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The Review - BOOKS - by ED CUMMING
Published: 8 November 2007
 
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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