- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Pan; New edition edition (10 Nov 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0330389882
- ISBN-13: 978-0330389884
- Product Dimensions: 17 x 11 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,246,661 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Fifth in H.R.F. Keating's critically acclaimed series, each book featuring a different detective whose human weaknesses affect the work he or she does.
Book Description
Harriet Martens is a tough cop, but she must now muster all her strength to prevent a serial killer completing a gruesome plan of revenge. Detective Chief Inspector Harriet Martens has earned the nickname the Hard Detective - but she's had to be unyielding to make it in a man's world. It was, after all, this toughness that inspired her successful Stop the Rot campaign, that has so provoked local criminals. But now two of her officers have died within hours of each other. Harriet comes to believe both have been murdered - and a disturbing idea follows. For the circumstances of each death echo words from the Book of Exodus: Life for Life, Eye for Eye . . . Has a killer chosen this gruesome ritual to tell Harriet she has been pushing too hard? And if so, can she prevent the six deaths that will surely complete the quotation? Beginning with Tooth for tooth . . . Also in this series: The Rich Detective, The Good Detective, The Bad Detective and The Soft Detective. 'One of his best...It really is a top-notch story.' Birmingham Post Few who pick up this latest offering from a master will be disappointed by the superior fare on offer here.' Crime Time
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
This is a totally unbelievable book, the characters are like wooden cutouts, monosyllabic, without compasion. The plot is repetitive, plodding and implausable. I too thought at one point is this supposed to be humerous. My advice leave this one on the shelf, there are many excellent crime fiction novels to read first.
Format:Paperback
I can hardly believe this book found a publisher! If this is typical H R F Keating it is the last of his I will read. "Doctor Smellyfeet"? "Mr. Man"? The "Stop the Rot" campaign? Initially, I thought these were intended to be humourous but the repetitive references indicated they were a serious part of the story! Overall, weak characterisation, weak plot, unbelievable action and a boring read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Ghost?
27 Aug 2001
Format:Paperback
I really like H.R.F.Keating, and can hardly believe he wrote this book. I couldn't even finish it. "Doctor Smellyfeet"? "Mr. Man"? Was that supposed to be funny? The "Stop the Rot" campaign? This one had to be to see if we were paying attention. Ugh!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Hard Justice
8 Oct 2000
Format:Hardcover
Harriet Martin is the hard detective--she is always sure she's right. In THE HARD DETECTIVE, she faces a criminal who is even harder and even more certain about justice. The criminal is exacting the justice from Exodus--a life for a life, an eye for an eye, etc. on the police force of Birchester (England). Somehow Harriet must track down the killer before the police department is decimated. Yet can she do so and remain the Hard Detective?
H. R. F. Keating has written a book that will intrigue the reader both through its subject matter and through the interesting differences between police procedures in the U.S. and in Britain. Harriet grows as a character, starting off harsh, yet becoming more human when faced with the logical consequences of her own belief structures. Initially she finds the justice of 'an eye for an eye' appealing.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
too harsh a protagonist, feels stereotypical
25 April 2000
Format:Hardcover
Her loathing of criminals is so intense that the criminalelement calls her THE HARD DETECTIVE. Deputy Chief Inspector HarrietMartenns is in charge of the "Stop the Rot" campaigndesigned to get all criminals, even those committing petty crimes off the streets. She carries out her assignment with a zeal that at times can be frightening...
THE HARD DETECTIVE is not an easy character to like because Harriet expects perfection at all costs, which makes her seem unbearable and intolerant. Superintendent Martens behaves more like a crime fighting caricature than a human being. Though the serial killer story line will hold interest of die-hard sub-genre fans, other readers will prefer some of the marvelous other works by H.R.F. Keating.
Harriet Klausner
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