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Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James #16
To Dwell in Darkness
In the tradition of Elizabeth George, Louise Penny, and P. D. James, "New York Times" bestselling author Deborah Crombie delivers a powerful tale of intrigue, betrayal, and lies that will plunge married London detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James into the unspeakable darkness that lies at the heart of murder.
Recently transferred to the London borough of Camden from Scotland Yard headquarters, Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his new murder investigation team are called to a deadly bombing at historic St. Pancras Station. By fortunate coincidence, Melody Talbot, Gemma s trusted colleague, witnesses the explosion. The victim was taking part in an organized protest, yet the other group members swear the young man only meant to set off a smoke bomb. As Kincaid begins to gather the facts, he finds every piece of the puzzle yields an unexpected pattern, including the disappearance of a mysterious bystander.
The bombing isn t the only mystery troubling Kincaid. He s still questioning the reasons behind his transfer, and when his former boss who s been avoiding him is attacked, those suspicions deepen. With the help of his former sergeant, Doug Cullen, Melody Talbot, and Gemma, Kincaid begins to untangle the truth. But what he discovers will leave him questioning his belief in the job that has shaped his life and his values and remind him just how vulnerable his precious family is.
Recently transferred to the London borough of Camden from Scotland Yard headquarters, Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his new murder investigation team are called to a deadly bombing at historic St. Pancras Station. By fortunate coincidence, Melody Talbot, Gemma s trusted colleague, witnesses the explosion. The victim was taking part in an organized protest, yet the other group members swear the young man only meant to set off a smoke bomb. As Kincaid begins to gather the facts, he finds every piece of the puzzle yields an unexpected pattern, including the disappearance of a mysterious bystander.
The bombing isn t the only mystery troubling Kincaid. He s still questioning the reasons behind his transfer, and when his former boss who s been avoiding him is attacked, those suspicions deepen. With the help of his former sergeant, Doug Cullen, Melody Talbot, and Gemma, Kincaid begins to untangle the truth. But what he discovers will leave him questioning his belief in the job that has shaped his life and his values and remind him just how vulnerable his precious family is.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2014
898 people are currently reading
2741 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Crombie
53 books2,523 followersDeborah Crombie is the author of 17 novels featuring Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Detective Inspector Gemma James. The 18th Kincaid/James novel, A BITTER FEAST, will be released by William Morrow in October, 2019.
Crombie lives in McKinney, Texas with her husband, two German Shepherd Dogs, and two cats. She travels to Britain frequently to research her books.
Crombie lives in McKinney, Texas with her husband, two German Shepherd Dogs, and two cats. She travels to Britain frequently to research her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 643 reviews
April 20, 2020
To Dwell in Darkness by Deborah Crombie is a 2014 William Morrow publication.
This sixteenth installment in the Kincaid and James series gets off to ghastly start when a protest stunt turns deadly. Melody, who was on the scene, but off duty, was a witness to the explosion and ends up in the hospital.
Meanwhile, Duncan has been transferred to another post and catches this major crimes case, while trying to adjust to working with new people and missing his old partner, Doug.
Gemma and Melody are also working on a puzzling crime, but Melody is increasingly drawn into Duncan’s investigation, as do Doug and Gemma.
This installment, for some reason, seemed to have an edgier atmosphere than usual. The graphic descriptions of the bomb explosion took me aback a little. This scene sets the stage for a dark and eventful journey that reveals stunning revelations, as well as some nail -biting suspense.
As always it was great to catch up with Gemma and Duncan, and their little family- as well as the secondary characters that round out the series. I am very curious to see how Duncan proceeds from this point forward- so much so, I may have to read the next installment sooner, rather than later.
Superb addition to the series!
4.5 stars
This sixteenth installment in the Kincaid and James series gets off to ghastly start when a protest stunt turns deadly. Melody, who was on the scene, but off duty, was a witness to the explosion and ends up in the hospital.
Meanwhile, Duncan has been transferred to another post and catches this major crimes case, while trying to adjust to working with new people and missing his old partner, Doug.
Gemma and Melody are also working on a puzzling crime, but Melody is increasingly drawn into Duncan’s investigation, as do Doug and Gemma.
This installment, for some reason, seemed to have an edgier atmosphere than usual. The graphic descriptions of the bomb explosion took me aback a little. This scene sets the stage for a dark and eventful journey that reveals stunning revelations, as well as some nail -biting suspense.
As always it was great to catch up with Gemma and Duncan, and their little family- as well as the secondary characters that round out the series. I am very curious to see how Duncan proceeds from this point forward- so much so, I may have to read the next installment sooner, rather than later.
Superb addition to the series!
4.5 stars
January 12, 2017
This is number sixteen in the series featuring Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife DI Gemma James. Often this far into a series, the characters start to wear thin with little new or different to offer. Not so with this series. The author Deborah Crombie has kept this series fresh and alive. No fillers here! I feel Ms. Crombie just gets better with each new book she releases.
A protest in the London train station turns deadly. Perhaps just a publicity stunt gone wrong. Or, far worse, could this be an act of terror? Duncan and Gemma, with their respective teams, search to identify the victim and the reason behind the killing. The ending left me on edge, wanting more and anxious to pick up the next!
A fabulous British police procedural. The investigation is sharp and easy to follow. The relationship between Duncan and Gemma is as captivating as the story itself. This book can stand alone, but I do suggest starting at the beginning with book one, A Share in Death. There is such a growth and development in the characters and story line. Well worth it.
If you haven't tried this series yet you are missing out!
A protest in the London train station turns deadly. Perhaps just a publicity stunt gone wrong. Or, far worse, could this be an act of terror? Duncan and Gemma, with their respective teams, search to identify the victim and the reason behind the killing. The ending left me on edge, wanting more and anxious to pick up the next!
A fabulous British police procedural. The investigation is sharp and easy to follow. The relationship between Duncan and Gemma is as captivating as the story itself. This book can stand alone, but I do suggest starting at the beginning with book one, A Share in Death. There is such a growth and development in the characters and story line. Well worth it.
If you haven't tried this series yet you are missing out!
September 29, 2014
We end with many of the same questions with which we begin To Dwell in Darkness, Deborah Crombie’s latest entry in the Gemma James-Duncan Kincaid mystery series. After the political machinations of a previous novel, Detective Chief Inspector Duncan Kincaid returns from paternity leave to find himself transferred out of Scotland Yard without any explanation. In his new assignment, he investigates the death of a protestor in a grenade explosion at historic St. Pancras train station. So who was the dead man? And why is there no record of the existence of the man presumed dead, one Ryan Marsh?
At the same time, Kincaid’s old boss has disappeared — allegedly gone off to Singapore to see an ailing sister. But Kincaid suspects that both of them are being punished as part of some shadowy behind-the-scenes conspiracy of corruption and silence. Was Kincaid’s wife Gemma suddenly promoted to buy his silence? And who was Ryan Marsh really? And why was an undercover policeman interested in a small and feeble anti-development protest group?
The resolution of To Dwell in Darkness’ main mystery — the death at St. Pancras — is resolved, although that resolution isn’t very satisfying; however, the novel ends on a cliff hanger, which won’t be resolved until the next novel. While I’m giving this novel only three stars — probably the first time I’ve done so for Crombie — the cliff hanger has me desolate that I’ll have to wait a year for the next novel.
At the same time, Kincaid’s old boss has disappeared — allegedly gone off to Singapore to see an ailing sister. But Kincaid suspects that both of them are being punished as part of some shadowy behind-the-scenes conspiracy of corruption and silence. Was Kincaid’s wife Gemma suddenly promoted to buy his silence? And who was Ryan Marsh really? And why was an undercover policeman interested in a small and feeble anti-development protest group?
The resolution of To Dwell in Darkness’ main mystery — the death at St. Pancras — is resolved, although that resolution isn’t very satisfying; however, the novel ends on a cliff hanger, which won’t be resolved until the next novel. While I’m giving this novel only three stars — probably the first time I’ve done so for Crombie — the cliff hanger has me desolate that I’ll have to wait a year for the next novel.
June 17, 2022
And with that ending, there goes my resolve to not race through the rest of this series so fast.
It’s a sophisticated cliff-hanger. All the key problems in the novel are satisfactorily wrapped up. There’s just this one thing that was a bit of a small mystery on the side that even Kincaid said was of no matter. And I mostly forgot about it.
Then at the end, having wrapped everything up nicely, a main character wanders out and stumbles upon something that makes that forgotten bit of a mystery a gripping new problem.
Now I have to go start the next book in the series right away.
At least I’m catching up in the series and not waiting a year to find out what happens.
It’s a sophisticated cliff-hanger. All the key problems in the novel are satisfactorily wrapped up. There’s just this one thing that was a bit of a small mystery on the side that even Kincaid said was of no matter. And I mostly forgot about it.
Then at the end, having wrapped everything up nicely, a main character wanders out and stumbles upon something that makes that forgotten bit of a mystery a gripping new problem.
Now I have to go start the next book in the series right away.
At least I’m catching up in the series and not waiting a year to find out what happens.
September 1, 2014
Another excellent entry into the Kincaid/James series. While previous books have sometimes felt as though the mystery needing to be solved takes turns between our two detectives, the beautiful way the two separate police procedural storylines weave amongst each other in this is so welcome and most satisfying. On top of having not one, but two interesting mysteries to puzzle out, the way in which Crombie gives the perfect amount of face time to all of the beloved characters -- new and old -- in the series is also a wonderful treat for the reader, as we see relationships grow and deepen and get a look into the charming and very real household of Gemma and Duncan. There are many unfinished threads in TO DWELL IN DARKNESS, and I eagerly await the next one.
August 25, 2014
I have read all 15 of the Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Inspector Gemma James mystery novels and have enjoyed them all. Fifteen novels have created an extensive back story and if you haven't read at least some of them it might be an idea to start this series with an earlier volume, preferably right at the beginning. There is a large cast of characters in both their personal and professional lives and although a number of new characters appear in this book many of the regulars are still here and dealing with events that took place in previous books in the series. And you'll have a lot of enjoyable mystery reading in front of you. Of course this one could be read and enjoyed and appreciated as a standalone novel but I suspect you will want to read the others if you start here.
Kincaid has been transferred from his homicide liaison at Scotland Yard to a major incident team in Holborn for reasons he doesn't understand. He has maintained his rank but it is clearly a demotion. Is he tainted by his association with his former superior Denis Childs? And where is Childs anyways? He misses his long time team and is not fully welcomed by his new one. Gemma meantime is an Inspector on the South London murder squad. They both have their hands full with new cases. Kincaid is dealing with a possible terrorist attack in St. Pancras International Station while Gemma is dealing with the particularly nasty murder of a young girl.
Kincaid and James depend on each other for insights into their respective cases. They discuss them at length at home and as the plot unfolds Kincaid actually starts a parallel investigation to his official one, using members of both Gemma's team and his old firm at the Yard. A risky strategy I thought but he seems to have cast his professional caution to the winds in this book. And Gemma has her hands full with a clever suspect who laughs at her efforts, secure in his faith in his own cunning.
The incident at St. Pancras is not what it seems on many levels and although the immediate mystery is ultimately solved, deeper mysteries remain and the book ends with a startling cliffhanger with perhaps far-reaching repercussions, both personal and professional.
I liked lots of things about this book. I like the portrayal of fully rounded characters, competent and very human; I liked the the little chapter headings especially the ones about Old St Pancras Church which I have visited and which has some importance for my own family; I like Crombie's depiction of an England and a spoken English which doesn't quite exist, an England and English seen through a Texan's (a Texan who obviously has a deep love for he country) eyes; and I especially liked the well plotted and very satisfying mysteries and police procedures which of course are the heart of the book. Highly recommended.
Kincaid has been transferred from his homicide liaison at Scotland Yard to a major incident team in Holborn for reasons he doesn't understand. He has maintained his rank but it is clearly a demotion. Is he tainted by his association with his former superior Denis Childs? And where is Childs anyways? He misses his long time team and is not fully welcomed by his new one. Gemma meantime is an Inspector on the South London murder squad. They both have their hands full with new cases. Kincaid is dealing with a possible terrorist attack in St. Pancras International Station while Gemma is dealing with the particularly nasty murder of a young girl.
Kincaid and James depend on each other for insights into their respective cases. They discuss them at length at home and as the plot unfolds Kincaid actually starts a parallel investigation to his official one, using members of both Gemma's team and his old firm at the Yard. A risky strategy I thought but he seems to have cast his professional caution to the winds in this book. And Gemma has her hands full with a clever suspect who laughs at her efforts, secure in his faith in his own cunning.
The incident at St. Pancras is not what it seems on many levels and although the immediate mystery is ultimately solved, deeper mysteries remain and the book ends with a startling cliffhanger with perhaps far-reaching repercussions, both personal and professional.
I liked lots of things about this book. I like the portrayal of fully rounded characters, competent and very human; I liked the the little chapter headings especially the ones about Old St Pancras Church which I have visited and which has some importance for my own family; I like Crombie's depiction of an England and a spoken English which doesn't quite exist, an England and English seen through a Texan's (a Texan who obviously has a deep love for he country) eyes; and I especially liked the well plotted and very satisfying mysteries and police procedures which of course are the heart of the book. Highly recommended.
September 23, 2014
Excellent continuation of the Kincaid/James series. An arc was provided to me in exchange for an honest appraisal. This was published at the Criminal Element website. Quite long--FYI.
To Dwell in Darkness is a powerful story that forcefully lands the reader in a confused, smoke-filled, public arena of terror. No back story is needed to comprehend the insanity of a bomb going off at a public concert at St. Pancras International, a renovated railroad station. But like the best stories of J.D. Robb, P.D. James, and Louise Penny, knowing the cast of characters adds to the reader’s enjoyment.
Deborah Crombie conducts the interwoven strands of her 16th novel like a maestro wielding a baton. Kincaid and Gemma’s family, work colleagues, and friends, including their oldest son Kit, play a pivotal role in unraveling the twisted strands that envelop the bombing. Their contributions are integral to understanding the motivations behind the mystery of how a would-be smoke-bomb turned into a lethal weapon. There’s also time for St. Pancras Station, the place, the neighborhood that surrounds it, and its long history, to take a bow. Longtime readers will pore over the detailed, hand-crafted map of the St. Pancras world, complete with hand-drawn sketches of pubs and hospitals. As Crombie so aptly puts it, “Laura Maestro has once again brought the story to life with an enchanting endpaper map.”
Kincaid is working from Holborn station, a hulking concrete monstrosity whose “architectural design might have come straight from the Gulag.” What happened to his office at Scotland Yard? Therein lies a mystery that underpins To Dwell in Darkness. Kincaid, in the best tradition of a man fighting a fog of misinformation and silence, doesn’t know.
Returning to Scotland Yard from paternity leave in mid-February, he’d found his office empty. He’d been transferred from his longtime job as head of a homicide liaison team at the Yard to an area major-incident team based here in Holborn. It was a demotion, although he had kept his rank. There had been no warning and no explanation.
To add to Kincaid’s isolation, Chief Superintendent Childs, his immediate superior, is out of England “on a family emergency” and Doug Cullen, his detective sergeant, is recuperating from a broken ankle, at a desk job in front of a computer at the Yard. Kincaid bemoans the loss of Cullen’s “capable, nerdy presence,”
Losing a good detective sergeant – a partner with whom you spent more hours than you did with your spouse – ranked, in his opinion, close to divorce on the scale of life disruptions, and there’d been no compensating honeymoon with his new team.
Gemma, Kincaid’s wife, once his detective sergeant, has a mystery of her own to solve, a nasty brutish crime. Adding to the broth, their sons Kit and Toby rescue a cat with four starving new-born kittens. All of these elements are woven into the story but the focus of To Dwell in Darkness is on Duncan Kincaid. Perhaps it’s clichéd to say a mystery’s plot is “ripped from the headlines” but it’s unavoidable when a bombing is the catalyst. Crombie is unsparing in her description of the aftermath,
The charred body lay in the pugilist position, arms and legs drawn up in an obscene parody of a boxer. Wisps of smoke still rose from the blackened and tattered skin and clothing. Along the body, little spurts of fire ignited randomly, then winked out, like fireflies on a summer evening.
The key word – random – for as Kincaid learns when he pieces together the loose group of preservation activists that planned the bombing; the intent was never to kill with a deadly phosphorous bomb but rather to disrupt a concert with a smoke bomb. Kincaid’s investigations lead him to a group of young activists who live near King’s Cross/St. Pancras. Astute, detailed descriptions of the area capture the gulf between the gentrified and the still-struggling.
Kincaid saw a sad shop advertising ADULT DVDS and wondered what delights the videos could possibly hold that couldn’t be found on the Internet for free in five minutes.
There was a wine shop, a hostel, a Thai takeaway, and an Internet café—the last a sure sign that the area catered to the disenfranchised.
More frightening is the certainty that Kincaid’s professional and personal lives are being manipulated by forces that he does not understand. He doesn’t work with Gemma particularly, even privately, to solve the mystery of the bombing, and that is very out-of-keeping with the life they’ve built together.
Nor was he sure how much he could tell Gemma about his misgivings, because he hadn’t told her he suspected her promotion was meant as a sweetener to keep him from making trouble.
There was no reason any of that should influence his actions in this case. Except that he had the same sense of unseen things moving beneath dark waters, and it gave him that same itch between the shoulder blades.
One of the joys of a mystery is the promise of an explanation – eventually the reader knows all will be revealed and whodunit will no longer be a question. This is true of To Dwell in Darkness but in keeping with the title, and the bleak opening, not every question is answered. When the story opens, Kincaid was dispossessed, ripped from the job he did so well, and this is not entirely resolved. What’s the story with his new detective inspector Jasmine Sidana for instance? Thirty-five, single, non-fraternizing and intensely ambitious—and also, by story’s end, a reluctant admirer of Kincaid’s work ethic and intelligent—perhaps even an ally. This random description is a red herring. As always, Crombie dangles new characters that will become part of an enlarged world for Kincaid and Gemma and will be explored further in the next book (and why do we have to wait more than 12 months between books?!).
Not every itch will be scratched and satisfied at the end of To Dwell in Darkness and that is the mark of a writer at the top of her game. Readers will devour another immensely satisfying book in the continuing Kincaid/James series – and count the months until the next.
To Dwell in Darkness is a powerful story that forcefully lands the reader in a confused, smoke-filled, public arena of terror. No back story is needed to comprehend the insanity of a bomb going off at a public concert at St. Pancras International, a renovated railroad station. But like the best stories of J.D. Robb, P.D. James, and Louise Penny, knowing the cast of characters adds to the reader’s enjoyment.
Deborah Crombie conducts the interwoven strands of her 16th novel like a maestro wielding a baton. Kincaid and Gemma’s family, work colleagues, and friends, including their oldest son Kit, play a pivotal role in unraveling the twisted strands that envelop the bombing. Their contributions are integral to understanding the motivations behind the mystery of how a would-be smoke-bomb turned into a lethal weapon. There’s also time for St. Pancras Station, the place, the neighborhood that surrounds it, and its long history, to take a bow. Longtime readers will pore over the detailed, hand-crafted map of the St. Pancras world, complete with hand-drawn sketches of pubs and hospitals. As Crombie so aptly puts it, “Laura Maestro has once again brought the story to life with an enchanting endpaper map.”
Kincaid is working from Holborn station, a hulking concrete monstrosity whose “architectural design might have come straight from the Gulag.” What happened to his office at Scotland Yard? Therein lies a mystery that underpins To Dwell in Darkness. Kincaid, in the best tradition of a man fighting a fog of misinformation and silence, doesn’t know.
Returning to Scotland Yard from paternity leave in mid-February, he’d found his office empty. He’d been transferred from his longtime job as head of a homicide liaison team at the Yard to an area major-incident team based here in Holborn. It was a demotion, although he had kept his rank. There had been no warning and no explanation.
To add to Kincaid’s isolation, Chief Superintendent Childs, his immediate superior, is out of England “on a family emergency” and Doug Cullen, his detective sergeant, is recuperating from a broken ankle, at a desk job in front of a computer at the Yard. Kincaid bemoans the loss of Cullen’s “capable, nerdy presence,”
Losing a good detective sergeant – a partner with whom you spent more hours than you did with your spouse – ranked, in his opinion, close to divorce on the scale of life disruptions, and there’d been no compensating honeymoon with his new team.
Gemma, Kincaid’s wife, once his detective sergeant, has a mystery of her own to solve, a nasty brutish crime. Adding to the broth, their sons Kit and Toby rescue a cat with four starving new-born kittens. All of these elements are woven into the story but the focus of To Dwell in Darkness is on Duncan Kincaid. Perhaps it’s clichéd to say a mystery’s plot is “ripped from the headlines” but it’s unavoidable when a bombing is the catalyst. Crombie is unsparing in her description of the aftermath,
The charred body lay in the pugilist position, arms and legs drawn up in an obscene parody of a boxer. Wisps of smoke still rose from the blackened and tattered skin and clothing. Along the body, little spurts of fire ignited randomly, then winked out, like fireflies on a summer evening.
The key word – random – for as Kincaid learns when he pieces together the loose group of preservation activists that planned the bombing; the intent was never to kill with a deadly phosphorous bomb but rather to disrupt a concert with a smoke bomb. Kincaid’s investigations lead him to a group of young activists who live near King’s Cross/St. Pancras. Astute, detailed descriptions of the area capture the gulf between the gentrified and the still-struggling.
Kincaid saw a sad shop advertising ADULT DVDS and wondered what delights the videos could possibly hold that couldn’t be found on the Internet for free in five minutes.
There was a wine shop, a hostel, a Thai takeaway, and an Internet café—the last a sure sign that the area catered to the disenfranchised.
More frightening is the certainty that Kincaid’s professional and personal lives are being manipulated by forces that he does not understand. He doesn’t work with Gemma particularly, even privately, to solve the mystery of the bombing, and that is very out-of-keeping with the life they’ve built together.
Nor was he sure how much he could tell Gemma about his misgivings, because he hadn’t told her he suspected her promotion was meant as a sweetener to keep him from making trouble.
There was no reason any of that should influence his actions in this case. Except that he had the same sense of unseen things moving beneath dark waters, and it gave him that same itch between the shoulder blades.
One of the joys of a mystery is the promise of an explanation – eventually the reader knows all will be revealed and whodunit will no longer be a question. This is true of To Dwell in Darkness but in keeping with the title, and the bleak opening, not every question is answered. When the story opens, Kincaid was dispossessed, ripped from the job he did so well, and this is not entirely resolved. What’s the story with his new detective inspector Jasmine Sidana for instance? Thirty-five, single, non-fraternizing and intensely ambitious—and also, by story’s end, a reluctant admirer of Kincaid’s work ethic and intelligent—perhaps even an ally. This random description is a red herring. As always, Crombie dangles new characters that will become part of an enlarged world for Kincaid and Gemma and will be explored further in the next book (and why do we have to wait more than 12 months between books?!).
Not every itch will be scratched and satisfied at the end of To Dwell in Darkness and that is the mark of a writer at the top of her game. Readers will devour another immensely satisfying book in the continuing Kincaid/James series – and count the months until the next.
August 23, 2014
Deborah Crombie has found a solution to "what happens to a series after a dangling romance has been consummated"? This book contains a host of interesting characters to be explored in future books, and a couple of unresolved mysteries to be dealt with in the future as well. The plot contains some twists that keep a reader involved enough to read this in one sitting. But the reader will have figured out whodunnit? just early enough to enhance the suspense. Read this book. Read the whole series!
November 27, 2019
Somehow I missed this when it first came out. I am glad I went back to fill in the blanks, as this was another sterling police procedural from Crombie.
I will confess that the identity of the baddie was a surprise to me. I figured it out about the same time Duncan and his team did. That mystery was wrapped up in a very satisfactory manner. Also tied up was a case that Gemma and Melody Talbot were working on.
There was a third mystery threaded through the book, the one re: Ryan Marsh, that ended in a cliff-hanger. I think I'll need to re-read the next book in order to refresh my memory.
I will confess that the identity of the baddie was a surprise to me. I figured it out about the same time Duncan and his team did. That mystery was wrapped up in a very satisfactory manner. Also tied up was a case that Gemma and Melody Talbot were working on.
There was a third mystery threaded through the book, the one re: Ryan Marsh, that ended in a cliff-hanger. I think I'll need to re-read the next book in order to refresh my memory.
October 25, 2019
While going to St. Pancras train station to watch Andy's group perform, Melody witnesses a protester engulfed in flames by a smoke bomb that somehow contained a harmful poison. Her police instincts kick in, and she rushes toward the victim and begins to clear the station. Andy's manager Tam was injured by the flames. Melody was aided by a mysterious man who suddenly disappeared. She felt sure he was a policeman. Duncan, recently reassigned to the station nearest St. Pancras, comes to the scene with his new team to investigate. Until widespread terrorist activities are ruled out, MI5 is involved the investigation. The deceased's identity must be determined. At first, they suspect group member Ryan who was supposed to detonate the bomb is the deceased man, but when Paul Cole a younger member is reported missing, the investigation shifts focus. Gemma and Melody have their own investigation into a man employed by an electronics store they feel certain killed a teenage girl. Will they be able to find enough evidence for a conviction? I identified the person responsible early in the investigation. Things are not "neatly wrapped up" in this installment. Some threads will be continued in the next installment, but others we may never know the outcome. I feel Crombie is borrowing elements from Louise Penny's novels in "demoting" and "transferring" her characters. This is not enjoyable. I listened to the audio version and enjoyed this. (3.5 stars)
February 5, 2017
I love this mystery series set in London about Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, his wife Detective Inspector Gemma James, their kids and their friends.This was one of the best ever in the series.It has an old fashioned yet modern flavor. I blazed through it in less than 24 hours! Highly recommended.
August 17, 2014
Clearly I'm biased, since I'm such a huge Duncan/Gemma fan -- but I loved the latest entry in this series! A solid mystery with a shocking cliffhanger at the end... Can't wait to see where things go next.
November 28, 2018
rather 3.5/5 stars - after the cliffhanger about kincaid's job, i wanted to read this next entry in the series, and i didn't regret it one single moment - a good plot with an excellent twist
i did not see coming
i did not see coming
Read
August 11, 2019No stars for this one as I abandoned it after 100 pages.
August 27, 2014
To Dwell In Darkness
By
Deborah Crombie
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Married detectives Gemma and Duncan are each enmeshed in two terrible crimes in their different districts. Duncan has been transferred...Gemma promoted. Their family life remains busy and interesting. And then there were kittens.
My thoughts after reading this book...
I love this series. This is book number 16 and I have read and loved them all. Duncan's relationship with Gemma is always interesting. Duncan is working on a bombing incident while Gemma is working on the murder of a very young girl. They always meet at home where there are children of various ages and dogs and in this book a family of cats that they all love. This book seems to focus more on Duncan...there is not a real explanation to why he has been transferred and he is not as content as he should be. The crime he is working on is a terrible smoke bomb that turned out to be much more than a smoke bomb. The ending of this book is both just a bit shocking and leads me to believe that this author might just already be plotting out book number 17.
What I loved about this book...
By the time you I worked my way...in order...through this series...I feel as though I know Gemma and Duncan and their family. I love picking up a book and feeling familiar with the characters, their habits, their friends. The books are always dangerously exciting with surprise twists and turns. This book in particular was excellent in this way.
Final thoughts...
I loved this book. It had strong characters and an intense plot. I would love to say that it's a stand alone...but I am not sure that it is...this is a series that mystery lovers should not miss. I think this particular book was my favorite.
By
Deborah Crombie
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Married detectives Gemma and Duncan are each enmeshed in two terrible crimes in their different districts. Duncan has been transferred...Gemma promoted. Their family life remains busy and interesting. And then there were kittens.
My thoughts after reading this book...
I love this series. This is book number 16 and I have read and loved them all. Duncan's relationship with Gemma is always interesting. Duncan is working on a bombing incident while Gemma is working on the murder of a very young girl. They always meet at home where there are children of various ages and dogs and in this book a family of cats that they all love. This book seems to focus more on Duncan...there is not a real explanation to why he has been transferred and he is not as content as he should be. The crime he is working on is a terrible smoke bomb that turned out to be much more than a smoke bomb. The ending of this book is both just a bit shocking and leads me to believe that this author might just already be plotting out book number 17.
What I loved about this book...
By the time you I worked my way...in order...through this series...I feel as though I know Gemma and Duncan and their family. I love picking up a book and feeling familiar with the characters, their habits, their friends. The books are always dangerously exciting with surprise twists and turns. This book in particular was excellent in this way.
Final thoughts...
I loved this book. It had strong characters and an intense plot. I would love to say that it's a stand alone...but I am not sure that it is...this is a series that mystery lovers should not miss. I think this particular book was my favorite.
September 13, 2014
There is just something so incredibly comforting about slipping into a return visit to a much beloved series. All the kinks have been worked out, relationships established, just the right mixture of personal information and a new case to be solved. Wonderful characters in Crombie's books, families brought together in unusual and often poignant ways and yet it all works so well, so smoothly. Comforting, but never boring.
Love the history she includes in her stories, in this one it is St. Pancras, the rejuvenating of this World War I Victorian Station and Hotel. A group of young people who start out as dilettantes, but ending up biting off more than they can choose. Now the hard part, waiting another year or so for a return visit.
ARC from publisher.
Love the history she includes in her stories, in this one it is St. Pancras, the rejuvenating of this World War I Victorian Station and Hotel. A group of young people who start out as dilettantes, but ending up biting off more than they can choose. Now the hard part, waiting another year or so for a return visit.
ARC from publisher.
November 12, 2018
I’ve read this series straight through. Each book pulls you in very quickly. I liked the characters, Gemma and Duncan, and the personal backdrop of their evolving family, and their collection of friends and pets. In each book, the mysteries and the journeys to the solutions were intriguing and set at a pace that suited my reading-muscle. Each book is set in a part of London, and sometimes in the English countryside; one story goes as far as Scotland; I enjoyed the geographic detail and the descriptions of the communities. I hope Ms Crombie continues to write more books in the series and keeps Gemma and Duncan, and their family, solving crimes and keeping everyone safe.
March 20, 2015
On the one hand, this is perhaps the best-plotted mystery of the series.
***SPOILER***
On the other, I really dislike it when mystery series start relying on grand conspiracy theories, so I was disappointed to see Crombie fall back on that tired old trope.
***SPOILER***
On the other, I really dislike it when mystery series start relying on grand conspiracy theories, so I was disappointed to see Crombie fall back on that tired old trope.
January 18, 2024
I have to admit the main mystery was rather weak this outing. The murderer was kind of obvious near the midpoint. It was still a twisted motive so it was still fun unraveling. And the family dynamics of the extended clan still shine as always.
What was more interesting is the developing corruption in the police force. I didn’t like the thread in earlier books as I felt it was more of a distraction from the strengths of the book. Now I’m seeing how the sinister plotting that cost Kincaid his position and gave Gemma her promotion as a bribe is now turning deadly. I’m interested in Ryan Marsh’s story and the reasons he thought he was being stalked and ultimately killed.
There’s something nefarious going on with the police and it’s a good contrast with the wholesomeness of Duncan and Gemma’s home life.
What was more interesting is the developing corruption in the police force. I didn’t like the thread in earlier books as I felt it was more of a distraction from the strengths of the book. Now I’m seeing how the sinister plotting that cost Kincaid his position and gave Gemma her promotion as a bribe is now turning deadly. I’m interested in Ryan Marsh’s story and the reasons he thought he was being stalked and ultimately killed.
There’s something nefarious going on with the police and it’s a good contrast with the wholesomeness of Duncan and Gemma’s home life.
October 1, 2014
At the start of this book, almost every one of the returning characters is out of his (or her) element and profoundly uncomfortable or in scary new situations. Especially Duncan Kincaid. And hes got a prickly new partner. The setting (in this novel it's St. Pancras Station and surrounds) is vividly rendered (she should charge us airline tickets to raed her novels) - The story is riveting, layers within layers. I read the last page and just sat there, literally gasping for breath.
June 15, 2023
Deborah Crombie has once again come up with a winner.
She creates an entire world filled with very real people, events and most of all, a challenging mystery that sounds very believable. When she writes about Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, we all have lived some aspect of their lives, even if we don't have quite the tension-filled careers.
In this outing, Kincaid has returned to work from his paternity leave with a transfer from Scotland Yard to Camden, and he is struggling a bit adjusting to a new team especially a second in command who resents him in the position she believed she should have had. Then an incident that affects not only his position and his team, but people he is close to: a deadly bombing at historic St. Pancras International Station. The bomber, a member of a development protest group, is the only victim and the remains are so burned, identification is near impossible.
But with pressure to come up with a solution, Kincaid struggles with who to trust and who to turn to for assistance. Meanwhile Gemma is struggling with her own case of a young teen raped and murdered; while on the home front, are the usual struggles with two young children and a teen, including introducing a starving cat and her litter of kittens to the family menagerie.
The two main characters are supplemented with friends and co-workers who are all working to solve the two mysteries in a well-written story filled with a sensitive and insightful exploration into the human psyche. Its a very good read.
She creates an entire world filled with very real people, events and most of all, a challenging mystery that sounds very believable. When she writes about Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, we all have lived some aspect of their lives, even if we don't have quite the tension-filled careers.
In this outing, Kincaid has returned to work from his paternity leave with a transfer from Scotland Yard to Camden, and he is struggling a bit adjusting to a new team especially a second in command who resents him in the position she believed she should have had. Then an incident that affects not only his position and his team, but people he is close to: a deadly bombing at historic St. Pancras International Station. The bomber, a member of a development protest group, is the only victim and the remains are so burned, identification is near impossible.
But with pressure to come up with a solution, Kincaid struggles with who to trust and who to turn to for assistance. Meanwhile Gemma is struggling with her own case of a young teen raped and murdered; while on the home front, are the usual struggles with two young children and a teen, including introducing a starving cat and her litter of kittens to the family menagerie.
The two main characters are supplemented with friends and co-workers who are all working to solve the two mysteries in a well-written story filled with a sensitive and insightful exploration into the human psyche. Its a very good read.
July 15, 2018
A young man has died in an apparent bombing at St. Pancras International Station. He had been taking part in what was meant to be a peaceful protest and supposedly had been told he had a smoke bomb, not a deadly phosphorus grenade. Kincaid is called in to investigate with his new team. He had been demoted and transferred out of Scotland Yard for reasons that were still a mystery to him. His wife, Gemma, had been given a promotion, and her assistant, Melody Talbot, was at the station and witnessed the explosion. As always, things become quite complicated, involving them all in the investigation, with Gemma also involved in her own separate case.
I enjoy the way the author keeps several stories going at the same time, somehow managing to work them all together eventually. I also enjoy how in her latest books she has given more attention to the supporting characters, without losing sight of the fact that Duncan and Gemma and their family are the true main personalities. She also writes a good mystery....and leaves us anxiously awaiting the next book with a cliffhanger ending!
I enjoy the way the author keeps several stories going at the same time, somehow managing to work them all together eventually. I also enjoy how in her latest books she has given more attention to the supporting characters, without losing sight of the fact that Duncan and Gemma and their family are the true main personalities. She also writes a good mystery....and leaves us anxiously awaiting the next book with a cliffhanger ending!
November 14, 2025
An excellent thriller.
January 11, 2023
#16 is behind me. Another masterpiece!
November 10, 2014
Anyone planning a trip to London should forget about Frommer's, Fodor's, Lonely Planet, DK Eyewitness, or Rick Steves. Deborah Crombie now has 16 novels taking place in and around different areas of London (well one in Scotland) that give detailed information about those areas, their history and their present-day configurations, that will make the reader feel at home in those areas. And, hey, there are brilliantly plotted stories that accompany these tours. Deborah's latest Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James mystery acquaints readers with Camden and the glorious St. Pancras Train Station, a Victorian marvel that has been remodeled with its history intact. I'd be derelict in my reviewing if I didn't also mention yet another great accompanying map by Laura Hartman Maestro inserted in the inside front and back covers of the book. The story, the characters, the setting, the map all provide a journey that is all-consuming from start to finish. Doesn't it take a special kind of genius author to be on book #16 in a series and have kept fresh the excellence and excitement? Well, Deborah Crombie isn't from the state of Texas for nothing, as large and mighty are expected and fulfilled trademarks.
Duncan Kincaid is still in a state of puzzlement and unease about his unexplained transfer from Scotland Yard headquarters to the borough of Camden, where he encounters in his new detective inspector Jasmine Sidana a bruised ego and negative attitude towards him. He may be smarting inside from the obvious demotion of command, if not in title, certainly in control, but Duncan's priorities are quickly ordered when a protest turns deadly at St. Pancras Station. A would-be smoke bomb has revealed itself as an incendiary device, releasing deadly phosphorous that burns and damages in a ghastly manner. The dead protestor who carried the device must be identified and motivations must be untangled as Duncan works with his new team to investigate the protest group and its secretive members. Fortunately for Duncan, Gemma (Duncan's wife and newly promoted Inspector)has a superb second-in-command, Melody Talbot, who happened to be at St. Pancras Station listening to her boyfriend's band play. Melody's eyewitness account and quick thinking are a great advantage to Duncan in coming into the scene. He includes Melody in his investigation, along with his former Scotland Yard sergeant Doug Cullen, to enhance his new team in trying to uncover what went wrong with the protestors' innocuous plans. The dead protestor must first be identified, but that doesn't solve anything, other than elimination of one of the two missing members. Investigation of the still missing protestor will lead Duncan and the others into areas of hidden danger and secrets best left alone.
Gemma is involved in her own investigation of the brutal murder of a young girl, trying to prove that the lead suspect is indeed the nefarious killer. As is often the case, she and Duncan have their hands full with work and their family of his, hers, and ours children. What is additionally amazing about Deborah Crombie's writing is that in the thrill of police investigations and solving murder mysteries there is room for Duncan's and Gemma's personal world with their family and friends. It is a world that captures the readers' hearts and gives a fullness to the characters that makes coming back to them time and time again a homecoming of comfort and joy. All the main players have backstories and lives that easily flow into and out of the story at hand, making a gathering at Gemma's and Duncan's house one that the reader revels in as if seated at the table alongside. Crombie integrates characters from past stories into present ones with a deftness that is truly magical. Their presence never feels extraneous. All characters have purpose and flow in the story. And, I always wonder how Deborah thought to create this perfect family of the three children for Duncan and Gemma, as it was no simple task. But as with all the elements in this brilliant series, there is a deliberate progression that results in great satisfaction for readers.
One caution about To Dwell in Darkness. Do not expect all questions to be answered. There will still be much uncertainty left to explore in book #17. But then, life is a continuation of discovery, isn't it?
Duncan Kincaid is still in a state of puzzlement and unease about his unexplained transfer from Scotland Yard headquarters to the borough of Camden, where he encounters in his new detective inspector Jasmine Sidana a bruised ego and negative attitude towards him. He may be smarting inside from the obvious demotion of command, if not in title, certainly in control, but Duncan's priorities are quickly ordered when a protest turns deadly at St. Pancras Station. A would-be smoke bomb has revealed itself as an incendiary device, releasing deadly phosphorous that burns and damages in a ghastly manner. The dead protestor who carried the device must be identified and motivations must be untangled as Duncan works with his new team to investigate the protest group and its secretive members. Fortunately for Duncan, Gemma (Duncan's wife and newly promoted Inspector)has a superb second-in-command, Melody Talbot, who happened to be at St. Pancras Station listening to her boyfriend's band play. Melody's eyewitness account and quick thinking are a great advantage to Duncan in coming into the scene. He includes Melody in his investigation, along with his former Scotland Yard sergeant Doug Cullen, to enhance his new team in trying to uncover what went wrong with the protestors' innocuous plans. The dead protestor must first be identified, but that doesn't solve anything, other than elimination of one of the two missing members. Investigation of the still missing protestor will lead Duncan and the others into areas of hidden danger and secrets best left alone.
Gemma is involved in her own investigation of the brutal murder of a young girl, trying to prove that the lead suspect is indeed the nefarious killer. As is often the case, she and Duncan have their hands full with work and their family of his, hers, and ours children. What is additionally amazing about Deborah Crombie's writing is that in the thrill of police investigations and solving murder mysteries there is room for Duncan's and Gemma's personal world with their family and friends. It is a world that captures the readers' hearts and gives a fullness to the characters that makes coming back to them time and time again a homecoming of comfort and joy. All the main players have backstories and lives that easily flow into and out of the story at hand, making a gathering at Gemma's and Duncan's house one that the reader revels in as if seated at the table alongside. Crombie integrates characters from past stories into present ones with a deftness that is truly magical. Their presence never feels extraneous. All characters have purpose and flow in the story. And, I always wonder how Deborah thought to create this perfect family of the three children for Duncan and Gemma, as it was no simple task. But as with all the elements in this brilliant series, there is a deliberate progression that results in great satisfaction for readers.
One caution about To Dwell in Darkness. Do not expect all questions to be answered. There will still be much uncertainty left to explore in book #17. But then, life is a continuation of discovery, isn't it?
September 14, 2019
The book opens as Gemma and Duncan's friend and fellow police officer DS Melody Talbot is hurrying to watch her boyfriend. Andy Monahan and Poppy Jones are headlining at St Pancras' International festivities, before they leave on a European Tour. As she arrives, she hears the band but is nearly blinded by the white light from a grenade. Matthew Quinn and his mates, an anti-development group, have planned a smoke bomb to disrupt the celebration and bring attention to their cause. It's all gone wrong, it's not a smoke bomb, it's a white phosphorus grenade which kills the man who threw it and seriously burned Andy's manager Tam Moran.
The group who are questioned by Duncan Kincaid identify the dead man as Ryan Marsh, one of their crew who agreed to throw the smoke bomb. The identify of the dead man becomes questionable as the investigation delves much deeper into the lives of all of the participants.
Meanwhile, DI Gemma James is trying to connect the dots on the murder of a 12 year old child. She's convinced that Dillon Underwood kidnapped, raped and murdered Mercy Johnson. Odds are against Gemma as she calls in markers.
And then there's the cat. The children discovered a cat and newborn kittens locked in a shed, starving and in need to a home. Duncan and Gemma become the new parents of said litter which, given their divergent cases and lack of personal time together, turns out to the a very good thing for their family.
The group who are questioned by Duncan Kincaid identify the dead man as Ryan Marsh, one of their crew who agreed to throw the smoke bomb. The identify of the dead man becomes questionable as the investigation delves much deeper into the lives of all of the participants.
Meanwhile, DI Gemma James is trying to connect the dots on the murder of a 12 year old child. She's convinced that Dillon Underwood kidnapped, raped and murdered Mercy Johnson. Odds are against Gemma as she calls in markers.
And then there's the cat. The children discovered a cat and newborn kittens locked in a shed, starving and in need to a home. Duncan and Gemma become the new parents of said litter which, given their divergent cases and lack of personal time together, turns out to the a very good thing for their family.
October 16, 2014
Long-time fans of Deborah Crombie's wonderful series might find To Dwell in Darkness a bit of a mixed blessing. In the "good" column is no longer having to wait for the next book and to be rejoined with the best married police officers in all of crime fiction. In the "not-so-good" column is a lack of the richness and depth of story that fans have come to expect.
Most of the rushed quality to this book is due to its time frame. This is the most thriller-like of all Crombie's books, with the action taking place in just four days. A lot has to happen in a short period of time, and that means that all those secondary characters who add so much to the series are scarcely seen or even mentioned. I missed them, as I'm sure other readers will.
Another thing that will drive some readers absolutely wild is that Duncan's situation-- which was a cliffhanger in the last book The Sound of Broken Glass-- is not cleared up by the end of this book. Yes, To Dwell in Darkness ends in yet another-- rather chilling-- cliffhanger, but unlike some readers who prefer that everything be resolved at the end of each book, I do not mind a dangling plot line. I tend to like story arcs that develop over the course of a few books, and I trust Crombie to deliver the goods. (It also doesn't hurt that I was present at an author signing in which Crombie said that she's going to deal with Duncan's situation in the next book.)
While Duncan is dealing with the explosion at St. Pancras, Gemma has her own case to solve, but even though her investigation does provide Duncan with the inspiration to solve his own, there's so little of it that Gemma almost feels like filler, and that didn't set well with me at all. However, her case does prove that it's often the attention to even the smallest of details that can go on to solve murders.
Yes, I've been grumbling just a bit, but there is a lot to like in this book. I enjoyed seeing Duncan out of his comfort zone. He's used to being liked at work, and he's not in his new position. His second-in-command, Detective Inspector Jasmine Sidana, seems to have little use for him at all, and Duncan has to learn how to deal with that. Cat lovers in particular will rejoice when Duncan and Gemma's two sons rescue a mother cat and her kittens and insist on bringing them home. Speaking of those two sons, as the series progresses, I am more and more impressed with the oldest. Kit is growing up and proving that he can think on his feet and take appropriate action when something doesn't feel right.
Crombie is known for weaving a bit of history into her books, and in her latest she shares her knowledge of London train stations. She had me so fascinated that I was looking up the London station from which our train will be leaving for Inverness next year.
I always look forward to Deborah Crombie's next book, and I'm all for any author trying something different, but I have to be honest and admit that I'm hoping that she's got the thriller out of her system and will return to the richness of her earlier books. To Dwell in Darkness is a good book. It's just not her best.
Most of the rushed quality to this book is due to its time frame. This is the most thriller-like of all Crombie's books, with the action taking place in just four days. A lot has to happen in a short period of time, and that means that all those secondary characters who add so much to the series are scarcely seen or even mentioned. I missed them, as I'm sure other readers will.
Another thing that will drive some readers absolutely wild is that Duncan's situation-- which was a cliffhanger in the last book The Sound of Broken Glass-- is not cleared up by the end of this book. Yes, To Dwell in Darkness ends in yet another-- rather chilling-- cliffhanger, but unlike some readers who prefer that everything be resolved at the end of each book, I do not mind a dangling plot line. I tend to like story arcs that develop over the course of a few books, and I trust Crombie to deliver the goods. (It also doesn't hurt that I was present at an author signing in which Crombie said that she's going to deal with Duncan's situation in the next book.)
While Duncan is dealing with the explosion at St. Pancras, Gemma has her own case to solve, but even though her investigation does provide Duncan with the inspiration to solve his own, there's so little of it that Gemma almost feels like filler, and that didn't set well with me at all. However, her case does prove that it's often the attention to even the smallest of details that can go on to solve murders.
Yes, I've been grumbling just a bit, but there is a lot to like in this book. I enjoyed seeing Duncan out of his comfort zone. He's used to being liked at work, and he's not in his new position. His second-in-command, Detective Inspector Jasmine Sidana, seems to have little use for him at all, and Duncan has to learn how to deal with that. Cat lovers in particular will rejoice when Duncan and Gemma's two sons rescue a mother cat and her kittens and insist on bringing them home. Speaking of those two sons, as the series progresses, I am more and more impressed with the oldest. Kit is growing up and proving that he can think on his feet and take appropriate action when something doesn't feel right.
Crombie is known for weaving a bit of history into her books, and in her latest she shares her knowledge of London train stations. She had me so fascinated that I was looking up the London station from which our train will be leaving for Inverness next year.
I always look forward to Deborah Crombie's next book, and I'm all for any author trying something different, but I have to be honest and admit that I'm hoping that she's got the thriller out of her system and will return to the richness of her earlier books. To Dwell in Darkness is a good book. It's just not her best.
September 2, 2014
Like prior novels in the series, this one includes a murder mystery for both Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. James’ murder gets short shrift in this book, to the point that the solving of it is almost a throw away at the end. She is more involved with the family and the change affecting the family with the adoption of the little girl who was involved and orphaned in the last book.
Kincaid is dealing with his transfer (almost a demotion) from Scotland Yard to the SID (special investigative department) in the St. Pancras area. But don’t worry about Duncan he will have his hands full with his new second-in-command (who thinks she should have gotten Duncan’s position) and a bombing at St. Pancras train station. His new second is a by-the-book black woman of Caribbean ancestry, with a 2x4 on her shoulder.
Gemma’s number two, Melody Talbot, happened to be at the station watching her friends play their first big gig. She’s in the middle of all the commotion and sees the bomber explode in flames from a phosphorous hand grenade. Luckily none of her friends are killed but one is burned badly. The dead man was part of a protest group who want more of ‘old London’ saved, but it was supposed to be a smoke grenade.
While Kincaid and his new crew, helped by his old sergeant Doug Cullen, who he gets seconded to the investigation, all the old crew are involved. The find that there is one member of the protest group who was the procurer of the grenade has disappeared. The farther they dig the more enigmatic the members become. The leader is being supported by his father who is involved in the demolitions they are protesting. The missing man seems to have no background except for the last few years.
As Duncan and his crew continue to dig, they find more and more connections between the missing protester and the police. It’s all very well written and reminds me of the type of British crime novels from before the war that Alfred Hitchcock liked to make into movies. Though the mystery of the bomb is solved (sort of), and Gemma’s murderer caught, the book ends on a cliffhanger that I assume will be finished in the next book.
Mostly, this is a very satisfying story, except that Kincaid never gets a definitive reason for his transfer.
Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com
Kincaid is dealing with his transfer (almost a demotion) from Scotland Yard to the SID (special investigative department) in the St. Pancras area. But don’t worry about Duncan he will have his hands full with his new second-in-command (who thinks she should have gotten Duncan’s position) and a bombing at St. Pancras train station. His new second is a by-the-book black woman of Caribbean ancestry, with a 2x4 on her shoulder.
Gemma’s number two, Melody Talbot, happened to be at the station watching her friends play their first big gig. She’s in the middle of all the commotion and sees the bomber explode in flames from a phosphorous hand grenade. Luckily none of her friends are killed but one is burned badly. The dead man was part of a protest group who want more of ‘old London’ saved, but it was supposed to be a smoke grenade.
While Kincaid and his new crew, helped by his old sergeant Doug Cullen, who he gets seconded to the investigation, all the old crew are involved. The find that there is one member of the protest group who was the procurer of the grenade has disappeared. The farther they dig the more enigmatic the members become. The leader is being supported by his father who is involved in the demolitions they are protesting. The missing man seems to have no background except for the last few years.
As Duncan and his crew continue to dig, they find more and more connections between the missing protester and the police. It’s all very well written and reminds me of the type of British crime novels from before the war that Alfred Hitchcock liked to make into movies. Though the mystery of the bomb is solved (sort of), and Gemma’s murderer caught, the book ends on a cliffhanger that I assume will be finished in the next book.
Mostly, this is a very satisfying story, except that Kincaid never gets a definitive reason for his transfer.
Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com
March 25, 2017
Positively delectable! I have become a great fan of Deborah Crombie's Kincaid and James series, and this one does not disappoint, although it is not one of her best. The historical focus point in "To Dwell in Darkness" is the beautiful gothic St Pancras railway station, recently renovated to house the international Eurostar trains. I was keeping this last one in the series for a moment when I could devote all my time to it, and I gobbled it up greedily, like a delicious cream cake.
It is a great comfort to renew ties with well known and well loved characters, and accompany them on a new investigation. Up until now, each book has been a finished story in itself. This one, however, leaves questions at the end, so we will have to wait patiently for a year or two to discover what actually happened to Ryan in the end, and Kincaid's old boss, who seems to have disappeared without trace. I do not appreciate this literary device - in fact it is the reason I have stopped reading Jeffrey Archer's "Clifton Chronicles" until the last has been published, since he overindulges in cliffhanger endings. And so, with "To Dwell in Darkness", the reader is left rather hungry for more.
UPDATE: I have re-read this novel before beginning Deborah Crombie's latest one, "Garden of Lamentations". Ms Crombie's books in the Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James series take 2 or 3 years to complete, so I'm waiting with eagerness to savour that one!
I have upped my rating from 4 to 5 stars for "To Dwell in Darkness". I have grown very attached to the Kincaid-James family and just love the way their personal story is mingled with the crime investigation threads. I think I will even draw out my anticipation by re-reading #15 before the pleasures of #17!
It is a great comfort to renew ties with well known and well loved characters, and accompany them on a new investigation. Up until now, each book has been a finished story in itself. This one, however, leaves questions at the end, so we will have to wait patiently for a year or two to discover what actually happened to Ryan in the end, and Kincaid's old boss, who seems to have disappeared without trace. I do not appreciate this literary device - in fact it is the reason I have stopped reading Jeffrey Archer's "Clifton Chronicles" until the last has been published, since he overindulges in cliffhanger endings. And so, with "To Dwell in Darkness", the reader is left rather hungry for more.
UPDATE: I have re-read this novel before beginning Deborah Crombie's latest one, "Garden of Lamentations". Ms Crombie's books in the Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James series take 2 or 3 years to complete, so I'm waiting with eagerness to savour that one!
I have upped my rating from 4 to 5 stars for "To Dwell in Darkness". I have grown very attached to the Kincaid-James family and just love the way their personal story is mingled with the crime investigation threads. I think I will even draw out my anticipation by re-reading #15 before the pleasures of #17!
July 9, 2016
I love this series. This had me up late last night finishing it. Well, I would have been up late anyway. At least I had a good excuse this time.
Reading another Gemma and Duncan story is like meeting an old friend. I stalled on reading it in the hopes that a new one would be about to come out by the time I finished it. But from Facebook I understand a few things have been going on in Ms. Crombie's life - cataracts, a new grandchild - the kind of things that could distract one from writing.
Terrorism strikes at St. Pancras International Station - the homegrown brand. Some kids at the local university are living in a building that is soon to be torn down for new development and they have taken up the anti-development banner. And some kind of bomb goes off in the café where Melody's new boyfriend is performing with his partner. Although Melody is injured she helps others escape until the police show up. Another fellow is helping her - and he appears to have training. This is where our story picks up.
On the domestic side Gemma has received a promotion and Duncan has received a mysterious transfer. And his former boss has disappeared - possibly sent to Singapore. But quickly.
Gemma has a murder/rape to solve and Duncan is part of the team working on the bombing of the station.
Excellent. Can't wait for the next one.
Reading another Gemma and Duncan story is like meeting an old friend. I stalled on reading it in the hopes that a new one would be about to come out by the time I finished it. But from Facebook I understand a few things have been going on in Ms. Crombie's life - cataracts, a new grandchild - the kind of things that could distract one from writing.
Terrorism strikes at St. Pancras International Station - the homegrown brand. Some kids at the local university are living in a building that is soon to be torn down for new development and they have taken up the anti-development banner. And some kind of bomb goes off in the café where Melody's new boyfriend is performing with his partner. Although Melody is injured she helps others escape until the police show up. Another fellow is helping her - and he appears to have training. This is where our story picks up.
On the domestic side Gemma has received a promotion and Duncan has received a mysterious transfer. And his former boss has disappeared - possibly sent to Singapore. But quickly.
Gemma has a murder/rape to solve and Duncan is part of the team working on the bombing of the station.
Excellent. Can't wait for the next one.
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