• Water Like a Stone

  • The Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James Mystery Series, Book 11
  • By: Deborah Crombie
  • Narrated by: Michael Deehy
  • Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,010 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Water Like a Stone  By  cover art

Water Like a Stone

By: Deborah Crombie
Narrated by: Michael Deehy
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.90

Buy for $17.90

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

When Scotland Yard superintendent Duncan Kincaid takes Gemma, Kit, and Toby for a holiday visit to his family in Cheshire, Gemma is soon entranced with Nantwich's pretty buildings and the historic winding canal, and young Kit is instantly smitten with his cousin Lally.

But their visit is marred by family tensions exacerbated by the unraveling of Duncan's sister Juliet's marriage. And tensions are brought to the breaking point on Christmas Eve with Juliet's discovery of a mummified infant's body interred in the wall of an old dairy barn—a tragedy hauntingly echoed by the recent drowning of Peter Llewellyn, a schoolmate of Lally's.

Meanwhile, on her narrowboat, former social worker Annie Lebow is living a life of self-imposed isolation and preparing for a lonely Christmas, made more troubling by her meeting earlier in the day with the Wains, a traditional boating family whose case precipitated Annie's leaving her job.

As the police make their inquiries into the infant's death, Kincaid discovers that life in the lovely market town of his childhood is far from idyllic and that the dreaming reaches of the Shropshire Union Canal hold dark and deadly secrets...secrets that may threaten everything and everyone he holds most dear.

A 2008 Macavity Award Finalist for Best Mystery Novel.

©2007 Deborah Crombie (P)2018 Blackstone Publishing

What listeners say about Water Like a Stone

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    745
  • 4 Stars
    220
  • 3 Stars
    36
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    743
  • 4 Stars
    142
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    660
  • 4 Stars
    195
  • 3 Stars
    37
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Love this series!

I enjoy the back story of Gemma and Duncan and their family with the added mysteries they find fhe selves entangled in. Also, learning about different locations in London and England is an added bonus. SPOILER ALERT: I am hoping in the next few books of the series the author doesn’t involve Kit in the murders. He has gone through enough with finding now two dead bodies, one being his mother, and his life being threatened. He will need serious counseling!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The best!

Love the Duncan Kincaid books, and this was my favorite in the series so far.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A frightening, fascinating, adventure

An experience with much heart and behind the scenes intrigue. Many stories within a story. One of her best!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I like this series.

This story was one of my favorites. As the book evolves you get to know Duncan’s families and some of his background.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story

Well told story with just enough intrigue & twists. Definitely worth the listen. Will look for more books by this author!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The saga continues

This is book 11 of the series. Besides growing understanding of the characters the author’s writing abilities have grown. Complex storylines are presented smoothly and Deborah Crombie becomes an ever better storyteller.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous story AND narrator!

I will sorely miss Michael Deehy as narrator of this series. I have skipped Books 5,6, and 7 as Jenny Sterling just doesn’t fit after the masterful voicing of Mr. Deehy. I am so sorry he is not the narrator going forward. Not sure I want to make the switch, so will pursue print copies of this amazing series from here on.
Gripping addition, this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Like able characters

Why does Deborah Crombie make her characters that die so three dimensional and like able? It’s way to painful!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Real Clutch of Proper Villains

Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid continue their investigative work on a Christmas Holiday to to Duncan’s family in Cheshire. Not a peaceful Christmas although Duncan’s parents certainly are stellar in this story of family dysfunction and small town villains.

The details about the canal, the long boats and their owners make a story in and of themselves. Gemma and Duncan continent to bond a loving, blended family despite emotional wounds and their own insecurities

And what a delightful addition Chief Inspector Ronnie Babcock and his Sargent Shiela Larkin are to the cast of characters. Deborah Crombie has a real knack for introducing and incorporating 3 dimensional characters who enrich the content and draw in this reader with hopes to see them in future books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

This book has as many twists and turns as the canals themselves. I love the relationship between Kincaid and James, great book, this is one you’ll want to add to you list!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!