What do a dead cat, a computer whiz-kid, an Electric Monk who believes the world is pink, quantum mechanics, a Chronologist over 200 years old, Samuel Taylor Coleridge (poet), and pizza have in common? Apparently not much; until Dirk Gently, self-styled private investigator, sets out to prove the fundamental interconnectedness of all things by solving a mysterious murder, assisting a mysterious professor, unravelling a mysterious mystery, and eating a lot of pizza – not to mention saving the entire human race from extinction along the way (at no extra charge). To find out more, read this book (better still, buy it, then read it) – or contact Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. ‘A thumping good detective-ghost-horror-whodunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy epic.’

I purchased a copy of this book for my own reading.

I’ve been a fan of Douglas Adams for some time now, having LOVED the Hitchhiker’s Guide series and read it many times over. When looking for a book to feature in my 2025 Reading Challenge that was published the year I was born (1987), this cropped up as an option so thought I’d give it a go.

Unfortunately for me, I found it didn’t live up to the levels of The Hitchhiker’s novels. A level of insanity was something I expected with this book, but I was massively disappointed. It felt like there were too many things going on, too many threads and too much nonsensical humour.

The story was tough to follow and not overly engaging to me as a result. The levels of absurdity went from entertaining to frustrating quite quickly. I struggled to engage with or find myself liking many of the characters. All in all, I was quite disappointed with this book. It definitely won’t be one to make it onto my list of books to be reread.

My rating: