Constable on the Hill

The Constable Nick Mysteries, Book 1

By: Nicholas Rhea

Narrated by: Philip Franks

In the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside of the 1960s, Constable Nick’s roles are as varied as the eccentric villagers. He handles every encounter with his characteristic humor, humanity, and professionalism.

His investigations include the case of a clever pony who keeps escaping, a woman running through town naked, and a pack of Canadian timber wolves hanging out in a bus shelter.

He soon gets to know all the characters on his beat, from his superior officer, Sergeant Blaketon, to Claude Jeremiah Greengrass, whose lurcher, Alfred, lands him with a summons for “allowing a dog to worry livestock on agricultural land”. The ever-resourceful Claude Jeremiah offers the defense that Alfred’s victim, a budgie, cannot be described as livestock!

©1979 by the Trustee of the Estate of Peter Walker (P)2020 by Blackstone Publishing

Charming view of English country life

A series of vignettes that bring to life the characters and mores of life across the moors.

Lovely and entertaining, Narrator perfect

Narrator was perfect for this material, enjoyed listening. Purchased second in series as soon as I finished the first.

Country Folk

Constable on the Hill recounts a simpler time, an honest and kind policeman and his young family, good country folk, in a genuinely pleasant feel-good tale. In today’s world, I think many, including myself, would love to return to and live in such a place, and I would be happy to call such characters my friends. The book follows with humor, Constable Nick through his daily assignments dealing with the residents of these quaint villages. My Mom loves these books, and I found the first book in the series had just been released in an audible version, so I decided to give it a try. The narration is excellent. I doubt I will read more in the series, but I understand the appeal.

Unexpectedly entertaining

Not what I expected but I loved it. So great to hear stories about other countries and times.

What a great listen!

Although not a mystery, murder or otherwise,'Constable on the Hill' is still a quite an enjoyable listen. Actually, a better title might have been 'Memoirs of a Village Constable'. The book is narrated by Constable Reed and tells of various incidents and interactions he encountered while living in a Yorkshire village. What makes it so enjoyable is Nicholas Rhea's wit and the practical, peaceable and often ingenious means with which he has Reed resolve the various issues of his fellow villagers. Humorous and heart warming.