A slightly different narration style for this witty crime outing by Andre Boyce, though this will not be to everyone's liking.

It puts me in mind of a good old caper movie, with definite noirish overtones, thrills and spills, and acerbic dialogue to keep things humming along. An entertaining read for those that wish to push the boundaries of this genre.

I chose this book because it was marketed as a humorous whodunit. I wish I could say that the book delivered what it promised. I spent most of the book rolling my eyes as Dick Privates’ (oh god, that name) quips. The one good thing I can say about this book is that it is short.

I didn't like this book at all. The whole thing was like a not very good piece of innuendo. The characters were boring the narrative was completely absent. I think the author is trying to appeal to youth culture but fails unfortunately.

So very good! I received a copy from NetGalley and this is my honest review. I am sad to say that I had to stop reading this book several times due to the need to catch my breath and giving my sides a rest from laughing so much! Truly a comedy/detective book like no other. If the first book is this funny, I can't wait to read the ones that follow. This new PI is certain to go places.

First off I have to say this book is well written, it has a mild appeal, with an interesting storyline, coupled with a bunch of interesting and sometimes wacko characters. Sonny is a bit exasperating and a bit hilarious. I understand his mental short sights which are brought about by drugs. What I don’t get is why the Water’s are such a wacko family. With its bunch of weird but interesting characters, this mystery book is mildly intriguing and humorous.

Ok, I get it - the easy, breezy style is supposed to be fun and relaxed. But I just found it irritating and surprisingly difficult to engage with - and the characters and their caricature nature just compounded that for me... The title and construct were clever and sounded original, but I could not get into the story or find the humor - it felt like it was trying to hard to be a novel novel, and just wasn't the book for me.

I wanted to read this book because of the blurb. It is funny and easy to read. If you enjoy reading mystery books and you like mixing with humour this is the book. I really enjoyed reading it.

……I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nope this wasn’t for me. Saying that I was unimpressed would be an understatement. This was supposed to be a funny and interesting read. The summary of this book lied. It turned out to be irritating and a complete bore. The main character or at least the way he was written was trying too hard to be something he wasn’t.

His quirks and smartass comebacks were meant to be funny but they did not even bring out a smile from
me, not even once. Eye rolls on the other hand were in plenty. The only good thing about this book was
that it was mercifully short.

Andrew Boyce concocted a satirical novel of a whodunit that didn't quite measure up to my expectations. It followed a zany tale without any reason or rhyme. The main protagonist, Dick Privates, that's right, you read the name correctly, flawlessly played the perfect odd ball character. His name came only first to roost 70% of the way into the novel.

Written in the first-person, much of the character-driven narrative was addressed to the reader. The tale was choked with personal idioms of a nature I would not dare enter into print. This novel would come highly recommended to anyone in search of a nonsensical, off-the-wall, slanted view of humor.

Twenty-something year old Privates wanted to become a private investigator. He felt his experience with pizza delivery would serve as the perfect springboard for the transition. His 'stoner' best friend Sonny Moon built their office out of parts they stole from a construction work site.

Privates even went so far as to secure employment as a security guard at the worksite he'd been stealing from. Now who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? By keeping the other thieves away, there'd be more for him. He was blessed with all the trappings of a true professional.

Out of the clear blue, he was approached by someone in need of his services. That is, not as a thief but as a PI. The client felt his life was in danger by an unknown source. It would be up to Privates to find the identity of the person who posed the greatest threat against his client before it was too late. The race was on for the hapless PI to come to the rescue in time.

This was a really fast paced book and easy to read.

It was very funny and I loved the ending. I would definitely recommend it.

My one issue was the formatting of the book - the layout didn't work very well on my kindle - hopefully this can be sorted.

The Butler Did It by Andre Boyce is mystery book unlike any other.
Quite original story about PI Dick who has decided to become an investigator when he is struck by the lightning and his first case turns out to be a murder investigation.
Funny and fast paced. Unique set of characters, lots of laughs and very satirical.
This is a treat to all mystery lovers.

I thought I would love this book because it seemed like something right up my alley, but I couldn't get into it. The conversations kind of meander along, taking pages to get to the point. At times it seemed like the author was trying TOO hard to write a funny narrative, with lots of jokey words and anecdotes thrown in (which only elongated conversations or paragraphs that didn't need MORE words). I need a stable plot to grasp onto from the start, and this book just didn't have one. Although it is a short read, I wasn't even able to make it 50% through.

Dick Privates (the s is silent) gets struck by lightening and lives - and decides to become a private investigator. He manages to get his license, and decides, with a little help from his buddy Sonny (a b&e man) to renovate a breezeway to become his office. And sure enough, Dick manages to get a case. And that case turns into murder.

This book is sort of a stream of consciousness style, with us able to read both what PI Dick says and what is brain is really thinking and he might like to say...it's funny and interesting to see how Dick both gets into, and then gets out of trouble. I liked the book; can't say I loved it but it was entertaining and an enjoyable read.

If you like humor, mysteries, and a new fresh P.I. with soul and attitude, lock up your valuables and get ready for a fast-paced, crazy read. P.I. Dick Privates, the ‘s’ is silent, tells us his story, interrupted at times by his Mexican sidekick, a jack of all trades and a talented b & e man. Thanks to an eviction notice (from his mother), a hangover, and a lightening strike, our Black hero begins his new career.

Shortly after ‘finding’ building materials and creating an ‘office’ in a strip mall breezeway, Privates gains his first client. He’s the son of a prominent Black family and he fears that someone wants to kill him. You may worry that our guy doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he manages to hold his own. Thanks to bad chitterlings and horrible stomach problems, the mystery is solved.

There’s a jumble of dialogue, and flashbacks and back story, but it all works to make a fun read. The main character is solid, there are plenty of wild and silly events, the side characters are entertaining, so enjoy! I loved the cover, and a sequel is promised!

OK, so I normally always read gritty dark crime thrillers with lots of murder and stuff. It's my thing. But I saw the blurb for this book and I could not let it pass me by.

My god am I happy I read this. This book is so funny and easy to read! I actually giggled out loud a couple of times, waking up my poor boyfriend since I generally read at night when I can't sleep. When I told him about this book and how much I liked it, I actually got him to read it as well!

10/10 I would recommend this to everyone. I loved it.