Last Seen Wearing [Mass Market Paperback]

Colin Dexter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 1997

"Morse is a thoroughly convincing detective, and a very humane one, too."

--The New York Times Book Review



Valerie Taylor has been missing since she was a sexy seventeen, more than two years ago. Inspector Morse is sure she's dead. But if she is, who forged the letter to her parents saying "I am alright so don't worry"? Never has a woman provided Morse with such a challenge, for each time the pieces of the jigsaw start falling into place, someone scatters them again. So Valerie remains as tantalizingly elusive as ever. Morse prefers a body--a body dead from unnatural causes. And very soon he gets

one. . . .



"You don't really know Morse until you've read him. . . . Viewers who have enjoyed British actor John Thaw as Morse in the PBS Mystery! anthology series should welcome the deeper character development in Dexter's novels."

--Chicago Sun-Times



"Fascinating . . . Very satisfying."

--Book Sellers

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Morse was beset by a nagging feeling. Most of his fanciful notions about the Taylor girl had evaporated and he had begun to suspect that further investigation into Valerie's disappearance would involve little more than sober and tedious routine.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

"Morse is a thoroughly convincing detective, and a very humane one, too."

--The New York Times Book Review



Valerie Taylor has been missing since she was a sexy seventeen, more than two years ago. Inspector Morse is sure she's dead. But if she is, who forged the letter to her parents saying "I am alright so don't worry"? Never has a woman provided Morse with such a challenge, for each time the pieces of the jigsaw start falling into place, someone scatters them again. So Valerie remains as tantalizingly elusive as ever. Morse prefers a body--a body dead from unnatural causes. And very soon he gets

one. . . .



"You don't really know Morse until you've read him. . . . Viewers who have enjoyed British actor John Thaw as Morse in the PBS Mystery! anthology series should welcome the deeper character development in Dexter's novels."

--Chicago Sun-Times



"Fascinating . . . Very satisfying."

--Book Sellers

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ivy Books (March 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804114919
• ISBN-13: 978-0804114912
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > British Detectives

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dexter is a master craftsman!, July 25, 2004

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Last Seen Wearing (Mass Market Paperback)

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very clever, very funny, an excellent leisure reading, September 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Last Seen Wearing (Mass Market Paperback)

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!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment, even if enjoyable at times, February 23, 2007

By 

Hoodlum (Frederick, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Last Seen Wearing (Mass Market Paperback)

Of course I know the Morse television series, but this is my first Morse novel. I will have to try another one. This book is disappointing for the reasons stated by other reviewers, especially a plot that is excessively labyrinthine and, to be honest, not terribly gripping. The ending is also unsatisfactory. Dexter is not a great writer, but I'm sure he's done better work than this one. So I'm not giving up. But if the next one isn't good, then I will probably go back to N. Marsh and M. Allingham.