The Death of Dalziel - Softcover

Hill, Reginald

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007194854 ISBN 13: 9780007194858

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2007

Synopsis

The highly anticipated return of Dalziel and Pascoe, the hugely popular police duo and stars of the long-running BBC TV series, in a new psychological thriller.

Caught in a huge Semtex explosion, it seems the only thing preventing Superintendent Andy Dalziel from death is his size – and sheer bloody-mindedness.

An injured DCI Peter Pascoe is convinced there’s a conspiracy at work, despite the security services concluding the blast was in fact an accident. Who, then, are the mysterious Knights Templar with their gruesome acts of vengeance? And what of a hit-and-run on one of Pascoe’s colleagues? And, most importantly, will Dalziel ever wake up to hear the truth...?

About this title

Review:

It’s not so much Reginald Hill’s productivity that is amazing (although producing novels for nearly four decades is impressive enough); it’s the unassailable quality of his writing that takes the breath away. With barely a misstep over the years, Hill’s chronicling of the abrasive (but, of late, more accommodating) relationship between his mismatched coppers, the no-holds-barred Andy Dalziel and the more nuanced Peter Pascoe, has been non-pareil, with the author’s plotting every inch a match for his spot-on characterisation (and not just of his detective duo -- there have been many sharply observed players introduced into the dramatis personae over the years). Of course, a title like The Death of Dalziel will set alarm bells ringing (as much, one assumes, for Hill’s publishers as for dedicated readers), and there's no denying that putting the life of his corpulent copper on the line ratchets up the tension here considerably.

We’re given a taste of Andy’s corrosive wit as he and Peter Pascoe observe a video shop that’s under surveillance by the security services for its supposed terrorist connections, but (before the reader has time to draw a breath), there is an explosion, and Dalziel is left lying unconscious, bleeding heavily and covered with debris, his body having shielded his partner from the worst of the blast. And for the rest of the book, while Pascoe tracks down the reasons behind the explosion (he doesn’t buy the obvious explanation, i.e., would-be terrorists have blown themselves up by accident), Hill tries something radically different: we are taken into the consciousness of the critically ill Dalziel in his hospital bed. These sections (discursive, alternately funny and sad) are among the most successful in a very successful book. --Barry Forshaw

Review:

Praise for ‘The Death of Dalziel’:

‘Hill at his best is a masterly storyteller, and he is at his best here... he always handles the big action scenes with authority and perfect timing... addictive...brilliant’ Spectator

‘Hill has kept the series fresh – with innovations that take the reader to surprising areas... as usual, Hill is unputdownable’ Daily Express

‘Fans will not feel cheated... hugely enjoyable to read. God – and Allah – forbid he should think of killing off Pascoe’ Evening Standard

‘Hill is always clever and funny... he demands intense concentration – because he’s worth it’ Literary Review

‘Hill is a masterful writer, quirky and intelligent and his characters – not just the principal duo – are drawn with a depth rare in crime fiction. And astonishingly, 21 books into the Dalziel and Pascoe saga, I have yet to feel he’s repeating himself’ The Times

‘His energy, wit and erudition are astonishing... he can still see off most of his rivals’ Daily Telegraph

‘Twists and turns to a climax that has you on the edge of your seat’ Woman

‘Hill keeps us in suspense throughout the entire book... it's a gripping read which displays Hill's brilliant characterization and dialogue and his skilful plot structure’ Sunday Telegraph

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0007194854
• ISBN 13: 9780007194858
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416