Tuesday 29 December 2009

Peter Lovesey


I mentioned recently that I enjoyed Peter Lovesey’s latest novel, Skeleton Hill, and I’d like to supplement my comments on that book with a more general, abeit brief, outline of the work of an author who ranks highly on my list of all-time favourites.

One of the impressive features of Lovesey’s long career is that he has succeeded at various different types of mystery story – in this he resembles his brilliant friend Reginald Hill (who was also born in 1936, as was the estimable Robert Barnard.) For instance, he excels at the short form - ‘Youdunnit’, for instance, is a wonderful gimmick story.

He began his career with books about the Victorian detective Sergeant Cribb, and helped to cement the popularity of the history-mystery. The Cribb books were televised (though somehow I managed to miss the TV versions – one day I shall have to track down the DVDs.) with Alan Dobie in the lead role. My favourite of the books is Waxwork.

Bertie and the Seven Bodies was an entry in a series featuring the former Prince of Wales, and is an especially appealing light mystery, in the vein of And Then There Were None. His Peter Diamond books show his ability to achieve a consistently high standard when writing a contemporary series, and The Secret Hangman is a stand-out title. The Vault and The Circle are also very good.

Among the other Lovesey classics, Rough Cider has many admirers, but I’d like to highlight two very different books. On the Edge is a splendid one-off, set in the past, but really a novel of psychological suspense which was very well adapted for television a few years back. And then there is The False Inspector Dew, which takes elements of the Crippen case and weaves them into an absolutely fascinating mystery. Any writer would have been proud to have written either of these novels. But Peter Lovesey has done so much more, and so well.

16 comments:

Kerrie said...

Peter Lovesey is one of my favourite authors too Martin. SKELETON HILL is next up on my list.
BTW did you see I've recently reviewed THE SERPENT POOL?
Can you email me at kasmith9@esc.net.au please? - there is something I need to point out to you.

FionaB said...

I'm a great fan of Peter Lovesey, mainly the Peter Diamond books of which The Circleis my favourite. I also love his collection of shorts Do Not Exceed the Stated Dose. Haven't read Skeleton Hill yet, but I enjoyed The Headhunters just before Christmas although I would have liked to see more of Hen Mallison. I really disliked The Detective Wore Silk Drawers and Wobble to Death, probably because I can't bear violence (yes, I know... but I still claim to enjoy crime novels!)

Martin Edwards said...

Kerrie, I did and I'm truly grateful. I have sent you an email.

Martin Edwards said...

Hi Fiona - one of the interesting things which The Headhunters and Skeleton Hill share in common is that the plot winds in unorthodox directions - pretty impressively, I think. I do admire his short stories enormously and the collection you mention is one of the best single author collections in the past 20 years in my opinion.

Ann Elle Altman said...

I can't believe I have never heard of the writer before. Or perhaps I have and never took the opportunity to read his work. I will now. Thanks for the blog.

ann

pattinase (abbott) said...

This reminds me that I used to read all his books and at some point, stopped. I'll pick one up soon.

FionaB said...

Hmm, your comment makes Skeleton Hill even more appealing Martin! I thought the denouement of Headhunters was brilliant - and reminiscent of The Circle....

Deb said...

I recently commented that I thought The Headhunters was one of Peter Lovesey's best books. Lovesey has created a very appealing main character (a woman who finds herself falling in love with a man who appears to have a connection to a dead woman)and a plot that plausibly connects all of the suspects with the victims. It was my favorite mystery read this year.

Martin Edwards said...

Thanks, Ann, Patti, Fiona and Deb. Suffice to say that I think that Peter Lovesey is writing at least as well now as in his early days - arguably, he is now at his peak, which considering how long he's been successful, is quite something.

Doug Greene said...

My favorite is BLOODHOUNDS, a marvelous riff on the classic Impossible Crime/Locked Room mystery . . . And I should add, as you know Martin, that Peter is one of the most gracious men in the business.

Dean James said...

Ditto, what Doug said. I adore Bloodhounds, but if Peter has written a bad book, I have yet to read it. The man is a gem.

Martin Edwards said...

Doug and Dean - I'm not sure how I managed not to mention Bloodhounds, which is indeed a bravura performance. A great writer, and, as you say, a true gentleman.

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