Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Series #13
Mystery
2009 William Morrow
Finished on June 13, 2022
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Once the haunt of Jack the Ripper, London's East End is a vibrant mix of history and the avant-garde, where elegant Georgian town houses exist side by side with colorful street markets and the hippest clubs. But here races and cultures still clash, and the trendy galleries and glamorous nightlife of Whitechapel disguise a violent and seedy underside, where unthinkable crimes bring terror to the innocent.On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in mid May, a young mother, Sandra Gilles, leaves her daughter with a friend at the Columbia Road Flower Market and disappears. Shortly thereafter, her husband, a Pakistani lawyer, is killed. Scotland Yard detective Gemma James happens upon the scene in time to witness the investigator making a mistake.
When Duncan and his trusted sergeant, Doug Cullen, see Gemma’s name in the report, they decide to take the case. Working together again, Gemma, Duncan, Doug, and Melody Talbot must solve it before the murderer can get his hands on the real prize, Naz and Sandra’s daughter.
But just as the case grows more dangerous, a personal issue threatens to throw Gemma and Duncan off the trail. In the end, it is up to them to stop a vicious killer and protect the child whose fate hangs in the balance.
Another winner by Deborah Crombie! I very much enjoyed this installment in the Kincaid/James series, especially the inclusion of significant events involving Duncan and Gemma's personal lives, none of which overshadowed elements of the main mystery. I also liked the clarity of relationships between the supporting characters, never once feeling the need to create a cheat sheet (which is often the case for me with Crombie's mysteries). As always with this series, there are multiple layers (and one very touching scene toward the end, which brought a lump to my throat) and more than one mystery to solve, but it's a solid story and I'm eager to jump right into #14 (No Mark Upon Her).
Jack the Ripper is always a good starting place for a novel!
ReplyDeleteHelen, I really enjoyed the setting for this installment. Each book includes a black and while line drawn map, which is fun, too.
DeleteI feel like I'm rereading these books as you read them. Your reviews are great and I know exactly what you mean about this one. There are more fun things to come in the series....LOL!
ReplyDeleteKay, I'm so glad you recommended this series all those years ago! It's been fun to read one a month (if not more), but I'm not looking forward to finishing. Maybe she'll keep the series going indefinitely. I especially loved the scene in the dress store toward the end with Hazel. And back at the house... Fun! :)
DeleteLes, you are making a good dent into this series and, the fact that both you and Kay have enjoyed them says a lot IMO.
ReplyDeleteDiane, I'm drawing near the end of the series, which is kind of sad. I don't want to finish and have to wait for each new publication. It's be great fun reading one or two a month. Kay recommended these books to me many years ago and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading them.
DeleteI feel like someone else is reading these mysteries too. Maybe Melinda from A Web of Stories? I'll have to check it out!
ReplyDeleteJen, it's a great series. It took me a few installments before I was hooked, which is what happened with the Louise Penny series, as well.
DeleteYour review tempts me to try this series, even though I'm not really good at following the plots of mysteries.
ReplyDeleteDeb, these plots can be a little confusing and complex. Truthfully, I care more about the main characters and their stories than the actual mysteries. :)
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