Customer Reviews

The Wench is Dead

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An unfortunate title for a book, as I would have never read it, had it not been for another murder mystery by Colin Dexter, to be solved by the infamous Inspector Morse. But after reading the book, the meaning of the title become clear. However, I'm not sure how many readers would buy a book with this title, which conjures images of a bad B-movie. Inspector Morse is true to form, albeit lying in a hospital bed with an ulcer. From his hospital bed, Morse manages to re-solve a murder case that occurred in the late 1800s. This case is brought to his attention through a book a fellow patient in the ward had written. Dexter has chosen a very interesting plot construction for this mystery. The story is more intriguing than gripping, but makes for entertaining reading. Morse's intuitive and investigative abilities are shown at their best, with Sargent Lewis piping in at opportune moments. Basically another solid murder mystery in the Inspector Morse series!

I've enjoy most of the Inspector Morse series since I was first introduced to the character on a PBS mystery series. The author is a master craftsman who can out-Christie Christie when it comes to plot twists that still follow the "rules," and this book was no exception. I particularly enjoyed it because it involves a bit of history--one of my favorite persuits--and embroils the ailing Inspector in a mind game that brings to resolution a crime committed decades before his birth. A consumate juggler of details, Dexter is a master at plausable solutions, always providing at least two. He delightfully misleads his inspector and his readers with a trail of clues and interpretations that seem entirely probable only to delight his followers with a "true" solution which fits the facts with even greater plausibility. My only complaint with respect to the series is that I become impatient with Morse's alchoholism and untreated depression. As a nurse I keep wanting to urge him to get proper treatment! On the whole I find his seargeant a much more balanced and satisfying character.

I bought and read this book to study Dexter's style, even though I'd seen the TV adaptation of this same story. I'd anticipated that I probably wouldn't read the whole book through, since I already knew the basic plot. However, I was so fascinated by the way in which Dexter weaves his story that I simply couldn't put it down! As someone who aspires to write fiction that spans multiple time periods, I was intrigued by the way in which Dexter contrives to have his present-day protagonist solve a nineteenth century crime. Some of the plot developments are perhaps a little optimistic, but it is fiction, after all! Dexter demonstrated with this novel that he could conjure up not only an authentic England of the late twentieth century, but also that of earlier times (and I say that as an expatriate Englishman). Certain of Dexter's writing preferences might not pass muster in amateur "Creative Writing" circles in the US: so I wonder who knows best?! I agree with the reviewer who complained about the weak title, but nobody should allow that minor issue to deter them from this riveting mystery.

This novel demonstrates well what a wonderful wordsmith this author is. This is a superbly and imaginatively plotted work.

Morse again is at his irritating worst but while his body is showing the signs of neglect his masterful mind is still at work trying to solve a compelling mystery of the previous century.

This author is one of the genre's leaders.

Even when ill, Morse proves that great things come to those who apply themselves. Morse is indeed cranky and ill-tempered; but he tends to succeed where the system tends to fail. Inspite of the misgivings Lewis (who insists upon being a nerd) insists upon wallowing in, Morse teaches him a few valuable lessions. This book is a good read and well worth the effort.

I picked up this book because of its intriguing title and couldn't put it down. In the manner of Josephine Tey's "The Daughter of Time," Inspector Morse solves a century-old murder from his hospital bed. And, in the manner of Peter Robinson's "In a Dry Season," physical evidence is uncovered to bolster his theory. A magnificent piece of detecting.

I remember this as one of the better Morse books because it features a mystery that is extremely difficult to solve along with the usual exceptional character development. This is a work not to be missed in the series.

In "The "Wench Is Dead" (1989) by Colin Dexter (b.1930), the irascible but likable Inspector Morse has to be rushed to the hospital because of very serious stomach problems. His heavy drinking and smoking have begun to catch up with him, but the doctors after finding a severe ulcer problem, decide not to operate but rather nurse him back to health. In the hospital he develops crushes on certain nurses, gets friendly with the relatives of patients, and is visited by his faithful lackey, Sergeant Lewis.
He is given a small book which recounts the murder of Joanna Franks on an Oxford canal trip in the year 1859. The murder case and its outcome fascinate him. With the help of a librarian relative of one of the patients (she works at Oxford University's great Bodleian Library) and Sergeant Lewis he is able to reconstruct the case from records and come to some extraordinary conclusions.
On the canal trip there were four crew members and Joanna as the one passenger. A great deal of drinking and ribald behavior apparently took place on the boat. Two crew members were hanged for Joanna's murder.
The book has Dexter hallmarks of humor, brilliant deduction, fascination with puzzles and Dexter's ability to create real characters. Even his nineteenth century participants come to life.
It's a brilliant reconstruction mystery that is carefully plotted with an element of suspense. Few authors would be able to pull off such a feat. Most of the time Morse is in the hospital doing his detecting, but at the end some field work makes him even surer of his conclusions.
Morse is a great character creation. In most of his mysteries he makes false assumptions and false starts that send him off in the wrong direction, but in this one he has a single-minded focus that pays off in the end. For him it was the ideal way to deal with convalescence.
Women seem to find Morse attractive. It has a funny Morseian coda that will endear you to this feisty character.

Inspector Morse takes it upon himself, while bedridden in the hospital, to solve a 100 year old crime. One of his fellow patients has written a book describing events which captures his attention. Although those involved in the mystery are long dead, some of the evidence is still in the police department storage room. Lewis, Morse's trusty assistant, finds some interesting exhibits to help solve the crime.

The enticing Christine - "petite and attractive" (Morse's words) is also assisting as she appears daily to visit her dad who shares Morse's hospital room. As a librarian, she has the ability to locate files and books which help the intrepid Inspector put the pieces of the puzzle together and discover those prosecuted for the crime may indeed have been innocent.

When he is finally released from the hospital, Morse continues to pursue the elusive Christine. Is this a match made in heaven?

Although this is a very different approach to Colin Dexter's usual method of writing, it is no less intriguing as we watch Inspector Morse and Lewis solve the mystery.

This series is a wonderful series, and Morse is his usual irascible and brilliant self in this book. The only reason that I couldn't give it a 5 instead of a 4 is because the book is just not as good as Josephine Tey's "Daughter of Time". It's good, and the puzzle is a difficult, but appealing one, but it just doesn't come up to the standard of the earlier work. In this book Morse is in hospital with some sort of stomach problem, and he comes upon a little book written by a fellow patient about a murder on the Oxford Canal in 1859. Morse gets Lewis and a helpful librarian to do his legwork for him, and he comes to the conclusion that the two riverboat men charged with the murder of Joanna Donovan were innocent. Morse delves further into the past, and manages to figure out what happened on that fateful night 100 odd years ago. This is a really wonderful series. Dexter is an awesome writer!