Lestrade and the Giant Rat of Sumatra is the latest in a robust series of seventeen books, most of which were published in the 1990’s.

This book may not be everyone’s cup of Earl Grey and Bath Bun. At times I laughed out loud at the puns and double entendres. Other pages staggered me with their crisp descriptions and spare dialogue. I would say there are a hundred characters, with mouth-mangling names and odd mannerisms. It’s highly likely that you have ever read an odd book like this before.

The tale begins with Retired Inspector Walter Dew, who is narrating a case from the past to his daughter, Ethel. His story begins “In the year of nearly everyone’s Lord 1905.”

Walter Dew and Inspector Sholto Lestrade of the Scotland Yard, with their rookies, Bang, and Olufsen are investigating a murder. Soon, they have multiple murders that seem to be connected. The manner of the deaths are unusual and the murder victims range from a lunatic, to a reporter, to an explorer.

With clues such as, “I’d say she smelt of parakeets.” to guide them, their search through London has them meeting the heads of finance and crime, and the lows of life underground. While the Inspectors may stumble and their rookies may bumble, they do their best to get their man.

Interestingly, Inspector Lestrade is a fictional character appearing in several of the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Detective Chief Inspector Walter Dew was a Metropolitan Police officer who was involved in the hunt for both Jack the Ripper and Dr Crippen.

If you like historical detective stories, with memorable leads, reminiscent of Hercule Poirot, and droll wit, set in a well-described London, you will enjoy this book. I liked this book, although I have to say it was a bit hard to keep track of all the characters, scenes and details, but I persevered to a satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for a review copy.

Funny and erudite as one would expect from M. J. Trow of whose “Mad Max” series I have long been a fan.

Readers who love historical mysteries spiced with wit, and larded with references to contemporary events and real characters, will enjoy this hugely. My only criticism is that I thought it was a tad too long.

Here we have Lestrade and Dew of Scotland Yard, ably assisted by Constables Bang and Olufsen, investigating a series of mysterious deaths. On the way to the solution, we come across financiers and master criminals and a cross-section of society from sewer workers to members of the aristocracy. Conan Doyle makes a grudging appearance too.

Very readable, most enjoyable and highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for the digital review copy.

In today’s oversaturated fiction market, Trow managed to create something fresh and utterly unique. The book manages to balance the sensibilities of Masterpiece theater with lovable characters that will endear themselves to all readers.

I liked the story- be it the narration, the plot and the way the characters develop - just excellent! Not to forget, the quirky humor steals the show! I love the author's style of writing. A must-read for all those who love to have a good laugh and love a good detective story!

This is the second book I read which has Lestrade as its main character, and I must admit that I did not enjoy it as much as the first - not that It wasn't well written or that the storyline was not good. It was just that I did not enjoy reading it, and rather than a mystery, for me it was too much an adventure story.

This is a challenging book to review. I enjoyed it a lot and actually found it quite funny in many parts. Bang and Olufsen? You have to read the book to get what the author has done with this reference but it’s just an example of the cleverness in this story. Lestrade comes across a little differently in this story from the others in the series but that may be due to the fact that for the most part you are being told the story by his fellow policeman, Dew. I liked it but after a 17-year gap in the series I was left wondering if the author might have lost touch with his protagonist, Lestrade.

This is a clever crime mystery and most enjoyable too. I liked the style - Dew telling (his version) of the story to his daughter. Well plotted and very funny. Not just humour in the story but laugh out loud moments and many a delightful play on words too... ‘the Schindler lift’ for one. Thanks to #netgalley for the chance to read it. #lestradeandtheGiantRatsOfSumatra

The first word that comes to mind when considering Lestrade and the Giant Rat of Sumatra is “weird”. It is an unusual book that has its own distinctive charm.  Set in the early years of the 20th century, this quirky police procedural is both funny and disturbing at once. I’ve never read anything quite like it.


Chief Inspector Walter Dew is writing his memoirs, and it has finally come time for him to share a perplexing case headed by Superintendent Sholto Lestrade.  Lestrade, Dew and their new constables Bang and Olufsen are tasked with solving an array of murders from an insane man wandering the streets to an investigative reporter and a prominent doctor.  Each were killed by arsenic - administered in two small wounds. What links the victims? What is occurring in the sewers beneath? The answers are far stranger - and the killers are far more dangerous than Lestrade and his cohort expects.


Lestrade and the Giant Rat of Sumatra will not be everyone’s cup of tea.  Parts are very entertaining and other parts are just - well - strange. It definitely isn’t your normal historical mystery.  


3 / 5


I received a copy of Lestrade and the Giant Rat of Sumatra from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


— Crittermom