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A young man, barely in his 20s, is found hanging from a tree, having first been horribly brutalized. And the key to both deaths seems to be hidden in the mind of an elusive year-old feral child who knows far too much about the ugly underbelly of Portsmouth. The way that Hurley weaves these two stories together, at the same time bringing in Faraday's personal problems with his lover and his deaf son, J. Although police procedurals are not ordinarily my cup of tea, I can't wait to read more about Winter and Faraday. Jul 24, Adam Mills rated it it was amazing.
All the characters are realistic and completely believable and all have a conflicting mixture of motives. The villains are as wonderfully unpleasant as some of the characters in Dickens. The narrative and description of police procedures is fascinating and the detectives themselves are shown as partially flawed. The description of the sink estates in and around Portsmouth and their inhabitants is grey and bleak. The whole mix produces a very enjoyable novel. Nov 28, Sall rated it liked it. Tedious in places but nice to see a strong sign language presence. Mar 08, Joanie Driemeyer rated it liked it.
I never heard of this author, but received it as a gift from my daughter. If you like british crime novels, he's one to try. Oct 24, Lainy rated it it was ok. Blurb from goodreads Why did fourteen-year-old Helen Bassam fall to her death from a tower block? My Review Yet another I am torn between a 2 or 3 star rating! A 14 year old is found dead from either jumping or being pushed from a tower block. A drug dealer is found dead hanging from a tree and so the investigations begin. The story started off fine however I found it had loads of characters in it and two of the officers had similar names both begining with W so that was both confusing and off putting.
I found it really hard to connect with the characters and kept mixing up who was who.
There is a lot I felt in the story that wasn't required and was more padding than offered any substance to the story. Had it been half as thick it might have been much easier to read and more enjoyable. You are also left with some unanswered questions and one in particular to the 14 year old girl which really urked me. This was my first time reading this author and it wouldn't put me off trying another as I have read some really positive reviews for this story, I think it must just be another marmite book. Mar 29, Rob Kitchin rated it really liked it. Hurley is probably the foremost British proponent of gritty, social realist police procedurals.
His books vividly capture the methods, personalities and personal relationships, and the politics of policing, as well as the people, places and situations the police deal with on a daily basis. Hurley provides a warts and all portrayal of Portsmouth, its micro-geographies and social divisions, and its bleak underbelly. In Angels Passing, the fourth book in the DI Faraday series, the tale weaves toget Hurley is probably the foremost British proponent of gritty, social realist police procedurals. In Angels Passing, the fourth book in the DI Faraday series, the tale weaves together two main plot lines, one concerning the death of a teenage girl, the other the murder of a low-level criminal.
Where the book excels is in charting the police investigations, noting their complexities and their inherent internal tensions and games, in the characterisation of police, victims and criminals, and in the sense of place. Feb 13, Denise rated it liked it Shelves: Two investigations running simultaneously. Both investigations are set in Portsmouth describing the environment and lifestyle of both the middle class as pertaining to the death of the fourteen year old girl, and the criminal class surrounding the events of the murder.
The author takes you through the emotion and intricacies of family life, and the tangle of criminal relationships. Not to mention the emotion and life of the investigating officers. I enjoyed this read, visualising the environment Two investigations running simultaneously. I enjoyed this read, visualising the environment, and living life through these characters.
Nov 21, Gary Van Cott rated it liked it. I did not like this book as much as the previous two. One thing I did like is that it is told entirely from the point of view of detectives although it switches from person to person rapidly throughout. It did tend to get a bit tedious in parts and at bit preachy. I would like to see the female detectives with a larger role. I also don't understand why Faraday's deaf son doesn't appear I did not like this book as much as the previous two.
I also don't understand why Faraday's deaf son doesn't appear to have any marketable skills. Nov 09, Spuddie rated it really liked it. Another interesting entry in this British police procedural series set in and around Portsmouth. DI Joe Faraday, once again being sought for promotion, is too busy investigating the death of a teenage girl who may or may not have thrown herself off the roof to even consider it. Meanwhile some of his team are seconded to Major Crimes to work on a hanging death. Faraday's personal life is also in an uproar and he tries to deal with that as well. As usual, quite a page turner, with a good balance of Another interesting entry in this British police procedural series set in and around Portsmouth.
As usual, quite a page turner, with a good balance of the police cases and personal details of the various characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Unlike most crime novels, this one focused solely on the police and the work they do to solve a crime, even when resources are slim and the crime isn't a crime. Getting an insight into the home life of Farraday, his deaf son and his errant girlfriend added colour to what might otherwise have been a dull recounting of everyday police work but really, there was noth I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Getting an insight into the home life of Farraday, his deaf son and his errant girlfriend added colour to what might otherwise have been a dull recounting of everyday police work but really, there was nothing everyday about this book. Well worth reading and full of enjoyment The more I read of Graham Hurley the more I like and admire his workmanlike style.
I began reading detective fiction in order to find ut how to do it; many writers' styles are sufficiently idiosyncratic and far superior to anything I could attempt so as to be thoroughly enjoyable to read but beyond me to emulate. Which is not to say Graham Hurley lacks at all, just that I could far more easily learn from him.
And with each succeeding book in the series his characters become more The more I read of Graham Hurley the more I like and admire his workmanlike style. And with each succeeding book in the series his characters become more rounded. Oct 26, Yvette rated it liked it. I found it difficult to rate this book, I hesitated between 2 or 3 stars. It's well written, the characters are realistic, the story is ok and plausible.
But I also like crime novels to be real whodunits, in this case the 2-pronged investigation being linked in the last pages was too much of a deus ex machina.. Also, I've seen the story described as gritty, but I'd rather describe it as grimy Excellent read, the police procedural element and politics are brilliantly crafted. Faraday tries hard to balance the job with politics with his personal life and at times you feel his angst trying to do the right thing.
Aug 12, Julia rated it really liked it. Gritty, convincing story of detectives and villains set as usual in Portsmouth, with excellent plotting and characters. Graham Hurley is my favourite crime writer at the moment and I'm moving straight on to another of his. Jun 19, Denise Hartman rated it liked it. If you like grim, gritty British police procedurals, you'll really like this book. The main character Farraday is a good accompaniment to the police work.
As always, a wonderful and interesting post, Linda. Thanks for revealing it to us. It was November, Apparently some things need to percolate longer than others. I can guarantee you that relationship is far more interesting than whatever I had in mind five years ago. The magic time of Christmas is slowly creeping in bringing the peace and joy we need so much.
Angels are perfect to entice the upcoming holidays. Your wonderful blog post reminded me of Sissel and her angelical song. Please clink this link to make a brief pause and listen to an angel passing through the room. I do know ABBA, however! Not only that, my hunch is that both the title and the song are based in a folk saying about angels passing. I have never heard this expression but I will remember it always. No agenda — or maybe there is one. But just passing through. As always, Linda, this is so beautifully written.
I send you wishes for visits from lots of angels, pretty lights, silences when needed and joy always. I thought of you when I was researching this, wondering if the group you shared angel-making with ever had heard the saying. However, I did take a screenshot from page 29 of the folklore study that highlights some examples from Spanish literature. Note the humorous footnote at the bottom of the page, which actually relates to a German entry: I like that sarcastic footnote, which I think of as physics applied to folklore. The footnote also evokes for me an image of angels perched along a wire, preening their feathers.
What a lovely Advent post, Linda. Whether it was your inspired writing or an angel passing, by the time I finished reading it, I felt a sense of calmness and serenity. Was the world always this loud and discordant? It is distracting, uncomfortable, yea, even painful at times.
I sometimes find myself longing for my old world of silence, yet I desperately want to fling off the isolation that world bestows. That is one way the eye knows that things have shape. There are even some stories of people so overwhelmed by their new sight, they refuse to use it. And it is much louder and discordant than it used to be.
So much of our human noise makes it impossible to hear the sounds of the natural world around us. With the world beginning to sleep and the windows open, I can hear the night birds, the fish, the crickets and frogs. Thanks so much for this invitation into silence. I have learned that I have to insist upon announcing the hymn after the sermon because musicians in the main, but not all seem very uncomfortable with silence and might give us 10 seconds or so!
I will admit, it takes some getting used to, but I am increasingly enjoying intentional silence. If my external environment is cluttered — as it tends to be from time to time — I often find my mind unfocused and easily distracted. Silly as it may sound, I think more clearly and write more easily if the dishes are done and the magazines picked up. In the same way, there seems to be a correspondence between external silence and internal silence.
Still, a quieter external world does seem linked to internal realities in some very interesting ways. A few comments down, I just saw that Susan has sent us off in a wholly other direction with her reference to Elijah and Passover. The German phrasing — that an angel is passing over the house — surely recalls the events of Passover.
It would be interesting to explore a bit more, to see if there are Old Testament roots for some of these expressions. A clean desk makes for a productive morning. As you note, this is a preference rather than a rule but still, there is something mystical about quiet. We were on a pilgrimage in Norway this summer, and I found that long moments of hearing nothing increased my ability to hear and listen when a something sounded, whether externally or not.
I like the image of shooting stars, comets, and angels. Especially after the intense scrutiny of comet ISON in the recent days. That scene has become pretty quiet, but not forgotten. Melanie and I had a busy week. We had several visitor and a dinner, as did many.
This morning we all met for breakfast at a local place. Afterward, the two cars of visitors left in opposite directions down the same hwy. As we sat at the table doing some tasks and checking the web, we commented how quiet it was…how nice it was to hear the quiet. I just watched the latest video over on SpaceWeather. ISON certainly provoked a good bit of excitement before beginning to fade.
The six-year-olds walking around with their smartphones just have no idea…. Holidays, family and traveling can get a little chaotic. In a good way, for most of us. Then like your visitors, everyone would scatter, and the silence would be — nice. It tickles me that you actually have heard the expression. It seems to have been more common in Europe, with other phrases used here.
The Christmas season is so beautiful. I hope your season is beautiful, and that your angel keeps close watch over you! Weighty post needed these days. I remember living in Bellaire when was built and the continuous noise disturbed everyone — what would they think now? Nice to think they would try. Comet — experts out on whether nucleus remains…may take a while to know…another celestial sight or slight. Of course, I first moved into the Medical Center in — what a difference forty years makes!
This is such a quiet entry befitting the beginning of our Advent season. The things I enjoy about your site, are the quiet impact of your words, the cohesion of your reflection, and the sensitivity in thought in so many comments, yours and others. I enjoy coming here to block out and escape from things raucous or noisy, literally or figuratively. Thank you for capturing the stillness of Advent today. We arrived at noon and stayed until close to midnight.
Goodness, with that much time together you might think there would be more than just a few lulls in the conversation. However, my brother had created a slide show on a flat screen on the wall of family photos, past and present including not only family members but places where we have traveled.
I am so grateful for his effort as I heard the younger ones comment and ask about so-and-so. There may have been lulls, but the visual thread was quietly present. He acted shyer than she expected, often pausing thoughtfully before speaking. I did laugh when I read it. The need for silence — for reflection, for creative work, for a blessed relief from the blathering of the larger world — always is real, but this time of year, it seems especially important.
Your Thanksgiving experience sounds wonderful. He moved your family along the road of remembrance rather nicely, and did it in a smart way — appealing to the younger ones. Here are two associations:. But I love all the wild and random thoughts bringing Elijah into the conversation evoked. As I mentioned to Allen, it would be interesting to explore the history of these sayings with an eye to Old Testament roots. For the first time I enjoyed reading something about John Cage.
Of course, sudden, unexpected and inexplicable silences are one thing, and quite different from his structured silences. His foray into the utterly soundproofed room reminded me of my own trip to Stonehenge. I rather prefer Stonehenge, and the surprises it brought. Thank you for the gentle nudge as we enter the Advent season.
These folks sayings are interesting — they take so many forms and often seem linked to specific cultures. And as for the Christmas season experience as a Christian, I find that I can easily block out most of the relentlessly commercial aspects. Being in a self-imposed media blackout does have its benefits. But it still takes effort to have those quiet moments for reflection, for marveling, for truly appreciating.
No bathrobes and tinsel halos there, but I suspect there are plenty of beaming parents. It is amazing how much can be blocked out, and so easily. Every knows perfectly well how to turn out the more obnoxious aspects of the season. My department had gathered for a birthday breakfast and everyone was chatting until a 30 second pause in the conversation. It was fun to be reminded of this post and count the moment as the passing of an angel.
You can do it! Only a couple of sounds give me trouble. And it delights me that you considered the angel as a possible explanation. Thanks for the inspiring post. That first Christmas came after years of silence. The most important message is delivered in a still, small voice. How we need peace and quiet, especially now. Your mention of the silence of the manger reminded me of that lovely video you posted — was it last year? The musical accompaniment is perfect, and a reminder that peace and quiet sometimes can be heightened by sound.
If only we could fully grasp those words! Glad you remember that Kurelek clip. Can you believe that!? A week to read and write. You have a wonderful week! Can you believe that, at work today, I had to change from corduroy and a sweatshirt to a cotton shirt and capris, or that by the mid-afternoon I was barefooted? Loved the carol, Linda. I usually call a drop in conversation an awkward silence.
The Alexandria Quartet was the first serious set of books I ever read. I was in high school at the time. There was a small bookstore in Placerville and the owner, an elderly man, had become something of a mentor to me. I picked up Justine one afternoon and asked if he would recommend it.
You might say an angel flew through the room or maybe it was just an awkward silence. I even think you might like it. The books absolutely transported me to another world. Last fall when I travelled through the Greek islands I carried a travel book that Durrell had written 40 or so years ago. He had spent several years on Corfu and that is where Justine started. I felt like I had reentered his world. My experience was the same, Curt. I came to Durrell in Sierra Leone.
I started chatting with a fellow who suggested that, while Greene was just fine, I really needed to check out Durrell. They were kind enough to let me carry the book back to Phebe, and that was the beginning. Eventually I had all four volumes, and started over, in order. I need to dig into that a bit. I picked that up a few months ago for winter reading. I suspect having the book with you in Greece would rank right up there with reading Graham Greene at the City Hotel.
Now you are making me want to reread the Quartet, Linda. Then I can reconnect with Cavafy. I like it… writing as reordering and reworking reality. What a wonderful, sweet writing! Seriously — those hikes of yours, the time you spend in solitude in nature, has to be refreshing and nurturing. At an ever increasing frequency, as I grow older, I appreciate silence more and more.
Perhaps angels do indeed have something to do with that. Wind in the trees. A baby crying from another apartment. What a lovely post do I say that every time? On Facebook the other day one of the Episcopal groups I follow posted the following:. It made me laugh — but it does seem to be true. I like the thought of embracing the angel in the room. Linda, I have learned much from your writing tonight. I do believe in angels. If the notions and belief are true about silence then I am surrounded up on the mountain.
This is interesting, and I shall try not to speak to cover the silence. And it is much louder and discordant than it used to be. FeyGirl, Look closely at those alligators — you never know which one might be an angel in disguise! Apparently some things need to percolate longer than others. As usual, quite a page turner, with a good balance of Another interesting entry in this British police procedural series set in and around Portsmouth.
I have never lived in a place that was so quiet most of the day long. I look forward to being wrapped in it when we finally move there. An occasional dog barking, a tractor now and again, but mostly silence and wind in the trees. I just experimented, uploading an image into a draft through the image gallery. The silence of the country is one of its best qualities. When I used to spend time up at The Place, it was amazing what could be heard on a still day.
We could sit there and figure out what was going on for miles, just by the sounds — a chainsaw starting up to the south, dogs baying to the east. A beautiful carol, thank you. Somehow I think you may enjoy it. I can find myself especially irritated by the commercial enterprises that re-write lovely Christmas songs to push their pizza or perfume or whatever, but I keep the irritation under control by just switching the dial. This is just wonderful, Linda. Thank you so much. I too love the season of Advent. I read it in its entirety over a rather fraught summer in The purpose of the job was to raise funds to supplement my upcoming post-graduate course.
There were two of us stewardesses — and thirty-nine sailors. I think for many of us, it ranks right up there near the top of the heap, certainly as far as literary experiences go and perhaps even beyond that. Very interesting, in any event. I did some poking around and among other things I surfaced the Flickr page for the Scottish Maritime Museum. I did find the Hebridean Princess and some luxury Hebridean cruises. Hi Linda Yes, my job was roughly equivalent. Worst day of my entire life…. So it was passenger and vehicle transportation, mostly.
The sailors were there, supposedly, do do all the hard manual work, navigating etc. If I were to tell you some of what used to go on behind the scenes, you might not be so keen on Santa bringing you a cruise…. Clearly, you earned your money. Besides, the story-telling helps us get over the trauma! Your posts are always so wonderfully rich.