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Hazel Best & Gabriel Ash #1
Deadly Virtues
The town of Norbold, England is famous for its low crime rate, thanks to the zero-tolerance policy of Chief Superintendent John Fountain. And Norbold's newest police recruit, Hazel Best, is happy to help keep it that way. But numbers never tell the whole story, do they?
Jerome Cardy knew he was going to die. He also knew that it would be made to appear an accident. He might not be able to prevent it, but Jerome was determined to make sure that someone knew what was going to happen―even if that someone was a man with a concussion lying with his dog in a jail cell next to him.
After Jerome is found beaten to death by a fellow inmate in another cell, Ash is unable to forget Jerome's last awkward words to him: "I had a dog once. Othello. That was its name. Othello." Certain there is a hidden message in these words, Ash is determined to discover the truth. But it won't be easy―no one believes his account of that night. And Hazel Best must decide whether pursuing the truth is worth her career.
Jerome Cardy knew he was going to die. He also knew that it would be made to appear an accident. He might not be able to prevent it, but Jerome was determined to make sure that someone knew what was going to happen―even if that someone was a man with a concussion lying with his dog in a jail cell next to him.
After Jerome is found beaten to death by a fellow inmate in another cell, Ash is unable to forget Jerome's last awkward words to him: "I had a dog once. Othello. That was its name. Othello." Certain there is a hidden message in these words, Ash is determined to discover the truth. But it won't be easy―no one believes his account of that night. And Hazel Best must decide whether pursuing the truth is worth her career.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
32 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Jo Bannister
73 books96 followersJo Bannister lives in Northern Ireland, where she worked as a journalist and editor on local newspapers. Since giving up the day job, her books have been shortlisted for a number of awards. Most of her spare time is spent with her horse and dog, or clambering over archaeological sites. She is currently working on a new series of psychological crime/thrillers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
October 28, 2014
Gabriel Ash had spent the past four years in a fog of misery and grief, alone, lonely and quietly wondering if he had the strength to go on. His counsellor was his one constant and on her advice he got himself a dog. Patience was a perfect name for Ash’s constant companion; she was devoted to her master and even though they had only been together a few months, Ash found himself considering her, walking her and generally finding a little more to life than he had previously. But one night, out on their normal evening walk Ash was surrounded by about eight teenage boys – the beating he received at their hands was only curtailed by Patience’s interference. When the police arrived and took him to the station where he bunked in one of the cells to sleep, he had no idea that the next few hours were to change his life once again, and in a catastrophic manner…
Jerome Cardy was taken into the police station after a minor traffic accident – but Jerome hadn’t wanted to be seen by the police. He was in constant fear for his life; he knew he was going to die, just the when and how he wasn’t sure about. But his fear was great, so when he ended up in a cell beside a sleeping and bloodied man with a dog lying beside him, he decided he needed to tell someone – he needed a witness. It was a shame his only witness was a concussed man who no-one believed anyway.
Hazel Best was a new police recruit; her first days were interesting to say the least. But her encounter with Gabriel Ash had her thinking about recent events, and wondering how much she believed and how much was fabrication. As Hazel investigated, she began to uncover terrible secrets – but the danger escalated until she had no idea who she could trust. Would her new career be over before it had really begun? Would she even survive to further her career in the job she loved?
This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. The twists were well done throughout the book, with a pace that kept the action going. It was also a nice, quick read with a satisfying ending. I loved Patience throughout – her character was wonderfully done. I have no hesitation in recommending this one, which I won through Book’dOut, so thanks Shelleyrae.
Jerome Cardy was taken into the police station after a minor traffic accident – but Jerome hadn’t wanted to be seen by the police. He was in constant fear for his life; he knew he was going to die, just the when and how he wasn’t sure about. But his fear was great, so when he ended up in a cell beside a sleeping and bloodied man with a dog lying beside him, he decided he needed to tell someone – he needed a witness. It was a shame his only witness was a concussed man who no-one believed anyway.
Hazel Best was a new police recruit; her first days were interesting to say the least. But her encounter with Gabriel Ash had her thinking about recent events, and wondering how much she believed and how much was fabrication. As Hazel investigated, she began to uncover terrible secrets – but the danger escalated until she had no idea who she could trust. Would her new career be over before it had really begun? Would she even survive to further her career in the job she loved?
This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. The twists were well done throughout the book, with a pace that kept the action going. It was also a nice, quick read with a satisfying ending. I loved Patience throughout – her character was wonderfully done. I have no hesitation in recommending this one, which I won through Book’dOut, so thanks Shelleyrae.
August 22, 2014
How refreshing to read a well-done British mystery that's neither a cozy nor a depressing chronicle of the downward slide of a middle-aged, alcoholic, divorced inspector. Instead we get a cracking good tale of flawed people coming together to solve a horrific crime. All the wild threads are woven together in a narrative that creates tension right through to the very end.
The protagonist is a man with grief and trauma so severe he's become unmoored and deranged, walking around his village, talking and listening to his dog. A secret comes his way, but who's going to listen to the local nutter? Maybe the new, young, eager policewoman, but she must put herself on the line to be believed at all. They've got to fight an uphill battle to get at the truth, and danger lies in wait. It's a quiet little town, but about to be blown wide open. The incidents are like well-spaced, efficient gunshots, and they keep you moving.
The characters are crisp and full of life, the dialogue is sharp, witty, and self-deprecating, and the action is all you could want in a good mystery. Now to seek out more of the author's books and see if she makes her other books as good as this.
The protagonist is a man with grief and trauma so severe he's become unmoored and deranged, walking around his village, talking and listening to his dog. A secret comes his way, but who's going to listen to the local nutter? Maybe the new, young, eager policewoman, but she must put herself on the line to be believed at all. They've got to fight an uphill battle to get at the truth, and danger lies in wait. It's a quiet little town, but about to be blown wide open. The incidents are like well-spaced, efficient gunshots, and they keep you moving.
The characters are crisp and full of life, the dialogue is sharp, witty, and self-deprecating, and the action is all you could want in a good mystery. Now to seek out more of the author's books and see if she makes her other books as good as this.
August 16, 2013
Part police procedural, part cozy mystery, Deadly Virtues is an engaging crime fiction novel from prolific British author Jo Bannister.
When Jerome Cardy dies in police custody, brutally beaten to death by his cellmate, the incident seems likely to be written up as an unfortunate accident. But the law student's last panicked words referencing Othello, nags at Gabriel Ash with whom the young man briefly shared a cell. Rookie cop Hazel Best is inclined to dismiss the word of the man known as 'Rambles with Dog' but when Ash is the subject of an attempted kidnapping, and then a journalist curious about the case is killed in a fatal hit and run, Hazel is forced to consider that Jerome's death was not an accident at all.
There aren't too many surprises in this tale of murder and corruption but it is an engaging, well plotted mystery. The small English town of Norbold boasts one of the country's lowest crime rates attributed to Chief Superintendent John Fountain's zero tolerance policy but Gabriel Ash and new recruit, Constable Hazel Best soon discover that all is not as it seems.
I particularly liked the well developed main protagonists of Deadly Virtues. Gabriel Ash is considered the town's 'crazy' due to his mumbled conversations with an adopted stray Lurcher, hence the label 'Rambles with Dog'. But four years ago Ash was a government official whose diligent work in counter terrorism resulted in tragedy and subsequently an emotional break down. Ash is a sympathetic and intriguing character and I really enjoyed the way in which he evolved through out the story.
Hazel Best is an idealistic new constable who is torn between honour and duty. Doing the right thing is important to her but when the cost may be her career, and even her life, Hazel is faced with some difficult decisions. Though I find it hard to believe Hazel could be quite as naive as she seems to be at times, I felt her internal conflict was believable and admired her strength of character.
I thought the issues that were posed with the denouement of the story were interesting and gave the story additional depth. Nothing is ever as black and white, or as simple as it seems - even the truth.
Deadly Virtues is an entertaining and satisfying mystery with appealing characters and I expect dog lovers will find it hard to resist Ash's faithful hound, Patience. Though written as a stand alone, there is potential for Bannister to revive these characters and I would certainly be interested in seeing Gabriel, with the help of Hazel, find answers regarding the fate of his family.
October 27, 2023
I enjoyed this book's well-crafted characters, including (especially?) the dog, and look forward to reading more about Hazel Best in future work by Jo Bannister.
November 5, 2020
British mystery from 2013, 1st in a series. Gabriel Ash is attacked by 8 teens but his dog Patience saves him before the police arrive. Hazel Best, rookie police officer, takes Ash to the police station to see their doctor since he refuses to go to the hospital. In a cell to sleep it off, Ash meets a young black man Jerome Cardy who told him something that seemed odd in his befuddled state. A few minutes later, Jerome is dead.
Ash was a government security adviser and four years ago, his wife and two boys were taken as payback. Ash has no idea if they might be dead or alive. He had a breakdown and retreated to the home where he grew up. He is a sad and broken man. I felt his pain. His psychiatrist talked him into getting a dog and this relationship has helped him. I loved the dog Patience. Ash talks to her and she talks to him too. I don't find this strange at all. I talk to my dogs all day long. I speak "dog" very well.
Hazel is a cop who toes the straight line but thinks outside the box. You can count on her to do what's right, a characteristic I like characters to have.
It was apparent to me who the bad police officer was, although I have been wrong many times before. I liked this book well enough to read another in this series.
Ash was a government security adviser and four years ago, his wife and two boys were taken as payback. Ash has no idea if they might be dead or alive. He had a breakdown and retreated to the home where he grew up. He is a sad and broken man. I felt his pain. His psychiatrist talked him into getting a dog and this relationship has helped him. I loved the dog Patience. Ash talks to her and she talks to him too. I don't find this strange at all. I talk to my dogs all day long. I speak "dog" very well.
Hazel is a cop who toes the straight line but thinks outside the box. You can count on her to do what's right, a characteristic I like characters to have.
It was apparent to me who the bad police officer was, although I have been wrong many times before. I liked this book well enough to read another in this series.
February 17, 2025
Good read, interesting characters good plot.
May 7, 2015
I'm a huge Jo Bannister fan but somehow have fallen behind with her new series about Gabriel Ash. (My favorite is her Castlemere series.)
Gabriel Ash is a man suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Once he worked for the government, in a behind-the-scenes computer job. But he apparently got too close to something and was warned to stop. When he didn't, he came home to find his wife and children gone. Disappeared without a clue. It's been four years, and he still doesn't know what happened to them or if they are alive.
He has been hanging on to life, just barely. His therapist suggested he get a dog, and the dog is helping him get better. He talks to the dog, and she talks back. It's a wonderful way of presenting someone coping the best he can under tremendous strain. The locals consider him the town idiot, calling him Rambles with Dog, but he's not an idiot. He is a highly intelligent man who has been broken.
Into this same village comes Hazel Best, a young police officer. A young man is beaten to death in a prison holding cell, and Gabriel Ash is the last person he speaks to. Hazel meets Ash in the course of the investigation and realizes that he isn't an idiot. She is the only one who believes him when he says that the youth knew he was going to be killed. Best and Ash get caught up in a conspiracy that reaches deep into the police department hierarchy. As they seek the truth and fear for their lives, they become friends.
Bannister is great at presenting characters of depth and interest, and she has done so again in Deadly Virtues. I can't wait to get started on Perfect Sins, the second book in the series!
Gabriel Ash is a man suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Once he worked for the government, in a behind-the-scenes computer job. But he apparently got too close to something and was warned to stop. When he didn't, he came home to find his wife and children gone. Disappeared without a clue. It's been four years, and he still doesn't know what happened to them or if they are alive.
He has been hanging on to life, just barely. His therapist suggested he get a dog, and the dog is helping him get better. He talks to the dog, and she talks back. It's a wonderful way of presenting someone coping the best he can under tremendous strain. The locals consider him the town idiot, calling him Rambles with Dog, but he's not an idiot. He is a highly intelligent man who has been broken.
Into this same village comes Hazel Best, a young police officer. A young man is beaten to death in a prison holding cell, and Gabriel Ash is the last person he speaks to. Hazel meets Ash in the course of the investigation and realizes that he isn't an idiot. She is the only one who believes him when he says that the youth knew he was going to be killed. Best and Ash get caught up in a conspiracy that reaches deep into the police department hierarchy. As they seek the truth and fear for their lives, they become friends.
Bannister is great at presenting characters of depth and interest, and she has done so again in Deadly Virtues. I can't wait to get started on Perfect Sins, the second book in the series!
March 5, 2019
After reading the book being released this spring, I became curious about the backstory and decided to read them. I enjoy them and read them in sequence. I hesitated to put them down. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES. My only problem is the expense of the ebooks.
In the first book, I Learned that Hazel Best is a rookie cop in Norfolk, England. She is on probation as she is a recent graduate of the Police Academy and this her first posting. Gabriel Ash is Norfolk town tramp who wonders the streets with a dog and is known as Rambles with dogs.
Hazel and her partner are called to an area will hoodlums are beating up a person. One of the boys is holding the dog and at last, released the dog in order to save Rambles' life. Hazel decides to help and Rambles is placed in an empty cell to sleep off the beating. A stranger is placed with him for a short period and later is removed. Before he was gone be told Rambles that he was going to kill. He was MURDER in a cell by the town's tough. Hazel becomes important in a major case. The ending is violent and a surprise.
In the first book, I Learned that Hazel Best is a rookie cop in Norfolk, England. She is on probation as she is a recent graduate of the Police Academy and this her first posting. Gabriel Ash is Norfolk town tramp who wonders the streets with a dog and is known as Rambles with dogs.
Hazel and her partner are called to an area will hoodlums are beating up a person. One of the boys is holding the dog and at last, released the dog in order to save Rambles' life. Hazel decides to help and Rambles is placed in an empty cell to sleep off the beating. A stranger is placed with him for a short period and later is removed. Before he was gone be told Rambles that he was going to kill. He was MURDER in a cell by the town's tough. Hazel becomes important in a major case. The ending is violent and a surprise.
January 14, 2016
I think what I liked most about this book was that it wasn't a typical cop drama. Sure, it had the young female cop trope that's so prevalent, but instead of being useless, she was actually doing her job. And she wasn't paired off with a experienced, world-weary partner/father-figure. So sick of that trope, and I don't even read a whole lot of procedurals.
The parts with the dog were a tad bit strange, but also kind of cute, so I'm mostly reserving judgment in that regard until a further book.
The plot was rather simple and a bit predictable, but I wasn't so much in the mood for intricacy when I read this, so I can't say that much bothered me either. It was a quick, mostly easy read, and a little bit of something relatively new.
Overall, a better than decent first book that definitely makes me want to read the next book, if nothing else but to get more information about the unsolved questions this book brought up.
The parts with the dog were a tad bit strange, but also kind of cute, so I'm mostly reserving judgment in that regard until a further book.
The plot was rather simple and a bit predictable, but I wasn't so much in the mood for intricacy when I read this, so I can't say that much bothered me either. It was a quick, mostly easy read, and a little bit of something relatively new.
Overall, a better than decent first book that definitely makes me want to read the next book, if nothing else but to get more information about the unsolved questions this book brought up.
April 11, 2013
The three-star rating is due to the genre, which is slightly Nancy Drewish, and an awful lot of thrashing going on: a young policewoman named Hazel Best is assigned to a town in Northern England with a low crime rate. When a promising young black law student is murdered in detention, Hazel teams up with the often beaten up guy referred to by townspeople as Rambles with Dogs to solve the coverup surrounding the death. Bannister knows her beasts; the portrait of Patience the dog is fetching, and the novel fairly crackles with linguistic surprises -- and hackneyed phrases. The fey combination of keystone cops and O'Henry incongruities kept me up all night, to the funny not so funny dust up and wrap up.
May 2, 2013
Intriguing characters were the best part of this book for me--Gabriel Ash and his dog Patience along with Hazel Best. It would be lovely to see them appear in another book. This was my first Jo Bannister book; I've reserved another from the library.
October 5, 2019
A solid British mystery with some engaging characters.
July 8, 2015
On page one of this novel by Jo Bannister we meet Jerome Cardy, a 20-year-old black man, a law student and the son of a respectable hard-working family, who is involved in a minor car accident. But this normally insignificant event sets off paranoia in Jerome, who flees the scene when the other person involved, whose fault it was, insists on calling the police. Jerome’s terror become only more portentous when, before the night is over, Jerome is found beaten to death in the prison cell where he had been incarcerated shortly afterwards, murdered by a psychotic racist who was apparently a stranger to him.
But before that tragic event takes place, the reader meets Gabriel Ash, in his mid-twenties, a well-educated Government analyst before the traumatic events of fours years ago when his wife and two young boys had been taken by persons unknown, their present whereabouts a complete mystery.
After Gabriel’s arrest, he had been placed in a cell adjacent to Jerome’s. Before later being moved to a different cell (where he was shortly thereafter killed) Jerome had said some things to Gabriel that take on great significance after the murder, telling him that he knew he was going to die, and speaking of a dog he says he used to have, named Othello. These things take on greater significance after he is killed, which Gabriel tries to tell the authorities, who pay no attention to his words. (Gabriel is variously known in the area as “the Norbold village idiot,” and “Rambles with Dogs” [a take-off on Dances with Wolves] as he is always walking his beloved white lurcher, Patience, the dog he’d adopted three months ago and his most frequent conversationalist. Hazel Best, a 26year-old rookie cop, is the only one who feels there may be something to what Gabriel is telling them.
All the characters are very well-drawn. The plot is well-woven, and the suspense soon escalates. There are hints of police corruption, and the presence of Norbold’s “last surviving godfather” hovers in the background until he makes an appearance late in the book. Gabriel is a wonderful creation, as is Hazel, and I absolutely loved the writing. The first book in a series, it was followed in December of 2014 by “Perfect Sins,” which in turn will be followed by “Desperate Measures” in December of 2015. A lot of great reading in store!
Highly recommended.
But before that tragic event takes place, the reader meets Gabriel Ash, in his mid-twenties, a well-educated Government analyst before the traumatic events of fours years ago when his wife and two young boys had been taken by persons unknown, their present whereabouts a complete mystery.
After Gabriel’s arrest, he had been placed in a cell adjacent to Jerome’s. Before later being moved to a different cell (where he was shortly thereafter killed) Jerome had said some things to Gabriel that take on great significance after the murder, telling him that he knew he was going to die, and speaking of a dog he says he used to have, named Othello. These things take on greater significance after he is killed, which Gabriel tries to tell the authorities, who pay no attention to his words. (Gabriel is variously known in the area as “the Norbold village idiot,” and “Rambles with Dogs” [a take-off on Dances with Wolves] as he is always walking his beloved white lurcher, Patience, the dog he’d adopted three months ago and his most frequent conversationalist. Hazel Best, a 26year-old rookie cop, is the only one who feels there may be something to what Gabriel is telling them.
All the characters are very well-drawn. The plot is well-woven, and the suspense soon escalates. There are hints of police corruption, and the presence of Norbold’s “last surviving godfather” hovers in the background until he makes an appearance late in the book. Gabriel is a wonderful creation, as is Hazel, and I absolutely loved the writing. The first book in a series, it was followed in December of 2014 by “Perfect Sins,” which in turn will be followed by “Desperate Measures” in December of 2015. A lot of great reading in store!
Highly recommended.
June 14, 2013
Jo Bannister's gift is writing very appealing characters and placing them in well drawn believable settings where interesting things happen.
Hazel Best, the probational police officer, newly assigned to a town where virtually all the crime statistics (except drugs) are admirably low, is an idealist. Gabriel Ash, whom everybody thinks is simple-minded, is trying to put his life back together after a terrible loss. The only people he talks to are his dog Patience (a lurcher, who talks back to him) and his therapist.
When Ash, who has been beaten by a band of young thugs, is recovering in a jail cell (he refuses hospital treatment), a young black law student in the cell next to him is beaten to death. The law student had tried to tell Ash that he was in danger, but Ash, concussed, was not sure he understood the message correctly, not would anyone believe him if her tried to tell them. The police chief, who is famous for his success in bringing down crime rates, wants the simple explanation. A crazed fellow inmate beat Jerome Cardy to death - Cardy was in the wrong cell by mistake.
But the CCTV was disabled when it happened, and not by accident. So Hazel and Ash, and Patience set out to find out what really happened with shocking results. It's a very good read.
Hazel Best, the probational police officer, newly assigned to a town where virtually all the crime statistics (except drugs) are admirably low, is an idealist. Gabriel Ash, whom everybody thinks is simple-minded, is trying to put his life back together after a terrible loss. The only people he talks to are his dog Patience (a lurcher, who talks back to him) and his therapist.
When Ash, who has been beaten by a band of young thugs, is recovering in a jail cell (he refuses hospital treatment), a young black law student in the cell next to him is beaten to death. The law student had tried to tell Ash that he was in danger, but Ash, concussed, was not sure he understood the message correctly, not would anyone believe him if her tried to tell them. The police chief, who is famous for his success in bringing down crime rates, wants the simple explanation. A crazed fellow inmate beat Jerome Cardy to death - Cardy was in the wrong cell by mistake.
But the CCTV was disabled when it happened, and not by accident. So Hazel and Ash, and Patience set out to find out what really happened with shocking results. It's a very good read.
June 6, 2013
I enjoyed the characters Hazel and Ash and loved the dog Patience but ultimately the mystery and it's resolution didn't quite make up for the initial jolt of suspense I felt at the outset of the book. There were really no truly interesting surprises left for me in the last sixty or seventy pages of the book which made me want to just skim through to the end. I was engrossed by the characters and cared about them but the story needed to be built around a much stronger plot and mystery for me.
March 24, 2016
In Norbold, England, a rookie cop and a traumatized man who holds conversations with his dog set out to uncover whether the death of a college student in a police holding cell is an accident or homicide. Great psychological suspense and captivating characters make this a treat. Highly recommended (four and a half stars).
December 2, 2014
This was just too wordy -- obviously a set up for a series, but still. When you read from the points of view of too many different characters, and they all kind of think the same way, it's tiring. This would have been better, thriller-wise, if it was tighter, and it would have been better, mystery-wise, if there were more of a mystery.
April 17, 2013
Bannister really knows how to write a great mystery story without resorting to technology or specialized knowledge to provide the solution. Her characters are wonderful and she offers well placd humorous comments to lighten the mood.
January 30, 2014
A good fast-paced read in the traditional British police procedural but with the addition of a very plausible talking dog and a man recovering from psychological damage that resulted from his career as an undercover agent.
April 28, 2013
Actually only a 3 star book but I'm a sucker for a dog!
January 3, 2015
3.5 stars. A reasonably good book. I hope it is the start of a new series and not a stand alone book.
Want to read
December 27, 2019Synopsis: Gabriel Ash is filled with grief and trauma. He learns a secret but who will listen? Maybe the new Constable Hazel Best?
June 4, 2017
Actually, I would give this 4.5 stars if possible.
Rookie cop, Hazel Best, stumbles into culture of police corruption where even facilitating murder is on the table.
Hazel finds Gabriel Ash, a man crushed by events in his life that took his wife and children. Taken because of things he had done. Now he wanders the streets of Norbold, England alone with only his dog for a companion. And they carry on conversations. Needless to say, most people in town, including the police, think Ash is more than a bit dotty and completely unreliable. But he has evidence that a prisoner was beaten to death in a jail cell with the assistance of the police.
The evidence points to one officer and Hazel takes this to those investigating the murder. Soon, not only is her career in jeopardy, so is her life. And that of Ash.
In a style reminiscent of P.D. James, Jo Bannister writes a captivating novel complete with a surprising plot twist at the end. Even more, she creates characters who capture us. Even the ultimate bad guys have their good points throughout the story.
I like Hazel’s spunk and courage, her willingness to risk her career and life for justice. Her relationship with Ash is full of caring and conflict. She believes him but resists his evidence of police corruption until it is almost too late.
Ash’s transformation is even more dramatic than Hazel’s as he progresses from a recluse to a man risking a relationship with another human being.
Deadly Virtue, published in 2013, is the first in a series of Hazel Best novels. Jo Bannister has me hooked and I look forward to reading the rest.
Rookie cop, Hazel Best, stumbles into culture of police corruption where even facilitating murder is on the table.
Hazel finds Gabriel Ash, a man crushed by events in his life that took his wife and children. Taken because of things he had done. Now he wanders the streets of Norbold, England alone with only his dog for a companion. And they carry on conversations. Needless to say, most people in town, including the police, think Ash is more than a bit dotty and completely unreliable. But he has evidence that a prisoner was beaten to death in a jail cell with the assistance of the police.
The evidence points to one officer and Hazel takes this to those investigating the murder. Soon, not only is her career in jeopardy, so is her life. And that of Ash.
In a style reminiscent of P.D. James, Jo Bannister writes a captivating novel complete with a surprising plot twist at the end. Even more, she creates characters who capture us. Even the ultimate bad guys have their good points throughout the story.
I like Hazel’s spunk and courage, her willingness to risk her career and life for justice. Her relationship with Ash is full of caring and conflict. She believes him but resists his evidence of police corruption until it is almost too late.
Ash’s transformation is even more dramatic than Hazel’s as he progresses from a recluse to a man risking a relationship with another human being.
Deadly Virtue, published in 2013, is the first in a series of Hazel Best novels. Jo Bannister has me hooked and I look forward to reading the rest.
January 28, 2021
A compelling mystery with in interesting premise. The setting is a town in England known for its low crime rate achieved by its chief superintendent John Fountain. A rookie female officer (Hazel) admires and trusts Chief Fountain but then murder in the jail, a violent town troublemaker, a young black man and a man who is apparently mentally damaged (Gabriel Ash and his dog) all come together on the fateful night in the jail.
Gabriel Ash lives the life of a hermit, unkempt and friendless in an old house. A mindless beating he endures puts him into a series of events and circumstances that eventually lead to Officer Hazel taking an interest in him and will put both of them in danger of losing their lives while at the same time trying to do the right thing and solve two apparently senseless murders.
I like the way the author reveals the plot and the characters are mostly believable and gritty. This is apparently the first in a series around Mr. Ash so I'll look forward to the author's next offering.
Gabriel Ash lives the life of a hermit, unkempt and friendless in an old house. A mindless beating he endures puts him into a series of events and circumstances that eventually lead to Officer Hazel taking an interest in him and will put both of them in danger of losing their lives while at the same time trying to do the right thing and solve two apparently senseless murders.
I like the way the author reveals the plot and the characters are mostly believable and gritty. This is apparently the first in a series around Mr. Ash so I'll look forward to the author's next offering.
July 4, 2023
The town of Norbold, England.
A town famous for it's low crime rate, due to Chief Superintendent John Fountain.
New police recruit Hazel Best is new on the job and eager to get her feet wet.
Tragically a man is beaten to death in a jail cell one night. Shortly before his death, he tells a fellow inmate he expects to die
But the inmate is a local, Gabriel Ash, who the town dismisses as a loon that talks to his dog.
(His nickname is Rambles With Dogs)
But Hazel soon finds reasons to believe him. She also finds out what happened in his life, to bring him to his current state.
This has a lot of characters, but it is easy to follow.
I did get irritated that the doomed person left a cryptic message about his upcoming death, instead of just telling who and why they wanted him dead. The author does a decent job of giving a reason why, but still....
A good, fast moving mystery.
You'll probably figure it out, but it won't stop the enjoyment of the story....
A town famous for it's low crime rate, due to Chief Superintendent John Fountain.
New police recruit Hazel Best is new on the job and eager to get her feet wet.
Tragically a man is beaten to death in a jail cell one night. Shortly before his death, he tells a fellow inmate he expects to die
But the inmate is a local, Gabriel Ash, who the town dismisses as a loon that talks to his dog.
(His nickname is Rambles With Dogs)
But Hazel soon finds reasons to believe him. She also finds out what happened in his life, to bring him to his current state.
This has a lot of characters, but it is easy to follow.
I did get irritated that the doomed person left a cryptic message about his upcoming death, instead of just telling who and why they wanted him dead. The author does a decent job of giving a reason why, but still....
A good, fast moving mystery.
You'll probably figure it out, but it won't stop the enjoyment of the story....
August 9, 2018
What a relief...a Brit Mystery without an alcoholic detective and a muddle of unexplained slang and colloquialisms. There is plenty of slang and figures of speech but they are inserted in a way that gives you a good idea of its intended translation. There are two main characters propelling the story. Hazel Best is a new hire constable in small town/ rural England. Fresh out of training and eager to protect and serve, Hazel listens, observes and follows through. Gabriel Ash is quite different. Suffering from a mysterious personal tragedy, Ash wanders the area and locals call him “Rambles with Dog. Not only does he ramble, he talks to the dog. The dog talks back. To him only. Ash hears the last words of a murdered young man. He and Hazel join forces to solve the crime. Interesting major and minor characters and a strong sense of place make this book a winner.
August 2, 2025
Maybe I should give this one three stars. But since I didn't really read the whole thing two stars feels better. It wasn't a bad book. I've read this author before and liked her well enough. I was just not in the mood, I guess. I really liked the two main characters, Ash and Hazel. But my pile is tall, and I'm feeling a bit of pressure. Got about a fourth of the way through, skipped to the last 50 pages to see the hoped for - and received - happy resolution. And that was enough.
I like that the book - at least what parts I read was clean enough. I disliked how evil some people are - to beat and beat and beat people until they can't see was a bit brutal for my tastes, I never understand how a human can do that to another person, regardless of the motive. But that's me.
Now, on to the next book in the pile.
I like that the book - at least what parts I read was clean enough. I disliked how evil some people are - to beat and beat and beat people until they can't see was a bit brutal for my tastes, I never understand how a human can do that to another person, regardless of the motive. But that's me.
Now, on to the next book in the pile.
June 11, 2018
A good start to the series, with a believable plot and interesting characters. Gabriel Ash, who is "known about town as being a bit unstable," turns out to be a winning protagonist, dogged in his determination to unearth the truth, as is Constable Best. Their pairing and their gradual appreciation of each other's strengths is one of the best things about the book. One twist was predictable, but Bannister delighted me at the end with another that I didn't see coming. The ending also left a question open for the pair to explore in the next book. While it's a little less gritty than the police procedurals I usually read, I will definitely pick up the next one at some point.
July 23, 2025
For some reason, I was very excited to try this series that I somehow missed back in the day, and #1 did not disappoint. As other reviewers have noted, Deadly Virtues is part crime/part mystery - although I find it a bit too physically brutal to be considered cozy. The plot involves a mob crime ring, and humans are beaten mercilessly from start to finish.
While this is hardly my normal read, Bannister has created a likeable trio in Gabriel Ash, Hazel Best and the dog, Patience, along with an intriguing background mystery regarding Ash's past that will no doubt be a focal point in future books. If you are looking for a smart, fast-paced suspense, this should deliver.
While this is hardly my normal read, Bannister has created a likeable trio in Gabriel Ash, Hazel Best and the dog, Patience, along with an intriguing background mystery regarding Ash's past that will no doubt be a focal point in future books. If you are looking for a smart, fast-paced suspense, this should deliver.
June 29, 2017
Having read a couple other books in the series first, I thought it was time to read the first book. This is one of those series where reading books in order is fairly essential. Events really are sequential as is character development. The other books make much better sense when you know the history of the characters. Gabriel Ash is know around town as "Rambles with Dogs". Hazel Best is the newest member of the Norbold police staff. They work together to solve a death and a long standing crime spree that otherwise would have gone unsolved. It is very well written and conceived.
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