The Falcon's Malteser (The Falcon's Malteser - Anthony Horowitz)

Member Name: blissman70

Product:	The Falcon's Malteser - Anthony Horowitz
Date:	29/10/08 (303 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant noval with comical twists and turns

Disadvantages: not for the younger kids

I remember reading this many years ago, borrowing it from a friend who told me it was well worth reading... and how right he was...

This brilliantly funny book was penned in 1986 and began the Diamond Brothers collection written by the rather ingenious Anthony Horowitz, basing itself in London and following the strange events surrounding two brothers.



* BRIEF PLOT

When Nick Simple, (or Diamond as he is to be known) decides to stay in London when his parents emigrate to Australia he ends up living with Herbert, his older, but less intelligent, brother, who is runs a detective agency, under the name Tim Diamond, after his career in the police cadets is cut short due to some unfortunate incidents at the police training centre.

So with Herbert, (nay Tim) having a little trouble finding clients for his detective skills he jumps at the chance when Johnny Naples, a 'vertically-challenged' man, walks into his office asking for help in what Herbert sees as a simple case of guarding a very important package containing something rather unusual indeed... only things go slightly wrong when Johnny is shot dead and Herbert is the only suspect...after being found holding the gun as stood over Johnny's body and is promptly arrested by his old superior Chief Inspector Snape and his rather vicious assistant Boyle... but with lack of evidence the brothers are released, giving them a chance to prove Herberts innocence.

Only finding the real killer isn't as easy as they hoped as they stumble upon a rather clever international diamond smuggling ring ran by a man nicknamed Falcon, but unfortunately the Falcon is dead and his many so called friends and allies, including his Dutch wife, his two right hand men and a rather skinny man strangely named 'the fat-man' are now searching for a vast amount of uncut diamonds which are hidden somewhere in London.

So Herbert and Nick begin to investigate the murder of the 'vertically challenged' man, leading them into some terrible dangers... including kidnappings, funerals, hand granades, funerals and much, much more in order to clear Herberts name.
But with some of the worlds most nastiest villains on the trail of the rich bounty, proving simple Herbert is not a killer is never going to be easy...especially as two certain police officers as nearly as nasty as the villains...



** IN CONCLUSION **

What a fabulous book indeed with so many twists and turns it could leave your head spinning right from the start... (albeit seemingly slightly similar to the more famous movie with Humphrey Bogart)
It is a brilliant start by Horowitz in the way he introduces the Diamond brothers saga with a cracking opening story, introducing the main characters in this one so the readers will already be aware of them if they chose to read the next Diamond novel...

In this one you do tend to feel sorry for Nick, especially as he has to look after his rather dopey brother Herbert as he tries to stop his big brother from going to prison for murder... more or less being the father figure in the Simple/Diamond kinship.
The story of the Falcon's Maltesers is a little strange but is so comically written that it seems to tempt you to try and read the entire novel in one sitting, so as not to lose the excitement of the chase.

All the characters created by Horowitz are brilliantly described, almost embedding them in your mind as you read... especially the way Snape and Boyle are portrayed as slightly unconventional in the way they solve there crime...


* Please note...

Although it is described as a children's book I would hesitate to allow my youngest child to read it as it does tend to seem a little violent at times, (albeit comical violence but still...), but the way it is written almost brings the words too life...
If I had to put an age on this I would suggest twelve or thirteen, as the story would be lost on anyone younger... (but then again it is up to the discretion of the individual parent I suppose)


* Would I recommend this...?

Yes I certainly would.
It opened up my experience with the brilliant Diamond Brother collection of which there are many excellent novel by the very imaginative Anthony Horowitz...
If you want to get a copy of this then you can get one from amazon for as little as £3.59... And what a bargain for such a great read...


* Other facts...

I do believe that a tv show was made of this novel in 1988 called 'Just ask for Diamond' which I have not seen as yet but is out there somewhere.

Summary: Tim Diamond is really Simple.. (Tim Simple)