The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte

I didn't even realize that this book, another in the genre of actors who played detectives now becoming the detective, had been translated from another language. There was a bit of formality in some of the writing but I thought it fit with the personality of our first person narrator, an aging former movie star who is (mostly) philosophically "retiring" from acting. In his prime, "Hopalong Basil" (as named by an early agent) was in any number of films but is generally recognized now as The Definitive Sherlock Holmes of his time.

It is those movies that will become very helpful when, stranded on an island with a number of other people, Hoppy takes on the role of lead detective when a murder is committed. But why here and why this person? Everyone on the island is hypothetically strangers, caught by a random storm. Then another death occurs and the tension is ratcheted up.

I have somehow picked up a number of books that are written in the style of a Golden Age mystery. This definitely succeeds. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out February 10, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own