Book excerpt: Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover is the most idle and avaricious hero in all of crime fiction. Why should he even be bothered to solve the case? When word gets out that Pomeroy Chemicals is seeking to fill the lucrative position of Chief Security Officer, Dover is keenly interested. All he needs, he feels, is one smashing success and the prestigious title is his. When a young pregnant girl known to no one in the town of Frenchy Botham turns up murdered, Dover eagerly comes up with more totally plausible suspects, persuasive motives, and airtight solutions than the sharp mind of his assistant Sergeant MacGregor, can process. In fact, if you've ever wondered when or how MacGregor would reach his breaking point, this is the book to read. Editorial reviews: “Something quite out of the ordinary.” Daily Telegraph “Joyce Porter is a joy... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction.” Guardian “Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso.” New York Times “Wonderfully funny.” Spectator “Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight.” Sun “You will be fascinated by his sheer dazzling incompetence. Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind.” Harper’s