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DI Joe Faraday #9
No Lovelier Death
A judge and his wife go away on holiday and lose everything. While they are away their 17-year-old daughter throws a party, it goes out of control, there is a riot, and she and her boyfriend are murdered. A massive police investigation, stretching the force's resources to breaking point, is launched with D/I Faraday in charge. The judge's neighbor who has promised to keep a eye on things while he was away feels he owes the man a debt. And he has his own reputation to think about. He wants the name of the killer. The neighbor? Bazza McKenzie, a man who made his fortune supplying the city with class-A drugs. The man in his organization charged with getting the job done? Ex D/C Paul Winter. In Graham Hurley's gripping new crime thriller Faraday and Winter are finally on the opposite sides of the law. But they're both after the same thing. Paul Winter is treading his most dangerous line yet.
342 pages, Hardcover
First published February 19, 2009
7 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Graham Hurley
71 books152 followersGraham Hurley was born November, 1946 in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. His seaside childhood was punctuated by football, swimming, afternoons on the dodgems, run-ins with the police, multiple raids on the local library - plus near-total immersion in English post-war movies.
Directed and produced documentaries for ITV through two decades, winning a number of national and international awards. Launched a writing career on the back of a six-part drama commission for ITV: "Rules of Engagement". Left TV and became full time writer in 1991.
Authored nine stand-alone thrillers plus "Airshow", a fly-on-the-wall novel-length piece of reportage, before accepting Orion invitation to become a crime writer. Drew gleefully on home-town Portsmouth (“Pompey”) as the basis for an on-going series featuring D/I Joe Faraday and D/C Paul Winter.
Contributed five years of personal columns to the Portsmouth News, penned a number of plays and dramatic monologues for local production (including the city’s millenium celebration, "Willoughby and Son"), then decamped to Devon for a more considered take on Pompey low-life.
The Faraday series came to an end after 12 books. Healthy sales at home and abroad, plus mega-successful French TV adaptations, tempted Orion to commission a spin-off series, set in the West Country, featuring D/S Jimmy Suttle.
Launch title - "Western Approaches" - published 2012. "Touching Distance" to hit the bookstores next month (21st November).
Has recently self-published a number of titles on Kindle including "Strictly No Flowers" (a dark take on crime fiction), "Estuary" (a deeply personal memoir) and "Backstory" (how and why he came to write the Faraday series).
Married to the delectable Lin. Three grown-up sons (Tom, Jack and Woody). Plus corking grandson Dylan.
You're very welcome to contact Graham through his website: www.grahamhurley.co.uk
Or direct on seasidepictures@btinternet.com.
Series:
* D.I. Joe Faraday
Directed and produced documentaries for ITV through two decades, winning a number of national and international awards. Launched a writing career on the back of a six-part drama commission for ITV: "Rules of Engagement". Left TV and became full time writer in 1991.
Authored nine stand-alone thrillers plus "Airshow", a fly-on-the-wall novel-length piece of reportage, before accepting Orion invitation to become a crime writer. Drew gleefully on home-town Portsmouth (“Pompey”) as the basis for an on-going series featuring D/I Joe Faraday and D/C Paul Winter.
Contributed five years of personal columns to the Portsmouth News, penned a number of plays and dramatic monologues for local production (including the city’s millenium celebration, "Willoughby and Son"), then decamped to Devon for a more considered take on Pompey low-life.
The Faraday series came to an end after 12 books. Healthy sales at home and abroad, plus mega-successful French TV adaptations, tempted Orion to commission a spin-off series, set in the West Country, featuring D/S Jimmy Suttle.
Launch title - "Western Approaches" - published 2012. "Touching Distance" to hit the bookstores next month (21st November).
Has recently self-published a number of titles on Kindle including "Strictly No Flowers" (a dark take on crime fiction), "Estuary" (a deeply personal memoir) and "Backstory" (how and why he came to write the Faraday series).
Married to the delectable Lin. Three grown-up sons (Tom, Jack and Woody). Plus corking grandson Dylan.
You're very welcome to contact Graham through his website: www.grahamhurley.co.uk
Or direct on seasidepictures@btinternet.com.
Series:
* D.I. Joe Faraday
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 18, 2021
As always, Hurley's Faraday/Winter narrative is superbly plotted and filled with well-drawn characters. One caveat: the kindle edition is marred by confusing quotations that drop down to and continue on another line.
March 12, 2018
I know I read this one years ago too. At the time, I seem to remember thinking how topical it was, particularly the business of strangers showing up uninvited at a party because it was mentioned on FaceBook, and trashing the place since the owners were away. Now, I find myself surprised to think that all this stuff about “sexting” and such was happening ten years when the book was published...seems like a recent phenomenon.
September 6, 2018
Enjoyed this book, read it in a day, a lot going on with trying to work out who dun it, was it the ex? The next door neighbour whose pool she was found by? Will read more from this author as really enjoying British police thrillers and the different settings etc
July 2, 2019
I quite enjoyed it. Another Joe Faraday - the investigation into a double murder at a party - cone very wrong. Some other interesting characters who weave in and out (Bazza - the neighbour - former criminal now turned good (but still has hands in criminal world)). Recommend.
February 23, 2022
I'm sure that there are stronger books in the series (this was my first Hurley) but this one - deary me. Extremely weak finish followed page after page of revisiting a party that I couldn't bring myself to care about.
January 16, 2019
An interesting solid read with a good amount of detail although having read multiple books I am fed up of Paul Winter
June 18, 2009
NO LOVELIER death is the ninth and latest entrant in the DI Faraday series of novels from Portsmouth based author Graham Hurley. If you're a fan of British Police Procedurals, then chances are you already know about these books - if not, you're in for a treat.
NO LOVELIER DEATH starts out with an issue that many urban dwellers are all too aware of these days. A teenage party, advertised on a social networking site, is overrun and quickly gets out of control. This party is being held by the daughter of a tough local judge, in the leafy and exclusive location of Craneswater. Not too exclusive mind you, local crime boss, Barry MacKenzie, lives next door and he's less than impressed when he and his wife return home from a dinner party to absolute chaos. Bazza's particularly put out as he'd promised his neighbour he'd keep an eye on things whilst the judge was on holidays, but he quickly finds there's s no respect these days when he scores a bit of a hiding trying to break up the party. Worse is yet to come when Bazza's wife finds the judge's daughter, Rachel and her boyfriend, dead beside the MacKenzie's pool.
The police have an absolute nightmare on their hands - as a house full of rioting, drunken, out of control teenagers, become potential suspects or witnesses that have to be processed. Bazza's also not a man to take an affront to his stewardship lying down, and having ex DC Paul Winter on staff means that he can run his own investigation. Soon Winter and Faraday are on similar ground, each trying to identify the killer from the midst of the carnage. The difference in effectiveness comes down to who has the most contacts and influence - the police or Bazza MacKenzie.
This direct comparison - Faraday and Winter on different sides - is particularly interesting. Winter was a rising star in the police until events conspired to push him into working for MacKenzie. Earlier books cover these events, although revelations dropped into NO LOVELIER DEATH explain much of what has occurred. A new reader to the series is going to be able to catch on, is even going to be a little ahead of the game if they start with this book. Both are interesting men in their own right. Faraday is a little standoffish, keeps himself to his family more than his colleagues, an obsessive bird watcher, father to a profoundly deaf young man, he's not overly angst-ridden, rumpled or "difficult", differences commented on by other characters in the book. Winter's a similar personality in many ways, although more of a loner, capable, loyal, fundamentally a good bloke, he's in a difficult position. Loyal to Bazza as Bazza has been loyal (in his own way) to him, Winter's is forced to come to grips with the reality of working for a gangster.
Alongside the good characterisations (and a very dark but fascinating sense of the setting in Portsmouth), there's a very good plot working through NO LOVELIER DEATH. It covers a lot of ground - the growing instances of "organised" party gatecrashing; the nature and psychology of a society that seems to have lost touch with itself; obligation and debt; pride and revenge. NO LOVELIER DEATH does switch a fair amount of the focus from Faraday to Winter, establishing very clearly Winter's change in circumstances. Along the way it uses a number of different lines of enquiry, and the peripheral involvement of Faraday's partner and his son, giving a range of possible solutions from which the reader can draw some interesting conclusions.
The Faraday and Winter book (as now billed) really are excellent examples of the British Police Procedural. The added twist of two experienced police investigators working the different sides of the law bodes well for where they'll go in the next book.
NO LOVELIER DEATH starts out with an issue that many urban dwellers are all too aware of these days. A teenage party, advertised on a social networking site, is overrun and quickly gets out of control. This party is being held by the daughter of a tough local judge, in the leafy and exclusive location of Craneswater. Not too exclusive mind you, local crime boss, Barry MacKenzie, lives next door and he's less than impressed when he and his wife return home from a dinner party to absolute chaos. Bazza's particularly put out as he'd promised his neighbour he'd keep an eye on things whilst the judge was on holidays, but he quickly finds there's s no respect these days when he scores a bit of a hiding trying to break up the party. Worse is yet to come when Bazza's wife finds the judge's daughter, Rachel and her boyfriend, dead beside the MacKenzie's pool.
The police have an absolute nightmare on their hands - as a house full of rioting, drunken, out of control teenagers, become potential suspects or witnesses that have to be processed. Bazza's also not a man to take an affront to his stewardship lying down, and having ex DC Paul Winter on staff means that he can run his own investigation. Soon Winter and Faraday are on similar ground, each trying to identify the killer from the midst of the carnage. The difference in effectiveness comes down to who has the most contacts and influence - the police or Bazza MacKenzie.
This direct comparison - Faraday and Winter on different sides - is particularly interesting. Winter was a rising star in the police until events conspired to push him into working for MacKenzie. Earlier books cover these events, although revelations dropped into NO LOVELIER DEATH explain much of what has occurred. A new reader to the series is going to be able to catch on, is even going to be a little ahead of the game if they start with this book. Both are interesting men in their own right. Faraday is a little standoffish, keeps himself to his family more than his colleagues, an obsessive bird watcher, father to a profoundly deaf young man, he's not overly angst-ridden, rumpled or "difficult", differences commented on by other characters in the book. Winter's a similar personality in many ways, although more of a loner, capable, loyal, fundamentally a good bloke, he's in a difficult position. Loyal to Bazza as Bazza has been loyal (in his own way) to him, Winter's is forced to come to grips with the reality of working for a gangster.
Alongside the good characterisations (and a very dark but fascinating sense of the setting in Portsmouth), there's a very good plot working through NO LOVELIER DEATH. It covers a lot of ground - the growing instances of "organised" party gatecrashing; the nature and psychology of a society that seems to have lost touch with itself; obligation and debt; pride and revenge. NO LOVELIER DEATH does switch a fair amount of the focus from Faraday to Winter, establishing very clearly Winter's change in circumstances. Along the way it uses a number of different lines of enquiry, and the peripheral involvement of Faraday's partner and his son, giving a range of possible solutions from which the reader can draw some interesting conclusions.
The Faraday and Winter book (as now billed) really are excellent examples of the British Police Procedural. The added twist of two experienced police investigators working the different sides of the law bodes well for where they'll go in the next book.
November 13, 2013
Bazza Mackenzie, Portsmouth's drug king turned (mostly) respectable businessman, lives in an upscale neighborhood of the city next door to a judge, his wife, and teenage daughter. Like any good neighbor, Bazza promises to keep an eye on the judge's house while he and his wife go on a South Sea sailing adventure.
The teenage daughter is left behind on her own and while the parents are away, she decides to throw a party. She announces the party on her Facebook page, and on the designated night for the party, more than 100 kids descend on the house. Things get quickly out of control and the party turns into a riot. The judge's beautiful house is completely trashed.
Bazza and his wife, Marie, had been out that night to their own party. They came home late to find the riot in progress. Bazza wades in to try to bring order and gets a beating for his trouble. Marie calls the police and waits outside for them to arrive. When they do, she turns to go inside by way of their pool, and there she makes another horrifying discovery - two dead bodies.
The bodies turn out to be teenagers, obviously from the party. One of them is the judge's daughter and the other is her boyfriend.
This is a nightmare for DI Joe Faraday and his team - a judge's daughter dead and over 100 suspects in the death and the national media screaming for a quick result.
A quick result seems to be the last thing possible as the police go about the methodical process of sorting through evidence, interviewing suspects and witnesses, and trying to make sense of a completely chaotic scene. They throw all of their considerable resources into finding an answer to the mystery of the deaths, but progress is very slow.
Meanwhile, neighbor Bazza is personally affronted by the mess in his neighborhood and he feels responsible since he had promised to keep an eye on things. He and Marie are initially arrested when the bodies are found by their pool, but it is quickly determined that they were not involved and they are released.
Out of jail, Bazza pursues his own investigation of matters. He calls on his trusty lieutenant, ex DC Paul Winter, to find out what happened and provide him with the names of the guilty.
This, of course, is Winter's forte and he is happy to take up the challenge. He hits the streets in his inimitable fashion, talking to people and, more importantly, listening, and slowly building a picture of what happened on the fateful night. The investigation turns into a bit of a contest between the police and the lone wolf Winter. Wonder who will reach the solution to the crime first?
Graham Hurley has created very interesting characters in Faraday and Winter that it has been fun to follow in all their adventures through the years. Theirs has always been a prickly relationship but one that is founded on a certain respect. That continues, even though Winter is now on the other side of the fence, so to speak.
The dynamic of the relationship has changed, but essentially the two are still after the same thing - a result. It's always fascinating to see how they arrive there, each in his own separate way.
The teenage daughter is left behind on her own and while the parents are away, she decides to throw a party. She announces the party on her Facebook page, and on the designated night for the party, more than 100 kids descend on the house. Things get quickly out of control and the party turns into a riot. The judge's beautiful house is completely trashed.
Bazza and his wife, Marie, had been out that night to their own party. They came home late to find the riot in progress. Bazza wades in to try to bring order and gets a beating for his trouble. Marie calls the police and waits outside for them to arrive. When they do, she turns to go inside by way of their pool, and there she makes another horrifying discovery - two dead bodies.
The bodies turn out to be teenagers, obviously from the party. One of them is the judge's daughter and the other is her boyfriend.
This is a nightmare for DI Joe Faraday and his team - a judge's daughter dead and over 100 suspects in the death and the national media screaming for a quick result.
A quick result seems to be the last thing possible as the police go about the methodical process of sorting through evidence, interviewing suspects and witnesses, and trying to make sense of a completely chaotic scene. They throw all of their considerable resources into finding an answer to the mystery of the deaths, but progress is very slow.
Meanwhile, neighbor Bazza is personally affronted by the mess in his neighborhood and he feels responsible since he had promised to keep an eye on things. He and Marie are initially arrested when the bodies are found by their pool, but it is quickly determined that they were not involved and they are released.
Out of jail, Bazza pursues his own investigation of matters. He calls on his trusty lieutenant, ex DC Paul Winter, to find out what happened and provide him with the names of the guilty.
This, of course, is Winter's forte and he is happy to take up the challenge. He hits the streets in his inimitable fashion, talking to people and, more importantly, listening, and slowly building a picture of what happened on the fateful night. The investigation turns into a bit of a contest between the police and the lone wolf Winter. Wonder who will reach the solution to the crime first?
Graham Hurley has created very interesting characters in Faraday and Winter that it has been fun to follow in all their adventures through the years. Theirs has always been a prickly relationship but one that is founded on a certain respect. That continues, even though Winter is now on the other side of the fence, so to speak.
The dynamic of the relationship has changed, but essentially the two are still after the same thing - a result. It's always fascinating to see how they arrive there, each in his own separate way.
December 2, 2013
I have enjoyed every single book in Graham Hurley's excellent police procedural series featuring Joe Faraday and Paul Winter. In this book, the 9th in the series, ex D/I Winter is working for now turned legit former hard man and drug baron Bazza Mackenzie, whose next door neighbours are away on a tropical vacation and Bazza has promised to keep an eye on their teen age daughter Rachel. But while Bazza and his wife are out at dinner one night, Rachel issues an online invite for a big party, which quickly gets out of hand with a group of kids from the wrong side of town crashing the party, trashing the house and leaving two bodies next to Bazza's swimming pool. As the police are sorting through the huge pile of evidence from the party for clues to who killed the teenagers, Bazza asks Winter to investigate. Two old friends on two sides of the law, both trying to find out who killed the couple. I found this to be another really excellent read from an author who is a master of his craft. Hurley never disappoints.
January 23, 2012
I have long been a fan of Mr. Hurley and the morally ambiguous universe his characters inhabit.
These are best books read in order because while the basic characteristics of Faraday and Winter do not evolve or change, they become more entrenched and eaach new story illustrates them in a different light.
In this story power, influence and politics play a primary role in how Faraday goes about tackling the crime, while honour,retribution and violence are at Winter's disposal. Both of them question the motives that move them forward.
Like all of Mr. Hurley's books, the subtle nuances of the plot and characters leave you ruminating on them long after you turn the last page.
I have read recently that the next book in the series will be the last. I still have a couple more to read to catch up to it, so I will buy it (Happy Days, an interesting title for a last book) and slowly savour the others before tackling it.
These are best books read in order because while the basic characteristics of Faraday and Winter do not evolve or change, they become more entrenched and eaach new story illustrates them in a different light.
In this story power, influence and politics play a primary role in how Faraday goes about tackling the crime, while honour,retribution and violence are at Winter's disposal. Both of them question the motives that move them forward.
Like all of Mr. Hurley's books, the subtle nuances of the plot and characters leave you ruminating on them long after you turn the last page.
I have read recently that the next book in the series will be the last. I still have a couple more to read to catch up to it, so I will buy it (Happy Days, an interesting title for a last book) and slowly savour the others before tackling it.
December 1, 2009
I enjoyed it but wasn't as into it as I am with Mark Billingham's books.
Some of it dragged a bit, I wasn't a fan of Faraday's girlfriend - writing in French and then repeating the same thing in English is annoying. The stuff with Winter was interesting, especially towards the end when it seemed even though he is still loyal to his "boss", he sees another side to him.
Some of it dragged a bit, I wasn't a fan of Faraday's girlfriend - writing in French and then repeating the same thing in English is annoying. The stuff with Winter was interesting, especially towards the end when it seemed even though he is still loyal to his "boss", he sees another side to him.
March 15, 2011
A good read once you get into it, which takes a bit of time. The plot is good, the characters real and you can empathise with some of the characters and the way they work. Good police procedural but with a lot of UK slang thrown in, not an easy read. No evocative imagery though. No deft turns of phrase. But a good story told well.
November 29, 2011
This is the first book I have read by this author.
It did take me a while to get into the book and initially I struggled. However 100 pages or so in, it clicked I liked it and finally it got my attention.
I read from pg 120 to the end in one go, not wanting to put it down.
A good crime book, and I may just read another by this author.
It did take me a while to get into the book and initially I struggled. However 100 pages or so in, it clicked I liked it and finally it got my attention.
I read from pg 120 to the end in one go, not wanting to put it down.
A good crime book, and I may just read another by this author.
January 18, 2012
I wasn't sure that I would like this new (for me) author. It's mostly police detective work. I'm still on the fence in terms of whether I like the whole gangster gone legit parallel plotline. I did find myself having trouble putting this down once I got into it. So, I'm going to keep with this series.
May 3, 2016
Overall this was a good book although I thought it could have been more tightly edited. One good thing about Hurley's writing is that I can remember the main characters fairly well even if it has been a while since I read the previous book. I don't know about the title, however, it sounds like something Deborah Crombie would use (she hasn't) and doesn't fit the book very well.
December 27, 2020
Every parents fear on their first holiday without their teenage daughter is the thought of a party that goes out of control so you entrust your neighbours with overseeing them. What if your neighbours are just this side of straight and the party does get out of control. 2 dead bodies and 2 investigators looking for answers may mean the difference between justice and vigilantes.
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July 27, 2011Well up to par for this excellent police procedural series. It hits the odd bum note and anyone who knows Portsmouth might think the author overeggs the social deprivation and alienation a bit (life in a Brazilian favela would be a dream compared to how he paints Somers Town).
September 2, 2013
This is a new series for me and unfortunately this was about #12 in the list. Nevertheless, I liked it - a British police procedural, with some intriguing characters. Now I have to go back and read my way through the rest. #1 is on my bedside table now.
August 14, 2011
The usual high standard, and the usual excellent dialogue from Hurley. There is one full-page rant by uber-crim Bazza McKenzie which just made me want to put the book down and applaud!
February 15, 2012
A little slow in its progress - cant put my finger on it but its like it was missing something - didnt really enjoy it !
September 10, 2016
I think this was Graham Hurley's best yet.
May 3, 2012
I think this series gets better and this is number 9 of 12.
January 3, 2016
So accomplished a writer - and smoothly done, the characters of Faraday, Winter and Suttle developing with utter veracity.
March 11, 2013
Enjoyed it don't always follow how they reach their conclusions perhaps it's me!
June 7, 2014
Very enjoyable read
December 30, 2014
Very readable, good pace!
January 30, 2013
Another view of Baza Mac... Excellent
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews