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Our Favorite Team

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2020

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Hill's "Dalziel and Pascoe" is hands down, by far, our favorite detective series; it has remained consistently entertaining and engaging.

The problem has been that few of the books were available for Kindle. Just one every now and then. And the older paperbacks were hard to find, and often quite pricey.

Well, someone has decided to open the floodgates. As of this writing there are five "Dalziel and Pascoe" books on free offer through KindleUnlimited Lending Library. Of more immediate value, there are fifteen books now available on Kindle. Some start at $.99, and many are around $2.99. We just stocked up our library in case the books go off the market again.

The books are not only good, they are fine for rereading, (after a suitable period of lying fallow). So, this is a fine time to get into the series and to stock up. I'm not a shill; I'm just delighted to see these on offer.

Anne M. Kleinginna

The Beginning of an Excellent Series

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2020

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The conflict between an old-school, crude but effective cop and his college-educated subordinate has become a cliche, but Dalziel and Pascoe are well worth meeting and following over the course of their careers. Recommended for people who enjoy twentieth century English police procedurals.

Joy of Reading

This book is for those who can think, who are curious, and who care about justice. You?

Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2019

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Reginald Hill is one of the top novelists living today. The fact that he writes in the genre of mystery novel just makes his writing more fascinating. This is not a grind-them-out cop story. It asks questions that need to be asked, and gives answers that are well worth your thought. He also has a wicked sense of humor and an underlying philosophy worth considering. His elegant use of the language makes lesser writers jealous I give this one six stars. Yes, six.

readsalot

A blast from the past

Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2019

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This is a pretty good classic mystery with interesting characters and plot and standard detective literary devices, good narrative, a pretty good story like we used to read in the 1950's. Neither gritty nor salacious, but very genteel. Think Rex Stout or Erle Stanley Gardner. Saucier than Agatha Christie.

AZ Ellen

An entertaining and worthwhile reading experience!

Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2019

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Although I had seen most of the television programs of the Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries years ago, "An Understanding of Learning" was the first book I have read by this author. Once I started reading. I also realized that I had seen this story as a TV program. It was long enough ago that I didn't remember the ending, however. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing, use of language, and character development. I thought the book was very well written and enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery. I couldn't help but picture Dalziel and Pascoe as their TV characters!

Pat Black

I’m a stiff grader.

Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2020

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I only have a few writers I will give a five stars rating to. And a half dozen more I’ll give four. I like this series though I often don’t understand what the author is talking about. It’s not the Britishness. That I can handle it’s the slang language. This and the silliness of constantly trying to prove how gross Dalziel is by mentioning him scratching himself. It really doesn’t add anything to the story or the characterization.

budong

As Sexist as Can Be

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2020

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The mystery was spoiled and the writing overshadowed by the outdated, unconscionable sexism of the author. This was my first and last mystery by this author. The blatant sexism overshadowed the entire narrative. Women are presented as nothing more than bodies, and heaven help the ones who are unattractive! Even when this was written, people knew better! This book is out-dated, offensive, and not worth the time!

NAYLOR. M.

Constantly readable

Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2016

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As always, Reginald Hill fills his stories with interesting subplots as well as thoroughly strong plot lines. I find it hard to put the book down once
I am into the story.

Top reviews from other countries

Annik Lamotte

I loved Reginald Hill's books

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2020

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I read this title years ago as a paperback or library book but was recently tempted to buy the ebook version too, as a handy keepsake. Seeing an old episode of the excellent TV series prompted me to action. I am a great fan of Reginald Hill and believe I've read everything he ever wrote. I thought he was an accomplished writer and was very sad when he died in 2012. I can't afford to buy all his works in ebook form but may treat myself to one or two more at a later date, for old times' sake.

DubaiReader

A blast from the past

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2014

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I'm sure that, if it weren't for the TV series of Dalziel and Pascoe, I would not have been listening to this abridged version of a crime story that was originally published in 1971.
This audio version was narrated by Warren Clarke, which was great for the voice of Dalziel, but confusing when Pascoe spoke.

I've only ever read one other Daliziel and Pascoe story, which was set in a beer swilling rugby club, where Dalziel felt at home. This time Pascoe and I were both more comfortable on a university campus, where the ex-principal's remains are found under a statue that is to be removed in the wake of modernisation. Members of staff and students are all suspects when not one, but two further murders occur.

I thought I was going to rate this higher, but the denouement was disappointing and the murderer(s) seemingly selected at random from the choices available. Possibly this lost something by being abridged, no doubt some clues had been omitted, but there seemed little evidence to allow Dalziel and Pascoe to arrive at their conclusion.

I would listen to another abridgment from this series, if one came my way, but I doubt I would be inclined to read a full length book. They are now very dated in comparison to crime novels currently available.

Jules Jones

Excellent early entry in the series

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2006

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The second Dalziel and Pascoe novel sees the pair at a college of higher education after the discovery of a corpse under a statue's foundation block. Naturally, life gets even more complicated, and not just because they have to wade through both student and staff politics in their pursuit of the truth. Fresh corpses are provided, and it's up to Dalziel and Pascoe to decide which were murder and which were suicide, ideally without becoming corpses themselves.
Dalziel has no time for students, and the feeling's mutual. But Dalziel doesn't let his dislike lead him into underestimating his opponents, while the students make the mistake of thinking that Dalziel's a fascist pig and therefore stupid. Pascoe's feelings are more ambiguous, as he was a graduate recruit to the police force. His former university friends don't approve of his choice of his career, and his liberal sympathies don't always endear him to his colleagues, but this case reassures him that being a copper was the best way for _him_ to change the world for the better. The pair's different experiences and views combine to form a formidable team in this setting, something they'll need to deal with the criminal they're trying to pin down. Even near the end, it seems that it may be a case of knowing who and how without having quite enough evidence to prove it...
This early entry in the series is a relatively simple police procedural, rather than the complex literary game to be found in some of the later novels, but still has Hill's characteristic style and wittiness. It's one for all fans of the series, whether your taste runs to the shorter novels or the long, psychologically complex ones, as it sets up some of the series background. Apart from developing Pascoe's character, it introduces two of the recurring non-police characters. Pascoe is reunited with old university friend Ellie Soper, whom he later marries: and this is the first appearance of Franny Roote, who reappears much later in the series as a major character in a story arc spanning several books. And it is, of course, an entertaining book in its own right.

The Pageist

Oddball academics and death, frabjous day!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2015

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When a statue is moved and the body of a woman who was supposed to have died in Austria five years before appears Dalziel and Pascoe are called to the scene. I’ve always liked books set in college or similarly cloistered settings and this one has the usual array of oddball academics. Quite excellent if you enjoy that sort of thing (which I do).

C. Wilkinson

A very English Writer

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2012

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Hill as an author is a recent find. He is very much an English writer. He has found a good cop pairing and the wit and banter is amusing. The plot is a tadge bizarre and the characters are not always plausible. It's a gentle entertaining read to a three star level and good enough to carry on with other books in the series.

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