Wilkie MartinCritiques

Good story and interesting characters. In my opinion, there is way too much time spent on describing food to the point where it interferes with the flow of the plot.

Good story and interesting characters. In my opinion, there is way too much time spent on describing food to the point where it interferes with the flow of the plot.

"Grim" is in the title.

This is a classic "Lazy" fable and it doesn't end well for the title character, obviously. The watercolor illustrations are lovely, even with the trail of blood (which is kind of chilling drawn in that medium), and the story is well told.

I haven't given full stars because its target audience is unclear. Word usage along with the way the story is written and drawn, reads for kids age 2-6. However, the subject matter is definitely geared towards older kids, third-grade, and up. I feel young kids will be traumatized and older kids will be bored.

Used specifically as a learning tool for this particular lesson, it would work well for any age group (with a warning)

Andy is married! He really has come of age (even if it happened a little late in life for him). We see glimpses of more maturity, but there is still a lot of the accident prone and lazy man child of previous books. Andy's wife has gone abroad for her job and he finds himself homeless, set up for blackmail, and back in Inspector Hobbes home during a flood. Between helping with rescues, Andy gets embroiled in another supernatural mystery - and comes too close to comfort with a "man eater".

Andy goes camping with Hobbes to get away from unwelcome media attention. Andy of course stumbles across a dead body and hilarity ensues. Andy is so bumbling but Hobbes keeps encouraging him in his efforts to grow up and be brave. There's a mystery tucked away in the humor - greedy land grab-er perpetuating fraud. We get a bit of insight into the way historical public lands ended up in the hands of the wealthy in England.

Andy is still pretending to himself that he is working on an expose of Hobbs - and he feels alternately loyal to and suspicious of Inspector Hobbs. There are werecats and curious deaths and circus animals - it's all a fun romp.

Inspector Hobbs is ... inhuman. Andy isn't sure what Hobbs is except frightening and oddly reassuring at the same time. Andy is a man - but really he is just a boy in terms of his maturity. He loses his job for incompetence and ends up homeless. Except Hobbs brings him home and involves him in the latest mystery. The crime plot is less interesting than the interaction between Andy and all the supernatural beings he is suddenly faced with. A good dose of humor makes this a fun read.

good structure but the author leaves too much as implication and I don't care for the principle

This story was a bit long, but I liked it. It’s not one of those everything is happy and hunky dory stories. It reminds me of the folktales like Catskinella and The Two jakes from The People Could Fly. There are real world consequences to real world problems, and if do do things wrong, karma will bite you in the bum. Literally in this case.

Quirky, described as a “cozy mystery”, but with unhumans. I loved it! Very British and very funny. The narrator was outstanding!

Reading this short book by Wilkie Martin has triggered my memory of being a child and reading those books written by Edward Lear.

Edward Lear had been an English Renaissance Man of the 19th century, an individual who had an array of several interests; and Mr. Lear it had been being an artist, author, illustrator, musician as well as being a poet. As a child I can remember reading his collections of nonsensical poems, songs, short stories, and especially those hilarious limericks he had written and had made popular.

Mr. Martin writing style seems to emulate that of Mr. Lear which is rather refreshing these day. And to personalize the items contained in this book, he has made sure to humorize his own unfortunate personal life and as the title indicates, disasters involving members of his own family.

For putting a little silly humor into the lives of his readers and myself, I’ve given this book and its author 5 STARS.

My original Inspector Hobbes and the Bones audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Poor Andy Caplet has not lost his touch as he is still a bungling, unlucky and major sad sack. He’s been married for two years and suddenly finds himself promoted. That is the end of his good luck since his wife has left him, he has been accosted by a beautiful woman, had his photo taken in a compromising position, been shot in the butt, almost been run over and a tree fell on his apartment. Facing blackmail and nowhere to live he finds himself back at Hobbes and Mrs. Goodfellow’s home. And then the fun begins!

The Sly people lurk in the background until murder brings them out in the open. Hilarity ensues as Andy and Hobbes along with Dregs and Billy solve the crime. Andy really is an accident waiting to happen, but he is fiercely loyal and somehow finds the strength – ok, sorta – to hold his own and be saved!

I love this series of audiobooks; they just keep getting better! Martin does an excellent job of weaving a fun, hearty tale mixed with a heavy dose of comedy and mystery into one highly entertaining series. Never a boring minute with Hobbes or Andy around!

The narrator, Tim Campbell, does an entertaining job of narrating the book. Campbell is Andy Caplet and Hobbes and Mrs. Goodfellow. Each character has their own voice and personality which Campbell captures and portrays unerringly.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.

My original Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Creepy, Kooky, Mysterious and Quirky!!! Hobbes and Andy are at it again! Hobbes takes a vacation to the Blacker Mountains and Andy goes with him – they are going to rough it … and of course, poor Andy finds himself smack dab in the middle of a murder case, falling for a smart and beautiful widow, dinner with a vampire, and struggling to maintain his space in Hobbes’ home!

Hobbes is investigating a series of bank robberies, a reopened gold mine, ducking reporters, and dealing with Kathy, his alleged daughter who hails from America. All the while, Hobbes keeps order and keeps Andy from getting hurt too badly!

The fun and action are non-stop. One cannot help but love the slapstick humor of Andy and the puns of Hobbes. Andy’s growth in this book is far more than previous ones; one thing is certain – he is loyal and cares greatly for Hobbes, Mrs. Goodfellows, and Dregs.

Wilkie Martin delivers yet another delightful book of puns, crazy slapstick humor, and new interesting and dangerous characters! Each book is better than the last, new twists and character growth. I enjoyed the first book and the second one as well but this one is even funnier and more dangerous for Andy and Hobbes than any of the others. I also find that Sid, the Vampire Banker is downright lovable!

Tim Campbell’s performance is spot on! Each character has their own voice and personality that shines due to Campbell’s amazing talent. Campbell becomes each character, reflecting them and their personality accurately throughout the book. Love to hear him perform the Hobbes series. I cannot imagine another voice as Andy or Hobbes! This was a great listen - it has everything, fun, mystery, intrigue, romance and of course unhumans!

There no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.

My original Inspector Hobbes and the Curse audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Inspector Hobbes and Andy Caplet are at it again! Hobbes is trying to save the townsfolk of Cotswolds from deadly panther-like cats and Andy is falling in love, well maybe, one can never truly be for sure. Hobbes has yet another deadly mystery to solve and Andy in his sad sack way stumbles across the clues. No one is more surprised than Andy to discover he has become the obsession of not one but two creatures …

I enjoyed this book very much. Of course one may find themselves annoyed by Andy but if one looks at him as a bumbling inept person with good intentions, then he’s more fun and enjoyable. Hobbes, for all his unhuman qualities, is filled with compassion and intelligence far more superior than Sherlock Holmes – he’s just more modest about it.

Wilkie Martin has created a world in which human and unhuman may exist together. A paranormal comedy that is entertaining and exciting blending fantasy and mystery together expertly. He has built his characters deftly and with richness.

Again, Tim Campbell serves as the narrator telling the story from Andy Caplets point of view. Campbell becomes Andy and does it smoothly and with great finesse. He has the perfect voice for both Andy and Hobbes.

If you enjoy comedy and paranormal creatures with a mixture of Sherlock Holmes, this is the series for you! I thoroughly enjoy them.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.

My original Inspector Hobbes and the Blood audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Andy Caplet is a struggling reporter who is socially awkward and easily frightened. Only because the normal reporter for the crime beat was injured by being thrown from a speeding car (implied that he had been gambling or a mafia encounter …) Andy is given the assignment to work with Inspector Hobbes. From that moment onward, Andy is caught in a whirlwind of mystery and intrigue. Of course, it does not help that Andy’s imagination runs away with him – he’s seeing trolls, ghouls, witches, and vampires at every turn. Then again, considering he finds himself in a freshly dug grave conversing with two ghouls and the inspector enjoys raw meat and bones, and then there is the housekeeper that collects teeth … perhaps his imagination is NOT running wild… and it seems that perhaps Inspector Hobbes has a secret of some sort.

They have to work together to solve the mysteries and unusual circumstances surrounding the robberies and a murder that are occurring throughout the town.

Wilkie Martin writes a clever crime mystery with comedy and a good deal of fantasy mixed in. One cannot help but laugh out loud at some of the antics Andy finds himself in! This is the perfect pair of crime solvers and partners in law! One cannot help but be charmed by the story and the characters.

Martin develops his characters fully, with a depth that enables the listeners to connect with them. Martin is also vivid in his descriptions placing the listener into the book.

Tim Campbell, the narrator, was equally awesome in his talented reading. Campbell became immersed in the book to the point that it was difficult to tell where he left off and the characters began. His ability to give the appropriate voice and personality to the characters was spot on; I loved hearing how his voice would become squeaky whenever Andy found himself in hot water and how confident Hobbes sounded.

If you enjoy mystery and some fantasy characters, then this is the book for you.

I encountered no audio issues and the production of this audiobook was smooth.

Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.½

Extremely British, very funny. Nothing like a competent protagonist paired with an incompetent narrator.

"Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers" is a more polished book that the previous two. While the mystery plotting remains simplistic, the background information on Hobbes is fascinating, although I am plagued by the idea that it was more fun not knowing. The books comically parallel Holmes and Watson and we have arrived at the meeting between Watson and Mary as Andy Caplet (is this a play on Andy Capp?) stumbles his way into Daphne's arms.

The arrival of Kathy, Hobbes' daughter from America, forms a rather clunky subplot. Kathy's figure and demeanor are a crude send up of Americans and could have been much better.

I received a review copy of "Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers" by Wilkie Martin (The Witcherley Book Company) through NetGalley.com.

The story is narrated by Andy, jobless, broke and homeless he is taken in by Inspector Hobbes and his housekeeper Mrs Goodfellow. Both treat him somewhat like a small helpless child. After reading an article in the local paper about a sheep being killed then a large number of pheasants also go missing, Hobbes decides it’s time he started investigating these strange happenings. First stop is Bob Nibblet the local poacher. Bob, known to have a drink or two, tells them he saw a large black cat like a panther.
Their investigation now turns to whether the black cat sighting could possibly be true or is there something more sinister stalking the woods.
Follow Hobbes and Andy as they battle through unlikely suspects as another death occurs.

What a great, funny read! The competent laidback Inspector Hobbes and his bumbling sidekick Andy! Every good country cop needs a sidekick. Someone to bounce those laughable jokes off! Hobbes and Andy are an excellent duo. The prose is in a friendly relaxed style, like a friend telling a story. The reader really gets to know Andy in this story as he fills you in on little episodes from his past. If you think you’ve had a bad day, spend a day in Andy’s shoes. Had me chuckling non stop! The story was well thought out and it all pulled together at the end to finish well. I’d recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good crime novel with a lot of laughs. I also learnt a few new words ‘wolfifesting’ being by far my favourite.
Inspector Hobbes, himself, is intriguing and now I really need to go back and read Wilkie Martin’s first Inspector Hobbes novel to get a greater insight into this character.