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Inspector Thanet #6
Dead on Arrival
Thanet's beat remains the town of Sturrenden, his milieu the upper middle classes, his sleuthing style understated and shrewdly intuitive -- when he isn't beset by such family problems as his teenage daughter's posh new boyfriend. The inspector finds a diversion of sorts at a local fete hosted by the prominent Fairleigh family. But then death strikes: someone uses a pillow to suffocate the clan's tough old matriarch only days after she suffers a stroke. Suspects include the immediate family -- a son in politics, a daughter-in-law mourning her baby's death, a timid sister -- and the usual collection of odd servants beloved by British crime writers.
242 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
451 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Dorothy Simpson
36 books118 followersDorothy Preece Simpson writes...
"I was born and brought up in South Wales, went to Bridgend Grammar School and then on to Bristol University, where I read modern languages before moving to Kent, the background of the Thanet novels, to teach French at Dartford and Erith Grammar Schools.
Moving to the Maidstone area on my marriage, I then spent several years devoting myself to bringing up my three children. During that time I trained as a marriage guidance counsellor and subsequently worked as one for thirteen years.
You may think that marriage guidance counsellor to crime writer is rather a peculiar career move, but although I didn’t realise it at the time, of course, the training I received was the best possible preparation for writing detective novels. Murder mysteries are all about relationships which go disastrously wrong and the insights I gained into what makes people tick, into their interaction and motivations, have been absolutely invaluable to DI Thanet, my series character, as have the interviewing skills I acquired during my years of counselling.
I began to write after a long illness in 1975. The success of my first book, a suspense novel called HARBINGERS OF FEAR, gave me sufficient impetus to carry me through the two rejections which followed - very disheartening at the time, but invaluable in retrospect.
It was during this period that I realised that the crime novel is of such diversity that it offers enormous scope to the writer and decided to attempt to lay the foundation for a series of detective novels in my next book. This was the THE NIGHT SHE DIED." This was the first in a 15 book series starring Detective Inspector Luke Thanet. Severe repetitive stress injury caused her to stop writing in 2000.
She is an award winning author, receiving a Silver Dagger Award from the Crime Writers' Association of Great Britain.
"I was born and brought up in South Wales, went to Bridgend Grammar School and then on to Bristol University, where I read modern languages before moving to Kent, the background of the Thanet novels, to teach French at Dartford and Erith Grammar Schools.
Moving to the Maidstone area on my marriage, I then spent several years devoting myself to bringing up my three children. During that time I trained as a marriage guidance counsellor and subsequently worked as one for thirteen years.
You may think that marriage guidance counsellor to crime writer is rather a peculiar career move, but although I didn’t realise it at the time, of course, the training I received was the best possible preparation for writing detective novels. Murder mysteries are all about relationships which go disastrously wrong and the insights I gained into what makes people tick, into their interaction and motivations, have been absolutely invaluable to DI Thanet, my series character, as have the interviewing skills I acquired during my years of counselling.
I began to write after a long illness in 1975. The success of my first book, a suspense novel called HARBINGERS OF FEAR, gave me sufficient impetus to carry me through the two rejections which followed - very disheartening at the time, but invaluable in retrospect.
It was during this period that I realised that the crime novel is of such diversity that it offers enormous scope to the writer and decided to attempt to lay the foundation for a series of detective novels in my next book. This was the THE NIGHT SHE DIED." This was the first in a 15 book series starring Detective Inspector Luke Thanet. Severe repetitive stress injury caused her to stop writing in 2000.
She is an award winning author, receiving a Silver Dagger Award from the Crime Writers' Association of Great Britain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
December 21, 2018
Not much to say about this short book in the Inspector Thanet series. I figured out the twist pretty quickly once I got past the padding about Thanet's family and his daughter's cooking contest. Not a waste of time but nothing special either. Rather bland.
March 23, 2019
This is my first reading of a Dorothy Simpson book featuring Inspector Thanet in the locale of Kent, England, published in 1986. It focuses on good police work investigating a murder connected to a couple of other deaths.
I chose the cleanest book on the library shelf containing her many works with nothing else to go by. I will keep her name on my list of authors who include family values within the weaving of solving difficult murder cases.
Thanet has a favorite sergeant, Mike Lineham, he likes to work with. His cantankerous superior Hines throws tantrums and tries to steal Lineham whenever possible, but Thanet maintains his amused cool demeanor and wins the battle this time around.
I chose the cleanest book on the library shelf containing her many works with nothing else to go by. I will keep her name on my list of authors who include family values within the weaving of solving difficult murder cases.
Thanet has a favorite sergeant, Mike Lineham, he likes to work with. His cantankerous superior Hines throws tantrums and tries to steal Lineham whenever possible, but Thanet maintains his amused cool demeanor and wins the battle this time around.
August 12, 2019
This was my favorite so far in the series! I had it figured out for the most part, and enjoyed the way it all came together. Thanet and his family, along with Lineham, are great characters and story lines, seldom found in detective/police procedurals.
August 17, 2025
Dead on Arrival (Inspector Thanet #6) by Dorothy Simpson; first published in 1986.
Blurb -
Det. Inspector Luke Thanet’s stomach clenches up as soon as he hears the phrase “head bashed in.” Even after countless homicides, the mild-mannered country cop has never gotten comfortable with murder, and his latest case is particularly upsetting. The dead man is found in bed, apparently the victim of a single blow with a blunt object. When the corpse is identified as Steven Long, the question is no longer who wanted to kill him, but who didn’t?
A troublemaker with enemies wherever he went, Long was loathed by everyone in town, from his long-suffering ex-wife to the man whose family he killed in a driving accident. To find the culprit, Thanet will have to get to the bottom of a lifetime of hate.
My take -
I have been a reader and a fan of Dorothy Simpson on and off over the years. There's a certain comfort and satisfaction that I get when I read one of her mysteries. Perhaps not the trickiest mystery writer out there, but certainly one who can cast a police procedural that ticks most of the boxes. DI Luke Thanet with the aid of DS Mike Lineham relentlessly pursue justice for the folks of the Kent town of Sturrenden and the family of Steven Long. Not one to cut corners or jump to conclusions, Thanet both follows the clues and uses his honed detective skills in pursuit of identifying the perpetrator amongst a rather large field of suspects. I'm pleased enough with this 4-star mystery that I have my sights on book #7 in the series for the not-too-distant future.
Blurb -
Det. Inspector Luke Thanet’s stomach clenches up as soon as he hears the phrase “head bashed in.” Even after countless homicides, the mild-mannered country cop has never gotten comfortable with murder, and his latest case is particularly upsetting. The dead man is found in bed, apparently the victim of a single blow with a blunt object. When the corpse is identified as Steven Long, the question is no longer who wanted to kill him, but who didn’t?
A troublemaker with enemies wherever he went, Long was loathed by everyone in town, from his long-suffering ex-wife to the man whose family he killed in a driving accident. To find the culprit, Thanet will have to get to the bottom of a lifetime of hate.
My take -
I have been a reader and a fan of Dorothy Simpson on and off over the years. There's a certain comfort and satisfaction that I get when I read one of her mysteries. Perhaps not the trickiest mystery writer out there, but certainly one who can cast a police procedural that ticks most of the boxes. DI Luke Thanet with the aid of DS Mike Lineham relentlessly pursue justice for the folks of the Kent town of Sturrenden and the family of Steven Long. Not one to cut corners or jump to conclusions, Thanet both follows the clues and uses his honed detective skills in pursuit of identifying the perpetrator amongst a rather large field of suspects. I'm pleased enough with this 4-star mystery that I have my sights on book #7 in the series for the not-too-distant future.
July 4, 2017
Another entertaining read from Dorothy Simpson. In the sixth book, Thanet must solve the death of a very unpleasant man. Many people/enemies could have delivered the fatal blow to the head. I did guess the mystery but it did not deter my enjoyment of the book at all. These books make me feel like I'm checking up on old friends.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2016
Stephen Long is found dead in his flat following an anonymous phone call. There are plenty of suspects - his estranged wife and her new boyfriends, his twin brother, Geoff and his two half brothers, Frank and Chris. Stephen seemed a nice enough bloke on the surface but he was one of those people who seems to deliberately wind people up so that they vow to have nothing more to do with him. He also has a nasty habit of destroying whatever those closest to him value in their lives.
DI Luke Thanet and DS Mile Lineham must cut through all the conflicting evidence of who was where on the night in question and try and work out who is telling the truth and who is lying. As a little light relief there is the puzzling question of why Dr Mallard suddenly seems to have changed from being a bear with a sore head to a being of sweetness and light.
I enjoyed this well written mystery and didn't work out who the murderer was. The solution, when it is revealed is ingenious and the clues are there but they're easy to misread. I like the way the Thanet's private life is described and the way he and his wife solve their problems. The private lives of the detectives don't overshadow the main story but they do provide some lighter moments in between the crime detection process. This is the sixth book in the series but they can be read in any order.
DI Luke Thanet and DS Mile Lineham must cut through all the conflicting evidence of who was where on the night in question and try and work out who is telling the truth and who is lying. As a little light relief there is the puzzling question of why Dr Mallard suddenly seems to have changed from being a bear with a sore head to a being of sweetness and light.
I enjoyed this well written mystery and didn't work out who the murderer was. The solution, when it is revealed is ingenious and the clues are there but they're easy to misread. I like the way the Thanet's private life is described and the way he and his wife solve their problems. The private lives of the detectives don't overshadow the main story but they do provide some lighter moments in between the crime detection process. This is the sixth book in the series but they can be read in any order.
February 20, 2023
This Inspector Thanet mystery had an old chestnut of a plot twist that Dorothy Simpson did a pretty good job of camouflaging. I won't say more because I don't want to let any cats out of any bags. Read it and let them out yourself.
October 3, 2018
Small detective mystery.
Good for a short journey.
Will keep you interested.
As although the solution is somewhat obvious from early on it does have a twist at the end and is quite feasible.
Good for a short journey.
Will keep you interested.
As although the solution is somewhat obvious from early on it does have a twist at the end and is quite feasible.
September 13, 2016
Merry Christmas to me! I always I find Titles In Dorothy Simpson's Inspector Luke Thanet's British police procedural series to be first-rate. So sad that illness forced her to stop writing altogether. A mystery reader's loss but of course wish her continued improved health.
May 6, 2023
I must say that this mystery was a stellar case of clues as well as red herrings that made it all very intriguing.
But the star of the show was the detective’s daughter Bridget, who at 13 had taken to cooking, and entered a competition.
That side plot woven into the book was so charming and true to my life’s experience with daughters taking off to become excellent cooks. It made the book a delight to read and I could almost taste the delicious foods!
But the star of the show was the detective’s daughter Bridget, who at 13 had taken to cooking, and entered a competition.
That side plot woven into the book was so charming and true to my life’s experience with daughters taking off to become excellent cooks. It made the book a delight to read and I could almost taste the delicious foods!
October 11, 2020
Good
At first I found the story a little boring, but as the story went along it became really interesting. I like the character of Thanet . I was half right about the killer, and like the inspector I was half wrong.
At first I found the story a little boring, but as the story went along it became really interesting. I like the character of Thanet . I was half right about the killer, and like the inspector I was half wrong.
July 5, 2025
Police procedural, competently written, and with an intriguing plot and a satisfying finish. Why then am I less than enthusiastic about it all? It’s so deadening middle class that reading it mimics a sleeping pill, the personal life and family of Inspector Thanet (and his Sergeant as well) is soul-crushingly boring, there’s nothing surprising, exciting, or unexpected in the whole of it…I’ll read the others I have in the series, but it’s hard to think I’ll ever be tempted to revisit the town of Sturrenden.
April 19, 2022
3.5/5
Det Inspector Luke Thanet is back with another mystery. And, this time along with his partner Mike Lineham, his Superior Hines is involved with another case.
A good mystery, but a bit lopsided with a few holes.
Thanet’s home life is still interwoven throughout these books which makes for a nice balance.
Det Inspector Luke Thanet is back with another mystery. And, this time along with his partner Mike Lineham, his Superior Hines is involved with another case.
A good mystery, but a bit lopsided with a few holes.
Thanet’s home life is still interwoven throughout these books which makes for a nice balance.
March 19, 2023
A good old fashioned police detective story.Det.Insp. Luke Thanet and his Sergeant, Mike Lineham are faced with a body in the dead man's flat where he is apparently hit over the head with the ubiquitous blunt object. The pair meticulously sift through the evidence and read and re-read the statements. Then the flash of inspiration leads to the murderer.
Good solid characters with stable home life give a pleasing note to the story. Back in the day when the police were trusted and respected.
Good three stars.
Good solid characters with stable home life give a pleasing note to the story. Back in the day when the police were trusted and respected.
Good three stars.
July 21, 2014
A Nice Murder Mystery
Protagonist Inspector Luke Thanet is investigating the murder of Steven Long, who was found murdered in his flat. At first, you think the character Harry Ronald Carpenter may be the killer, but as the plot slowly unfolds, there are lots of characters who may have wanted Long dead. With its many twists and turns, revenge, adultery, domestic discord, envy, sibling rivalry and jealousy, you begin to see that things are not always what they seem. The backdrop and the story line with its peculiar, snooty, realistic characters and the unforeseen ending make for an enjoyable read.
Protagonist Inspector Luke Thanet is investigating the murder of Steven Long, who was found murdered in his flat. At first, you think the character Harry Ronald Carpenter may be the killer, but as the plot slowly unfolds, there are lots of characters who may have wanted Long dead. With its many twists and turns, revenge, adultery, domestic discord, envy, sibling rivalry and jealousy, you begin to see that things are not always what they seem. The backdrop and the story line with its peculiar, snooty, realistic characters and the unforeseen ending make for an enjoyable read.
August 29, 2009
I've read at least part of these British novels before. Detective Inspector Luke Thanet is a very kind detective inspector who uses hard work and intuition to solve his crimes. His family rounds out the picture. The two I read this week were just kind of relaxing. I needed that.
September 21, 2018
Truly love British mysteries. This is series is set in the 1980’s with a young inspector who is very cerebral with a young sidekick who can’t always see the patterns. Very thoughtful who done it......get your cup of tea ready
October 14, 2022
Two and a half stars.
A fairly mundane and unlikely police procedural involving identical twins. For me there was too much extraneous information about the detectives' families which added nothing to the plot.
A fairly mundane and unlikely police procedural involving identical twins. For me there was too much extraneous information about the detectives' families which added nothing to the plot.
August 20, 2020
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
July 1, 2017
4 stars
When the thoroughly unpleasant Steven Long is murdered by a blow to the head and it is DI Luke Thanet and DS Mike Lineham’s job to find out whodunit.
There are a bevy of suspects to consider in this Dorothy Simpson novel. For Long was disliked by almost everyone who knew him. He had a way of goading people into anger that was beyond all measure. Was it his long-suffering ex-wife? The father whose two children were killer through Long’s careless ness? His younger brothers? His current lover? It seems only his twin has anything kind to say about him and that is suspicious in itself. The further Thanet dug into Long’s past, even I disliked him more and more.
I really enjoyed this little mystery. I like the way Simpson writes about Thanet’s relationship with his family. It is heartwarming and great to read about a detective that actually has a happy family life. It seems so many of the fictional detectives we read about now are jaded by life and simply worn out from the battles they must face.
This book is very well written and plotted, as are all of Dorothy Simpson’s novels. It builds suspense right away and keeps the reader well entertained until the very end. What a winner Ms. Simpson is!
I want to thank Netgalley and Open Road Integrated Media for forwarding to me a copy of this most remarkable cozy book for me to read.
When the thoroughly unpleasant Steven Long is murdered by a blow to the head and it is DI Luke Thanet and DS Mike Lineham’s job to find out whodunit.
There are a bevy of suspects to consider in this Dorothy Simpson novel. For Long was disliked by almost everyone who knew him. He had a way of goading people into anger that was beyond all measure. Was it his long-suffering ex-wife? The father whose two children were killer through Long’s careless ness? His younger brothers? His current lover? It seems only his twin has anything kind to say about him and that is suspicious in itself. The further Thanet dug into Long’s past, even I disliked him more and more.
I really enjoyed this little mystery. I like the way Simpson writes about Thanet’s relationship with his family. It is heartwarming and great to read about a detective that actually has a happy family life. It seems so many of the fictional detectives we read about now are jaded by life and simply worn out from the battles they must face.
This book is very well written and plotted, as are all of Dorothy Simpson’s novels. It builds suspense right away and keeps the reader well entertained until the very end. What a winner Ms. Simpson is!
I want to thank Netgalley and Open Road Integrated Media for forwarding to me a copy of this most remarkable cozy book for me to read.
October 29, 2018
I really am enjoying reading and re-reading the Inspector Thanet stories. This is one I've had for a while on my Nook, but never got around to reading. When they find a young man dead with his head bashed in, and start looking into it, they find that he was a real troublemaker and there is no shortage of people who might have wanted to kill him. His ex-wife's boyfriend, a man whose family he killed in a car accident, and a couple of his brothers, for a start. His twin brother appears to be the only one who cares even a little bit. Between the lies and the curious timeline, the police struggle a little. A good twist at the end finally clears everything up. The bits of Thanet's home life that we see are amusing - their daughter is very interested in cooking and preparing for a contest. Of course she practices her chosen dishes on her family - over and over again! And their young son is caught watching videos at a friends house that his parents would never approve of. This book is much earlier in the series than the last one I read; I really prefer to read this type of series in order. But it still wasn't spoiled - there is just enough backstory in each one to bring you more or less up to date. Very good series!
June 30, 2017
Dorothy Simpson’s Dead on Arrival is an intriguing mystery, but the victim is almost too easy to hate. Steven Long makes it his business to make everyone miserable, from his half-siblings to his wife. His self absorption and self pity is so great that he takes absolutely no responsibility for his actions. I hated hIm so much that part of me wanted to put the mystery aside. That his twin Geoff had positive things to say about him was suspicious from the very beginning. Everyone had a reason for wanting him gone. I felt for DI Thanet and his sergeant having to investigate the murder of such a horrible fellow. I enjoyed the interactions between Thanet and his family. You could easily see the affection he has for his wife and children. It makes a startling comparison to Long’s lifetime of destructive self absorption. I anticipated one of the two major twists - it was almost too easy. Still I enjoyed the lead characters, and Simpson’s writing is excellent. I will definitely try another of her novels.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Dead on Arrival from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
-Crittermom
4 / 5
I received a copy of Dead on Arrival from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
-Crittermom
April 14, 2018
These are nice little mysteries set in the 80's. The main inspector is a happily married man with two imperfect children. He spends long hours at work & therefore chooses to tell his wife about his cases so she feels part of it all. His partner is rather stiff & has a stiffer mother, then wife. They work well together & are very organized. There's no gratuitous violence, no sex, no cussing & that's a good thing. The author doesn't waste words or our time, she gets on with it. I like that each night the inspector goes home to his family, that they share their lives & struggles with the reader. It's what kept me reading all of them up to the final four. The final four had a serious price increase over the first 14 or so, why I don't know. I've sadly resolved not to read those as a result.
July 21, 2018
Very much enjoyed this one, especially how involved and convoluted the main plot was. I had several things figured out, but not all of them, and the journey to learn what I didn't know was good fun. The interludes with his family are entertaining, although the parental dismay at Ben's minor transgression undertaken in the name of curiosity seemed over-blown and hysterical. I appreciate that being a parent is an important part of these books but I dislike being lectured and beaten over the head by the characters'/author's opinions on what it is to be a good parent. This book is the most egregious so far. I hope it doesn't continue because I look forward to reading more of the series. If you can get past the proselytizing, give this one a try.
December 18, 2023
The story is too complicated. I got tired of trying to remember who went where when how. I made a couple of guesses, but couldn't get into specific. Even Thanet didn't get it quite right.
I felt bad for Steve, even though he was more than a little bit obnoxious. He never seemed to have a chance. Everybody else, except Christopher and their mother, seemed likeable enough and I didn't want any of them to be the killer.
I wish the story with Mrs. Bence would go somewhere.
I felt bad for Steve, even though he was more than a little bit obnoxious. He never seemed to have a chance. Everybody else, except Christopher and their mother, seemed likeable enough and I didn't want any of them to be the killer.
I wish the story with Mrs. Bence would go somewhere.
December 8, 2018
Young Steve Long has been finding trouble all his life, so it isn't a surprise for his dead body to be found in his apartment. Almost his whole family has cut the connection with him, he can't hold a job in spite of his talent for car repair, and he is responsible for the deaths of the Cunningham women. Our likable Inspector Thanet has to sort through all the alibis - surely not all of them can hold up! In the meantime, Thanet's family life goes on, always an interesting side story.
Read 2 times
Read 2 times
December 23, 2019
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the books that I have read in Dorothy Simpson's Inspector Thanet series, but this one I especially liked. I always feel like the mysteries always manage to be very unique and refreshing when put in perspective with the saturation of murder mysteries that are out there today. Dorothy got it right long before modern authors! I also really enjoy the characters, they are always growing and developing throughout each one, including the characters that are just a feature of that particular case.
January 23, 2022
Didn't care for this installment. Perhaps I was distracted by RL goings on but I couldn't connect with the characters here, not even Thanet himself. In the end, I didn't even bother to finish it and find out whodunit. 2 stars for what I did listen to. These audios from my library are obviously from early recordings, unlike the audiobooks from Overdrive for the newer ones. Despite the meh quality, I'm glad my library offers such a wide range of audiobooks and is very up-to-date with new releases. The only genre I can't get are gay romances.
March 25, 2019
Very tightly written, in the vein of Agatha Christie. Simpson's got a real gift for characters, and while the interactions between her detectives are dated, they're also part of the series I look forward to, as they move toward modernization.
When twins appear in mystery, there are certain turns you expect the story to take. While this plot varies a bit, especially towards the end, some of those expectant boxes are ticked. So while it's not completely original, it is a great read.
When twins appear in mystery, there are certain turns you expect the story to take. While this plot varies a bit, especially towards the end, some of those expectant boxes are ticked. So while it's not completely original, it is a great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews