The Headhunters
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'Lovesey's writing is lucid and succinct, and he is a consumate story-teller.' Colin Dexter 'No-one has done this kind of thing better since Dorothy L. Sayers ... A must for crime buffs.' Mail on Sunday
The Times
`Peter Lovesey has written 30 crime novels, many of them adapted for television or film; he has won loads of awards and been translated into more than 20 languages; he's hugely respected by his fellow writers, yet hasn't quite captured the public acclaim his talent undoubtedly deserves. Perhaps it's because he refuses to stick to one formula or one leading character'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is the second to feature Peter Lovesey's cigarillo-smoking detective Hen Mallin in a leading role - the first being 2005's 'The Circle' - although she played minor parts in the last two Peter Diamond novels 'The House Sitter' and `The Secret Hangman'.
`The Headhunters' has obvious parallels with Lovesey's World War II thriller `On the Edge', in that two women (and in this case a guy) discuss murdering an objectionable man. But here, they're only joking - except maybe one of them actually isn't! From this beginning, Lovesey spins a marvellous yarn, and we discover details of murders as the book progresses...
There's a nice bit of wrong-footing in here that echoes another of Peter's books, `The False Inspector Dew' (I don't want to spoil anything, but if you read it you'll see what I mean) - a novel that features one of the best twists EVER in crime fiction.
This traditional English detective novel is a throwback to an earlier age - but given a modern spin. If you fancy a change from reading the brilliant, but sometimes brutal, thrillers of, say, Michael Connelly or James Lee Burke, you could do far worse that try this excellent volume. Having said that, `The Headhunters' is not as good as the books in his other contemporary series, featuring detective Peter Diamond. But then it would be impossible for him to top `The Last Detective', `Bloodhounds' or `The Vault' etc for virtuoso storytelling.
Peter Lovesey has given me greater pleasure than any other writer operating in the crime/detective/suspense field. Each of his books is written with a beautifully sure touch that makes reading him an absolute joy. And among his other formidable gifts is his mastery of the unspottable twist. Astonishingly he is 72 years old this year, and still producing wonderful fiction in both the longer and shorter formats. I selfishly wish him the best of writing health and hope to enjoy a new book a year from him for at least another 20 years!
`The Headhunters' has obvious parallels with Lovesey's World War II thriller `On the Edge', in that two women (and in this case a guy) discuss murdering an objectionable man. But here, they're only joking - except maybe one of them actually isn't! From this beginning, Lovesey spins a marvellous yarn, and we discover details of murders as the book progresses...
There's a nice bit of wrong-footing in here that echoes another of Peter's books, `The False Inspector Dew' (I don't want to spoil anything, but if you read it you'll see what I mean) - a novel that features one of the best twists EVER in crime fiction.
This traditional English detective novel is a throwback to an earlier age - but given a modern spin. If you fancy a change from reading the brilliant, but sometimes brutal, thrillers of, say, Michael Connelly or James Lee Burke, you could do far worse that try this excellent volume. Having said that, `The Headhunters' is not as good as the books in his other contemporary series, featuring detective Peter Diamond. But then it would be impossible for him to top `The Last Detective', `Bloodhounds' or `The Vault' etc for virtuoso storytelling.
Peter Lovesey has given me greater pleasure than any other writer operating in the crime/detective/suspense field. Each of his books is written with a beautifully sure touch that makes reading him an absolute joy. And among his other formidable gifts is his mastery of the unspottable twist. Astonishingly he is 72 years old this year, and still producing wonderful fiction in both the longer and shorter formats. I selfishly wish him the best of writing health and hope to enjoy a new book a year from him for at least another 20 years!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The latest in the Inspector Hen Mallin series brings forth an unusual story, especially so since it shows how she can leap to wrong conclusions {along with the reader) based on clues both obvious and murky. But the show must go on, and she, along with her police team, plod along from clue to clue in this peculiar but intriguing novel.
It begins with a double date during which one of the women brings up the subject of her boss at a printing works. She says he tries to portray himself as the "good guy," leaving her to do the dirty work. She brings up the possibility of murdering him, and the other three join in jokingly with various methods for the "perfect murder." Then the other woman, taking a walk along the beach, discovers the first of three bodies. Later she's in on the find of two others. All three victims have been forcibly drowned.
The number of suspects abound, as Hen Mallin leads the investigation, inevitably along several false leads. One of the possible suspects is the boyfriend of the woman who found the initial body (before she tripped over the other two). From the initial case on it becomes clearer that there is a serial killer loose. The plot development is so quirky, the reader is kept off balance throughout, right up to the unanticipated denouement. The writing is spare and the story moves along swiftly. Recommended.
It begins with a double date during which one of the women brings up the subject of her boss at a printing works. She says he tries to portray himself as the "good guy," leaving her to do the dirty work. She brings up the possibility of murdering him, and the other three join in jokingly with various methods for the "perfect murder." Then the other woman, taking a walk along the beach, discovers the first of three bodies. Later she's in on the find of two others. All three victims have been forcibly drowned.
The number of suspects abound, as Hen Mallin leads the investigation, inevitably along several false leads. One of the possible suspects is the boyfriend of the woman who found the initial body (before she tripped over the other two). From the initial case on it becomes clearer that there is a serial killer loose. The plot development is so quirky, the reader is kept off balance throughout, right up to the unanticipated denouement. The writing is spare and the story moves along swiftly. Recommended.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Jo and Gemma discuss a perfect way of disposing of Gemma's boss. But it's just a joke. When Jo finds the body of a naked woman on the beach death gets a good deal closer to home. Jo's macabre discovery plunges her into a web of relationships which makes her realise that she does not know some people as well as she thought she did.
The book is well written and the plot is full of twists and turns. More bodies come to light - all found by Jo and Gemma. Gemma's boss is missing. DCI Hen Mallin suspects she has a serial killer on her patch. Hen Mallin first appeared in Peter Lovesey's 'The Circle', and she makes a welcome return in this story. She doesn't believe that Jo keeps coming across murder victims by accident and she rapidly starts to suspect both Jo and Gemma of being more involved than they will admit.
This is an excellent read for any fan of the English detective novel and I hope we see more books featuring the cigarillo-smoking Hen.
The book is well written and the plot is full of twists and turns. More bodies come to light - all found by Jo and Gemma. Gemma's boss is missing. DCI Hen Mallin suspects she has a serial killer on her patch. Hen Mallin first appeared in Peter Lovesey's 'The Circle', and she makes a welcome return in this story. She doesn't believe that Jo keeps coming across murder victims by accident and she rapidly starts to suspect both Jo and Gemma of being more involved than they will admit.
This is an excellent read for any fan of the English detective novel and I hope we see more books featuring the cigarillo-smoking Hen.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Link the discovery of a mammoth with a serial killer
A strong sense of place and images of a shingle beach link the murders of three women. Interesting characters, particularly "Swampy" Jake. Read more
Published 7 days ago by P. Masters
a holiday read
Lovesey writes very good detective fiction but this one is a little contrived. Characters need a little more work? Still, I took it on holiday and it did the job! Read more
Published 9 months ago by Realtan Ni Leannain
Very disappointing
Inexplicably to me, this book was recommended as a summer read on Radio 4. Much of it consists of clunky and tedious, not to say ludicrous, dialogue between the female... Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2009 by Crime Buff
Good, but not as good as other books by the same author
I enjoyed this book but was a little disappointed as I didn't think it was as gripping as two of Peter Lovesey's other books that I've read: Diamond Dust and The House Sitter,... Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2008 by Bluebell
A twisting tale
Jo & Gemma sit in a café planning ways to murder Gemma's irritating boss. Friends Rick & Jake join in the game & they're soon calling themselves the Headhunters. Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2008 by Lynette Baines
Good but not great
I am rather saddened that the ''product description'' shown above, practically outlines the whole story ... Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2008 by Anon
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