Merely Players

Inspector Peach #15

by J.M. Gregson

A DCI Percy Peach mystery - Adam Cassidy is one of Brunton’s most famous residents. He plays the lead role in a successful TV detective show. It is now his time for a crack at Hollywood and he doesn’t care who he has to betray in order to fulfil his dream. Meanwhile, DCI Percy Peach is in danger of being drawn into the local anti-terrorism initiative. What he needs is a high-profile murder case to sink his teeth into – and he may be about to get what he wishes for . . .

Genres: Mystery

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2011

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

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

Found it hard to get into. For once I found I didn't care who the victim was going to be and cared even less about his killer being caught.

After all the other excellent Percy peach novels, I found this one a let down.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Cassidy is the star of a popular TV detective series. Why would anyone hate him enough to kill him? When DCI Percy Peach starts to dig under the surface of his life in the spotlight he soon discovers plenty of people who saw a different side to Adam including his wife, a former actress who gave up her career to raise his children. Professional rivalries rarely escalate to the stage where someone is killed but it seems as though maybe Adam had upset people enough for them to be willing to pull the trigger and shoot him.

I listened to the audio book edition of this book and got so involved with the story that I was listening to it during the day whereas I usually listen to audio books just before I go to sleep. I had to know what happened and who the murderer was. I didn't get it right either!. I like Percy Peach as a character and I like the way the relationships between him and his subordinates is portrayed.

All the characters in the story are well drawn and I thought the book was well plotted. This is an excellent series and I would recommend it to anyone who likes their crime novels without too much on the page violence and bad language. Though the book is part of a series it can be read as a standalone novel as can the rest of the series.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Inspector Peach books when I am frazzled and need some good entertainment--the characters and the astute characterizations are delicious! The trenchant takes on life--old age, for example,in this book--are thoughtful and sharply drawn, close to the bone. As the dutiful older child takes care of the aged parent who dotes on the egotistic younger child who never comes around, we feel the burden. Listening to Peach's little speech on the small violent parts of minority groups is eye-opening and welcome--we wish more of the police or politicians could see what he sees. Following the TV stars of a series is great fun, for we all have series we love and this behind-the-scenes is its own story. Watching the characters act in character is often what I need to get me through the night and Gregson delivers. Peach is straight out of the Sunday comics and still one of the sharpest detectives in fiction. We see it coming, the plot resolution, and that is fine, the characterization is overdone but well done, and Peach and T Bulstrode--as the bull strode through the china shop of the cop shop -- Chief Superintendent T. Bulstrode Tucker is handled so well by Peach and his tongue-in-cheek praise of the CS's "overview" stance that I want to take lessons. How lovely wives of fat-ego husbands (who have lots of money) handle their lives seems popular in British police procedurals and this is one of them. More Peach, please!

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I usually enjoy the Percy Peach series, marriage seems to be cramping Percy's style; the Brunton policeman seems unusually subdued. Actor and television series star Adam Delaney is not one of those people who is improved by success--his ego has created problems for many people in his life, and he's obviously living on borrowed time. Percy and his staff question a variety of those who suffered for Adam's sins, until someone slips up, and then it's a fair cop, guv. Gregson is always competent, but this time he's just not very interesting.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good crime read. Will read more by this author.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peach is still peachy. Such a fun interlude always.