This is not a review of the book, but rather the reader. He's awful. His voice is tinny and hard to understand and his manner of speaking, or readin..Show More »g, is rhythmic and shrill. I kept trying to get around it, but it was no use. I couldn't get past the first chapter.

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I'm a Reginald Hill fan and especially enjoy Pascoe and Dalziel but holy guacamole !! Brain Glover is not the right narrator!!! This is the second t..Show More »ime I've bit on a R. Hill book only to find a poor performance. Note to self: Pay attention to name of narrator!!

Frankly, I don't know if this is a good story or not -- I could barely understand most of it and could feel my ears clamping down the rest of the time.

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I've listened to three Dalziel books narrated by Colin Buchanan. He's a fantastic reader. Spot on the accents, and really makes the characters come ..Show More »to life without the "Shakespearean overdramatization" which characterizes many of the British readers. I highly recommend this book, Deadheads, and Exit Lines. Have fun! I would rate this book a 4.5 if I could.

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Hill writes with depth and clarity. His characters come alive because of his ability to describe multi-facet personalities. His mysteries are comple..Show More »x, well written and in the end, satisfying.


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Why aren't all Audiobooks as classy as this? Wonderful writing, but above all, a five star interpretation by Colin Buchanan. If only some of the drear..Show More »y, story wrecking narrators would listen to this guy. He is equally as good on all of the other Reginald Hill books in the catalogue.

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No question, this is quintessential Reginald Hill. I like Dalziel and Pascoe novels because of the interaction between characters, as well as the non-..Show More »interaction. Not just anybody can write a conversation, but most of the really good writers still can't write two story lines about the same story. Hill can. He takes Pascoe down a path, parallel to his loving wife. She's not investigating, but she uncovers things, in just normal conversation, that, if Peter only knew, could solve the puzzle, or at least could lead him to a solution. This case is no exception. Fat Andy even resolves more of the matter, while at a seminar at the Yard.

The reader is brilliant. I can see the characters speaking, without having to hear "Pascoe said," or "the Fat Elf replied." He definitely has an ear for accents.

So why do I rate it 3, instead of 5? I'm not satisfied with the end of the case. I won't spoil it, but I was less than satisfied with the justice of it all. I know that real life detectives don't always find justice in a neat, clean package. I also know that the ending won't stop me from reading more of the series; I've selected the other title that Audible has and will gladly listen to any more they offer. If you're thinking of this as your first intro to Dalziel and Pascoe, enjoy it for the interaction, the background painting, the descriptions (Wieldy's ugly face is superb!). Maybe read another first, and go back to this as a background piece, to fill in the history. Just don't quit because it's less than Hill's best.

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Brilliant interpretation by Colin Buchanan of a great story.

Warning: These Dalziel & Pascoe books are highly addictive!
Reginald Hill writes in a very down to earth refreshing manner and Colin Buchanan p..Show More »aints in 3D and you?re centre stage.
In three years with Audible I have never ?read? a book so quickly....Bravo.....More!!

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excellent writing as always.
sound quality is abysmal, muffled with occasional speed changes as well. Adjustment of treble (increase) and bass (..Show More »decrease) and listening for a few hours has made it tolerable.

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Dalziel is at his best (or should one say worst?) in this novel. This is what earns the novel the one star.
But - the story is too complicated. ..Show More »Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of the simple whodunits, but this is simply too much. Loads of characters involved is ok, but mixed with ever changing theories on who has done what and why with new ones around the corner every instant makes the whole thing disagreeable after some time.
To finish it off, the recording is awful. The narrator makes a good job of creating a great personality for Dalziel with his voice and the accent, I have to give him that, but the weak and sick characters are definitely overdone. It's horrible to listen to him speaking in slow, hushed voices for ages, stopping at odd moments, making long pauses and then stopping again after a few words. That's not creating atmosphere or tension any more, that is simply annoying, and after some time boring. I just though "oh no, not again" when Cissy Kohler started talking again, was close to switching the thing off when the dying Westrop was involved.
Worst of all is the sound quality. Most of the audiobooks I downloaded here sound like they were recorded on 1940s equipment, I am used to this already and have learned to live with it, but this one really beats the rest. It's ok on an iPod or iTunes, but it was impossible to listen to it on my navigation device while driving. And yes, I downloaded it it in the highest available quality.
Even one credit was too much. i rarely give up on a bood or an audiobook, but here I had to - I just could not take it any more. Having listened to it for over ten hour, I gave in one hour before the finish. I just could not be bothered any more.

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Reginald Hill and Colin Buchanan combine well in this delightful 'Who is going to do it?'
Intrigue, a missing person, a friendly publican who se..Show More »lls an excellent game pie, a pastry cook, bikers and skirmish, the local minister, a beautiful woman, long standing fueds and an annual town get together. Who owns the local school and the minister's residence? Will the town have to sell the Villiage Green to save their school and who will inherit the Squire's property?. Add to this 'the striker' and a garden shed, blood in the car and on the rug and the rich aroma of herbs coming from the bookseller's bathroom and yes 'a picture of perfection' does emerge.
A good 4 star listen.

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Riveting, excellent character development. Engrossing with well-written literary story line. DI Pascoe and his family, relationships with friends an..Show More »d many questions I've had over the years are finally clearly delineated. Entertaining and satisfying, no loose ends, but an avenue for a continuation.

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This well known writer is new to me, but I am totally delighted with the first of his books that I read. If you like literary illusions, wry humor, an..Show More »d a deft psychological novel, you will love this book. I'm now reading Death's Jest Book and so far, it's just as good as Good Morning, Midnight.

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What I love about Reginald Hill's Dalziel books is that they flout the usual conventions of British police procedurals. Usually, it's the brilliant/wo..Show More »rld weary DCI and the young/bumbling/earnest partner. In this series, though, it's the partner, Pascoe, who's thoughtful and refined and the mentor, Dalziel, who's coarse, two-fisted and (seemingly) lazy.

But THE DEATH OF DALZIEL takes this series to a new level. Here, Pascoe gets to be center stage as his partner lays dying. But Dalziel stills looms large (both physically and spiritually). Though Dalziel remains comatose, we are invited into his inner world, and we find it's a much more complex place than we imagined.

As always, Shaun Dooley's narration is impeccable; this book is less active than others in the series, yet Dooley manages to keep the pace moving.

If you haven't had the Dalziel experience, this is a fine place to start.

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This has been one of my favorite Reginald Hill Audiobooks so far. It's presented in a slightly unusual format; the first half of the book consists of..Show More » a series of first person emails from one of the characters, and first person narration by Dalziel. The narrator is excellent throughout, and an interesting plot that keeps you wanting to listen on. Highly recommended!

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Hill is simply amazing. Each novel in this series is an adventure in shifting perspective and innovative technique yet the characters remain as comfo..Show More »rtable as a well-loved pair of Nike trainers. I hope Mr. Hill lives - and writes - forever!

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