The Remorseful Day

Rating:
Summary: The last of Inspector Morse
Review: A 318 page story separated into 80 chapters, a prolegomenon, and an epilogue, this is the last of the Inspector Morse novels. Morse is protrayed as an alcoholic diabetic who does not take care of his health. He gets a substantial portion of his calories from Glenfiddich and various brands of ale. He has been on medical leave, but is ordered, along with Sgt. Lewis, to take responsibility for investigating a case. A year before, a married woman with loose morals was found murdered in her bedroom. The case was never solved, but is now reopened when Chief Inspector Strange reports mysterious telephone calls.

The case takes some new twists and turns when people involved start turning up dead. Investigations reveal that the woman was not the only one sleeping around. Some evidence had conveniently disappeared during the initial investigation. The case is well known to Inspector Morse fans as it was a TV production. However, the written story has some differences from what was on TV, which is usually the case.

I would rate the novel PG-13 based on content.

Rating:
Summary: Sadly, The Last Of Morse
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: And so a great mind leaves us for that long good night...
Review: 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