Dream of Darkness [Paperback]

Reginald Hill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 1990

'One of Britain's most consistently excellent crime novelist' The Times Sairey Ellis's father is writing his memoirs. As an ex-security man whose life work has been in Africa, his revelations will be explosive, blowing the lid off British and Kenyan support for Idi Amin, and exposing the degree of unofficial British connivance in Rhodesian sanctions-busting. He must be persuaded not to publish. This complex thriller from the acclaimed Reginald Hill takes a cool and pitiless look at the role of the security service, and its effect on the individuals, both innocent and knowing, who become caught up in it. Gripping, assured and perceptive in its psychology, here is a chillingly convincing portrait of the repercussions of a life of espionage.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Ruell is actually noted mystery writer Reginald Hill. In London 18-year-old Sairey Ellis suffers from a recurring, debilitating nightmare that shows the young Sairey viewing the open coffin of her mother in Uganda years ago. That did not happen, say her retired British security officer father, Nigel, and his sister, who raised Sairey after her mother's death. Sairey's analysis-prompted returning memory of the brief time with her mother in Uganda holds the key to her nightmare and seems to threaten family and friends--as does Nigel, who is writing his African memoirs. Plot and characters are clearly developed through a narrative that focuses on Sairey but is interspersed with varying first-person accounts "excerpted" from letters, diaries, and Nigel's memoirs. A suspenseful work done well--a Hill title by any other name still reads as sweetly. Mystery Guild featured alternate.
- V. Louise Saylor, Eastern Wash ington Univ. Lib., Cheney
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Celebrated for putting a spin on the classic murder mystery' Indpendent 'Read him' London Review of Books 'So far out in front that he need not bother looking over his shoulder' Sunday Telegraph --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (October 25, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0586207015
• ISBN-13: 978-0586207017
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,409,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Definitely not his best work, December 31, 2001

By 

RachelWalker "RachelW" (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dream of Darkness (Mass Market Paperback)

Ummm....no. I didn't really like this installment in Mr Hill's cannon. It's got quite a good idea, but it falls flat somewhere. He just isn't good at writing these types of stories. It happend with "The Long Kill", which was only slightly better than this. Also with The Only Game, and Death of A Dromouse. They just seem to strike a wrong note. It's as if they're written by a different person, one incapable of writing this type of story.

He is definitely a detective novelist, and should stick to it. This shines through at the end, when he adds the elements of mystery. It is where the book redeems itself, by the fact that the "denouement" is very good, in traditional Agatha Christie style.

However, the rest of it just doesn't really work. It is by no means a bad book, i just didn't really see much point in it...I didn't really care about any of the characters, because they were all (except Vita) quite wooden. The writing of the African way of life makes it clear he has not even as much as visited the country, he just glosses over that completely, making the book seem a lot less authentic.

The overall book, the whole spy/espionage tirade, is so complicated and contrite i am still not sure what really went on, and i refuse to read it again just to clarify.

If you want to read Hill, my advise would be to ignore this one. Stick with dalziel and pascoe.