Lestrade and the Giant Rat of Sumatra

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Pub Date 24 May 2018 | Archive Date 1 Aug 2018

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Description

Everybody, they say, has a book in them. Retired Chief Inspector Walter Dew certainly did. And it took him back to the good old days, when coppers lived in station houses, that nice Mr Campbell-Bannerman was at Number Ten, and Britain had the biggest empire in the world. But, under the streets of London, something stirred. More than that, there was a muttering that grew to a grumbling and the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling. Then out of the houses, the bodies came tumbling! 

Superintendent Sholto Lestrade, with Dew by his side and the rookies Bang and Olufsen in his wake, must go Below to face their demons, to find a murderer whose machinations will upset the infrastructure of the richest city on earth. Will any of them live to tell Dew’s tale? The tale of a rat. 

M J Trow has written this seventeenth in the Lestrade series after a gap of seventeen years, in which the sallow-faced superintendent has never been far from his thoughts. With characters such as Sergeant Bill ‘Wall’ Pepper and Inspector ‘Blabber’ Pearson of the Press Liaison Department sprinkled throughout, this genuine puzzle is also features as ever the wry humour and laugh out loud moments which fans of the accident-prone policeman have come to love. 

Everybody, they say, has a book in them. Retired Chief Inspector Walter Dew certainly did. And it took him back to the good old days, when coppers lived in station houses, that nice Mr...


Advance Praise

Praise for Lestrade and the Kiss of Horus:

‘A wildly entertaining narrative that takes in such diverse historical events as riots in Cairo and, most aptly, Bolton Wanderers’ Cup Final appearance at Wembley. M J Trow proves emphatically that crime and comedy can mix.’
Val McDermid

Praise for Lestrade and the Kiss of Horus:

‘A wildly entertaining narrative that takes in such diverse historical events as riots in Cairo and, most aptly, Bolton Wanderers’ Cup Final appearance at...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781909869929
PRICE US$14.99 (USD)

Average rating from 8 members


Featured Reviews

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

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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