Douglas Adams’s Unique Spin on Mystery: A Review of ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency

Douglas Adams is best recognized for his celebrated “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series. But not as many know of his foray into the mystery genre, with the Dirk Gently series, starting with “Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.” For seasoned readers of crime fiction, this isn’t your standard whodunit. It’s brimming with ‘Adamisms,’ as I'll call them. From a malfunctioning robot monk to a horse in a bathroom; from ghosts to the genesis of humanity and Johann Sebastian Bach. This narrative is partially a whodunit, but primarily a laugh-out-loud riot. While not as gut-busting as Adams’ Hitchhikers series, it offers a significant share of fun. 

Recently, I’ve been engrossed in mystery fiction, so I thought revisiting one of my favorite authors exploring this genre would be a treat. Adams possesses a unique talent for crafting seemingly disconnected elements and, against all odds, weaving all those wild loose ends into a neat bow. Expertly, I might add. This book teems with so many loose strands that the ability to knot them seamlessly is quite an achievement. As a writer myself, the way he manages these components astounds me.

Those who have watched the TV series starring Elijah Woods might be taken aback by how much more fun (and less dark and disturbing) the original book series is. Unfortunately, the TV adaptation didn’t quite capture the essence of Dirk on the big screen.

“Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” is a thrilling ride where conventional detective work takes a backseat. Unfolding in a world where time travel, ghosts, and alien phenomena meet, it’s a testament to the idea that everything is connected in the most unexpected ways. Which is what being a holistic detective is all about. So for those who are used to reading about conventional detective work and sleuthing, don’t expect it here.

Surprisingly, the plot is seemingly lifted from “Doctor Who: Shada,” an attempted TV episode penned by Adams that never aired. There’s even an animated version and a novelization. The leap from fantasy to sci-fi in this whodunit is understandable, as that’s where Adams appears most comfortable writing. 

In an essay featured in his posthumously published book, “The Salmon of Doubt” (named after the incomplete third novel in the Dirk Gently series), Adams articulates his profound admiration for P.G. Wodehouse, an esteemed writer of comedic fiction. Adams insists that, akin to Wodehouse, his focus is on comedy first and foremost. Drawing a parallel with Wodehouse’s skillful deployment of witty metaphors, Adams infuses his own work with the same comedic flair. Here are some of my favorite quotes and metaphors from the Dirk Gently book:

“His heavy rimless glasses were almost solid cubes of glass within which his eyes appeared to lead independent existences like goldfish. Adams, Douglas. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (p. 22).” 

“She stopped kicking the table, and instead kicked the air with redoubled vigor. He told her to try and enjoy herself, so she kicked him (p. 23). ”

Outside, the wind ceased. Owls halted in mid-flight. Well, maybe they did, maybe they didn’t, certainly the central heating chose that moment to shut down, unable perhaps to cope with the supernatural chill that suddenly whipped through the room (p. 116).”

“Michael Wenton-Weakes was a large sad-faced man known by some people as Michael Wednesday-Week, because that was when he usually promised to have things done by (p. 116).”

“There had been a nasty moment when his life had flashed before his eyes but he had been too preoccupied with falling and had missed all the good bits (p. 110).”

“Mason gave him another grim look from a vast repertoire he had developed which ranged from very, very blackly grim indeed, at the bottom of the scale, all the way up to tiredly resigned and only faintly grim, which he reserved for his children’s birthdays (pp. 174-175).”

My primary critique is that Dirk Gently takes a long time to make his entrance. There’s a scene that describes a figure peering through binoculars just before we meet Gently. Then we hear his voice over the phone, followed by a failed meeting. He doesn’t appear until we’re between pages 150 and 200, which feels like an inside joke from Adams.

Overall, although I confess my bias, this isn't a traditional whodunit you can solve (there’s no fair play), but as a wholly absurd, hilarious, and enjoyable book — I'd rate it a perfect 10/10.

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