Customer Reviews

In Good Hands: A Harpur & Iles Mystery

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In IN GOOD HANDS, Bill James describes a British police department torn between a chief who wants to follow the law, and his second in command who wants to enforce justice. When Assistant Chief Constable Iles is rumored to have killed two drug dealers (who were ruled not guilty in a police killing), Chief Lane wants him gone--and asks Harpur to help.

James writes with a good ear for language and you'll find yourself laughing out loud at some of the dialogue, situations and descriptions. Still, the novel is disturbing. The police who seek justice are far more sympathetically portrayed than the busy-bodies who want to enforce the law. Still, in both their conflicts and their sins, the police and criminals are portrayed as quite similar.

IN GOOD HANDS combines a police investigation with a caper story. Stan Stanfield is preparing a heist--and needs to know whether Iles is behind a copycat murder, or whether it is his victim. He decides it is Iles and goes forward with his crime.

The police investigation sweeps Stanfield into its reach, but doesn't stop his work. Rather, the police use Stanfield and everyone else for their own objectives.

The novel is compelling, cynical, humorous, and highly disturbing. Certainly it is not the teddy-bear view of British police that many novels present. It may stick with you a lot longer as a result.

Bill James is a brilliant writer. Period. I'm not sure how he writes so many novels, so quickly, and never misses a beat. Every word is so honest, it takes the breath away.