A DETECTIVE/MURDER MYSTERY LIKE NO OTHER… mansion of the oil magnate, Henry Barble. A small group of the rich, decadent, sophisticated and ultra-sexy are staying at the mansion. What secrets are each of them harbouring? Who are the guilty parties? And what is the dark secret from his own past which causes Cullot’s frequent moments of dark despair? Why did he leave the Police Force? Did he jump, or was he pushed? Why does he now work in a department store, in Ladies Underwear? The police constable first on the scene of the initial murder, PC Blunt, is ready to record every detail of the case, and assist his colleagues in their work. But what is his own past..? Is he as half-witted as he seems? What about gorgeous, sexy blonde bombshells, Stephanie and Gloria? And louche, limp-wristed Anthony Newhome? And Barble’s son, Oswald? And Barble’s demure, bespectacled secretary, Abigail? And ex-movie star, Janice Butler? Are they all who they say they are, or are some of them involved in a deadly game of murder and revenge? How are these murders linked to the unsolved Night-Club Hostess Murders which took place two years earlier? And, most puzzling of all, what is the meaning of the tattoos on the gorgeous buttocks of the assembled ladies? Thrill to the suspense, the heart-ache, the twists and turns, the laugh-a-minute of this hilarious, baffling mystery. Get ready to follow the roller-coaster plot, with one surprise after surprise, and scintillating word-play and sparkling dialogue between the marvellous host of characters. Will you be able to work out who did it? A detective/murder mystery like no other…
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What a fun read! Recommend to mystery readers who don’t take life too seriously.
A very traditional murder mystery where the detectives, suspects and victims are all brought together in one house. Mayhem ensues as further murders take place as the detectives try to separate the villains from the innocent. There are innuendos and wordplay on every page as the Sherlock Holmes type Inspector leads his team towards an arrest. Possibly not PC, there are scenes that brought Benny Hill to mind, but it is amusing and very well written. The characters are distinctive and memorable.
An entertaining and well thought out read.
I’m not a big fan of cozy mysteries. Given that, I’m not sure how The Case of the Tattooed Buttocks (Inspector Cullot Mystery Series #1) got on my Amazon recommendations, but with a title like it has, I had to add it to my TBR list. Here are my thoughts!
Synopsis (from the author):
A DETECTIVE/MURDER MYSTERY LIKE NO OTHER…
Following the murder of a sexy, blonde bombshell (and, soon after, the bloody, gruesome, shocking murder of yet another sexy broad), ex-Inspector Cullot is called in to team up with his old side-kick, Detective Sergeant Watkins, to investigate the baffling crime. Together they set about solving the mysterious deaths at Bounderdales, the opulent mansion of the oil magnate, Henry Barble. A small group of the rich, decadent, sophisticated and ultra-sexy are staying at the mansion. What secrets are each of them harbouring? Who are the guilty parties? And what is the dark secret from his own past which causes Cullot’s frequent moments of dark despair? Why did he leave the Police Force? Did he jump, or was he pushed? Why does he now work in a department store, in Ladies Underwear?
The police constable first on the scene of the initial murder, PC Blunt, is ready to record every detail of the case, and assist his colleagues in their work. But what is his own past..? Is he as half-witted as he seems? What about gorgeous, sexy blonde bombshells, Stephanie and Gloria? And louche, limp-wristed Anthony Newhome? And Barble’s son, Oswald? And Barble’s demure, bespectacled secretary, Abigail? And ex-movie star, Janice Butler? Are they all who they say they are, or are some of them involved in a deadly game of murder and revenge? How are these murders linked to the unsolved Night-Club Hostess Murders which took place two years earlier? And, most puzzling of all, what is the meaning of the tattoos on the gorgeous buttocks of the assembled ladies? Thrill to the suspense, the heart-ache, the twists and turns, the laugh-a-minute of this hilarious, baffling mystery. Get ready to follow the roller-coaster plot, with one surprise after surprise, and scintillating word-play and sparkling dialogue between the marvellous host of characters. Will you be able to work out who did it? A detective/murder mystery like no other…
What I liked:
The Case of the Tattooed Buttocks was an interesting read. Lots of quirky characters, plenty of humorous moments, and a murder made for a good story. Add to the plot the backstory of Inspector Cullot, his interest in ladies undergarments, his dark episodes, and fun plays on words, and you have many elements of an entertaining novel.
What I didn’t like:
My biggest complaint is the book tried too hard to be funny. The constant correction of PC Blount by Watkins (and others), along with the too frequent mispronunciation of his name failed to move the story forward. Cullot’s mysterious musings got old quickly, too. Lastly, the meandering path to solve the mystery made it difficult to follow.
Overall impression:
I was optimistic about reading The Case of the Tattooed Buttocks. Sadly, the book disappointed me to a degree. The book had some neat elements that I enjoyed. Despite the good parts, I tired of the characters constantly correcting PC Blount and the mispronunciation of his name. In addition, the path to solving the mystery meandered a little aimlessly. Lastly, the excessive effort at humor detracted from the story. Perhaps the intent of the book was to poke fun at the cozy mystery genre. All told, if you enjoy racy cozy mysteries, read this one and decide for yourself!
My rating:
3.5 Stars (Rounded to 4 stars)