An Advancement of Learning

It is nice to see Reginald Hill's characters -- Dalziel and Pascoe -- appear again in new editions. For those familiar with Hill's books, it is a chance to return to good characterization and plots. For those familiar with the old TV series, the characters come to life and it is easy to imagine the 'fat man' and his sergeant in the 'groves of academe.'

"An Advancement of Learning" is the second Dalziel and Pasco mystery republished under the terrific Felony and Mayhem label. The revival of these early classics is a major service to readers who can't get enough of the D & P duo and other excellent mysteries from the 70s and 80s. "An Advancement of Learning" takes the intrepid detectives to a small English college to investigate the appearance of a body that turns up when a campus monument is moved. The uncovered corpse turns out to be that of woman memorialized by the sculpture under which it had been resting for several years. With that novel beginning, the story moves on to explore the complex characters and relationships of the faculty members and antics of the student body. The latter component of the story feels a little dated--the book was written in 1971--but otherwise, the plot is intricate enough to provide a very entertaining read. The Dalziel/Pascoe relationship was already well established by author Reginald Hill at this early date and their prickly but productive interaction is, as always, more than half of the reading fun. There are a number of other broadly defined characters here that bring piquancy to the book, including the appearance of Ellie Soper--lusty, outspoken and beautiful--who will eventually become Pascoe's wife and figure in several future books. This is an excellent read that suffers only slightly from its 38-year old context. Well worth the money and time.

This is a Detective-Superintendent Dalziel and Sergeant Pascoe novel. The title is taken from the writings of Sir Francis Bacon. The appeal of a student of her suspension from college discloses, seemingly, an improper relationship with a tutor, Mr. Fallowfield. The question arises, is Mr. Fallowfield to be permitted the use of the faculty room while he is relieved of other duties? A monument to the deceased head of the school, Miss Girling, is situated in the way of a new science building and must be moved. In the process of the move, a discovery is made of the remains of a body. It is assumed that placement was made five years earlier. Thus, Dalziel and Pascoe begin to investigate their list of missing persons from the previous five years. Pascoe has a reunion of sorts with a former schoolmate of his, Eleanor Soper, who is on the college staff. Next, the police are surprised to learn that the dental evidence of the remains points to Miss Girling herself. There is the death, too, of girl on the golf course. Investigative work is doubled. The police find it is difficult to locate people in a college, although college employees do seem to converge on the police with lots of questions. Pascoe suggests to Dalziel that, particularly in a total institution, there is a shadow side to things. Coincidence provides a line of inquiry to the police. Pascoe is not comfortable with his gruff superior. Each of the officers is, nevertheless, a keen observer and dedicated solver of crimes. This is an excellent offering in an excellent series.

This second entry in the Dalziel and Pascoe series is a winner. It's got a good complex plot, and a very complicated murder. We also get to know our two detectives a bit more, as they work together to solve an old homicide at a College. Dalziel finds himself a bit out of his element in this scholarly setting, but his mind is still razor-sharp and he does manage to make sense out of the puzzle, but not before another body is found. Pascoe provides more of his truly insightful theories which helps them get to the answer. This is a great series - intelligent and well-written.

Some of Hill's earliest novels don't really compare to some of his later ones, but this is one of a couple of absolutely cracking exceptions. It's got a wonderfully complex plot, some brilliant characters, a great setting, some surprising twists, and it is written wonderfully. Plus, Franny Roote is one of the best villains Hill has ever created. This one, indeed, is essential reading for those who intend to read the later books in the series, because it is Roote's first appearance, and he goes on to appear in quite a large role in all three of Hill most recent books ("Arms and the Women", "Dialogues of the Dead", and "Death's Jest Book"). It's also pivotal in that here Pascoe is first re-united with his former friend, and future wife, Ellie. A body is found buried in the grounds of Holm Coultram College, and the police arrive, settling themselves in on campus. They meet a wonderful array of interesting and well-drawn interesting characters (students and lecturers alike), but then a new body turns up, and then another...This is a wonderful crime novel, realistic and strangely chilling, that explores the underbelly of that bastion of the education system, the College, with its strong-willed students, and with it's lectureers all too ready to give in to temptation...I would reccomend this novel to anyone, especially fans of the police procedural which not only entertains but challenges the intellect. The character, story, writing and setting are all marvellous. Fantastic. Certainly one of Hill's best.