Dopey by name and dopey by nature, our unwitting hero is on a mission to prove himself to, well, just about everyone!
Jim Dopeyworth does genuinely love crime and mysteries but it doesn’t help that he’s just so rubbish at being a detective. As well as his angry boss to please, he’s also living in the shadow of his late father and the pressure of his overbearing and expectant mother. All of this doesn’t exactly help Detective Dopeyworth’s confidence but he is nevertheless determined to solve a mystery. He’s that loveable, bumbling type of protagonist that has you rolling your eyes in exasperation all the while rooting for him to succeed!
The book was initially penned by the author as a teenager and revisited in her adult years meaning there’s a lighthearted vibe to this story that’s married perfectly with an adult air for detail and editing. Although the general gist of the book was that Dopeyworth had to prove himself – or else – and much hilarity does ensue, the plot line would have been elevated if more time had been spent on the ‘main mystery’. Instead, it was over after a what felt like a couple of short chapters nor was there much mystery involved. Rather than a multitude of clues like your typical whodunnit novel, it turned into more of an adventure/rescue story. It would be interesting if in future novels Detective Dopeyworth is faced with said clues and we see how he deals with them!
An amusing and playful short story that will have young readers from 8+ smiling, The Book Dragon awards this novel 4 stars.
