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Harpur & Iles #35
Hitmen I Have Known
Assistant Chief Constable Iles finds himself suspected of murder in the fast-paced 35th installment of the popular Harpur and Iles police procedural series.
Tensions in the community are mounting following the gruesome deaths of two men, both of whom were accused yet acquitted of the murder of an undercover police officer. It looks like vigilante justice, but who is responsible? Alarmingly, suspicion falls on Assistant Chief Constable Iles.
Matters escalate when a TV show investigating the murders is aired, further implicating Iles. Iles seems at ease with the accusations, as are his superiors in the police force. But others are not feeling so secure.
Local crime bosses Ralph Ember and Mansel Shale fear reprisals against Iles will result in their own businesses suffering. And so they begin to plan how to remove potential troublemakers from their path . . .
Tensions in the community are mounting following the gruesome deaths of two men, both of whom were accused yet acquitted of the murder of an undercover police officer. It looks like vigilante justice, but who is responsible? Alarmingly, suspicion falls on Assistant Chief Constable Iles.
Matters escalate when a TV show investigating the murders is aired, further implicating Iles. Iles seems at ease with the accusations, as are his superiors in the police force. But others are not feeling so secure.
Local crime bosses Ralph Ember and Mansel Shale fear reprisals against Iles will result in their own businesses suffering. And so they begin to plan how to remove potential troublemakers from their path . . .
- GenresMystery
192 pages, Hardcover
Published May 1, 2019
6 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Bill James
61 books26 followersBill James (born 1929) is a pseudonym of James Tucker, a Welsh novelist. He also writes under his own name and the pseudonyms David Craig and Judith Jones. He was a reporter with the Daily Mirror and various other newspapers after serving with the RAF He is married, with four children, and lives in South Wales.
The bulk of his output under the Bill James pseudonym is the Harpur and Iles series. Colin Harpur is a Detective Chief Inspector and Desmond Iles is the Assistant Chief Constable in an unnamed coastal city in southwestern England. Harpur and Iles are complemented by an evolving cast of other recurring characters on both sides of the law. The books are characterized by a grim humour and a bleak view of the relationship between the public, the police force and the criminal element. The first few are designated "A Detective Colin Harpur Novel" but as the series progressed they began to be published with the designation "A Harpur & Iles Mystery".
His best known work, written under the "David Craig" pseudonym and originally titled Whose Little Girl are You, is The Squeeze, which was turned into a film starring Stacy Keach, Edward Fox and David Hemmings. The fourth Harpur & Iles novel, Protection, was televised by the BBC in 1996 as Harpur & Iles, starring Aneirin Hughes as Harpur and Hywel Bennett as Iles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_James_(novelist)
The bulk of his output under the Bill James pseudonym is the Harpur and Iles series. Colin Harpur is a Detective Chief Inspector and Desmond Iles is the Assistant Chief Constable in an unnamed coastal city in southwestern England. Harpur and Iles are complemented by an evolving cast of other recurring characters on both sides of the law. The books are characterized by a grim humour and a bleak view of the relationship between the public, the police force and the criminal element. The first few are designated "A Detective Colin Harpur Novel" but as the series progressed they began to be published with the designation "A Harpur & Iles Mystery".
His best known work, written under the "David Craig" pseudonym and originally titled Whose Little Girl are You, is The Squeeze, which was turned into a film starring Stacy Keach, Edward Fox and David Hemmings. The fourth Harpur & Iles novel, Protection, was televised by the BBC in 1996 as Harpur & Iles, starring Aneirin Hughes as Harpur and Hywel Bennett as Iles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_James_(novelist)
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 15, 2020
A well written long running crime series...probably not to everyone's taste.
Iles is under suspicion of killing two criminals who are found not guilty of killing an undercover police officer.
Local crime-lord,club owner, Charlton Heston lookalike Panicking Ralph Ember doesn't want the status quo to change so he decides to do something about it...
Iles is under suspicion of killing two criminals who are found not guilty of killing an undercover police officer.
Local crime-lord,club owner, Charlton Heston lookalike Panicking Ralph Ember doesn't want the status quo to change so he decides to do something about it...
March 21, 2019
At 89, Bill James (not the one pictured, ridiculously) is not going to do anything new, but for those of us who devotedly read each instalment it's a joy that he's still going. A unique, treasurable stylist, mannered, baroque, sarky, fanciful.
February 9, 2019
The 35th book in the Harpur & Iles series and one of the best.
Two criminals who escaped conviction in the murder of an undercover officer are later murdered by an assailant whose detection has eluded police. Suspect in the two murders is ACC Desmond Iles. A TV program has revived interest in the case, its broadcast portraying a thinly disguised Iles as the vigilante perpetrator. Aside from Harpur (Iles’s police partner) and Iles, the broadcast draws the attention of the Home Office and drug dealers Mansel Shale and Ralph Ember. As seen in previous entries, Harpur & Iles turn a blind eye to the activities of Shale and Ember in exchange for the relative peace resulting from two dominant criminals having complete control over their territory, thereby discouraging (with police help) the incursion of potentially destructive (to the local populace) outside forces. A very worried Shale and Ember are driven to action after the brother of one of the criminal murder victims causes a public disturbance (at Ralph’s beloved Monty nightclub) drawing even more attention to the unsolved murder. Iles insulates Shale and Ember from local prosecution and without him their business and luxurious life styles are at great risk.
As is typical for the series, problems are resolved in near absurdist fashion, the resolution being not nearly as interesting as the behind the scenes machinations of Iles and the bumbling of “Panicking” Ralph Ember, who in this volume takes center stage. The dialogue, with characters nearly always speaking obliquely at cross purposes fuels the humor in these books. In some previous books this dialogue can at times become tedious, but this usually seems to occur if the characters and / or situations are not particularly interesting. In HITMEN I HAVE KNOWN, the dialogue is particularly sharp and James’ gift for satire achieves full bloom. All of James’ recurring characters are well realized, but fans of “Panicking” Ralph will savor the author’s treatment of him and his many pretenses and delusions in this one.
Two criminals who escaped conviction in the murder of an undercover officer are later murdered by an assailant whose detection has eluded police. Suspect in the two murders is ACC Desmond Iles. A TV program has revived interest in the case, its broadcast portraying a thinly disguised Iles as the vigilante perpetrator. Aside from Harpur (Iles’s police partner) and Iles, the broadcast draws the attention of the Home Office and drug dealers Mansel Shale and Ralph Ember. As seen in previous entries, Harpur & Iles turn a blind eye to the activities of Shale and Ember in exchange for the relative peace resulting from two dominant criminals having complete control over their territory, thereby discouraging (with police help) the incursion of potentially destructive (to the local populace) outside forces. A very worried Shale and Ember are driven to action after the brother of one of the criminal murder victims causes a public disturbance (at Ralph’s beloved Monty nightclub) drawing even more attention to the unsolved murder. Iles insulates Shale and Ember from local prosecution and without him their business and luxurious life styles are at great risk.
As is typical for the series, problems are resolved in near absurdist fashion, the resolution being not nearly as interesting as the behind the scenes machinations of Iles and the bumbling of “Panicking” Ralph Ember, who in this volume takes center stage. The dialogue, with characters nearly always speaking obliquely at cross purposes fuels the humor in these books. In some previous books this dialogue can at times become tedious, but this usually seems to occur if the characters and / or situations are not particularly interesting. In HITMEN I HAVE KNOWN, the dialogue is particularly sharp and James’ gift for satire achieves full bloom. All of James’ recurring characters are well realized, but fans of “Panicking” Ralph will savor the author’s treatment of him and his many pretenses and delusions in this one.
January 12, 2019
4 stars
I read the Kindle edition.
ACC Desmond Iles has been accused of murder. While no one else seems worried about it, even Iles, the television shows want to do a documentary about the non-case. Both men, acquitted of killing an undercover police officer, were killed in a dramatic fashion which makes for splashy headlines.
Col Harpur turns to his “snouts” or informers for assistance in ferreting out the truth of the matter. Meanwhile two local crime bosses are worried about their business losses in the wake of the killings. They decide to take the offensive – to head off trouble by starting their own.
They plan a series of “hits” to steer the focus away from Iles and to protect themselves.
I like the way the criminals in this story talk about stuff, but they are really saying something else. It is like a while new language – in code. I had to chuckle at some of the phrases they used: “Personal service, rare high skill” and so on. They philosophize on the psychology of the hitman. I like Iles. His musing about a variety of subjects at the same time is amusing. Harpur is no slouch either. This book is very well written and very entertaining. I like the way the story flows along almost seamlessly.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this fine book for me to read, enjoy and review.
I read the Kindle edition.
ACC Desmond Iles has been accused of murder. While no one else seems worried about it, even Iles, the television shows want to do a documentary about the non-case. Both men, acquitted of killing an undercover police officer, were killed in a dramatic fashion which makes for splashy headlines.
Col Harpur turns to his “snouts” or informers for assistance in ferreting out the truth of the matter. Meanwhile two local crime bosses are worried about their business losses in the wake of the killings. They decide to take the offensive – to head off trouble by starting their own.
They plan a series of “hits” to steer the focus away from Iles and to protect themselves.
I like the way the criminals in this story talk about stuff, but they are really saying something else. It is like a while new language – in code. I had to chuckle at some of the phrases they used: “Personal service, rare high skill” and so on. They philosophize on the psychology of the hitman. I like Iles. His musing about a variety of subjects at the same time is amusing. Harpur is no slouch either. This book is very well written and very entertaining. I like the way the story flows along almost seamlessly.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this fine book for me to read, enjoy and review.
April 17, 2022
Not read james in a fair while and this reminds me he is a singular talent . To direct the book would be to ruin the world james has created . Each novel in the series re hashes old ground repeats characters catchphrases and continues with the approach that no one actually has a conversation its just two people talking at each other. If you have never read him and most havent you are missing one of crime and most other types of fictions great a hievemwnts . Funny wise cynical grey when most fiction is black and white and as ever brilliant .
July 1, 2022
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780...
One of Iles’ undercover cops has been killed. Two men have been accused of the murder but acquitted and then they are murdered. A television show dramatizes the deaths. Part of the population thinks Iles is to blame for the murders of the two accused and wants vengeance, others (especially Ralph Ember) want to be sure Iles is left in place to protect the delicate balance of the competing firms who deal in recreational substances. The Home Office gets involved (who knows why) It is a typical Jamesian set piece.
One of Iles’ undercover cops has been killed. Two men have been accused of the murder but acquitted and then they are murdered. A television show dramatizes the deaths. Part of the population thinks Iles is to blame for the murders of the two accused and wants vengeance, others (especially Ralph Ember) want to be sure Iles is left in place to protect the delicate balance of the competing firms who deal in recreational substances. The Home Office gets involved (who knows why) It is a typical Jamesian set piece.
July 10, 2019
This may be my favorite mystery series. I especially enjoy when Harpur's daughters, Hazel and Jill, are part of the story as they are here. Iles has been accused of a murder and is the subject of a TV film depicting that murder. Ralph Ember goes about planning to eliminate Iles' accuser with a plan that goes somewhat awry.
January 24, 2024
This is James on top form. You can see what is going to happen at the end an absolute mile away, but I'm sure that is quite deliberate by the author. Knowing what is going to happen, or rather, being pretty sure of what is going to happen, makes much of the subsequent text so much more enjoyable. I would have felt cheated had the end been anything other.
December 19, 2019
Couldn’t get into it.
October 9, 2023
This series I'm sure - I'm sure it's like Marmite: either you love it or hate it. I'm a fan (of both)!
July 10, 2019
Thirty five and still great
Bill James brings his ensemble of cops and criminals together in another story of minor mayhem. His characters have taken on a life of their own, and the dialogue, as usual is delightful. The ending, especially, is trademark James - a delight to read.
Bill James brings his ensemble of cops and criminals together in another story of minor mayhem. His characters have taken on a life of their own, and the dialogue, as usual is delightful. The ending, especially, is trademark James - a delight to read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews