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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated An Advancement of Learning in Books

Nov 8, 2019  
An Advancement of Learning
An Advancement of Learning
Reginald Hill | 1971 | Crime
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When a body is discovered under a statue at college, gruff old hand Andy Dalziel and idealistic, learned Peter Pascoe arrive to investigate. Whereas Pascoe is very much at home in the surroundings of an institute of learning (and indeed bumps into an old acquaintance), Dalziel is highly dismissive of the students, if not downright abusive. This doesn't help the tensions during the socially active early 70s when this was written.

What follows is in some ways a standard police procedural and in others another step in the road of the development of the characters of the two policemen. This novel is really the one where it becomes clear that the mismatched duo don't fit the standard templates, with Hill clearly creating something special with the two of them.

The result is very much the prototype of the rest of the series: their characters develop, they solve a seemingly baffling crime and Dalziel provides a dash of humour with his acerbic and often old-fashioned outlook on life and those around him.
  
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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #14) in Books

Nov 25, 2019 (Updated Nov 25, 2019)  
Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #14)
Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #14)
Reginald Hill | 1994 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is one of those books that perfectly demonstrates the skill of Reginald Hill as a crime writer. In the sleepy village of Enscombe the local policeman disappears. Sensing foul play, Dalziel, Pascoe and Wield begin to investigate, turning up a number of suspicious characters and long buried secrets.

We have the usual Dalziel blunt language and Pascoe's schooled intuition but it is here that Wield finally gets a chance to step forward and form the 'holy trinity' of Mid Yorkshire CID. Hill has cultured his characters very carefully and writes them with great affection and this story shows how much chemistry they have.

The plot in this novel is outstanding and perfectly shows off Hill's willingness to play with the police procedural genre and the reader's expectations. There are some terrific rug pulls here and Hill could almost be said to get away with murder when everything falls into place at the end.

A brilliant tour de force for one of the greatest crime fiction writers. I can't fault it. It is in itself a picture of perfection
  
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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Wrong Side of Right (Grey Areas #3) in Books

Nov 29, 2019  
The Wrong Side of Right (Grey Areas #3)
The Wrong Side of Right (Grey Areas #3)
Brad Carl | 2015 | Contemporary, Crime, Romance, Thriller
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The third book of the four part saga continues directly from the shattering events of the second and doesn't let up on the pace, or the twists.

Barrett Grayson is in custody, awaiting his long avoided FBI interview. But all he wants to do is get home to see his father before he dies. Meanwhile Sergeant Jackson's deal with the cartel means that someone is going to pay a heavy price.

The story follows all the protagonists from the saga as they each face their own struggles and make their own choices - for good or bad. As with the saga as a whole the writing is gripping and intense. There are many different plot strands interwoven here from police procedural to romance but each one is given time and space to develop and the reader is drawn into each one and pulled along.

As with the other books, the writing is superb. I would strongly recommend the Grey Areas saga to anyone. It is an extremely accomplished work of fiction.
  
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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Cat and Mouse (Helen Grace #11) in Books

Jun 21, 2022  
Cat and Mouse (Helen Grace #11)
Cat and Mouse (Helen Grace #11)
M.J Arlidge | 2022 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oh my goodness ... that was a good book ... had me absolutely hooked from the beginning to the end!

This is the 11th book in the Helen Grace series but if you haven't read any of the others, don't worry, it works quite well as a standalone but I think you will want to go back and read the others after finishing this one if only to put a bit more flesh onto the main characters.

This is an intense read where the short and punchy chapters add to that intensity and keeps the story rolling along very nicely. The plot is engaging and intriguing and the characters are strong and well developed.

Full of action and heart-in-the-mouth scenes of peril, this is one for people who enjoy a great crime thriller/police procedural but, be warned, you will definitely be checking your windows and doors more than once each night!!

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read Cat & Mouse and to share my thoughts.