Bloodhounds ebook

Writers of genre fiction tend to be widely read within their own narrow field. The British detective novelist Peter Lovesey is a prime example. In Bloodhounds, Lovesey demonstrates his familiarity with his genre, referring by name to a large number of prominent mystery writers. His novel is a send-up of several formulas familiar to readers of popular detective fiction. The locked room murder is the most notorious of these, and it figures as a central element in the novel’s convoluted plot.

A venerable series in detective fiction

Bloodhounds is the fourth book in Lovesey’s venerable series featuring Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, where he heads up the murder squad. Diamond, recently reinstated and promoted, is his usual irascible self. Though he is clearly a brilliant detective, his enormous size and his brusque treatment of those around him frequently inspire fear rather than respect. The sole exception is his favorite investigator and sidekick, Detective Inspector Julie Hargreaves. Bravely, she sometimes dares to talk back. Hargreaves, too, we know, is a brilliant detective—though perhaps a tad less so than her boss.

Three baffling riddles

In Bloodhounds, a taunting riddle sent to the police and to all local news media seems to predict the imminent theft of the one extraordinarily valuable painting in Bath’s art museum. (It’s a typically gloomy landscape by the overrated British artist, J.M.W. Turner.) This is the first of three such riddles, each one of which serves as the key to one of the novel’s three parts. Though the early focus is on the promised theft, it’s no surprise that soon a murder takes place—perhaps related to the theft, or maybe not.

The Bloodhounds of the book’s title are a small group of mystery fans who meet weekly to recommend books to one another and argue about the relative merits of the field’s many subgenres (whodunits, thrillers, police procedurals, stories about amateur detectives, etc.). As the novel unfolds, the seven members of the group become the chief suspects in the theft—naturally, one does take place—and later fall under suspicion in the murder mystery as well. The Bloodhounds, four women and three men, include a cast of eccentric characters that could only be assembled in Great Britain.
The tensions and suspicions among them enliven the story.

Bloodhounds is written with a lighter touch than the earlier Peter Diamond novels. Both the interactions among the amateur sleuths in the group and Diamond’s clumsy and sarcastic commentary are frequently funny. Any fan of mystery novels will enjoy reading Bloodhounds. Lovesey obviously had fun writing this book!

Not a new idea, but this one is done very well. A group of very odd people fancy themselves Bloodhounds who can solve mysteries better than the police. Of course they drive the police nuts with their poking around, messing things up, and studying the cops. They hold regular meetings in a church crypt. When a rare stamp is stolen, they are on the case until one of them is killed! Then they have to solve that mystery too and a few more!

Of course they are a crazy group of people, right out of a British movie. The weird guy who will not talk and had a past "breakdown", the weird woman who dresses in bygone era clothes, the guy no one likes, the women who argues with everyone, the man/woman who always want to tell every detail to the cops, while the others want to back away and pretend they are not involved.

Like any group we have ever known, this group of people is often fighting about which fictional detective is the best. And who should they read and discuss at the next meeting. This is the biggest group of fictional detective snobs ever! So they are never making much progress on their reading lists and want new members to join to tip the odds of getting the books they personally want.

Murder is a simple but puzzling one, a man is killed on a locked houseboat, one key can open the door, and the holder had an airtight alibi. Then who really dun it, and how?

Another great Peter Diamond mystery. The poor detective is always working will irritating staff, this time with John Wigfull, who reports all of Diamond's mistakes, and works against him most of the time. Don't we know people just like him?

As with others I have read by the author this was a great story for Diamond to be part of. I love how he has eureka moments that change everything right when you think you’re at the end. This one characteristic of his books keeps your mind open and active to the conclusion!

Inspector Diamond is, like his namesake, the top of the order. Lovesey has a gift for plots that would be outrageous if less deftly handled and his characterizations are both incisive and humane. As a writer he has an eye for the telling detail. A read-again series, definitely.

Not his best. The first three were thrilling, number five is too. It was hard work getting through this book and I wondered if I would persevere. Reading number four currently and so far so good.

Bloodhounds starts with a bang, remains interesting enough to make you want to continue reading, then fades out to a not-so-amazing ending. Something I found to be unrealistic about the story was how the detective's discoveries were often heralded as case-changing breakthroughs despite the ambiguity of those discoveries. Not good, not great... It's an OK book I wouldn't read twice.

I loved the first three Peter Diamond books, but this one plodded along. The set up took far too long, the characters were uninteresting and the "clues" minimal. The ending felt rushed and several characters were simply abandoned. I'll try another because of the first three, but if the next one is like this, that will be the end of Diamond for me.

I came upon Lovesey quite by accident & have been pleasantly surprised & entertained. I have now read all 8 of the series featuring the curmudgeonly Inspector Peter Diamond & they make for a quick, enjoyable romp. These are not taunt thrillers but tongue-in-cheek good old fashioned murder mysteries, set in Bath, England. Diamond & his team solve their puzzles one piece at a time in the way good Policemen do. I heartily recommend these engaging stories.