One of the early D&P books where Pasco is still a sergeant and not yet married to Ellie and the main method of communication is a public telephone. Pasco and Ellie go away for the weekend to stay with old college friends and find several dead bodies. Meanwhile back in Yorkshire, a series of burglaries is baffling Dalziel and about to turn fatal. As usual amusing, if un-PC, dialogue as each suspect is analyzed, with enough red herrings to keep readers on their toes. Enjoyable retro crime fiction. ( )

Detective Sergeant Peter Pascoe and his girlfriend Ellie are heading to a small village to visit friends, but when they arrive they find three of their friends dead and the fourth missing, presumed guilty of the crime by the local police. Pascoe has to serve as a witness rather than being involved in the investigation, but of course it is impossible for him not to go looking for answers, no matter the price….I don’t know how I managed to miss this, the third book in the Dalziel and Pascoe series, given that I’ve been reading them in order for about the last 2 years and have had this book on my shelf for ages. It’s a bit strange going so far back in the series, particularly as the last Dalziel and Pascoe book that I read was the next-to-last in the series as a whole; while Pascoe seems pretty fully characterized here (and Dalziel too, though in a much smaller role), Ellie doesn’t seem nearly as fierce as we know she is! Still, a good read as ever; recommended! ( )

This story describes the development of the relationship between Dalziel and Pascoe as well as with Pascoe and Ellie. The crime had a personal element for Pascoe and he struggled to remain professional. But although it begins well, the story became somewhat muddled and lost impetus. Not Hill’s best work. ( )

This was OK but it had too many characters who weren't differentiated enough. I lost track of who was who and who had done what. ( )

Loved the writing style - smart, funny and visual. This is the first of the series that I've read (#3 in the series) and will definitely read more from this author. FInally good writing, great character development and the perfect English countryside landscape. Terrific book ( )