Through a succession of ever-better novels, beginning with 'A Clubbable Woman' in 1970 and culminating (for me) in 'On Beulah Height' in 1999, Reginald Hill estabnlished himself as one of the finest crime writers in the business and his heroes Dalziel and Pascoe as amongst the most believable and likeable detectives. After the superlative 'On Beulah Height', however, subsequent books (and especially 'Arms and the Women') seemed to lose their way somewhat.
Not so 'The Death of Dalziel', which brings a triumphant return of the very best qualities of the Dalziel and Pascoe series - a complicated plot (which I shall not, of course, reveal), well-paced writing, excellent characterisation and a blend of subtle wit and incisive commentary. Where crime novels are concerned, it doesn't get better than this - very highly recommended!