The D. C. Smith novels, by Peter Grainger

It’s been a week or two since I finished reading the D. C. Smith mystery novels, and I’d better review them before I forget them completely. Not that they’re forgettable — they were quite impressive.

D. C. Smith is an interesting continuing detective character, and has been compared to another English police detective, Inspector Morse, by reviewers. But after reading An Accidental Death, But For the Grace, and Luck and Judgement, I would say that a closer parallel would be the American TV cop, Columbo. Smith is the kind of man who tends to be underestimated by suspects, witnesses, and even other cops. He’s small, shabby, and unprepossessing. He knows this and uses it to his advantage. In fact he’s generally the smartest person in the room, and has commando fighting skills. He also plays a mean rock guitar, though not often since the loss of his beloved wife to cancer.

His name is kind of a joke. “D.C.” in English police slang means “Detective Constable.” This is what everyone calls him, but he’s actually a Detective Sergeant. He used to be a Detective Inspector, but voluntarily took a demotion to be closer to street-level puzzle solving.

As is my wont, I was more interested in the character than in the mysteries as such. I found the D. C. Smith books very enjoyable. No great moral lessons here — Smith the character is an open skeptic about religion, and But For the Grace deals with the question of assisted suicide in a pretty ambiguous manner.

One odd thing is that I found the books very slow in places. Sometimes I wanted to tell the author to just move things along. Nevertheless, I liked the books and stayed with them to see what Smith would do next. I recommend them with the usual cautions.

19 thoughts on “The D. C. Smith novels, by Peter Grainger”

  1. Hello Mr Walker, and thank you for your kind comments about the DC Smith novels – it is good to see someone taking the trouble to explain their opinions rather than simply giving a star rating.

    You say that he is generally the smartest person in the room, and I think that he, as the protagonist-detective, has to be; I’ve been trying to imagine novels in which the detective is only moderately intelligent or even stupid, and I do not think that they would work, except perhaps as comedies. However, I also believe that all 3 Smith novels contain characters who manage to evade Smith – Captain Hamilton is never found, Ralph Greenwood is more than match for Smith and he knows it, and in the latest one, Smith cannot find enough evidence to arrest McFarlane though he is certain of his guilt. I didn’t want Smith to be yet another invincible super-hero.

    The question of pace is always tricky. Like you, I would much rather read – and write – about character. A number of reviewers and correspondents have said that they find the books realistic because the pace is slower and more life-like than in most police procedurals! It’s a matter of taste, of course, but I don’t think things are going to speed up much in the next one – I thought I should let you know!

    Once again, thank you very much for your interest,

    Peter G

  2. I’ve only read the first in the DC Smith series, and found my way into reading mystery novels through P. D. James about 25 years ago.

    I thought more than once as I read “An Accidental Death” that this is the first novel out of hundreds — and some excellent — mystery novels that has as much moral heft and mature characterization as I found in P. D. James’s mysteries. I look forward to continuing in the series.

  3. Why in the world are you NOT marketing your D.C. Smith books?? Smith is as interesting and well-done as Gently, Barnaby, Lynley, Morse, Allen and other favorite inspectors.
    You need to get an agent and get serious about having these excellent books available to all of us who appreciate a good, rich mystery.

  4. I want to buy paperback or hard copies of your books as gifts. I am reading them on kindle. Where can I purchase them? I tried Amazon and Powell’s without luck.

    1. If you’re talking to me and not to Peter Grainger, I’m sorry. My early Baen books are available as used books. West Oversea is available in both formats. My more recent, self-published books do not exist in paper form. Sales don’t justify the costs.

  5. Just a bit of a hook, you can find the actual derivation of “DC’s” initials in the book “An Accidental Death”

  6. Probably the most seriously intelligent mysteries I have read in years. This is an amusing, serious, philosophical and attractive character. He is a true GROWN UP. Mr Grainger….Really need to get to print though. That’s still a big buying public.

  7. I would love to buy hard copies of the Peter Grainger DC Smith series, but can only find ebook or audio. Are they actually sold anywhere? Thanks!

  8. The voice in at least the first two DC Smith books, Gildart Jackson, is kindly reading classics on Instagram and YouTube. When I asked him for a recommendation, he suggested An Accidental Death. I really enjoyed it, and the second.
    There is a familiarity to these audiobooks.
    Just wondering if there is one involving a cupboard, and a tree along a path? If that sounds familiar to anyone, could you mention the title, so I don’t pay for a storey I’ve already read/ heard? Thank you, Kelly.

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