Stuart Pawson (1940–2016)

Chill Factor by Stuart Pawson is the seventh book in his DI Charlie Priest series of police procedurals. In this one a salesman, Tony Silkstone, confesses to murdering the man who raped and killed his wife and Charlie’s bosses are eager to convict and close the case. Silkstone has become a media darling and a sympathetic figure to the public, so a year or two in prison would most likely be all he would get. But DI Charlie Priest is not convinced that things are as simple as it seems.

This was a villain that I was very happy to see Charlie working on as he had been raping and killing for years and often chose quite young victims. His newest method of escaping detection had his leaving traces of other men on the victim and seeing others getting charged for his crimes. His huge ego and feelings of superiority had him very angry that Charlie wasn’t falling for his cover story and was continuing to dig away at his past.

Although not my favorite of the series so far, Chill Factor was still a very readable crime story and spending time with the upbeat Charlie is always fun. Other than working on his case, Charlie is also showing signs of being ready for a new relationship and I am looking forward to seeing how this develops. In this series, author, Stuart Pawson gives us a touch of humour, fully realized characters and interesting story lines that are set against the backdrop of Yorkshire. I, for one, find this a very entertaining series.… (mehr)

Some By Fire by Stuart Pawson is the 6th book in the Charlie Priest series of police procedurals. The book opens by taking us back twenty years when Priest was a newly promoted sergeant on the Leeds police force when he was called to the scene of a tragic yet deliberately set fire that claimed seven lives. Now Priest is a DI and when new evidence is brought to light Charlie is pleased to re-open the investigation. Along with this cold case, he and his crew are hunting some vicious burglars who target senior citizens.

With the new evidence and a combination of luck and good detective work, both investigations are soon closing in on the guilty parties. Of course, this is also when the villains can be the most dangerous and Charlie and his team must be on their toes in order to tie up all the pieces and see justice served.

I am a big fan of this series, and have become quite invested in the character of DI Charlie Priest. He is a sensitive, serious copper who hides his softer side behind banter and quips. He encourages his team members and readily shares the spotlight with them. I am already looking forward to the next Charlie Priest procedural.… (mehr)

Deadly Friends by Stuart Pawson is the 5th book in the DI Charlie Priest series of police procedurals. This is a series that I have come to count on to deliver a well crafted story that will draw me in and hold my interest throughout. The author provides a good mixture of both Priest’s private life and his work life. Charlie works with a team of investigators that help to keep the interest level high as they trade quips and banter yet work well together.

In this outing they are investigating a rape case where they know who the rapist is, but, unfortunately, it comes down to a “he said, she said” situation. Charlie learns that this rapist has struck before and really wants to get him off the streets before he strikes again. Charlie is also pulled into a murder case of a young doctor when the chief investigator suffers a broken leg. At first this case seems fairly open and shut, but when they find that their main suspect has a strong alibi, they must start again at the beginning. There are also developments in Charlie’s personal life that I am sure will have consequences in future books.

The biggest mystery here is why is I let so much time pass between these books. It is an excellent series and although Deadly Friends isn’t the strongest book of the ones I have read, I found it to be another entertaining story about DI Priest and his team.

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