The Price of Butcher's Meat

In crossing the Atlantic, this book picked up a new title. In England, the title was The Price of Butcher's Meat. Admittedly, a bit unappetizing. Another thing seemingly lost in the crossing is Hill's literary source. He admits that this book is his attempt to finish Jane Austen's unfinished novel Sandition. That's a bit disengenuous, since he merely takes the characters, setting, and plot setup and adds them to his ongoing series characters, but it does allow him to creat a wonderfully entertaining novel that stands on its own, but allows those Austen fanatics to enjoy lots of in-jokes. Hill's D & P books are among my favorites and this one is in the top tier, although it does go on a little too long. And it continues my shifting of allegience from the younger liberal Pascoe, to whom I related in my younger years, to the older non-PC Daziell who now seems a much more rounded character.

Another Hill Hit, I'm a big fan and this is one of the better ones from a favorite author.

Needing to recover from "the big bang in Mill Street" that nearly killed him (see DEATH COMES FOR THE FAT MAN) and no one able or willing to take him in, Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel heeds the advice of Ellie Pascoe, wife of the Chief Inspector. He obtains a room at the Avalon in Sandytown by the sea, "the Home of the Healthy Holiday". As he records his feelings per his therapist, Dalziel quickly realizes three families own the small resort town under the auspices of the Sandytown Development Consortium. The Parkers, Denhams and Hollises have ambitious plans for Sandytown until Lady Denham dies mysteriously. Chief Inspector Peter Pascoe leads the investigation in which Dalziel wants in if nothing else at least as a consultant; on the other hand Pascoe desperately wants to keep his sick leave pal "Fat Andy" out so he can lead the show. This is a refreshing excellent follow-up to DEATH COMES FOR THE FAT MAN. The structure is a radical departure from the long running Dalziel-Pascoe police procedurals as it is told in six interrelated but unique volumes that make the tale more than a whodunit; the story line is a deep character study allowing insight into Dalziel via his taped observations and email sent by local Charlie Whiffle. With a nod to "Janeites" and homage to Jane Austen and her unfinished novel, Reginald Hill provides a great tale. Harriet Klausner

It is thought that you can't keep a good man down, and that is what has happened with this book. Fat Andy Dalziel is back, and although he is physically not recovered from his close brush with death in the last book, his mind is still as razor-sharp as ever. In true Hill fashion this book is hilariously funny, but also poignant and touching as well. I read a lot of British police procedural series, and I have a lot that I really enjoy, and continue reading each time as new books come out, but the Dalziel and Pascoe series is by far my favourite. The writing is extremly intelligent, the characters are so realistic, and each book is very different from the others. The mysteries are very tricky, and believe me the series does not grow stale at all even though this is the 22 book in the series. Andy finds himself right in the middle of a family drama when he retires to a sea side convalescent home to recover from his grievous injuries. He gets drawn up into the action, and his remarkable intellect pushes him on untl he solves the mystery. He doesn't get drawn up into all the red herrings that even infallible Wieldy and perceptive Peter Pascoe fall for. I for one am so glad that Dalziel is back. He is a remarkable character, and one of my very favourites.

It's a rare and wondrous thing to read a mystery novel that has you laughing out loud over and over again. WHile you're anxiously following along the plot twists and turns (Hill uses a couple of devices that I had no trouble following) I would find myself laughing uproariously (sp?) to the musings of Andy Dalziel and his flippant responses to pompous boors. Worth every minute and every cent.