Panicking Ralph: A Harpur & Iles Mystery

If you like your cops and robbers with a strange twist, British author Bill James presents one of the most drolly quirky rogues galleries in crime fiction. Set in a large industrial city in England James'lengthy series brings together crooks and cops with issues. In the course of crime fighting, cops cope with personal crisises like nervous breakdowns (the chief); a penchant for teenage girls and compulsive deviousness (the... Read Full Review

If this is your first foray into the bitingly humorous world of Harpur and Iles, as it was mine, be prepared. Author Bill James is obviously having the time of his life here, tweaking all aspects of traditional police procedural novels and the characters who populate them. James's characters are unique: idealistic Commissioner Lane, who "[does] not presume to see himself as Christ, but at least as the one who rolled away... Read Full Review

The Harpur and Iles series is truly fascinating and PANICKING RALPH is no exception. Bill James writes snappy dialogue that might make you laugh or possibly cringe. His characters, especially his criminals, are well crafted and motivated.In PANICKING RALPH, sometimes insane police chief Mark Lane decides that this is the time to clear his city of its drug industry. With the former drug king pin dead, several syndicates, including... Read Full Review