The Headhunters: An Inspector Hen Mallin Investigation (Hardcover)

by Peter Lovesey (Author)
Key Phrases: incident room, Peter Lovesey, Hen Mallin, Meredith Sentinel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Lovesey's second novel starring Chichester CID inspector Henrietta "Hen" Mallin (after 2005's The Circle) provides further proof that the CWA Diamond Dagger winner has no peer in presenting a traditional mystery, with all the clues hiding in plain sight. When a half-naked female body washes up on a beach, Mallin and her team must identify the woman as well as determine whether she met her end through foul play. Before the corpse can be named, Jo Stevens, who found the body tangled in seaweed, comes across another one in remarkably similar circumstances. Fearing that she'll fall under Mallin's intense scrutiny, Stevens fails to report this second death. Between the alternating perspectives of Mallin and Stevens, the suspense builds, enhanced by credible characters and healthy doses of black humor. The police eventually connect the two cases and focus on Stevens's new beau, a laconic ex-con who had a past with both victims, but the solution is, of course, not so straightforward. Inspector Mallin deserves as long a fictional career as Lovesey's other current series sleuth, Peter Diamond. (Apr.)
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Product Description

Praise for Peter Lovesey:

"Lovesey's restrained wit and charming cast ensure him a place in the winner's circle."-Entertainment Weekly

"A master of black humor and macabre plot twists."-The New York Times Book Review

"One of Britain's foremost mystery novelists."-Houston Chronicle

"Lovesey is a master."-The Washington Post Book World

"One of the delights of contemporary crime fi ction."-The Wall Street Journal

Gemma loathes her sleazy boss; Jo is her confidante. On a double date with Rick and Jake, they discuss forming a mutual murder society, in jest of course. The next day, Jo, walking on Selsey Beach, discovers the corpse of a drowned woman, a stranger. But one of the men in the lineup at the police station is Gemma's date Jake, who Jo rather fancies.

Then Gemma and Jo discover the corpse of Fiona, Gemma's annoying colleague from work. And Gemma's boss is missing. When an older woman whom Rick was involved with is drowned in her pool, the police begin to close in.

Can this outbreak of deaths by drowning be coincidental? Or has the joke gone too far?

Peter Lovesey has been awarded the Silver, Gold, and Diamond Daggers by the British Crime Writers' Association. This is his third mystery featuring Inspector Hen Mallin.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Soho Crime (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569474907
• ISBN-13: 978-1569474907
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #431,331 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, but fun, March 25, 2008

By	David W. Nicholas (Montrose, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I've read many Peter Lovesey mysteries over the years. I think I read all of the Cribb/Thackery books, and I've read a number since then. For whatever reason, the author seems to go through phases: when he began writing, everything he did was Victorian. He moved up through the 20s, did a book or 2 in the 40s, then moved up to the modern era. This current book is apparently part of a more recent series involving a female police detective named Henrietta "Hen" Mallin.

The first odd thing that Lovesey has done here is write a book that's part of a series, and a detective story, but isn't totally from the detective's point of view. Instead, we start the story out meeting the woman who finds the body (and who turns out to be central to the plot). The story follows her for a while, then switches and follows the police as they try and discover who has killed the mysterious woman whose anonymous corpse has washed up on the beach.

When the plot finally reaches a conclusion, I have to say it wasn't as believable or fun as other of Lovesey's books have been. I didn't hate it...it just wasn't his best. The new character is a bit mundane, also, and Lovesey's as British as he ever was, using slang and jargon with no regard for the American ears his words might fall on. I would only recommend this book to those interested in the author.

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars--Hen vs. red herrings, May 5, 2009

By	Neal J. Pollock (VA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I've liked CDI Hen Mallin in The Circle & The House Sitter. She seems a bit harder to like in this one in which she's the star--even when her relationship with her chief asst. Stella is strained a bit. Still, she's not the curmudgeonly Peter Diamond either. The story revolves around 4 people--The Headhunters & their interactions. It also shows how off-base the police can be & (not unusual in mystery novels) how assumptions can easily mislead one into very wrong conclusions. I thought the ending interesting though I had figured out the culprit by then. There's also a bit of dark humor scattered throughout. The very end tries to explain how the killer could rationalize the murders--the ultimate narcissism IMHO. To me this is one of Lovesey's better efforts. I do hope to see Hen & Stella again in future Lovesey works.

There are a number of fine "literary" quotes in this book too. My favorites are: pp. 67-8: "Put him in the lion enclosure wearing a zebra suit. Dose him with laxative & stand him on guard @Buckingham Palace," p. 72: "People, Jo thought. The ones who are most fun are the least reliable," p. 76: "But when your legs are shaking & your last meal wants to make a comeback, you're not best placed to offer an intelligent remark," & the pub p. 141: "The Slug & Lettuce." Hah!

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, August 30, 2008

By	S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I am a long-term fan of Lovesey, and I particularly like Hen Mallin, so I was really waiting for this book to come out. It did not disappoint me at all. I love the way Lovesey builds characters as he has done again in this book. His depiction of the four friends in the Headhunter group is gripping, and it makes the reader feel a part of it all. Lovesey always maintains a balance of humour with suspense, and he does that again here. He is truly one of Great Britain's best fiction writers. His books are written like a finely choreographed dance. Each character has a part to play, and we watch as the story unfolds. And he uncovers truly chilling villains in his books. This one is no exception to that either. Excellent!