When I started blogging (11 years ago!), I had a feature called “Obsession of the Week.” Those regular posts fell prey to the outrageous slings and arrows of a busy life. My current obsession, however, couldn’t be confined to a single week, as I have been reading these books non-stop, looping back to read my favorites a second time since I discovered them over a month ago.

Albert Smith’s Culinary Capers by Steve Higgs is a set of 15 “recipes,” each book a crime-solving mystery. Albert is a 78-year-old widower who lost his beloved wife just one year ago. A retired senior police officer, he finds himself at loose ends without his wife, so he decides to travel all over Britain sampling and/or learning to make his favorite British dishes. He is accompanied on his journey by his faithful companion, Rex Harrison, an extraordinarily large German shepherd, and the only dog ever kicked out of the police for having a bad attitude. At every stop they become embroiled in some food related crime, and along the way Albert puts the pieces together that there is one crazy mastermind behind everything.

I found this series from this Facebook ad that caught my eye (Note to self: Facebook ads work)

There are so many things to recommend this series! First, of course is Albert himself. His mind is still sharp (although he will occasionally proclaim otherwise), and with years of experience and wisdom he often sees things and puts the pieces together in a way younger people miss. He is also flawed, however, and makes mistakes or finds himself in situations where he’s not as strong or fast as he used to be. His memories of his wife, his affection for his children and grandchildren, his awkward but overwhelming need to observe the formal social behaviors of his youth, his compassion for those he meets, and his devotion to his dog–all these things make him someone you wish you knew, and the grandfather you wish you’d had.

Albert’s three grown children, Gary, Selina, and Randall, have all gone into the family business, and are higher up police officers just like their dad. He calls them for help identifying leads, or car registrations, or the inside scoop on police investigations. His affection for them, and their affection for him, warms your heart as you read, but you can also understand their frustration with and fears for an old man who refuses to stay out of other people’s business.

The star of the show without a doubt is Rex Harrison. He is not a talking dog, but the author gives us his thoughts about things, from a dog’s point of view. He is both hilarious and a hero, and his relationship with Albert is absolutely irresistible. He’s always waiting for Albert to say “Sic’em, Rex” which means his favorite game of “chase and bite.” His sense of smell is so nuanced that he can discern if someone was present in a place hours, or even days, after they’ve gone. Likewise he recognizes the smell of a place on a person, but whenever he tries to tell Albert what he knows, his human always misinterprets his signals, and Rex rolls his eyes and says things like “No, Dummy. Can’t you smell that?” He also has a voracious appetite, which can have unforeseen and outrageous consequences when his amazing nose for clues becomes overwhelmed with the enticing aromas of food. After all, they are “culinary” adventures.

I must confess, I am “reading” all of these books on Audible, and they chose the perfect narrator with Charles Robert Fox. He has a real gift for changing his voice by character, and his interpretation of Rex is hilarious. I bought two of the books in print to give to friends, which I read before I gave them, and while they are still awesome, Audible has to remain my preferred way to experience these stories.

So…if you’re looking for a nice, quick read, a page-turner without too much trauma, give Albert Smith’s Culinary Capers a try. Also for more books by Steve Higgs, check out his webpage: https://stevehiggsbooks.com/