A review by stephen_coulon
An Accidental Death by Peter Grainger

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.