Last Seen Wearing (Inspector Morse)

ISBN 0553280031 - And he doesn't have the answer way before you do. In fact, you might get it long before Inspector Morse. Doesn't matter, though, because the twists and turns this tale takes will have you second- and third- guessing yourself. Upon the death of another detective, Morse is handed a missing person's case that is already several years old. Seventeen year-old schoolgirl Valerie Taylor went missing one Tuesday, never to be seen again, even as a corpse. Morse prefers corpses, perhaps only because they hold still while he works - and Valerie holds still like a wisp of smoke. The characters that peopled her life all seem to have some possible motive for killing her, but if someone did, where's the body? And if she's dead, what's she doing writing letters to her parents? Finding the answers is fun, especially when you're doing it with a dirty old man like Morse. - AnnaLovesBooks

This is a very intelligent book, and in it we see a very vulnerable, although still brilliant Morse. Dexter writes in such a way that we're there every step of the way with Morse as he stumbles his way around trying to solve a very confusing, old disappearance case. It is done so well, that as we read and see through Morse's eyes, the tension keeps on building and building. We begin to wonder why we can't figure out what happened to Valerie Taylor either. As well done as the televisin series is, and I have seen this story enacted, it cannot come close to the intricasies of the plot in this particular book. One of the best examples I've seen of plot and character development done in the mystery genre.

If you are tired of American detective stories that contain so much violence and gore, you will find this British detective story like a breath of fresh air. It doesn't matter if this is the first Morse story you read. The characters are so well written, the plot so well developed that it will keep you guessing till the very end. Morse, until those "supercops" in American's novels, uses his wit instead of muscles, logic instead of guns to solve crimes. Yes his personality is less than perfect, he makes mistakes from time to time, but that's exactly what makes this character believable and likable. And he's got that British sense of humor, too! I have to tip my hat to Dexter for his fine writing, and I will certainly look for more of his books. If you like well written, clever, funny detective stories with a dose of British humor, look no further.

If you are tired of American detective stories that contain so much violence and gore, you will find this British detective story very refreshing. The characters Morse and his side-kick are so well written, so real that they almost jumped out of the pages. It doesn't matter even if this is the first Morse story you read. Morse, unlike some of the "supercop" characters in American novels, uses his wit instead of muscle, logic instead of guns to solve crimes. His personality is less than perfect, he makes mistakes from time to time, but that's exactly what makes his character so likeable and so believable. Ah, and he's got that British sense of humor too! I have to tip my hat to Dexter for his such fine writing and I'll certainly look for more of his books. If you like clever, entertaining detective stories, you will like this one. If you want to learn how to write good detective stories, you will need this one. If you enjoy British humor, don't miss this one!