Yet another engaging novel from Stuart Pawson, once again featuring the laconic Detective Inspector Priest. and the Heckley CID.
In this latest outing the principal crime is the murder of a middle aged and initially unidentified woman. However, as soon as CID are advised that the victim had an unorthodox tattoo in an intimate place, Priest can identify her - it turns out that she had briefly modelled for Priest's art class years before during his time as a student..
Meanwhile prominent members are being beset by nuisance calls and vicious smearing campaigns. One of the victims in a senior (and immensely unpopular) officer in the East Yorkshire Constabulary. Though never liking the man, Priest has always had a certain respect for him, and decides to investigate further.
As always a lot of wisecracks are shared in the CID room, some hilarious, others desperately bad!
Where Pawson scores most highly is the integrity of his plots (always watertight) and the plausibility and empathy of his policemen (and Priest in particular). Though they are not without their flaws, they are utterly credible, and retain the reader's sympathy. ( )

Reading GRIEF ENCOUNTERS is like slipping into a pair of your favourite
comfy slippers. It may not set the world on fire for being fashionable
or chic but you know you are going to enjoy the experience. Stuart
Pawson steers away from the dysfunctional stereotypes that abound in
crime fiction these days. It is near impossible not to like the amiable
Charlie Priest and his team at Heckley nick. These are ordinary people
who come to work each day and share jokes, socialise and lead quiet
unremarkable lives; just like the majority of us. And perhaps that is
the clue to the popularity of Pawson's Charlie Priest series. The men
and women of Heckley could so easily be you and me.

GRIEF ENCOUNTERS is the twelfth in the Charlie Priest series and may
there be many more.