Barbara L. reviewed The Sound of Broken Glass (Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James, Bk 15) on + 988 more book reviews
The Sound of Broken Glass - Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James, Bk 15
Author: Deborah Crombie
In the past . . . â On a blisteringly hot August afternoon in Crystal Palace, once home to the tragically destroyed Great Exhibition, a solitary thirteen-year-old boy meets his next-door neighbor, a recently widowed young teacher. Drawn together by loneliness, the unlikely pair forms a deep connection that ends in a shattering act of betrayal.
In the present . . .
On a cold January morning in London, Detective Inspector Gemma James is back on the job now that her husband, Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, is at home on childcare leave. Assigned to lead a Murder Investigation Team, her first case is a bizarre crime at a seedy hotel in South London's Crystal Palace. The victim: a well-respected barrister. Gemma, with Duncan's help, must delve into a case with unexpected and frightening consequences for those close to them.
Author: Deborah Crombie
In the past . . . â On a blisteringly hot August afternoon in Crystal Palace, once home to the tragically destroyed Great Exhibition, a solitary thirteen-year-old boy meets his next-door neighbor, a recently widowed young teacher. Drawn together by loneliness, the unlikely pair forms a deep connection that ends in a shattering act of betrayal.
In the present . . .
On a cold January morning in London, Detective Inspector Gemma James is back on the job now that her husband, Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, is at home on childcare leave. Assigned to lead a Murder Investigation Team, her first case is a bizarre crime at a seedy hotel in South London's Crystal Palace. The victim: a well-respected barrister. Gemma, with Duncan's help, must delve into a case with unexpected and frightening consequences for those close to them.
Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
First Line: It had been years since she'd been in an English church.
With their youngest child having difficulties adjusting to any sort of daycare, Gemma and Duncan find their plans for the weekend ruined when Gemma is called out to investigate the murder of a lawyer. While Gemma goes through the crime scene, once again Duncan is at home being Mr. Mom-- something that he's adapted to much better than Gemma ever thought he would. But Duncan's leave is almost up, and he is looking forward to being back in the world of adults again.
While interviewing the people who last saw the victim, Gemma's partner, Detective Sergeant Melody Talbot, finds herself drawn to a talented young guitar player. When another lawyer is murdered in much the same way, Gemma and her team have to wonder: is someone following the advise of Shakespeare ("The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."), or is something else going on? Regardless the option, all they can do is to continue digging until they have enough facts to lead them to a killer or killers.
This fifteenth book in Deborah Crombie's marvelous series finds Gemma, Duncan, and their three children learning that life as a family is always a work in progress. We also get to follow along as Gemma works with her team and learns each officer's strengths and weaknesses. The fact that her sergeant seems to be falling in love with a possible suspect could have grave repercussions, but all Gemma can do is give her a few small bits of advice and hope that Melody uses her common sense.
The story has several subplots woven into the narrative, and they all tie into the general area in which the first murder occurs: Crystal Palace. Each chapter begins with a quote about this area. They add depth to the story and to our knowledge of the British music industry. Melody's handsome guitar player, Andy Monahan-- a young man Duncan Kincaid met in a previous investigation-- is a major figure in the book, and his backstory is both heartbreaking and inspiring.
The story is so intriguing that the solution to the murders came as a surprise, but as any fan of Crombie's series knows, the mystery isn't the be-all-and-end-all of the book. The main characters are every bit as important, and The Sound of Broken Glass ends with a bit of a shocker that will make all devotees wonder what's in store in the next book.
If characters are as important to you as a cracking good story, you really need to get your hands on Deborah Crombie's books!
With their youngest child having difficulties adjusting to any sort of daycare, Gemma and Duncan find their plans for the weekend ruined when Gemma is called out to investigate the murder of a lawyer. While Gemma goes through the crime scene, once again Duncan is at home being Mr. Mom-- something that he's adapted to much better than Gemma ever thought he would. But Duncan's leave is almost up, and he is looking forward to being back in the world of adults again.
While interviewing the people who last saw the victim, Gemma's partner, Detective Sergeant Melody Talbot, finds herself drawn to a talented young guitar player. When another lawyer is murdered in much the same way, Gemma and her team have to wonder: is someone following the advise of Shakespeare ("The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."), or is something else going on? Regardless the option, all they can do is to continue digging until they have enough facts to lead them to a killer or killers.
This fifteenth book in Deborah Crombie's marvelous series finds Gemma, Duncan, and their three children learning that life as a family is always a work in progress. We also get to follow along as Gemma works with her team and learns each officer's strengths and weaknesses. The fact that her sergeant seems to be falling in love with a possible suspect could have grave repercussions, but all Gemma can do is give her a few small bits of advice and hope that Melody uses her common sense.
The story has several subplots woven into the narrative, and they all tie into the general area in which the first murder occurs: Crystal Palace. Each chapter begins with a quote about this area. They add depth to the story and to our knowledge of the British music industry. Melody's handsome guitar player, Andy Monahan-- a young man Duncan Kincaid met in a previous investigation-- is a major figure in the book, and his backstory is both heartbreaking and inspiring.
The story is so intriguing that the solution to the murders came as a surprise, but as any fan of Crombie's series knows, the mystery isn't the be-all-and-end-all of the book. The main characters are every bit as important, and The Sound of Broken Glass ends with a bit of a shocker that will make all devotees wonder what's in store in the next book.
If characters are as important to you as a cracking good story, you really need to get your hands on Deborah Crombie's books!
Arlene L. (poolmysteryreader) reviewed The Sound of Broken Glass (Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James, Bk 15) on + 63 more book reviews
very good continuation of series
Cyndi J. (cyndij) reviewed The Sound of Broken Glass (Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James, Bk 15) on + 1031 more book reviews
15th in the series with Duncan Kincaid of Scotland Yard and Gemma James of the Metropolitan Police. Crystal Palace is the place setting for this one. A barrister is found murdered in a very compromising position, and his last known contact was in a pub arguing with a musician. And then, another one... Lots of coincidence here as it seems Kincaid, James, and their team are acquainted with almost everyone involved in the case. I like all the subplots dealing with the characters' lives. What I don't like is having all the bits about the past set in italics. I find it uncomfortable to read multiple pages in italic. However, that's a formatting issue and nothing to do with the quality. New readers need to start closer to the beginning of the series.
Susan H. (Higfin) reviewed The Sound of Broken Glass (Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James, Bk 15) on + 227 more book reviews
I am generally not into crime fiction, but I enjoyed this one!
