Last Rites: The 10th Charles Resnick Mystery (A Charles Resnick Mystery) - Softcover

Harvey, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1932859616 ISBN 13: 9781932859614

Publisher: Bloody Brits Press, 2008

Synopsis

“The great strength of the Resnick series has always been Harvey’s grasp of the mess and muddle of human life and his ability to find poetry in the midst of that mess. . . . The perfect end for a nearly perfect series.”—Booklist

Guns and drugs on the streets, armed police, gang warfare, and Michael Preston, sentenced to life for murder, is allowed out for his mother’s funeral and goes on the run . . .

Diamond Dagger winner John Harvey will be the International Guest of Honor at Bouchercon in October. Harcourt will release the eleventh book in the Resnick series, in cloth, in February.

About this title

Review

"Back outside, walking away from the hospital toward Old Lenton, Resnick's step was springier, lighter. He couldn't remember the last time he'd struck a blow outside of self-defense; couldn't recall when he'd last used force of any kind. And although he knew that later his conscience would be giving him gyp, right now he felt one hundred percent better."

That, of course, is Nottingham's own Charlie Resnick, a smart British policeman of Polish origins who would rather eat a sausage sandwich or listen to a Duke Ellington record than threaten a criminal. But threaten a drug dealer is exactly what he has just done; times are changing, and this will be Charlie's final case. John Harvey says he's ending his distinguished series because he no longer lives in Nottingham.

Resnick's last stand involves a prisoner named Michael Preston, who was incarcerated for murdering his father, but absconds while he's out on compassionate leave. He vanishes into the streets of Nottingham and begins to torment his family. Meanwhile, rival drug gangs are shedding blood on Resnick's turf, and a corrupt copper is at large in the department. This is typical John Harvey fare: Charlie's sporadic affair with social worker Hannah is more off than on; dozens of greasy sandwiches are consumed; Charlie's many cats nap while Art Tatum and Thelonius Monk play quietly in the background. It's a fine, rich atmosphere, now so familiar that it's hard to say good-bye. Although there have been stronger, more spectacular entries in the Resnick series, Last Rites has enough of the familiar ingredients and the gritty street poetry to make a satisfying finale. --Dick Adler

About the Author

2007 Diamond Dagger award winner John Harvey has over 100 books in print. He will be the international guest at Bounchercon in October (2008). He lives in London.

About this edition

• Publisher: Bloody Brits Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1932859616
• ISBN 13: 9781932859614
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320