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The DI Charlie Priest series is one of the most delightful – and under-rated – in the genre. Stuart Pawson has created a thoroughly believable and likeable character who's surrounded by the kind of funny and hard-working colleagues you'd give your left arm to have in real life! Charlie's patch is Heckley, a mythical, but totally convincing Yorkshire town. Pawson has always struck a good balance between portraying the day-to-day slog of a policeman's job and our hero's private life. This time out there's less of the latter (no woman on the horizon for Charlie at the moment) and a healthy dose of the former. In GRIEF ENCOUNTERS Charlie finds that there's more to a number of seemingly unrelated incidents than meets the eye. Unpopular DCS Colin Swainby resigns after allegations made against him by a pretty woman, while MP Edward Goss is photographed in a compromising position on the backseat of his car. And a respected headteacher is brought in for drink-driving. Meanwhile, there's also a shock for Charlie when an unidentified body found in parkland near Halifax turns out to be a blast from his long ago art school past GRIEF ENCOUNTERS is mellow, witty and with a definite sting in the tail. But not having the story as Charlie's point of view all through weakens it – the baddies are actually rather dull, and I almost resented the time spent with them. And there's some iffy proof-reading, not least on the dustjacket. I sniggered at the wanton soup in the Chinese restaurant, which was presumably flaunting itself! As usual, the fun is in following Charlie, Dave, Mad Maggie and the crew through the enquiry. You'll guess one not very subtle plot twist, but otherwise wallow in some of the best dialogue and world-building in the genre. GRIEF ENCOUNTERS isn't the best in the series, but it didn't seem to matter. I cleared the decks until I'd finished it. Pawson operating slightly below par is still worth anyone's time. If you haven't come across Charlie and mates, go back to the start of the series and prepare to be royally entertained.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, November 2007
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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