| The False Inspector Dew | |
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Cover of the 1st US edition |
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| Author(s) | Peter Lovesey |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | crime novel |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
| Publication date | 11 March 1982 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 256 p. |
| ISBN | 0333327489 |
| OCLC Number | 10173771 |
The False Inspector Dew is a humorous crime novel by Peter Lovesey. It won the Gold Dagger award by the Crime Writers' Association in 1982 and has featured on many "Best of" list since.
Contents |
It is 1921, and Alma Webster, a reader of romances, is passionately in love with her dentist, Walter Baranov. There is only one foreseeable outcome: the murder of his wife. Inspired by the real-life Dr Crippen case, they plot a way to achieve it perfectly aboard the ocean liner, Mauretania. The dentist takes on the identity of Inspector Walter Dew, Crippen’s nemesis, but then a murder occurs aboard the ship and the captain invites "Inspector Dew" to investigate.
The novel is highly praised by many crime fiction critics and writers. Julian Symons in his book Bloody Murder referred to it as “one of the cleverest crime comedies of the past few years.” Famous crime writer Ruth Rendell said in a review: “A masterpiece. I defy anyone to foresee the outcome.”