Hardcastle's Frustration
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
During the last days of World War I, Det. Inspector Ernest Hardcastle is encumbered with a complicated murder investigation.
March, 1918. The Great War is grinding slowly to its bloody finale. Divisional Det. Inspector Ernest Hardcastle, head of the Whitehall Division of the Metropolitan Police, is called to a body recovered from the Thames. Mavis Parker, the victim's attractive widow, proves to be a good-time girl, and to complicate matters, all the suspects seem to be known to each other, including a South African who purports to be an actor. But when Special Branch intervenes, things really get complicated . . .
"Meticulously researched historical details, period ambience, authentic British working-class dialogue, a splendid plot, gentle humor, and two clever detectives add up to an outstanding historical procedural." —Booklist
"Hardcastle comes across as someone who will solve the crime, no matter what he has to say or do to accomplish his job. Great historical mystery!" —Historical Novel Society
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in March and April 1918, Ison's workmanlike 10th procedural featuring London Divisional Det. Insp. Ernest Hardcastle and Det. Sgt. Charles Marriott (after 2011's Hardcastle's Obsession) centers on the murder of Ronald Parker, a missing gas company employee, whose body is fished from the Thames with a bullet wound in the head. When Parker's widow, Mavis, hears the sad news, she asks whether his death occurred in Holland, claiming, unconvincingly, that he was heading there to avoid military conscription, despite his being medically exempt from service. A letter found on the corpse leads the police to Daisy Benson, the dead man's mistress, but before too long they realize Mavis had a possible motive for doing away with her spouse since she may have also strayed. Several plot twists make up in part for the somewhat plodding story line. Readers should be prepared for a lead who's less developed than similar irascible fictional Scotland Yarders.
