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Chief Inspector Woodend #20
Fatal Quest
DS Charlie Woodend has a murder to solve.
Trouble is, nobody seems to want him to solve it not Eddie, a Liverpudlian thug sent to threaten him; not DCI Bentley; not Deputy Commissioner Naylor, whose word is law in Scotland Yard; not even the dead girl's mother herself. But Woodend cares. He will find the murderer, he promises himself, even if that means putting his career and perhaps even his own life on the line.
Trouble is, nobody seems to want him to solve it not Eddie, a Liverpudlian thug sent to threaten him; not DCI Bentley; not Deputy Commissioner Naylor, whose word is law in Scotland Yard; not even the dead girl's mother herself. But Woodend cares. He will find the murderer, he promises himself, even if that means putting his career and perhaps even his own life on the line.
236 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2008
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67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 10, 2019
Loved one of the earlier books, not so much this one. The STORY is good, the excesses really got to me.
After I finished the book, I imagined a brief interview with Alan Rustage:
Q. do you use a woman's name as your non de plume so that you can indulge your obsession with italics?
A. I see no problem with a female using 3 to 12 words in italics on every page, do you?
Q. How many fonts are really appropriate in a single book?
A. Obviously, six to eight is usually sufficient as long as one can be regular and italics and another can be regular and bold face.
Q. Still isn't four pages of italics to tell a story within a story, or five pages of Currier font to tell a dream a bit excessive?
A. clearly you have no idea how effective my artistic choices are.
Q. Is it more important to you to write patois or to make the dialogue clear?
A. I am brilliant at writing dialects. There are four different dialects in this story and my readers are far to dull to be able to "read in an accent" without my genius!
Q. But you don't use exaggerated spelling or the "posh" accent.
A. Obviously not as we speak properly.
After I finished the book, I imagined a brief interview with Alan Rustage:
Q. do you use a woman's name as your non de plume so that you can indulge your obsession with italics?
A. I see no problem with a female using 3 to 12 words in italics on every page, do you?
Q. How many fonts are really appropriate in a single book?
A. Obviously, six to eight is usually sufficient as long as one can be regular and italics and another can be regular and bold face.
Q. Still isn't four pages of italics to tell a story within a story, or five pages of Currier font to tell a dream a bit excessive?
A. clearly you have no idea how effective my artistic choices are.
Q. Is it more important to you to write patois or to make the dialogue clear?
A. I am brilliant at writing dialects. There are four different dialects in this story and my readers are far to dull to be able to "read in an accent" without my genius!
Q. But you don't use exaggerated spelling or the "posh" accent.
A. Obviously not as we speak properly.
December 11, 2024
I have just finished reading all the books in this series back to back.
I have so enjoyed the journey with the detectives and their relationships.
The books were also informative over some things, especially the Cuban crisis. as like in the book to me it was something that just happened. I remember my parents huddled round the tv and seeming concerned but as a youngster it really passed me by so it also gave insight into how things were really being perceived at the time.
The books are well worth the time to read
I have so enjoyed the journey with the detectives and their relationships.
The books were also informative over some things, especially the Cuban crisis. as like in the book to me it was something that just happened. I remember my parents huddled round the tv and seeming concerned but as a youngster it really passed me by so it also gave insight into how things were really being perceived at the time.
The books are well worth the time to read
October 6, 2021
Really sad that this is the last book of this series.
August 3, 2016
I read a digital copy of the book, the first time I've ever done that. I suppose I'll get used to reading books this way but I still prefer hardcover books to have and to hold.
It was the last of the Chief Inspector Woodend novels but was set up as a prequel, an account of Woodend's first major case and the reason he was promoted to Chief Inspector, told to his successor, Monika Paniatowski, who has her own series. He told this story to her as they are parting ways, he heading off to his retirement home in Spain, and she continuing on the work they used to do together as a team at Scotland Yard. It was well written, witty, exciting, insightful. I want to read this whole series in order, having heard so much about Charlie Woodend in the Monika Panitowski books I've read. He was her mentor and friend, and after his retirement, she continuously asks herself what Charlie would do in any particular situation. I want some of the history of the cases they worked on together. I find this author's work absorbing.
It was the last of the Chief Inspector Woodend novels but was set up as a prequel, an account of Woodend's first major case and the reason he was promoted to Chief Inspector, told to his successor, Monika Paniatowski, who has her own series. He told this story to her as they are parting ways, he heading off to his retirement home in Spain, and she continuing on the work they used to do together as a team at Scotland Yard. It was well written, witty, exciting, insightful. I want to read this whole series in order, having heard so much about Charlie Woodend in the Monika Panitowski books I've read. He was her mentor and friend, and after his retirement, she continuously asks herself what Charlie would do in any particular situation. I want some of the history of the cases they worked on together. I find this author's work absorbing.
September 9, 2013
DS Charlie Woodend is retiring and while waiting for the train to take him away he tells his partner Monika Paniatowski all about the case that made him a Chief Inspector. Nobody cared about the murder of a "coloured" girl whose body was found near an old war bomb site after WW II. Nobody but Charlie, at least. As the investigation continued, no one at the New Scotland Yard seemed interested in the case. As Woodend stubbornly continues the investigation, he is threatened by both gangsters and his own superiors, but that cannot stop him.
Charlie Woodend's career has come to and end, but this story describes how he became the determined detective he was.
Charlie Woodend's career has come to and end, but this story describes how he became the determined detective he was.
October 10, 2015
Interesting to learn the history of CI Woodend's promotion.
The brutal murder of a teenaged girl is barely investigated. Woodend's boss is not interested in the death of a "darkie". Racism and crooked coppers all over the place in this story set in the 50's.
Despite being blocked from investigating, Charlie uses his own time and resources to uncover the truth. It is a shocking discovery, one that the higher echelons of the police force want to keep hidden. Rough justice is dispensed and, to keep him quiet, Sargent Woodend gets a double promotion to Chief Inspector, and the threat of being sent up north whenever the forces there need help!
The brutal murder of a teenaged girl is barely investigated. Woodend's boss is not interested in the death of a "darkie". Racism and crooked coppers all over the place in this story set in the 50's.
Despite being blocked from investigating, Charlie uses his own time and resources to uncover the truth. It is a shocking discovery, one that the higher echelons of the police force want to keep hidden. Rough justice is dispensed and, to keep him quiet, Sargent Woodend gets a double promotion to Chief Inspector, and the threat of being sent up north whenever the forces there need help!
July 21, 2016
I really like Charlie, the main character, and I adore his wife! I tend to be a determined individual
( a.k.a. stubborn) that frequently does career challenging things in order to do what is right, and so does Charlie. The novel covers quite a bit about class distinctions, and who is REALLY in charge. It is set in London, fairly soon after WWII ends. It rates three rather than four, because I had pretty much figured out the who done it and why about halfway through.
( a.k.a. stubborn) that frequently does career challenging things in order to do what is right, and so does Charlie. The novel covers quite a bit about class distinctions, and who is REALLY in charge. It is set in London, fairly soon after WWII ends. It rates three rather than four, because I had pretty much figured out the who done it and why about halfway through.
March 2, 2010
On his retirement, Wooden recounts his first case. The narrative is littered with racist slurs which I found offensive. I tried reading it in context of the time period and to consider that the protagonist was also offended by the terms. Add that the plot was rather predictable and slow going, and it made for just an okay read. I doubt I'll look for other titles in the series.
July 4, 2016
Charlie Woodend's first case, is actually the last one the author has written about him. An appealing procedural set in the grim streets of post-Blitz London, it's a highly satisfying prequel to the series.
March 16, 2018
This book was OK. The constant italicized words were extremely annoying so after awhile I couldn't even focus on what the book was about
July 7, 2014
FATAL QUEST
A good mystery but very hard to read because of the dialogue. Well written and a page turner except for the use of the Cockney language.
A good mystery but very hard to read because of the dialogue. Well written and a page turner except for the use of the Cockney language.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews