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Dead on Arrival (The Inspector Thanet Mysteries) Kindle Edition

by Dorothy Simpson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 566 ratings
See all formats and editions
A British detective must find the killer of a much-despised villager in this mystery from “a modern-day version of Agatha Christie” (Booklist).

Det. Inspector Luke Thanet is brought in when a dead man is found in bed, apparently killed by 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.

 The long-running series featuring Detective Inspector Thanet, which includes The Night She Died and CWA Silver Dagger winner Last Seen Alive, is perfect for fans of P. D. James and classic police procedurals. Dead on Arrival is “an intriguing tale not to be missed” (Yorkshire Post).
 
Dead on Arrival is the 6th book in the Inspector Thanet Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
 
Previous page
  1. Book 6 of 15
    The Inspector Thanet Mysteries
  2. Print length
    296 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
  6. Publication date
    June 6, 2017
  7. File size
    3599 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Simpson's sixth story about the admirable British Inspector Luke Thanet involves the murder of Steven Long, possibly by Harry Carpenter, whose wife and child have died after Steve caused their car to crash. But the detective's methodical habits lead him to question others with reasons to hate the murder victim: his former wife and her new lover and Steve's younger brothers. Only his twin, Geoffrey, has a kind word for the deceased troublemaker. Although facts on the siblings' background provide Thanet and his partners with diverse avenues to explore, the case is at a standstill until the inspector adds two and two and gets an odd total. There is, in effect, a triple twist in the solution. BOMC selection; paperback rights to Bantam.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“All the traditional home comforts of English village murder, with a final twist.” —TheObserver
 
Praise for Dorothy Simpson
“A modern-day version of Agatha Christie [who] just keeps turning out solid, cleverly crafted mysteries. Like Christie, Simpson has an uncanny grasp of what makes people tick, but her stories are less in the British cozy mold and more of a combination police procedural and psychological suspense thriller.” —Booklist
 
“Simpson’s mysteries are beautifully crafted and turn on character and psychological insight.” —The Washington Post
 
“A perfect puzzle, perfectly solved.” —The New York Times on Dead and Gone
 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B072HMB7TX
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller (June 6, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 6, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3599 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 566 ratings

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Dorothy Simpson

Dorothy Simpson

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
566 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Crime and Mystery Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable whodunit to keep you guessing!
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a great read if you enjoy figuring out the real culprit among several good candidates. The cast of characters is boggling until you figure out who is who. They are all interesting, as are their relationships and possible motives. Chief inspector Thanet and his mate Lineham make a great team and lead us through tricky twists and turns before the murderer is finally brought to justice. This is a great writer in this genre - enjoy!
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Susan Pettee
4.0 out of 5 stars A good police procedural
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2018
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This mystery is satisfyingly complicated, and the detective puzzles out the solution after a great deal of diligent checking out of all the suspects and their relationships with the murderer. I wish I could give it five stars, but I am afraid I found it a bit tedious. Somehow I felttge author was tei
Lling ushow to feel about the
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Paula Corregan
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2019
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This book was very enjoyable to read. It was the first Inspector Thanet book I've read, and I look forward to reading more. I highly recommend it to other mystery readers.
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Nancy Drew
3.0 out of 5 stars Mystery is Dead on Arrival
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2017
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I found this book well written and the main characters very likable. I also enjoyed the sections of the book that related to DI Thannet's home life, which were quite charming. He also had a great relationship with his sergeant. It was interesting to sit in, so to speak, on their conversations regarding the case. They obviously had a close bond and cared about each other's problems, ranging from beastly mothers-in-law to incredibly obnoxious superior officers bent on making life miserable for anyone more talented and intelligent than they were. There are also some interesting psychological aspects to the case that helped to keep me reading.

That said, there were some serious problems with this book. First of all, a huge part of the mystery was obvious from the very beginning so that it made our super intelligent sleuths look kinda dumb. Especially when they finally figure it out at the end and the author withholds it from us as DI Thannet acts all-knowing and mysterious about what is painfully obvious. His sergeant reacts in wide-eyed shock and wonder when Thannet lets him in on the non-mystery. (That said, there was a nice twist, but I felt the twist could have gone even further to make up for the anti-climax of the big reveal.)

Then there's the other huge problem. No one that matters has anything at stake in solving this case. It's just a job--how, as readers, are we supposed to get excited or root for the sleuths when they don't seem all that enthusiastic or determined about getting to the truth of the matter? In fact, Thannet briefly gives in to a bout of dislike for his job because it takes him away from his family. And, right there is the germ of an idea to make the story more important and meaningful.

Why, I wondered, didn't the author have this sleuth who's so emotionally involved with his family--he shows waaay more intensity over his kids' problems than he does over the case at any time--have the two intersect? Why not make it so that his beautiful, enjoyable home life was at risk in some way? He obviously cares very deeply about that. It could be that he's missed other family events and his kids are getting older, getting into the dangerous teen years, so he doesn't dare miss the upcoming event in his daughter's life. He HAS to finish the case before the day of her competition or there will be consequences to his home life and sense of security.

Then we'd have seen him working with a sense of urgency and the reader would be rooting for him, feeling like we had something at stake, too. This would also have had the effect, when he finally does make it to the competition, of making the outcome more satisfying. As it is, it's kind of a cliche and an anti-climax.

So, in conclusion, this is a readable book with enjoyable characters, but the plot is slow going and has very little, if any, suspense or reader-engagement beyond the most superficial.
21 people found this helpful
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shirley c
4.0 out of 5 stars Very suspenseful
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great reading. Very entertaining and suspenseful book. The characters were well developed and the story line interesting and credible. I enjoyed the character descriptions and had no trouble associating them with the story.
One person found this helpful
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Allen
5.0 out of 5 stars Good clean fun
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2020
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Excellent mystery with lovely characters. The mystery is fabulous!

It's before cell phones and just at the dawn of DVDs.
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Tracy C. Bateman
5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable!
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020
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I really enjoy Dorthy Simpson’s writing! I also really like Inspector Thanet-a good, moral soul who “gets his criminal “! Another good mystery!
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Khirul
4.0 out of 5 stars Above average detection
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Good plot and characters, tho' it's easy to see the twist coming. The 1950s TV atmosphere is more pronounced and annoying than usual, even to Thanet' s daughter having to be a winner -- runners-up being losers.
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Top reviews from other countries

Damaskcat
5.0 out of 5 stars Dead on Arrival
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2016
Verified Purchase
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.
2 people found this helpful
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sandy
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspector Thanet Series by Dorothy Simpson
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
I read all these books (Inspector Thanet) when they were published. Now I am happy to say I've purchased the whole series in one swoop on Kindle, not disappointed either as they have stood the test of time. Good solid traditional detective series.
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Michael Bird
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
Very nice books to read
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