Kissed a Sad Goodbye

A Duncan Kincaid / Jemma James Novel

By: Deborah Crombie

Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin

Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Reminiscent of Ruth Rendell, multiple award-winning author Deborah Crombie creates graceful mysteries, resonating with lyrical prose, elegant suspense, and finely-drawn characters. This is her darkly irresistible tale of friendship shattered by shocking betrayal, and repercussions that echo down through the years.

A stunningly beautiful young woman is found strangled in London's Mudchute Park, her clothing carefully arranged to preserve her modesty. With that unusual detail in mind, Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his partner Sergeant Gemma James suspect the crime was more than a simple assault gone awry. As they collect the strange facts surrounding her death, they discover the victim's life was a mystery even to those who knew her best.

Internationally-acclaimed author Deborah Crombie brilliantly weaves together events of World War II England with complex problems of present-day London. As British actor Jenny Sterlin's superb dramatization unfolds, you'll understand why this crime novel is as at home on the bookshelf with literary novels as it is with the most baffling whodunit.

Solve more mysteries with Duncan Kincaid and Jemma James.

©1999 Deborah Crombie (P)1999 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"This complex, thoughtful novel is another satisfying entry in an exceptional series." ( Publishers Weekly)

A Mystery in Two Timeframes

Beautifully read story of betrayal and murder, love and reconciliation, WWII and the present.

Disappointed

Love the series in general. This was the worst, least engaging by far. I found myself skipping ahead and being very bored. Sad I lost a credit for it.

Good story (sort of)

Good, not great, story line. It moved very slowly and took forever to tie things together. The veering from past to present was not as skillfully done as some other writers have done and at times, confusing and the way the past was presented could have been less drawn out.
To make matters worse, the narration speed was extremely slow. I had to ramp up to 1.2 ir 1.5 so it didn’t seem so lethargic. And speaking of narration, I didn’t care at all for how the characters sounded. I was used to the male narrator and this female voice made the characters seem a bit weak and whiny. I’ve listend to other books by this narrator and enjoyed them, but not this one.
Once the storyline came together, I began enjoying it more. I enjoy this author so this mediocre experience won’t stop me but I will stick to the books with the male narrator.

Captivating series, well read

Would you listen to Kissed a Sad Goodbye again? Why?

Perhaps, though I don't tend to read books more than once

Who was your favorite character and why?

Love the interplay between Kincaid and James

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I try to save my Audible books for my thrice-weekly walks, as its an investment for me on my limited income, but I had to discipline myself not to listen to this one start to finish in one listen.

Any additional comments?

Deborah Crombie is, in my opinion, right up there with Sue Grafton, Dana Stabenow, Daniel Silva and Ken Follett in her/their ability to catch me up into their stories and hold my attention from beginning to end. And the reader of Crombie's books for Audible, Jennie Sterlin, is the perfect voice for her novels.

Well Done!

The characters fit together so well, like pieces in a picture puzzle. As I read, I wondered what the finished picture would be, but enjoyed so much the building of it.
The only issue I found was Jenny Sterling reading it because I have listened to almost all of the Mary Russel-Sherlock Holmes stories read by her that it took me a while to accept her voice as this book’s characters. Anyway, this story is a gem. Don’t miss it.

Good Read

Much better than last novel in series. Masterful weaving of past and present. Intriguing weaving of large cast of characters.

Enjoyed this book more, this time ‘round

This is a “re-read” for me, and this time I listened to the Audible version, which is ably narrated by Jenny Sterlin, who made this book come alive for me. I enjoyed the complex interwoven storylines alternating between: 1) the present day (1999) murder of a businesswoman with too many secrets; and 2) the horrific days of WWII, when children were evacuated from London, to live in Surrey, and how they were affected.

When I read the hardback copy years ago, I thought this a dark and depressing read. On revisiting this story, I enjoyed it more and found it less dark—possibly because I’ve read more about WWII in the past decade or so. There are some advantages to getting older!

Check a map before reading

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as I do all of Crombie's. But I found it confusing for the first hour or so. I paused it and did some research before continuing. It takes place on the Isle of Dogs, and if you aren't familiar with that, you won't understand what the author is talking about and the geography of the crime scene. Before listening, take a minute to look it up on a detailed map such as google maps, and zoom in to Mudchute Park and find Ferry Road and the docks. It's a fascinating place with a fascinating history. After looking at the map, take a quick look at the article about it on Wikipedia. You'll find the book much more enjoyable once you are familiar with the scenario.

Excellent Story

This is not a fast paced, action filled adventure. It is a well crafted story, filled with complex characters and relationships. There is a mystery to be solved, but there are also stories to be told. As the story went on I became more and more involved and interested. It's a long book, but the time flew by.

Part of the story involves the difficulties experienced by main characters Jemma James and Duncan Kincaid experience in their personal lives. They struggle with complex issues and don't always make the best decisions at first. For me this makes them seem more "real." Their personal struggles are part of the story, but not the focus of the story.

I enjoyed listening to this story and look forward to listening to more books in this series.

I loved this book, and the series is addicting

A perfect novel: real and interesting characters, a plot tying mistakes and injuries of the past to motivations in the present, story lines that intertwine, and questions about who we are and how we meant to live. I am looking forward to the next in the series.