This is the initial book of the Frost series, a collection of gripping books about the private and working life of an unreliable, easy-going veteran detective. Disliked by almost all of his contemporaries in the police force for his incongruous elevation to the office of Detective Inspector, Frost displays few characteristics to emblemize this role, taking a shabby approach to his clothes and paperwork. Nevertheless he is heroic and will fight as hard as anyone to catch the criminals who pollute the streets of Denton. Wingfield writes in a brilliant manner, emulating the stop-start nature of solving cases in the police force, but keeping the reader entertained until the end.