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Constable Nick Mystery #1
Constable on the Hill
Policeman Nick Rhea has been posted to the country with his wife Mary and their three small children. They move into the police house, high on a ridge overlooking the moors. It sits on the edge of the village of Aidensfield — “probably the most beautiful site in the country”.
In the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside of the 1960s, Constable Nick's roles are as varied as the eccentric villagers.
He handles every encounter with his characteristic humour, humanity and professionalism.
His investigations include the case of a clever pony who keeps escaping, a woman running through town naked, and a pack of Canadian timber wolves hanging out in a bus shelter.
IT’S NOT THE BIG CITY BUT THE YORKSHIRE COUNTRYSIDE IS STILL FULL OF INCIDENT
He soon gets to know all the characters on his beat, from his superior officer Sergeant Blaketon to Claude Jeremiah Greengrass, whose lurcher Alfred lands him with a summons for “allowing a dog to worry livestock on agricultural land.” The ever-resourceful Claude Jeremiah offers the defence that Alfred's victim, a budgie, cannot be described as livestock!
In the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside of the 1960s, Constable Nick's roles are as varied as the eccentric villagers.
He handles every encounter with his characteristic humour, humanity and professionalism.
His investigations include the case of a clever pony who keeps escaping, a woman running through town naked, and a pack of Canadian timber wolves hanging out in a bus shelter.
IT’S NOT THE BIG CITY BUT THE YORKSHIRE COUNTRYSIDE IS STILL FULL OF INCIDENT
He soon gets to know all the characters on his beat, from his superior officer Sergeant Blaketon to Claude Jeremiah Greengrass, whose lurcher Alfred lands him with a summons for “allowing a dog to worry livestock on agricultural land.” The ever-resourceful Claude Jeremiah offers the defence that Alfred's victim, a budgie, cannot be described as livestock!
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 337 reviews
May 20, 2020
This book was the first title in Nicholas Rhea's Constable series, which inspired the largely successful TV series Heartbeat. It is based on the author's own experience as a village constable in the North York Moors. The author passed away in 2007.
First in a series, this book introduces Constable Nick Rhea and his wife, Mary, and their three young kids. It is the 60's and Rhea has been posted to a small village filled with little major crime and quirky residents. His job covers just about anything and everything as he is the only policeman there.
Nick's cases run the gamut from an escape artist in the name of a donkey .... a naked woman running through the middle of town ... even a pack of wolves hanging around the bus station.
I especially liked his stories concerning animals .. domestic animals such as dogs, goats, cattle, horses, donkeys, pigs and sheep and the more exotic animals (generally courtesy of the zoo when they escape .... deer, badgers, foxes, hares, even a kangaroo or two and a camel here and there.
The residents are a hoot. Some are quirky, some are friendly, some are not so sure about the new constable ... after all, it takes being a resident many years to be accepted as one of them. There are store owners, craftsmen, and it's a place where everyone knows what everyone is doing.
Highly entertaining, I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Many thanks to Joffe Books / Books n All Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this cozy mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
First in a series, this book introduces Constable Nick Rhea and his wife, Mary, and their three young kids. It is the 60's and Rhea has been posted to a small village filled with little major crime and quirky residents. His job covers just about anything and everything as he is the only policeman there.
Nick's cases run the gamut from an escape artist in the name of a donkey .... a naked woman running through the middle of town ... even a pack of wolves hanging around the bus station.
I especially liked his stories concerning animals .. domestic animals such as dogs, goats, cattle, horses, donkeys, pigs and sheep and the more exotic animals (generally courtesy of the zoo when they escape .... deer, badgers, foxes, hares, even a kangaroo or two and a camel here and there.
The residents are a hoot. Some are quirky, some are friendly, some are not so sure about the new constable ... after all, it takes being a resident many years to be accepted as one of them. There are store owners, craftsmen, and it's a place where everyone knows what everyone is doing.
Highly entertaining, I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Many thanks to Joffe Books / Books n All Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this cozy mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 6, 2020
Constable Nick Rhea moved with his wife Mary and their three small children to his new post in Aidensfield in North Yorkshire. The police house was high on a hill overlooking the moors, and the family were delighted with their new home. Nick was soon on the job, riding his motor bike around the district, checking on licenses, missing stock and lost dogs among other things. He met many and varied folk and had some interesting experiences. One of his colleagues, Sergeant Oscar Blaketon, was a mischievous though kindhearted soul and when the twinkle was in his eye, Nick learned to be wary. Nevertheless, he was caught out quite often and took it in good humour.
Constable on the Hill is the 1st in the Constable Nick Mystery series by Nicholas Rhea and I quite enjoyed it. Based on the author’s own experiences as a village constable, it is light and entertaining, showing the various anecdotes and innovative ways Nick and his colleagues solved any issues they came up against. Apparently, there was a TV series called Heartbeat that was inspired by these books, which was very popular. I haven’t seen or heard of it, living in Australia, but I can imagine it would run in a similar vein to the James Herriot series. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Constable on the Hill is the 1st in the Constable Nick Mystery series by Nicholas Rhea and I quite enjoyed it. Based on the author’s own experiences as a village constable, it is light and entertaining, showing the various anecdotes and innovative ways Nick and his colleagues solved any issues they came up against. Apparently, there was a TV series called Heartbeat that was inspired by these books, which was very popular. I haven’t seen or heard of it, living in Australia, but I can imagine it would run in a similar vein to the James Herriot series. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2020
I was a bit disappointed. It was free to read on Amazon and I saw it was part of a long series and it was listed as a mystery series. Win win win I thought. Well there is absolutely no mystery at all. It’s written along the line of the James Herriott vet books or the Miss Read books which i am very fond of. It takes place in the 70’s pre cell phone/computer which to me adds extra interest in how folks did their jobs sans technology. I see by the cover of later books it was made in to a TV series. So, it was a pleasant read but not sure I will read more.
Also the author and the main character have the same name so i am guessing based in fact.
Also the author and the main character have the same name so i am guessing based in fact.
March 17, 2020
Constable Nick Mystery #1
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
This is the first book in the constable series which inspired the British tv series Heartbeat.
Set in the 1960's in the North Yorkshire Moors. Nick Rhea, his wife and three children have just moved to Aidensfield. But the village is not as quiet as he was expecting it to be. Nick is the only police officer in Aidensfield so he's always on duty. The crimes are trivial compared to today's crimes. Refereeing arguments and finding missing animals are all in a days work.
Maybe it's just me but I did not like Nick's attitude to women. He came across as male chauvinist. There is also lot of repetition. We learn about how a small village was policed back in the day. All the characters that are in the tv show are in the book. Theres quite a lot of quirky characters but ot a lot of action.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Nicholas Rhes for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
This is the first book in the constable series which inspired the British tv series Heartbeat.
Set in the 1960's in the North Yorkshire Moors. Nick Rhea, his wife and three children have just moved to Aidensfield. But the village is not as quiet as he was expecting it to be. Nick is the only police officer in Aidensfield so he's always on duty. The crimes are trivial compared to today's crimes. Refereeing arguments and finding missing animals are all in a days work.
Maybe it's just me but I did not like Nick's attitude to women. He came across as male chauvinist. There is also lot of repetition. We learn about how a small village was policed back in the day. All the characters that are in the tv show are in the book. Theres quite a lot of quirky characters but ot a lot of action.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Nicholas Rhes for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2020
Constable Nick Mystery #1
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
This is the first book in the series which inspired the British TV series Heartbeat.
Set in the 1960's in the North Yorkshire Moors. Nick Rhea, his wife and three children have just moved to Aidensfield. But the village is not as quiet as he was expecting it to be. Nick is the only police officer in Aidensfield so he's always on duty. The crimes are trivial compared to today's crimes. Refereeing arguments and finding missing animals are all in a days work.
Maybe it's just me but i did not like Nick's attitude to women. He came across as male chauvinist. There is also a lot of repetition. We learn about how a small village was policed back in the day. All the characters that are in the tv show are in the book. There's quite a lot of quirky characters but ot a lot of action.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Nicholas Rhea for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
This is the first book in the series which inspired the British TV series Heartbeat.
Set in the 1960's in the North Yorkshire Moors. Nick Rhea, his wife and three children have just moved to Aidensfield. But the village is not as quiet as he was expecting it to be. Nick is the only police officer in Aidensfield so he's always on duty. The crimes are trivial compared to today's crimes. Refereeing arguments and finding missing animals are all in a days work.
Maybe it's just me but i did not like Nick's attitude to women. He came across as male chauvinist. There is also a lot of repetition. We learn about how a small village was policed back in the day. All the characters that are in the tv show are in the book. There's quite a lot of quirky characters but ot a lot of action.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Nicholas Rhea for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2018
I love Heartbeat and was looking forward to reading the books that inspired the series but I was sadly disappointed. To me it read more like "The Life and Times of ..." as it read more like a memoir instead of a procedural story. I hate excessive monologuing without dialogue. And the chapters are too long and never ending. I don't like long chapters that take 40 minutes to read. It is dreary, dull and completely unexciting. I couldn't finish it.
June 29, 2022
This was such a sweet book! I don't mean the word 'sweet' in a derogatory way at all. I know sometimes 'sweet' can feel trite, but I mean 'sweet' to capture a gentleness that is at the heart of this book. PC Nicholas Rhea really cares about his fellow humans and takes his job as a police constable seriously. It's so much more to him than just finding criminals and representing Law & Order. PC Nicholas Rhea has the best interests of his flock at heart. I think the word 'flock' is appropriate because he has an almost pastoral attitude towards his work. He definitely has his fair share of demanding and inconvenient work, but throughout the novel, Rhea's approach to even the troublemakers is humane. He seems like a salt of the earth kind of guy.
This was so reminscent of James Herriot! The community comes to life and there are so many stories of individuals, some sad and some funny. Nicholas and his wife and children are new to town at the beginning of the story and when they arrive at their new home, there is a cabbage on the doorstep! That tells you most of what you need to know. ;)
I listened to the audio read by Philip Franks and he was wonderful. I've already got the next book in the series on hold through Overdrive.
This was so reminscent of James Herriot! The community comes to life and there are so many stories of individuals, some sad and some funny. Nicholas and his wife and children are new to town at the beginning of the story and when they arrive at their new home, there is a cabbage on the doorstep! That tells you most of what you need to know. ;)
I listened to the audio read by Philip Franks and he was wonderful. I've already got the next book in the series on hold through Overdrive.
August 20, 2021
I had been expecting a mystery when I picked this up; it isn't that at all. It is actually a memoir based on the authors time working as a village constable in rural Yorkshire. It's full of amusing anecdotes and interesting characters. A gentle read of a bygone time.
October 18, 2023
This was just the right book at the right time and I found it to be delightful. Phillip Franks did justice to the voices and the accents.
And good news for me… this is a series. And my library carries them. Thank you Hoopla!
And good news for me… this is a series. And my library carries them. Thank you Hoopla!
October 23, 2020
I couldn’t finish it. Ugh. Whoever said this was a delightful series must be easily entertained. I read 20% and walked away. It’s boring as all get out.
February 23, 2025
I am currently watching Heartbeat the series based on the Nicholas Rhea Constable Nick books. I love this series w/ the 60's culture, music -- that so far is not coming across too much in the book format, but still enjoyable. 4/B
December 31, 2023
An undemanding read reminiscent of James Herriott. I enjoyed it, apart from some animal cruelty and a few digs at socialism.
January 10, 2021
Great start to the series. As a huge fan of Heartbeat, I just love this. I hope that Amazon re-issues all 37 books in the series ! Love it !
March 23, 2020
I enjoyed many a happy hour watching the reruns of Heartbeat with Dad. Therefore, I was very happy when I heard the brilliant Joffe Books are republishing the books that inspired the series.
Constable on the Hill is the first book in the series and begins with Nick Rhea arriving in Aidensfield and moving in to the Police house. The fun starts there as we are treated to a humorous description of the antics of the removal company.
I enjoyed watching the characters develop over the course of the book as Nick finds his place among the unique and interesting characters.
This is a very relaxing read which cannot fail to make you smile as we learn about the very unique and very 'Yorkshire' characters. I loved reading about the characters and particularly enjoyed the parts where Nick is dropped in the deep end in situations to the amusement of his colleagues who were aware what would happen.
It is like a step back in time and definitely the perfect book to enjoy over a cuppa.
Constable on the Hill is the first book in the series and begins with Nick Rhea arriving in Aidensfield and moving in to the Police house. The fun starts there as we are treated to a humorous description of the antics of the removal company.
I enjoyed watching the characters develop over the course of the book as Nick finds his place among the unique and interesting characters.
This is a very relaxing read which cannot fail to make you smile as we learn about the very unique and very 'Yorkshire' characters. I loved reading about the characters and particularly enjoyed the parts where Nick is dropped in the deep end in situations to the amusement of his colleagues who were aware what would happen.
It is like a step back in time and definitely the perfect book to enjoy over a cuppa.
October 3, 2020
Why this was marketed as a mystery series is really the only mystery in this book. What this actually is is the memoir of a police constable in a small rural village in Yorkshire, circa 1960. Reminiscent of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small series or Gervase Phinn's The Dales series.
Loses half a star for being marketed as something it isn't.
3.5 stars
Loses half a star for being marketed as something it isn't.
3.5 stars
February 6, 2021
The books 'Heartbeat' is based on. Nothing really happens. A young policeman moves to a rural area in the 60s and tells us about the people he encounters. A true story. Keeps banging on about 'socialists' and 'socialism' as if its a bad thing. Won't be reading the rest of the series.
May 13, 2020
I would say, this has been a mild engaging and entertaining tale. Constable Rhea had an unusual Welcome from the villagers of his new close knit community, being tested with their local culture. He passed the first with flying colors and so initiated himself in the community. A relaxing read.
August 23, 2020
The Manchester Evening News' review of Constable on the Hill by Nicholas Rhea asserted that, "These books . . . do for the police service in North Yorkshire what James Herriot's did for the vets there . . ." .
Any reader looking for a traditional cozy mystery will certainly be disappointed. This reads much more as a memoir than a murder mystery (actually, it's a fictionalized account of author Nicholas Rhea's life (pseudonym for Peter N. Walker) and his career as a village policeman - very similar to James Herriot's (actually James Alfred Wight) anecdotal approach to his life experiences as a vet.
That said, I found Constable on the Hill to be entertaining in a slow-paced, mildly humorous, and pleasant manner.
Any reader looking for a traditional cozy mystery will certainly be disappointed. This reads much more as a memoir than a murder mystery (actually, it's a fictionalized account of author Nicholas Rhea's life (pseudonym for Peter N. Walker) and his career as a village policeman - very similar to James Herriot's (actually James Alfred Wight) anecdotal approach to his life experiences as a vet.
That said, I found Constable on the Hill to be entertaining in a slow-paced, mildly humorous, and pleasant manner.
January 26, 2023
Thought this will be a nice read as tv series Heartbeat was based on these books. I couldn’t engage with the characters at all. Glad I didnt download the complete series.
May 20, 2021
On and on and on.....I finally just closed it and went to sleep.
July 1, 2020
I was introduced to James Herriot quite early on thanks to an Aunt who had all the four omnibus editions. I saw that this book was on a similar line and decided to give it a shot. I have since found out that this was a very long-running series in Britain and even watched a clip or two. It looked quite good.
The biggest realisation I have had is that I like non-fiction to follow a timeline instead of being grouped in order of ‘type’ of occurrence. This book begins with Nicholas Rhea taking up a new post as a local constable. He moves into a new home with his wife and children and almost immediately jumps into the daily routine of his job. From that point, the chapters are grouped by occurrences. Animal shenanigans are lumped together, as are religious leaders doing their bit for unity in the town, and so on. Overall it was a quaint read, a look back at a time and place where things were done differently. I liked the read, but for the size of the book, it took me a while to read it entirely. The people have their own quirks and play different roles in the day to day of village/town happenings. It is not hard to like Constable Rhea, who is conscientious as well as a person who looks out for others.
I would recommend this to people who are familiar with the show without having read the book to draw comparisons.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley, but the review is entirely is based on my own reading experience.
The biggest realisation I have had is that I like non-fiction to follow a timeline instead of being grouped in order of ‘type’ of occurrence. This book begins with Nicholas Rhea taking up a new post as a local constable. He moves into a new home with his wife and children and almost immediately jumps into the daily routine of his job. From that point, the chapters are grouped by occurrences. Animal shenanigans are lumped together, as are religious leaders doing their bit for unity in the town, and so on. Overall it was a quaint read, a look back at a time and place where things were done differently. I liked the read, but for the size of the book, it took me a while to read it entirely. The people have their own quirks and play different roles in the day to day of village/town happenings. It is not hard to like Constable Rhea, who is conscientious as well as a person who looks out for others.
I would recommend this to people who are familiar with the show without having read the book to draw comparisons.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley, but the review is entirely is based on my own reading experience.
May 28, 2020
Actual rating: 3.5 stars. Reads like a cross between James Herriot and Miss Read, although not the same great caliber of either, with a side of Patrick Taylor ("An Irish Doctor" series.) Also, I have to take exception to the subtitle: Constable Nick Mystery #1) There is no mystery here other than how to move along some protestors without violence! A pleasant collection of incidents that seem to be taking place around the mid-1960's in North Yorkshire as a young police constable is settling into his job and the locale, although he speaks broad Yorkshire dialect with the best of them. This series is clearly derivative of "The All Things Bright & Beautiful" books which deal with a young vet and his patients in the same surroundings. The descriptions of the landscape are very good, but the "events" are lacking in punch and the writing is slow and turgid. I grew quite restive waiting for something, anything, to happen and it wasn't until the tale of the Yorkshire Terrier and the donkey that it finally made me laugh!
Still, an amiable enough read for when I am sick of gruesome or intense books and need a quiet relief!
Still, an amiable enough read for when I am sick of gruesome or intense books and need a quiet relief!
March 16, 2020
This is the first book in the highly popular "Constable" series upon which the TV series "Heartbeat" was based, and which are now in the process of being republished by Joffe Books. Altogether there were 37 books in the series so there will be plenty for fans to go at! It starts where Constable Nick Rhea is relocated to the hilltop police house in Aidensfield in North Yorkshire with his wife and young family. Even the removal van brought its share of characters. It is billed as "Constable Nick Mystery 1" which I don't think is an accurate title, since this book is in fact a series of anecdotes rather than a mystery story and reads each chapter is more like a short story. However apart from that it really it is everything it says on the tin! A funny, heart-warming and entertaining book set in a bygone time where some people didn't even have (or want) electricity and cars, and led very different lives from today, and where the duties of a policeman varied greatly from what they would be expected to do now. Essentially though, people don't change, and there is the usual mix of good, bad and plain old crafty ones in these stories. Justice normally prevails (or is at least seen to) by one means or another, and very often without an actual arrest! In fact some of the solutions to the incidents involved are downright clever and sure to bring a chuckle from the reader. Good gentle reading which will appeal to a great many readers. 4.5*
December 4, 2009
To be really blunt, this is not my normal reading fare, but I loved it. It's the story of a British policeman who moves to the village of Aidensfield in North Yorkshire to take the job as constable there and the immediate environs. It's a small village where everyone knows everyone, and although you wouldn't find (or at least, at the time of the writing of this book, at least) a lot of big-city type crime there, the author notes that there was enough going on to keep him quite busy. For example, take the case of the roaming pony; you might also enjoy the case of the woman wandering the streets naked; then there's the time Constable Nick staked out a pack of Canadian timber wolves at the train station.
What I liked most about this book was that it focused on people rather than events, and that Nick used his knowledge of the individuals involved in the pursuit of justice rather than just coming down hard with the full force of the letter of the law, with which he doesn't always agree. He even notes that
"Keen socialists are attempting to remove that valuable exercise of discretion from the policeman's armoury -- it will be a sad day when it has gone. When it does go, the feared police state will have arrived when all rules will be obeyed, down to the last cruel letter of the law. Human policemen will no longer exist." (29)
Nick (and his sergeant) really epitomize the meaning of "human policemen," and that's what makes this book special, along with the multiple personalities that populate this novel.
I would highly recommend this book, and I do believe I'll read more of the "Constable" series -- maybe even pick up the first episode of "Heartbeat," the British tv series based on Rhea's books. Constable on the Hill is a joy for everyone who likes small-town life or likes to read more upbeat kind of stories that often come from the heart.
To be really blunt, this is not my normal reading fare, but I loved it. It's the story of a British policeman who moves to the village of Aidensfield in North Yorkshire to take the job as constable there and the immediate environs. It's a small village where everyone knows everyone, and although you wouldn't find (or at least, at the time of the writing of this book, at least) a lot of big-city type crime there, the author notes that there was enough going on to keep him quite busy. For example, take the case of the roaming pony; you might also enjoy the case of the woman wandering the streets naked; then there's the time Constable Nick staked out a pack of Canadian timber wolves at the train station.
What I liked most about this book was that it focused on people rather than events, and that Nick used his knowledge of the individuals involved in the pursuit of justice rather than just coming down hard with the full force of the letter of the law, with which he doesn't always agree. He even notes that
"Keen socialists are attempting to remove that valuable exercise of discretion from the policeman's armoury -- it will be a sad day when it has gone. When it does go, the feared police state will have arrived when all rules will be obeyed, down to the last cruel letter of the law. Human policemen will no longer exist." (29)
Nick (and his sergeant) really epitomize the meaning of "human policemen," and that's what makes this book special, along with the multiple personalities that populate this novel.
I would highly recommend this book, and I do believe I'll read more of the "Constable" series -- maybe even pick up the first episode of "Heartbeat," the British tv series based on Rhea's books. Constable on the Hill is a joy for everyone who likes small-town life or likes to read more upbeat kind of stories that often come from the heart.
To be really blunt, this is not my normal reading fare, but I loved it. It's the story of a British policeman who moves to the village of Aidensfield in North Yorkshire to take the job as constable there and the immediate environs. It's a small village where everyone knows everyone, and although you wouldn't find (or at least, at the time of the writing of this book, at least) a lot of big-city type crime there, the author notes that there was enough going on to keep him quite busy. For example, take the case of the roaming pony; you might also enjoy the case of the woman wandering the streets naked; then there's the time Constable Nick staked out a pack of Canadian timber wolves at the train station.
What I liked most about this book was that it focused on people rather than events, and that Nick used his knowledge of the individuals involved in the pursuit of justice rather than just coming down hard with the full force of the letter of the law, with which he doesn't always agree. He even notes that
"Keen socialists are attempting to remove that valuable exercise of discretion from the policeman's armoury -- it will be a sad day when it has gone. When it does go, the feared police state will have arrived when all rules will be obeyed, down to the last cruel letter of the law. Human policemen will no longer exist." (29)
Nick (and his sergeant) really epitomize the meaning of "human policemen," and that's what makes this book special, along with the multiple personalities that populate this novel.
I would highly recommend this book, and I do believe I'll read more of the "Constable" series -- maybe even pick up the first episode of "Heartbeat," the British tv series based on Rhea's books. Constable on the Hill is a joy for everyone who likes small-town life or likes to read more upbeat kind of stories that often come from the heart.
What I liked most about this book was that it focused on people rather than events, and that Nick used his knowledge of the individuals involved in the pursuit of justice rather than just coming down hard with the full force of the letter of the law, with which he doesn't always agree. He even notes that
"Keen socialists are attempting to remove that valuable exercise of discretion from the policeman's armoury -- it will be a sad day when it has gone. When it does go, the feared police state will have arrived when all rules will be obeyed, down to the last cruel letter of the law. Human policemen will no longer exist." (29)
Nick (and his sergeant) really epitomize the meaning of "human policemen," and that's what makes this book special, along with the multiple personalities that populate this novel.
I would highly recommend this book, and I do believe I'll read more of the "Constable" series -- maybe even pick up the first episode of "Heartbeat," the British tv series based on Rhea's books. Constable on the Hill is a joy for everyone who likes small-town life or likes to read more upbeat kind of stories that often come from the heart.
To be really blunt, this is not my normal reading fare, but I loved it. It's the story of a British policeman who moves to the village of Aidensfield in North Yorkshire to take the job as constable there and the immediate environs. It's a small village where everyone knows everyone, and although you wouldn't find (or at least, at the time of the writing of this book, at least) a lot of big-city type crime there, the author notes that there was enough going on to keep him quite busy. For example, take the case of the roaming pony; you might also enjoy the case of the woman wandering the streets naked; then there's the time Constable Nick staked out a pack of Canadian timber wolves at the train station.
What I liked most about this book was that it focused on people rather than events, and that Nick used his knowledge of the individuals involved in the pursuit of justice rather than just coming down hard with the full force of the letter of the law, with which he doesn't always agree. He even notes that
"Keen socialists are attempting to remove that valuable exercise of discretion from the policeman's armoury -- it will be a sad day when it has gone. When it does go, the feared police state will have arrived when all rules will be obeyed, down to the last cruel letter of the law. Human policemen will no longer exist." (29)
Nick (and his sergeant) really epitomize the meaning of "human policemen," and that's what makes this book special, along with the multiple personalities that populate this novel.
I would highly recommend this book, and I do believe I'll read more of the "Constable" series -- maybe even pick up the first episode of "Heartbeat," the British tv series based on Rhea's books. Constable on the Hill is a joy for everyone who likes small-town life or likes to read more upbeat kind of stories that often come from the heart.
To be really blunt, this is not my normal reading fare, but I loved it. It's the story of a British policeman who moves to the village of Aidensfield in North Yorkshire to take the job as constable there and the immediate environs. It's a small village where everyone knows everyone, and although you wouldn't find (or at least, at the time of the writing of this book, at least) a lot of big-city type crime there, the author notes that there was enough going on to keep him quite busy. For example, take the case of the roaming pony; you might also enjoy the case of the woman wandering the streets naked; then there's the time Constable Nick staked out a pack of Canadian timber wolves at the train station.
What I liked most about this book was that it focused on people rather than events, and that Nick used his knowledge of the individuals involved in the pursuit of justice rather than just coming down hard with the full force of the letter of the law, with which he doesn't always agree. He even notes that
"Keen socialists are attempting to remove that valuable exercise of discretion from the policeman's armoury -- it will be a sad day when it has gone. When it does go, the feared police state will have arrived when all rules will be obeyed, down to the last cruel letter of the law. Human policemen will no longer exist." (29)
Nick (and his sergeant) really epitomize the meaning of "human policemen," and that's what makes this book special, along with the multiple personalities that populate this novel.
I would highly recommend this book, and I do believe I'll read more of the "Constable" series -- maybe even pick up the first episode of "Heartbeat," the British tv series based on Rhea's books. Constable on the Hill is a joy for everyone who likes small-town life or likes to read more upbeat kind of stories that often come from the heart.
April 18, 2020
2020 bk 137. Constable on the Hill reminded me of the Miss Read series, although this series starts in 1960's Yorkshire. It has the same quiet recounting of events in a British village - or rather villages as the Police Constable is in charge of several villages at the time. It is written in first person and while it reads as biography, it is cataloged as fiction. After the frentic pace of the prior few books, this was perfect for a quiet, thoughtful reflection on how human nature is basically the same across cultures and times. I can foresee myself spending lots of money - there seem to be about 30 books in the series.
December 18, 2020
Not familiar with the television series Heartbeat that came out of this series by Rhea. It is a collection of odd yarns, odd country folk and their ways with nothing much happening beyond hard scrabble living with interesting dialect and behavior displayed by one and all. Simple country living in another era with a demanding daily routine for a police constable portrayed with some lovely human interaction.
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October 24, 2020
A hilarious and unforgettable collection of anecdotes from a master storyteller.
I found this book very difficult to put down. The tales are well told and the characters very easy to identify with. The only consolation upon reaching the end is the fact that there are so many more to enjoy from the pen of this accomplished storyteller.
I found this book very difficult to put down. The tales are well told and the characters very easy to identify with. The only consolation upon reaching the end is the fact that there are so many more to enjoy from the pen of this accomplished storyteller.
December 21, 2025
Constable on the Hill could be put in the same category with James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small series. Both were written based on the writer's daily working lives. Just change a vet (in Herriot's) to a police constable.
My complete review: https://klasikfanda.blogspot.com/2025...
My complete review: https://klasikfanda.blogspot.com/2025...
May 22, 2020
A nice little book about a policeman living in the countryside of England. Reading it is like watching a nice Masterpiece Theater show about life in the English countryside. Nothing much happens, but it's pleasant enough.
December 13, 2023
This was a charming book about being a policeman in a small village. The audio book was a quiet, easy way to pass some time.
FYI: It is listed as a cozy mystery, but I wouldn't label it as such. It really has no mystery to solve and it is more like a series of antidotes about Nick's experiences.
FYI: It is listed as a cozy mystery, but I wouldn't label it as such. It really has no mystery to solve and it is more like a series of antidotes about Nick's experiences.
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