The Death of Dalziel by Reginald Hill

What the cover says:
"Can it be true? Has the Fat Man really sung?
Caught in a huge Semtex explosion, it seems the only thing preventing Superintendent Andy Dalziel from stepping through Death's door is his size - and sheer bloody-mindedness.
An injured DCI Pascoe works to uncover what he feels sure is a conspiracy - despite the security services believing the blast was an accident in which the terrorists blew themselves up.
Who, then, are the mysterious Knights Templar, bringing the war in Iraq back home with their gruesome acts of vengeance? What have they got to do with a hit-and-run on Yorkshire CID's most inept officer? And, most importantly, will Dalziel ever wake up to hear the truth...?"

I've always loved the tv adaptations of the Dalziel and Pascoe books, and I think Warren Clarke is an inspired choice to play the Fat Man. The books are different, but just as good if not better. This is a fascinating tale as for the first time Dalziel takes a major backseat, and Pascoe comes into his own - but not in the way that he would ever have imagined. A clever tale with everything you could ever want from a crime thriller, and gripping from start to finish. The only bit I didn't like was the very last page, but that's more to do with my (slightly irrational) dislike for one particular character as much as anything.

9/10