About to return to duty after his long recuperation, Dalziel thinks his mind’s not right when he accidentally sets out to work on a Sunday. To avoid embarrassing scenes with colleagues, who need little excuse to find him not up to the job, he slides into a church car park – then realises he’s been followed.

This not-so-chance encounter leads Dalziel and his team into a violent world of political corruption and rampant greed, with potentially fatal consequences for all involved. It’s amazing to think Hill has been writing this series for nearly 40 years – the quality of Midnight Fugue, with all its twists and turns, shows there’s still life in the Fat Man yet.