Simpson, Dorothy

(British, 1933– )

Although Dorothy Simpson's first book, Harbingers of Fear (1977), was an accomplished novel of suspense, four years passed before it had a successor. The Night She Died (1981) marked a change of direction, introducing Detective Inspector Luke Thanet and starting a series which has attracted many readers who enjoy the traditional British police story. The books are set in an imaginary town in Kent and derive much of their appeal from the way they follow the lives of Thanet and his sergeant, Mike Lineham, and of their families. Simpson is conscientious and skilled at characterization, and, although they do not break new ground, her books are consistently enjoyable. Perhaps the most successful of all are Last Seen Alive (1985), which won a CWA Silver Dagger, and Close her Eyes (1984).

Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth Ferrars  ME