A review by carolinerd
Identity Crisis by Ben Elton

dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Inspector Mick Matlock investigates the murder of a transgender woman. When other killings follow, Matlock feels increasingly out of his depth in a 'woke' world, getting to grips with LGBTQ+ rights, cancel culture, toxic and divisive social media trends and Twitter storms. I can see that Matlock's character might not appeal to everyone.  Some might see him as an out of touch middle aged man whose unprogressive approach is irritating and even offensive, but I sympathised wirh him. I felt he was genuinely trying his best and that sometimes he had to walk on eggshells to avoid saying the wrong thing even when his intention was to do the right thing. 

It is a good read, thought-provoking, witty, dark, relevant, and it is a cleverly written whodunnit. Ben Elton novels never disappoint me.