Trivia

The name of his character Andrew Dalziel is pronounced DEE-ell.

He used his wife's name, Patricia Ruell, as the basis for the pen name Patrick Ruell under which some of his earlier books were published.

He was the son of a professional rugby player who was the evident model for the rugby star in "A Clubbable Woman." After studying English at Oxford, he became a teacher, but gave it up in 1980 to become a full-time writer.

He was awarded the Golden Dagger from the Crime Writers Association, a British organization, "Bones and Silence," in 1990. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Diamond Dagger, from the Crime Writers Association in 1995.

He is survived by his wife, Pat Hill of Cumbria, England; his brothers, David Hill and Desmond Hill.

Son of a professional rugby player father. He studied English at St. Catherine's College at Oxford University in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. He taught until 1980.