Pel is Provoked (Constable Crime) Book

While many literary detectives have traversed to various media, the adventures of the quirky French detective Pel continue to swell within the confines of the printed page. Prior to creator Mark Hebden's death, the witty, brilliant, Gauloise-addicted 'tec undertook 17 cases and the mantle has passed to his daughter Juliet, for whom Pel is Provoked is her fifth contribution to the series. Through her, Pel has undergone an evolution, retaining his original charm but adapting to a modern, gritty darkness. The plot sees a nurse and her dialysis patient brutally murdered. It becomes clear that they were having an affair and their deaths may be linked to the deaths of two girls in France and Spain who bore strange teeth marks on their necks. Vampires? Perhaps a seemingly innocent religious cult can provide the answers. Like the best detective yarns, the Pel tales provide a superb cohesion of intricate plot, character dynamic and breathless pace with the bonus of raucous wit. Here, Hebden introduces a "mismatched partners" angle with the arrival on the team of Jourdain, a punk detective who is a great foil for the domineering Pel. Gripping and hilarious, this is a compelling entry in a series that deserves far more recognition. --Danny GraydonRead More