Bill James

Halo Parade

A Harpur & Iles Mystery

The third in Bill James's "standout," "witty," "well above the ordinary" crime series (starred reviews, Publishers Weekly, Booklist).

When Detective Chief Superintendent Colin Harpur places young policeman Ray Street undercover in a vicious drug gang, the entire department knows the risks. If Street is found out, he will take his place in "the halo parade." Then the killing of a fellow officer will have to be avenged, by whatever means . . .

"Crackling dialogue and seamy people race a no-holds-barred operation to its wickedly satisfying denouement."—John Coleman, Sunday Times [London]

"Brisk and lively . . . compelling."—David Delman, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Despite the tarnish, Harpur projects the powerful appeal of a flawed man doing his best in a crummy job."—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

"A dark, dour study of good men with sour edges."—Kirkus Reviews

Bill James has been called "the Elmore Leonard of Britain's underworld" (Kirkus Reviews) and has been named a "Master of Crime" in a mystery roundup by the London Sunday Times, which said, "There is nothing else quite like this series of police procedurals. James is concerned with the dilemmas and difficulties of policing Britain's inner cities, and he addresses these in hard-edged narratives that leave readers gasping and flinching, praying the people in these stories never come to live in their streets." In addition to the Harpur and Iles series, James is the author of other mystery series and a book on Anthony Powell. He lives in Wales.

More books by Bill James

Originally published in 1987
1998 / paperback / ISBN 0-393-31831-1 / 6" x 8" / 176 pages / Mystery