In a word, this novel is stylish.



Ordinarily, I'm not a big fan of this genre. Too many authors try to emulate the era and miss the essence of it.



"Henry Wood Detective Agency" is different. I was swept up in the story almost immediately. It has style. This book has that wonderful mix of flair plus gravel that characterized the best of this genre in the mid-20th century.



I read some of the other reviews, and I'm nodding in agreement with the enthusiastic ones. I'd have to go back and see about the commas and grammar/tense issues. Frankly, I'm a comma fanatic (as well as a former editor) and I was so caught up in the story, it was more like watching a really rich movie than reading a book. If there were grammar and punctuation errors, I never even noticed them.



Brian Meeks is an author to watch. Style, wit, and authenticity make this book shine. I'm eager to read others in this series. For a reader like me, who usually avoids gritty detective stories, that's saying a lot.