The Dreaming Detective

Harriet Martens #4

by H.R.F. Keating, Sheila Mitchell (Reading)

Listening length: 8 hours and 27 minutes

Summoned by the new, fanatically determined Chief Constable, Harriet Martens is startled to be greeted with the blunt question: Who killed the Preacher? She is then tasked with making use of the latest DNA techniques to investigate the murder, thirty years ago, of a charismatic youth known as the Boy Preacher, strangled in the empty ballroom of the city's Imperial Hotel, a building now slated for demolition. However, she finds that only seven people had access to the scene, and Harriet has to rely on her ability to make connections that past investigators have missed...

9 pages, Audio CD

First published November 5, 2004

About the author

Henry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating was an English writer of crime fiction most notable for his series of novels featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID.

H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.

Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens

Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Harriet Martens is back ... and she has a new Chief Constable who obviously does not like her and wants her to fail miserably. Maybe it's jealousy that he wants the best detective on board to look like a failure.

Whatever his thoughts and beliefs, he charges her with finding the killer of a young preacher .. a crime that has been unsolved for 30 years. And he wants it solved within the next 2 weeks. The hotel where the preacher was murdered is being torn down at that time.

But being the 'nice' guy he is, the Chief Constable is giving her a helper .... a man who has suffered a mental breakdown and is 'all better' now.

Martens certainly has her hands full; no wonder that this case is finding its way into her dreams ..or nightmares.

There are plenty of suspects. Seven people were at the hotel at the time of the killing. Some had motives ..some didn't. Some are still alive ... some aren't.

Martens must now depend on forensics that weren't available at the time, but who knows what kind of shape the physical evidence is in. Hopefully DNA will point at the killer.

Martens is determined to save her job and solve the crime ... or die trying.

I actually like Harriet Martens better in this book than in The Hard Detective. She becomes more of a likeable person while showing her softer side in the relationship with her husband. Although she has problems with her assistant, she seems to interact with him in a less than volcanic fashion as she would normally.

In the real world of course, a superior officer would not be allowed to play these kinds of games with the detectives under his umbrella .. and especially would not hinder the abilities of the well-known reputation of the best detective around. But this is fiction .........

Many thanks to the author / Endeavour Press / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another enjoyable story in the box set I have. Used to the writing style and Harriet's character, I thought this instalment was a good whodunit in a cold case.

There were plenty of trails to follow and an obnoxious boss who wanted to prove what a great 'Chief' he was.

A good look at human behaviour and engaging.

[Valerie Dorning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much of a mystery fan. This book was very drawn out and did not keep me engaged.

It just wasn’t a book for me. It may be a good read for someone else.

The concept of solving a 30 year old murder was cool.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book. I have nearly all H R F Keating's books and none have let me down.

[kienn · Rating 1 out of 5]

another men writing women bc the murder motive is that the woman wanted kids??? idek <\spoiler>

[Julie Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as well as a few others of the 'hard detective' series. It wasn't as good as the others, though on its own its a decent enough book.

I couldn't get into the mystery as much, though I loved the connections between dreams & the main characters current life and also much of the description. The main character is fantastic...its a wonderful contrast the way it is written how she's obviously very tough as nails yet we get to see her private thoughts, her opinions, prejudices, issues, perspectives...its very well done in all the books of this series that I've read so far.

These books are quite Agatha Christie-ish in tone though still very modern.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, having previously read another of this series, I did not think I would like it. It was a lovely surprise that this book was one that kept me turning the pages until I finished it, which was long into the night.
It certainly is a series the improves with each book - really kept my interest.
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about how I liked this book - it was OK. A story about an older women detective whose new boss is trying to show her she's washed up by giving her a 30 year old cold case to solve. So with a helper who is just back from having a nervous breakdown, an office the size of a closet and no computer she proceeds to try and solve the case and does she??? You will have to read to find out.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just good Police work..
No tricks.

[Martha Brindley · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read in this series and perhaps I should have read Book one first!I liked the toughness of the main character and the book was well written Thank you Net Galley for the copy.