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Harriet Martens #1
The Hard Detective
H.R.F. Keating wrote the book on crime fiction (several, actually, including his 1991 text Writing Crime Fiction) and has, over time, built a thoroughbred stable of police detectives. With The Hard Detective's Harriet Martens, the stable grows by one memorable, and memorably unpleasant, entrant.
Detective Chief Inspector Martens doesn't care for criminals, whether truants or axe-wielding thugs, nor does she suffer her less-than-perfect underlings gladly. She does, however, care about the quality of life in Greater Birchester, and she happily hobbles, via her Gestapoesque yet successful "Stop the Rot" campaign, all who go astray. And all's well in Greater B. until Patrol Constable "Titty" Titmuss comes down with a case of knife-in-the-back. A blue-clad hint that the underworld has had enough of "Stop the Rot"? Plausible, until another constable, momentarily blinded, succumbs to the wheels of a city bus, and the loathsome Detective Superintendent "Froggy" Froggott is stabbed through the mouth and relieved of a tooth.
It's soon clear to those with eyes that a serial killer fond of biblical verse is strolling through Exodus 21:23 and taking the coppers with him. Knowing full well who the smiter is, Martens races her prey to a better-than-expected denouement.
It's a testament to Keating's skill that The Hard Detective is as entertaining as it is, even though it's not his best. Newcomers might want to start with the Ghote series opener, 1964's The Perfect Murder. That said, it just may be that veteran readers have come to expect ever greater things from the man who wrote the book. --Michael Hudson
236 pages, Hardcover
First published July 10, 2000
43 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
H.R.F. Keating
157 books54 followersHenry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating was an English writer of crime fiction most notable for his series of novels featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID.
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 2, 2016
This is the beginning of a crime thriller, featuring DCI Hariett Martens and her team of detectives.
Having earned her way to the top of the ladder in a man's world, Martens has had to be tough and single minded when it comes to taking crime off the streets. She takes no quarter from anyone and does what it takes to get the job done.
Two of her officers have died within hours of each other. After investigating, Martens comes to the conclusion that they were murdered. A life for a life, an eye for an eye. She is concerned that the killer is only beginning .....
And as the body count mounts .. all law enforcement personnel ... she hatches a plan .. a plan that could very well cost her her job ... or her life.
Martens is a bit too hard for my taste. I like strong protagonists, but Martens seems to have no soft edges anywhere. This makes her unpalatable in my eyes. She seems to always be yelling .. and she's always right no matter what the issue. Her team seem to fear her, rather than respect her.
The killer has a reason for these deaths.. but I think it could have been explained in a more cohesive way. The ending was a bit choppy.
I am starting to read The Dreaming Detective ..... hopefully it will be better written. And I'd like to see how Martens progresses ....
Many thanks to the author / Endeavour Press / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Having earned her way to the top of the ladder in a man's world, Martens has had to be tough and single minded when it comes to taking crime off the streets. She takes no quarter from anyone and does what it takes to get the job done.
Two of her officers have died within hours of each other. After investigating, Martens comes to the conclusion that they were murdered. A life for a life, an eye for an eye. She is concerned that the killer is only beginning .....
And as the body count mounts .. all law enforcement personnel ... she hatches a plan .. a plan that could very well cost her her job ... or her life.
Martens is a bit too hard for my taste. I like strong protagonists, but Martens seems to have no soft edges anywhere. This makes her unpalatable in my eyes. She seems to always be yelling .. and she's always right no matter what the issue. Her team seem to fear her, rather than respect her.
The killer has a reason for these deaths.. but I think it could have been explained in a more cohesive way. The ending was a bit choppy.
I am starting to read The Dreaming Detective ..... hopefully it will be better written. And I'd like to see how Martens progresses ....
Many thanks to the author / Endeavour Press / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
March 25, 2025
Terrible.
December 7, 2021
The Hard Detective - H.R.F Keating
Harriet Martens is a tough cop, but now two of her officers have been murdered within hours of each other - the circumstances of their deaths echoing the Book of Exodus' "a life for a life, and eye for an eye". Harriet must now muster all her strength to prevent a serial killer completing a gruesome plan of revenge.
This was an interesting read that I completed within a day due to the length. This is an old-fashioned police procedural book, there doesn't sem to be much effort made to think like the killer - even though quite early on they know who is behind the killings. This book has very mixed reviews, but I for one will at least read on in the series.
Rating 4/5
Harriet Martens is a tough cop, but now two of her officers have been murdered within hours of each other - the circumstances of their deaths echoing the Book of Exodus' "a life for a life, and eye for an eye". Harriet must now muster all her strength to prevent a serial killer completing a gruesome plan of revenge.
This was an interesting read that I completed within a day due to the length. This is an old-fashioned police procedural book, there doesn't sem to be much effort made to think like the killer - even though quite early on they know who is behind the killings. This book has very mixed reviews, but I for one will at least read on in the series.
Rating 4/5
May 1, 2016
I should have read this book first rather than book 4 in the series! I enjoyed it much better and I like the main character. It is easy reading but perhaps just a little too far fetched for me. A good holiday read. Thank you Net Galley for the copy.
September 8, 2017
The book failed to hold my undivided attention due to it's dry writing style. And didn't help to have an unempathetic central character.
Harriet Martens aka Mrs Piddock prides herself on her hard-take-no-prisoners attitude towards policing crime, big or small. She realises that seemingly unconnected murders and deaths of police personnel are the handiwork of a serial killer, and she sets about tracing the killer with help of her colleagues and a criminal profiler. And identifies then sets about tracing the killer. Including taking risks to her own life to flush the suspect out.
Despite the looming threat of more murders, the story doesn't lift off the pages. And atleast one glaring plot hole just can't be ignored.
Spolier alert: In a time when police personnel carry mobile phones, why wasn't the suspected killer's face flashed on all local media to aid the manhunt? The story wouldn't have progressed much farther.
Harriet Martens aka Mrs Piddock prides herself on her hard-take-no-prisoners attitude towards policing crime, big or small. She realises that seemingly unconnected murders and deaths of police personnel are the handiwork of a serial killer, and she sets about tracing the killer with help of her colleagues and a criminal profiler. And identifies then sets about tracing the killer. Including taking risks to her own life to flush the suspect out.
Despite the looming threat of more murders, the story doesn't lift off the pages. And atleast one glaring plot hole just can't be ignored.
Spolier alert: In a time when police personnel carry mobile phones, why wasn't the suspected killer's face flashed on all local media to aid the manhunt? The story wouldn't have progressed much farther.
September 16, 2024
This book was written 24 years ago so many things have changed since then - technology for one - but people never change so it was just as relevant. I was surprised that sometimes police officers were referred to as Mr or Mrs rather than rank.
Harriet is a hard detective in that she always thinks she is right and that justice has no grey areas, although, she does question this. I am not sure if I like her or not...yet. I did like how she responded in the male-orientated world - tough, taking no nonsense.
The writing style lacked flow sometimes but is was still a fast-paced read.
Overall, this was a good story and worth a look.
Harriet is a hard detective in that she always thinks she is right and that justice has no grey areas, although, she does question this. I am not sure if I like her or not...yet. I did like how she responded in the male-orientated world - tough, taking no nonsense.
The writing style lacked flow sometimes but is was still a fast-paced read.
Overall, this was a good story and worth a look.
July 13, 2024
such an awful book
I read the third book in the installment first and thought it was good enough to try the others. But… this incarnation of Harriet is atrocious, completely unlikeable and rather stupid. Her calling the psychologist Dr. Smellyfeet wasn’t funny the first time and didn’t get any funnier in the 100 times she repeated the name, just became more annoying each time.
I read the third book in the installment first and thought it was good enough to try the others. But… this incarnation of Harriet is atrocious, completely unlikeable and rather stupid. Her calling the psychologist Dr. Smellyfeet wasn’t funny the first time and didn’t get any funnier in the 100 times she repeated the name, just became more annoying each time.
June 26, 2018
Intriguing Female Cop Shows Promise
There are others in this series, but I am not sure I want to go on a Harriet Martens binge. This is an old fashioned procedural with a definite feminist twist, or two. Both law and outlaw are flawed women. The other characters are somewhat stock, but appealing.
There are others in this series, but I am not sure I want to go on a Harriet Martens binge. This is an old fashioned procedural with a definite feminist twist, or two. Both law and outlaw are flawed women. The other characters are somewhat stock, but appealing.
August 5, 2024
A suspenseful story.
DCI Harriet Martens is considered to be a strong and powerful police officer; however, she meets her match when faced with a series of killings with a biblical connection.
A well written and suspenseful crime story, and the first in a series which I am looking forward to reading.
DCI Harriet Martens is considered to be a strong and powerful police officer; however, she meets her match when faced with a series of killings with a biblical connection.
A well written and suspenseful crime story, and the first in a series which I am looking forward to reading.
May 12, 2019
Very disappointing. Twice as long as necessary. An unlikable central figure with pointless inner monologues does not move the story along. A police procedural where the police show no evidence of any procedure disappoints. Finally, the setting has no character whatsoever.
January 19, 2020
I read this whole book in an afternoon. Its absolute garbage. Poorly characterised, inexplicable motivations. Plus the book opens with the MC berating a muslim character who is referred to as "the muslim girl".
February 5, 2023
The main character, police woman Harriet Martens is unlikeable on purpose and by design (“the hard detective”). The story, about police officers getting killed and the Exodus eye-for-an-eye doesn’t appeal.
July 8, 2020
Kinda slow, but worth reading to see what happened. Overall a good story. I'll try #2 to see if Harriet grows on me.
March 20, 2022
Too much harping. More procedural than I prefer.
May 5, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Endeavour Press for a review copy of The Hard Detective, a police procedural originally published in 2000.
DCI Harriet Martens is out breaking down doors as part of her Stop The Rot operation when she gets word that a policeman has been murdered. Her investigation is hardly underway when it is reassigned to Superintendent Froggott but events overtake them and soon she is back in charge of the hunt for what is now a serial killer with a grudge against the police force.
I don't really know what to say about this novel - I can't say I particularly liked it but I didn't particularly dislike it either. It is readable but you will have to seriously suspend your disbelief to swallow the plot and Harriet's antics. In short order the killer bags six victims, all trained police officers, using the biblical eye for an eye etc. means of vengeance so Harriet decides to take the killer on singlehandedly without backup. It might be easier if Harriet were a pleasant character but she's the type of person you cross the street to avoid, she cuts no slack, is evangelical about arresting transgressors, knows she is always right and is so lacking in empathy she is either on the spectrum or a psychopath.
There is an old fashioned air to this novel despite the DNA, mobile phones and criminal profiling. There is no effort to really get into the killer's mind or Harriet's for that matter as we have come to expect in modern novels and any explanation we do get is cliched and stereotypical. It's a straightforward hunt for a nutter.
The Hard Detective is what it is. I tried it and was somewhat disappointed so I won't be trying any more in the series.
DCI Harriet Martens is out breaking down doors as part of her Stop The Rot operation when she gets word that a policeman has been murdered. Her investigation is hardly underway when it is reassigned to Superintendent Froggott but events overtake them and soon she is back in charge of the hunt for what is now a serial killer with a grudge against the police force.
I don't really know what to say about this novel - I can't say I particularly liked it but I didn't particularly dislike it either. It is readable but you will have to seriously suspend your disbelief to swallow the plot and Harriet's antics. In short order the killer bags six victims, all trained police officers, using the biblical eye for an eye etc. means of vengeance so Harriet decides to take the killer on singlehandedly without backup. It might be easier if Harriet were a pleasant character but she's the type of person you cross the street to avoid, she cuts no slack, is evangelical about arresting transgressors, knows she is always right and is so lacking in empathy she is either on the spectrum or a psychopath.
There is an old fashioned air to this novel despite the DNA, mobile phones and criminal profiling. There is no effort to really get into the killer's mind or Harriet's for that matter as we have come to expect in modern novels and any explanation we do get is cliched and stereotypical. It's a straightforward hunt for a nutter.
The Hard Detective is what it is. I tried it and was somewhat disappointed so I won't be trying any more in the series.
May 17, 2016
3.5/5
An interesting read, from an author that is new to me. This is the first book I have ready by this author, but I know it wont be the last as I have another two sitting on my kindle waiting for me to read.
This book Features Chief Inspector Harriet Martens, she is nick named The Hard Detective, and to start with she does seem very abrupt, and almost cold, a Hard faced Bitch. But maybe this is just a way of coping and dealing with the shit that is thrown at you as copper.
I felt like I got through this book pretty quick as it's only 263 pages, it is a very easy and enjoyable read, with a great story line to it. I felt like I was getting to know the characters as well as being thrown right in to the case and learning the story. I did at some points think that things were repeated a little too much.
And the reviews on this book seem to be up or down, i'm more middle of the road.
For some unknown reason, police officers are being killed. and after 2 officers are killed Harriet soon begins to realise that they have indeed been murdered, it then becomes apparent that each killing has some sort of connection to the Book of Exodus, A life for a life, an Eye for an Eye.... But why, what is the motive behind it. This has got to be some sick twisted killer. But how on earth is he choosing his victims. Can Harriet and her team figure this out and piece everything together before any more killings occur.
An interesting read, from an author that is new to me. This is the first book I have ready by this author, but I know it wont be the last as I have another two sitting on my kindle waiting for me to read.
This book Features Chief Inspector Harriet Martens, she is nick named The Hard Detective, and to start with she does seem very abrupt, and almost cold, a Hard faced Bitch. But maybe this is just a way of coping and dealing with the shit that is thrown at you as copper.
I felt like I got through this book pretty quick as it's only 263 pages, it is a very easy and enjoyable read, with a great story line to it. I felt like I was getting to know the characters as well as being thrown right in to the case and learning the story. I did at some points think that things were repeated a little too much.
And the reviews on this book seem to be up or down, i'm more middle of the road.
For some unknown reason, police officers are being killed. and after 2 officers are killed Harriet soon begins to realise that they have indeed been murdered, it then becomes apparent that each killing has some sort of connection to the Book of Exodus, A life for a life, an Eye for an Eye.... But why, what is the motive behind it. This has got to be some sick twisted killer. But how on earth is he choosing his victims. Can Harriet and her team figure this out and piece everything together before any more killings occur.
May 7, 2016
I loved this book. I really enjoyed the strong female protagonist, the camaraderie between the various police officers/detective, the way they had to pull together to save their own. It was an interesting mystery and the main character was intense, secretive and wanted to separate her home life from her work life. I can appreciate that.
The villain in the piece had me confused, I really didn't understand where she came from at first but then, as I got further into the story, it really even didn't seem to matter. I liked that they followed a certain biblical passage as far as the deaths of the officers.
I look forward to more from this author and can't wait to read others in the series. These are my favorite types of novels. I'm a sucker for British crime :-)
* I would like to thank the author/publisher/NeyGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest and fair review*
The villain in the piece had me confused, I really didn't understand where she came from at first but then, as I got further into the story, it really even didn't seem to matter. I liked that they followed a certain biblical passage as far as the deaths of the officers.
I look forward to more from this author and can't wait to read others in the series. These are my favorite types of novels. I'm a sucker for British crime :-)
* I would like to thank the author/publisher/NeyGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest and fair review*
September 11, 2012
A one-off crime thriller although the author has written others based on detectives with personality flaw which affect their job. This one was somewhere between a cosy and a gory, perhaps like Stephen Booth or Peter Robinsons, although I don't think this was a good as theirs. The characters were far too shallow and, considering it had 6 murders in 236 pages, it could have been stretched out to something much better.
May 13, 2016
HRF Keating is a favourite author, this one is a little different to his Inspector Ghote stories. I did enjoy it, but it was different. The story was well developed although I did find the conclusions coming too quickly and too many coincidence falling into place. It is a book that I found hard to put down and it moved along very well. I certainly with read more.
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review
March 16, 2015
The first in the series, The Hard Detective ntroduces us to Harriet Martens, who is faced with a serial killer picking off the cops in her district. I will certainly read the rest of the series, as they are easy and don't require too much thinking. I do think the mysteries are a bit far-fetched--I'd read a later one a couple months prior. However, I really like Martens the character.
got-two-stars-from-harriet
March 1, 2011See it right there, http://www.amazon.com/review/RMANKX5Q...
April 13, 2011
H.R.F. Keating just passed away and his obituary was fascinating. I wanted to start his Inspector Gote series, but the library didn't have a one! I'm trying the DCI Martens series instead.
April 15, 2011
His prose was so bad I couldn't finish this.
September 18, 2016
This book was pretty tedious. There was no real character buildup but some of the characters droned on about insignificant junk. Just a bad novel with a lousy ending. Sorry. Don't read.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews