Once Too Often [Hardcover]

Dorothy Simpson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 1998

In Simpson's most skillful and fascinating novel yet, Inspector Thanet is called away from his daughter's wedding preparations to investigate the suspicious and untimely death of a journalist who is found with a broken neck at the foot of her staircase. As Thanet methodically explores the woman's past, he realizes that a number of people--including the victim's own husband--had reasons for wanting her dead .

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Talk about a killer deadline! Inspector Luke Thanet, the hero of Dorothy Simpson's series of mysteries set in England, has a murder and a wedding on his hands in Once Too Often. The wedding is his daughter's, and her future life partner has Thanet not a little worried; it comes almost as a relief, then, when the case of a possibly murdered newspaper reporter distracts him from more personal concerns. The victim, Jessica Dander, was found lying at the foot of her stairs with a broken neck. Though it looks like an accident, given the dead woman's unfortunately long list of enemies, murder cannot be counted out. As Thanet and his partner quietly go about the business of solving Dander's death, readers are treated to a well-written, carefully plotted story and characters whose portraits are richly detailed.

From Library Journal

Inspector Luke Thanet's latest case involves the suspicious death of a newspaper reporter in the English village of Sturrenden. Suspects include the woman's unemployed battered husband, her estate-agent lover, the lover's angry wife, a reported neighborhood prowler, and others. Thanet's investigation proceeds with satisfying depth as he and Sergeant Lineham debate details of the case, theories about the murderer, and all the permutations thereof, but both suffer personal strain as well. As usual, Simpson (A Day for Dying, LJ 5/1/96) tailors her plot with skill and care, nicely dovetailing all the clues and reserving a special twist for the end. Strongly recommended.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; 1st U.S. edition (February 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684845784
• ISBN-13: 978-0684845784
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #807,497 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well plotted, beautifully written procedural/cozy, July 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Once Too Often (Hardcover)

A fine entry in Ms. Simpson's always-well-written series. The puzzle is carefully crafted and ingenious, with enough red herrings to throw most pursuers off the scent. The characters are pleasantly three-dimensional; Ms. Simpson is a good enough author to realize that, if the reader doesn't care about the characters, there would be no reason care what happens TO them. A thoroughly satisfying book.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The thinking person's mystery, January 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Once Too Often (Hardcover)

Inspector Luke Thanet's beloved daughter is getting married in a few days. However, instead of a joyous occasion, the police officer worries that his daughter is making a bad choice. Luke is relieved to be handed a perplexing case to investigate so that he can concentrate on something other than the upcoming nuptials. Newspaper columnist Jessica Dander is dead from a broken neck after falling down the stairs in her home. Luke and his partner Detective Sergeant Mike Lineham need to determine whether the cause of death was an accident or a deliberate act of foul play.

An investigation into the deceased's background produces a host of believable suspects, all who disliked the victim. The primary suspect is Jessica's spouse, who has no viable alibi to cover his whereabouts during the time of death. His motive was that of the cuckolded husband, who was also a spousal abuse victim. Besides the spouse, other suspects had solid motives to commit murder. Jessica's lover, who allegedly tried to end their relationship. His wife, who was just outside the murder scene in a car waiting for her spouse to end the relationship. An apprentice hairdresser, who had a deep obsession for the dead person. Luke wants to have this case solved before his daughter's big day so he has one less headache to deal with when his daughter marries.

This fourteenth entry in the Inspector Thanet series is a warm British police procedural wrapped inside a charming cozy. The tale is long on the intellect and short on the gore. The two police officers quietly reason out the sequence of events, discreetly make inquiries, and compare stories without turning into Super-cop. Fans of Jessica Fletcher and Ms. Marple will not only want to read ONCE TOO OFTEN, but all the other entertaining works in this series. Dorothy Simpson gives the audience a tantalizing glimpse into the personal lives of the two officers, thereby humanizing them so that readers will care what happens to them.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good mystery, July 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Once Too Often (Hardcover)

This is a very well-written mystery. The author has you guessing all the way to the very end and it turns out to be a total surprise! I would reccomend this book to those who love just a great mystery without all the gore.