A KILLING KINDNESS

Like most police procedurals about mad mass-murderers, this new case for Yorkshire inspectors Dalziel and Pascoe (Ruling Passion, A Pinch of Snuff) has problems in the motivation department—but otherwise it's the stylish, superior commodity we've come to accept from shrewd, ironic Mr. Hill. The coppers are after "The Yorkshire Choker"—who has killed several local women, following up the murders with phoned-in quotes from Hamlet (mostly about the perils of marriage). The prime suspect is a swinish local teacher with a taste for young girls, and there's also suspicion about a gypsy camp on the town outskirts (the latest victim is the niece of the top gypsy fortuneteller, who claims to be in psychic contact with previous victims). But while fat, racist Dalziel harasses the gypsies and Pascoe trails the teacher (who turns up dead himself), the real killer lurks. . . until his elaborate, unlikely web of motives is untangled. Better than the mystery itself, however, are the trimmings—snappy repartee between Pascoe and whip-smart wife Ellen (now pregnant), sharp bits of characterization—and, though not top-level Hill. this is diverting, distinctively adult mystery fare.