Death's Jest-Book (Dalziel and Pascoe) - Hardcover

Hill, Reginald

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060528052 ISBN 13: 9780060528058

Publisher: Harper, 2003

Synopsis

From the winner of Britain's most prestigious Diamond Dagger Award comes a beautifully written, multilayered psychological thriller.

Three times Yorkshire policeman Peter Pascoe has wrongly accused ex-con, aspiring academic, and inveterate joker Franny Roote of a crime, only to have Roote walk free. Now Roote is sending strange and threatening letters that connect back to a nineteenth-century poet-physician, and Pascoe fears there is worse to come. This time he's determined to prove Roote guilty as sin.

Meanwhile, Pascoe's colleague Edgar Wield rides to the rescue of a boy in danger, and in return, the boy tips him off about the heist of a priceless treasure. Soon Wield is torn between protecting the lad and doing his duty.

At least Detective Constable Bowler is looking forward to a blissful New Year with the girl of his dreams. Unfortunately, her dreams are filled with a horror too terrible to tell ...

Over all this activity broods Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel. As trouble builds, Dalziel discovers that omniscience can be more trouble than it's worth.

In this brilliant novel of suspense, complete with intricate plotting, sly humor, and deft wordplay, acclaimed author Reginald Hill sets up a battle of wills between determined cops and an ingenious villain. Hill has been praised by the New York Times Book Review as "ever the master of form and sorcerer of style," and with Death's Jest-Book, he delivers a tour de force not to be missed.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Three times DCI Pascoe has wrongly accused dead-pan joker Franny Roote. This time he?s determined to leave no gravestone unturned as he tries to prove that the ex-con and aspiring academic is mad, bad, and dangerous to know.

Meanwhile, Edgar Wield rides to the rescue of a child in danger, only to find he has a rent-boy with a priceless secret under his wing. DC Bowler is looking forward to a blissful New Year with the girl of his dreams. Unfortunately, her dreams are filled with a horror too terrible to tell . . .

And over all this activity broods the huge form of DS Andy Dalziel. As trouble builds, the Fat Man discovers (as have many deities before him) that omniscience can be more trouble than it?s worth and that sometimes all omnipotence means is that you can have any colour you want, as long as it?s black.
From the Hardcover edition.

From the Back Cover:

“Hill’s novels are really dances to the music of time, his heroes and villains interconnecting, their stories entwining.” -- Ian Rankin

“An increasingly lyrical and always humorous writer. . . Hill is blessed with a spontaneous storytelling gift.” -- Frances Fyfield

“Reginald Hill is probably the best living male crime writer in the English-speaking world.” -- Andrew Taylor, The Independent

“He just keeps getting better and better. . . . Hill, a true master, never fails to shock and surprise.” -- Ian Rankin, Scotland on Sunday

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0060528052
• ISBN 13: 9780060528058
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 576