This is a typically good book from Reginald Hill - thrilling and tense and full of twists and turns. He lulls you into thinking you are understanding the plot and everything is falling into place, then he twists the story around and you realise you were on completely the wrong track! He is a great storyteller, and I really like Dalziel and Pascoe as characters. I also really enjoy the sarcastic humour in the book - usually coming from Dalziel. I also admire how well the characters gel together. They are both so different - Pascoe being quite refined and educated, and Dalziel quite abrupt and rude.

The story regards a mystery in a South Yorkshire mining community, and the difficulties faced by the police in penetrating the close-knit and distrustful residents. It is spread over several years, dealing with a present day death and how this may relate to the disappearance of a young girl years before.