An Accidental Death

A DC Smith Investigation Series, Book 1

De: Peter Grainger

Narrado por: Gildart Jackson

The story opens with the apparently accidental drowning of a sixth form student in the Norfolk countryside. As a matter of routine, or so it seems, the case passes across the desk of Detective Sergeant Smith, recently returned to work after an internal investigation into another case that has led to tensions between officers at Kings Lake police headquarters. As an ex-DCI, Smith could have retired by now, and it is clear that some of his superiors wish that he would do so. The latest trainee detective to work with him is the son of a member of his former team, and together they begin to unravel the truth about what happened to Wayne Fletcher. As the investigation proceeds, it becomes clear that others are involved - some seem determined to prevent it, some seem to be taking too much interest. In the end, Smith operates alone, having stepped too far outside standard procedures to ask for support. He knows that his own life might be at risk but he has not calculated on the life of his young assistant also being put in danger.

©2013 Peter Grainger (P)2016 Tantor

More of this series, Please

Would you consider the audio edition of An Accidental Death to be better than the print version?

I don't know.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It kept me engaged and convinced me to order the second book before I'd finished the first.

What does Gildart Jackson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The performer is clear, distinguishes the characters well, and is generally unobtrusive.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

no

Any additional comments?

Please acquire the other books in the series.

A great find!!

I really enjoyed this modern detective mystery by an author I had never heard of. The narration is as wonderful as the novel. Character development and the plot line are both outstanding. The story moves along at a good pace. I look forward to listening to the other novels in the Detective Sergent D.C. Smith series.

A great start

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The portrayal of the characters is dead on and I felt the story went on at a nice, steady pace. Smith is the perfect protagonist with the right amount of intelligence, but with realistic foibles and shortcomings like the rest of us. This makes him far more approachable. He reminds me of Doctor House. House would be miserable to watch if he didn't have those weaknesses that make him relatable to the human experience and I feel this principle applies to Smith. He is exciting to watch. You never know what he is going to do next and Grainger is wise enough not to write implausible plot points into the story (I feed that would be an insult to Smith's intelligence. ) I can't wait to read the next book.

A GREAT BRITISH CRIME MYSTERY

Any additional comments?

A lovely gentle novel, none of that tough cop with a chip on his shoulder, nor does he get into unimaginable scraps, is just a gentle & often genuinely amusing book. Based in rural England, which does addy to the gentle, but very entertaining flow of this book.

Is a terrific debut for a detective series that continues to grow stronger and deserves to be better known. I agree with other reviewers that Grainger has an exceptional story-telling ability. His handling of dialogue is superb & the narrative moves the story forward with just the right amount of author-supplied detail, leaving the reader to imagine the rest. The way it is written has a hint of the Sherlock Holmes about it.

I particularly enjoyed the relative lack of gore and the focus on procedure, notably the interviews, formal and informal, where DC's skills come through in subtle ways. DC as I say, is not a flash character, nor is he a loud-mouthed maverick riding on his exceptional prowess as an investigator. Grainger gradually builds our affection for a man who many of us would not notice in a crowd and does so without the all-too-common domestic melodrama used to round out law enforcement characters. And then there is the wit, sharp and on target, and very rarely gratuitous.

Highly recommended.

Great narrator

The character and then narrator match perfectly. I look forward to reading more books by this author especially when coupled with this narrator