The Soft Detective

By H.R.F. Keating

Book Overview

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Benholme of the Barshire County Constabulary has earned the reputation of being "soft" because he always thinks about the feelings of others. "If you were about to be... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312193351
• ISBN13: 9780312193355
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: St Martins Pr
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.3" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Your son is your prime suspect

DCI Benholme is a quiet, empathetic person who always looks at the other's point of view. This should be a valuable trait in a detective but it conflicts with the hard-nosed world of policing. It also cost him his wife, who left him for a jock. And maybe he hasn't been such a good father either, although he loves his wife and son. He doesn't get much respect from any quarter. But he is an honest, careful, dedicated investigator, and his first suspect in this murder is none other than his own son. These are the two elements that set this novel apart - the "softness" of the character and his son as suspect, which of course torments him. It is an easy to read, entertaining, and unpredictable book that is skillfully crafted.

Excellent Benholme police procedural

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 it 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