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deborah crombie killing of innocents gemma james duncan kincaid kincaid and gemma red herrings doug cullen duncan and gemma sasha johnson russell square police procedural trainee doctor next installment old friends william morrow another great historic russell twists and turns look forward melody talbot
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Richard N. Huntley
5.0 out of 5 stars A Killing of Innocents
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2023
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I have read the whole series and have really enjoyed this latest book. Easy and enjoyable reading with a good plot and good character development. Worth the read!!
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Julie B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Book- Perfect Series
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2023
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I run out of superlatives for Crombie’s mysteries. Every one is of the highest quality of all the others. We all wait for the next one as soon as we finish the last page of the newest one. I recommend them to everyone.
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Mtlnative
4.0 out of 5 stars Another good Kincaid and James
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2023
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Wow, is it really #19 in the series? Over 19 years of following Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James in their professional and personal lives. I almost feel like I need to start over again because, as I tried to remember who was who in their extended family, friends and colleagues, I realized that there were hints of books past.

The mystery itself actually didn’t completely absorb me. Some books I power through in a couple of days, others I put aside and end up taking weeks to finish. In this case, it was a couple of weeks. Which actually isn’t a good idea in my increasingly elderly mind—I had to remind myself of where I was in the action, who was the latest suspect, etc.

The book centers on a stabbing of a young junior doctor in a square in London. Why was she killed? Various possibilities present itself as she led a fairly complicated life with a brother involved in criminal activities, her having a love affair. The action shifts to her roommate, a young potter whose brother was also somehow involved with the young doctor. And, swirling through all of this is the hectic, thankfully happy, home life of Kincaid and James and the romantic ups and downs of their colleagues Jasmine Sidana, Doug Cullen and Melody Talbot. Plus various others. Crombie has a huge cast of regular characters, with a less deft writer, it could get frustrating keeping them all straight but Crombie manages to keep the reader comforted by a good use of dialogue and settings.

And speaking of settings, how I love that Doug Cullen lives in Putney—where my cousin lives—and there is reference to another of my favorite places in England, Wells/Glastonbury in Somerset. All in all, it’s cozy to keep going back to Crombie’s book where I can visualize where she is writing about. The mystery? Well it’s less a thriller and more a police procedural. A good police procedural but if a reader is looking for a thriller, this isn’t a thriller.
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Penny
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2023
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One of the best in this long series. Deborah Crombie's command of the English language is so superb it glorifies the unfolding of her intricately designed plots. This story had me wondering and guessing until the last chapter. Satisfying and brilliant.
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Clay Yearsley
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great One
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2023
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I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series and this one is certainly no exception. Crombie does such a good job of fleshing out the characters, those who feature in ongoing roles and those who only show up in one volume. The mystery aspect is solid, as always.
Highly recommended.
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Norman J. Riddell
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, as always.
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2023
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These books are meant to be savored, but I just can’t do it. I need to find out the answers, and just keep reading until Duncan and company have put the world to rights again. Amazing story, amazing writing. Hope there are many more.
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bob new401138
5.0 out of 5 stars Five star pleased!
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2023
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What's not like. The good arrived early and in great comdition. Thank You!
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J. Alter
5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome addition to the Duncan Kincaid/Gema James Scotland Yard series
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2023
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Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Inspector Gemma James, find themselves embroiled in a disturbing case that begins with the murder of a young doctor trainee, stabbed in the chest as she hurries across one of London’s many squares. While they puzzle out this and two similar but apparently unrelated murders, they also try to cobble together childcare for their blended family. Author Debra Crombie crafts her story into seeming unrelated short scenes, many ending with a hook. Slowly, throughout the longish novel, she skillfully draws those thread together to weave a satisfying ending. The familiar characters are here—sergeants Doug Cullen and Melody Talbot, with their own set of problems, but Crombie brings in new faces and new situations, keeping London and its people ever fresh. And the ending? Just enough closure, with some threads left dangling to tell us there will be more of Duncan and Gemma’s story.
If you’ve not read this series, you truly should start at the beginning because the characters grow, and their situation changes from book to book. But Crombie’s thorough research shows in every book. A particularly delightful aspect is her fluency in British-speak. Deborah Crombie is truly at the top of her game.
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Christopher B.
3.0 out of 5 stars After a long wait ... disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023
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I was really disappointed by this one. I've read the entire series more than once, so I am a fan. But aspects of this novel--and Crombie's style in general--left me cold. I've never liked her lengthy italicized backstories, for instance, but at least in prior books they've borne a strong relation to the main plot. Here, the few italicized sections felt perfunctory and disconnected, not adding anything to my understanding of what happens in the end. The solution of the main mystery was distinctly underwhelming (trying not to give it away, let's just say that the ebola we find out about could have been deployed in the novel MUCH more dramatically than it is). Why the murders happened was not explored in any satisfyingly psychological way, and I got the sense that, post-Covid, Crombie just wanted to get a virus in there but then didn't know what to do with it. I've been especially irked by Gemma in recent books; since the introduction of the Charlotte character, Gemma's relationship with Toby has gotten weirdly irritated, even neglectful (must she snap at him and "smack" him just for being a six-year-old?), and though I get what Crombie is up to in writing professional parents who struggle with things like child care, it is remarkable how often they go haring off after obscure leads and possible interrogations after dumping their kids with peripheral neighbors. In this book, I couldn't figure out why Melody and Doug were fighting, and the Melody-Andy-Doug sections seemed like placeholders for the next book, not meaningful in their own right. At least Crombie has sort of figured out how to write characters of color without making egregiously embarrassing gaffs and no longer describes BIPOC in terms of food. Now if only she'd quit sending "quelling looks" in every novel! All that said, I'll look forward to the next installment ...
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Another Good Read, But ?
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2023
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I've loved this series from the beginning, and this is another well written mystery with well developed characters. What is amusing to me is that what drew me to the books initially was I was a working mother with a one year old who really related to the Gemma character when the first one came out, and now I'm retired with a thirty year old child. However, the characters in these books seem to exist in a kind of slow moving eternal now which may be a bit confusing to someone starting the series today.
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Cainea
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2023
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After a few - in my opinion - weaker installments to the series, Ms. Crombie is back in fine fettle. Strong plot, excellent characterization, intriguing pace, beautiful transition between the metropolis and the intimate settings, work and family - it was difficult to take me away from it. Very well done!
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Susan B. Hanley
5.0 out of 5 stars Books get better and better!
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2023
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Unlike so many authors of long series, Crombie doesn't lose her sharpness. Her plots, her characterizations, and her red herrings are all superb! I love the London setting and the map, though I was sometimes frustrated trying to locate on the map something described in the text. I've read nearly all of her earlier books so I'm not sure if readers new to her would find all the characters confusing, but I love the way she weaves earlier characters back into new books. Her London is multi-cultural, multiethnic but in a casual, low-key way. I found this one of her best books and suspect from the ending that she may be plotting still another. I do hope so!
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Lucy S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book by Crombie!
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2023
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Deborah Crombie is one of my favorite authors and her new book does not disappoint. Very good entry into this series. Can't wait until the next one comes out!
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Deborah Wall McGraw
4.0 out of 5 stars A Visit with old friends
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2023
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Being parents while solving murders is more stress than I can imagine, but I certainly enjoy reading about it. I also enjoyed the glimpse into current fads , seen through the eyes of those slightly older than the usual participants.
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Cynthia Klausing
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Series
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2023
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I have been reading Deborah Crombie and love this series based in London. I have been waiting for each new book in the series and while this was a welcome edition it was kind of shorter than I had hoped but nonetheless a good story . This one gave many great memories from my visit to London and the Nottinghill neighborhood in 2019. The main characters are married police officers and they have a mix and match family . The characters are endearing and I strongly suggest you start in the beginning with the very first book and read them ALL.
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