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For years I've been a HUGE fan of Christopher Fowler's unique Peculiar Crimes Unit series - featuring 2 octogenarian detectives and a supporting cast out of Monty Python - that investigate crimes in modern day London that have a 'peculiar' supernatural taint to them. The plots have been ingenious, and Fowler layers in tons of arcane London history/geography/history facts - as you can find/verify in Peter Ackroyd's works.
But the latest entry, The Invisible Code, was a complete dud from start to finish - no real plot, no supernatural influences, no humor [the funniest part of the entire book was the opening memo from Raymond Land to his troops] - BORING! I don't know if Fowler is trying to 'modernize' the series by trying out a political plotline, but it fell flat. Some characters from past books had no dialogue whatsoever. And Arthur Bryant is so toned down as to be unrecognizable.
Unlike its main characters, I fear this series is beginning to show its age ....
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