Dead on Arrival

DEAD ON ARRIVAL by Patricia Hall is an excellent mystery. Hall does not write as well as P.D. James or Colin Dexter, but she gets my vote as one of the top writers in the second tier of English mystery writers. Hall's hero Thackeray does not have the cynical intelligence of Dexter's Morse or the lyrical melancholy of James' Dalgliesh, but as Hall grows older, if she continues to write this series, Thackery has the potential to age like a fine wine. Given Laura Ackroyd's penchant for risking her neck I expect her to be erased long before that happens--or to wise up before she loses credibility with the reader. Laura just never seems to learn. But, good journalists die every day.The strengths of DEAD ON ARRIVAL include a mostly plausible, well developed and tight plot (moves at a reasonable pace with no loose ends); a good sense of place (dozens of apt and colorful metaphors); and a reasonably well developed set of main characters who behave realistically most of the time (albeit immaturely at times). In DOA, Hall adds another dimension to the character of Kevin Mower, thus providing him with needed depth, and the potential to play a stronger role in future novels (especially if Laura is wiped out). The storyline in DOA involves the illegal trafficking of aliens. Hall was very courageous to take on this topic and for the most part she has handled it objectively, though perhaps not as objectively as the poor sods who inforce the immigration laws would like. It's easy to take the side of the individual immigrant (one of my best friends fled Idi Amin and another fled Communist China) but so hard to see the damage that will eventually result from the unregulated flow of undocumented people. ...Hall's story is fairly drawn. Laura is sympathetic and as confused as most folks are. Although it's tempting to have the bad guys always be white racist skinhead thugs (the bad guys used to wear black hats, now they wear white skin!!), Hall makes it clear that people from all backgrounds can be involved in crime and cruel behavior. Laura Ackroyd breaks the social contract (the immigration law) and jeopardizes her life in the process. Thackery loves her, and risks his career to protect her. The resulting mess is predictable. Laura is an idealist with liberal tendancies. God loves liberals but they sure can make a mess.

This is probably one of the most disturbing and poignant of mystery novels that I've read in quite a long time. "Dead On Arrival" deals with the whole issue of illegal immigration -- the horrors that people go through in order to enter another country when they lack the appropriate papers in order to start a new life, and of the people who exploit the situation. This novel pays especial attention to the plight of asylum seekers, in the wake of England's (and Europe in general) tightening of the asylum seekers laws.Having broken up with DCI Michael Thackeray once again, journalist Laura Ackroyd is in London, looking into job options and trying to decide what to do about Thackeray. On her way home one night, she witnesses in horror a gang of skinheads beating up on two African teenagers. One of the teenagers escapes, but the other one dies. Angry and horrified, Laura is further put off by the investigative officer's dismissive attitude of the crime and of her eye witness account of the incident and culprits involved. And when she is offered the opportunity to do an investigative article about the incident and the social and cultural implications of the crime, Laura jumps on it. Menacing 'phone calls to give up her crusade and to go home only fuels her determination to persevere.In the meantime DCI Thackeray still reeling from the breakup is called in to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl. On the surface of it Safi Haque seems to be the dutiful Muslim daughter, hardworking, intelligent and obedient. Where then could she have disappeared to? Could she have runaway? Her parents claim that she has not, but seem reluctant to provide any useful information. And then an account from a witness points to the possibility that Safi may have been kidnapped. But the Haques are not a wealthy family, and seem to have no enemies. Thackeray cannot help but wonder exactly what is going on within the Haque family even as he begins to fear that the search for Safi may end with the discovery of her dead body.How these two events are connected is what makes this mystery novel such compelling reading. I was able to figure rather early on how these two seemingly different investigations were connected, but even I ws not prepared for the poignancy that the connection would bring. Laura's quest for justice for the dead boy and her outrage at the plight of the asylum seekers resonates through the pages. While Thackeray's quiet anguish at their separation is almost too painful to read. Will Laura and Thackeray finally put all their differences and issues aside and move on together, or will this rift be a permanent one? (Well, I won't go into that as that would be telling, as well as why this novel is really so agonizing.)"Dead On Arrival" is a very sad and touching novel, but one that is well worth reading.

Patricia Hall always gives the reader something to think about. Journalist, Laura Ackroyd, witnesses a murder. She becomes involved by wanting to write about it and thus places herself in danger when she identifies one of the attackers. Prejudice rears its ugly head as she searches for clues and uncovers the hate given to those immigrating to the UK. The tale of how people are smuggled into other countries, the horrors they endure, and those who profit gives the reader insights not often discussed in the news. Her relationship with DCI Thackeray continues on its rocky road. As always, a very interesting mystery!