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Home Front Detective #11
Spring Offensive
March, 1918. British newspapers carry the dreadful news that the German Spring Offensive has begun, with thousands of British lives lost. Detective Sargeant Joe Keedy is awaiting release from hospital in London and is anxious to resume the fight against crime on the Home Front. Late one night, a bank is raided by a gang and the villains escape by car with a sizeable haul. Detective Inspector Harvey Marmion is put in charge of the case, but without Keedy at his side he faces an uphill battle to solve this perplexing case.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 20, 2024
18 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Edward Marston
227 books467 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
A pseudonym used by Keith Miles
AKA A.E. Marston
Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theatre. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book, a series of The Railway Detective and a series of The Home Front Detective.
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
A pseudonym used by Keith Miles
AKA A.E. Marston
Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theatre. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book, a series of The Railway Detective and a series of The Home Front Detective.
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 4, 2024
Enjoyed this book as part of the series but felt however the ending was rushed
March 10, 2025
Wondered if the series would get better, but it has not.
Author has terrible plotting.
This is more of a day time soap, then a police crime procedural or mystery.
The culprits are identified and part of the narrative.
What the mystery is who is the mastermind?
There is the side plots of Joe Keedy's recovery and impending marrigae to Alice, and the status of the missing Paul, which are stupid.
The author provided 3 possible suspects and the mail story line involves investigating them and then eliminating them.
It was clearly going to be the 3 option, but the police never suspect him.
The bank robbers aren't found by the deteticive, but my local tip.
all wrapped in last last 5 pages. Bank robbers are caught and an increminating note points to the mastermind. So the main police did nothing substantive to solve the crime, all mostly luck.
I've been disappointed with the series and the latest book has not corrected the faults of past books.
Author has terrible plotting.
This is more of a day time soap, then a police crime procedural or mystery.
The culprits are identified and part of the narrative.
What the mystery is who is the mastermind?
There is the side plots of Joe Keedy's recovery and impending marrigae to Alice, and the status of the missing Paul, which are stupid.
The author provided 3 possible suspects and the mail story line involves investigating them and then eliminating them.
It was clearly going to be the 3 option, but the police never suspect him.
The bank robbers aren't found by the deteticive, but my local tip.
all wrapped in last last 5 pages. Bank robbers are caught and an increminating note points to the mastermind. So the main police did nothing substantive to solve the crime, all mostly luck.
I've been disappointed with the series and the latest book has not corrected the faults of past books.
June 23, 2024
RMSTitanic12
What a great story,greatly enjoyed kept me guessing till the last chapter ,looking forward to the next book in this series
What a great story,greatly enjoyed kept me guessing till the last chapter ,looking forward to the next book in this series
Read
June 17, 2024Really enjoyed this Book, good twist at the end.
February 14, 2025
Another wonderful crime for Marmion and Keedy to investigate, with a little assistance from Cliff Burge. A great story, well written as always from Edward.
February 22, 2025
Yep, I liked this, maybe the ending was a little too quickly delivered for me, but the storyline ws good and the characters well rounded.
April 26, 2025
I have not read books 1-10 so this is a standalone.
First off, this could have been a novella if an editor had hacked out all the repetition, and that nonsense story about the duplicate key. The whole wedding thing, I suppose, is to pad out the story while showing a lot of what life was like then.
Next up, we get three suspects; one is eliminated (because he said he didn't do it and they believed him) and the second obviously did it, so the reader knows it has to be the third one.
Max seemed to be well aware that they couldn't spend the stolen money, and that they couldn't buy anything without ration books. They'd also have to have a story about why they weren't at the front. It's a stretch to think that even people this stupid would just shrug and carry out the plan anyway.
Also, they sneaked back into England and ... got to London how? slept where? ate how? Are we to believe that they slithered into a pub and immediately met the one man in all of England who was planning a bank robbery and needed exactly three men who were up for a little light larceny? And that man went to the pub expecting to see able-bodied men when we are clearly told that almost all such are at the front.
But don't get me started about the union pamphlet, possession of which seems to be about equal to mass murder, and indeed even knowing that it exists means you're probably a Bolshevik. I know it was a big issue, but this is a tad over the top.
I'm being generous with two stars. I had my suspicions when I saw up front that Marston had written 88 other books before this. He was born in 1940, so at least he's had some time to churn them out.
First off, this could have been a novella if an editor had hacked out all the repetition, and that nonsense story about the duplicate key. The whole wedding thing, I suppose, is to pad out the story while showing a lot of what life was like then.
Next up, we get three suspects; one is eliminated (because he said he didn't do it and they believed him) and the second obviously did it, so the reader knows it has to be the third one.
Max seemed to be well aware that they couldn't spend the stolen money, and that they couldn't buy anything without ration books. They'd also have to have a story about why they weren't at the front. It's a stretch to think that even people this stupid would just shrug and carry out the plan anyway.
Also, they sneaked back into England and ... got to London how? slept where? ate how? Are we to believe that they slithered into a pub and immediately met the one man in all of England who was planning a bank robbery and needed exactly three men who were up for a little light larceny? And that man went to the pub expecting to see able-bodied men when we are clearly told that almost all such are at the front.
But don't get me started about the union pamphlet, possession of which seems to be about equal to mass murder, and indeed even knowing that it exists means you're probably a Bolshevik. I know it was a big issue, but this is a tad over the top.
I'm being generous with two stars. I had my suspicions when I saw up front that Marston had written 88 other books before this. He was born in 1940, so at least he's had some time to churn them out.
May 6, 2025
Published in 2024, 'Spring Offensive' is the 11th in the Home Front series of murder mysteries set against a background of the much depleted police force of London during WW1. This installment has a main theme of a murder hunt following a botched bank robbery, with sub-plots involving a forthcoming wedding and the main characters missing son. The sub-plots are a necessary result of ongoing story-lines in a linked series which followers will put up with for the long game, but the main storyline is a little muddled and seemed very rushed in its conclusion. Readable, but not one of the best.
June 24, 2025
Oh Mr Marston I do love your books and this one is no exception. Such a good main story about a Bank Robbery but behind the scenes there is trouble at Marmion House, Keedy - recovering in hospital - orthcoming wedding, not forgetting the irascible Chat! Of course with the backdrop of the WW1 1918
Great characterisation, story moves really well and no idea who the secret villain is. Got me there Mr Marston.
I wish these books would come out more often. I tend to suffer from withdrawal symptoms!!!
Great characterisation, story moves really well and no idea who the secret villain is. Got me there Mr Marston.
I wish these books would come out more often. I tend to suffer from withdrawal symptoms!!!
June 25, 2025
Another corker.
June 26, 2025
Excellent read as usual. Just love this authors reads. X
October 29, 2025
a great read looking forward to reading the next one
August 9, 2025
Such a great read, well sculpted characters and as engaging plot. Leaves you wanting more.
July 18, 2024
Excellent book, couldn't put it down
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews