Review of "Foyle's War Season 1 & 2" by Simon Passmore

Michael Kitchen was the perfect choice for the part of Chief Inspector Christopher Foyle. His mild manner is a deceptive cover for his determination and devoted to his job. The stories are set during World War II. The place is the Southern England countryside. Foyle is not part of the fighting front, he is in charge of a small police station in a small geographical area that looks peaceful. His son is a pilot in the RAF who joins up just as the series starts. Despite feeling far removed from the war effort, Foyle finds espionage, black marketers, and murder on his plate.

Not only is Kitchen a very likable character, he has taken as his driver a young woman who is a delight to know. Her real name is Honeysuckle Weeks and she is a standout actress in the series. She is so cute that you have to watch your blood sugar while watching her. The rest of the cast is excellent as well, from Foyle’s fighter pilot son to his assistant detective sargaent who's just out of hospital having lost a leg in the war.

I was engrossed watching the impact of the war on the English populace in such episodes as "The German Woman", a tale about the German wife of a wealthy landowner. The town hates her (both for being German as well as for being rich and able to buy black market meat), and when she is found dead, it's up to Foyle and his group to solve the mystery of her murder. Was it someone from the local village that was just bombed by the Germans? Did it have something to do with the black market smuggling? Or was it the jealous daughter-in-law?

There are tales of the RAF, saboteurs, and war games. Every story is A-1 in my book. These are low-key adventures set in a time when Britain was fighting for its existance. The Foyle's War series are a pleasure to view, and a must-have for mystery lovers. Especially those of us who love the British mysteries.