| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Only about half of Hill's police-procedurals (featuring Yorkshire cops Dalziel and Pascoe) have been published in America, Deadheads (p. 381) the most recent arrival; and this is the first US appearance for the 1970 Dalziel-Pascoe debut. The murder-victim of the title is shrewish housewife Mary Connon, found dead - an odd head wound - in front of her TV one evening. The obvious suspect? Her low-key husband "Connie," a former local rugby star who (to Mary's chagrin) has continued to spend his Saturdays at the nearby rugby club. But, despite anonymous accusations and bad-mouthing from a nasty neighbor, neither fat Dalziel nor the Connons' daughter Jenny believes that Connie is guilty. So all hands start sleuthing into possible sexual motives within the rugby-club - especially after Jenny finds heavy-breathing letters that her late mother received from a peeping tom. And the (rather strained) solution involves nearby adultery, Mary's nasty taste for emotional blackmail, and some ugly playfulness gone awry. Neither as dark nor as funny as later, better Hill, with Dalziel and Pascoe (still unmarried) not yet fully-drawn - but curious and atmospheric in its moody, rugby-centered, plodding way. (Kirkus Reviews)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Reginald Hill's first Dalziel and Pascoe novel. When Connon got back from the Rugby Club, his wife was even more uncommunicative than usual. Five hours later, when she still hadn't moved, Connon noticed that the front of her head had been caved in.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This was interesting to me from the point of view of seeing how much Hill has matured as a writer since he wrote this. The basic characters are there but there isn't the depth and affection in the writing that comes with familiarity. The story is quite strong and nicely plotted. He plays successfully on the sympathy you feel for the murdered woman's husband and the fact that he may well be the murderer and takes every opportunity to muddy the waters. Very enjoyable.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The first of the Dalziel and Pascoe novels is not as complex or thoughtful as some of the later books in the series, but it's still an entertaining mystery that lays the foundations of the relationship between two very different men who together form a formidable detective team. Even this first book displays Hill's witty style and elegant prose, if not to the same high level as later books.
The book is based around the goings-on at a rugby club that may or may not be connected with the murder of the wife of one of the players, but no knowledge of the game is required to enjoy the book -- it's a study of the social interactions in such a venue rather than the sport itself. The main problem readers are likely to face is that the book was first published in 1970, and as such is recent enough not to be immediately obviously a period work, while still being old enough for the culture and mores to feel somewhat odd to the modern reader. It's important to be aware of the period when reading the book, as many of the potential motivations for the characters revolve around sexual jealousy and flouting of mores. Hill draws a detailed picture of life in a relatively small Yorkshire town in the 1970s, with its web of social obligations and friendships that can be exploited by both the police and those they're pursuing.
Not my favourite of the series, and the charcters aren't yet fully developed, but well worth reading both in its own right and as an introduction to the series.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"A Clubbable Woman" is the first Dalziel and Pascoe novel (Dalziel is gruff & rough, Pascoe his university-educated subordinate) and also the first of Hill's novels I have read. First published in 1970 it is a murder mystery centred around a local rugby club and its various affairs, intrigues, and loyalties.
Hill is an intelligent writer, vividly describing the novel's localities and characters. The seventies setting felt slightly dated, however, and the sexual politics were rather unappealing (lots of buxom women seducing impressionable men).
In spite of this, I am interested in where Hill will go with the series and look forward to reading the next Dalziel and Pascoe book - An Advancement of Learning.
Hill is an intelligent writer, vividly describing the novel's localities and characters. The seventies setting felt slightly dated, however, and the sexual politics were rather unappealing (lots of buxom women seducing impressionable men).
In spite of this, I am interested in where Hill will go with the series and look forward to reading the next Dalziel and Pascoe book - An Advancement of Learning.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Review for the abridged audio CD
I originally read this back in 2000 and I only gave it 2.5 stars then. When the abridged audio CD came my way I thought I'd give it a go, not realising my repeat. Read more
Published 6 days ago by DubaiReader
Gentle English Crime
Authors first book in the Dalziel/Pascoe seies. The wit and banter is soon established between the two detectives. Read more
Published 1 month ago by C. Wilkinson
Clumsy but showing potential
The first Dalziel and Pascoe novel and it kind of shows. It's still an enjoyable read but the characters haven't quite arrived at their final destinations yet and the mystery is a... Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2009 by Sulkyblue
A wonderful introduction
First Sentence: "He's all right."
Sergeant Peter Pascoe has a degree in social sciences and read criminology. Read more
Sergeant Peter Pascoe has a degree in social sciences and read criminology. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2009 by L. J. Roberts
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
