Dead Run

Captain Heimrich #22

by Richard Lockridge

Inspector Heimrich searches for a hit-and-run killer in this intriguing mystery from the coauthor of the “excellent” Mr. and Mrs. North series (The New Yorker).
 
Inspector M. L. Heimrich of the New York State Police may not have the flash of hard-boiled city detectives, but there’s no lead the intrepid investigator won’t follow until his every hunch is satisfied . . .
 
On the night before Christmas Eve, in Van Brunt, New York, attorney Samuel Jackson is run over in the parking lot of the Old Stone Inn—and it’s no accident.
 
For Inspector Heimrich, Jackson’s murder is personal, not only because the man was his friend, but also because the sole witness is his son Michael’s new girlfriend. The shaken girl says she saw a car back into Sam and then run him over to finish the job.
 
With a case of vicious vehicular homicide on his hands, Heimrich vows to find justice for his friend and make sure the cold-blooded killer doesn’t make a clean getaway.
 
Inspector’s Holiday is the 22nd book in the Captain Heimrich Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
 
“Equable as ever.” —Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Mystery

262 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

An American writer of detective fiction, Richard Lockridge's frequent collaborator was his wife Frances Lockridge, who co-wrote the Mr. and Mrs. North mystery series and other popular books.

The couple also published under the shared pseudonym Francis Richards.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the others. Way too much detail about the drinking and the preparation of steaks.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early Bird Book Deal | A bit melancholy | We get more of Michael than in all his other appearances combined, and that's nice. But the victim was a friend from previous books, which is sad, and Heimrich and Susan seem to be feeling their advancing years a bit. It being a winter murder is very clear, much is made of the snow, the ice, the cold, but you forget that it's a Christmas murder because there's no holiday joy even for those uninvolved in death. Just a nice older widower with almost no family left, killed for being a good person, and a nice young woman almost killed for happening to witness.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad to say have reached the end of the Heimrich series (though this one is actually next to last since I had to read The Tenth Life out of order). Fortunately for me Lockridge did write two other shorter series, so will do those soon.
Murder gets closer to home when a neighbor and friend is killed on a wintry evening when Sam Jackson is deliberately hit by a car. And unfortunately it is witnessed by the newly introduced girlfriend of Heimrich's stepson.

[Donna Looze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hanging. . .

This novel seemed to end with no conclusion to an unexpected death. I found the conclusion disturbing. Maybe it is addressed in the next book in the series, but nothing leads one to assume that will be the case.

[Suzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm rereading mysteries I enjoyed thirty for forty years ago. The Heimich series is still enjoyable and a quick read. I like the characters,

[S.T. Karnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mystery

Ok puzzle, interesting milieu, but too much domestic activity that doesn't advance the story. Likeable detective, interesting social observations about 1970s America.

[Jan Yarnot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Heimrich, Susan, and the family, (especially Colonel, who is a Very Old Dog now. Sadly, this is the last book I have till I start haunting used book stores.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid mystery. Great story. A long-time character in the series is killed. The murderer uses a car to run the victim down, once to knock him down, then again to crush him. It is a couple days before Christmas and the entire Heimrich family is in town. Plotting is tight, and the story is well-written. This has to be one of the last books written by Lockridge and he is top form. Lovely to see the Heimrich family featured in this book.