The Good Detective

by H.R.F. Keating

By the author of "The Bad Detective" and "The Rich Detective", this book also features a policeman whose human weakness affects the work he does.

Genres: Audiobook

199 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Henry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating was an English writer of crime fiction most notable for his series of novels featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID.

H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.

Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens

Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal

Reviews

[Suzanne Gabbay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a perfect example of what I can only describe as the power of the human voice. What exactly do I mean by this? Well, to be completely honest, I feel that in its written form, the story is pretty much a mediocre read. It’s the kind of book that reads fairly quickly; keeps the reader somewhat engaged, but doesn’t really have much substance or oomph to it at all.

However, when I listened to the audio version narrated by Frederick Davidson, I was blown away! There is no other way for me to describe it, but that he somehow managed to take what I consider to be “so-so” material, and turned it into a first-class story. His reading performance; his inflection and nuance in shaping the main characters in this book completely changed my perception of the story. I was intrigued; I was moved; I was captivated by the storyline. What a gift this man had! Highly recommend the audio version!

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and give it 3.5 stars. Ned French is "The Good Detective", a man w. a flawed past. He aided in getting a false confession for murder from a woman who was innocent and now it has come back to haunt him, just when he is about to make the biggest arrest ever

[AD Moreau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good to me!

I was surprised to see the average rating for The Good Detective by H.R.F. Keating "only" received a 2 star rating; I thought it a fairly good read (maybe that's what 2 stars equal). Yes, it's another in the series of books from this author with similar titles, (which I didn't note until beginning my review). Yes, I had read "The Hard Detective," and it did lead to me reading this book.

H.R.F. Keating's "The Good Detective" is about a cop (DSI, I think), having to review a more than 10-year old case, and then dealing with the way he had handled the case. As as it turns out, he and the senior cop may have convicted and sent to prison the wrong person. Along the way, "The Good Detective" is challenged by an activist lawyer, a woman, who becomes a thorn in his side, pressuring him to meet with her to review the case; and perhaps consider if he was wrong so that the prisoner, a middle-aged woman in poor health can be released. This "Good Detective" is not worried about the conviction, because he was certain it was a "good conviction," and has never looked back on the case in regret. And yet, more and more as he is being pressured by the woman activist to review the case, "The Good Detective" is reluctantly starting to "see" differently that "good conviction" and his actions as a "good detective" all those years ago. This become especially bothersome as he is working on a very tricky case that keeps turning, winding, unfolding in ways that makes the reader wonder if he is "The Good Detective" he believes himself to be.

So why do I think "The Good Detective" deserves 3 stars instead of 2? This book kept me guessing. Simple as that. Even when I thought I knew what was going on; it turned out I was off course; if just a little bit; which can mean a lot in the difference between someone's imprisonment and freedom. This essentially, (I imagine), is a significant subtle between being a "bad detective" or a "good detective" among other things, like knowing when you're making bad or good decision as a detective.

[Kathleen Hagen]

The Good Detective, by H. R. F. Keating, B. Narrated by Frederick Davidson, produced by Blackstone Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

This is the story of a policeman who made his first big case about 20 years ago when he arrested a man for murder. The man always claimed he was innocent, and 20 years later, there started to be some evidence to indicate that he should at least get a new trial. The defense attorney, a woman no one wants to get on the wrong side of, becomes interested in the detective, even though there might be some conflict of interest in their seeing each other, and they begin an affair. Then, evidence starts collecting which would seem to point toward the man being truly innocent. The detective finds himself hiding things from his girl friend, the defense attorney. It’s a good book with a lot of built-in tension. Frederick Davidson does a very good narration of this book.

[Michael P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less a mystery book than a mainstream novel about a detective, and rather good. Ned French only wants to be a good detective which sometimes leads him to do bad things. We see him struggle to redeem himself in this story. The romance is not convincing, though it is essential to French’s transformation. This is a deep flaw in an otherwise good novel.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not get into this book. It wasn't the story or the writing..I guess I just didn't care..

[Jenny Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it as an audiobook and I suspect this was a good move as it needed something to bring it alive. As much about the detective as the crime itself.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by Keating.

[Darlene]

The story always kept you guessing. Fast read.