Customer Reviews

The Remorseful Day (Inspector Morse Mysteries)

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Dazzling. A fully satisfying closure to a truly great series. Although some of the more recent Inspector Morse novels have not equalled Dexter's highest standards, The Remorseful Day represents Dexter at the peak of his formidible powers.

The beginning of the story is vaguely reminiscient of two other Morse novels: The Dead of Jericho, because Morse knows the victim, and The Wench is Dead, because Morse is "in hospital". The reader puzzles throughout the book how far Morse's involvement with the victim was. Morse is a reluctant detective, and, after 12 novels, we finally begin to see Lewis' reasoning skills becoming more Morse-like. In this final Inspector Morse novel, the reader has insight into the characters more than any other novel in the series. Strange becomes a very reachable character - we see outside interests in nature and music. Lewis reveals emotion that has not been exhibited in previous novels - anger at Morse, as well as forgiveness and depth of friendship for him. And Morse's flaws and strengths are displayed magnificently, through his continued problems with alcohol and his Lewis-like loyalties. Lewis, Morse, and Strange could all win oscars for their parts, if such a thing existed for characters in novels! This book is a joy to open each time, and a sorrow to finally close. Please, Mr. Dexter, is there a possibility of a prequel?

I have been a huge fan of the television version of the "Inspector Morse Mysteries" and because I have found them to be so well done, I decided that diving into the original written word might be very interesting. This was a correct assumption on my part. What a wonderful series and an amazing character. I'm very saddened to know that this book, "The Remorseful Day" is the last in a long and well done series.

The most brilliant thing about Morse is that in the end he's a normal man with flaws. You can certainly find fault with many things he does, but it's with a certain charm and mystic that makes it all very endearing. I find him to be dashing, charming, wise and very gruff. That may be one of the things I enjoy most about him. He's no pushover and certainly not a man to be taken lightly. I love everything about him and certainly rank him right up there with Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and all the other famous English Detectives that have wowed and amazed up all. Comic relief is always added by Seg. Lewis. (Morse's sidekick) He seems to be a bumbling idiot but, so sweet and charming you just love him.

I'm very sad to see Morse go and can only take comfort in the fact that I can keep these mysteries with me for ages and ages. A wonderful conclusion to a spectacular journey.

I was awfully sad when I finished the novel as there will be no more Morse novels for us to cherish. As always, you will enjoy the classic detection and the delightful company of Cheif Inspector Morse (and, ofcourse, Sgt. Lewis) in this book too. Ah, there will be no more Morse..books... Dexter, don't you have any remorse ? Hope there will be his memoirs... Dear readers, don't ever hesitate to by this great book. Remember, there will be no more Morse novel, as Colin Dexter threatens.. So why are you waiting ..Get out and grab the book. Cyril Thomas Kerala, India

Fourteen stories of Chief Inspector Morse just simply weren't enough. Colin Dexter's marvelous writing and puzzles within a mystery simply added to the already page turning plots and depth of characters and always with a side trip to your dictionary. This book is no exception to his wonderful ability to make you feel you know these people and places personally and are there witnessing as the events unfold. I read the last part thru teary eyes and now hope there can be one more visit to Reichenbach Falls in literature.

I am so disappointed to see the Inspector Morse series end, but I have to say Colin Dexter is a champ in the way he achieved it!

A year ago, a woman was murdered and left in an unpleasant state in her home. The Chief Superintendent has a new lead in the case. He has assigned Morse and Lewis to it. Morse, who is on vacation, won't bite. He refuses to work the case for the CID, but it doesn't stop him from being one step ahead, as usual, of Lewis. Of course Lewis, as usual, humbly works him self into the ground following leads and being Morse's second pair of eyes and hands. During this investigation, something is different about Lewis and something is worrying Morse.

Mr. Dexter gives us plenty of intriguing characters that are as thought provoking as he crossword puzzles. The list of suspects is lengthy and perplexing, and the twists and turns are plentiful, but I have to say the greatest one will broadside the readers and leave them speechless at the close of the book. Mr. Dexter's skill at making his characters so life like, as if they were acting out in ones mind, is amazing. I took my time reading the mystery and found myself back tracking so I wouldn't miss a thing! Once I finished, I was haunted for days with the mystery and the outcome of the series. Mr. Dexter didn't just end a popular series in an astonishing way, he also intermingled a complex whodunit with an emotional twist that the characters and readers share. I have never used this word with any book I have reviewed, but I will with The Remorseful Day, it's stupendous.

As he brings his thirteen-volume Inspector Morse series (and his own writing career) to a poignant close with this 1999 novel, author Colin Dexter selects the title of this final book from an A. E. Housman poem, which celebrates the brilliance of sunrise and the sad inevitability of sunset--an appropriate symbol of the passage of time, an image of life and death, and a play on Morse's name. Here Dexter reveals far more about Chief Inspector Morse than in any of his previous novels, as Morse faces an especially complex and difficult case, at the same time that he is privately dealing with health issues.

A gruff and uncompromising man of unquestioned integrity and honesty, Morse is a music buff with a love for literature and syntax, a man who frequently corrects the grammatical errors of Sgt. Lewis, his loyal, hard-working, and less educated assistant. Suffering from "indigestion" and diabetes, Morse blithely ignores the dietary regimen recommended by his doctors, experimenting with his insulin dosage while continuing to indulge his love of scotch whisky, both at home and in local pubs, where he and the tee-totalling Lewis often conduct their interviews.

In this case, Morse surprises Sgt. Lewis by being less than enthusiastic about investigating a "cold case," a murder the previous year of a nurse, Yvonne Harrison, who was found handcuffed, gagged, and nude in her bed. Morse knew Yvonne when he himself was hospitalized, and Sgt. Lewis begins to suspect, for the first time ever, that Morse may be hiding information about the case, for his own reasons. Lewis continues to investigate as conscientiously as he can, mostly on his own, though this case, with its unusually large number of suspects, possible motives, red herrings, additional murders, wrong turns, financial maneuverings, and missing evidence, is one that cries out for better cooperation between Morse and Lewis.

Ultimately tying up all the loose ends and resolving the issue of Morse's honesty, Dexter creates dramatic and moving scenes, showing the depth of the unexpressed feelings between Morse and Lewis and their respect for each other. For the first time, Morse reveals his vulnerability, and Lewis, seeing this, becomes stronger and more self-confident. Always concerned with bringing about justice and protecting those who are innocent, Morse, despite appearances, obeys his personal code throughout this valedictory novel, leaving a lasting legacy for the lovers of this series. n Mary Whipple

What a wonderful final book this is...and Dexter keeps us wondering to the end. We find out last,telling details about Morse and his friends in the last pages. Morse is a much more fully developed "real" person than most detectives are, full of frailties, and poetry, and temper. How lovely that Dexter got a chance to complete Morse for us, for it's a rarity to see a character all the way out like this. I loved it, and cried along with Sgt. Lewis, poor man.

Colin Dexter has provided readers with some of the best detective fiction ever written. With framed degrees in Classics hanging on his wall and some crossword competition trophies standing on his mantelpiece, Dexter was qualified to bring much greater depth and literary value to the writing of detective fiction than the majority of its practitioners when he began work on his first Chief Inspector Morse novel in the early 1970s.

In all he has produced 13 Morse books and this, written in 1998, is the last of them. Expect detective fiction that has the literary quality of any of the best C20th novels. Don't expect equal sophistication in the crime content, however. The murders here are as sordid and sensational as those invented by Stephen King. This case concerns Yvonne Harrison who was found dead and almost naked handcuffed to her bed one year ago. Other murders follow. As if there is not enough mystery amongst all these elements, there is the mystery of Morse's attitude to the case. He refuses to head a reopening of the investigation, yet he is intent in forwarding his own private inquires. What has he to hide? What is to be hidden?

More curmudgeonly than ever, and more critical than ever of his loyal side-kick, Sargeant Lewis, Morse's journey to the truth parallels his own journey towards death.

The Morse books formed the basis for a highly-acclaimed TV series starring John Thaw. Audio book collectors can enjoy an unabridged version read by Terrence Hardiman. When delivering the dialogue, Terrence Hardiman skillfully adopts the voices of the principal actors in the TV series.

It never ceases to amaze me concerning certain circumstances. Shortly after PBS discontinued the series on Colin Dexter's books on Inspector Morse, John Thaw who played the part died. A similar track of events happened after PBS stopped making Sherlock Holmes series with Jeremy Brett, he also died. So forever will my mind see these two great actors in their final appearances as the intensely brilliant, very British, very demanding crime-solvers that they were in spite of the other parts they played throughout their lives.

And so when I read this final book of Dexter's concerning Inspector Morse's final days and his last case, I see a curmudgeon with a shock of white hair, an obvious limp, and a tendency to use big words wandering throughout this book. I also see a perplexed Kevin Whatley as Morse's very long-suffering sidekick Seargeant Lewis. And at the end when Morse is dead, and Lewis is struggling so hard to come to terms with information left behind that seems to implicate Morse as a less then perfect officer of the law, only to find out that Morse had been protecting their soon-to-retire senior officer and his dying wife...when Lewis breaks down and cries for his loss finally, my heart breaks with him.

Dexter was right to stop his series. His writing remained magnificently British to the end, but all series get stail and sometimes the authors just need the opportunity to move on to something else. And like with Jeremy Brett's death, even the production of a prequel could not be done, because the man who ultimately 'is' the part of Morse is no longer with us.

Since this is the last in the series, I gave it a five. Some of the earlier stories are better, and this one was a bit confusing in some spots. There seem to be suspects all over the place, and yet, some don't make sense. But the writing is so much better than most American mystery writers, and as I said, the end nearly brought me to tears. Morse himself, while treating his symptoms which he knows indicate a heart attack in happening with acid reflux medicine, he continues to be himself and solve the one case from which he tried to distance himself, because of personal involvement with the victim.

Morse never finds the happiness of human companionship in his life. But his life is full never-the-less with his job, with his music and reading, and with his relationship with Lewis (who is surprised at the end with being the recipient of an inheritance from this man he thought did not respect him. but who loved him nevertheless).

An appropriate ending to a wonderful series.

Karen Sadler