It's Murder with Dover: 7 (A Dover Mystery)

This time, Scotland Yard sends Detective Chief Inspector Dover and his woeful assistant MacGregor off on the Stately Home circuit to look into murder.

Since Lord Crouch, master of Beltour, can hardly make ends meet despite the hordes of tourists visiting the manor, his hospitality is meagre - though his vegetarian sister, Lady Priscilla, would love to cook for Dover. And the victim couldn't be a drearier sort: the wettest thing since nappies, according to Dover.

In short, the inspector can't wait to be quit of the whole thing, and chief suspects begin to pop up everywhere.

Something quite out of the ordinary. Daily Telegraph

Joyce Porter is a joy ... Dover is unquestionably the most entertaining detective in fiction. Guardian

Plotted with the technique of a virtuoso. New York Times

Wonderfully funny. Spectator

Dover is wildly, joyously unbelievable; and may he remain so for our comic delight. Sun

Porter has a keen eye, a wicked sense of comedy, and a delightfully low mind. Harper's