Vanishing Act by Charlie Hodges introduces us to Tom Knight, a widowed private investigator who’s 73 years old but trying to pass off as a 59-year old in order to seduce Fran, a worker at a local care home. He almost succeeds but she sees his passport and discovers his true age. Fran is accused of murder and Tom sets off to prove her innocence in the hope that she will then look more kindly upon him. Or maybe it’s because he believes in justice.

Tom is a very fallible hero. He smokes weed. His knees are knackered and a stick, crutches, walking frame and wheelchair all make appearances. However, Tom’s more than capable of holding his own against villains who aren’t as fit or as clever as they should be. The book plays to our desire to see the good guy win, especially if we see him as the underdog.

There are some moments in the book that made me laugh out loud and I still snigger at the thought of them a couple of days later, e.g. the orgy and the dogging episode – especially the brief view of the orgy. I really enjoyed the book with the plot constantly moving forward. The only aspect that I didn’t understand was why the murderer hunted down their last victim. To be fair, not everything is explained – the reader is left to work it out, e.g. why three women were killed in the same evening, so maybe I missed the logic.

I shall definitely look out for the author’s next book, Live Bait, which is previewed at the end of this book.

#VanishingAct #NetGalley

This is a cosy mystery rich with black comedy. We have an unusual – for this genre – protagonist in the elderly Tom, but he’s as energetic as any younger one! You do worry a bit about his hips and knees when he gets into kerfuffles, but he’s made of stern stuff! I hope I’ll be that robust at his age…
Mature Tom has the added benefit of experience and wisdom, both of which he uses when dealing with the intriguing case, but unfortunately not so much when dealing with the attractive Fran.
The plot is clever and the action brisk. It’s an absorbing, bittersweet read, and highly enjoyable. The author has a lively, light style that’s gripping and entertaining.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Farrago for an advance copy of Vanishing Act, the first novel to feature ex-SAS turned PI Tom Knight.

When Tom meets Fran on a dating site he makes the fatal error of lying about his age. Fran at 52 is not looking for a 73 year old beau and swiftly dumps him. When Fran is arrested for the murder of three pensioners at the care home where she works Tom is determined to prove her innocence and win her back.

Vanishing Act is billed as a comedy but to be honest I didn’t find it even remotely funny. This may be because much of the intended humour is situational and revolves around a pensioner trying to be the dashing hero and failing miserably due to his advanced age and creaking body. I may not be as old as Tom but I have some physical limitations and have tailored my approach to life accordingly. This is just ageism.

I think that people who like cozy novels will enjoy the plot. It is well done with Tom stumbling through the investigation of several suspects until the perpetrator is revealed. It is not a particularly profound novel but the question of motive and opportunity are genuinely puzzling. Unfortunately for me the setup of the novel didn’t appeal so I found it hard to get involved and it didn’t hold my attention.

It perhaps shows my bias that I was surprised that the main character was in his seventies. This book was funny and clever and, while it was a mystery, that was almost secondary to it being a humorous book with great dialogue. I recommend this book as a quickly holiday read.

A book about an older man who is still working as a PI. He finds someone to love but she is accousted of Marder. To help her he and a friend solve the case.

Do you like novels with nonstop action, lots of graphic violence, and interludes of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll? That's what's happening in this book, except that Tom Knight, Private Eye, is 73 years old.

The novel takes full advantage of the humorous potential in this situation.

Tom has a crush on a nursing home caregiver who has been framed for the murders of several old ladies. In an attempt to impress her, he takes on the investigation. His visits to her in prison, more alarmingly covered with wounds and bruises every time, make her feel beholden and worried -- but will they lead to love?

Knight is not exactly a likable guy, and neither are any of his friends, or really anybody else in the book. But it is masterfully written, and a very enjoyable read.

This is a pretty fun mystery. The main character is likable, and the story is mostly entertaining. Humor is hard to pull off but the humor worked here. The book doesn't have the polish of more experienced authors, but I hope the author continues to write.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Farrago, in return for an honest review. This is a stand-alone book that may be the first in a new series. Tom Knight is 73 and living in Eastbourne, UK. He’s lonely, ex-military and works, on occasion, as a PI. With a busted-up knee and a few other age-related issues, he knows there are a few challenges to finding an interesting woman to date. Meeting Fran, a nurse at a local dementia care facility, is wonderful. Until, that is, she learns that he lived about his age (by a good 14 years) and that ends that. When Fran is charged with murdering several people in the care home, Tom decides to be her knight in shining armor and find the murder. There are lots of dangerous situations as he unravels the Gordian knot.
I really liked the concept of an older gentleman as the story’s protagonist. It’s written from alternating 3rd person focuses (Tom, then Fran, etc) that place the reader at each location and experience. Somehow, Tom didn’t really click with me, so it was a stretch to work my way through the book. The ending is touching; the writing is clear.

73 year old Tom Knight has met the love of his life, Fran, but lost her when she finds out he has lied about his age. When he tries to meet her to apologise, he discovers that she has been arrested for multiple murders at the nursing home where she works. He sets out to prove her innocence and try and find the real murderer.
A light and quirky story full of humour. Tom is likeable and amusing, as are many of the other characters, although not all of them are clearly defined and I did get a bit confused over who was who. The story had a good pace and was very enjoyable to read. The plot was well planned with plenty of twists. Overall I thought it a great read and I look forward to the next book in the series.

An enjoyable murder mystery with lots going on, sometimes too much though as I did get a bit confused over who was who at times.

Although touching, it did confuse me that the main character would go to so much trouble and expense unpaid, but that did make me more compassionate towards him at the end!

Tom Knight is not the man he was. Which was young, fit and in the SAS. Now he's 73, a private detective with a bad leg. Wishful thinking gets him into trouble when 52 year old Fran dumps him for lying about his age.

And then she's arrested for the murder of 3 old ladies at the care home where she works. Convinced of her innocence, he sets about to prove it with the help of his mate Merv, which even involves going undercover as a client at the care home.

An enjoyable tale which got a little confusing as the rather muddled action reached its conclusion, but I definitely want to see what Tom gets up to next

I enjoyed Vanishing Act. It’s not perfect but it’s an engaging story with some genuine humour, too.

Tom Knight is now 73 and living in Eastbourne. Ex-military and still working as a private detective, he is an engaging protagonist with a wealth of experience and some handy gadgets – and some of the physical problems you’d expect at 73, including a very dodgy knee. It’s rather a winning combination, and Tom’s attempts to woo Fran by proving her innocent of murder form a decent plot, too.

Charlie Hodges writes very well. There is some genuine wit in places and his prose is readable and unaffected. The vain, lazy, bigoted and dim policeman whom Tom is up against is something of an over-the-top caricature, but I didn’t really mind that. Some of the farcical elements of the story got a little wearisome and some tightening up would help as Tom does get into and then narrowly escapes from rather a lot of perilous situations, but it’s a good read overall with a rather poignant ending. I’ll certainly be reading the next in the series and I expect Hodges to develop Tom into an enduring character. Recommended.

(My thanks to Farrago for an ARC via NetGalley.)

I was happily enjoying this quirky murder mystery until I got to about one-third of it. The author decided to introduce a new character Bev, as "the coloured girl from uniform". Seriously?? It's freaking 2020! WE NEED TO DO BETTER THAN THIS!