This is the second in the Dalziel and Pascoe series and the fourth one I have read – which proves they don’t need to be read in order.
This novel was originally published in 1971 and recently
found a copy in a local charity shop.
Basic Plot (mainly from first two chapters):
Holm Coultram College is due to have a new Biology lab built which means moving a memorial
statue to the former principle, Alison Girling, believed to have died in an
avalanche in Austria. As it is moved a grizzly shock is in store….
Dalziel and Pascoe are deployed to look into the case but
the staff an pupils at the college are far from helpful…….
Can the mismatched two solve the case before things turn
nasty(er)?
What I thought of it:
In general the novel was well written but I do think that
this was still during the time when Hill was trying to really establish and
develop his main characters. Although it has to be said if you recall the BBC
TV series based on the novels, the casting of Warren Clarke as Dalziel was an inspired
bit of casting as he played it almost bang on with how the novels portrayed him
to be in that he is overweight with all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop
and a broad Yorkshire accent this, for me, makes him one of the more believable
detectives in fiction. As a detective Dalziel
is portrayed as someone who, despite not being the best educated, is no one’s
fool and doesn’t suffer them gladly. Whilst he seems to be rather blunt he gets
the job done. The part of Pascoe is definitely, in this novel, that of second
fiddle. He is better educated than Dalziel but he lacks his superior’s
instincts.
The setting of the novel is mainly in the college and has
developed the use of new and old buildings well. Also the use of the internal
politics which exist between staff within helps to give the occasional twist to
the story and does make you wonder who you would side with if you worked there.
This is also helped by the inclusion of a rather maverick student’s union which
does have you wondering who is really in charge – the staff or the students. As
a teacher I do recognise one or two of the teachers portrayed in the novel
amongst my colleagues.
The writing style flows well even if it does jump about a
bit between scenes with Dalziel and Pascoe, the staff and the ‘inner sanctum’
of the students union. There are perhaps a few too many characters which add
very little to the overall plot with the majority of them being the students as
some appear once or twice then are replaced by others without a by-your-leave.
There are a number of twists in the story to keep the reader interested and
there are a couple of characters who give you someone to both sympathise with
and to dislike.
Whilst some of Dalziel’s methods may be questionable and are
obviously old school policing he does get results after all if he didn’t he
wouldn’t be Detective Superintendent. Even though he and Pascoe appear to be
rather mismatched they do work well together even if Pascoe does have to bite
his tongue now and then with some of the backhanded compliments, well insults
really that Dalziel throws his way.
The fact the book was originally published in 1971 does date it somewhat and it does explain why the initial crime appears to be a long time ago to the reader when
in fact, as the novel says only a few years have passed since it occurred.
Summary:
A well written second outing for Dalziel and Pascoe the main
plot works well and the characters are believable.
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