Perils and Dangers (Severn House Large Print) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Peter Turnbull (Author)

Book Description

Series: Severn House Large Print | Publication Date: September 1, 2001

Nathan Ossler was a blackmailer: he made people tremble, pay up and want to die. So when he is found slumped in an armchair with the front of his head missing, nobody in the Yorkshire village of Strensall is shocked. Who, though, pulled the trigger of the .22 handgun?

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

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chief Inspector Hennessey and Sergeant Yellich return in another engaging mystery from seasoned British author Turnbull (Fear of Drowning; Deathtrap; etc.). Set in Yorkshire, this well-crafted whodunit is a must for police procedural fans and Anglophiles alike. No one sheds any tears when Nathan Ossler's housekeeper finds him in his study, slumped in a chair with the front of his head missing. Nasty, controlling and foulmouthed, Ossler was a blackmailer who threatened almost everyone he had contact with, from the Cambridge-educated headmaster of the local comprehensive school to the immaculately dressed major. In a methodical and thoughtful investigation, Hennessey and Yellich soon discover that none of the several murder suspects is as he or she appears. Then another victim turns up, and the two detectives find themselves hurtling toward a surprising and clever conclusion to the case. While Turnbull offers an intriguing puzzle and evokes the walled city of York and environs in all their glory, it's his characterizations, particularly of Hennessey and Yellich, that make this novel memorable. Privy to their thoughts and conversations, as well as details of their personal lives, we get to know and embrace them as part of our literary family whom we eagerly wait to hear from again.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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

From Booklist

A Yorkshire man is murdered, and Detective Chief Inspector Hennessey, with his likable assistant Detective Sergeant Yellich, must sort through a plethora of possible culprits. The search is made considerably more difficult by the victim himself, a thoroughly disreputable ex-con and blackmailer whom nearly everyone wanted to see dead. Hennessey and Yellich, as always, are a joy to watch in action. Unfortunately, most readers will be able to guess the identity of the villain almost instantly. This will be a major sticking point for puzzle solvers, but those concerned more about the journey than the destination will have a fine time. Hennessey and Yellich make a great crime-fighting team, and Turnbull is a snappy, entertaining writer. This too-little-known British procedural series deserves a wider American audience, but be sure to give this one to readers who don't mind knowing whodunit. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727871005
• ISBN-13: 978-0727871008
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,459,184 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

2.0 out of 5 stars A big disappointment, August 13, 2001

By 

Charlotte Vale-Allen (CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Perils and Dangers (Hardcover)

I've been a Peter Turnbull fan for many years. Sadly, the past few books haven't been up to the standard he set with Deep and Crisp and Even, or Long Day Monday. With Perils and Dangers, Turnbull has turned to what is almost a "cosy" -- one of those little mysteries that are light both in weight and substance. The writing here is far removed from the intense, powerful Ray Sussock P. Division novels. And the book isn't helped by inferior editing (the constant misplacing of commas, for example) that actually alters what the author was trying to say. As well, this book has one of the nastiest covers I've ever seen, and removing the dust jacket is no remedy because this is a casebound book--which means that the art is part of the cover itself.

Sadly, I couldn't possibly recommend this book. But I would, with great enthusiasm, suggest readers new to Turnbull go to the early books in order to enjoy what was a really fine, fairly peerless series.