Panicking Ralph

If you like your cops and robbers with a strange twist, British author Bill James presents one of the most drolly quirky rogues galleries in crime fiction. Set in a large industrial city in England James'lengthy series brings together crooks and cops with issues. In the course of crime fighting, cops cope with personal crisises like nervous breakdowns (the chief); a penchant for teenage girls and compulsive deviousness (the assistant chief) and wobbly managment and sassy daughter (ace detective Colin Harpur). The crooks, however, have their challenges. An excellent case in point being the rising and ruthless drug lord Ralph "Panicking Ralph" Ember, who is bogged down by a lust for respectibility and his famed "panics." At delicate moments the master crook suffers from paralyzing panic accompanied by drenching sweats. Panicking Ralph is among the most delicious entries in a dark and entertaining series.

If this is your first foray into the bitingly humorous world of Harpur and Iles, as it was mine, be prepared. Author Bill James is obviously having the time of his life here, tweaking all aspects of traditional police procedural novels and the characters who populate them. James's characters are unique: idealistic Commissioner Lane, who "[does] not presume to see himself as Christ, but at least as the one who rolled away the stone"; ACC Iles, an unrepentant sycophant who praises Lane's "gifted decisiveness," and thinks of him as a "towering sweetheart, someone I look up to as to a small god"; a dogged investigator, such as Harpur, who has no problem playing fast and loose with the law and everyone he meets to get what he wants; quirky crooks, such as Ralph Ember, with his "rich flair for panic" and "that greasy speed he could get into his sprinting, even over tricky ground" in his flight from trouble; and young Keith Vine, an up and coming criminal who insists on referring to himself as the third person "Keith Vine." As Harpur deals with these characters and investigates the growth of drug syndicates after the death of Oliphant Kenward Knapp, eventually becoming involved in one of them himself, the reader is treated to one amusing scene after another. Unlike some humorous mystery writers like Christopher Moore and Carl Hiaasen, James does not depend on outrageous, off-the-wall scenes and smart-mouthed fast-talk for most of his humor. He is a lover of ironic, often subtle, word-play. He gives poker-faced, lyrical descriptions of decidedly un-lyrical scenes, and he writes with intelligence and care about dangerous criminals, mocking them, while never making light of their cruelty and dangerousness to society. This novel is well plotted and exciting, and its absurdities echo with truth. Mary Whipple

The Harpur and Iles series is truly fascinating and PANICKING RALPH is no exception. Bill James writes snappy dialogue that might make you laugh or possibly cringe. His characters, especially his criminals, are well crafted and motivated.In PANICKING RALPH, sometimes insane police chief Mark Lane decides that this is the time to clear his city of its drug industry. With the former drug king pin dead, several syndicates, including one led by Ralph Ember, the title character, are trying to carve out a controling position but each is vulnerable.Iles recommends against any drastic action. Someone will fill the vacuum and it would be better if local and controllable criminals are involved rather than new criminals from London. Harpur, however, is inspired (for once) by Lane and decides to go under cover to see what he can do.One of the strength of James's novels is the interplay between Lane, Harpur, and Iles. Unfortunately, PANICKING RALPH downplays this aspect, although a few jewels shine through (like Iles's invitation to have Harpur visit his home since Iles's wife can no longer understand why she would ever have had an affair with Harpur), for the most part, this aspect is missing and missed.As always, James highlights the thin line between police and criminals. Harpur's calculation that Iles is 60% likely to be honest reflects the legitimate concern that all of us have in a world so corrupted by drug money.PANICKING RALPH is not the best in the Harpur and Iles series, but even second best is very good indeed. ...