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Inspector Peach #1
Who Saw Him Die?
The uneasy peace between a widower and his son, who helps ex-cons rebuild their lives by letting them move into the family home, shatters when two suspicious deaths rock the neighborhood.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1994
About the author
J.M. Gregson
76 books52 followersJames Michael Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 9, 2017
This mystery was first published in 1994, so there are no forensics to help solve crimes ... just plain old detecting and wearing out shoes.
Tom Harrison, the family patriarch, is found at the bottom of a staircase .. dead.
Still living in his home of 30-plus years, he shared his home with his son, Trevor, his wife and children. Also 4 ex-convicts due to his son's profession as a social worker. He has taken these men into the home, helped them find jobs, etc.
Trevor wants to expand the house so that he can take in more ex-cons. His father has other ideas .. he wants to sell the house. After an argument with his father, he shares the news with the 'guests'. That night is the night his father dies.
It seems like everyone in the house, except for the young children, have a reason to want Tom dead.
Enter Inspector Peach, who automatically suspects all the ex-prisoners. He must try to untangle all the lies to get to the truth.
And then there is another death ....
This is an okay mystery... not terribly suspenseful. Peach is rather droll which makes him such an interesting study in what cops did before CSI became a hit. All the characters are colorful in their own way.
I wish to thank the author / Endeavour Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this book. The opinion expressed here is unbiased and entirely my own.
Tom Harrison, the family patriarch, is found at the bottom of a staircase .. dead.
Still living in his home of 30-plus years, he shared his home with his son, Trevor, his wife and children. Also 4 ex-convicts due to his son's profession as a social worker. He has taken these men into the home, helped them find jobs, etc.
Trevor wants to expand the house so that he can take in more ex-cons. His father has other ideas .. he wants to sell the house. After an argument with his father, he shares the news with the 'guests'. That night is the night his father dies.
It seems like everyone in the house, except for the young children, have a reason to want Tom dead.
Enter Inspector Peach, who automatically suspects all the ex-prisoners. He must try to untangle all the lies to get to the truth.
And then there is another death ....
This is an okay mystery... not terribly suspenseful. Peach is rather droll which makes him such an interesting study in what cops did before CSI became a hit. All the characters are colorful in their own way.
I wish to thank the author / Endeavour Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this book. The opinion expressed here is unbiased and entirely my own.
November 27, 2023
This was an easy but well-written read! I didn’t know who committed the crimes until the very end of the book! My guess was somebody different. There were some typos that an editor should’ve caught, but other than that it was pretty good!
February 11, 2017
I have read most of this series but not this first book which introduces Inspector Percy Peach so I was glad to see it available as an e-book. Tom Harrison jointly owns his large family home with his son Trevor and his wife and two children.
Trevor is a social worker and takes in people who have just been released from prison and helps them get back on their feet. Tom doesn't particularly like the set up and when Trevor shows him plans to extend the enterprise Tom announces that he will sell the house rather than share it with former prisoners.
A sudden death upsets everyone in the house and the advent of the police turning over all aspects of their lives upsets everyone as well as the fragile equilibrium within the house. When more violence strikes everything is up in the air and Trevor's project may even be in jeopardy leaving the former prisoners with the unenviable job of finding somewhere else to live.
This is an interesting story with a rather different setting from the ordinary crime novel. Having read others in the series I don't think it shows Percy Peach at his best but maybe I am biased. Though I do think the uneasy relationships between the people who share the house was very well done. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed other in the series so I wouldn't recommend reading this book first even though it was published first.
Trevor is a social worker and takes in people who have just been released from prison and helps them get back on their feet. Tom doesn't particularly like the set up and when Trevor shows him plans to extend the enterprise Tom announces that he will sell the house rather than share it with former prisoners.
A sudden death upsets everyone in the house and the advent of the police turning over all aspects of their lives upsets everyone as well as the fragile equilibrium within the house. When more violence strikes everything is up in the air and Trevor's project may even be in jeopardy leaving the former prisoners with the unenviable job of finding somewhere else to live.
This is an interesting story with a rather different setting from the ordinary crime novel. Having read others in the series I don't think it shows Percy Peach at his best but maybe I am biased. Though I do think the uneasy relationships between the people who share the house was very well done. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed other in the series so I wouldn't recommend reading this book first even though it was published first.
August 2, 2025
Two and a half stars.
This is a good story in some ways but not so good in others. Peach is an unlikeable character; prejudiced and homophobic. He does not endear himself to the reader (not this one, anyway)
The author ratchets up the tension between all the protagonists and describes the police thinking very well. BUT, the ending is very poor as he does not play fair with the reader in not disclosing, the evidence against the murderer until almost the very last page.
This is a good story in some ways but not so good in others. Peach is an unlikeable character; prejudiced and homophobic. He does not endear himself to the reader (not this one, anyway)
The author ratchets up the tension between all the protagonists and describes the police thinking very well. BUT, the ending is very poor as he does not play fair with the reader in not disclosing, the evidence against the murderer until almost the very last page.
February 18, 2018
Rubbish
Have read some of the later peach books and enjoyed them but this was totally different. Inspector Peach hardly featured in the story it was more about the criminals . If I had read this book first I would never have read the rest. If anyone wants to read this series start with the later books skip this one they do get better.
Have read some of the later peach books and enjoyed them but this was totally different. Inspector Peach hardly featured in the story it was more about the criminals . If I had read this book first I would never have read the rest. If anyone wants to read this series start with the later books skip this one they do get better.
June 23, 2020
Tom Harrison wants to sell his home but half the house belongs to his son Trevor who using the house to home ex-convicts. A situation Tom objects to. Soon there is the first of the deaths. But who by. Inspector Peach investigates.
An enjoyable story, solid start to the series.
Originally written in 1994
An enjoyable story, solid start to the series.
Originally written in 1994
February 3, 2021
There were a few typos in this book, 2 that had me backtracking to make sure I'd not misread. Chapter 3 a character was talking to his father but author called him by his father's name which confused me till I checked. Chapter 26 a character who was someone's aunt was referred to as his late mother.
Apart from that, it was a really good story and I would never have guessed the ending.
Apart from that, it was a really good story and I would never have guessed the ending.
September 9, 2021
Surprising Ending
Here the unlikable Inspector Peach investigates murders associated with a half way house for recently released prisoners. He's unlikable as usual and has only a minor role in the story. Instead we see how each resident of the house reacts to the violence. I found it interesting but not gripping which.led to my 4 star rating.
Here the unlikable Inspector Peach investigates murders associated with a half way house for recently released prisoners. He's unlikable as usual and has only a minor role in the story. Instead we see how each resident of the house reacts to the violence. I found it interesting but not gripping which.led to my 4 star rating.
March 1, 2018
Will probably try the second one but this seemed to spend too much time on the build up. Percy peach did not appear until about one third in to the book. Must admit Peach is different, a quite nasty man.
February 20, 2025
A great book
Who Saw Him Die is an exciting “who done it” mystery that’s perfectly told from the perspective of three of the characters. Greyson spins an interesting story with it not clear who’s the murderer until the end. A great read.
Who Saw Him Die is an exciting “who done it” mystery that’s perfectly told from the perspective of three of the characters. Greyson spins an interesting story with it not clear who’s the murderer until the end. A great read.
May 13, 2017
Excellent read☺
Thoroughly enjoyable book. An introduction to a different type of policeman. A change from the usual dog and delve investigation.
Thoroughly enjoyable book. An introduction to a different type of policeman. A change from the usual dog and delve investigation.
March 19, 2019
Interesting murder mystery seen from the perspective of the suspects.
August 11, 2020
Good story
I enjoyed this book lighthearted,enjoyable,no real drama,just a light read mif a bit predictable,but good to read and enjoyed it .
I enjoyed this book lighthearted,enjoyable,no real drama,just a light read mif a bit predictable,but good to read and enjoyed it .
July 22, 2025
I never saw it coming
Interesting, holding my attention to know who did it. I was shocked at the outcome. It was a lengthy book,but worth reading
Interesting, holding my attention to know who did it. I was shocked at the outcome. It was a lengthy book,but worth reading
January 18, 2026
Terrible!
What a waste of time! Don’t bother reading this. I thought it may get better but it got even worse!
What a waste of time! Don’t bother reading this. I thought it may get better but it got even worse!
July 13, 2026
Apart from the (now) inappropriate language and views the actual plot was good and I enjoyed it .
May 31, 2017
A fairly average detective story. Not rushing into No 2. I thought Inspector Peach a distasteful man indeed.
February 8, 2017
What a strange interesting story with lots of characters that are hard to trust. This is the first Inspector Peach novel but we did not see a lot of him, we mostly got to know the characters and what they thought about. At different times of the book you suspect different characters of committing the murder. I enjoyed reading this book and if you want to read a good old detective story without any foresensic styff this is the one for you.
Thank you Endeavour Press and Netgalley for the copy.
Thank you Endeavour Press and Netgalley for the copy.
August 7, 2010
Competent mystery with solid characters and an interesting storyline. Suspicion falls on many of the inhabitants of a halfway house when a family patriarch is found on the bottom of the stairs.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews