An Accidental Death: A DC Smith Investigation

I've been reading detective/police procedural stories for at least fifty years. Naturally over time my favorites have changed, but there is one type of protagonist that seems to leave a lasting impression. It is the detective artist. P.D. James' poet, Susan Hill's painter, Martin Walker's provincial chef, Dona Leon's food and wine connoisseur, if appreciating those to the fullest can be considered art, are crime solvers who come to mind among others. In An Accidental Death D.C. Smith manages to juxtaposition the "sorting out" (one of my favorite British phrases) of evil with the beauty of art. It's as though some writers understand that a detective/artist is far more successful than others.
Mr. Grainger has written a fine first novel. The beginning is a bit stilted, but it smooths out in the last half. The characters are slowly developed with just the right amount of suspense. The plot is believable and engaging. The end is wonderful. I look forward to reading the next two.

Grainger writes a great police procedural...unlike most, there are no holes in what is considered or covered by the detective/s; characters are wry, real, well-balanced. I'm on #4 of the series so am stringing out the last two until the #6 (I hope) is published.

Good read. I definitely think DC Smith is an interesting enough character
to build a series around. Developing him and his supporting cast, and
answering the questions you will have as you learn about him could easily
provide material for many more books about him.
I think Mr. Grainger gave us a memorable character in DC Smith. I hope to read
more about him.

Good mystery! Ending was somewhat of a surprise, but the seeds of it were there if I had been paying attention. The story required the reader that do some serious thinking, which was wonderful. The ending was satisfactory, too. The bad guys were punished, and the good guys were rewarded. The philosophy of the main character was also informative.

This book was enjoyable not only because of its original and well-developed plot, but also because of the subtle description of the interaction between DC Smith and his younger colleague. These two characters, one at the beginning and the other at the end of a career as detective provide insights on the evolution of police work and training.

Updated English police procedural, with strong characters and a plot that emerges in an ordered, if it orderly, way as facts and deduction accumulate. A book I looked forward to returning to, every time i put it down. If you like this genre you'll have a new standby on your bookshelf (or on my your Kindle).

I give this book four stars for character development without inhibiting the book's progression (you know, chapters of back story that interrupt the plot). The plot wasn't edge of your seat , nail biting, but it was good. The main characters are likeable and relatable. I will definitely read more in this series.

This mystery unfolded purposefully with many subtle twists and turns. The writing was straight forward and descriptive at the same time. After every chapter I wanted to unveil the next. I actually read it in one sitting. Now I am ready to read the next in this series.

This is a totally wonderful book and the start of a terrific series. DC Smith, the protagonist, is a superb character who keeps your interest continually. He (and the author, of course) has a great sense of humor. You will want to read the book carefully instead of gobbling it up, or you'll miss the razor-sharp wit. These are police procedurals, a genre that I enjoy, but they stand on their own beyond the genre as simply great books.

Good story filled with interesting characters. Sergeant SMith keeps you on your toes as you wonder what his next move will be. His interaction with Waters his trainee is also quite interesting. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to mystery fans

This is the second DC Smith Investigation that I have read. I find the main character very charming. He has a slightly mysterious back story and is very thoughtful being of a certain age. The author plots a good story line too. I will look for another one in the series.

I enjoy English murder mysteries.The author takes his time for character development. It might take some time but I feel like I know them,can visualize them. This had some good twists and turns. Easy reading afternoon happy read

An Accidental Death was the first book by Peter Grainger that I've read. It was very hard to put it down and I am looking forward to reading more of his books, especially more books with DC Smith as the main character.

Enjoyed this first in the series. There are passages that I skimmed since once you've established DC's relationships with other characters those times didn't add that much for me. I like to "get on with it".

This criminal mystery reads like a hook old fashioned Sherlock Holmes story, with subtle clues and lovely character development. Very satisfying read with great likeable characters and heartfelt themes.

I enjoyed this so much. Smith is a great character and I'm desperately hoping that Peter Grainger is able to keep him with DC Waters. There was a great balance between character and plot here and I can only say I'm bereft that thus far there are no other novels available from the author. That leads me to believe that this is a debut novel, Hopefully it's the first of many. As a fan of British mysteries, and a Val McDermid and Reginald Hill tragic, I hold high hopes for Mr Grainger.

Well structured mystery that avoids unnecessary gore, leaves questions to be resolved at the end, but creates shadows about our main characters which remain to be resolved in the next book or so. A bit of relatively current history adds some exotic flair to the plot line. Author happily moves the story along without having to resort to unnecessary filler.

I haven’t heard of Mr. Grainger before this and it was also my first experience of an author that only publishes ebooks.

Enjoyed the read. Smart dialogue, interesting characters and a believable and engaging plot.

What a relief to read a well-written classic-type British mystery! Characters likable, interesting, etc.
Plot good (altho I did find some of the case a little convoluted, but that just may be me being older).
Not old-fashioned, just a good classic mystery.