Infinite Books

Martin Maxwell is an 84-year-old former government agent (he refers to his employer as “The Company”), now retired and recuperating from a hip replacement at a retirement home located on the beautiful, albeit cloudy, coast of England.  He observes that people are dying there in bigger numbers than the national statistics and finds it alarming. Perhaps they don’t simply die of old age but are murdered? With the help of Albie, his former nemesis, he decides to investigate.  Unfortunately, Albie doesn’t remember his colorful past from before he had a stroke, and even Martin’s daughter, a police woman, takes her dad’s ideas with a grain of salt, especially that it might not be just Martin speaking but perhaps his dementia showing up. And, of course, Martin’s family always believed that he was working as a hotel inspector. Still, there is nothing that would stop Martin and Albie, the first armed with a notebook and a pen, the second determined to protect his girlfriend, Barbara, from an eventual attack.

This novel is hilarious because the narrator, Martin, possesses a great sense of humor that is both self-deprecating and observant. Albie plays a perfect companion, as an ironic, intelligent older man who used to be depressed, even considering ending his life. Still, now he has a purpose: to help Martin solve the case and win Barbara’s love. Not a bad way to spend one’s retirement years!  Other characters are also depicted with great detail and play an essential role as the backdrop for the two “armchair detectives”.  And the pug who accompanies Martin’s daughter is adorable.

I am a big fan of the recently popular subgenre of cozy mysteries, featuring seniors solving crimes, including the Thursday Murder Club series, the Marlow Murder Club series, and, of course, series featuring Agatha Raisin, Agnes Sharp, and Vera Wong. Still, I found “The Armchair Detectives” by Matt Dunn particularly entertaining. There are just two elderly sleuths, so it’s easy to keep up with their stories, and the dynamic between them is terrific. I listened to an audiobook, and the narrator, John Hopkins, is a pleasure to listen to, as he brings Martin and Albie’s voices to the listeners. Although it may be less popular than other mysteries in the same genre, it’s certainly worth checking out. I had a great time listening to the audiobook of this warm and lighthearted novel, and I’m excited to hear that the second book in this series is planned: this time, the duo goes on vacation!

THE ARMCHAIR DETECTIVES by Matt Dunn, Bookouture, 2025