Recalled to Life: A Dalziel and Pascoe Novel: Amazon.ca: Reginald Hill, Brian Glover: Books

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From Library Journal

As Inspector Dalziel and partner Pascoe work unofficially to refute new evidence concerning a 1963 case, they threaten to unearth various nasty political secrets. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/92.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

When new evidence in a 1963 murder case leads to a new trial for nanny Cissy Kohler, who's been serving a life sentence for killing her employer's wife Pam Westropp, peerlessly curmudgeonly Mid-Yorkshire Chief Supt. Andrew Dalziel drags D.C.I. Peter Pascoe into the reopened investigation, trying to defend the judgment of Dalziel's mentor Inspector Walter Tallantire, who made the arrest, against the insinuations of South Thames investigating chief Geoffrey Hiller. The case groans under the eminence of the politicos and royal connections involved and the weight of its staggering complexities--did Sir Ralph Mickledore, who was executed for the murder, pull the trigger at the instigation of Cissy? why did Cissy, who never denied her guilt, suddenly seek parole 13 years after her conviction and just as suddenly abandon it? why is the witness whose long-suppressed testimony abruptly freed Cissy found dead?--but the salt-and-pepper inquiries of Dalziel and Pascoe, especially a flying trip that leads to the tabloid headline ``CROCODILE DALZIEL,'' are pure pleasure. Not quite the equal of the sterling Bones and Silence (1990), but several lengths ahead of the current competition. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinatingly twisty plot!, Mar 31 2008

By

Ian Gordon Malcomson (Victoria, BC) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME) (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Recalled to Life (Mass Market Paperback)

The year was 1963 and the Macmillan government in Britain was being hit with the fallout of the scandal of the century in the form of the salacious and treacherous revelations of the Profumo Affair.With this in the foreground, a little known case from the distant past involving the alleged murder of a Mrs. Westropp by her lover, Lord Mickledore, at his country estate resurfaces with a whole lot of unanswered questions. There are some obvious injustices that have to be addressed because one of the parties wrongfully convicted and punished for the crime has now been released and has a story to tell. This is where the dangerous dual of Dalziel(old cop) and Pascoe(new cop) come to the rescue to get to the bottom of this case that cries out for answers. One man has been hanged for the homicide, a nanny for the Westropp children has served a lengthy jail sentence for being party to it, and various involved parties are staking each other's moves out as to what they actually know about the offence. There is that niggling question that hangs over the whole story: who killed Westropp's wife and why. These two detectives will go on an extensive and engrossing hunt to find answers to questions that got brushed over in the earlier investigation. Hill produces both a serious and funny account of how these two private detectives go about their business, ruffling feathers, gently teasing and coaxing out evidence that brings them to the beside of the real culprit some years later. To echo a famous chapter in "Tale of Two Cities", Hill definitely creates a very believable recalling to life, through the dogged and clever efforts of these two private-eyes, of a part of the past that many of the main characters would rather forget. This book and its series is worth reading for the story along.

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5.0 out of 5 stars English language, British humor at its best..., Jun 7 2002

By

K. L Sadler "Dr. Karen L. Sadler" (Freedom, Pa. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Recalled to Life (Mass Market Paperback)

Reginald Hill's books on Dalziel/Pascoe make me laugh. One of the best things that can be said about any author is that they make you laugh! If they can do it while spinning a pretty good plot in the mystery genre, they have my admiration. Hill's cop-duet are an odd couple. I know the prevalence of 'odd couples' in mysteries has been done and overdone, but Hill brings a breath of fresh air to the genre with these two. I know I couldn't possibly stand either Dalziel or Pascoe alone through a whole book, hence they play off of one another to keep the reader interested and the plot interesting.

Now granted, every once in a while Hill feels he has to authenticate his cops with language I would prefer not to read. But...having been around some military and a few cops, I would not be surprised if they do talk like this except around women and children. Hill's books have enough good writing to make up for the occasional lapse into raunchy language.

This book combines not just a murder mystery but also incorporates a bit of the spy genre in here, as it involves both American CIA and British royalty in the murder. The plot becomes convoluted throughout the book since the people originally in the house at the time of the 'accidental' shooting not only do not stay in Britain, but they don't even stay married to the same people. It's a bit of a strain at times keeping people separated, but worth it.

I got a huge kick out of Dalziel's visit to America, and much of the language. I always have wished I had the knack of someone like Dalziel, who is an older British curmudgeon, to administer dry, humorous put-downs...I am not sure if someone like him would make it in the 'real world' without more diplomatic abilities than he seems willing to be bothered with...so he really does need Pascoe to smooth things over and 'cover his rear'.

A totally enjoyable reading...

Karen Sadler

University of Pittsburgh

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4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes a bit much., Jan 30 2001

By

Robert Bennett (Tallahassee, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Recalled to Life (Mass Market Paperback)

A good read but keep a dictionary handy. I've never seen ectopic, boscage, and tesselated in one sentence before.

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