For some reason 1963 is a landmark year in British culture. Kim Philby defected. The Profumo affair (prostitutes and politicians - a potent mix) broke. And, as Philip Larkin had it "Sexual intercourse began in nineteen sixty three between the end of the Chatterley ban and the Beatles first LP". The era is revisited in a number of novels, including John LAwton's A Little White Death. Recalled to Life is Reginald Hill's take on the era.

Hill is one of the finest contemporary genre writers. His Dalziel and Pascoe series is a long running police procedural series that rarely flags, due not only to the stength of the central characters (well drawn, and believably human, they are the bull like Superintendent Andy Dalziel, and sensitive graduate Inspector Peter Pascoe), but also the variety and deft characterisation of the peripheral characters (be they regulars like Sergeant Edgar Wield (a gay police officer), or Pascoe's wife Ellie a former sociology lecturer). Sometimes, though, all does not work as it should. In my view this is one such novel.

The novel begins with the release of Cissy Kohler from prison. She had been convicted of a country house murder in 1963, where in attendance were a prominent politician, an industrialist, a distant royal relative, and an American "diplomat" (together with assorted spouses, nannies and children). Dalziel was involved in the original investigation, and becomes involved in reassessing the investigation. His investigations take him to the United States, where his Yorkshire based brand of zero tolerance sees him featured on the front of a newspaper as "Crocodile Dalziel". The story comes together with involvement of the media, the secret service (from the UK and the USA), police corruption investigation, high politics, low deceit. Hill handles the plot in an exemplary fashion, drawing together the strands, and running a number of storylines/strands of investigation simultaneously. So far, so police procedural.

As ever the peripheral characters are delightfully drawn, from the ageing Scottish nanny, Miss Marsh, to the money grabbing former prison officer, encountered by Peter Pascoe, to Lord Partridge, a former cabinet minister, forced to resign in the aftermath of the Profumo affair.

So why the moderate ranking? If 3.5 stars were available I would have awarded that. But, there seems to be something missing in this book. The Dalziel and Pascoe series works at its best on home ground, drawing strength from the Yorkshire geography and culture (witness On Beulah Height and Bones and Silence). However, here by removing Dalziel from home base we are left with a number of forced situations of an Englishman abroad. There is also an unlikely love (lust?) interest that stretches the bounds of credibility.

This is a very enjoyable mystery novel. It has the usual Hill virtues (plotting, characterisation, and a twisted sense of humour), and manages to say a lot about English society. However, for me, the spark is missing.

If you enjoyed this novel try the Lawton book or either of the the Dalziel and Pascoe books mentioned earlier.

A good read but keep a dictionary handy. I've never seen ectopic, boscage, and tesselated in one sentence before.

Reginald Hill's books on Dalziel/Pascoe make me laugh. One of the best things that can be said about any author is that they make you laugh! If they can do it while spinning a pretty good plot in the mystery genre, they have my admiration. Hill's cop-duet are an odd couple. I know the prevalence of 'odd couples' in mysteries has been done and overdone, but Hill brings a breath of fresh air to the genre with these two. I know I couldn't possibly stand either Dalziel or Pascoe alone through a whole book, hence they play off of one another to keep the reader interested and the plot interesting.

Now granted, every once in a while Hill feels he has to authenticate his cops with language I would prefer not to read. But...having been around some military and a few cops, I would not be surprised if they do talk like this except around women and children. Hill's books have enough good writing to make up for the occasional lapse into raunchy language.

This book combines not just a murder mystery but also incorporates a bit of the spy genre in here, as it involves both American CIA and British royalty in the murder. The plot becomes convoluted throughout the book since the people originally in the house at the time of the 'accidental' shooting not only do not stay in Britain, but they don't even stay married to the same people. It's a bit of a strain at times keeping people separated, but worth it.

I got a huge kick out of Dalziel's visit to America, and much of the language. I always have wished I had the knack of someone like Dalziel, who is an older British curmudgeon, to administer dry, humorous put-downs...I am not sure if someone like him would make it in the 'real world' without more diplomatic abilities than he seems willing to be bothered with...so he really does need Pascoe to smooth things over and 'cover his rear'.

A totally enjoyable reading...

Karen Sadler

University of Pittsburgh

A churned-out provincial English dreary type of mystery, with an artsy and distracting side-plot that could well have been omitted to the benefit of the novel. Pointless literary psychologizing seems deliberately designed to slow the pace down and prevent the book from having a satisfying ending.

Regardless of other reviewers and the difficulty of Hill's linguistic excursions sometimes, Hill is still one of the top producers of well-written mysteries of this current batch. This particular book had its good points and its bad points, but overall the book was a great read. I enjoyed the introductions that use the York Cycle of Mystery Plays. Apparently, like many other European countries such as Germany, theatricals explaining the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and in this particular group of plays, the period of creation and Lucifer's involvement in free agency, was used because people at that time simply could not pick up the Bible and read it. It was written in Latin, and only the clergy (and some royalty) had the ability to read. I expect that these theatricals were an extremely popular change of pace from the daily grind and I look forward to learning more concerning them, now that Hill has brought them to my attention.

As usual Dalziel is his perturbing, acidic, and curmudgeonly self. He doesn't like it when he ends up on the other side as a witness to a crime, that he's having a heck of a time proving actually happened as a homicide and not an accident. Like most of us, we don't like it when the shoe is on the other foot, and Dalziel doesn't take well to being seen as wrong. In the end...well...that would ruin the story. Not going to give it away. Pascoe has his own set of problems to deal with. He's still recuperating from the last case that nearly killed him, and his more sensitive psyche has taken a beating. His wife gets him involved in some of her pet projects, which he is not crazy about...but it ends up being of some assistance to providing keys of understanding to Dalziel's witnessed crime, and to the person who is writing Dalziel letters about her future self-inflicted demise.

This side story confuses a few readers, but life is never so tidy as to give us one problem at a time. IF it were, I think more crimes and problems would be solved. Dalziel can't be bothered with figure out who the looney is who is writing him suicide notes (and the writer knows this). But as usual, Pascoe gets saddled with this annoying problem, and it weighs on him. I really am not sure what happened at the end...but it was certainly not what I expected.

A sign of a good writer for me is one where I deliberately go back and look for his other books, rather than just browsing through and picking up a mystery that 'looks' good. I did that for too long, and it ends up wasting my time. When I want a good writer with a good plot and decent characters, I know where to go look for one. Hill still has plenty I have not read yet. Time to go get another!

Karen Sadler,
University of Pittsburgh

First all, I will admit that this book moves a little slowly, especially compared to most mysteries written by American authors. However, what you get here that you don't get with 99% of American mysteries is complex, interesting characters, a great plot, plenty of humor, and a wonderfully literate style. I will definitely read more of this series. The ending of this book is particularly powerful and it stayed with me for a while after I had finished it; an affect few mysteries have ever had on me.

Although, in the preface, the author boldly mentions how the reader may pay additional gratuity if the book is found to be especially worthwhile, he makes no mention of how to obtain a full refund.For someone who makes explicit claims toward precision, Galambos' much-celebrated concepts are fuzzy and defined in terms of non-essentials (as if he were inspired by Rand but never paid any particular attention to her). Discussion of each definition consists of a string of true propositions, interspersed with jokey asides, which haven't been assembled into a chain of argument, and which rarely include reference to evidence, except in the most general way. Perhaps these shortcomings could be blamed on sloppy editing, and perhaps Sic Itur Ad Astra is much better. I'll never know.If you're looking for a book on liberty with stunning arguments, why not try Spooner? If you're looking for a book on liberty with a novel historical perspective, why not try Nock?

Andrew J. Galambos was a brilliant thinker who made many good points. This book is a good introduction to his economic and political ideas. However, I am bothered by the cult-like fervor which surrounds the man. Read his writings for what they are: Excellent points made by a great thinker, but don't make the mistake of treating his writings as Holy Writ. Galambos had many good points which deserve broader consideration among the general public - don't deny them that broader attention by making the Galambos movement look like a cult.

Who should purchase this book?

Well, one would think that after thousands of years someone must have exerted their focus in life to pursuit of the kind of society that is durable and stable. I do not mean perfect or ideal. Those are impossible solutions. Noone is perfect and nothing is ideal. Mr. Galambos had devoted a great portion of his life to this pursuit. Thrust for Freedom is a brief synopsis of the durable and stable societal structure that many of us only suspect is possible, but do not know how to achieve. It's called Freedom and Mr. Andrew J. Galambos has provided the Thrust to achieve it.

The question is rather asked: Who should NOT purchase this book?

this is the first of his books that i've tried, and i did so based on some of the glowing reviews of his other books, but for a thriller, i would say that it's sadly lacking in momentum and suspense. it's supposed to be a whodunit, but i lost interest in the murders halfway thru the book, because the red herrings thrown in really detracts from the mystery, and doesn't do much to get the story going for me. the focus appears to be more on the characters, which granted are very interesting and the chief inspiration for me to read on. strictly for hill fans.

To teh readers familiar with the Pascoe/DAnziel series, A Killing Kindness will not be a surprise--it is as good as most of the other novels in the series. Pascoe and Danziel are trying to catch a serial killer, who stnragnels young girls. Only there are a couple of exceptions. The plot is good and believable. The conclusion, although not very surprising, is satisfying.

As usual, Hill's strength is in giving the secondary characters opportunities to develop throughout the series. THey are not just props for the two detectives to excahnge clever lines, and this is what makes the book more than a simple mystery.

Detective Inspector Peter Pascoe's dentist, who is used to seeing broken jaws and broken teeth, tells Pascoe that a scene in an X-rated film where a women is beaten is real, not staged. This leads Peter and his wife Ellie to check out the Calliope Kinema Club, a trendy venue for soft-core porn in an otherwise proper and well-to-do neighborhood.
Sergeant Wield already has the place under surveillance, due to neighborhood complaints and scandalized locals, but Wield and Pascoe's Boss Superintendant Dalziel is skeptical that anyone is guilty of anything more than voyeurism until an indisputable murder turns up the heat.
The books are labeled the Dalziel and Pascoe books, but I always think of them as the Peter Pascoe / Ellie Pascoe / Edgar Wield / Andy Dalziel books, and all four characters get to shine in this one. Not as innovative as most of the later books in the series, but still an excellent police procedural, and well as showing much of the sly humor and characterization that makes Hill's books such a delight.

My copy of A Pinch of Snuff is a 21st printing; this book must be really popular. Reginald Hill's long-running Dalziel/Pasco series never fails to deliver a fine story. Detective Inspector Dalziel allows Detective Sergeant Peter Pasco to look into a report that the beating of an actress in a porn film appears to have been the real thing. Another case's investigation begins to overlap this one, and through step-by-step detective work, the story unfolds.

I enjoyed the story; it's hard to find a better British police procedural than those of Reginald Hill. I don't normally like or read British police procedurals, but Hill's in a class by himself. Read this one and whatever you do, don't miss his later books in this series. On Beulah Height, for instance, is a true masterpiece.

Although I am not a lover of dogs, I thought this book was wonderful! It is very funny and creative. Chuck is lovable and almost human. Peter Dickinson has done an incredible job.

This is a thoroughly welcome addition to the business continuity books on the market. It brings a clear, rational approach to a very complicated topic. Unsurprisingly, the book adheres to the ten stage process as defined by the Business Continuity Institute and the Disaster Recovery Institute and is written in a style that is easy to read and with very little jargon. (It even gives guidelines on how to read the book.)

The book outlines some important lessons:

- The Importance of business continuity management

- Business continuity plans should be based on outcome scenarios and not causes

- The need for an organized development/implementation

- BCM is never complete - amendments and testing will always be required

There are a couple of points to note though:

- It fails to deliver the message clearly that Business Continuity Management is an umbrella for business impact analysis, risk management and business continuity planning. Too many people just concentrate on the latter.

- My experience shows that many advantages are gained through the development of the plan when the business continuity is firmly in the minds of those involved and the management sponsors (who have allocated resources and funds). This is as important as the plan itself.

- Unlike chapter 15 (Developing the written plan), Chapter 18 (Selecting tools to support the process) is an example of where the book sits on a fence. It describes the types of tools required but gives no clear examples of data used. There are numerous examples that could have been used to illustrate this; perhaps this leaves the door open for consultancy opportunities!

- Another downside to the book occurs as early as section one, which is described as an executive overview and is 75 pages long!

Notwithstanding these minor grumbles, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone involved in BCM or anyone thinking about creating a more secure business.

A nice combination of theory and practice. Great for a beginning course in dynamics.

Through his whimsical spaces, Moss shows us how architecture can be invested with idea, how idea does not have to conspire with ideology, but be layered with a machiavellian character to create a kinesthesia of layered spaces. The BOX project inspires enthusiasm with its poetry, its exactatude, and its radically independent aesthetics and vocabulary of form. This small and beautiful book studying one building should be part of every creative library.