An Accidental Death: A DC Smith InvestigationThe story opens with the apparently accidental drowning of a British sixth form student in the Norfolk countryside. As a matter of routine, or so it seems, the case passes across the desk of Detective Sergeant Smith, recently returned to work after an internal investigation into another case that has led to tensions between officers at Kings Lake … between officers at Kings Lake police headquarters.
As an ex-Detective Chief Inspector, Smith could have retired by now, and it is clear that some of his superiors wish that he would do so. The latest trainee detective to work with him is the son of a member of his former team, and together they begin to unravel the truth about what happened to Wayne Fletcher.
As the investigation proceeds, it becomes clear that others are involved – some seem determined to prevent it, some seem to be taking too much interest. In the end Smith operates alone, having stepped too far outside standard procedures to ask for support. He knows that his own life might be at risk but he has not calculated on the life of his young assistant also being put in danger.
Perfect for fans of Colin Dexter, Ruth Rendell, P D James, R D Wingfield or even John le Carre.
DC Smith Investigation Series;
- Book 1: An Accidental Death: A DC Smith Investigation
- Book 2: But for the Grace: A DC Smith Investigation
- Book 3: Luck and Judgement: A DC Smith Investigation
- Book 4: Persons of Interest: A DC Smith Investigation
- Book 5: In This Bright Future: A DC Smith Investigation
- Book 6: The Rags of Time: A DC Smith Investigation
What readers are saying –
“Really enjoyed this book. A police procedural with its own twist and a detective with a different way than others I have read in this very full market. As a first book I doubt it could be faulted.”
“This first story is much deeper than it first appears and had me gripped from the very start to the extremely satisfying ending. There isn’t a lot of blood and gore, the language never strays into the offensive tirades that have become all too common in crime books these days and all in all it is, for me in the same league as Morse and Lyndley et al and that’s a jolly good league to be in I think.”
“As an American fan of British mysteries, I was delighted to find a new voice who deserves attention for creating a character who is warm, funny and endearingly human.”
“I absolutely loved this book. It has everything a British mystery should have: great characters and an interesting police case. It definitely makes me want to read the rest of his books. A new favorite author!”
“I was introduced to this series by a friend who is a great Anglophile. His recommendation was that it was his favorite British detective series. The first book, An Accidental Death, is a great read and I have now downloaded the whole series.”more
Mystery stories set in the UK are always witty and exotic. This book is no exception,
good writing, foreign references, and well run investigation.
I enjoyed this book with it’s believable characters , it’s red herrings and the pace of life.
I really liked the lead character, Mr. Smith, who ends up mentoring a younger detective in this case. Filled with intrigue, the investigation of a dead teenager, leads to surprising discoveries.
Just didn’t catch my interest. If I don’t want to finish reading Chapter 1… enough said.
In addition to a great story I felt as if I was there in another country.
Loved this book so much, I read all the others in the series. Great writing – Love DC Smith. Wish there were more, but since he’s retired, I guess not.
Loved this book! Love British cop dramas!!
The British detective, DC Smith, has more experience than an officer in his Station, but due to reorganizations, he finds himself demoted, nearing retirement, but still have better insight than his younger colleagues. The solution to the mystery us totally unexpected.
In addition to being well -written and possessing all of the attributes mentioned in the provided list, Peter Grainger’s An Accidental Death possesses a quality that makes the book particularly memorable in this era of series. Although the cover informed me that the book is part of a series, it stands by itself. The author hints at elements in the somewhat enigmatic and eccentric Smith’s past or looming on his horizon that piqued my interest, but told me just enough to appreciate what was going on in this book. This information was never superfluous; nor did it interfere with the flow of the story. Having just completed one book in which it seemed like half the text was devoted to mostly inconsequential references to previous books’ events and another that opened with a cast of characters as if they sprang from the head of Zeus, I appreciated Grainger’s craftsmanship.
Enjoyed this read.
slow moving and not very interesting
I was looking for this type of book. It’s rare these days
Well written and good character development. I will read the rest of the series Glad I discovered this author and series.
Always like good British police novels. This is one of a series and the rest continued to please me.
A good read
This book was an easy read. It wasn’t wonderful & it wasn’t horrible. It just wasn’t for me. I seldom don’t finish a book but I did this one. I wasn’t looking forward to reading & that’s why I read. So I quit reading this book without finishing it to the end. The book was perfectly fine just not for me
This is a well written detective story with a good tempo- it moved along and kept your attention. The plot was a bit convoluted and I was not 100% sure how all the pieces fit together in the end. A detective returning to the force is asked to look into an accidental drowning and runs into a terrorism investigation in progress.
It may not be fair to review this book because I only read about half of it. While the book was well written, I simply couldn’t relate to the British culture;. Moreover, there were phrases and idiomatic expressions that I simply didn’t understand. The characters seemed a bit two-dimensional and the plot moved too slowly for me. Perhaps “police procedural” simply isn’t a genre I resonate with.
Smart, suspenseful read. Atmospheric.
Enjoyed the main character, DC Smith and the thoughtful way he approached his job. Also think the side stories enrich him and the main plot.