Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
The Soft Detective
Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
H. R. F. Keating
Class/Genre: Mystery Police Procedural
Series: Phil Benholme # 1
St. Martin's, Oct 1998, $22.95, 268 pp.
The murder of Professor Unwala, a former Nobel prize winner, shakes up Detective Chief Inspector Phil Benholme because his son Colin is a viable suspect. Phil, who has the empathic ability to look at a crime from the varying perspectives of the willing and unwilling participants, wonders if he has been too soft on his teenage son.
Phil informs his superiors that he has a personal interest in the case and is rightfully replaced. Though he is no longer officially on the Unwala murder investigation, Phil cannot remain on the sidelines when Colin's future seems bleaker by the clue. He begins his own inquiries, which lead him to wonder if the death of the renowned scientist might be racially motivated or related to illegal drug dealing? In any event, Phil will grit his teeth and wear rubber underwear as he tries to learn the truth even if it means that he turns out to be a failure as a father.
The fourth Benholme novel is the best entry in what is one of the superior English police procedurals of the nineties. The story line is strong and well designed, but its is the characterizations that make THE SOFT DETECTIVE a powerful novel that should be required reading of sub-genre fans. Anyone who wants to spend some quality time with mystery novels, must peruse the novels of H.R.F. Keating (there must be at least thirty-five of them) because they are some of the best.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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