Dangerous By Moonlight

Dangerous Davies #3

by Leslie Thomas

Lost, baffled, and alone in Willesden's mean streets, Detective Constable Dangerous Davies is up against the cream of criminality. Newspaper theft (the work of organized crime?), household robbery (including cheese from the fridge), it's all grist to his mill. When Dangerous is beaten up, yet again, at a European Friendship dinner dance he reluctantly takes some sick leave. Recuperating in Bournemouth he is approached by a member of the local Widows' Luncheon Club. She wants him to find out the truth about her husband's disappearance. Dangerous declines. It's against the rules. Back in Willesden a further beating helps change his mind. So starts a double life of regular casework and moonlighting as Dangerous lurches into a mystery fit to confuse the great Holmes himself...

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

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

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

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second reading.

Just wonderful but so sad to face the fact there will never be another Dangerous.

If you’re looking for well written, light, feel good tales, you won’t do much better than settle back with these.

[AngryGreyCat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished the last two books in the Dangerous Davies, The Last Detective, series upon which the TV show is based. Dangerous in Love and Dangerous by Moonlight are both fun shortish reads featuring Dangerous, his sidekick Mod, an interesting love interest in the form of Jemma, and his large personality challenged dog, Kitty. Dangerous is an almost beaten down every man character whose intelligence is hidden underneath his clumsiness and lack of ability to climb the career ladder with the police force. One case involves mistaken identity and spotlights the lack of concern shown for the homeless, even when they are veterans. The other involves the unofficial case of a missing person as a widow asks for Dangerous’s help finding out what happened to her husband. Both books highlight Dangerous Davies common decency and his dogged determination to solve crimes and do right by everyone involved.

I expected these books to perhaps feel a little dated, but I didn’t find that at all. They feel representative of their times and the concerns raised, racism, homelessness, elder fraud, are still issues today. I enjoyed this set of books and read them after watching the TV series. I do think that fans of the TV show will find the books a little darker.

[Kath B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final book in the DC Dangerous Davies trilogy though there is another featuring Dangerous as a private detective. This volume sees the detective recovering from an on the job beating in Bournemouth where he becomes engrossed in a long forgotten case involving a husband who went missing years ago and has long been presumed dead. He finds himself moonlighting as a private detective after the 'widow' cajoles him into looking into the husband's whereabouts.

Meanwhile, there is a live case being investigated back in London, and, although Dangerous is not directly involved - he being the last detective to be given the chance - he manages to sniff out a few clues due to his diligence and access to dodgy contacts.

The beauty of this book though lies in the great characters; Dangerous himself of course, but also the ever present Mod, his would be philosopher friend, and Dangerous' girlfriend, Jemma. You can't help but warm to them all especially during the times they find themselves in trouble. All the books in this series contain humorous and quirky plotlines, fabulously flawed minor characters and that retro 1970s feel. Great reads.

[Patricia Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

3rd in series still as funny as the 1st 2. It is amazing that after all his hospital stays, he still could function. Looking forward to reading the next book in ther series: Dangerous Davies and the Lonely Heart.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny. Love the authors humour

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dangerous runs true to form in this amusing and at times hilarious mystery unfolding by the seaside.

[Paul Parkinson]

Sorry there aren't more of these.

[Ansie de Swardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Paula R C R. C. Readman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Brilliant twist ❤️

[Sarah Dunsbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story/ mystery, excellent characters,well drawn and expressed in this audio book on YouTube....very amusing,good family friendly humour, brilliant Kitty has his finest dog hours in a homeward journey with poor Mod, strange to say for a murder mystery quite a hopeful and happy book ,if it's as good at raising spirits for you as it was for me you will be so pleased to have read it.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

[Sharon March · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable, will try and find others in the series.

[LJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

DANGEROUS BY MOONLIGHT - Okay
Thomas, Leslie - 3rd in Dangerous Davies series

Leslie Thomas's third novel featuring Dangerous Davies, who pursues a gang of petty cheque-thieves and is injured in a case of mistaken identity. While recuperating, he's hired to investigate a murder 15 years before, and this moonlighting is the start of a series of outlandish adventures.

It was okay but I doubt I'll read more.

[Gayatri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A glamorous Detective called "Dangerous " is hired by a widow to search the truth about her husband's mysterious disappearance. Filled with humour the book has an unpredictable climax.

[Jody Nicholson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read and a simple plot.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arson? Murder? not sure what was worse?

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a fun series. too bad there are only 3!

[Mags · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overly descriptive imagery. Painful to read.....binned it after page 8.