Peter Lovesey (1936–2025)

Filled with surprising plot twists, illuminated with tense, well-written scenes between interesting but easy-to-relate-to people and set against a Bath I know well, "Killing With Confetti" was excellent entertainment.


I only discovered Peter Lovesey's series about Bath-based police detective Peter Diamond last year. For once, I didn't go back to the beginning but dived it at book seventeen in the series, "Beau Death" because I couldn't resist the premise of a long-dead body, dressed as Beau show more Nash, being found as a building is demolished.



I had such a good time with that, that I bought book eighteen, "Killing With Confetti", as soon as it came out.


It was also an entertaining read, although quite different from the previous book. It opens with a set of scenes about a prison riot and a related abduction. Peter Diamond was nowhere to be seen, but I didn't miss him because I rapidly became absorbed in what was happening in the prison. The scenes were tense, laced with a little humour and kept me turning the pages by going places I didn't expect.


When we do get to Peter Diamond there is no obvious link to the start of the book. Peter has been dragooned by the Deputy Chief Constable to provide personal protection to the father of the woman the DCC's son is getting married to, a local and much-feared crime boss who has just been released from prison.


In the story that follows, we get an close-up look at how posh weddings in Bath are staged (Ceremony at the Abbey and reception at private suite in the Roman Baths), follow an assassin planning and executing a hit, meet a truly scary hard man and watch Peter Diamond deal effortlessly with politicking senior officers but struggle when faced with tiny-but-wild bridesmaids and their not-so-tiny-but-really-wanting-to-be-wild mothers.


I enjoyed the mix of tension and humour in the storytelling. It kept things human without taking away a sense of threat. The details of Bath were spot on. I now know exactly how to plan to execute someone at a wedding in the Abbey and get away with it. I doubt that's knowledge I'll use but it was amusing to see such dramatic events worked out in my town.


The ending tugged hard on my suspension of disbelief but never actually snapped it. I'll be back for more Peter Diamond next year. I may even drop back in time and read some of the earlier books.


Peter Wickham does an excellent job as the narrator. You can hear a sample of his work by clicking on the SoundCloud link below.

https://soundcloud.com/hachetteaudiouk/killing-with-confetti-by-peter-lovesey-re... show less

Nothing spells reading enjoyment like a Peter Diamond mystery with its wit, humor, clever plots, and iconic main character. Think you know all about backseat drivers? If you haven't been graced with Peter Diamond as a passenger, think again. Moreover, no one can ignore technology like he can. Fortunately, he has a team that works like a well-oiled machine, a team that's aware of this man's quirks and can deal with them without even blinking an eye. Diamond may enjoy teasing members of his show more team, but he's also quick to praise them when a job is well done.

In Showstopper, Diamond and his team get a real workout as they try to discover why so many things are going wrong on the set of the hit television series Swift, and I have to admit that I had to wait for Diamond to work his magic because I was nowhere close to solving the case myself.

I enjoyed the devious plot. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters. I enjoyed the backstage look at filming a hit TV show. And I certainly enjoyed Lovesey's knack for turning a vivid phrase ("an ancient wisteria with vines like petrified pythons"). If you haven't made the acquaintance of Peter Diamond, feel free to start right here with Showstopper. Yes, the characters do grow as the series progresses, but Lovesey is a master at treating each book as if it's a standalone. I jumped in about six or seven books ago and have never felt lost. However, I've also gathered together several of the earlier books to read at my leisure because Peter Diamond is one of those very addictive characters whom you just can't ignore.

(Reading copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley) show less

After experiencing the late 1800s in France (with Murder on the Eiffel Tower), I hopped across the Channel to follow along with Albert Edward "Bertie", Prince of Wales and later Edward VII, on his detective adventures.

The story is told by Bertie himself and chronicles his investigation of the death of noted jockey Fred Archer, who was proclaimed to have committed suicide while unhinged by typhoid fever. Bertie, however, is not convinced that this is the truth, especially because he has had show more personal experience of typhoid and Fred's symptoms and physiological state on the day of his death do not jibe with this theory.

I greatly enjoyed this mystery; it is easily my favourite of the Lovesey novels I've read. Bertie has a distinctive narrative voice -- not quite as light-hearted and wordplay-laden as another well-known literary Bertie (Wooster), but still very diverting. He does puff himself up but is also not shy about admitting some of his limitations (it is rather difficult for heirs to the throne to conduct discreet investigations). And for those of you who like to try to solve the mystery yourselves, Bertie is thoughtful enough to dedicate a chapter to recapping all of the important clues so that you can make your own deductions.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical mysteries, particularly those set in the Victorian period (this takes place while Bertie is still the Prince of Wales) or the Edwardian period. Its horse-racing theme may also appeal to fans of Dick Francis, as one of the front-cover blurbs on my copy suggests. I hope to get my hands on the other two Bertie books sometime. show less

Lovesey once again delivers a masterful addition to British crime fiction with a twist-laden narrative that keeps readers guessing until the end. The protagonist, a sharp-witted investigator, is pitted against a case where nothing is as it seems. With a perfectly balanced blend of humor, pathos, and suspense, Lovesey delves into human motivations, unearthing secrets in the most unexpected places. The story's setting adds a rich atmospheric quality that elevates the mystery to a level of show more literary sophistication, making it an irresistible pick for aficionados of classic detective tales. show less