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Harpur & Iles #28
Vacuum
The brand-new Harpur and Iles police procedural from master crime writer Bill James - After the dreadful business when his son and wife were shot, Mansel Shale has turned to God – leaving DCS Colin Harpur with a potential problem. Instead of keeping a grip on his profitable drugs empire, Shale has abandoned that sphere of commerce, leaving his business in the hands of an inexperienced assistant who is reputed to occasionally hallucinate about the Spanish Civil War. Harpur can see the possibility of protracted, warring viciousness on the horizon, and it is clear that something must be done . . .
- GenresMystery
192 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2011
11 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Bill James
61 books26 followersBill James (born 1929) is a pseudonym of James Tucker, a Welsh novelist. He also writes under his own name and the pseudonyms David Craig and Judith Jones. He was a reporter with the Daily Mirror and various other newspapers after serving with the RAF He is married, with four children, and lives in South Wales.
The bulk of his output under the Bill James pseudonym is the Harpur and Iles series. Colin Harpur is a Detective Chief Inspector and Desmond Iles is the Assistant Chief Constable in an unnamed coastal city in southwestern England. Harpur and Iles are complemented by an evolving cast of other recurring characters on both sides of the law. The books are characterized by a grim humour and a bleak view of the relationship between the public, the police force and the criminal element. The first few are designated "A Detective Colin Harpur Novel" but as the series progressed they began to be published with the designation "A Harpur & Iles Mystery".
His best known work, written under the "David Craig" pseudonym and originally titled Whose Little Girl are You, is The Squeeze, which was turned into a film starring Stacy Keach, Edward Fox and David Hemmings. The fourth Harpur & Iles novel, Protection, was televised by the BBC in 1996 as Harpur & Iles, starring Aneirin Hughes as Harpur and Hywel Bennett as Iles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_James_(novelist)
The bulk of his output under the Bill James pseudonym is the Harpur and Iles series. Colin Harpur is a Detective Chief Inspector and Desmond Iles is the Assistant Chief Constable in an unnamed coastal city in southwestern England. Harpur and Iles are complemented by an evolving cast of other recurring characters on both sides of the law. The books are characterized by a grim humour and a bleak view of the relationship between the public, the police force and the criminal element. The first few are designated "A Detective Colin Harpur Novel" but as the series progressed they began to be published with the designation "A Harpur & Iles Mystery".
His best known work, written under the "David Craig" pseudonym and originally titled Whose Little Girl are You, is The Squeeze, which was turned into a film starring Stacy Keach, Edward Fox and David Hemmings. The fourth Harpur & Iles novel, Protection, was televised by the BBC in 1996 as Harpur & Iles, starring Aneirin Hughes as Harpur and Hywel Bennett as Iles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_James_(novelist)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 22, 2012
A return to form for this series. There wasn't a great deal of action, but it's dialogue that is the forte of this series. There was a delightful section with Harpur's daughters, Jill and Hazel. Denise makes an appearance and Harpur and Iles have several hilarious conversations.
December 5, 2011
Typical for him but unlike any other mystery story.Interesting use of language.Characters speak as a thesaurus.Not much action but a captivating story nontheless
February 16, 2012
The most recent of Bill James' idiosyncratic Harpur& Iles mysteries. I have read most of the previous 27 books--this one is a continuation of "I am Gold" and the aftermath of the shocking murder of the wife and child of a drug baron, one of the people that Assistant Chief Constable Desmond Iles counts on to keep the peace; as long as the drug dealers kill only themselves their lucrative business won't be interrupted by the police. However with what seems to be a hit gone wrong and the arrival of a new Chief Constable keen on ending the drug trade everything is at sixes and sevens.
The usual mordant wit, razor sharp social commentary, hyper-articulate gangsters keep thing moving.
This wouldn't be a good place to start if one isn't familiar with the characters and their idiosyncrasies--almost all of the action takes place in the first couple of chapters while Iles, Harpur, the villains and everyone's wives and children plus the usual hangers-on seem even more hyperarticulate than usual, never using one word where ten would do.
The usual mordant wit, razor sharp social commentary, hyper-articulate gangsters keep thing moving.
This wouldn't be a good place to start if one isn't familiar with the characters and their idiosyncrasies--almost all of the action takes place in the first couple of chapters while Iles, Harpur, the villains and everyone's wives and children plus the usual hangers-on seem even more hyperarticulate than usual, never using one word where ten would do.
January 16, 2012
This is the 28th entry in the Harpur & Iles series. Character makes this series. There is action, but it all relates to the drawing of these characters who make up this world. Taken alone, each book can be enjoyed. The real pleasure, however, is to follow the development of all these figures evolving in a contemporary story about policing and drug policing. (It is my suspicion that in the back of Bill James's mind is Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time, since he did a good critical study of that twelve volume narrative world.) Assistant Chief Constable (Operations) Desmond Isles is, for my money, one of the best creations in crime fiction. (I am fascinated by the idea of he and Andy Dalziel teaming up.) This entire series is well worth any time invested.
July 23, 2023
Having just finished bk 25 In The Absence Of Isles, and just before that Vacuum, bk 28, of The Harpur & Iles Mysteries, I over the past 30 so years read more than 1/2. I think I’m done now, but never say never…
The series is somewhat, I believe, a unicorn in the police procedural genre. I would most nearly place it as the Monty Python of British mysteries, and with Bill James - you get the full Monty and then some. Mordant, cynical, comedic, satirical, yet detailed [profusely detailed] in the ways and means of the cops & robbers trades. Mr. James sets the story to provide a backdrop to his characters, and characters they are one in all.
In Vacuum we’re dealing with just that (and that nature abhors one you will be frequently reminded, by one and all) a lapsed crime head, ‘Will it last?’ ‘What, sir?’ ‘Manse Shale’s “born again” experience.’ Manse you see, following the hit on his current wife and his son/ her step son with a surviving daughter while being transported one morning to school, is a bit shaken and looking inward while delegating his operations to his lieutenant aka, generalissimo Franco.
The depth of his enlightenment is a source of police conjecture: “ ‘Back to the Bible – St Paul,’ Harpur replied. ‘What about him?’ ‘In his case it went on and on, after that moment on the road to Damascus. Many an Epistle. Two each for the Corinthians, Thessalonians and Timothy.’ … Iles said: ‘He just wanted to bulk out the New Testament, like the long story Joyce put on the end of Dubliners to make a full-scale book of it.’ ‘That Joyce—’
It is ACC, Isles who has crafted a turf agreement by the competing criminal factions of Manse Shale’s enterprises and Ralph Embers’, aka Panicking Ralph, with accompanying police detente and fair trade zone dictated by terms of public safety and the avoidance of open gang violence. With the recent departure, early retirement of the former chief and new one in training Isles has much to patch and refill. “He had begun to restore some of his patiently, meticulously crafted discord. Because of him, the local police scene suddenly reverted. It grew recognizable and coherent. It would conform to the beloved, awkward, pre-Sir Matt mishmash pattern. Did Upton realize what was happening, the poor, articulate, benighted, beknighted sod?” … ‘That is a phrase with scope, sir,’ Iles had said. ‘“Nature abhors a vacuum.”’ ‘Well, certainly,’ Upton said. ‘Why it has survived, I expect.’ ‘Timelessly useful,’ Iles said. ‘Nature’s not one of your here-today-gone-fishing-at-the-weekend items.’
Being as yet untrained, the new Chief Upton insists on a warranted search of the Embers manse and grounds -which might shed evidence on Embers possible involvement in the hit and move against wit. The 4:30 am search is delivered and reveals a waiting, non panicking, Ralph and no evidence against. New Chief questions Isles’ involvement and his role in the raid. ‘I suppose one could say I did that as a kind of gesture,’ Iles said. He was seated at a conference table but stood briefly now, leaned forward and with the index finger of his right acted out the decisive pressing of a bell.’ … ‘What kind of gesture?’ Upton said. ‘Or perhaps term it an impulse,’ Iles replied. “Locating the button and realizing its purpose were not difficult. You’ll remember in Alice that she comes to a bottle marked “Drink Me”, so she drinks it. It was the same for me with the button marked “Press”. I pressed it.’ … ‘No, when I ask how did you ring, I mean what, as it were, shape of ringing did you employ? What pattern? Was it simply one period of pressure on the button, as your miming just now seemed to indicate, or did you have a pattern of peals – say, for instance, two short rings or even three, or perhaps one long and two shorts, or six or seven short jabs” [code break through, aka This Parrot is dead]. But continues …
‘And Ralph Ember, fully dressed, more or less instantly responded to the bell?’ Upton replied. “I can claim to have rung with due force,’ Iles said, ‘though I’m not here to claim that if someone else had pressed the bell, matters would have been different. Just the one, long, plain-speaking ding, however – without subsequent fiddly additions.’ “ Upton said: ‘And then we have your introductory words to him, Desmond, as reported by Francis Garland just now. I wrote these as: “Ralph, here’s a treat!”’ … ‘And yet it does not appear to have been a shock at all, does it?’ Upton said. ‘In a sense, anti-shock, flagrantly non-shock, since he was totally prepared.’ But it’s Ember’s answer to your greeting that surely is bound to stand out, Desmond,’ Upton said. ‘“I’d heard you’d be calling at around this time today.” I have this right, too?’ ‘That’s how he responded, yes, sir,’ Iles said. ‘The blatant and complete failure of that confidentiality here must make for some uneasiness, mustn’t it?’ the Chief said. ‘Unquestionably,’ Iles replied at once. ‘And Mr Harpur expressed uneasiness at once, didn’t he?’ Upton said. ‘That kind of directness, meat-and-potatoes frankness, is typical of Col,’ Iles replied. ‘It’s not necessarily naive.’ ‘I make it that he raised the matter three times,’ Upton said, looking again at his notes. ‘He’d persist. That also is typical,’ Iles said. ‘With finally the statement,’ Upton said, and read out: ‘“You’ve got a stipended voice that talks to you from inside our building, have you, Ralph?”’ ‘Stipended, yes,’ Iles said. ‘Harpur can come up with some quaint vocab. He’s more or less self-educated…”
Which brings the conference not to conclusion, shall we call it Isle’s new Chief in-training, and leave it there.
Well there’s a taste, not the full Monty be any means, but a taste, once acquired hard to ignore. Take it as invitation or warning. I’ve had my fill… until the next time.
The series is somewhat, I believe, a unicorn in the police procedural genre. I would most nearly place it as the Monty Python of British mysteries, and with Bill James - you get the full Monty and then some. Mordant, cynical, comedic, satirical, yet detailed [profusely detailed] in the ways and means of the cops & robbers trades. Mr. James sets the story to provide a backdrop to his characters, and characters they are one in all.
In Vacuum we’re dealing with just that (and that nature abhors one you will be frequently reminded, by one and all) a lapsed crime head, ‘Will it last?’ ‘What, sir?’ ‘Manse Shale’s “born again” experience.’ Manse you see, following the hit on his current wife and his son/ her step son with a surviving daughter while being transported one morning to school, is a bit shaken and looking inward while delegating his operations to his lieutenant aka, generalissimo Franco.
The depth of his enlightenment is a source of police conjecture: “ ‘Back to the Bible – St Paul,’ Harpur replied. ‘What about him?’ ‘In his case it went on and on, after that moment on the road to Damascus. Many an Epistle. Two each for the Corinthians, Thessalonians and Timothy.’ … Iles said: ‘He just wanted to bulk out the New Testament, like the long story Joyce put on the end of Dubliners to make a full-scale book of it.’ ‘That Joyce—’
It is ACC, Isles who has crafted a turf agreement by the competing criminal factions of Manse Shale’s enterprises and Ralph Embers’, aka Panicking Ralph, with accompanying police detente and fair trade zone dictated by terms of public safety and the avoidance of open gang violence. With the recent departure, early retirement of the former chief and new one in training Isles has much to patch and refill. “He had begun to restore some of his patiently, meticulously crafted discord. Because of him, the local police scene suddenly reverted. It grew recognizable and coherent. It would conform to the beloved, awkward, pre-Sir Matt mishmash pattern. Did Upton realize what was happening, the poor, articulate, benighted, beknighted sod?” … ‘That is a phrase with scope, sir,’ Iles had said. ‘“Nature abhors a vacuum.”’ ‘Well, certainly,’ Upton said. ‘Why it has survived, I expect.’ ‘Timelessly useful,’ Iles said. ‘Nature’s not one of your here-today-gone-fishing-at-the-weekend items.’
Being as yet untrained, the new Chief Upton insists on a warranted search of the Embers manse and grounds -which might shed evidence on Embers possible involvement in the hit and move against wit. The 4:30 am search is delivered and reveals a waiting, non panicking, Ralph and no evidence against. New Chief questions Isles’ involvement and his role in the raid. ‘I suppose one could say I did that as a kind of gesture,’ Iles said. He was seated at a conference table but stood briefly now, leaned forward and with the index finger of his right acted out the decisive pressing of a bell.’ … ‘What kind of gesture?’ Upton said. ‘Or perhaps term it an impulse,’ Iles replied. “Locating the button and realizing its purpose were not difficult. You’ll remember in Alice that she comes to a bottle marked “Drink Me”, so she drinks it. It was the same for me with the button marked “Press”. I pressed it.’ … ‘No, when I ask how did you ring, I mean what, as it were, shape of ringing did you employ? What pattern? Was it simply one period of pressure on the button, as your miming just now seemed to indicate, or did you have a pattern of peals – say, for instance, two short rings or even three, or perhaps one long and two shorts, or six or seven short jabs” [code break through, aka This Parrot is dead]. But continues …
‘And Ralph Ember, fully dressed, more or less instantly responded to the bell?’ Upton replied. “I can claim to have rung with due force,’ Iles said, ‘though I’m not here to claim that if someone else had pressed the bell, matters would have been different. Just the one, long, plain-speaking ding, however – without subsequent fiddly additions.’ “ Upton said: ‘And then we have your introductory words to him, Desmond, as reported by Francis Garland just now. I wrote these as: “Ralph, here’s a treat!”’ … ‘And yet it does not appear to have been a shock at all, does it?’ Upton said. ‘In a sense, anti-shock, flagrantly non-shock, since he was totally prepared.’ But it’s Ember’s answer to your greeting that surely is bound to stand out, Desmond,’ Upton said. ‘“I’d heard you’d be calling at around this time today.” I have this right, too?’ ‘That’s how he responded, yes, sir,’ Iles said. ‘The blatant and complete failure of that confidentiality here must make for some uneasiness, mustn’t it?’ the Chief said. ‘Unquestionably,’ Iles replied at once. ‘And Mr Harpur expressed uneasiness at once, didn’t he?’ Upton said. ‘That kind of directness, meat-and-potatoes frankness, is typical of Col,’ Iles replied. ‘It’s not necessarily naive.’ ‘I make it that he raised the matter three times,’ Upton said, looking again at his notes. ‘He’d persist. That also is typical,’ Iles said. ‘With finally the statement,’ Upton said, and read out: ‘“You’ve got a stipended voice that talks to you from inside our building, have you, Ralph?”’ ‘Stipended, yes,’ Iles said. ‘Harpur can come up with some quaint vocab. He’s more or less self-educated…”
Which brings the conference not to conclusion, shall we call it Isle’s new Chief in-training, and leave it there.
Well there’s a taste, not the full Monty be any means, but a taste, once acquired hard to ignore. Take it as invitation or warning. I’ve had my fill… until the next time.
November 21, 2023
This is the twenty eighth novel which I have read in this long running series (35 novels plus several short stories). The author died earlier this year (2023) so I have been trying to read all the books I have missed.
The series deals with police and criminals and I suppose became a little formulaic over the years but I do like the black humour and the outrageous characters. This was first published in 2011 so the author would have been aged about 81 when he wrote this.
This book follows on from "I am gold" which I read about ten years ago. Following the murder of his wife and son in the previous book the criminal Mansel Shale gets religion thus creating the power vacuum of the title. The new Chief Constable thinks this will give the police the opportunity to stamp out the drug trade in the city. However Assistant Chief Constable Iles has other ideas.
The series deals with police and criminals and I suppose became a little formulaic over the years but I do like the black humour and the outrageous characters. This was first published in 2011 so the author would have been aged about 81 when he wrote this.
This book follows on from "I am gold" which I read about ten years ago. Following the murder of his wife and son in the previous book the criminal Mansel Shale gets religion thus creating the power vacuum of the title. The new Chief Constable thinks this will give the police the opportunity to stamp out the drug trade in the city. However Assistant Chief Constable Iles has other ideas.
July 18, 2024
My first exposure to James and Harpur and Iles.
The writing is very stylized, especially the dialogue. Think James Elroy and you're on the right path. Elroy is a bit more stylized I think, but James' writing is certainly not NVO sentences.
I enjoyed the book enormously. Read it in a couple of hours before and after supper and very few books engage me that much.
The writing is very stylized, especially the dialogue. Think James Elroy and you're on the right path. Elroy is a bit more stylized I think, but James' writing is certainly not NVO sentences.
I enjoyed the book enormously. Read it in a couple of hours before and after supper and very few books engage me that much.
February 14, 2023
What a wordsmith!
However, there are a lot of words but very little investigation of clues, no CSI, almost not even a mystery.
However, there are a lot of words but very little investigation of clues, no CSI, almost not even a mystery.
February 8, 2012
In the aftermath of the murder of his wife and son, Manse Shale has gotten religion and semi-retired, turning the day to day management of his outfit over to a lieutenant who is a good enough administrator, but who has occasional moments when he is convinced he is Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. It's a bit of a problem.
The ambitious new Chief Constable is a rigid law and order man, determined to destroy the carefully balanced non-violent (mostly) steady state of the local drug trade, perhaps bringing down Des Iles in the process. Ralph Ember's wife is worried that Shale may be blaming her husband for the deaths of his family, and one of Shale's lieutentant's girlfriends is worried that the instability in both organizations will prove dangerous to her fellow. It's a time fraught with uncertainty and it's up to Harpur and Iles to try to keep the peace and prevent a drug war.
The ambitious new Chief Constable is a rigid law and order man, determined to destroy the carefully balanced non-violent (mostly) steady state of the local drug trade, perhaps bringing down Des Iles in the process. Ralph Ember's wife is worried that Shale may be blaming her husband for the deaths of his family, and one of Shale's lieutentant's girlfriends is worried that the instability in both organizations will prove dangerous to her fellow. It's a time fraught with uncertainty and it's up to Harpur and Iles to try to keep the peace and prevent a drug war.
Read
December 29, 2011DCS Colin Harper has a problem. One of the local drug kingpins has turned to god after the murder of his wife and son. His replacement thinks he's Franco. The new Head Constable thinks this is the time to clean up the local gangs and the Assistant Chief Desmond Iles thinks the gangs are the key to maintaining local order.
August 9, 2013
Another excellent book in the Harpur and Iles series, with the repercussions of the drive-by shooting in the last book still affecting the peace and quiet the cops desire.
May 25, 2015
Harpur and Iles back for another great story
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews