Just Desserts

Lambert and Hook #17

by J.M. Gregson

Lambert and Hook find there's no one to foot the bill Camellia Park Golf Club had completed its first ten years and its owner, Patrick Nayland, felt it was time to splash out. Determined to give his employees a good time, he booked the entirety of Soutters Restaurant. A riotous evening was had by all. In fact they were making so much noise, the screams from the lavatory could easily have gone unnoticed. Chief Superintendent Lambert usually finds that the more enemies a murder victim has, the harder it is to decide who has more motive than anyone else. This victim was at the opposite, even trickier, end of the spectrum: popular with absolutely everyone.

Genres: Mystery

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

James 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.

Reviews

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick Nayland is murdered during a celebration dinner for his employees and their partners. He owns a nine hole golf course which is gradually making a name for itself and he pays for the meal to reward his employees for ten years' hard work.

All are agreed that he is an excellent employer and gets on well with all he meets. But people like that don't find themselves the victims and it's not long before Lambert and Hook start to uncover the cracks in the façade and realise that they have plenty of suspects.

I didn't work out who did it until very near the end of this well written and well plotted mystery. Lambert and Hook as usual work well together, complemented by DI Chris Rushton's excellent work on the details and the background of their suspects.

This is an excellent crime story and an excellent series. The books do not need to be read in order and can be read as a standalone novels. If you like your crime stories with not too much violence and bad language then this series is ideal.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

At a celebration party for a golf club, the boss is killed. Lambert and Hook investigate. They find out some interesting things, people who wanted him dead. But who is the one who did it?

Great police procedural.

[Emelle Gamble · Rating 5 out of 5]

better than most

Gregson continues to deliver excellent plotting and believable motivation, and this book is less bleak than so many. Lambert is even a tiny bit likeable - not sure why Gregson drew him as such a hard ass, but I’m still reading.

[Donna Jo Atwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery with lots of non-suspects initially.