Detective Sergeant Patrick Shea of London's Metropolitan Police and his new partner, Detective Chief Inspector Tommy Boyle, have been handed a high-profile murder case. In the penthouse of Kensington Tower, playboy Clifton Trentmore lay dead with his head bashed in, and the investigation reveals a man who was loathed by both sexes. With too few clues and too many suspects, Shea and Boyle must determine who hated Trentmore enough to kill him. But as Patrick digs deeper, he finds his suspects have secrets of their own.
A Killing in Kensington is the second in the Patrick Shea mystery series.
If you enjoy Law and Order UK, you will enjoy A Killing in Kensington.
I am the authors of several Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion re-imaginings. I have also written a modern love story, The Second Date, Love Italian-American Style, and three British mysteries, Three's A Crowd, A Killing in Kensington, A Death in Hampden, Dying to Write, and Murder by Moonlighting.
I am a wife, mother, grandmother, volunteer, reader, writer, serious recycler.
When I read for relaxation, I read mysteries. My greatest love is history. When I am doing the research for a new book, I love digging for historical nuggets.
wanted to give this series a chance so I followed the first as Patrick progresses through the ranks and is assigned high-profile murder of a very unpleasant man Language, writing style, shallow character development not appealing to me
This is the second book in a series but it is really stand alone. It is an interesting story set in 2005 now our hero is working out of Scotland Yard in the murder section and he has a doozy of a murder. The deceased is prominent, rich and universally loathed. It turns out that this disgusting pig is using the customer service department as his personal harem and is just a ripped from the MeToo headlines stories.
The fine coppers of Scotland Yard are baffled, even though they clearly solved the crime the missed the clues and ended up walking away empty handed.
A Killing in Kensington is the second book in The Patrick Shea Mystery Series. Patrick is fairly new on the scene to New Scotland Yard. The murder of Clifton Trentmore is his first high profile case. There’s no end to the number of suspects involved in a case with a victim who was really despicable.
There were moments where I felt like Patrick was being too hard-headed and there were moments where I thought he was brilliant. I loved the way he bonded with his son, Josh the most. It showed a sensitive side that I really appreciated. As I got to know Patrick better in this book, I thought that he became even more human and real to me. He became more 3-D and lifelike.
The subplots in this book fascinated me just as much as the main plot. I’m intrigued by England and London so everything about it interests me. I thought the author did a great job of showing all walks of life in this book. From the rich to the working poor. From the business executives to the street criminals. They all came to life.
Clifton Trentmore, the victim was a vibrant character despite the fact he never uttered a word or entered a scene himself. Through secondhand accounts he came alive. He was an utterly despicable character and you come to really loathe him. It’s hard to want to find his killer after learning about Trentmore and the life he led.
Each character was given attention and detail no matter how small a role he or she played. They were all unique. Attention was given to small characteristics so you could picture each individual and imagine what they were like.
I was trying to guess who did it, but there really were too many likely scenarios. Ultimately I was led by the nose and it all had to be revealed to me. There was even a surprise ending that I didn’t see coming.
I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery. I would also recommend to anyone who is interested in England. I look forward to the next book in the series!
This was a nice cozy, but lacked the warm and fuzziness of M.C. Beaton and Ann Purser, whose cozies I absolutely adore! I also found the book to be a bit much in terms of the innuendo and graphic details of sexual encounters. Perhaps this was the "romance" portion of the book? While it was a well written mystery and did keep me mostly engaged in the plot, for me it come in at a solid three stars.
The first Patrick Shea Detective story left me with a good feeling that I had discovered a new detective series to love and now, after reading the second book? I am absolutely convinced of it. Patrick Shea with his Irish humor and looks, his tenacity on the case, endearing love for family and his bittersweet musings about his life is one of the most engaging fictional detectives I have ever read. And the murder plots he is given to solve are equally attractive to a mystery lover.
In this story, it is about a year after the events of the first book which should probably be read in order as an intro to Patrick and his life, but also because this book references people and events from the first story. I suppose in a pinch one could muddle through reading them out of order.
Patrick is taken off one murder case involving people from a lower income community, given a new veteran partner, Tommy Boyle, and handed the file on a high profile murder in Kensington. This is Patrick's chance to advance his career or not. The press are chomping at the bit with his old frenemy (my word not Patrick's), Patricia in the lead looking for a story. His boss explains that there are leaks in the department so he must be extremely careful and she also tells him that she wants an intuitive detective on this one. Getting appreciated is a new feeling for him, but he doesn't have much time to revel in it because the case soon proves from the get-go to be a tough one.
The death of Clifton Trentmore, titular head of his parents Charity and their import business upon their death, has been coshed on the head by a piece of his own art collection. Evidence is thin on the ground, but not so with the suspects or motive. Trentmore was hated by everyone he came in contact with just a few exceptions. As the case progresses and they dig deep, he learns that the victim is even slimier than earlier suspect. Tommy and Patrick work carefully along with their team and draw ever closer to a solution.
In the meantime, Patrick has to balance time spent with his son who is struggling with Patrick's ex now pregnant with another child, he sees the writing on the wall when it comes to a long-term relationship with Annie his girlfriend who moved to the States with no plans of returning, and then there is that naggy issue of his attraction to one of his murder suspects. Patrick manages to balance it all and things end on a wry and bittersweet note.
As I said earlier, I love the mystery plot which I couldn't work out in its entirety (love it when that happens) and the characters. Not only did I enjoy Patrick, but I liked each of the characters around him. The police co-workers were great especially his partner and their supervisor. That dynamic he has with his ex and son works for me. Nice to see people who aren't at each other's throats and give priority to their child over their differences. Even the people who he engaged with as part of the case were well written and had a depth to them.
Honestly, this is just an enjoyable reading experience for me from the beginning to the end. In my opinion, this book was better than the first one even which was pretty good. I was left with an eagerness for the next book in the series. Those who enjoy British detective mysteries should definitely give this series a try.
In Mary Simonsen’s first book of the Patrick Shea Mystery series, Three's a Crowd, we meet Patrick Shea. It is a lighter read intended to introduce us to his character. In A Killing in Kensington, we get down to the nitty-gritty....
Clifton Trentmore, president of Trentmore World Imports, is found dead in his flat located in one of London's poshest neighborhoods. Patrick and his new partner, Tommy Boyle, are assigned to the case. Trying to find who murdered Trentmore is not going to be easy. Trying to find someone who liked him is going to be even harder.
While looking for Trentmore’s killer, Patrick and Boyle find plenty of corruption and sexual harassment surrounding Trentmore and his company. To make matters worse the more they investigate, the longer the suspect list grows.
This mystery was very much like CSI or Law and Order, British style. I found it very well written and thought out, with strong characters that were believable. With so many people hating Trentmore, I wasn't sure who killed him! As the story get's closer to the end, I could start narrowing it down, but I still didn’t know until the conclusion, a telltale sign of any good mystery.
Unlike Three's a Crowd, there is no romance in A Killing in Kensington. The romantic in me was hoping to see more of Annie Jameson, but that relationship has ended with Annie moving to the States. Besides that, Patrick needs to put all his time into this high-profile case. However, there does seem to be a bit of sexual tension between Patrick and one of the suspects. Could this jeopardize his case?
Mary Simonsen has amazed me with her ability to switch from romance to mystery, with seemly little effort. At the same time, Simonsen’s humor is seen throughout the story. If you’re a mystery buff, I would highly recommend A Killing in Kensington!
I was torn after reading book one as to whether I'd persevere with this series, gave this one a shot and now know the answer. I won't be. NOT because I don't like Patrick or the stories but because of the terrible mistakes throughout. Yes, she once again repeats her disclaimer at the start about using American spellings although she really doesn't explain why she does this. It's irritating. What is more annoying is the lack of care taken in the editing or proof-reading process. I still never understand why an author would write a great story only to present it so poorly. She throws in hyphens where they're not needed-infringe-ment or com-misioner,speechmarks were added where not required but missed when they were, apostrophes misplaced (but correctly used at other times so the difference was known). She kept saying that this person or that person indicated something without explaining how they did this indicating. It was very odd. She used Trentmore at one stage when she meant Wyatt and Garrison (WHO was that ??) when she meant Trentmore-more confusion and more carelessness. Then she has this sentence-"Oh my, no ! Not all at". Really ?? Kensington Gardens was thrown in as the name of the hotel when it had never been mentioned so you had no idea what was being referred to then said hotel mentioned again as "invited to tour of the refurbished hotel". Then further in it's renamed as the Gardens of Kensington. We lost a out of a couple of sentences. They "poured" over interviews, we hear about Mrs Marlowe's house without ever being told who on earth she was, Forster's used when Foster's was meant....it spoilt the flow and ruined the book and I am packing the series in now....but not happily. I just wish she'd had a better job done of checking her books.
I have said it before, but the eBook revolution has been a boon to the voracious reader like myself.
I picked up the novella “A Killing in Kensington” by Mary Lydon Simonsen some months ago as a freebie on amazon.com. I didn’t get around to reading it until this week. I do wish I’d read it earlier, as it is great.
“A Killing in Kensington” is a British police procedural, with the main character being DS Patrick Shea, and his new partner, DCI Tommy Boyle.
Well plotted, well written, fast paced and slick, there is much to love about this novella. I damn near devoured it.
It was the ending, however, that really raised “A Killing in Kensington” above all competitors. It quite literally left me open-mouthed with shock. I DID NOT see the ending coming. The book that can do that to me is rare indeed.
I would recommend “A Killing in Kensington” to anyone who enjoys well written police procedurals, or British crime stories.
I am eager to get my hands on Mary Lydon Simonsen’s other DS Patrick Shea books. I am sure they will be as good as this one.
Mary Lydon Simonsen's excellent writing brought all the characters to life and made them each memorable, no easy task with a lengthy list of suspects and witnesses.
This is her second Patrick Shea mystery. The first novel - Three's a Crowd - taught me to read carefully, as Simonsen scatters plenty of clues as we figure things out along with Patrick Shea. Still, she managed to keep me guessing until the very last page of this book. Surprise!
I read this in two nights because I had to find out who did it. I am only upset at the author because there isn't more to read! Seriously,
Now I am eager to read the third Patrick Shea mystery. Hopefully, Patrick gets a better deal this time!
Patrick Shea is on another murder case at New Scotland Yard. This is the murder of a prominent business man who is hated by most everyone. Which means that there are a lot of suspects!
Someone is also leaking information regarding the murder to the local news rag and Shea's Captain is trying to find out who is responsible for the leaks.
The murder could not be pulled off with only one person so who committed murder and who helped him/her pull it off. The end will surprise you!
This is the second book written by an American but set in London with British detectives and I think it worked much better than the other. (Ice Blue (Lord and Lady Hetheridge, #1) In spite of the author telling us in the forward that she was going to carry on using American nomenclature it was actually much more anglicised and she appeared to have done some research. Not great literature but an enjoyable easy read.
When the author's last Patrick Shea novel was reviewed with an excerpt on a JAFF site I wanted to read it but in learning that it was her fourth novel determined that I had to read the first three before tackling the last one (which involves a murder at a Jane Austen conference). So having read the first one I find that was a wise decision: characters and facts in this detective's life are set forth in the first novel.
I usually only read romance novels, of the historical variety. So I am a poor judge of mysteries. Grisham is one I read due to the author's background as an attorney (connection with my husband's trade). I have read a few others here and there when the author writes in both genres.
I found the ending unsatisfactory. I have never read a mystery in which things were not wrapped up neatly. We are told who did it (well, innocent until proven guilty so "suspected" perpetrator) and why but then are told the person(s) will never be arrested...so did he/she/they commit the perfect crime? Of course, we are kind of glad they got away with it (isn't that awful to say) since the murder victim was so very contemptible that a slower death would have probably been even more satisfactory for all wanting justice.
I will read the next two novels and hope that they are wrapped up better. I did enjoy following the human interest parts of this story as having to do with Patrick's life: his connection with past co-workers/supervisor, his partner, his son, his ex and her new husband, Patrick's failed romantic interests and even his attraction to one of the suspects/perpetrators.
A Killing in Kensington is the second in the Patrick Shea series. It's a mystery where there's more at play than might at first be imagined, and you can never be completely sure what's a clue and what's a red herring.
Billionaire Clifton Trentmore is found dead in his penthouse in Kensington. He was an obsessive compulsive man, with a reputation as a serial womaniser. There are many who might have wanted Trentmore dead, and suspects abound as a result of his nasty, manipulative, self-serving antics.
Investigating Trentmore's murder are DS Patrick Shea from Scotland Yard's MIT and his new senior partner DCI Tommy Boyle. As they delve into the victim's background they uncover the sleazy underbelly of an international business, revealing a web of money, sex, and revenge. Patrick is an experienced police officer, but even he is shocked and disgusted by what they find.
I enjoyed reading more of Patrick Shea, who is a man with good intentions, but flaws that sometimes make it difficult to know whether or not he might succumb to personal or professional temptation. His new partner, DCI Boyle, is older and wiser, a grounding influence. They complement each other as a team, combining youth and experience, implusiveness and a steady nature. I'll be sitting down to read book three soon, hoping for more of the same.
DS Patrick Shea is a new member to the Met police and he has been assigned to work with his new boss DCI Tommy Boyle who has come back after having a triple heart bypass.
Clifton Trentmore is found dead in his penthouse apartment, he’s had his head bashed in with one of his antiques.
The story ticks along with Shea trying to balance his personal life of been a single dad trying to look after his son with his new responsibilities of his new job and been thrown into a high profile case.
The story takes you on a journey showing how Clifton was not liked by his peers and how he treat women badly.
There is lots of people who hated him so plenty of suspects to whittle it down to find out who the murderer is.
I like mysteries and mysteries with twists so I was happy to see several threads and possible solutions to this mystery. I am not so sure the setting was as familiar to the writer -but I forgive a lot of that sort of thing if I like the characters and am enjoying the story. I did have a little trouble starting the book, it took a couple of tries to get into it but after it got rolling, I picked it up each evening ready to move ahead. I would say overall that you could do a lot worse - I set aside Walden to read this story instead - a nice diversion and now back to the pond.
A police mystery where a prominent businessman is found murdered in his upscale apartment. There a few clues to go on but as the detectives dig in to his background and associates in the family company and family run trust fund, a number of possible killers surface. Our businessman was not of sterling character and had few if any friends or admirers and lot large number of people who detested him. The prose was direct and to the point and kept the story moving compared to what I am currently reading where there is plenty of descriptive passages around the action.
This is the second book in the series, and I was hoping for a continuation from the last book, and I was disappointed. As a previous critic mentioned there is no end to the number of suspects and the story seems to go round and round trying to put the blame on the killer.i found it very boring and just wanted to get to the end to find out who the killer was.
I really liked this book. There were a fair number of twists and turns and kept me rethinking who did it. The ending left me a little empty but it demonstrated real life; not everything ends as happily ever after. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see how Patrick handles that case.
In a penthouse flat in Kensington, Clifton Trentmore has been found dead. The investigation by the newly formed partnership of Detective Sergeant Patrick Shea and Detective Chief Inspector Tommy Boyle find no end of suspects who wanted to kill this hated man.