''The False Inspector Dew'' is a 1982 humorous

crime novel Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a profession ...

Peter Lovesey Peter Harmer Lovesey (10 September 1936 – 10 April 2025), also known by his pen name Peter Lear, was a British writer of Historical mystery, historical and Detective fiction, contemporary detective novels and short stories. His best-known ser ...

and his ninth book. It won the

Gold Dagger The CWA Gold Dagger is an award given annually by the Crime Writers' Association of the United Kingdom since 1960 for the best crime novel of the year. From 1955 to 1959, the organization named their top honor as the Crossed Red Herring Award. ...

award by the

Crime Writers' Association The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) is a specialist authors' organisation in the United Kingdom, most notable for its "Dagger" awards for the best crime writing of the year, and the Diamond Dagger awarded to an author for lifetime achievement. ...

in 1982 and has featured on many "Best of" lists since.

Plot

Set in the 1920s, ''The False Inspector Dew'' tells the story of dentist Walter Baranov and his romantic interest Alma Webster, who plot to murder his wife while aboard the ocean liner ''Mauretania''. Learning from mistakes made by real-life murderer

Dr Crippen Hawley Harvey Crippen (11 September 1862 – 23 November 1910), colloquially known as Dr. Crippen, was an American Homeopathy, homeopath, Otolaryngology, ear and Ophthalmology, eye specialist and medicine dispenser who was hanged in HM Prison P ...

, they plan to push Mrs Baranov overboard and have Alma take her place. The dentist takes on the identity of Inspector

Walter Dew Detective Chief Inspector Walter Dew (17 April 1863 – 16 December 1947) was a British Metropolitan Police, Metropolitan Police officer who was involved in the hunt for both Jack the Ripper and Hawley Harvey Crippen, Dr Crippen. Early life D ...

, Crippen's nemesis, but when a murder occurs aboard the ship, the captain invites "Inspector Dew" to investigate.

Literary significance and reception

The novel is highly praised by many crime fiction critics and writers. When the book was first published, ''

Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...

'' commended the "delightfully comic story with countless twists and turns of plot". A review in ''

The Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles both in Electronic publishing, electronic format and a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 ...

'' praised the way the author "jumps from scene to scene" with a large number of characters, " ushingthe action forward at an entertaining clip toward a very clever surprise ending".

Julian Symons Julian Gustave Symons (originally Gustave Julian Symons, pronounced ''SIMM-ons''; 30 May 1912 – 19 November 1994) was a British crime writer and poet. He also wrote social and military history, biography and studies of literature. He was born ...

in his book ''Bloody Murder'' referred to it as “one of the cleverest crime comedies of the past few years.” Famous crime writer

Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.The Oxford Companion ...

said in a review: “A masterpiece. I defy anyone to foresee the outcome.”

Awards

*CWA

Award, 1982 *Listed in Crime & Mystery: the 100 Best Books *Listed in Hatchards 100 Top Crime Novels *Listed in The Times 100 Best Crime Novels of the Twentieth Century *

Dagger of Daggers The Dagger of Daggers was a special award given in 2005 by the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) to celebrate its 50th anniversary. All books that had previously won the CWA Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year were eligible, and the purpose ...

shortlist, 2006

Publication history

*1982, UK, London, Macmillan, , Hardback *1982, USA, Pantheon, , Hardback *1983, UK, Arrow Books, , Paperback *1983, USA, Pantheon, , Paperback

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:False Inspector Dew, The 1982 British novels British crime novels Fiction set in 1921 Macmillan Publishers books Novels set in London Novels set on ships Novels by Peter Lovesey