Murder Benign (Dales Mystery Library) [Large Print] [Paperback]

Richard Hunt (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dales Mystery Library | Publication Date: February 1997

When archaeologist Sir Gordon Lignum is murdered in his home and his possessions stolen--among them a clay tablet with rows of cuneiform characters--Detective Chief Inspector Sidney Walsh must discover whether a thief panicked or a murderer stole to hide his crime.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

In a third outing, Detective Chief Inspector Sidney Walsh, of the serious crimes division that serves the Cambridge area (Deadlocked, 1995, etc.), faces some knotty problems when archaeology professor Sir Gordon Lignum is found dead in his study, killed by a blow to the head. The victim had started his last day by colliding with motorcyclist Samantha Leverington, putting her in the hospital. Later, at the nearby dig where his students were hard at work (on land bought by developers and required by law to be explored for traces of ancient dwellers), Sir Gordon was vitriolic with students Andrew MacGregor and Melissa Fairbrother, accusing them of planting the cuneiform tablet unearthed by Melissa and threatening to have them expelled from university. Hovering on the margins of the case are further suspects, including some impatient landowners and jealous fellow academics. Walsh and his support staff--Detective Constable Brenda Phipps (who valiantly invades the haunts of Samantha's motorcycle buddies), Arthur Bryant and others- -work long hours of surveillance and interrogation, but it's a solution from left field when it finally arrives. Tepid stuff, despite its elaborate ramifications: the pace is rarely more than plodding; the style wordy, heavy-handed, and even preachy at times. Strictly for die-hard fans of the British police procedural. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 305 pages
• Publisher: Dales Large Print (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853897213
• ISBN-13: 978-1853897214
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read, March 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Murder Benign (Hardcover)

In Richard Hunt's "Murder Benign," an archaeologist's last day seems to be devoted to cultivating suspects for his impending murder. First, he is in an accident when he hits a biker. As it is, the biker belongs to a group that is especially upset about the lack of diligence motorists exhibit with regard bikers. Then the archaeologist upbraids two students on a dig when they find a clay tablet with cuneiform writing--a tablet the archaeologist is certain must be a hoax.

Before long, Detective Chief Inspector Sidney Walsh and his team are investigating the archaeologist's murder and trying to whittle down the list of suspects. A great deal of their job involves setting up several stakeouts, one of which leads to an incredibly funny scene.

"Murder Benign" is very well written, and Hunt keeps the pace moving quickly, dangling enough mysteries to keep the pages turning toward the resolutions (though not all are revealed, unfortunately). In the end, I found myself more interested in the authenticity (or lack of the same) of the tablet than in the killer's identity. Since I have no particular expertise in archaeology, I think that fact stands as some level of praise for the book.