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Fell of Dark
A friendship renewed; a marriage going sour; Harry Bentick heads for the Lake District not knowing if he's going in search of something or running away. Then two girls are found murdered in the high fells, and suddenly there's no doubt about it. He's running. Set in his native Cumberland, this was Reginald Hill's very first novel and its cleverly interwoven strands of detective story, psychological thriller and Buchanesque adventure prefigure much that in the intervening decades has taken him into the topmost ranks of British crime fiction.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 7, 1971
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About the author
Reginald Hill
153 books506 followersReginald Charles Hill was a contemporary English crime writer, and the winner in 1995 of the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement.
After National Service (1955-57) and studying English at St Catherine's College, Oxford University (1957-60) he worked as a teacher for many years, rising to Senior Lecturer at Doncaster College of Education. In 1980 he retired from salaried work in order to devote himself full-time to writing.
Hill is best known for his more than 20 novels featuring the Yorkshire detectives Andrew Dalziel, Peter Pascoe and Edgar Wield. He has also written more than 30 other novels, including five featuring Joe Sixsmith, a black machine operator turned private detective in a fictional Luton. Novels originally published under the pseudonyms of Patrick Ruell, Dick Morland, and Charles Underhill have now appeared under his own name. Hill is also a writer of short stories, and ghost tales.
After National Service (1955-57) and studying English at St Catherine's College, Oxford University (1957-60) he worked as a teacher for many years, rising to Senior Lecturer at Doncaster College of Education. In 1980 he retired from salaried work in order to devote himself full-time to writing.
Hill is best known for his more than 20 novels featuring the Yorkshire detectives Andrew Dalziel, Peter Pascoe and Edgar Wield. He has also written more than 30 other novels, including five featuring Joe Sixsmith, a black machine operator turned private detective in a fictional Luton. Novels originally published under the pseudonyms of Patrick Ruell, Dick Morland, and Charles Underhill have now appeared under his own name. Hill is also a writer of short stories, and ghost tales.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 14, 2024
Well this story was absurd. Not in the Camus sense. But in the dear God the coincidences and actions at times beggared belief.
Harry Bentick and his friend holiday in the Lake District. They are believed to have raped and murdered two Swedish hikers. The friend confesses. Harry escapes leading to a John Buchan ‘39 Steps’ like chase across the fells.
The real murderers are easy to spot. That said it is a great romping yarn. Quickly read and enjoyed.
Harry Bentick and his friend holiday in the Lake District. They are believed to have raped and murdered two Swedish hikers. The friend confesses. Harry escapes leading to a John Buchan ‘39 Steps’ like chase across the fells.
The real murderers are easy to spot. That said it is a great romping yarn. Quickly read and enjoyed.
February 1, 2016
This was in my library's 'new to the library' section, which I thought meant it was a new book but it is not. It is actually the first book that Reginald Hill wrote and was first published in 1971. It has not dated well - gayness is aligned with insanity, there is an ugly nymphomaniac (oh the horror) and all sorts of casual sexism and homophobia. It is possible to see the germs of Hill's future successful career; this, unfortunately, is probably best treated as a historical document of its time and returned to the shelf in favour of any of Hill's more recent releases.
January 26, 2019
This is one of Hill's earliest books, and shows some signs of an author still finding his feet. The plotting is good, but the book takes some time to get off the ground, and the characterisation is inconsistent at times. Nevertheless, once the book gets going, it's certainly a page-turner.
Some of Hill's humour appears in the book, but it's nothing as witty or funny as his later writing. In fact, it's all a bit grim. All authors have got to start somewhere -he'd already published his first Dalziel and Pascoe book by this time, and they were to turn up regularly from then on, some very successful, some downright peculiar. I suspect he'll be remembered most for the famous detective duo - and he was blessed to have created such a pair - nevertheless he was never an author to rest on his laurels, and he continually experimented in a way that's quite unusual for a writer, turning out historical novels, short stories, the curiously unsubtle Joe Sixsmith series and a variety of books under various pseudonyms.
2019 - Picked this up again thinking I hadn't read it, discovered after a few pages it was very familiar, found I'd forgotten how everything worked out, and re-read it with enjoyment, though again, the characters didn't seem quite settled in themselves.
Some of Hill's humour appears in the book, but it's nothing as witty or funny as his later writing. In fact, it's all a bit grim. All authors have got to start somewhere -he'd already published his first Dalziel and Pascoe book by this time, and they were to turn up regularly from then on, some very successful, some downright peculiar. I suspect he'll be remembered most for the famous detective duo - and he was blessed to have created such a pair - nevertheless he was never an author to rest on his laurels, and he continually experimented in a way that's quite unusual for a writer, turning out historical novels, short stories, the curiously unsubtle Joe Sixsmith series and a variety of books under various pseudonyms.
2019 - Picked this up again thinking I hadn't read it, discovered after a few pages it was very familiar, found I'd forgotten how everything worked out, and re-read it with enjoyment, though again, the characters didn't seem quite settled in themselves.
January 17, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. On the one hand it is a standard murder mystery, but for me what raises it above the average pot boiler is the point of view the story is written from. The reader is introduced to the main character Harry Bentick and the first we know of the rape and murders is when Harry and his friend are stopped by the police and asked to help with the enquiries. All of the story is from Harry's point of view as that of a suspect. The pressure he feels under, the different styles of the main detectives etc. When the pressure is increased Harry runs from the police station and hides in the surrounding hills.
Whilst in the normal way of things you as the reader believe in the innocence of the 'prime suspect' there is nothing to say either way as to what really happened. It shows an interesting look how pressure and extreme circumstances lead a person to somewhat irrational decisions.
Whilst in the normal way of things you as the reader believe in the innocence of the 'prime suspect' there is nothing to say either way as to what really happened. It shows an interesting look how pressure and extreme circumstances lead a person to somewhat irrational decisions.
September 24, 2010
Currently reading and so far loving it! 'Fell of Dark' is a classic tale of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and having to fight against the odds. This short novel is fast-paced and full of action but at the same time is character driven and thought-provoking. Reginald Hill's first novel is the perfect tale for all those who like their mystery full of suspense and adventure.
March 8, 2022
Overall a pretty unbelievable story with too many "saved in the nick of time" moments. Assulting an officer to escape a police station, evading several soldiers hunting for him in the hills, finding refuge with a crazy woman sculptor, etc. Really?
June 16, 2011
Reginald Hill's first book, slighter than some of the later offerings but no shorter on compelling story or good writing. I'm pretty impressed! This tale comes from the opposite viewpoint than the later Dalziel and Pascoe books as Harry Bentink is accused of a crime he didn't commit and goes on the run across the Lake District. Early and standalone books from some writers never match up to the standards of their well loved series but this is well worth a read.
August 18, 2022
This was a standalone book, (NOT Dalziel & Pascoe). It was OK, but slow going, and the characters were not particularly engaging...
August 14, 2025
I have neither read nor seen on television this author’s Dalziel & Pascoe stories but I have read and enjoyed another short novel of his (The Spy’s Wife). Fell of Dark is also short at 200 pages, nicely structured, well-paced and despite a couple of convenient coincidences is fairly realistic. I’m not sure I particularly liked the protagonist but the situations in which he finds himself are compellingly explored. The setting and weather conditions are also very well done - really good sense of place.
November 20, 2020
Although the cover promises Dalziel and Pascoe, they are not in this mystery. I kept hoping they would appear, but no.
This is a stand alone mystery , and not the type I like--the innocent idiot framed for murder. Obviously a first try at the genre with sex scenes used as filler--ugh. The first 90 pages is a struggle, but finally the wife comes in among others to pull this idiot out of his over involvement with his old college friend. Nice setting the Lake District Fells though.
This is a stand alone mystery , and not the type I like--the innocent idiot framed for murder. Obviously a first try at the genre with sex scenes used as filler--ugh. The first 90 pages is a struggle, but finally the wife comes in among others to pull this idiot out of his over involvement with his old college friend. Nice setting the Lake District Fells though.
November 22, 2024
Dipstick saved by women, while thinking he's fantastic.
Much as I love most of Mr. Hill's work, this one was not great for me. I did not like the protagonist at all. Also, I'm not wildly fond of stories where the MC finds themself in an unfortunate situation and then promptly does something stupid, without which there would be no further dramatic tension, as is the case with this book. Still, it's well written, allowing for the social mores of the times.
Much as I love most of Mr. Hill's work, this one was not great for me. I did not like the protagonist at all. Also, I'm not wildly fond of stories where the MC finds themself in an unfortunate situation and then promptly does something stupid, without which there would be no further dramatic tension, as is the case with this book. Still, it's well written, allowing for the social mores of the times.
August 21, 2020
It says on the cover it’s Dalziel (which I know how to pronounce!) and Pascoe... false advertising. I didn’t like the protagonist or, actually, anyone else very much. Ah... now I see it was Hill’s first book. That explains a lot.
July 8, 2021
The story moves very fast.
November 15, 2013
An okay book.
I grabbed it to read while recovering from surgery, and the cover said a Dalziel/Pascoe mystery--that's why I took it. I remembered I liked those guys.
There was no Dalziel, there was no Pascoe. The cover lied. This was an interesting--no, I'm sorry--very annoying thing. I read this oh 30 years ago, it's not like I can call the publisher and tell them they're idiots--that's the past. But my sense that THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED wanted to go somewhere. If there's no one to complain to, what should you do?
You should trash the book, obviously.
But it wasn't in a category to be trashed--it was just an ordinary book, nothing great about it. A kind of fellow passenger, one who didn't expect to be singled out. And if I were the author, I'd feel a jolting sense of dismay that readers would react to something I had no control over. In the end, I just felt a little sorry about the whole thing.
I grabbed it to read while recovering from surgery, and the cover said a Dalziel/Pascoe mystery--that's why I took it. I remembered I liked those guys.
There was no Dalziel, there was no Pascoe. The cover lied. This was an interesting--no, I'm sorry--very annoying thing. I read this oh 30 years ago, it's not like I can call the publisher and tell them they're idiots--that's the past. But my sense that THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED wanted to go somewhere. If there's no one to complain to, what should you do?
You should trash the book, obviously.
But it wasn't in a category to be trashed--it was just an ordinary book, nothing great about it. A kind of fellow passenger, one who didn't expect to be singled out. And if I were the author, I'd feel a jolting sense of dismay that readers would react to something I had no control over. In the end, I just felt a little sorry about the whole thing.
September 18, 2014
Well, that was a light easy read. It has a lot going for it: picaresque and Buchanesque and a light murder mystery that has a nasty turn to it - very nasty for 1970.
This reads very much like early P.D. James & definitely a product of the times - the late 60s. And there is such a lot of social commentary of England during these days - homosexuality, the law & peoples attitudes; the influence of "reality" (what we now would call realism drama) on youth and the general public; and finally, the modern lifestyle - all work & no play, and it's effects on marriage.
The plot is quite simple and the clues somewhat clunky - one in particular is just plain useless & laughable. The nymphomaniac is also an interesting character - and quite risque for its time.
It is a worthy read, but not in the class of later Hill. The seeds of a decent crime writer are definitely there and "juvenalia" are always worthy of examining.
Best read on a wet winter Sunday, or a summer beach.
This reads very much like early P.D. James & definitely a product of the times - the late 60s. And there is such a lot of social commentary of England during these days - homosexuality, the law & peoples attitudes; the influence of "reality" (what we now would call realism drama) on youth and the general public; and finally, the modern lifestyle - all work & no play, and it's effects on marriage.
The plot is quite simple and the clues somewhat clunky - one in particular is just plain useless & laughable. The nymphomaniac is also an interesting character - and quite risque for its time.
It is a worthy read, but not in the class of later Hill. The seeds of a decent crime writer are definitely there and "juvenalia" are always worthy of examining.
Best read on a wet winter Sunday, or a summer beach.
July 31, 2011
This was in a bag of mysteries that a friend gave me months ago and I pulled it out because it was short, had good sized print and British setting -- I wanted to take a break from the non-fiction I was reading. I wasn't familiar with the author and didn't have high expectations but I was pleasantly surprised and will be looking for more by Reginald Hill. This is the first novel he wrote (1971)& it seems he is responsible for a couple of well known series and other stand alone novels. The writing is crisp and high quality; the setting (his native Cumbria/Lake District) very well conveyed. I would have ranked it higher if I had liked the main characters better or felt more of an understanding of the wrongly accused Harry Bentink. Well plotted, good writing . . . I was able to lose myself in this story for a few hours.
December 28, 2014
Fell's first novel and well written at that. NOT a Dalziel / Pascoe book even though it says so on the front cover. Harry Bentink decides to go on a walking trip through the hills of England with his close friend, Peter, despite his wife's wishes. Two women they talk to are found dead and the police think they are involved with the murders. The friend ends up confessing but Harry must go on the lam and try to prove his innocence, running from the police. Of course things continue to worsen the longer he is one run.
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July 7, 2010Reginald Hill is consistently good. This is not a Pascoe/Dalziel book, this is his very first novel, set in his native Cumberland.
September 20, 2011
Not Hill's best work. I love his Dalziel and Pascoe stories, and have read other standalones. This one just doesn't make the grade.
March 20, 2015
A psychological thriller more than a classical whodunit! Being such a fan of crime fiction how did i ever miss reading any books by Reginald Hill? 'sigh' i've so much catching up to do!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews