Up and Down by Mat Coward

Review by Matt B. (BuffaloSavage)

Published in 2000, this mystery began the Don Packham and Frank Mitchell series. Detective Inspector Packham and Constable Mitchell are called to a garden allotment site in the northern suburbs of London to investigate the killing of a long-time allotmenteer nicknamed Beans because he grew runner, French and broad on his plot.

Packham and Mitchell make a funny pair because they are as different as chalk and cheese. Packham is manic depressive and Mitchell young enough to be at a loss dealing with his boss’ mood swings. As they interview the people of interest, Packham will withdraw into emptiness and cynicism while Mitchell has to carry on the questions as best he can, depending on knowledge of gardening from his granddad. It is enjoyable to read the depictions of the people of interest with their diverse ages, dispositions, and social classes.

The plot moves along smartly with laughs and short digressions. The author makes a motive for the killing out of the threatened sale of the public allotment site to private interests to build a retail park (in American: strip mall). Packham’s wisecracks about the bravery of politicians makes Mitchell wonder if Packham is some kind of tree hugger. But Mitchell also realizes despite the mood swings, Packham can teach him a lot of about detecting.

Later mysteries in the series include In and Out (2001), Over and Under (2004), Deep and Crisp (2004), and Open and Closed (2005). Don’t let this odd naming convention, born of marketing, put you off giving this series a try.