On Beulah Height

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful author, wonderful book
Review: Reginald Hill is a wonderful writer. While so many other authors in the mystery genre repeat themselves and take the easy way out when it comes to plotting, Hill continues to challange his readers. Great plotting, great characters, great book.

Rating:
Summary: A fabulously underappreciated writer
Review: Reginald Hill is a writer who has consistently challenged the mystery form with a broadly discursive fascination with the hidden life of very ordinary (though very bright), very modern people. I suspect that's not everyone's take, but it is mine. Hill, like Peter Dickinson, can make setting a character; though characters never become set piece's. Fat Andy is simply more complicated and interesting than is the equally fat Rumpole, but he is also much less comfortable and for that reason perhaps less popular. Fans might also discover another side of Hill if they check out his pseudonym, Patrick Ruell.

Rating:
Summary: Beauty On Beulah Height
Review: There is beauty in this story. The prose and plotting are exceptional. The characters and the dialog between them never fails to fascinate. Although the subject matter is distressing, it is presented in a way that is almost soothing. An excellent read.

Rating:
Summary: Beauty On Beulah Height
Review: There is beauty in this story. The prose and plotting are exceptional. The characters and the dialog between them never fails to fascinate. Although the subject matter is distressing, it is presented in a way that is almost soothing. An excellent read.

Rating:
Summary: Depth, emotion and humor, along with a complex story.
Review: This book has some of the most complex characters I've encountered in a mystery novel. It combines humor, poignancy, and sorrow with an intricate and fascinating mystery... I was attracted to this paperback because of its beautiful, evocative cover, and was delighted to find that, in this case, I *could* judge the book by its cover! Can't wait to read the next book by this author.

Rating:
Summary: It had the promise of something more
Review: This could have been an excellent mystery - but the ending was unfortunately predictable and lame. Aside from the detectives, the remaining characters were one-dimensional and undeveloped. It's a shame because the writing is otherwise beautiful. Still, the book kept my attention and I managed to finish all 548 pages. It was exciting in some areas and I did care about the two main detectives. Overall, it wasn't as good as it good have been, but it certainly wasn't the worst mystery I have ever read!