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DI Beatrice Stubbs #2
Raw Material
Bank Holiday weekend. Sunrise on a secluded Welsh beach and Beatrice Stubbs takes some innocent snaps. The scene contains more than just cliffs and seagulls, and someone wants those pictures destroyed. But Beatrice’s mind is on other things.
Assigned to the London Transport Police, she’s pursuing the Finsbury Park Flasher, trying to pre-empt a serious sexual offence. While Beatrice is distracted, neighbour Adrian and companion Matthew decide to play Poirot, and investigate the mystery of the disappearing photographs. Amateur detectives and professional criminals are a dangerous mix.
From deserted Pembrokeshire beaches, through the shadowy underpasses of North London, to the remote Irish countryside, Beatrice discovers the darker side of human nature.
Assigned to the London Transport Police, she’s pursuing the Finsbury Park Flasher, trying to pre-empt a serious sexual offence. While Beatrice is distracted, neighbour Adrian and companion Matthew decide to play Poirot, and investigate the mystery of the disappearing photographs. Amateur detectives and professional criminals are a dangerous mix.
From deserted Pembrokeshire beaches, through the shadowy underpasses of North London, to the remote Irish countryside, Beatrice discovers the darker side of human nature.
318 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2012
216 people are currently reading
406 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Marsh
34 books178 followersAs a child, Jill read so obsessively she got kicked out of the school library. But her passion for words continued. She graduated in English Literature and Theatre Studies from the University of Wales and set up a theatre company. Since then, as an actor, director, teacher, writer and journalist, she’s worked in fifteen countries. She learnt something from each one.
Now, with her husband and three dogs, Jill lives in Switzerland, a country with four languages and mountains of new words.
She works as a language trainer all over Europe, collaborates with Nuance Words and Triskele Books, and contributes regularly to Words with JAM magazine. But most of the time, she writes. And reads.
Behind Closed Doors is the first Beatrice Stubbs novel, a European crime series set in compelling locations all over the Continent.
Now, with her husband and three dogs, Jill lives in Switzerland, a country with four languages and mountains of new words.
She works as a language trainer all over Europe, collaborates with Nuance Words and Triskele Books, and contributes regularly to Words with JAM magazine. But most of the time, she writes. And reads.
Behind Closed Doors is the first Beatrice Stubbs novel, a European crime series set in compelling locations all over the Continent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
June 28, 2022
'Raw Material' is the second book in the Beatrice Stubbs series that currently stands at thirteen books in all. Each book can be read as a standalone novel but each has Beatrice Stubbs, a veteran Detective Inspector with the Metropolitan Police at its heart. Beatrice looks at the world differently from most people. She's a bi-polar, metaphor-mixing, deeply insightful, introverted, suicide survivor with a strong sense of personal responsibility for solving the crimes she investigates.
I first met Beatrice Stubbs last year, when I read 'Behind Closed Doors', her first assignment after returning to work after recovering from her suicide attempt. 'Behind Closed Doors' was set in Zurich and had an international team working to solve a complex crime linked to international finance. I was impressed with how well that book captured what it's like to bring an international team together, how vivid the descriptions of the places were and how well the humour worked.
I'd expected 'Raw Material' to be an extension of 'Behind Closed Doors' but it was quite different, at least in content. It had many of the same strengths. JJ Marsh knows how to make a place feel real, whether it's a small port on the Pembrokeshire coast, busy train stations in the heart of London or remote farms in Ireland. She also builds strong, credible characters and delivers believable dialogue, often laced with humour. What's different about 'Raw Material' is that it's much more personal. This is Beatrice Stubbs in her home environment, solving crimes that touch people she knows and cares about.
'Raw Material' follows two investigations: one into an organised, aggressive flasher/stalker who shows all the signs of being on a path to becoming a serial rapist; the other into some kind of smuggling activity in the tiny Pembrokeshire fishing village that Beatrice and her partner rent a holiday cottage in.
The two plots aren't linked by anything apart from Beatrice's involvement and by the pathological behaviour at the heart of each. This gave the book a slightly disconnected feel at first until I realised that both plots told me about Bridget's strengths and weaknesses and her ability to see them and about how she is regarded by the people around her.
I liked the contrast between the way the two plots were worked. The flasher/stalker investigation was a joint operation between the Met and British Transport Police and followed a typical police procedural pattern, enriched by the involvement of strong personalities on the police team and by an escalating level of harm by the perpetrator. The smuggling investigation was an amateur thing, triggered by the theft of a camera from Beatrice's holiday cottage and followed up by Beatrice's partner and her neighbour, neither of whom has the training or the personality needed for the task but who do manage to get themselves into a great deal of trouble. Both plots were quite dark, dealing with things that people do when they cease seeing others as human.
What I liked most about the book were the strong women characters: three women police officers in addition to Beatrice. Two of them had a personal history that set them at odds. All of them have very different styles. Beatrice is probably the most insightful and least charismatic of the four. I was impressed not just by how clearly the characters of the women were drawn but how real and varied their interactions felt. The dialogue was pitch-perfect as were the ways in which they handled both conflict and collaboration.
I enjoyed 'Raw Material', although not as much as 'Behind Closed Doors'. As a standalone mystery, it was good but not great. As an episode in a series about a complex woman operating in a stressful environment, it had a lot to recommend it.
I'll certainly be reading the third book in the series, 'Tread Softly' which sees Beatrice involved in a mystery while on a sabbatical in the Basque country in Northern Spain.
I first met Beatrice Stubbs last year, when I read 'Behind Closed Doors', her first assignment after returning to work after recovering from her suicide attempt. 'Behind Closed Doors' was set in Zurich and had an international team working to solve a complex crime linked to international finance. I was impressed with how well that book captured what it's like to bring an international team together, how vivid the descriptions of the places were and how well the humour worked.
I'd expected 'Raw Material' to be an extension of 'Behind Closed Doors' but it was quite different, at least in content. It had many of the same strengths. JJ Marsh knows how to make a place feel real, whether it's a small port on the Pembrokeshire coast, busy train stations in the heart of London or remote farms in Ireland. She also builds strong, credible characters and delivers believable dialogue, often laced with humour. What's different about 'Raw Material' is that it's much more personal. This is Beatrice Stubbs in her home environment, solving crimes that touch people she knows and cares about.
'Raw Material' follows two investigations: one into an organised, aggressive flasher/stalker who shows all the signs of being on a path to becoming a serial rapist; the other into some kind of smuggling activity in the tiny Pembrokeshire fishing village that Beatrice and her partner rent a holiday cottage in.
The two plots aren't linked by anything apart from Beatrice's involvement and by the pathological behaviour at the heart of each. This gave the book a slightly disconnected feel at first until I realised that both plots told me about Bridget's strengths and weaknesses and her ability to see them and about how she is regarded by the people around her.
I liked the contrast between the way the two plots were worked. The flasher/stalker investigation was a joint operation between the Met and British Transport Police and followed a typical police procedural pattern, enriched by the involvement of strong personalities on the police team and by an escalating level of harm by the perpetrator. The smuggling investigation was an amateur thing, triggered by the theft of a camera from Beatrice's holiday cottage and followed up by Beatrice's partner and her neighbour, neither of whom has the training or the personality needed for the task but who do manage to get themselves into a great deal of trouble. Both plots were quite dark, dealing with things that people do when they cease seeing others as human.
What I liked most about the book were the strong women characters: three women police officers in addition to Beatrice. Two of them had a personal history that set them at odds. All of them have very different styles. Beatrice is probably the most insightful and least charismatic of the four. I was impressed not just by how clearly the characters of the women were drawn but how real and varied their interactions felt. The dialogue was pitch-perfect as were the ways in which they handled both conflict and collaboration.
I enjoyed 'Raw Material', although not as much as 'Behind Closed Doors'. As a standalone mystery, it was good but not great. As an episode in a series about a complex woman operating in a stressful environment, it had a lot to recommend it.
I'll certainly be reading the third book in the series, 'Tread Softly' which sees Beatrice involved in a mystery while on a sabbatical in the Basque country in Northern Spain.
December 3, 2012
Through my writing I know the author, JJ Marsh, but as an avid crime reader, my views here are honest and genuine.
There's nothing more satisfying than opening the first page of a book and sighing with contentment as you settle back into a world where you've previously been entertained and enthralled. And so it is for me and DI Beatrice Stubbs. She's become an old friend whom I have, at odd times, thought about consulting on a case I'm working on in my own writing. But then remember I can't as she's only a character in a novel.
But what a character. And what a novel. This book in professional in every aspect - from the pacing to the story arc to the wonderful characterisation. In the first book of the series, Behind Closed Doors, we were introduced to Beatrice and quickly got to grasp with her strengths and weaknesses which helped us form a bond and empathy with her. Here, in Raw Material, it's her inner strength that shines through. Despite tough times at work coupled with a difficult case, Beatrice acts with effortless control to solve a nasty crime that points back towards her own profession and forces her to put her own preconceptions aside. And in a worrying turn of events, her partner, Matthew and neighbour, Adrian, find themselves dragged from amateur detective to the darker side of human nature, leaving Beatrice to take control in her customary manner.
As ever, there's twists and turns, hidden layers, subliminal messages and intelligent banter a plenty. If you loved Beatrice Stubbs in the first novel of the series, you will seriously fall at her feet when you reach the end of Raw Material. Now, where's book three ..?u
There's nothing more satisfying than opening the first page of a book and sighing with contentment as you settle back into a world where you've previously been entertained and enthralled. And so it is for me and DI Beatrice Stubbs. She's become an old friend whom I have, at odd times, thought about consulting on a case I'm working on in my own writing. But then remember I can't as she's only a character in a novel.
But what a character. And what a novel. This book in professional in every aspect - from the pacing to the story arc to the wonderful characterisation. In the first book of the series, Behind Closed Doors, we were introduced to Beatrice and quickly got to grasp with her strengths and weaknesses which helped us form a bond and empathy with her. Here, in Raw Material, it's her inner strength that shines through. Despite tough times at work coupled with a difficult case, Beatrice acts with effortless control to solve a nasty crime that points back towards her own profession and forces her to put her own preconceptions aside. And in a worrying turn of events, her partner, Matthew and neighbour, Adrian, find themselves dragged from amateur detective to the darker side of human nature, leaving Beatrice to take control in her customary manner.
As ever, there's twists and turns, hidden layers, subliminal messages and intelligent banter a plenty. If you loved Beatrice Stubbs in the first novel of the series, you will seriously fall at her feet when you reach the end of Raw Material. Now, where's book three ..?u
February 20, 2013
A Thrilling Sequel to Behind Closed Doors.
As in her first novel, Behind Closed Doors, JJ Marsh had me hooked right from the beginning of Raw Material.
The story opens with Detective Beatrice Stubbs and her partner, Matthew, taking photographs on a beach holiday in Wales. When their cottage is burgled and Beatrice's camera is stolen, it is evident this is no meaningless petty theft. However, when she returns to London, Beatrice must turn her attentions to the sinister Finsbury Park Flasher, who is becoming more dangerous as each day passes.
Reading about Detective Beatrice Stubbs once again felt like meeting up with an old friend; we know her strengths, her weaknesses, her foibles. We empathize with her as we accompany her in the battles of her personal and professional life. Amateur detective Adrian also shines again, he and Matthew becoming entangled in a bleak and horrific crime.
I would highly recommend Raw Material to readers who enjoy excellently-written, intelligent crime novels with fast-paced, original plots. I’m impatient for the next book in the Beatrice Stubbs series!
As in her first novel, Behind Closed Doors, JJ Marsh had me hooked right from the beginning of Raw Material.
The story opens with Detective Beatrice Stubbs and her partner, Matthew, taking photographs on a beach holiday in Wales. When their cottage is burgled and Beatrice's camera is stolen, it is evident this is no meaningless petty theft. However, when she returns to London, Beatrice must turn her attentions to the sinister Finsbury Park Flasher, who is becoming more dangerous as each day passes.
Reading about Detective Beatrice Stubbs once again felt like meeting up with an old friend; we know her strengths, her weaknesses, her foibles. We empathize with her as we accompany her in the battles of her personal and professional life. Amateur detective Adrian also shines again, he and Matthew becoming entangled in a bleak and horrific crime.
I would highly recommend Raw Material to readers who enjoy excellently-written, intelligent crime novels with fast-paced, original plots. I’m impatient for the next book in the Beatrice Stubbs series!
November 18, 2024
The second in a long-running series by JJ Marsh, RAW MATERIAL follows DI Beatrice Stubbs’s efforts to pursue the perpetrators when her camera and laptop are stolen in peculiar circumstances while in Wales with her partner Matthew, while simultaneously seeking the identify of the Finsbury Park Flasher, who is becoming progressively more aggressive and dangerous as he stalks and victimizes women in London. Stubbs suffers from bipolar disorder and the aftermath of a previous suicide attempt, and her personal and professional struggles combine to produce a relatable and likeable character, one you want to see succeed. I also enjoy the returning cast of characters in the series, particularly her partner, Matthew (who calls Beatrice “Old Thing”!), neighbor Adrian, and Beatrice’s counselor James. The plot is believable, the settings of the action intriguing, and the writing clever. I will continue to read this series.
“I know how abysmal things must have seemed if you thought ending your life was the only solution. And it tore me into wretched pieces to think I couldn’t help you. So we made a choice, as I recall. We chose to manage these black dogs. Together. You have James, you have your stabilizers, you have me, and you have your job. All working together, we can keep this under control. The point is, Old Thing, if you knock one of your supports away, you’re going to have less balance.”
“I know how abysmal things must have seemed if you thought ending your life was the only solution. And it tore me into wretched pieces to think I couldn’t help you. So we made a choice, as I recall. We chose to manage these black dogs. Together. You have James, you have your stabilizers, you have me, and you have your job. All working together, we can keep this under control. The point is, Old Thing, if you knock one of your supports away, you’re going to have less balance.”
January 19, 2013
I met Beatrice some time ago in Behind Closed Doors. As I got to know her, I admired her resilience and courage battling her personal beasties alongside those in her professional life.
In Raw Material I feel I’m hooking up with an old acquaintance, and very happy I am to be in her world again. The story opens with Beatrice and her companion, Matthew, enjoying a break in South Wales. After an early morning jaunt taking photographs on the beach, Beatrice’s bag is snatched and the following morning someone breaks into their holiday cottage and steals the camera.
On her return to London, Beatrice has a far more sinister crime to solve. Or that’s what you think.
What starts out as a somewhat insignificant petty theft turns into to something far more cold-hearted, cruel and chilling? At the same time, the Finsbury Park Flasher is stepping up his activity and becoming more dangerous.
Beatrice is on form and although she retains her vaguely scatty old bird persona, JJ Marsh effortlessly gives Beatrice a character who is feisty, proficient and insightful whilst still being the slightly paranoid DI we know and love . This time she has help from some beautifully crafted characters, both professionals and amateurs. As with the BCD, you can see each character clearly. You share their fears and fortunes. The story is fast paced and the images daunting and harrowing in equal measure. Beatrice and Matthew are the only two characters familiar to both books, and it was interesting getting to know Matthew better. However Beatrice’s meddlesome but good-hearted neighbour nearly steals the limelight. I hope we get to meet him again.
Another brilliant outing for Beatrice and friends. Outstanding story, original idea, descriptively beautiful, authentic characters. Loved it and want more please.
In Raw Material I feel I’m hooking up with an old acquaintance, and very happy I am to be in her world again. The story opens with Beatrice and her companion, Matthew, enjoying a break in South Wales. After an early morning jaunt taking photographs on the beach, Beatrice’s bag is snatched and the following morning someone breaks into their holiday cottage and steals the camera.
On her return to London, Beatrice has a far more sinister crime to solve. Or that’s what you think.
What starts out as a somewhat insignificant petty theft turns into to something far more cold-hearted, cruel and chilling? At the same time, the Finsbury Park Flasher is stepping up his activity and becoming more dangerous.
Beatrice is on form and although she retains her vaguely scatty old bird persona, JJ Marsh effortlessly gives Beatrice a character who is feisty, proficient and insightful whilst still being the slightly paranoid DI we know and love . This time she has help from some beautifully crafted characters, both professionals and amateurs. As with the BCD, you can see each character clearly. You share their fears and fortunes. The story is fast paced and the images daunting and harrowing in equal measure. Beatrice and Matthew are the only two characters familiar to both books, and it was interesting getting to know Matthew better. However Beatrice’s meddlesome but good-hearted neighbour nearly steals the limelight. I hope we get to meet him again.
Another brilliant outing for Beatrice and friends. Outstanding story, original idea, descriptively beautiful, authentic characters. Loved it and want more please.
February 25, 2013
I loved JJ Marsh’s debut novel Behind Closed Doors, but her second,Raw Material, is even better. Beatrice Stubbs is back in the UK, reluctantly dealing with the case of a flasher who seems likely to become something more dangerous. To her embarrassment she recently became a victim of crime herself when her bag was stolen during a holiday in Wales with partner, Matthew. It isn’t long before this second crime also turns out to be far more sinister than a mere mugging.
While Beatrice is fully occupied with the London crime, Matthew, and Beatrice’s neighbour, Adrian, decide to investigate in Wales and what starts out as a light-hearted caper turns into something horribly grim. The truth is more terrible than Matthew, Adrian, or even Beatrice, could ever have imagined and the final chapters are heart-stoppingly moving and exciting.
JJ Marsh has a real talent for creating secondary characters. Beatrice’s fellow cop, Virginia, a flirt and home wrecker with hidden depths, is fascinating. It’s Adrian, however, who proves to be the star of this novel. And it would be wrong to call him a secondary character. Despite his references to Sherlock Holmes, he reminds me of gentlemen detectives, like Lord Peter Wimsey, from the golden age of crime. I, for one, would love to see Adrian develop into a series character.
While Beatrice is fully occupied with the London crime, Matthew, and Beatrice’s neighbour, Adrian, decide to investigate in Wales and what starts out as a light-hearted caper turns into something horribly grim. The truth is more terrible than Matthew, Adrian, or even Beatrice, could ever have imagined and the final chapters are heart-stoppingly moving and exciting.
JJ Marsh has a real talent for creating secondary characters. Beatrice’s fellow cop, Virginia, a flirt and home wrecker with hidden depths, is fascinating. It’s Adrian, however, who proves to be the star of this novel. And it would be wrong to call him a secondary character. Despite his references to Sherlock Holmes, he reminds me of gentlemen detectives, like Lord Peter Wimsey, from the golden age of crime. I, for one, would love to see Adrian develop into a series character.
January 26, 2013
JJ Marsh once more hooks you with a multilayer title: Raw Material might be about any kind of matter. The title might even hint at the state of the writing, so no reason to complain if you find the book crude, because you’ve been told in friendly letters on the cover. But I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed for it is the story that gets more and more barbarous in contrast to the fine writing. And by the time you understand the meaning of the title, you would very probably prefer not to know that detailed. But you’ll stick around to find out if the good guys are fine and the bad guys locked away.
Back and forth between scenic countryside and busy city life more than one crime needs to be solved. Detective Inspector Beatrice Stubbs is pushed to the limit. Full of surprises the story winds itself through the landscapes showing facets of its true-to-life characters. You will read faster and faster and finally frown when your train stop is announced. And when you think about feigning a bad stomach to back out of dinner with your friends to get back to bed with Beatrice Stubbs; just do it. It will be worthwhile.
And last but not least, chapter eleven begins with a most helpful reference value: if your therapist doesn’t do for you what James does for Beatrice Stubbs – move on.
Back and forth between scenic countryside and busy city life more than one crime needs to be solved. Detective Inspector Beatrice Stubbs is pushed to the limit. Full of surprises the story winds itself through the landscapes showing facets of its true-to-life characters. You will read faster and faster and finally frown when your train stop is announced. And when you think about feigning a bad stomach to back out of dinner with your friends to get back to bed with Beatrice Stubbs; just do it. It will be worthwhile.
And last but not least, chapter eleven begins with a most helpful reference value: if your therapist doesn’t do for you what James does for Beatrice Stubbs – move on.
Read
May 23, 2013Second in a series by my Triskele stablemate, J.J. Marsh. Raw Materials sees Marsh’s detective, DI Beatrice Stubbs, back in London. It also introduces two of the best sidekicks in detective fiction since Bunter and Lugg hung up their hats.
Through Beatrice’s long-time partner Matthew, we see that rare thing in fiction – a well worn relationship that is comfortable in its own skin. As for her flamboyant neighbour, Adrian, I fell in love with him from the first moment he appeared on the page. Left to their own devices, the two men turn themselves into a pair of ageing Hardy Boys – much to Beatrice’s irritation.
Raw Materials displays the same wit, intelligence and compassion as the first book in the series, Behind Closed Doors.
Through Beatrice’s long-time partner Matthew, we see that rare thing in fiction – a well worn relationship that is comfortable in its own skin. As for her flamboyant neighbour, Adrian, I fell in love with him from the first moment he appeared on the page. Left to their own devices, the two men turn themselves into a pair of ageing Hardy Boys – much to Beatrice’s irritation.
Raw Materials displays the same wit, intelligence and compassion as the first book in the series, Behind Closed Doors.
December 5, 2012
Raw material is an excellent crime novel full of humour and horrors. I was hooked from start to finish by the plot, the rising tension and looming menace, and the many-faceted personalities—even minor characters leap off the page.
Beatrice Stubbs is my new favourite detective, but amateur Adrian is a close second. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Beatrice Stubbs is my new favourite detective, but amateur Adrian is a close second. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
May 15, 2013
Won this on goodreads. Loved this story. Great characters - I now find that I have to get the first book to see what I have missed. Love a good thriller and this definitely qualifies.
September 12, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed my ‘boxed set’ of 3 titles by JJ Marsh. The ‘set’ consisted of the first 3 books in Ms. Marsh’s Beatrice Stubbs mystery series: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - RAW MATERIAL - TREAD SOFTLY.
The lead characters were very flawed; very likable; very detailed. Beatrice - bipolar with hints of a prior suicide attempt, Detective Inspector for the Metropolitan Police; her husband Matthew and neighbor Adrian.
The plots were edgy, suspenseful and detailed; very character-driven.
The ‘sense of place’ (which first attracted me to the series) was extremely well-done. I really felt a part of the locations.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS took place mainly in Zurich, Switzerland. I liked the back and forth of the murder scenes and the current investigations. It helped set the tone and especially the personalities of the victims. I quite liked the development of the team’s characters and Herr Karl Kalin.
RAW MATERIAL was set in UK locations. A seemingly innocent set of photographs from a beach holiday turn into the basis for a major investigation. Adrian and Matthew ‘help out’ on the case.
TREAD SOFTLY was my favorite title mainly because of its northern Spain location. The descriptions - of foods, wines, vineyards, wineries, Spanish cities and towns, people - were superb. The plot was very well-paced which I liked.
I liked these mysteries so much that I ordered the next 3 titles in the Beatrice Stubbs series.
**I do want to note that I didn’t order the ‘boxed set’ - I ordered 3 individual books. The digital ‘set’ titles were awkward to read. There was no access to each title’s table of contents. I like to move around in a book and often reread passages or confirm details. While I could bookmark, I couldn’t maneuver well in the books. This is nothing to do with the writing, but a glitch or problem with the format.
The lead characters were very flawed; very likable; very detailed. Beatrice - bipolar with hints of a prior suicide attempt, Detective Inspector for the Metropolitan Police; her husband Matthew and neighbor Adrian.
The plots were edgy, suspenseful and detailed; very character-driven.
The ‘sense of place’ (which first attracted me to the series) was extremely well-done. I really felt a part of the locations.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS took place mainly in Zurich, Switzerland. I liked the back and forth of the murder scenes and the current investigations. It helped set the tone and especially the personalities of the victims. I quite liked the development of the team’s characters and Herr Karl Kalin.
RAW MATERIAL was set in UK locations. A seemingly innocent set of photographs from a beach holiday turn into the basis for a major investigation. Adrian and Matthew ‘help out’ on the case.
TREAD SOFTLY was my favorite title mainly because of its northern Spain location. The descriptions - of foods, wines, vineyards, wineries, Spanish cities and towns, people - were superb. The plot was very well-paced which I liked.
I liked these mysteries so much that I ordered the next 3 titles in the Beatrice Stubbs series.
**I do want to note that I didn’t order the ‘boxed set’ - I ordered 3 individual books. The digital ‘set’ titles were awkward to read. There was no access to each title’s table of contents. I like to move around in a book and often reread passages or confirm details. While I could bookmark, I couldn’t maneuver well in the books. This is nothing to do with the writing, but a glitch or problem with the format.
April 24, 2020
This second book in the DI Beatrice Stubbs series was as engaging as the first and kept my interest. Beatrice is a very interesting main character. She is middle aged, bi-polar, and one of a minority of top female detectives in the Metropolitan police. Never married, no children, no pets, but a long time male companion. She is tough, independent, intelligent and strong willed, even though she has many doubts and bosses who don't always support her.
In Raw Material there are two mysteries Beatrice is involved in. One has occurred as a result of taking photos on vacation, the other is assigned to her to solve at work. After she realizes someone will do anything to stop the photos from being seen, things get very serious. And then when her friends get involved, the danger quotient is ratcheted up. The second case revolves around catching a flasher before he truly hurts another woman or girl. Once the police realize how dangerous this man truly is, the hunt is on and Beatrice must fight for the manpower to catch him.
I am looking forward to reading the third book in the series.
In Raw Material there are two mysteries Beatrice is involved in. One has occurred as a result of taking photos on vacation, the other is assigned to her to solve at work. After she realizes someone will do anything to stop the photos from being seen, things get very serious. And then when her friends get involved, the danger quotient is ratcheted up. The second case revolves around catching a flasher before he truly hurts another woman or girl. Once the police realize how dangerous this man truly is, the hunt is on and Beatrice must fight for the manpower to catch him.
I am looking forward to reading the third book in the series.
June 3, 2023
This author has many accolades. This is the second book I’ve read in her Stubbs series. I know British slang and names for things are different from American terms. However, there were quite a number of things that simply didn’t make sense. Such as, “looking like mutton dressed as ham”. No. This makes no sense. The phrase is “mutton dressed as lamb.” Describing dressing too young. There were quite a number of others. Bad editing? Yes. Combined with clueless usage of slang. The story was good. Spoiled, though, by big mistakes. The first story/book in this 3 in one arrangement was fine. Very odd. Will read the third of this set and decide about continuing.
November 5, 2023
In this second instalment of the Beatrice Stubbs series, we are offered two storylines. While on holiday on the Welsh coast with her partner, Beatrice's handbag is stolen followed by a break-in at the cottage where they are staying. Beatrice does not have time to try and figure out why she has been targeted as she is seconded to the Transport Police to try and apprehend a stalker before his actions escalate beyond exposure. But her neighbour, Adrian and partner, Matthew start investigating the events in Wales with potential horrible consequences. Two well-plotted mysteries and I am enjoying getting to know the characters, definitely continuing this series.
June 15, 2019
I'm glad to have found this detective series. This is the second I have read and I really like the main character, Beatrice Stubbs. She is somewhat neurotic, but is a great detective and has the support of her partner, Matthew, her psychiatrist, and her neighbour Adrian. In this book, Beatrice tries to concentrate on finding a flasher whose profile suggests he may progress to rape, but is side-tracked by a possible smuggling operation in Wales. Matthew and Adrian try to help, but not being trained detectives, is their intervention more harm than help?
August 13, 2019
Such a good book! With Beatrice Stubbs life is not simple. Beginning with a mugging, and engaging the assistance of her neighbor Adrian and her Old Thing Matthew, Beatrice's personal life requires solving a mystery that become international in nature. In her professional life, the perpetrator of a heinous series of assaults must be apprehended. The process of resolving both mysteries causes Beatrice to analyse her own behaviors--with an unexpected outcome. Very difficult to put this book down once begun!!
September 5, 2019
Like a French farce at one point...Beatrice and Virginia are chasing suspects in a small Welsh village, while Matthew and Adrian, unknown to them, are doing the same. You would think they would inevitably cross paths, but the women opt for the fish restaurant and the men for the pub...and so forth. The other plot, involving a sexual predator, is Beatrice’s main case, but it is wound up in time for the case of the stolen camera to take precedence.
I’d like to read more in this series, but for some reason the local library has not purchased the sequel. 😟
I’d like to read more in this series, but for some reason the local library has not purchased the sequel. 😟
October 7, 2020
Listened on audiobook. I’ve given this a 4, but it isn’t quite as good in my view as the first story about DI Stubbs In book 1. The author reckons you can read any in the series, you don’t have to read them in order, but I think I had hoped to meet some other characters from the first novel again. You do meet a couple (people she spoke to by phone in book 1!), but the detecting is done by Stubbs and others this time. I did quite like her neighbour, who I believe turns up in other books. And I also found the topics interesting.
September 12, 2023
Beatrice and Matthew are enjoying a short break in Wales when her handbag is stolen. And that night their cottage is broken into. The local police do not seem especially helpful and so she decided to investigate herself. Back in London she is put on a case of a flasher, whose behaviour is getting more violent. So Matthew and Adrian steep up to cover the investigation in Wales.
Beatrice is very hard on herself, magnifying every mistake into a catastrophe. Will she solve these two crimes before lives are endangered?
Beatrice is very hard on herself, magnifying every mistake into a catastrophe. Will she solve these two crimes before lives are endangered?
April 10, 2025
When I finished the first Beatrice Stubbs book I was impressed but not sure I wanted to embark on the series. Now that I've finished #2 I've decided that I liked the second more than the first. The personalities of the characters are compelling. The story surprising and interesting. Several mysteries occur at once. One is about an aggressive flasher in the London area and another origiating with a Beatrice and Mathew holiday in Wales that proves to be deadly for Adrian, the amateur detective. I will immediately order #3.
April 14, 2025
I liked it well enough to finish the book. But did it capture my imagination and keep my attention? No, not overly. I’m not particularly fond of the author’s writing style. For example as the reader, we don’t even know what Beatrice even looks like. I like to paint a picture in my mind of how the protagonist appears. In the two books I’ve read, not once has she been described to us. Some of the colloquialisms come across as very fuddy-duddy and old fashioned even though it’s present time. Also I felt the ending dragged out too long and was very predictable.
December 27, 2018
Two story lines running in tandem got a little confusing. I really enjoyed the new character, Adrian, who lives downstairs from Beatrice. I hope he is a recurring character in future stories
Beatrice's backstory is being explained rather slowly. In fact, it is so slow that I went back and checked to see if there were earlier books that I had missed. It feels like the reader is supposed to already know about her mental health problems and her long-term relationship.
Beatrice's backstory is being explained rather slowly. In fact, it is so slow that I went back and checked to see if there were earlier books that I had missed. It feels like the reader is supposed to already know about her mental health problems and her long-term relationship.
March 11, 2019
My second Beatrice Stubbs book, read from a boxset of the first three Stubbs novels The Beatrice Stubbs Boxset.
This one is based in London and Wales, so not truly international (as lots of Stubbs ads seem to claim). It's not bad, and I'll certainly read the third book from the boxset.
This one is based in London and Wales, so not truly international (as lots of Stubbs ads seem to claim). It's not bad, and I'll certainly read the third book from the boxset.
April 7, 2021
This is the second in the series, and like the first, I really enjoyed it. I feared briefly that the author was going to get cute with the middle aged couple who are so delightful together , because they begin to lie to each other to each do some detecting on their own. Happily, she dropped that fairly quickly, so all is well. I look forward to reading the next one. Really enjoy the characters and settings. Oh, and the mystery too, of course.
June 22, 2021
Two mysteries in one
There’s a serial flasher getting worse with every encounter and a series of thefts. The flasher’s one distinctive feature is a bad odor. The thefts seem to be about photographs, but why? While Beatrice works the flasher case, Adrian (neighbor) and Matthew play sleuth and, as you would expect, get more than they bargained for. A good story with interesting characters.
There’s a serial flasher getting worse with every encounter and a series of thefts. The flasher’s one distinctive feature is a bad odor. The thefts seem to be about photographs, but why? While Beatrice works the flasher case, Adrian (neighbor) and Matthew play sleuth and, as you would expect, get more than they bargained for. A good story with interesting characters.
January 20, 2019
My second reading in the Beatrice Stubb's series. Two times are the main focus, one is a flasher/pervert and one of selling babies from a rendering farm. Detective Inspector Stubb's has her hands full with heading a team to find a flasher before he deteriorates to worse crimes while also trying to control her amature want-to-be-detective friends.
December 3, 2020
A good read but not as compelling as the first novel in the series .
The whole pace of the book seemed different , more pedestrian .
It was more cosy mystery than crime thriller .
The characters all seemed more sketchy and a bit ordinary .
I did still enjoy the book however .
I will read the next in the series and then decide whether the whole series is for me .
The whole pace of the book seemed different , more pedestrian .
It was more cosy mystery than crime thriller .
The characters all seemed more sketchy and a bit ordinary .
I did still enjoy the book however .
I will read the next in the series and then decide whether the whole series is for me .
February 2, 2024
I enjoyed the this second book in the Bertrice Stubbs series. Two crimes solved for the price of one. One catching a sexual predator one finding and putting an end to human trafficking and the sale of babies. Better character development of Adrian and Matthew. Beatrice is still a bit stuffy for me but I can live with that now. I'm hoping book three will be even better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2018
Beatrice Stubbs searches for a pervert in London and a baby-smuggler in Wales at the same time, meeting old friends and enemies along the way. She ends up in Ireland at a rendering plant, rescues her gay friend Adrian, and quits her job.
January 12, 2021
Eager for next in series
Imagination series. Enjoyable characters. Eager for the next one. Develops interest in side characters. Could make me join my vegan daughter in her food choices.
Imagination series. Enjoyable characters. Eager for the next one. Develops interest in side characters. Could make me join my vegan daughter in her food choices.
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