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Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer & Other Stories
A vicar nailed to a tree in Yorkshire.
The theft of a priceless artefact during a fire.
A detective forced to tell the truth for 24 hours.
A body hidden in a basement.
From the restless streets of London to the wilds of the Lake District, displaying all his trademark humour, playfulness and clever plotting, this landmark collection brings together the very best of Reginald Hill’s short stories for the first time, complete with a foreword from Val McDermid.
‘One of Britain’s most consistently excellent crime novelists’
The Times
‘A real treat. The characters are deftly drawn, the plot constantly delivers, surprises and the assured narrative demonstrates again what a terrific writer he is'
Observer
'Reginald Hill's novels are really dances to the music of time, his heroes and villains interconnecting, their stories intertwining'
Ian Rankin
'The finest male English contemporary crime writer'
Val McDermid
The theft of a priceless artefact during a fire.
A detective forced to tell the truth for 24 hours.
A body hidden in a basement.
From the restless streets of London to the wilds of the Lake District, displaying all his trademark humour, playfulness and clever plotting, this landmark collection brings together the very best of Reginald Hill’s short stories for the first time, complete with a foreword from Val McDermid.
‘One of Britain’s most consistently excellent crime novelists’
The Times
‘A real treat. The characters are deftly drawn, the plot constantly delivers, surprises and the assured narrative demonstrates again what a terrific writer he is'
Observer
'Reginald Hill's novels are really dances to the music of time, his heroes and villains interconnecting, their stories intertwining'
Ian Rankin
'The finest male English contemporary crime writer'
Val McDermid
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2022
34 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Reginald Hill
154 books501 followersReginald Charles Hill was a contemporary English crime writer, and the winner in 1995 of the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement.
After National Service (1955-57) and studying English at St Catherine's College, Oxford University (1957-60) he worked as a teacher for many years, rising to Senior Lecturer at Doncaster College of Education. In 1980 he retired from salaried work in order to devote himself full-time to writing.
Hill is best known for his more than 20 novels featuring the Yorkshire detectives Andrew Dalziel, Peter Pascoe and Edgar Wield. He has also written more than 30 other novels, including five featuring Joe Sixsmith, a black machine operator turned private detective in a fictional Luton. Novels originally published under the pseudonyms of Patrick Ruell, Dick Morland, and Charles Underhill have now appeared under his own name. Hill is also a writer of short stories, and ghost tales.
After National Service (1955-57) and studying English at St Catherine's College, Oxford University (1957-60) he worked as a teacher for many years, rising to Senior Lecturer at Doncaster College of Education. In 1980 he retired from salaried work in order to devote himself full-time to writing.
Hill is best known for his more than 20 novels featuring the Yorkshire detectives Andrew Dalziel, Peter Pascoe and Edgar Wield. He has also written more than 30 other novels, including five featuring Joe Sixsmith, a black machine operator turned private detective in a fictional Luton. Novels originally published under the pseudonyms of Patrick Ruell, Dick Morland, and Charles Underhill have now appeared under his own name. Hill is also a writer of short stories, and ghost tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 14, 2024
A collection of eleven stories by one of the best crime fiction authors.
-Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vicars, beware!!!
- Market Forces ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Killing a wife is one thing, hiding the body is another.
- The Perfect Murder Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
How to kill and get away with it.
- The Thaw ⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to kill a husband and not get away with it.
- Brass Monkey ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
- True Thomas ⭐⭐⭐
Twenty-four hours telling nothing but the truth? Can he do it?
- Castles ⭐⭐⭐
Natural causes? Or…
- Fool of Myself ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mothers are always right.
- John Brown’s Body ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Be careful what you pray for because you might get it!
- Proxime Accessit ⭐⭐⭐⭐
He nearly made it. Nearly!
- Where the Snow Lay Dinted ⭐⭐⭐
Everyone gets what they want at Christmas.
-Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vicars, beware!!!
- Market Forces ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Killing a wife is one thing, hiding the body is another.
- The Perfect Murder Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
How to kill and get away with it.
- The Thaw ⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to kill a husband and not get away with it.
- Brass Monkey ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
- True Thomas ⭐⭐⭐
Twenty-four hours telling nothing but the truth? Can he do it?
- Castles ⭐⭐⭐
Natural causes? Or…
- Fool of Myself ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mothers are always right.
- John Brown’s Body ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Be careful what you pray for because you might get it!
- Proxime Accessit ⭐⭐⭐⭐
He nearly made it. Nearly!
- Where the Snow Lay Dinted ⭐⭐⭐
Everyone gets what they want at Christmas.
December 15, 2024
Val McDermid provides a fabulous foreword. She writes that “Reg is one of those repeat pleasures I always pick up with the same thrill of anticipation as I get from an impending encounter with an old friend. Rereading is the greatest compliment I can pay a writer.”
She goes on to say, “To choose to return for a second or third time to a book whose shape and ending I already know means I believe that as well as guaranteed pleasure there is the promise of discovering something I’ve missed before.” She is spot on!
I learned that Reginald Hill was a truly accomplished short story writer. I hadn’t known that, I just know that I love his Dalziel and Pascoe series. Additionally, I learned that Hill studied and loved literature.
Indeed, he loved Jane Austen, as evidenced “in the novels, ‘Pictures of Perfection,’ a bucolic Trompe-l’œil of a novel whose title comes from Austen’s line, ‘pictures of perfection make me sick,’ and ‘A Cure for All Diseases,’ a modern re-working of Austen’s unfinished novel, ‘Sanditon,’ but with corpses.” I guffawed at this!
McDermid refers to this volume of short stories as a “rich plum pudding of a collection that will warm the heart on a cold winter’s night.” What a lovely tribute!
Here is an overview of each of the stories in the order they appeared:
Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer – someone is killing a vicar each Sunday. This is a clever story and one of my favorites of the collection. Quote: “’Your friend [Dalziel] has a charitable look about him.’ Anyone who could think that would probably look upon Attila the Hun as an envoy of Greenpeace.”
Market Forces – The first sentence and my favorite: “It is one thing to utter pearls of wisdom. Quite another to swallow them yourself. They tend to stick in the throat.”
The Perfect Murder Club – a surprising story with a twist. If you’ve committed the perfect crime, wouldn’t you want someone to know about it, to appreciate your cleverness?
The Thaw – A writer stays on in a tumble-down cottage in a remote farming community through the winter. As the story unfolds, we come to understand why.
Brass Monkey – another Dalziel and Pascoe story and a favorite. Dalziel’s sharp wit and negotiating skills are highlighted and the Christmas Truce 1914 is referenced.
Drew Thomas - Tom’s mother-in-law asks, “Wouldn’t you rather give up this awful trying police work and take a nice nine-to-five job with father?”
Tom responds: “No, I think I’d rather pick cotton.” His father -in-law laughs fit to burst. However, his wife’s “cold stare which promised payment deferred with interest” made me shiver.
Castles – Plans go awry. I loved this scene between a sage long-married man and a newlywed one: “For a brief moment in the mirror of the glass our eyes meet, and something flickers between us. […] We sit there twinned in regret starring at the moving landscape. He, seeing all his life rushing towards him and me seeing mine drifting slowly away.”
Full of Myself – a mother-son relationship with complications.
John Brown’s Body – an interesting story set in Cornwall, which includes beachcombers who watch for bodies.
Proxime Accessit – Cumulated jealousy of his lifelong friend who has enjoyed fame and a jet set lifestyle in a world of “tinsel triumphs” causes Dennis to plan extreme action. Dennis has spent years watching from the wings while his friend has lived out each of his dreams. “True tragedy lies not in missing your targets but in having a best friend who hits every one.”
Where the Snow Lay Dinted – Another Dalziel and Pascoe story, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s Christmas and Dalziel livens the Pascoe family’s festivities as they celebrate in a country hotel by creating his own mystery.
Favorite quote: "Andrew Dalziel threw back his head and laughed long and loud and God, who is a Yorkshireman, looked fondly down on him and laughed too."
Wonderful nuanced narration is provided by Mike Rogers.
She goes on to say, “To choose to return for a second or third time to a book whose shape and ending I already know means I believe that as well as guaranteed pleasure there is the promise of discovering something I’ve missed before.” She is spot on!
I learned that Reginald Hill was a truly accomplished short story writer. I hadn’t known that, I just know that I love his Dalziel and Pascoe series. Additionally, I learned that Hill studied and loved literature.
Indeed, he loved Jane Austen, as evidenced “in the novels, ‘Pictures of Perfection,’ a bucolic Trompe-l’œil of a novel whose title comes from Austen’s line, ‘pictures of perfection make me sick,’ and ‘A Cure for All Diseases,’ a modern re-working of Austen’s unfinished novel, ‘Sanditon,’ but with corpses.” I guffawed at this!
McDermid refers to this volume of short stories as a “rich plum pudding of a collection that will warm the heart on a cold winter’s night.” What a lovely tribute!
Here is an overview of each of the stories in the order they appeared:
Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer – someone is killing a vicar each Sunday. This is a clever story and one of my favorites of the collection. Quote: “’Your friend [Dalziel] has a charitable look about him.’ Anyone who could think that would probably look upon Attila the Hun as an envoy of Greenpeace.”
Market Forces – The first sentence and my favorite: “It is one thing to utter pearls of wisdom. Quite another to swallow them yourself. They tend to stick in the throat.”
The Perfect Murder Club – a surprising story with a twist. If you’ve committed the perfect crime, wouldn’t you want someone to know about it, to appreciate your cleverness?
The Thaw – A writer stays on in a tumble-down cottage in a remote farming community through the winter. As the story unfolds, we come to understand why.
Brass Monkey – another Dalziel and Pascoe story and a favorite. Dalziel’s sharp wit and negotiating skills are highlighted and the Christmas Truce 1914 is referenced.
Drew Thomas - Tom’s mother-in-law asks, “Wouldn’t you rather give up this awful trying police work and take a nice nine-to-five job with father?”
Tom responds: “No, I think I’d rather pick cotton.” His father -in-law laughs fit to burst. However, his wife’s “cold stare which promised payment deferred with interest” made me shiver.
Castles – Plans go awry. I loved this scene between a sage long-married man and a newlywed one: “For a brief moment in the mirror of the glass our eyes meet, and something flickers between us. […] We sit there twinned in regret starring at the moving landscape. He, seeing all his life rushing towards him and me seeing mine drifting slowly away.”
Full of Myself – a mother-son relationship with complications.
John Brown’s Body – an interesting story set in Cornwall, which includes beachcombers who watch for bodies.
Proxime Accessit – Cumulated jealousy of his lifelong friend who has enjoyed fame and a jet set lifestyle in a world of “tinsel triumphs” causes Dennis to plan extreme action. Dennis has spent years watching from the wings while his friend has lived out each of his dreams. “True tragedy lies not in missing your targets but in having a best friend who hits every one.”
Where the Snow Lay Dinted – Another Dalziel and Pascoe story, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s Christmas and Dalziel livens the Pascoe family’s festivities as they celebrate in a country hotel by creating his own mystery.
Favorite quote: "Andrew Dalziel threw back his head and laughed long and loud and God, who is a Yorkshireman, looked fondly down on him and laughed too."
Wonderful nuanced narration is provided by Mike Rogers.
November 28, 2022
As always with Mr.Hill,an erudite ,perfect delight.I do miss him.
January 28, 2023
Christmas comes early…
This is a collection of eleven short mysteries from the pen of the supremely talented Reginald Hill, none of which have ever appeared in a collection before. HarperCollins and the Reginald Hill Estate got together to produce it, and Tony Medawar did what he does so well in the Bodies in the Library series – tracked down stories that had appeared over the years in newspapers and magazines, and had then to all intents and purposes disappeared from print. The book is foreworded by Val McDermid who admits to her lifelong admiration for Reginald Hill, and to being inspired by him. She writes knowledgeably, warmly and affectionately, and summarises the book as “the best Christmas present any reader could ask for”. I heartily concur!
The book begins and ends with Christmas mysteries, each starring Dalziel and Pascoe and the team, and both are a festive delight. These most famous of Hill’s characters appear in another couple of stories too, while the rest of the stories are non-series tales, showing off Hill’s imagination, plotting skills and range. McDermid considers him a master of the short story form, a thing I’d never really considered before since I know him best for his two major series, Dalziel and Pascoe and the Joe Sixsmith series, and his standalone thrillers. But again, on the basis of the stories presented here, I fully agree. Every one of these stories is a delight, whether Hill is indulging his humorous side or showing the darker aspects of crime. I restricted myself to reading one an evening, and my excited anticipation each time was fully rewarded.
In such a box of delights, it’s hard to pick favourites, but here’s a flavour of a few that hopefully will give an idea of the variety in the collection:
Market Forces – George has murdered his wife by putting a hatchet through her head. Now he has to consider the task of disposing of the body. Rather unoriginally, he decides to bury her beneath the floor of the cellar. But when he digs down, his spade hits a slab which turn out to be, well, burial size. He exerts his strength and manages to lift it, inadvertently releasing the demon who had been trapped there for many years. The demon can’t be truly free though, until it has granted its saviour one wish. But demons are tricky things, and this one isn’t perhaps the most intelligent demon in the underworld… This is full of humour with an absolutely delicious twist that made me laugh out loud. Great fun!
The Thaw – Carpenter is in his cottage in the Yorkshire Dales, waiting for a thaw. Snow had fallen at Christmas and continued on through the winter so that the ground has remained covered for months. Now, in March, it looks as though finally the weather is getting milder. While he waits, we learn why he’s waiting, and the reason is grim. I don’t want to give spoilers so shall say no more, but this is a bleak story, full of human weakness, guilt and duplicity, and the harshness of the snowbound setting makes it darkly atmospheric.
Brass Monkey – A Christmas Dalziel and Pascoe story involving the theft of a Cellini monkey, this is light-hearted fun with a rather emotive edge, in that it reprises the story of the 1914 Christmas truce, when British and German soldiers briefly laid down their arms, sang carols together and played impromptu football matches. All the team is there for this one – Wieldy, Novello, even Hector, and Dalziel is on his best form!
Proxime Accessit – which roughly translated means “nearly made it”. Dennis Platt is a school teacher, greatly respected in his hometown of Dunchester. But Dennis feels he is living the wrong life. His childhood friend, Tom Trotter, always beat him at everything, and now Tom is a famous actor, married to a woman Dennis loved first. He feels Tom has stolen the life that should have been his. When the town council decide to present Dennis with an award, they ask Tom to do the presentation and he, being Dennis’ friend, readily agrees. But Dennis knows that this means all the attention will be on Tom, even on this day which should be Dennis’ day. And so he decides that Tom must be prevented from making the speech. Again this is very well done, and with some humour, but there’s a sad undertone to it in Dennis’ dissatisfaction with a life that, to outward appearances, seems to have been quite successful in its own right.
When the Snow Lay Dinted – another Christmas outing for Dalziel and Pascoe, this time very definitely played for laughs. Peter, Ellie and Rosie are going to a hotel for Christmas and in a moment of weakness, Peter invites Andy along. Partly because he’ll be alone otherwise, with no one to cook for him, and partly because he sees that wine and spirits are included in the price, Andy goes. There is a theft from the hotel and Andy sets out on the trail of footprints, while all the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Peter, of course, follows – in his master’s step he trod, where the snow lay dinted. Well, you get the picture! Lots of fun, and it ends with a lovely interchange between young Rosie and her Uncle Andy which sheds a sweet light on their friendship – sweet, but not saccharin!
Ever since Hill died, I’ve wished there could be just one more book, somehow, sometime. Not one “finished” by someone else, but one written entirely by the master. My wish has been granted! (And I didn’t even have to release a demon…) A wonderful collection!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
This is a collection of eleven short mysteries from the pen of the supremely talented Reginald Hill, none of which have ever appeared in a collection before. HarperCollins and the Reginald Hill Estate got together to produce it, and Tony Medawar did what he does so well in the Bodies in the Library series – tracked down stories that had appeared over the years in newspapers and magazines, and had then to all intents and purposes disappeared from print. The book is foreworded by Val McDermid who admits to her lifelong admiration for Reginald Hill, and to being inspired by him. She writes knowledgeably, warmly and affectionately, and summarises the book as “the best Christmas present any reader could ask for”. I heartily concur!
The book begins and ends with Christmas mysteries, each starring Dalziel and Pascoe and the team, and both are a festive delight. These most famous of Hill’s characters appear in another couple of stories too, while the rest of the stories are non-series tales, showing off Hill’s imagination, plotting skills and range. McDermid considers him a master of the short story form, a thing I’d never really considered before since I know him best for his two major series, Dalziel and Pascoe and the Joe Sixsmith series, and his standalone thrillers. But again, on the basis of the stories presented here, I fully agree. Every one of these stories is a delight, whether Hill is indulging his humorous side or showing the darker aspects of crime. I restricted myself to reading one an evening, and my excited anticipation each time was fully rewarded.
In such a box of delights, it’s hard to pick favourites, but here’s a flavour of a few that hopefully will give an idea of the variety in the collection:
Market Forces – George has murdered his wife by putting a hatchet through her head. Now he has to consider the task of disposing of the body. Rather unoriginally, he decides to bury her beneath the floor of the cellar. But when he digs down, his spade hits a slab which turn out to be, well, burial size. He exerts his strength and manages to lift it, inadvertently releasing the demon who had been trapped there for many years. The demon can’t be truly free though, until it has granted its saviour one wish. But demons are tricky things, and this one isn’t perhaps the most intelligent demon in the underworld… This is full of humour with an absolutely delicious twist that made me laugh out loud. Great fun!
The Thaw – Carpenter is in his cottage in the Yorkshire Dales, waiting for a thaw. Snow had fallen at Christmas and continued on through the winter so that the ground has remained covered for months. Now, in March, it looks as though finally the weather is getting milder. While he waits, we learn why he’s waiting, and the reason is grim. I don’t want to give spoilers so shall say no more, but this is a bleak story, full of human weakness, guilt and duplicity, and the harshness of the snowbound setting makes it darkly atmospheric.
Brass Monkey – A Christmas Dalziel and Pascoe story involving the theft of a Cellini monkey, this is light-hearted fun with a rather emotive edge, in that it reprises the story of the 1914 Christmas truce, when British and German soldiers briefly laid down their arms, sang carols together and played impromptu football matches. All the team is there for this one – Wieldy, Novello, even Hector, and Dalziel is on his best form!
Proxime Accessit – which roughly translated means “nearly made it”. Dennis Platt is a school teacher, greatly respected in his hometown of Dunchester. But Dennis feels he is living the wrong life. His childhood friend, Tom Trotter, always beat him at everything, and now Tom is a famous actor, married to a woman Dennis loved first. He feels Tom has stolen the life that should have been his. When the town council decide to present Dennis with an award, they ask Tom to do the presentation and he, being Dennis’ friend, readily agrees. But Dennis knows that this means all the attention will be on Tom, even on this day which should be Dennis’ day. And so he decides that Tom must be prevented from making the speech. Again this is very well done, and with some humour, but there’s a sad undertone to it in Dennis’ dissatisfaction with a life that, to outward appearances, seems to have been quite successful in its own right.
When the Snow Lay Dinted – another Christmas outing for Dalziel and Pascoe, this time very definitely played for laughs. Peter, Ellie and Rosie are going to a hotel for Christmas and in a moment of weakness, Peter invites Andy along. Partly because he’ll be alone otherwise, with no one to cook for him, and partly because he sees that wine and spirits are included in the price, Andy goes. There is a theft from the hotel and Andy sets out on the trail of footprints, while all the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Peter, of course, follows – in his master’s step he trod, where the snow lay dinted. Well, you get the picture! Lots of fun, and it ends with a lovely interchange between young Rosie and her Uncle Andy which sheds a sweet light on their friendship – sweet, but not saccharin!
Ever since Hill died, I’ve wished there could be just one more book, somehow, sometime. Not one “finished” by someone else, but one written entirely by the master. My wish has been granted! (And I didn’t even have to release a demon…) A wonderful collection!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
December 10, 2024
I enjoyed this anthology of short stories! There was a mixture of stronger & weaker ones, as is the way with any short story collection - and I did start to find it dreary reading about so many unhappy husbands & wives - but they were overall very interesting to read.
I did find it difficult to read too many in one sitting; whether that was because of the writing style, or because I am currently a wee bit delirious with flu-like symptoms remains to be seen 🤪 but even though the writing is now pretty dated, I mostly liked it.
I did find it difficult to read too many in one sitting; whether that was because of the writing style, or because I am currently a wee bit delirious with flu-like symptoms remains to be seen 🤪 but even though the writing is now pretty dated, I mostly liked it.
November 16, 2023
Sublime. Thoroughly enjoyable.
The final tale is the real Christmas one, but all are amazing!
The final tale is the real Christmas one, but all are amazing!
December 14, 2022
A sublime collection of crime fiction from a master storyteller.
A killer targets clergymen each Sunday of Advent…
A husband determines how best to dispose of his wife’s body…
With murder in mind, a man seeks perpetrators of the perfect murder…
A man awaits the thaw while battling his own guilt…
The search for a stolen ornamental statue…
A detective enters a pact to tell nothing but the truth for twenty-four hours…
A man reminisces following his ex-wife’s funeral…
A letter reveals what lies beneath tragedy…
A competitive hunt for corpses in a sleepy seaside town…
A man strives to finally be free from his friend’s shadow…
A mysterious theft one Boxing Day morning…
‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer & Other Stories’ is a collection of eleven short stories by Reginald Hill, all previously published in newspapers or anthologies and collected together for the first time; both a Christmas gift for fans of crime fiction and a tribute to Hill, complete with a foreword by Val McDermid. Featuring three cases for Dalziel and Pascoe, plus another story featuring Dalziel in a pivotal role, and seven standalone stories, the collection is bursting with crimes, mysteries and philosophical pondering galore, along with a hefty dose of dark, dry humour and delicious twists in the tales.
Making such a selection with great difficulty, my personal favourites were:
‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer’, for its serial killer thriller and religious themes;
‘The Thaw’, for its psychological depth and devious twist;
‘Fool of Myself’, for its confessional style and finely orchestrated twist;
‘John Brown’s Body’, for its classic crime set-up and atmospheric setting.
This is a fantastic collection of stories, all cleverly written, simultaneously concise and rich in detail, each of the highest quality. Reginald Hill was a master of the genre and his legacy lives on – this book a showcase of his skill with both the police procedural and psychological thriller; the stories perfectly paced, laced with witty dialogue and touches of satire. The characters are conjured vividly to life, perhaps none more so than Andy Dalziel, at his most colourful, obstinate and brilliant in his appearances. There is a deep sense of nostalgia amongst the pages; Hill’s work feels instantly classic even on experiencing a story for the first time, every one thoroughly entertaining while never losing its murky shadows.
Perfect for Christmas reading and for revisiting all year round, ‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer’ deserves a place on every crime lover’s bookshelf.
A killer targets clergymen each Sunday of Advent…
A husband determines how best to dispose of his wife’s body…
With murder in mind, a man seeks perpetrators of the perfect murder…
A man awaits the thaw while battling his own guilt…
The search for a stolen ornamental statue…
A detective enters a pact to tell nothing but the truth for twenty-four hours…
A man reminisces following his ex-wife’s funeral…
A letter reveals what lies beneath tragedy…
A competitive hunt for corpses in a sleepy seaside town…
A man strives to finally be free from his friend’s shadow…
A mysterious theft one Boxing Day morning…
‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer & Other Stories’ is a collection of eleven short stories by Reginald Hill, all previously published in newspapers or anthologies and collected together for the first time; both a Christmas gift for fans of crime fiction and a tribute to Hill, complete with a foreword by Val McDermid. Featuring three cases for Dalziel and Pascoe, plus another story featuring Dalziel in a pivotal role, and seven standalone stories, the collection is bursting with crimes, mysteries and philosophical pondering galore, along with a hefty dose of dark, dry humour and delicious twists in the tales.
Making such a selection with great difficulty, my personal favourites were:
‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer’, for its serial killer thriller and religious themes;
‘The Thaw’, for its psychological depth and devious twist;
‘Fool of Myself’, for its confessional style and finely orchestrated twist;
‘John Brown’s Body’, for its classic crime set-up and atmospheric setting.
This is a fantastic collection of stories, all cleverly written, simultaneously concise and rich in detail, each of the highest quality. Reginald Hill was a master of the genre and his legacy lives on – this book a showcase of his skill with both the police procedural and psychological thriller; the stories perfectly paced, laced with witty dialogue and touches of satire. The characters are conjured vividly to life, perhaps none more so than Andy Dalziel, at his most colourful, obstinate and brilliant in his appearances. There is a deep sense of nostalgia amongst the pages; Hill’s work feels instantly classic even on experiencing a story for the first time, every one thoroughly entertaining while never losing its murky shadows.
Perfect for Christmas reading and for revisiting all year round, ‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer’ deserves a place on every crime lover’s bookshelf.
November 28, 2023
Very enjoyable
A very entertaining collection of stories from a master storyteller, these didn’t disappoint. As a fan of the Fat Man and his colleague, I particularly enjoyed the stories featuring Andy Dalziel.
A very entertaining collection of stories from a master storyteller, these didn’t disappoint. As a fan of the Fat Man and his colleague, I particularly enjoyed the stories featuring Andy Dalziel.
December 22, 2023
I haven't read Reginald Hill for a few years now, which is a bit negligent on my part. I have always really enjoyed his writing. If I had to single out something it would be The Woodcutter, which I remember reading on an outdoor adventure course I was leading in Patagonia, and passing it round the three leaders with me; all of us became unavailable for duties while we turned it pages..
The Dalziel and Pascoe series appeals less to me than his stand-alones, but this is a really easy, almost cosy, read.
I must get back and read some more from him.
The Dalziel and Pascoe series appeals less to me than his stand-alones, but this is a really easy, almost cosy, read.
I must get back and read some more from him.
December 14, 2023
Really liked this book. There are some stories involving Dalziel and Pascoe, but also others, to make this a great collection. There are none that I would single out as being better than others, as I enjoyed them all.
Val McDermid summarises the book as “the best Christmas present any reader could ask for”. I heartily agree.
Val McDermid summarises the book as “the best Christmas present any reader could ask for”. I heartily agree.
January 13, 2024
This is a collection of eleven delightful, exquisitely crafted short stories by the late mystery writer Reginald Hill. (Why Goodreads doesn’t show an author is a mystery to me, as his name is in the largest font on the cover!) Only three of them involve his famous detectives Dalziel and Pascoe, but all of them are gems.
December 5, 2022
Highly entertaining
..classic Hill.
..classic Hill.
December 10, 2022
Winter stories
A series of short stories of which around half feature Daziel and Pascoe. All are well constructed and have a twist at the end. Recommended.
A series of short stories of which around half feature Daziel and Pascoe. All are well constructed and have a twist at the end. Recommended.
December 15, 2022
A new book from Reginald Hill - always joy!
December 23, 2022
Very entertaining collection of short stories. A lot of them have a Christmas connection. I read them just before Christmas. It seemed very timely and appropriate.
December 28, 2024
Fantastic festive short story selection, especially the falsies and pascoe tales.
December 11, 2023
Reginald Hill & Val McDermid (2022) DALZIEL AND PASCOE HUNT THE CHRISTMAS KILLER & OTHER STORIES (AUDIOBOOK)
BorrowBox - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
BorrowBox writes, "A vicar nailed to a tree in Yorkshire. The theft of a priceless artefact during a fire. A detective forced to tell the truth for 24 hours. A body hidden in a basement.
From the restless streets of London to the wilds of the Lake District, displaying all his trademark humour, playfulness and clever plotting, this landmark collection brings together the very best of Reginald Hill’s short stories for the first time, complete with a foreword from Val McDermid."
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Not sure thriller type short stories in audiobook format really work for me. I like one long yarn if I'm being honest. Think it's a personal thing, that's all. So this is a 3/5 on that basis.
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#ReginaldHill #ValMcDermid #DalzielAndPascoeHuntTheChristmasKillerAndOtherStories #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Christmas #Xmas #MerryChristmas #HappyChristmas #MerryXmas #HappyXmas #HappyHolidays #CrimboReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #BorrowBox
BorrowBox - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
BorrowBox writes, "A vicar nailed to a tree in Yorkshire. The theft of a priceless artefact during a fire. A detective forced to tell the truth for 24 hours. A body hidden in a basement.
From the restless streets of London to the wilds of the Lake District, displaying all his trademark humour, playfulness and clever plotting, this landmark collection brings together the very best of Reginald Hill’s short stories for the first time, complete with a foreword from Val McDermid."
=====
Not sure thriller type short stories in audiobook format really work for me. I like one long yarn if I'm being honest. Think it's a personal thing, that's all. So this is a 3/5 on that basis.
=====
#ReginaldHill #ValMcDermid #DalzielAndPascoeHuntTheChristmasKillerAndOtherStories #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Christmas #Xmas #MerryChristmas #HappyChristmas #MerryXmas #HappyXmas #HappyHolidays #CrimboReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #BorrowBox
January 3, 2025
This was a refreshing return to the work of the late Reginald Hill. Every story was absorbing, but I especially loved the ones starring the characters from his police procedural series set in Yorkshire, Andy Dalziel and Peter Pascoe (and, in the concluding story set during Christmas, Pascoe's wife Ellie and his young daughter). All the humor and twists of the novels in a shorter format. Of the non-series stories, I particularly liked The Thaw, which had lots of suspense and a strong twist at the end, and John Brown's Body, told from the first-person point of view. The collection has an introduction from fellow mystery writer Val McDermid, who clearly appreciates Hill as much as I do (he's one of my all-time favorite writers).
April 19, 2023
3 1/2 stars.
Like all collections, some stories are better than others. Listening to them in succession was kind of depressing, actually. So many stories of unhappy husbands and wives.... If I'd read them in a different order or separated by more time, I may have thought differently about them.
Stories are:
Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer - very good
Market Forces - very good
The Perfect Murder Club - very good
The Thaw - very good
Brass Monkeys - good
True Thomas - ok
Castles - ok
Fool of Myself - ok
John Brown’s Body - good
Proxime Accessit - ok
Where the Snow Lay Dented - ok/nice ending
Like all collections, some stories are better than others. Listening to them in succession was kind of depressing, actually. So many stories of unhappy husbands and wives.... If I'd read them in a different order or separated by more time, I may have thought differently about them.
Stories are:
Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer - very good
Market Forces - very good
The Perfect Murder Club - very good
The Thaw - very good
Brass Monkeys - good
True Thomas - ok
Castles - ok
Fool of Myself - ok
John Brown’s Body - good
Proxime Accessit - ok
Where the Snow Lay Dented - ok/nice ending
May 2, 2023
Reginald Hill was a literate, much respected author of crime fiction so I was quite excited to read this collection of short stories. I did find all the stories very easy to read but unfortunately there was a 'samey' quality to them left me a little dissatisfied; I read the whole book in a couple of sessions, might have been better to space the stories out a little.
November 28, 2023
This book a collection of short stories with Christmas as a very loose theme. All of the stories are "crime" stories. Some are police stories with Dalziel and Pascoe. Some are psychological. Some are like fables. All are inventive and well-written. Good stuff from a great writer.
January 8, 2024
Really glad that I spotted this compilation of the late Reginald Hill's short story. Very enjoyable as you would expect from such a great writer. Really enjoyed the Dalziel and Pascoe stories. They are always fun to read. Have always been a fan of the non-P C fat man. Apart from the D & P stories the book contains a variety of enjoyable stories with surprising endings.
November 25, 2024
Very good
Some of these are very good indeed making an enjoyable read, even the crime at Christmas ones. And the ones not featuring Dalziel and Pascoe show there was more to Reginald Hill than readers might have imagined.
Some of these are very good indeed making an enjoyable read, even the crime at Christmas ones. And the ones not featuring Dalziel and Pascoe show there was more to Reginald Hill than readers might have imagined.
December 24, 2025
In dit boek staan verschillende verhalen, waarvan in sommige Dalziel en Pascoe voorkomen en in andere niet. Reginald Hill was een goede schrijver maar wat mij stoort, is dat Dalziel wordt aangeduid als Fat Man. Dat zouden we in Nederland ongepast vinden.
January 27, 2023
Really enjoyed this one
June 26, 2023
This book is a weird and delightful collection of thriller, mystery, and even paranormal stories—and my first experience of Reginald Hill. My favourites are Proxime Accessit and John Brown's Body.
February 7, 2024
Hill really knows how to tell a good story, even short ones!
February 24, 2025
I miss them all 💜
God is a Yorkshire man 💜
God is a Yorkshire man 💜
June 22, 2025
A bit dated but I enjoyed some of the stories, particularly the title story about twins called Christmas and the final tale about a mysterious robbery at a hotel one Christmas.
July 14, 2025
A very enjoyable collection of short stories. I will definitely be reading one of his full length novels.
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