My first read of a Reginal Hill and therefore my debut
Dalziel and Pascoe. Having not seen any of the TV series, I arrived with no
baggage and few expectations other than the hope I might find a little holiday
escapism via a police procedural.
A
Killing Kindness (US)
was a pleasant surprise. It follows the investigation into an ongoing series of
murders that have in common the final resting poses of the victims and
follow-up quotes from Shakespeare that suggest there’s an element of compassion
in the killings in a twisted kind of way.
Like another recent read of mine, Ed McBain’s Ghosts, there is a supernatural element.
In this case it comes in the form of a medium of Romany heritage with the
ability to see beyond the concrete. Just as with Ghosts I was surprised at how much this aspect enhanced my engagement
and how this element was successfully used to add tantalising ingredients to
the work of the detectives.
The plot of this one is nicely put together and all the
pieces fight tightly. The whodunit issue drives the story forwards well, but it
was the characterisation that I enjoyed most about the book. On the surface
(and possibly beneath) Dalziel is a brute who derives pleasure from being
obtuse, unpleasant and behind the times. Pascoe juggles the case with his
domestic life and the imminent arrival of his first child. He provides an
excellent filter through which we observe the case and one that allows us to
see Dalziel’s warts as well as his hidden qualities. There’s also the extremely
ugly Sergeant Weild, a gay officer who is hiding in his closet while doing some
brilliant work as he fixates upon finding their killer. Weild’s plight is handled
with sensitivity and shines a light on the work place as an environment that
can be difficult for anyone who doesn’t quite fit.
The red herrings work well, the bit players are strong and
distinctive, the desire to find justice is maintained, its pace is spot on and there are elements of
surprise in the wrapping up of the piece that left me satisfied.
All in all, I found the holiday escapism I was after and
quite a lot more.
No comments:
Post a Comment