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A new inspector calls – in Ireland
The Dust of Death By Paul Charles
Brandon £14.99
EVEN by the standards of crime novels, Paul Charles’s latest offering, The Dust of Death, has a gruesome opening.
A Donegal carpenter is found crucified in his own local church.
It is a compelling opening, and the grim symbolism establishes an undertow of religious spirituality which stalks through the novel like a ghost, manifesting itself physically in the mysterious Church of the Second Federation, a religion that wields a lot of influence, both good and bad, over the villagers of sleepy Ramelton.
It is a theme which works better in Ireland than it might in Camden, agrees Mr Charles. He would know – he divides his own time between his Parkway offices and his home in Donegal.
“You have to remember the power the Church held there until recently,” he says, in a soft brogue yards from the grimy netherworld of his novels.
“Even 10 years ago they had absolute trust from the community, but now” – he gestures generously with his palms – “now that's fallen through the floor.”
The key point for him in all of this is the idea of community holding individuals together within themselves, as well as a whole. It is one of the reasons he feels so at home in Camden: “I’ve always felt the people here were” – he ruminates over the word – “nice. Other places in London they are friendly when they speak, but you get such a genuine mix of people here, all rubbing along together.”
As well as the change of setting, from Camden to Donegal, the new novel marks the first feature outing of Charles’s new detective, DI Starrett, who has featured as a minor character in the Kennedy novels.
There is a peculiar contrast between the single-minded determination of Starrett and Charles’s own varied career – as well as being a prolific writer, he has a day job as a successful music agent.
The Dust of Death is engaging and satisfying. When a man so obviously enjoys writing his novels, it is difficult not to find them the more enjoyable to read.
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