The Woodcutter - Hardcover

Hill, Reginald

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 144480975X ISBN 13: 9781444809756

Publisher: Ulverscroft Ltd, 2012

Synopsis

Wolf Hadda's life has been a fairytale. As a Cumbrian woodcutter's son, he's happily married and risen to become a successful entrepreneur. A knock on the door one morning ends it all. Universally reviled, thrown into prison while protesting his innocence, abandoned by friends and family, Wolf retreats into silence. Years later, guided by prison psychiatrist Alva Ozigbo, he begins to talk, finally gets parole, and returns to his family home in Cumbria. However, mysteriously, in his youth he had disappeared from home and was known by his employers as the Woodcutter. Now the Woodcutter is back, looking for the truth - and revenge. Can Alva prevent this pursuit of vengeance which would take him to a place from where he could never return

About this title

Review:

"A consummate yarn spinner, Hill draws on myth and metaphor to embroider this tightly crafted tale."--The Age (Melbourne)

"Another gem from the creator of Dalziel and Pascoe. Rich characterisation, sparkling dialogue and wry humour flavour the text. . . . Verdict: exquisite"--Herald Sun (Australia)

"There is something of the fairytale about The Woodcutter, a big, fat mystery which has the enduring power of a myth. . . . The heights of the Dalziel & Pascoe series aside, Hill has never written a better book."--The Evening Standard (London)

"Reginald Hill's books are as good as crime fiction gets and this one is as good as he gets."--Literary Review

"He's lost none of his sardonic wit, punch and complexity... The result is an epic, unbeatable mystery."--Financial Times

"An outstanding novel of force and beauty."--The Times (London)

"His storytelling is always bewitching, his turns of phrase wonderful. . . . The Woodcutter is as much literary as crime novel, but always a page turner."--Keighley News (England)

"Hill's plotting...is brilliant, the jokes first-rate, the prose supple: it's his humble awe at the power of the English language that enables him to be a minor master of it."--Daily Telegraph (London)

"Hill combines an edgy tale of betrayal and revenge with the trappings of a modern-day fairy tale in this sly, enchanting stand-alone."--Publishers Weekly

"[A] tour de force."--"People" magazine on "The Woodcutter"

Reginald Hill turns a contemporary crime of greed into a timeless morality tale .Hill s storytelling is its own delight, a fun house of shifting timelines and multiple perspectives. --"New York Times Book Review" on "The Woodcutter""

Evokes the spirit of storytellers from Dumas and Dickens to Jeffery Deaver and Jeffrey Archer. --"Wall Street Journal" on "The Woodcutter""

Devilishly clever British crime writer .A nifty plotter who switches points of view and locales often enough to keep the tension on the upswing. --"Chicago Tribune" on "The Woodcutter""

Offers vivid characters, an intricately constructed but nimble narrative and enough tasty crumbs of information to lure us deeper and deeper into a fairy tale that has gone horribly wrong. --"Richmond Times-Dispatch" on "The Woodcutter""

[A] tour de force. --"People" magazine on "The Woodcutter""

Sly, enchanting [with] strong characters that complement the fast-paced, unpredictable plot. --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)"

There s nothing drab about this dark and compelling novel. --"Kirkus Reviews" on "The Woodcutter""

He s lost none of his sardonic wit, punch and complexity The result is an epic, unbeatable mystery. --Financial Times"

Another gem from the creator of Dalziel and Pascoe. Rich characterisation, sparkling dialogue and wry humour flavour the text. . . . Verdict: exquisite --Herald Sun (Australia)"

An outstanding novel of force and beauty. --The Times (London)"

There is something of the fairytale about The Woodcutter, a big, fat mystery which has the enduring power of a myth. . . . The heights of the Dalziel & Pascoe series aside, Hill has never written a better book. --The Evening Standard (London)"

Hill s plotting is brilliant, the jokes first-rate, the prose supple: it s his humble awe at the power of the English language that enables him to be a minor master of it. --Daily Telegraph (London)"

A consummate yarn spinner, Hill draws on myth and metaphor to embroider this tightly crafted tale. --The Age (Melbourne)"

His storytelling is always bewitching, his turns of phrase wonderful. . . . The Woodcutter is as much literary as crime novel, but always a page turner. --Keighley News (England)"

Reginald Hill s books are as good as crime fiction gets and this one is as good as he gets. --Literary Review"

Hill combines an edgy tale of betrayal and revenge with the trappings of a modern-day fairy tale in this sly, enchanting stand-alone. --Publishers Weekly"

"Reginald Hill...turns a contemporary crime of greed into a timeless morality tale....Hill's storytelling is its own delight, a fun house of shifting timelines and multiple perspectives."--New York Times Book Review on The Woodcutter

"Evokes the spirit of storytellers from Dumas and Dickens to Jeffery Deaver and Jeffrey Archer."--Wall Street Journal on The Woodcutter

"Devilishly clever British crime writer....A nifty plotter who switches points of view and locales often enough to keep the tension on the upswing."--Chicago Tribune on The Woodcutter

"Offers vivid characters, an intricately constructed but nimble narrative...and enough tasty crumbs of information to lure us deeper and deeper into a fairy tale that has gone horribly wrong."--Richmond Times-Dispatch on The Woodcutter

"[A] tour de force."--People magazine on The Woodcutter

"Sly, enchanting...[with] strong characters that complement the fast-paced, unpredictable plot."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

'There's nothing drab about this dark and compelling novel."--Kirkus Reviews on The Woodcutter

From the Back Cover:

Wolf Hadda's life has been a fairy tale. From his humble origins as a Cumbrian woodcutter's son, he has risen to become a hugely successful entrepreneur, happily married to the woman of his dreams.

A knock on the door one morning ends it all. Universally reviled, thrown into prison while protesting his innocence, abandoned by friends and family, Wolf retreats into silence. Seven years later, prison psychiatrist Alva Ozigbo makes a breakthrough. Wolf begins to talk, and under her guidance he is paroled, returning to his family home in rural Cumbria.

But there was a mysterious period in Wolf's youth when he disappeared from home and was known to his employers as the Woodcutter. And now the Woodcutter is back, looking for the truth--and revenge. Can Alva intervene before his pursuit of vengeance takes him to a place from which he can never come back?

The Woodcutter is a treat that both lovers of the Dalziel and Pascoe series and newcomers to the always masterful work of Reginald Hill will devour.

About this edition

• Publisher: Ulverscroft Ltd
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 144480975X
• ISBN 13: 9781444809756
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 584