Killing The Lawyers

Joe Sixsmith #3

by Reginald Hill

A Diamond Dagger Award winner. Just because lawyers are rude and expensive doesn't mean P.I. Joe Sixsmith killed two of them. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Meanwhile, a young track star is being threatened with all sorts of nasty things if she shows up at the right place--a new sports complex--at the right time. Somehow, Joe has to clear up both cases before they all run "out" of time. Martin's Press.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, British Literature, Humor, Suspense

268 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 1997

About the author

Reginald 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.

Reviews

[Alison C]

Luton P.I. Joe Sixsmith is hired by a rising track star to find out who has been sending her threatening notes indicating that she has to throw an upcoming race or her family will be harmed. At the same time, he seems to keep stumbling over the bodies of murdered lawyers, all from one very posh law firm, and the cops badly want to arrest him for it. And to top things off, his car has been totaled and the insurance company only wants to pay out a pittance for it, even though it’s nearly a classic…. Reginald Hill’s Joe Sixsmith series is not as well known as his Dalziel and Pascoe books, but it’s a lot of fun to read; not a lot of high literary shenanigans here, but solid private eye stories in a colourful setting. I’ve been picking these books up as I find them and have been reading them out of order as a result, but that doesn’t seem to matter with this series; anyplace is a good jumping in spot to try. Recommended.

[Colleen]

Joe Sixsmith is not extraordinarily bright, insightful, skilled at fighting, skilled at manipulating people or even skilled at dating. The author on the other hand, is really skilled at complicated plots and sly social commentary. The reader must pay attention to everything because even the cat's litter box is important. The other things you must be aware of are dyslexic numbers, people's nicknames, sports drinks, social relations, romantic relations and the author pulling your leg. A Welshman built like a fireplug with a high speaking voice is not going to sing basso profundo. But everything else about the story seems so real you can just park it in the possible category like you have to do with most of the evidence that turns up in the murders and sports betting rackets. Sixsmith is a great companion to share discoveries with as the plot unfolds and his sidekick, the cat Whitey, seems to understand more than the humans. Delightful yarn.

[Reader]

A CASE OF BAD TIMING Laid-off lathe-operator-turned-private-eye Joe Sixsmith has the interesting knack of stumbling into situations that always seen to require some explanation. Like murder. Apart from the fact that he thinks they are pompous, patronizing and extortionate, Joe has nothing against lawyers. That doesn't mean he murdered Peter Potter, though he's been seen coming out of the man's office muttering something about killing lawyers. He then manages to find a second lawyer from the same firm dead in her bedroom. Now he's simply trying to avoid being a usual suspect, find the real killer, discover who's threatening a young track star--an actual paying client, this one--and if possible, live to enjoy another full English breakfast.

[Paula R C R. C. Readman]

I love the character, Joe Sixsmith. The twists and turns in the plot line was full bodied and kept you guessing. Another great book. Of course there may be some who feel this book is of its time but I read to be entertained and feel most books are of their time. Throughout history attitudes are constantly changing so what was once acceptable might not be in the future, so this is important to be aware of when reading books written in the past.

[Marion Pilger]

Really liked the book.

[Paschalis]

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[Rebecca]

I did not really care for this book/story/series. Nothing wrong in it, but it was not my cup of tea, so to speak.

[renuka]

Interesting to read two mysteries inter twined . A nice twist to the final . Well written plots with humour.

[Edward Amato]

The British slang and terms required that I took more time reading this but the cleverness and wit of the writer shined.

[Jim Willse]

If only Joe Sixsmith were still with us to enjoy Luton FC ascending to the Premier League.
One more book in the series and then I will be quite sad. Great stuff.

[David Highton]

Another story of inexperienced Luton private eye Joe Sixsmith, with plenty of ironic humour

[Flapidouille]

So good it should be on every doctor's prescription.

[Rog Harrison]

The author wrote some great books in his Dalziel and Pascoe series but though he wrote plenty of other books none of them were anywhere near as good. This is a lacklustre series about a private detective. No idea why I bothered to read it again!

[Jim]

Not quite on a par with "Good Morning, Midnight" by the same author, but enjoyable nonetheless.

[Kirsty Darbyshire]

The third Joe Sixsmith novel; I don't think there are many more. I'll certainly read them anyway. Not top class Hill but very decently written and well plotted with plenty of humour.

[Lila]

This is the first mystery I have read in Hill's Joe Sixsmith series. I think the Dalziel and Pascoe series is better, but this was entertaining.

[Lbaker]

Read this book a long time ago, I enjoyed the re-read.

[Helen Fleischer]

Joe wins through nicely

[Silverblue]

very witty and well developed story. Liked it alot.

[Richard Aldred]

My first non-Dalziel book by Reginald Hill; entertaining enough, frequently quite amusing, but not especially good.

[Caroline Cormack]

The crime writing genius of the man behind Dalziel & Pascoe, but in a comedy setting. Lots of fun.

[Karen]

A very enjoyable read.

[Ita]

This series is growing on me. The main characters are imperfect, but immensely likable.