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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extraordinary, complex mystery with excellent writing!, February 8, 2002
This review is from: On Beulah Height (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)
It's so rare to pick up a modern author from this genre (mystery) and have his talent as a wordsmith be so exquisite. If I seem effusive concerning this book, you will have to excuse me. When you get stuck reading a lot of badly written textbooks, and other material whether books or journals for profesional purposes, when you do pick up a good mystery (based on recommendations from Amazon.com--thanks guys!) it is nice to be able to dive into a story which is not only a good mystery, but the writing itself is wonderful. The British have a way with the English language. I don't know what is in the water over there, but I am increasingly finding that my tastes are generally more satisfied when reading British mysteries. And I am not talking Agatha Christie here, though I've read stuff that far back. Hill is an obvious contender for those who enjoy P.D. James mysteries, as well as historical mysteries of the type written by Charles Todd (I keep forgetting he is American). This story is painstakingly drawn out. It's a hefty mystery, and frankly, Hill did a great job by not allowing the reader to determine who was responsible for the disappearance of several young girls. I made several errors in judgement, that were solved (sensibly thank heavens) in the last three chapters. Rarely do I get up out of bed at night and spend three hours in a chair to finish reading a book which I just cannot put down. But I did this with this author. I am looking forward to his other books...it is great to find another author with many books to his name that I can enjoy for a while (I read so fast usually that I go through good authors too quick and have to find another one).
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better by the Book, April 30, 1999
By A Customer
I've been following Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe series for years; the only thing bad about this the author is his unfortunate tendency to go out-of-print here in the States. This is an author whose writing has undergone a noticeable improvement over the years. The first books in the series seem more formulaic and even a bit dated when held up to later entries. But this is only comparing a writer against himself: these books still stand out among the usual British procedurals; Hill's distinctive characterization is present from the first book. It's definitely worth reading the series in order, if you can find all the titles. Doing so, you can trace the development of all the characters, most notably Wield and Dalziel, who usually steal the show from the intellectual and prototypically 'heroic' Pascoe. These two are in no way side characters; this is ensemble work. 'On Beulah Height' is another great entry in the series, digging deep into the Yorkshire landscape and making a compelling story of local history. Buy, buy, buy, and tell your friends. I keep hoping that the more interest in raised in this series, the better our chances to see reissues of the earlier works.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Hill's best...., August 14, 2000
A few years ago I discovered Dalziel (pronounced "deal") and Pascoe on A&E. I became intrigued, and set out to read all Hill's many books on this infamous pair of "thinking" British cops. I am now almost caught up as "On Beulah Height" is the next to the last installment in Hill's series. I think the best way to read Hill's books is chronologically, but there are many of them. You can figure out the order by their publication dates. The stories are complex so even if you see them dramatized on A&E you can still enjoy the written text as much of it is interior monologue/thinking. Hill writes books that eschew the pounding action of many current mystery writers (who give me a headache). His plots move vigorously, but they are thinking reader's books--somewhat like those of Colin Dexter. DCI Peter Pascoe and his wife Ellie have to be one of the nicest, most down-to-earth, and likeable couples around. Hill has tracked their courtship, marriage, marital problems, and the birth of their child Rosie, though the various cases Dalziel and Pascoe have undertaken. This book continues their story, while simultaneously filling out the lives of other characters: Dalziel (the fat man from Yorkshire), Weild(y) (the "gay" cop who rides a motorcycle and has a kindly heart) and the female cop DC Novello. "On Beulah Height" is a tough book, as it involves the disappearance and supposed deaths of several small girls. Interwoven through the search for the abductor/killer is the tale of Rosie Pascoe's fight for her own life. Hill has used a the device of a children's story entitled "Nina and the Nix" to structure his plot. The characters are believable, from the singer Elizabeth Wulfson to the "retarded" Benny Lightfoot. I like Hill's inclination to describe the interaction between men and women, husbands and wives, fathers and daughters, and lovers of both sexes. Hill understands human behavior, and his characters are quite believable. In the end, the loose ends are tied up. You may find one angle a bit stretched, but I am willing to give Hill the suspension of disbelief.
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