Garden of Lamentations

By: Deborah Crombie

Narrated by: Gerard Doyle

Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are drawn into separate investigations that hold disturbing - and deadly - complications for their own lives in this powerful mystery in the best-selling series.

On a beautiful morning in mid-May, the body of a young woman is found in one of Notting Hill's private gardens. To passersby, the pretty girl in the white dress looks as if she's sleeping. But Reagan Keating has been murdered, and the lead detective, DI Kerry Boatman, turns to Gemma James for help. She and Gemma worked together on a previous investigation, and Gemma has a personal connection to the case: Reagan was the nanny of a child who attends the same dance studio as Toby, Gemma, and Kincaid's son.

Gemma soon discovers that Reagan's death is the second tragedy in this exclusive London park; a few months before, a young boy died in a tragic accident. But when still another of the garden residents meets a violent end, it becomes clear that there are more sinister forces at play. Boatman and Gemma must stop the killer before another innocent life is taken.

While his wife is consumed with her new case, Kincaid finds himself plagued by disturbing questions about several previous - and seemingly unrelated - cases involving members of the force. If his suspicions are correct and the crimes are linked, are his family and friends in mortal danger as well? Kincaid's hunch turns to certainty when a Metropolitan Police officer close to him is brutally attacked. There's a traitor in the ranks, and now Kincaid wonders if he can trust anyone.

As Gemma begins to see a solution to her case, she realizes she holds a child's fate in her hands. Can she do the right thing? And can Kincaid rely on his friends, both inside and outside the Scotland Yard force, to stand beside him as he faces the deadliest challenge of his career?

©2017 Deborah Crombie (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Mysteries and Relationships

It took me a little while to catch up with Kincaid and Gemma, as it's been a while since the last entry in this enjoyable series. "Garden of Lamentations" is a very good addition for several reasons.

First of all, there are two quite interesting mystery stories going on - one for Gemma and one for Kincaid. They are very different in that Kincaid's involves crime and betrayal within the police department, while Gemma is investigating the sad murder of a young and well-liked nanny. The plots therefore cover two aspects of policing - the danger of political intrigue inside one's department and the heart wrenching necessity of solving a case involving children and families.

As always in this series, there's also the question of the ongoing relationship of these two very dedicated detectives. With two busy and sometimes unpredictable schedules to accommodate, family life and a marriage require a balancing act that occasionally goes off the rails. Crombie deals with this aspect of her story in a way that makes the Duncan/Gemma dynamic very real - each struggling for cooperation and mutual understanding while still attempting to maintain their separate identities.

It's a good book.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Sure to be one of 2017's best

Oh, reading a new Gemma and Duncan story is like coming home to a cheery fire and a cuppa. The characters are old friends and it's good to get caught up with what's been happening with them.

The mysteries in this book - Gemma and Duncan each have their own - are quite good. I did get a bit distracted by so many characters and found some of them confusing. I think that's something I run into with audiobooks. It's not as easy to "look back" if something needs to be clarified. Search function doesn't work.

I love Duncan and Gemma together and, for this adventure, they were working separately. A little unhappiness in their lives? Say it's not so, Deb.

As always, Gerard Doyle is a narrator par excellence! His ability with accents and dialects is striking. I love his work.

Deborah Crombie is a master of description. Each location comes alive through her words. I still want to go on a tour of London with her.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Start with Book One, A Share in Death

For those who have followed Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James through the first 16 books in the series, this one is enjoyable and ties up a number of loose ends. If you haven't read the others, start with Book One or you will surely be lost. I have enjoyed the entire series and recommend it to lovers of British detective fiction for its smart plots and well rounded characters.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Repetitive and dance.

Hard to follow. Characters in and out of secrets and seems like a repetitious reference to the explosion that happened in a previous book. Not sure what this book is in the series that very difficult to follow.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Garden of Lamentation by Deborah Cromby

I think this book was difficult going for me, It took me a while to read, and was not happy with the story, but I will go back and read it again, just to be fair to the author and the reader. I think you need to be very familiar with the previous books on Kincaids relationships both with his family and his past work. It has been some time since I have read one of the stories about the main people in the story, so maybe you should read those before continuing along with Garden of Lamentation.
Deborah Crombie is a great author though .

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Loved both story lines

I loved the two mysteries twining through the lives of the people we've come to know. Life is tough enough without two cops in the family, but Crombie handles this, and the relationships with Gemma's and Duncan's sergeants, extended family and friends, with aplomb. Two very compelling mysteries, too.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

I need to go back and hear the books I missed.<br />

A very good series, and I want to go back to hear the books I missed. This didn't ruin this new book for me, love the characters, area, writing. Rather made me realize the story was deeper and I'm looking forward to discovering what I missed.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I love This Series

This is one of a continuing series involving several London police officers. The stories are complex and there are usually two mysteries-one that continues over time and a self contined mystery. The charactes are likeable and "normal" no alcholism. angst etc which can get old. They have families and the usual problems that go along with family life. I find the mysteries engrossing and the solutions are not obvious. Enjoy.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Lamentably Too Long

Too many characters and corpses. My interest waned long before the book was over. Is there such a thing as a "chick" mystery? If so, this one fits the bill. And there was too much filler. Every time the doorbell rang, the characters had red wine, white wine, tea...

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Gerard Doyle is great!

I love this series and Gerard Doyle does a fantastic job with the narration. I appreciate how Deborah Crombie has found a place to go with the characters even after the initial romantic tension is resolved.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful