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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A pleasure, 31 Mar 2001
By A Customer
It is only in the last two years that I have become aware of Reginald Hill's "Dalziel & Pascoe" novels. This has turned out to be a bonus for me as I have had the pleasure of being able to read through the whole series in a short space of time. I am one of those readers, who when I find an author whose books I love, finds the wait for the next book interminable. The new Dalziel & Pascoe novel "Dialogues of the Dead" was worth the wait.Wield, Pascoe & Dalziel are once again at the forefront of this book, in addition we have a fourth main character from CID, E. "Hat" Bowler, who was introduced in "Arms and the Women" when given the task of "baby sitting" Ellie Pascoe. (Hill seems to have a fondness for obscure names beginning with the letter 'E', Edwin, Edgar, Eleanor and now Ethelbert) The local newspaper is running a short story competition. Entries to the competition are being short listed on behalf of the newspaper by two library employees Dick Dee and Rye Pomona. In amongst the entries are two dialogues whose content shows that the author knows the circumstances of two recent deaths and is claiming responsibility. Rye Pomona makes the connection between the dialogues and the deaths and brings them to the attention of "Hat" Bowler who has been trying to gain the attention of Rye Pomona. From here we have more deaths and subsequent matching dialogues being received by the people involved in the Heritage, Arts & Library Centre and this is the basis of our 'whodunit'. As per Reginald Hill's other novels in this series, my enjoyment comes from the continued growth of the characters and the effort and thought expected of the reader in trying to sort out who is responsible for the deaths. Although I must admit to having got to the end of most of these books with a "Well I never...". "Dialogues of the Dead" in my opinion is on par with to "On Beulah Height", "Bones & Silence", "Child's Play" and "Pictures of Perfection" which I have a soft spot for. I found the previous novel in this series "Arms and the Women" a major disappointment, probably due to my antipathy to Ellie Pascoe who is the only Hill character I cannot warm to. For me at least, I am relieved the the series is back on track with emphasis on Hill's 'trinity' of Dalziel, Pascoe & Wield along with E. Bowler. I loved this book, my thoughts now turn, to the next in this series and how Reginald Hill is going to juxtapose Bowler and Novello (who is away on sick leave in this book and only makes a brief appearance) in future as I've enjoyed their expanded presence in the recent books.
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by Reginald Hill
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