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D.C. Smith #2
Gnade vor Recht (Ein Fall für DC Smith, #2)
Als Joan Riley im Altersheim stirbt, ist niemand verwundert – die alte Dame war nicht bei bester Gesundheit. Doch DC Smith An den zu friedlichen Umständen von Joans Tod, an der fast mechanischen Routine aller Beteiligten, an den Fragen, die ausbleiben. Je mehr Bewohner des Altersheims sterben, je näher er der Wahrheit kommt, desto weiter entfernt sich Smith von der Frage nach Schuld.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2014
About the author
Peter Grainger
57 books985 followersA British author, the writer Peter Grainger is a well known novelist of mystery fiction, largely focused on detective lead investigations. This his been the prime focus for much of his career, as he takes much of his inspiration from that of other infamous British detectives, such as Inspector Morse. The influence is clearly evident here, as he brings his own detective, DC Smith, to life, along with other books as well. Setting his mysteries firmly within the world of British detective fiction it is clear where his tastes lie as an author of his increasingly popular stories, stories that only increase in popularity as time goes on.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 466 reviews
January 30, 2024
Another Sound 4-Stars for DC Smith - "I Really Liked It"!
"But for the Grace (D.C. Smith #2)"
by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)
This is a police procedural series that I really like. As noted below in "from my reading activity", I am now going to re-listen to "Luck and Judgement (DC Smith #3)", and then proceed through the series in an orderly manner😊.
I don't want to overstate my enjoyment of Peter Grainger's DC Smith novels so far. They possibly won't suit the tastes of many readers of 'crime', or 'police procedural' novels. They are definitely not 'action-packed', or 'pulse-pounding', nor do they focus on 'private relationships', and to date there has not been a word written about, err, 'rumpy-pumpy', thank Odin! However, there are proper 'plots', 'story-lines', with mostly likeable and some not-so-likeable 'characters'.
The narrator, Gildart Jackson, is excellent, varying his accents and characterisations to suit each story.
I will definitely continue listening to this series, which fortunately I have been able to source from the "Audible Plus" library, a real bonus for an impecunious old-age pensioner like me!
From my Listening Activity:
24 Jan, 2024: Delightful listening to #2 immediately after hearing #1, the latter establishing the characters, locale, etc, of which I had some knowledge due to having heard #3 as a standalone. Yeah I know, a bit of a balls-up, but it reinforces reading a series from #1!"
29 Jan, 2024: Last year I heard Luck and Judgement (DC Smith #3) 4-Stars, and last week I heard An Accidental Death (DC Smith #1) 4-Stars. I have just finished But for the Grace (DC Smith #2) 4-Stars.
My quandary: Listen to Luck and Judgement (DC Smith #3) again now? hmm"🤩
The answer is Yes, so I'll start re-hearing it tonight!
"But for the Grace (D.C. Smith #2)"
by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)
This is a police procedural series that I really like. As noted below in "from my reading activity", I am now going to re-listen to "Luck and Judgement (DC Smith #3)", and then proceed through the series in an orderly manner😊.
I don't want to overstate my enjoyment of Peter Grainger's DC Smith novels so far. They possibly won't suit the tastes of many readers of 'crime', or 'police procedural' novels. They are definitely not 'action-packed', or 'pulse-pounding', nor do they focus on 'private relationships', and to date there has not been a word written about, err, 'rumpy-pumpy', thank Odin! However, there are proper 'plots', 'story-lines', with mostly likeable and some not-so-likeable 'characters'.
The narrator, Gildart Jackson, is excellent, varying his accents and characterisations to suit each story.
I will definitely continue listening to this series, which fortunately I have been able to source from the "Audible Plus" library, a real bonus for an impecunious old-age pensioner like me!
From my Listening Activity:
24 Jan, 2024: Delightful listening to #2 immediately after hearing #1, the latter establishing the characters, locale, etc, of which I had some knowledge due to having heard #3 as a standalone. Yeah I know, a bit of a balls-up, but it reinforces reading a series from #1!"
29 Jan, 2024: Last year I heard Luck and Judgement (DC Smith #3) 4-Stars, and last week I heard An Accidental Death (DC Smith #1) 4-Stars. I have just finished But for the Grace (DC Smith #2) 4-Stars.
My quandary: Listen to Luck and Judgement (DC Smith #3) again now? hmm"🤩
The answer is Yes, so I'll start re-hearing it tonight!
June 21, 2025
★★★⭒☆ (3.75 stars) — DC Smith returns, with his modesty & dry-witted nature in even fuller view!
Sometimes a novel arrives on your shelf like a quiet moral puzzle, wrapped not in fireworks or fanfare, but in soft dread and slow revelation. But for the Grace by Peter Grainger is one such book—measured, morally dense, and modestly crafted, but carrying a heavy aftertaste that indeed lingers, almost with a slight, delicate but definite heaviness to it.
The premise feels deceptively familiar: a fatal mistake, a judicial system wheezing under human error, and a protagonist caught in the undertow of guilt, fate, and redemption. But Grainger isn’t here to tell a courtroom thriller. No, this is a story about the quiet agony of what would you do in a similar situation—what if I had a loved one in pain, what if I’d aged and was in agony, would grace tilt the scales differently. It’s the controversy of Euthanasia, albeit in its assisted form, with the dramatic turn of having it involve heroin.
Grainger’s prose is taut without being flashy—he has that rare ability to evoke atmosphere with a handful of syllables. There’s a restraint in his writing that mirrors the inner life of his protagonist, a Police Detective haunted by the ripple effects of a misjudgment, with some morality of the past hinted at. You don’t read this novel so much as listen to it breathe: pages turning with the hush of remorse, redemption, and reflection. DC Smith gives little away, but by the novels end it is clear he feels conflicted, as does the reader.
That said, I found myself yearning for more stylistic audacity, a few more twists & turns, even if red-herrings. The emotional impact is unmistakable, but it sometimes feels muffled by an overly stoic narrative voice. I wanted more colour, more psychological specificity, perhaps more resistance to the saintly arcs that characters fall into by novel’s end. The thematic bones are strong—but some of the flesh feels undernourished.
The moral ambiguity, though, is this book’s quiet triumph. In an age where fiction often strains to provide answers or at least moral clarity, Grainger offers none—only a mirror and the question: Would you have done the same?
The title — I gather — is taken from the age old phrase “There but for the grace of God go I,” which is more than apt. It’s the novel’s spine & its constant whisper. Grainger is not preaching—but he is reckoning. And though this won’t be everyone’s idea of gripping fiction, it’s precisely the kind of quiet, ethical storytelling that deserves not just to be read, but discussed over hushed dinner tables, with gentle nods and ‘hmms’ aplenty!
📚Key Passages🖋️
“He had always believed that remorse was a kind of punishment. But now he saw it for what it was: the soul’s way of limping forward.”
“It wasn’t that the system was broken. It was that the system worked exactly as designed—and that, he realised, was the true horror.”
“Grace, he thought, was not the absence of guilt. It was the ability to keep standing in its presence.”
Sometimes a novel arrives on your shelf like a quiet moral puzzle, wrapped not in fireworks or fanfare, but in soft dread and slow revelation. But for the Grace by Peter Grainger is one such book—measured, morally dense, and modestly crafted, but carrying a heavy aftertaste that indeed lingers, almost with a slight, delicate but definite heaviness to it.
The premise feels deceptively familiar: a fatal mistake, a judicial system wheezing under human error, and a protagonist caught in the undertow of guilt, fate, and redemption. But Grainger isn’t here to tell a courtroom thriller. No, this is a story about the quiet agony of what would you do in a similar situation—what if I had a loved one in pain, what if I’d aged and was in agony, would grace tilt the scales differently. It’s the controversy of Euthanasia, albeit in its assisted form, with the dramatic turn of having it involve heroin.
Grainger’s prose is taut without being flashy—he has that rare ability to evoke atmosphere with a handful of syllables. There’s a restraint in his writing that mirrors the inner life of his protagonist, a Police Detective haunted by the ripple effects of a misjudgment, with some morality of the past hinted at. You don’t read this novel so much as listen to it breathe: pages turning with the hush of remorse, redemption, and reflection. DC Smith gives little away, but by the novels end it is clear he feels conflicted, as does the reader.
That said, I found myself yearning for more stylistic audacity, a few more twists & turns, even if red-herrings. The emotional impact is unmistakable, but it sometimes feels muffled by an overly stoic narrative voice. I wanted more colour, more psychological specificity, perhaps more resistance to the saintly arcs that characters fall into by novel’s end. The thematic bones are strong—but some of the flesh feels undernourished.
The moral ambiguity, though, is this book’s quiet triumph. In an age where fiction often strains to provide answers or at least moral clarity, Grainger offers none—only a mirror and the question: Would you have done the same?
The title — I gather — is taken from the age old phrase “There but for the grace of God go I,” which is more than apt. It’s the novel’s spine & its constant whisper. Grainger is not preaching—but he is reckoning. And though this won’t be everyone’s idea of gripping fiction, it’s precisely the kind of quiet, ethical storytelling that deserves not just to be read, but discussed over hushed dinner tables, with gentle nods and ‘hmms’ aplenty!
📚Key Passages🖋️
“He had always believed that remorse was a kind of punishment. But now he saw it for what it was: the soul’s way of limping forward.”
“It wasn’t that the system was broken. It was that the system worked exactly as designed—and that, he realised, was the true horror.”
“Grace, he thought, was not the absence of guilt. It was the ability to keep standing in its presence.”
February 2, 2019
Atmospheric and thoughtful look at death amongst the old that falls a little short on tension.
"But For The Grace" wasn't what I expected as a follow-on from "An Accidental Death".
It shares some of its predecessor's strengths: police officers that I can believe in as real people and not just plot devices, the irritations of internal politics and the humour, bloodymindedness and practised disingenuity used to get around them and an empathy for the people whose lives are touched by the police investigation.
I think the writing became richer, evoking an atmosphere of melancholy resignation to the investigation of a death in a nursing home. The imagery of winter was used well. Even the name of the institution, Rosemary House, a herb closely associated with remembrance and honouring the dead, played its part.
Where it departed from its predecessor was in the decision to make solving the crime a secondary consideration. At the start, the novel feels like a police procedural investigation of a possible murder. As the story develops, that impetus is lost as DC Smith is made into an unwilling bystander to a demonstration of how the old and sick who are still sharp of mind and strong in spirit, deal with the inevitability of imminent death.
I rather liked Ralph Greenwood, the formidable old man at the centre of the story. DC Smith liked him as well. There were good points made on what it means to be old and what a mistake it is to see them as undifferentiated "old dears" rather than people who have lived long, full lives which are now coming to an end.
While I enjoyed the atmosphere of the book and the opportunity to meet the people in it, I wasn't convinced that the police procedural conceit was sustained.
I'll be reading the next book in the series but I hope that Peter Grainger manages to keep up the fine writing and build more tension into the plot next time.
"But For The Grace" wasn't what I expected as a follow-on from "An Accidental Death".
It shares some of its predecessor's strengths: police officers that I can believe in as real people and not just plot devices, the irritations of internal politics and the humour, bloodymindedness and practised disingenuity used to get around them and an empathy for the people whose lives are touched by the police investigation.
I think the writing became richer, evoking an atmosphere of melancholy resignation to the investigation of a death in a nursing home. The imagery of winter was used well. Even the name of the institution, Rosemary House, a herb closely associated with remembrance and honouring the dead, played its part.
Where it departed from its predecessor was in the decision to make solving the crime a secondary consideration. At the start, the novel feels like a police procedural investigation of a possible murder. As the story develops, that impetus is lost as DC Smith is made into an unwilling bystander to a demonstration of how the old and sick who are still sharp of mind and strong in spirit, deal with the inevitability of imminent death.
I rather liked Ralph Greenwood, the formidable old man at the centre of the story. DC Smith liked him as well. There were good points made on what it means to be old and what a mistake it is to see them as undifferentiated "old dears" rather than people who have lived long, full lives which are now coming to an end.
While I enjoyed the atmosphere of the book and the opportunity to meet the people in it, I wasn't convinced that the police procedural conceit was sustained.
I'll be reading the next book in the series but I hope that Peter Grainger manages to keep up the fine writing and build more tension into the plot next time.
June 25, 2024
Well the gangs all back for this second installment: DS DC (aka David C) Smith, his partner, Chris Watson, and their boss, DI Reeves. The book summary just basically introduces the different storylines, with the primary one being a death at an assisted living facility, that was made to look like a suicide, but that DC and the gang believe is a murder. There is also another storyline of the brass still trying to get DC to retire and their latest attempt is to transfer him to some lame lackey position. However, unbeknownst to the brass, DC has already been offered a very appealing and lucrative position from a friend and former colleague (Watson’s father).
He’s also met a woman (DC is widowed), who also works for his friend and who is clearly interested in getting to know DC better. Lastly, there is a female reporter/author that has written a book on one of DC’s former cases, who is now eager to connect with him, that DC suspects is to pump him for more info on another former case. None of this is a spoiler since it all happened very early in the story.
The story flips back and forth between all the different storylines, with the investigation of the death getting the bulk of attention and space. I love the interactions between DC and pretty much everyone he works with and comes into contact with. DC has that quick, acerbic and snarky, British humor that I so love in British stories. It also helps that DC is probably at the end of his career with the police and has the short-timer blues where he doesn’t really care what most people think about him.
This is no fast-paced, action-packed police procedural/crime thriller/murder mystery, but I enjoyed it just the same. It leans heavily on character driven elements, which I really enjoy. However, at 225pgs it was a quick read, so there’s that. The storyline was interesting and certainly had some moral ambiguity to it depending on how you feel about certain things. The writing was definitely the highlight for reasons I’ve already stated, plus I really liked the ending. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.75 and I will be rounding up to a 4star rating.
He’s also met a woman (DC is widowed), who also works for his friend and who is clearly interested in getting to know DC better. Lastly, there is a female reporter/author that has written a book on one of DC’s former cases, who is now eager to connect with him, that DC suspects is to pump him for more info on another former case. None of this is a spoiler since it all happened very early in the story.
The story flips back and forth between all the different storylines, with the investigation of the death getting the bulk of attention and space. I love the interactions between DC and pretty much everyone he works with and comes into contact with. DC has that quick, acerbic and snarky, British humor that I so love in British stories. It also helps that DC is probably at the end of his career with the police and has the short-timer blues where he doesn’t really care what most people think about him.
This is no fast-paced, action-packed police procedural/crime thriller/murder mystery, but I enjoyed it just the same. It leans heavily on character driven elements, which I really enjoy. However, at 225pgs it was a quick read, so there’s that. The storyline was interesting and certainly had some moral ambiguity to it depending on how you feel about certain things. The writing was definitely the highlight for reasons I’ve already stated, plus I really liked the ending. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.75 and I will be rounding up to a 4star rating.
July 13, 2026
DC Smith investigates a suspicious death in an elderly care home. It looked like a case of natural causes, but there were a couple of details that didn’t make sense to the detective. The postmortem confirmed his suspicions. It is the second in DC Smith series and my first exposure to the seasoned detective. There was something totally fresh and interesting about the character and his approach to the investigation, and I am sure I will be reading others in the series. A potentially good series!
April 21, 2024
I seem to have found a series!
I am enjoying the writing, the narrator, and the plots so far. To be honest, it's the characters who are key, and I really like both of them, and have started to really care what happens to them!
Finally, it is not repetitive / padded out.
Now for the next one...
I am enjoying the writing, the narrator, and the plots so far. To be honest, it's the characters who are key, and I really like both of them, and have started to really care what happens to them!
Finally, it is not repetitive / padded out.
Now for the next one...
September 5, 2017
Enjoy every one of DC Smith's investigations & this is one of the best.
I don't give storylines; suffice to say this is another great police/ mystery/ whodunnit that avoids Agatha Christie's artifice of "and you didn't see this but ...". Every clue you need is there but nothing is obvious. I am now officially addicted to DC Smith.
I don't give storylines; suffice to say this is another great police/ mystery/ whodunnit that avoids Agatha Christie's artifice of "and you didn't see this but ...". Every clue you need is there but nothing is obvious. I am now officially addicted to DC Smith.
February 1, 2018
This is like reading an old cosy mystery on a rainy day. The plots aren't complicated, but the delivery is good. This is the second of the series and one I'll keep reading.
I like the main character, he's reliable, quintessentially British, and the kind of guy you'd want as an Uncle. He's fairly conservative and likes his routine, but plays rock n'roll on his guitar, and can be a modern thinker, but only if he has to be. He's the friend you wished you had.
When you are in the mood for a comfortable read, this series is for you.
I like the main character, he's reliable, quintessentially British, and the kind of guy you'd want as an Uncle. He's fairly conservative and likes his routine, but plays rock n'roll on his guitar, and can be a modern thinker, but only if he has to be. He's the friend you wished you had.
When you are in the mood for a comfortable read, this series is for you.
Read
September 25, 2026I'm afraid I cannot continue this series, or well, I may just skip this one and move on to #3, hoping I don't miss too much about the characters' growth and changes outside of the present murder investigation.
[TMI: My mother died of dementia. That the murder in this novel takes place in a memory care facility is just too hard for me atm.]
OK--so I just read a slew of reviews and spoilers and am even more glad I am giving this one a pass. I will download #3. Perhaps that one will showcase more of what I loved about #1.
[TMI: My mother died of dementia. That the murder in this novel takes place in a memory care facility is just too hard for me atm.]
OK--so I just read a slew of reviews and spoilers and am even more glad I am giving this one a pass. I will download #3. Perhaps that one will showcase more of what I loved about #1.
January 27, 2025
This series is a nice break from a lot of the mysteries I read - there's not much in the way of violence, the criminals are often likable, good people who try to do the right thing, but sometimes in the wrong way. The main character, D.C. Smith, is smart and often funny, and often has a roundabout way of working that keeps people wondering. And he often keep the reader thinking about the issues he is trying to sort out.
In this one, the main issue is assisted suicide. The victims are all senior citizens living in an assisted living situation, who have health issues that are either terminal or causing pain and suffering. One of them was very entertaining and likable; he and D.C. were great together.
In this one, the main issue is assisted suicide. The victims are all senior citizens living in an assisted living situation, who have health issues that are either terminal or causing pain and suffering. One of them was very entertaining and likable; he and D.C. were great together.
October 3, 2026
I still like Detective Sergeant DC Smith, and I will keep reading the series. That makes this a disappointing instalment rather than a farewell: “But for the Grace” has not changed my affection for Smith, but it has tested my patience.
“An Accidental Death” (review) took time to get going, too, but eventually the investigation acquired force as Smith followed details others had missed. Here, the whole novel feels slow. The plot stays close to one care home and a sustained argument about assisted suicide, but it rarely turns that material into forward motion. We spend a great deal of time in and around a home whose residents receive unusually expensive care. The phrase »not the cheapest place by a long way« is almost a miniature of the book’s enclosed world: comfortable, quiet, and short on urgency.
Assisted suicide is not an abstract subject to me, and I do not consider its basic moral status unresolved: it must be a right, not something punished by the criminal law. Grainger gives the question considerable space, touching on »assisted dying and assisted suicide« and the law’s »virtually invisible line«. I understand the intended tension, but it left me cold. Repeatedly revisiting whether compassionate intentions can excuse an offence is not a substitute for a compelling crime plot, especially when I do not accept that the act ought to be treated as an offence in the first place. Smith’s own response, »The whole thing, age, sickness, dying«, captures the weariness of the book as much as its subject.
The personal threads do little to quicken things. Beyond the central question, the plot offers little variety: an offer Smith is not yet ready to refuse, a lukewarm encounter with a woman, and a case that feels closer to a non-crime than to a conventional investigation. Neither strand develops enough energy to counterbalance the long stretches of discussion and care-home routine. I kept waiting for the investigation to become more substantial, or for Smith’s choices to give the story a sharper shape.
Smith remains the reason I have not given up. He is still observant, stubborn, and quietly funny, and I like spending time with him even when the case around him is not doing enough. In my review of “An Accidental Death”, I described him as difficult to stop once underestimated; that still holds. The difference is that the first book’s slow start eventually paid off. This one is not merely slow at the beginning; it stays slow.
“Dead Memories” (review) by Angela Marsons and “Talking to the Dead” (review) by Harry Bingham were useful genre contrasts in my previous review: more urgency in the former, more psychological intensity in the latter. Grainger’s quieter, more local approach remains distinctive, but here the restraint tips into inertia. I still want to see what Smith does next. I just hope the next case gives him, and the reader, more to pursue.
A weary three out of five stars.
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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
“An Accidental Death” (review) took time to get going, too, but eventually the investigation acquired force as Smith followed details others had missed. Here, the whole novel feels slow. The plot stays close to one care home and a sustained argument about assisted suicide, but it rarely turns that material into forward motion. We spend a great deal of time in and around a home whose residents receive unusually expensive care. The phrase »not the cheapest place by a long way« is almost a miniature of the book’s enclosed world: comfortable, quiet, and short on urgency.
Assisted suicide is not an abstract subject to me, and I do not consider its basic moral status unresolved: it must be a right, not something punished by the criminal law. Grainger gives the question considerable space, touching on »assisted dying and assisted suicide« and the law’s »virtually invisible line«. I understand the intended tension, but it left me cold. Repeatedly revisiting whether compassionate intentions can excuse an offence is not a substitute for a compelling crime plot, especially when I do not accept that the act ought to be treated as an offence in the first place. Smith’s own response, »The whole thing, age, sickness, dying«, captures the weariness of the book as much as its subject.
The personal threads do little to quicken things. Beyond the central question, the plot offers little variety: an offer Smith is not yet ready to refuse, a lukewarm encounter with a woman, and a case that feels closer to a non-crime than to a conventional investigation. Neither strand develops enough energy to counterbalance the long stretches of discussion and care-home routine. I kept waiting for the investigation to become more substantial, or for Smith’s choices to give the story a sharper shape.
Smith remains the reason I have not given up. He is still observant, stubborn, and quietly funny, and I like spending time with him even when the case around him is not doing enough. In my review of “An Accidental Death”, I described him as difficult to stop once underestimated; that still holds. The difference is that the first book’s slow start eventually paid off. This one is not merely slow at the beginning; it stays slow.
“Dead Memories” (review) by Angela Marsons and “Talking to the Dead” (review) by Harry Bingham were useful genre contrasts in my previous review: more urgency in the former, more psychological intensity in the latter. Grainger’s quieter, more local approach remains distinctive, but here the restraint tips into inertia. I still want to see what Smith does next. I just hope the next case gives him, and the reader, more to pursue.
A weary three out of five stars.
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May 22, 2020
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
When I talked about the first installment in this series last year, I said, "There's something about this one that got under my skin more than a typical procedural does—it's maybe DC Smith, it's maybe Grainger's style (there's a lot of subtle humor in a dark text)—it's a Gestalt thing, I think. I really dug it." I'm tempted to leave this at that, too. But that's giving this short shrift.
There are three main stories—the least interesting to me (at present, but it keeps coming up, so I expect that it'll be of vital importance and interest at some point) is the "big case" that defined Smith's career. There's a True Crime writer who wants to revisit the case with DC's help. There's a couple of good moments revolving this, but I'm not (yet) seeing the appeal.
The more interesting thread centers on DC Smith's future. Smith's old partner, and father of the newly-minted detective Smith's training, owns a private security firm and wants him to come aboard in a senior position. At the same time, there's an opportunity that many are urging Smith to take in a regional criminal investigation task force. But Smith's inclination is to stick with his current duty—but he's tempted by both over the course of the novel.
But the focus for the book is a death in a retirement home that's identified as suspicious. Smith and his team start investigating this pretty colorful home. The characters—staff and residents—are well-drawn, colorful and the kind of characters you want to spend time with. The case goes pretty much how you'd expect (motive, culprit, and resolution), but there are a couple of twists that keep the reader/listener on their toes. Watching Smith and his colleagues pursue the killer is the joy in this. The pleasure is in the journey, not just the destination here.
Once again, Jackson weaves a spell with his narration—he sucked me in once again. A perfect combination of narrator and text.
A solid follow-up novel, that also provides plenty of incentive to move on to the rest. This is a series you should jump into—in print or audio.
---
When I talked about the first installment in this series last year, I said, "There's something about this one that got under my skin more than a typical procedural does—it's maybe DC Smith, it's maybe Grainger's style (there's a lot of subtle humor in a dark text)—it's a Gestalt thing, I think. I really dug it." I'm tempted to leave this at that, too. But that's giving this short shrift.
There are three main stories—the least interesting to me (at present, but it keeps coming up, so I expect that it'll be of vital importance and interest at some point) is the "big case" that defined Smith's career. There's a True Crime writer who wants to revisit the case with DC's help. There's a couple of good moments revolving this, but I'm not (yet) seeing the appeal.
The more interesting thread centers on DC Smith's future. Smith's old partner, and father of the newly-minted detective Smith's training, owns a private security firm and wants him to come aboard in a senior position. At the same time, there's an opportunity that many are urging Smith to take in a regional criminal investigation task force. But Smith's inclination is to stick with his current duty—but he's tempted by both over the course of the novel.
But the focus for the book is a death in a retirement home that's identified as suspicious. Smith and his team start investigating this pretty colorful home. The characters—staff and residents—are well-drawn, colorful and the kind of characters you want to spend time with. The case goes pretty much how you'd expect (motive, culprit, and resolution), but there are a couple of twists that keep the reader/listener on their toes. Watching Smith and his colleagues pursue the killer is the joy in this. The pleasure is in the journey, not just the destination here.
Once again, Jackson weaves a spell with his narration—he sucked me in once again. A perfect combination of narrator and text.
A solid follow-up novel, that also provides plenty of incentive to move on to the rest. This is a series you should jump into—in print or audio.
September 3, 2022
DNF. I have very little free time at present as we’ve just moved home so what I need is easy, entertaining bedtime reading. This certainly did the trick as I fell asleep reading it every night!! I think the problem is that Smith is such a very boring man. I enjoy police procedurals if they’re page turners but this isn’t. The basic concept is interesting as it concerns a care home resident found to have died from a heroin overdose. Did she take it willingly or was she murdered? I would have liked to know the outcome but I need to read something that will entertain me. This just isn’t for me.
December 13, 2022
Second book in the series by Peter Grainger.about detective Sargeant DC Smith. I am reminded of the Harry Bosch books in that Smith is in his 50s and being pressured to retire. .Like the Hamish Macbeth books, Smith often investigates crimes that his superiors would rather toss off as accidental or natural deaths.
BUT FOR THE GRACE finds Smith investigating the death of an elderly woman in a care home from an overdose of heroin. At the same time Smith's boss wants him to go to a different department and out of his hair. Smith is also offered a position with a private firm.
I like Smiths dry sense of humor and this was best displayed in the audio book narrated by Geldart Jackson.
BUT FOR THE GRACE finds Smith investigating the death of an elderly woman in a care home from an overdose of heroin. At the same time Smith's boss wants him to go to a different department and out of his hair. Smith is also offered a position with a private firm.
I like Smiths dry sense of humor and this was best displayed in the audio book narrated by Geldart Jackson.
September 8, 2015
The book begins with lots of questions, but it rather petered out at the end. Some of the dialogue is humorous and the characters are interesting.There are many references to previous cases that distract rather than add to this story. The point of view changes without warning and I found this to be kind of irritating. The mystery was really solved 3/4 of the way through and the book lost a star in my review at that time.
July 24, 2021
DS Smith is called in to investigate a suspicious death at an assisted living care facility. What follow is not your usual police procedural since there is a lack of evidence, motive or suspects.
The description of the care facility is spot on and hit home as my father spent some time in such a place. There's not much described about the town of King's Lake, which is a shame since I was born in the town it's based on and a bit of familiarity would have added to my enjoyment.
Not a bad read and the ending brought up some questions on 'grey' policing and moral and social obligations.
The description of the care facility is spot on and hit home as my father spent some time in such a place. There's not much described about the town of King's Lake, which is a shame since I was born in the town it's based on and a bit of familiarity would have added to my enjoyment.
Not a bad read and the ending brought up some questions on 'grey' policing and moral and social obligations.
January 4, 2018
3.5.
While looking over my reads from 2017, I remembered how much I enjoyed the first DC Smith book and had planned to read more. Now I am so glad that I did. While this is not quite as good a story as An Accidental Death the characters are still very well drawn and mostly likable. Poetry is occasionally quoted and book titles thrown around in conversation. Since these books are free with my library subscription, I will waste no time in starting on book 3.
As to this particular story, it was, perhaps, uncomfortably familiar to me because my mother lives in assisted living and my father in skilled care. The story revolves around uncomfortable life and death issues which I stare at often in real life. Do we prolong life or do we really just drag out death? I am not at all in favor of assisted suicide but I do think we have gotten ourselves into a bit of a mess by prolonging life through artificial means.
This book also reminds me of the heroes who work in these facilities on a daily basis. When I visit my father, I often leave his room weeping silently and walking the halls of the home does not bring any relief at all. It is a hard thing to face every few weeks or so let alone daily. This book also introduced me to the stark, beautiful, and painfully true poem by Philip Larkin The Old Fools.
While looking over my reads from 2017, I remembered how much I enjoyed the first DC Smith book and had planned to read more. Now I am so glad that I did. While this is not quite as good a story as An Accidental Death the characters are still very well drawn and mostly likable. Poetry is occasionally quoted and book titles thrown around in conversation. Since these books are free with my library subscription, I will waste no time in starting on book 3.
As to this particular story, it was, perhaps, uncomfortably familiar to me because my mother lives in assisted living and my father in skilled care. The story revolves around uncomfortable life and death issues which I stare at often in real life. Do we prolong life or do we really just drag out death? I am not at all in favor of assisted suicide but I do think we have gotten ourselves into a bit of a mess by prolonging life through artificial means.
This book also reminds me of the heroes who work in these facilities on a daily basis. When I visit my father, I often leave his room weeping silently and walking the halls of the home does not bring any relief at all. It is a hard thing to face every few weeks or so let alone daily. This book also introduced me to the stark, beautiful, and painfully true poem by Philip Larkin The Old Fools.
April 30, 2024
4.25 stars
A solid second book in this series that is tying up the story from the first one and dives into a new mystery. Deaths at a care home. Nothing suspicious until some surprising findings are discovered in someone's body's.
Again, the dialogs are one of the biggest highlights. They are elegant, indirect, purposeful and eloquent. Feels like playing chess with words. A delightful treat!!
A solid second book in this series that is tying up the story from the first one and dives into a new mystery. Deaths at a care home. Nothing suspicious until some surprising findings are discovered in someone's body's.
Again, the dialogs are one of the biggest highlights. They are elegant, indirect, purposeful and eloquent. Feels like playing chess with words. A delightful treat!!
November 4, 2026
Ein natürlicher Tod
Das eine ältere Dame, die im Altersheim lebt, stirbt, ist eigentlich nicht ungewöhnlich. Als Joan Riley jedoch relativ unerwartet das Zeitliche segnet, wird die hinzugerufenen Ärztin stutzig. Die Tote sitzt in ihrem Lieblingssessel und ein Glas liegt am Boden. Letztlich wird eine Untersuchung angeordnet, an der auch DC Smith beteiligt wird. Seine Chefin war sich ihrer Sache dabei nicht so sicher, denn vor einer Weile hat Smith seine Frau verloren. Smith ist allerdings derjenige, der den Sachen auf den Grund geht. Wenn an diesem Todesfall etwas nicht stimmt, ist er genau der Richtige, um das herauszufinden.
In diesem zweiten Band um den gründlichen Ermittler DC Smith geht es um einige Menschen, die im Altenheim leben oder auch gestorben sind. Ein wenig deprimierend ist es schon, die älteren Herrschaften in ihrem letzten Lebensabschnitt befragen zu müssen. Doch Smith versucht, die Nachforschungen so schonend wie möglich durchzuführen. Dabei unterstützen ihn seine engsten Teammitglieder. Bei dem Todesfall Joan Riley haben sie einfach kein gutes Gefühl. Zwar können sie feststellen, dass das Heim wohl eines von den besseren ist. Die Mitarbeiter üben ihre Tätigkeit gewissenhaft und mit Sympathie für die Bewohner aus. Auch die Heimleitung macht einen guten Eindruck.
Wie schon bekannt, lässt es Smith nicht los, wenn es etwas zu enträtseln gibt, und er kann und will auch nicht loslassen. Obwohl er hier doch manchmal denkt, es wäre einfacher, nicht nachzubohren. Die Frage ist schließlich, ob es überhaupt einen Fall gibt. Möglicherweise hat fast jeder schon mal einen Menschen verloren, der ihm nahestand. Vielleicht war dieser Mensch am Ende seines Lebens auch im Altersheim untergebracht. Und wenn dann die Lage im Roman beschrieben wird, kann man möglicherweise einiges gut nachvollziehen. Auch die Gedanken, die sich Smith und seine Kollegen machen. Irgendwie gehört der Tod zum Leben. Abschließende Lösungen kann es nicht immer geben. Man kann für sich erahnen, was geschehen ist. Und man kann über gewisse Problematiken nachdenken, über die zum Ersterscheinungsjahr des Romans 2014 noch anders gesehen worden sein könnten als heute. Ein kluger Roman, der nachdenklich stimmt.
Das eine ältere Dame, die im Altersheim lebt, stirbt, ist eigentlich nicht ungewöhnlich. Als Joan Riley jedoch relativ unerwartet das Zeitliche segnet, wird die hinzugerufenen Ärztin stutzig. Die Tote sitzt in ihrem Lieblingssessel und ein Glas liegt am Boden. Letztlich wird eine Untersuchung angeordnet, an der auch DC Smith beteiligt wird. Seine Chefin war sich ihrer Sache dabei nicht so sicher, denn vor einer Weile hat Smith seine Frau verloren. Smith ist allerdings derjenige, der den Sachen auf den Grund geht. Wenn an diesem Todesfall etwas nicht stimmt, ist er genau der Richtige, um das herauszufinden.
In diesem zweiten Band um den gründlichen Ermittler DC Smith geht es um einige Menschen, die im Altenheim leben oder auch gestorben sind. Ein wenig deprimierend ist es schon, die älteren Herrschaften in ihrem letzten Lebensabschnitt befragen zu müssen. Doch Smith versucht, die Nachforschungen so schonend wie möglich durchzuführen. Dabei unterstützen ihn seine engsten Teammitglieder. Bei dem Todesfall Joan Riley haben sie einfach kein gutes Gefühl. Zwar können sie feststellen, dass das Heim wohl eines von den besseren ist. Die Mitarbeiter üben ihre Tätigkeit gewissenhaft und mit Sympathie für die Bewohner aus. Auch die Heimleitung macht einen guten Eindruck.
Wie schon bekannt, lässt es Smith nicht los, wenn es etwas zu enträtseln gibt, und er kann und will auch nicht loslassen. Obwohl er hier doch manchmal denkt, es wäre einfacher, nicht nachzubohren. Die Frage ist schließlich, ob es überhaupt einen Fall gibt. Möglicherweise hat fast jeder schon mal einen Menschen verloren, der ihm nahestand. Vielleicht war dieser Mensch am Ende seines Lebens auch im Altersheim untergebracht. Und wenn dann die Lage im Roman beschrieben wird, kann man möglicherweise einiges gut nachvollziehen. Auch die Gedanken, die sich Smith und seine Kollegen machen. Irgendwie gehört der Tod zum Leben. Abschließende Lösungen kann es nicht immer geben. Man kann für sich erahnen, was geschehen ist. Und man kann über gewisse Problematiken nachdenken, über die zum Ersterscheinungsjahr des Romans 2014 noch anders gesehen worden sein könnten als heute. Ein kluger Roman, der nachdenklich stimmt.
June 25, 2026
★★½ (2.5/5) – But For The Grace by Peter Grainger
Peter Grainger continues the story of Detective Sergeant David "Smithy" Smith in But For The Grace, but unfortunately this installment was a struggle to get through.
Pros:
The investigation itself is interesting and grounded in reality.
Smithy remains a likable and thoughtful protagonist whose observations and interactions feel authentic.
Grainger has a strong understanding of police procedure and small-town dynamics, creating a believable setting.
Cons:
The biggest issue is the sheer amount of unnecessary detail. Everyday conversations, minor observations, and routine activities are described at length, often adding little to the plot.
The pacing is extremely slow. Important developments are buried beneath pages of exposition and lengthy dialogue.
Many scenes feel repetitive, making the book seem much longer than it actually is.
The mystery loses some of its impact because it takes so long to reach key revelations.
While there is a solid crime novel hidden beneath the surface, it is weighed down by excessive wordiness and over-explanation. Readers who enjoy slow-burn police procedurals may appreciate Grainger's meticulous style, but for those looking for a tighter, more engaging mystery, But For The Grace can feel like a test of patience. The story has merit, but it would have benefited greatly from a more disciplined edit and a faster pace.
Overall: 2.5 out of 5 stars. A decent mystery with a likable lead character, but the excessive detail and drawn-out narrative make it difficult to stay invested.
Peter Grainger continues the story of Detective Sergeant David "Smithy" Smith in But For The Grace, but unfortunately this installment was a struggle to get through.
Pros:
The investigation itself is interesting and grounded in reality.
Smithy remains a likable and thoughtful protagonist whose observations and interactions feel authentic.
Grainger has a strong understanding of police procedure and small-town dynamics, creating a believable setting.
Cons:
The biggest issue is the sheer amount of unnecessary detail. Everyday conversations, minor observations, and routine activities are described at length, often adding little to the plot.
The pacing is extremely slow. Important developments are buried beneath pages of exposition and lengthy dialogue.
Many scenes feel repetitive, making the book seem much longer than it actually is.
The mystery loses some of its impact because it takes so long to reach key revelations.
While there is a solid crime novel hidden beneath the surface, it is weighed down by excessive wordiness and over-explanation. Readers who enjoy slow-burn police procedurals may appreciate Grainger's meticulous style, but for those looking for a tighter, more engaging mystery, But For The Grace can feel like a test of patience. The story has merit, but it would have benefited greatly from a more disciplined edit and a faster pace.
Overall: 2.5 out of 5 stars. A decent mystery with a likable lead character, but the excessive detail and drawn-out narrative make it difficult to stay invested.
March 14, 2020
4/2023 reread:
I didn't like this one as much as the first one, in the sense that there was no real mystery, per se. However, I did like the character development that occurs with Smith and Waters, although the focus is definitely Smith. I thought the end was melancholy, but it makes me want to continue with the series to see what ends up happening with Smith. I read the first two books in this series about 3 years ago, but never got around to reading further in the series. But since I want to read the spin-off (which is up to 5 or 6 books now), I'd like to get caught up with this series. Looking forward to it!
Original Review:
This was a pretty decent episode in the D.C. Smith series of police procedurals. However, unlike Accidental Death, this one hovers between a crime and a not-crime as they explore the idea of assisted suicide. I discover more about D. C. Smith and the people around him, and you also get to know Waters a little better. There wasn't as much mystery behind who the "culprit" was this time, so there was less tension in that bit. But I really liked the old resident, Ralph Greenwood and the discussions that took place in this story. I think Guildart Jackson does an excellent job narrating, and I think that's part of the reason I enjoy these stories so much. Overall, though, I felt like this was more of a "cozy mystery" than it was a hardboiled detective novel, which is totally fine for me. Still, I look forward to seeing what the next episode will bring, and if it will be more like this one or like Songbird, which I really loved.
I didn't like this one as much as the first one, in the sense that there was no real mystery, per se. However, I did like the character development that occurs with Smith and Waters, although the focus is definitely Smith. I thought the end was melancholy, but it makes me want to continue with the series to see what ends up happening with Smith. I read the first two books in this series about 3 years ago, but never got around to reading further in the series. But since I want to read the spin-off (which is up to 5 or 6 books now), I'd like to get caught up with this series. Looking forward to it!
Original Review:
This was a pretty decent episode in the D.C. Smith series of police procedurals. However, unlike Accidental Death, this one hovers between a crime and a not-crime as they explore the idea of assisted suicide. I discover more about D. C. Smith and the people around him, and you also get to know Waters a little better. There wasn't as much mystery behind who the "culprit" was this time, so there was less tension in that bit. But I really liked the old resident, Ralph Greenwood and the discussions that took place in this story. I think Guildart Jackson does an excellent job narrating, and I think that's part of the reason I enjoy these stories so much. Overall, though, I felt like this was more of a "cozy mystery" than it was a hardboiled detective novel, which is totally fine for me. Still, I look forward to seeing what the next episode will bring, and if it will be more like this one or like Songbird, which I really loved.
March 10, 2018
Enjoyed the story, nice cozy mystery with nice characters and originally gave it 3 stars. This is for the audio version-a good listen in the car-but the narrator (while good) has a unique way of presenting the characters. It is the same forceful, overly dramatic, sing-songy, voice for the men. Admitting the story would have gotten 4 stars if not for that I upped it to 4. He does the women well and you know when a character changes. I would not have read the story as the narrator presents it.
September 5, 2023
I am really enjoying this series. Good, characters and plotting. I plan to read right through the series and then read his other series.
June 12, 2022
Smith's investigation leads him into the gray area of police work, bringing back his personal past as well as old cases. In this story he tries to solve an assisted living death, as well as make decisions on the direction of his own life. An easy listen for audio fans.
May 18, 2023
Traditional modern English mystery. Excellent audio.
In this 2nd installment we get to go deeper into the character of David Smith and leave him in a perhaps hopeful stage. We'll see in the next one.
The case isn't too mysterious but it does nudge us towards reflection and I might have teared up once or twice.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
In this 2nd installment we get to go deeper into the character of David Smith and leave him in a perhaps hopeful stage. We'll see in the next one.
The case isn't too mysterious but it does nudge us towards reflection and I might have teared up once or twice.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
July 13, 2025
Is this a murder mystery? I don't know. It is about the end of life, surely, and who has the right to decide when life is over. Is the prospect of unendurable pain a good reason to take your own life? Is it a reason to facilitate the ending of someone else's? Who decides how much pain is endurable? If you suspect another person with an incurable disease may have the means to end their own life, what are your moral obligations?
February 9, 2025
Did it keep my interest? 4. I do like this series. DC Smith is a sage gentleman with a great British wit and has a bit of dog in him.
Did I enjoy the topic? 4. The topic of assisted suicide is explored. I think I am pro self termination. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in Switzerland and in the U.S. states of Montana, California, Vermont, Oregon and Washington.
Was the dialogue realistic? Wikipedia has a painting of Socrates drinking hemlock to hasten his death after being convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens by introducing other deities. Harsh.
Of course the potential voluntary euthanasia in this book is at a nursing home and does not include hemlock.
Would I recommend to Jen (smart, discerning reader)? 5. She should definitely read this series.
Would I have recommended to my Mom (read for entertainment)? 4 Yes for Mom, too.
Quality of narrator? 5. Gildart Jackson is the perfect DC Smith. His lack of variance with the other characters is easily forgiven. His wife, Melora Hardin, played Trudy Monk in ‘Monk’, one of the favorite shows of our family when the kids were young.
Did I enjoy the topic? 4. The topic of assisted suicide is explored. I think I am pro self termination. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in Switzerland and in the U.S. states of Montana, California, Vermont, Oregon and Washington.
Was the dialogue realistic? Wikipedia has a painting of Socrates drinking hemlock to hasten his death after being convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens by introducing other deities. Harsh.
Of course the potential voluntary euthanasia in this book is at a nursing home and does not include hemlock.
Would I recommend to Jen (smart, discerning reader)? 5. She should definitely read this series.
Would I have recommended to my Mom (read for entertainment)? 4 Yes for Mom, too.
Quality of narrator? 5. Gildart Jackson is the perfect DC Smith. His lack of variance with the other characters is easily forgiven. His wife, Melora Hardin, played Trudy Monk in ‘Monk’, one of the favorite shows of our family when the kids were young.
March 4, 2025
One thing I like about this series is the well fleshed out characters- not just the main detective, DC Smith, but the people around him from book to book, and the people connected to the crime. In this book, the crime (or is it?) takes place in a retirement community. I was waiting for something resembling the Thursday Murder Club, but since this was written long before that one, the vibe ended up being quite different. Enjoyable short read…
September 11, 2026
I was supposed to have some time in between these books -"be diverse in your reading, dear"- but I didn't listen to that wise inner voice. Sometimes you just need a break.
This second book is as good as the first, and I'm glad I started from the beginning. Both books are interesting because there is no real crime, yet the police procedure is as real as it can be.
Learning new words phrases like pussy-footing, right as rain was fun, as was discovering new music (Albeniz by Julian Bream).
DC Smith is not an old fool who rejects the internet, but he continues to handwrite his notes in a notebook. (Another reason to like the character)
I was afraid Mr. Grainger would make the Alwych notebooks the next trend (in the US), but I did some research and saw that they are no longer in business.
This second book is as good as the first, and I'm glad I started from the beginning. Both books are interesting because there is no real crime, yet the police procedure is as real as it can be.
Learning new words phrases like pussy-footing, right as rain was fun, as was discovering new music (Albeniz by Julian Bream).
DC Smith is not an old fool who rejects the internet, but he continues to handwrite his notes in a notebook. (Another reason to like the character)
I was afraid Mr. Grainger would make the Alwych notebooks the next trend (in the US), but I did some research and saw that they are no longer in business.
October 14, 2023
I like the way DC Smith thinks and he seems a bit curmudgeonly but you get occasional glimpses of his softer side. I like the development of the supporting characters, especially Waters. The overall story was sad and I am not a fan of sad stories but I liked the characters so much that I was okay wading through the sad stuff. I am on to the next book in the series.
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