Dover One by Joyce Porter--review

Published in 1964, this is the first book by Joyce Porter that I've read.  I'm not sure what I was expecting.  

The Dover referred to in the title is the name of the detective--Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover.   He is based in London, but is sent out to a small village to find a missing person.  Sergeant Charles Edward McGregor is sent to help Dover out.

Dover is not your run of the mill detective.  He is lazy, takes credit for other people's ideas, and doesn't think the missing woman is a big deal, but wants to look good to his boss. He sends Sergeant  McGregor out to do all of the leg work, doing as little as possible himself, while he stays back to nap, eat or otherwise not do anything constructive.  

Whenever anything goes right, it is because that is the way Dover planned it.  If it goes wrong, it's because someone else didn't do what he was supposed to do--which is whatever it took to make it go right and make Dover look good.

The plot revolves around a missing young lady.  When Dover finds out she was promiscuous, he feels that he shouldn't make much effort, as she is probably off with a new fellow.  His sergeant tries to do some investigating, as it seems impossible that a young woman, weighing over 200 pounds, with red hair, should disappear between the front gate and the house with no one seeing her anywhere after. 

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book.  I don't like Dover, his sergeant seems to be resigned to having to do all the leg work and trying to talk Dover into at least agreeing to some investigating. 

I might read another and if I like it better, but I'm not going to make any kind of effort to do it.

This book was #18 of my Craving for Cozies 2021 Challenge, and my 2021 Reading Challenge. It also was part of my Beachcomber Challenge "D" in Detectives. It was #11 in my Vintage Scattergories Challenge--Malicious Men. In my 2021 Around the Year Challenge, it is # 10--female victim.