Reviews

An Accidental Death by Peter Grainger

Only show reviews with written explanations

ursalita's review against another edition

3.0

2.5* The characters were dull and the investigation into a drowning never really grabbed me. There were a bunch of references to a past crime that sounded a lot more interesting but the writing doesn’t tempt me to continue the series

jojo_k654's review

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medium-paced

4.0

stephen_coulon's review against another edition

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funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

It’s a satisfyingly solid turn through a local murder investigation in pastoral English village. It reminds me of 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 in its approach and charcaterizations. There’s enough gravitas in the treatment of the murder, enough depth of characaterization, and enough verisilimtude in the development of the setting to push this into a reality that reflects our own and doesn’t merely resemble a 1990s TV stage set. The protagonist, police inspector DC Smith, is particularly individual, with a believable and often occluded backstory that allows him to be more than just a character type. I’ve read that this inaugural book of the series is one of the weakest of the nine DC Smith novels. If that’s the case, any of the books in the series is a safe bet for a good English village murder mystery.

alex_ellermann's review against another edition

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3.0

This is a sturdy detective novel with a decent protagonist, likable supporting cast, and competently crafted mystery. This is a nice departure from hard-boiled detective fiction, and I enjoyed listening to it. If I were snowed in with a stack of D.C. Smith detective novels, I’m sure I’d get along quite nicely.

However, the author makes two choices that, combined, won’t bring me back. First, he builds tension by artificially withholding information from the reader. The reader should know what the detective knows so s/he can play along. Concealing is cheating. Second, he writes his detective as someone who has stepped down from a position of higher authority, then smirks at his seniors as they blunder about. It doesn’t work that way, dude. If you can do a better job, then you should be in the chair. If you bug out, you forfeit the right to act smugly toward those who step up.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed “An Accidental Death.” I enjoyed spending time with its characters, and I enjoyed sussing out its mystery. Recommended for mystery fans.

margardenlady's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is a new series for me and I’m looking forward to more. DC Smith is a curmudgeonly old detective who has voluntarily taken a demotion, but is sought out for this case that didn’t quite feel right. We are taken on a gritty ride through the police procedures and some unexpected politics. Smith shines through it all, while maintaining his humility. Loved the characterizations and the relationship building.