Pel and the Prowler

Life is going well for the usually irascible Chief Inspector Pel: he is basking in the warm glow of married life, and his bullying housekeeper Madame Routy is no longer tormenting him with deafening television shows and terrible cooking. But police work never stops, and Pel soon finds himself investigating the deaths of a series of young women, who have been strangled and left with macabre messages next to them. Pel's investigations lead him to the city's student community, and into a deadly game of cat and mouse. Moody, sharp-tongued and worrying constantly about his health, Inspector Pel ensures that no case goes unsolved, in these mordantly witty French mysteries. Praise for the Inspector Pel Mystery series: 'Totally convincing.'Financial Times 'Mr Hebden has createda nice band of flics.'Oxford Times 'Pel and his procedurals aresome of the best things since Maigret.'Observer 'Chief Inspector Evariste Clovis Désiré Pel,as well rounded a character as Maigret or Van der Valk.'Punch 'Impeccable French ambience, unexaggerated flics, and a well-constructed solution.Hebden proves again that few understand Gallic cops better than English writers!'The Times 'Some characters grow as their saga lengthens and Pel? is one of them. You might sayhe is ripening along with the grapes.'Police Review '?written withdownbeat humour and some delightful dialogue.'Financial Times '?all is most cunningly contrivedand dovetailed into a coherent plot.'Irish Times 'Athoroughly entertaining read.'Evening Standard 'Thebest Gallic sleuth since Maigret.'London Mystery Selection