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| Rules, Regs and Rotten Eggs (Harriet Martens Mysteries) | 
| Author: H. R. F. Keating
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
Buy New: $3.75
You Save: $20.20 (84%)
New (33) from $3.75
Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 1565776
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.1
ISBN: 0312375336
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780312375331
ASIN: 0312375336
Publication Date: June 10, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Detective Superintendent Harriet Martens resolves to resign after the new Assistant Chief Constable at the head of the CID makes her feel inferior in her job. However, her thoughts of resignation are abruptly interrupted when the pro-hunting politician Robert Roughouse suspiciously collapses during one of his vehement speeches at an antihunting demonstration. Sensing that someone has deliberately attempted to murder Roughouse, and seeing an opportunity to prove her worth to the ACC, Detective Martens determinately takes charge of the investigation. Immersed in thoughts about what could possibly lie behind the attempt at assassination, Detective Martens decides to interview Roughouse in the hospital. However, rather than aiding in her enquiry, her visit serves only to confuse things further: Roughouse has been moved during the night to the privately owned Masterton Clinic, and is not accepting visitors. What could lie behind the strange series of events surrounding the Roughouse case? The talented H. R. F. Keating is at the top of his game in this latest stunning British police procedural.
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| Customer Reviews:
"I've been feeling all the time as if I'm fighting ghosts." July 25, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
In H. R. F. Keating's "Rules, Regs and Rotten Eggs," Detective Superintendent Harriet Martens of the Greater Birchester Police is in high dudgeon. "I'm going to resign from this bloody job," she angrily declares to her husband, John. Harriet is not fond of her boss, the Assistant Chief Constable. She believes that he is such a stickler for the rules that his pigheadedness interferes with his ability to do his job. In addition, she is convinced that the ACC does not give her the professional respect that she deserves. It's all very well to adhere to "rules and regs" but Harriet never loses sight of her main goal: to apprehend those who break the law.
When Harriet and John are stuck in a traffic jam in the mining town of Gralethorpe, they observe a pro-hunting ex-MP named Robert Roughouse addressing a group of anti-hunting protesters. At first, Roughouse is pelted with rotten eggs, but subsequently, an unknown individual sends a projectile his way that turns out to be an explosive device. The victim is taken to the hospital in serious condition, and Harriet, the Senior Investigating Officer, has a case of attempted murder to solve. Martens wonders if Robert was assaulted because of his aggressive pro-hunting stance or for another reason entirely. She is also concerned that the person who failed to kill Roughouse the first time may come back to try again.
DS Martens, who is known as the "Hard Detective," makes the rounds interviewing Roughouse's influential and affluent friends in an effort to find out why someone wants him dead. Much to her dismay, she is saddled with Detective Sergeant Woodcock ("Bolshy Bill"), a racist bully who dresses hideously, smokes smelly cheroots, and prefers to do as little work as possible. Fortunately, she is also able to enlist the services of the super-efficient and genial DS "Happy" Hapgood to organize her incident room.
"Rules, Regs and Rotten Eggs" is lower-case Keating. Although the author's trademark dry wit is in evidence and Harriet is as sharp and tenacious as ever, the mystery is as insubstantial as its thinly-drawn characters. At least Bolshy Bill is somewhat amusing as Harriet's chauffeur who does very little but foul the air with his cigarettes, browbeat witnesses, and surf the Internet to obtain background information. Eventually, Martens has reason to suspect that there is a conspiracy afoot and she is desperate to obtain evidence to support her theory. This is a mildly entertaining British police procedural that, unfortunately, lacks the suspense and originality of Keating's best work.
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