in to find out.
I really enjoyed this.
I really enjoyed this.
November 6, 2025
We really enjoyed listening to this book. We love Gregory McDonald. We were massively confused by the end and spent quite some time trying to figure out what happened. We read and reread the print edition when we were unable to make sense of the audio. Lots of laughs and great characters. We'll definitely look for more of the series, but we were quite bumfuzzled by the finale.
August 20, 2017
One day I will manage to track down a copy of confess fletch. The meeting of a incurable smartass such as fletch and professional sarcastic such as Flynn will be worthwhile reading.
Flynn first own adventure is so beautifully written that I couldn't put it down until I was finished.
Flynn first own adventure is so beautifully written that I couldn't put it down until I was finished.
February 28, 2020
I just really enjoy this character and the characters around Flynn. I think probably more than I enjoyed the Fletch series by the same author. I am very much looking forward to continuing the series.
February 21, 2022
2.5 - I do very much like Flynn as a character, but some parts of this were just too absurd for my liking. A touch more . . . buffoonish . . . than Fletch. I'll likely give the next in the series a try, though.
January 27, 2023
I book I meant to read in high school but did not. Might of found it funny then.
The mystery of the crime and Flynn''s backstory is interesting enough but the smartest guy in the room got old for me.
The mystery of the crime and Flynn''s backstory is interesting enough but the smartest guy in the room got old for me.
October 13, 2023
Funny, kind, generous (except toward most other law enforcement personnel), savage, ironic, world-weary, smart. I had to actually sit with the book for several minutes after it ended, before I was able to work out "who did it." And it's only hinted at so I could be wrong. Really fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews