Status Updates From Gently Go Man (George Gently)

‘I’m free,’ he said. ‘As of now I’ve washed my hands of all squares and the taint of them. I’m on the borders now, screw. I’m reaching out for the big touch. I’m the only free man. You haven’t got a weapon, screw.’
‘I see you as a killer,’ Gently said. ‘A killer who’s scared of the penalty.’

‘I’ll try to give it to you, you’re the only screw I could ever talk to, so I’ll lay it on the line for you. Now the big jazz is touching the real – you dig me, man, touching the real?’ Gently nodded slowly. ‘Breaking through the illusion to the essence,’ he said. ‘Right,’ Deeming said, ‘that’s how a square would define touching. You make some action and grab a kick and like it’s wild enough, you’re touching.'

‘Try the First and Last café,’ he said. ‘You’ll find it just out of town on the Norwich Road.’
‘Is it cool, man?’ Gently asked.
‘Bloody arctic,’ said Setters.
‘Like I may make the scene after a meal,’ Gently said.
[I don't think Gently will be a great success at going undercover to infiltrate the beatniks he is trying to investigate 🤣]

He was in his early fifties, his face was rugged, archetypal. The mouth was full and the jaw squared. The nose was shapely and strong. The eyebrows were heavy, a little greyed. His hair was mid-brown, greying too. His eyes were hazel and had a mild expression. He was Superintendent Gently. He was from Homicide.

After a few chapters, had to skip a ways, into the the middle. Couldn't take that much of the heavy-handed beatnik slang. It improved after the jump, with much less of that stuff.

There's the typical Gently antagonist, haughty and intent on long talks with the detective.