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DCS Fran Harman #6
Green and Pleasant Land
Retired police detective Fran Harman discovers that someone doesn t like her digging up the past when she re-opens a 20-year-old cold case. "
Newly-retired, ex-Chief Superintendent Fran Harman and her partner Mark have volunteered to assist West Mercia police in reinvestigating an unsolved crime. Twenty years ago, a car was found abandoned on an isolated road running through the Wyre Forest, its hazard lights still flashing, the passenger door open. In the back, were two child seats. One was empty; in the other lay a desperately ill baby. Neither the baby s mother nor the elder child were ever seen again.
Where had Natalie Foreman been and where was she heading? As they question those who knew the missing woman, Fran and Mark uncover worrying discrepancies and mistaken assumptions underlying the original police investigation. In their new role as civilians in a police world, they find themselves encountering hostility and resentment from some of those they question and it s clear that more than one key witness is not telling them the whole truth.
Newly-retired, ex-Chief Superintendent Fran Harman and her partner Mark have volunteered to assist West Mercia police in reinvestigating an unsolved crime. Twenty years ago, a car was found abandoned on an isolated road running through the Wyre Forest, its hazard lights still flashing, the passenger door open. In the back, were two child seats. One was empty; in the other lay a desperately ill baby. Neither the baby s mother nor the elder child were ever seen again.
Where had Natalie Foreman been and where was she heading? As they question those who knew the missing woman, Fran and Mark uncover worrying discrepancies and mistaken assumptions underlying the original police investigation. In their new role as civilians in a police world, they find themselves encountering hostility and resentment from some of those they question and it s clear that more than one key witness is not telling them the whole truth.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2015
About the author
Judith Cutler
100 books103 followersJudith Cutler was born and bred in the Midlands, and revels in using her birthplace, with its rich cultural life, as a background for her novels. After a long stint as an English lecturer at a run-down college of further education, Judith, a prize-winning short-story writer, has taught Creative Writing at Birmingham University, has run occasional writing course elsewhere (from a maximum security prison to an idyltic Greek island) and ministered to needy colleagues in her role as Secretary of the Crime Writers' Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 7, 2020
Recently retired Fran Harman along with her husband, retired assistant chief constable, are called in to help on a cold case. The case involves a woman and a child who disappeared twenty years before. No trace has been found to explain what happened. The other child, a baby was found dead in the car. Evidence from the time is pretty sketchy. They are not welcomes by everyone, as not all are happy to see this case be re-opened. This includes some of the police at West Mercia and also relatives of Natalie Foreman, the missing woman and her son Hadrian. It soon becomes apparent there are those who want them to give up and leave. Who and why? Could there be more going on that either Fran or Mark suspect?
This is book 6 in a series which I was not aware of when I picked it up. Would that have made a difference? Possibly, as I would have more of a background on the characters. Maybe then I would have felt more of a connection with them. As it was it was an okay read for me but not anything that compelled me to want to pick it up and keep reading. I just wasn’t that invested in the characters or the case they were attempting to solve. Some parts of the story seemed rather repetitive especially in relation to the baby with Edwards Syndrome and some dialogue felt unnecessary. The problems with the place they rented to live, while working on the case, did nothing to add to the story except emphasise how rain sodden it all was.
For me it was all a bit bland. Nothing to get really excited about but an okay read. Others more invested in the characters and the crime may well view it differently.
This is book 6 in a series which I was not aware of when I picked it up. Would that have made a difference? Possibly, as I would have more of a background on the characters. Maybe then I would have felt more of a connection with them. As it was it was an okay read for me but not anything that compelled me to want to pick it up and keep reading. I just wasn’t that invested in the characters or the case they were attempting to solve. Some parts of the story seemed rather repetitive especially in relation to the baby with Edwards Syndrome and some dialogue felt unnecessary. The problems with the place they rented to live, while working on the case, did nothing to add to the story except emphasise how rain sodden it all was.
For me it was all a bit bland. Nothing to get really excited about but an okay read. Others more invested in the characters and the crime may well view it differently.
October 20, 2020
Fran Harman is now retired but she is starting to wish she had some sort of intellectual challenge to keep her brain active. When she and husband Mark - a retired Assistant Chief Constable - are offered a temporary jib overseeing the investigation of a cold case they jump at the chance.
Natalie Foreman and her small son Hadrian disappeared twenty years ago and were never found either dead or alive. The police have retained very little evidence and seem not to have taken too much trouble over recording witness statements accurately. It seems that the investigation is not going to receive any help from the current police or from relatives of the missing woman. In fact someone seems to be actively working against Fran and Mark - which naturally makes them even more determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.
I read this book in the space of a day and found I was reluctant to put it down even to eat. I've read several other books by Judith Cutler but hadn't read any of this series before but I have now bought the rest of the series and will be reading them too. I liked Fran herself as a character and I liked the banter between her and her husband. I thought the atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust at police headquarters was very well done as was the way Fran and Mark built up their relationship with their small team.
This is a well written mystery with little on the page violence or bad language. The plot is complex and I was two thirds of the way through the book before I managed to work out what was going on. Even then I got some of the details wrong though the clues were there if I'd read them correctly. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.
Natalie Foreman and her small son Hadrian disappeared twenty years ago and were never found either dead or alive. The police have retained very little evidence and seem not to have taken too much trouble over recording witness statements accurately. It seems that the investigation is not going to receive any help from the current police or from relatives of the missing woman. In fact someone seems to be actively working against Fran and Mark - which naturally makes them even more determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.
I read this book in the space of a day and found I was reluctant to put it down even to eat. I've read several other books by Judith Cutler but hadn't read any of this series before but I have now bought the rest of the series and will be reading them too. I liked Fran herself as a character and I liked the banter between her and her husband. I thought the atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust at police headquarters was very well done as was the way Fran and Mark built up their relationship with their small team.
This is a well written mystery with little on the page violence or bad language. The plot is complex and I was two thirds of the way through the book before I managed to work out what was going on. Even then I got some of the details wrong though the clues were there if I'd read them correctly. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.
January 2, 2025
Enjoyable series
If you like your UK crime, I’d highly recommend this series.
This addition was as well written and involving as the first 5 and had a very enjoyable storyline. The characters are as great as always, even the minor ones and the added drama of the flooding towns and countryside was very interesting.
If you like your UK crime, I’d highly recommend this series.
This addition was as well written and involving as the first 5 and had a very enjoyable storyline. The characters are as great as always, even the minor ones and the added drama of the flooding towns and countryside was very interesting.
April 5, 2015
Twenty years ago a woman and her young son disappeared one cold and wet night in the midlands, on the back seat her youngest son, just a baby was dead. What happened to Natalie and Hadrian simply disappeared and the police investigation at the time soon ground to a halt. Retired Fran Harman and her partner Mark are asked to act on a consultancy basis to re-open the cold case. Eager to give their problem solving skills a work-out they agree and set off to work in the most unusual police building that rivals Downton Abbey.
It doesn’t take long for Fran and Mark to realise that they haven’t been given the full story, the man who commissioned them has been made redundant and the incumbent seems to be less than delighted to work with them. With a tiny team to work with there is more about the logistics of managing the investigation as they travel far and wide to visit those who worked on the case originally along with Natalie’s parents and others who provided witness statements. No sooner than they’ve started it appears that someone wants them gone, the question is who and why?
I soon realised that this is actually the sixth in the Fran Harman series so I’ve missed quite a lot of the back story, not that it seemed to matter. Fran and Mark are a likeable, friendly and competent pair of (former) officers even if some of the police force they have been sent to work with seem less than willing to be helpful. There is a lot of dialogue in Green and Pleasant land which took a while to get used to but came to the conclusion it is part of what makes the book feel as though it is a half-way house between a cosy mystery and a regular police procedural. There are no gory details in this book, anything too scary happens ‘off-screen’ and yet don’t be deceived, there is still plenty of complexity to the plot to hold the readers interest. It isn’t a pedestrian read either, there is plenty of action which especially towards the end had me willing everything to work out for the best. In some ways this book has a slightly ‘old-fashioned’ feel but it still manages to stay contemporary with details of Police Commissioner’s roles, recent ‘real-life’ investigations and use of modern technology.
I was impressed with Judith Cutler’s writing and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more from this series to find out what happened to these characters before their retirement. If Green and Pleasant Land is anything to go by I’m sure there was an intriguing back story that you need the earlier volumes to discern.
I’d like to thank the publishers Severn House for allowing me a to read a copy of this book for review purposes ahead of the publication date of 1 April 2015.
It doesn’t take long for Fran and Mark to realise that they haven’t been given the full story, the man who commissioned them has been made redundant and the incumbent seems to be less than delighted to work with them. With a tiny team to work with there is more about the logistics of managing the investigation as they travel far and wide to visit those who worked on the case originally along with Natalie’s parents and others who provided witness statements. No sooner than they’ve started it appears that someone wants them gone, the question is who and why?
I soon realised that this is actually the sixth in the Fran Harman series so I’ve missed quite a lot of the back story, not that it seemed to matter. Fran and Mark are a likeable, friendly and competent pair of (former) officers even if some of the police force they have been sent to work with seem less than willing to be helpful. There is a lot of dialogue in Green and Pleasant land which took a while to get used to but came to the conclusion it is part of what makes the book feel as though it is a half-way house between a cosy mystery and a regular police procedural. There are no gory details in this book, anything too scary happens ‘off-screen’ and yet don’t be deceived, there is still plenty of complexity to the plot to hold the readers interest. It isn’t a pedestrian read either, there is plenty of action which especially towards the end had me willing everything to work out for the best. In some ways this book has a slightly ‘old-fashioned’ feel but it still manages to stay contemporary with details of Police Commissioner’s roles, recent ‘real-life’ investigations and use of modern technology.
I was impressed with Judith Cutler’s writing and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more from this series to find out what happened to these characters before their retirement. If Green and Pleasant Land is anything to go by I’m sure there was an intriguing back story that you need the earlier volumes to discern.
I’d like to thank the publishers Severn House for allowing me a to read a copy of this book for review purposes ahead of the publication date of 1 April 2015.
April 1, 2015
Having been aboard for this entire series, I completely understood the reasons for both Fran and Mark retiring from their high-stress positions in the police force. One of Cutler's strengths is giving readers so much insight into both the characters' personal lives and what is happening in the modern world of policing that we feel we have our fingers on the pulse of what's really going on. The changes Fran and Mark experience are organic. They are a natural part of the series narrative and don't come across as some unknown supreme being throwing down stray lightning bolts. Yes, occasionally there are multiple plot threads running at the same time, but life gets messy. Seeing how Fran and Mark deal with personal life issues and complicated investigations make them all the more real to me.
This cold case is perfect for the pair's talents. They're expert in police procedure, and they excel at dealing with the personality quirks of all sorts of people. If something becomes difficult, they just work harder, and they often find the strength they need in their relationship.
The setting and the case itself are mysterious and-- with the incessant rain-- water-logged. When the pace becomes sluggish from time to time, a lot of it is due to the fact that the rain indeed has an effect on what they have to do. As Fran and Mark uncover more and more people hiding secrets and motives, the animosity becomes almost Christie-esque. Does everyone have a hand in the woman and child's disappearance? Are there too many suspects? It certainly can feel that way.
Green and Pleasant Land is another strong entry in one of my very favorite British police procedural series. It is a series I highly recommend, and I would suggest starting at the beginning because the events in Fran Harman's life are key to the books. These aren't books that merely feature a murder of the week, tie everything up in a big bow, and then fade away until the new case in the next book. No, this series immerses us in the life of an exceptional woman, her life and her work. It reminds me most strongly of Deborah Crombie's excellent Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series. I can't get enough of Crombie's characters, and I certainly can't get enough of Judith Cutler's Fran Harman.
This cold case is perfect for the pair's talents. They're expert in police procedure, and they excel at dealing with the personality quirks of all sorts of people. If something becomes difficult, they just work harder, and they often find the strength they need in their relationship.
The setting and the case itself are mysterious and-- with the incessant rain-- water-logged. When the pace becomes sluggish from time to time, a lot of it is due to the fact that the rain indeed has an effect on what they have to do. As Fran and Mark uncover more and more people hiding secrets and motives, the animosity becomes almost Christie-esque. Does everyone have a hand in the woman and child's disappearance? Are there too many suspects? It certainly can feel that way.
Green and Pleasant Land is another strong entry in one of my very favorite British police procedural series. It is a series I highly recommend, and I would suggest starting at the beginning because the events in Fran Harman's life are key to the books. These aren't books that merely feature a murder of the week, tie everything up in a big bow, and then fade away until the new case in the next book. No, this series immerses us in the life of an exceptional woman, her life and her work. It reminds me most strongly of Deborah Crombie's excellent Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series. I can't get enough of Crombie's characters, and I certainly can't get enough of Judith Cutler's Fran Harman.
February 22, 2015
This is the first book I have read by Judith Cutler, so I didn’t know what to expect. I like British procedurals and I loved this novel by Cutler. I was easily able to catch up on necessary background information of both Fran and Mark, the two main characters, and greatly enjoyed the story.
The book is extremely well-written. The descriptions of the setting and characters are wonderfully vivid. I could feel the chill and dampness in my bones as I read about Fran and Mark’s misadventures in their rented cottage. I love that a husband and wife detective team are the main characters and really liked seeing how loving and respectful they are of each other, personally and when on the job. I love the perseverance they both show, determined to solve the case even when every obstacle is thrown in their way. The pair is investigating a cold case, but the investigation seems immediate and urgent and kept my interest from beginning to end. The side characters, some nice and some not-so-nice, are all realistic and add to the depth and excitement of the story. I liked how the case wrapped up, but was left wanting to read more about Fran and Mark.
“Green and Pleasant Land” is the perfect book for readers who enjoy the intelligence and wit of a well-written British procedural, such as those by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. I will definitely be seeking out more books by Judith Cutler.
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Severn House Publishing. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
The book is extremely well-written. The descriptions of the setting and characters are wonderfully vivid. I could feel the chill and dampness in my bones as I read about Fran and Mark’s misadventures in their rented cottage. I love that a husband and wife detective team are the main characters and really liked seeing how loving and respectful they are of each other, personally and when on the job. I love the perseverance they both show, determined to solve the case even when every obstacle is thrown in their way. The pair is investigating a cold case, but the investigation seems immediate and urgent and kept my interest from beginning to end. The side characters, some nice and some not-so-nice, are all realistic and add to the depth and excitement of the story. I liked how the case wrapped up, but was left wanting to read more about Fran and Mark.
“Green and Pleasant Land” is the perfect book for readers who enjoy the intelligence and wit of a well-written British procedural, such as those by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. I will definitely be seeking out more books by Judith Cutler.
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Severn House Publishing. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2015
An abandoned car containing a dead, disabled baby - it's mother and sibling are missing, feared dead. What happened?
The story of this cold case investigation is absorbing and intriguing. Interviewees won't talk, serving police are unhelpful - the investigators hit brick wall after brick wall.
The novel is set in the Midlands during a period of heavy rain and flooding, which hampers the investigation even further.
Cutler writes with authority about police procedure, West Bromwich Albion football club and the geography of the area. She includes one of the new police commissioners, references to Huhne & Pryce and Madeleine McCann - thus making the book very much 'of the moment' and totally believable.
A recommended read.
The story of this cold case investigation is absorbing and intriguing. Interviewees won't talk, serving police are unhelpful - the investigators hit brick wall after brick wall.
The novel is set in the Midlands during a period of heavy rain and flooding, which hampers the investigation even further.
Cutler writes with authority about police procedure, West Bromwich Albion football club and the geography of the area. She includes one of the new police commissioners, references to Huhne & Pryce and Madeleine McCann - thus making the book very much 'of the moment' and totally believable.
A recommended read.
May 12, 2015
Fran and her partner Mark have agreed to work on a consultancy for West Mercia Police on a cold case. Twenty year ago a mother and a young son went missing and her car was found with her youngest son gravely ill in the baby seat in the back. They were never seen again. Fran and Mark are trying to solve this case.
When they begin their investigation – not everyone seems keen to help and resent the questioning. Just what are they hiding?
My first book by Judith Cutler and I really enjoyed her writing style. I hadn’t read the previous books in the series which apparently explain what led them to retire from the police force- but I’m keen to look them up and catch up on the back story.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
When they begin their investigation – not everyone seems keen to help and resent the questioning. Just what are they hiding?
My first book by Judith Cutler and I really enjoyed her writing style. I hadn’t read the previous books in the series which apparently explain what led them to retire from the police force- but I’m keen to look them up and catch up on the back story.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
October 18, 2015
You know you're in safe hands with a Judith Cutler thriller. Mark and Fran, although retired, are called in to investigate a cold case missing person. They are obstructed all the way through their investigation and struggle to find out why. Good, competent thriller.
Read
December 27, 2020Retired police detective Fran Harman discovers that someone doesn t like her digging up the past when she re-opens a 20-year-old cold case. "
Newly-retired, ex-Chief Superintendent Fran Harman and her partner Mark have volunteered to assist West Mercia police in reinvestigating an unsolved crime. Twenty years ago, a car was found abandoned on an isolated road running through the Wyre Forest, its hazard lights still flashing, the passenger door open. In the back, were two child seats. One was empty; in the other lay a desperately ill baby. Neither the baby s mother nor the elder child were ever seen again.
Where had Natalie Foreman been and where was she heading? As they question those who knew the missing woman, Fran and Mark uncover worrying discrepancies and mistaken assumptions underlying the original police investigation. In their new role as civilians in a police world, they find themselves encountering hostility and resentment from some of those they question and it s clear that more than one key witness is not telling them the whole truth.
Good. Last one in series.
Newly-retired, ex-Chief Superintendent Fran Harman and her partner Mark have volunteered to assist West Mercia police in reinvestigating an unsolved crime. Twenty years ago, a car was found abandoned on an isolated road running through the Wyre Forest, its hazard lights still flashing, the passenger door open. In the back, were two child seats. One was empty; in the other lay a desperately ill baby. Neither the baby s mother nor the elder child were ever seen again.
Where had Natalie Foreman been and where was she heading? As they question those who knew the missing woman, Fran and Mark uncover worrying discrepancies and mistaken assumptions underlying the original police investigation. In their new role as civilians in a police world, they find themselves encountering hostility and resentment from some of those they question and it s clear that more than one key witness is not telling them the whole truth.
Good. Last one in series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2018
The was a new author for me. The book is the sixth in a series, with two retired cops coming from Kent (I think) to help solve a cold case in the part of England that borders Wales. 15+ years ago a woman drove out into the countryside (more rugged than the country in the Home counties), abandoned her car. People find the abandoned car and in the back seat is the body of her severely disabled child (Edwards syndrome - related to Downs). She apparently has abandoned the car and taken her other normal child, only to disappear. Are they dead? Was her star footballer husband abusing her? Why would she have chosen this unusual way to disappear? The two detectives uncover not much in the way of true clues but they do uncover lots of avoidance and obfuscation from everyone in the community. It was interesting but I had a hard time tracking all the characters, and because, it is part of a series, I felt as though I was missing important background info.
August 16, 2018
The plot here carried me along much better than Fran and Mark's tennis-themed episode read immediately prior to this, so I'd have to say that overall I enjoyed the book. That particular real rain-soaked period of recent English history has stimulated the creative juices of several crime writers and it does add atmosphere.
There were problems though: I thought I would scream if I read the word 'poor' attached to the baby Julius one more time. The whole Edwards' Syndrome thing felt half-researched - if you are going there, do it properly. Smacking children isn't illegal in England and a police officer would know that. There doesn't seem to be a secure grip on the basis on which Fran and Mark rent Snowdrop Cottage. Ted Day working as a volunteer teacher (not just volunteer) at the local primary school. Fran gets processed and badged back into Hindlip Hall after pretty much being given the bum's rush. And so on and so on and so on. The story deserved better.
There were problems though: I thought I would scream if I read the word 'poor' attached to the baby Julius one more time. The whole Edwards' Syndrome thing felt half-researched - if you are going there, do it properly. Smacking children isn't illegal in England and a police officer would know that. There doesn't seem to be a secure grip on the basis on which Fran and Mark rent Snowdrop Cottage. Ted Day working as a volunteer teacher (not just volunteer) at the local primary school. Fran gets processed and badged back into Hindlip Hall after pretty much being given the bum's rush. And so on and so on and so on. The story deserved better.
February 18, 2026
Ex-DCS Fran Harman #6. I had not realised when I picked this up that I had tried #5 and it was a DNF. I plodded on with this, but the character is so pathetic. How on earth can you reconcile her previous very senior rank with her bumbling efforts here? I guess it must be true, what one character said - "they promote the incompetents so they can't do any damage". I nearly threw up when she started needing a cuddle from her partner in the middle of work. The plot is pretty straightforward, and I had a strong inkling early on as to who the baddies might be.
No more of these for me.
Rating 2.6.
No more of these for me.
Rating 2.6.
May 20, 2025
I enjoyed this British crime drama, the last in the box set I have.
Fran and Mark are now freelance and asked to review a cold case. From the start, there's something odd about the case, nobody wants to cooperate.
I liked the relationship between Fran and Mark, though Fran is my favourite because she always tries to do the right thing, is determined, strong with a kind heart.
Well-written with a great sense of place. Good characters, if not all likeable, that suited the twisty plot.
Recommended.
Fran and Mark are now freelance and asked to review a cold case. From the start, there's something odd about the case, nobody wants to cooperate.
I liked the relationship between Fran and Mark, though Fran is my favourite because she always tries to do the right thing, is determined, strong with a kind heart.
Well-written with a great sense of place. Good characters, if not all likeable, that suited the twisty plot.
Recommended.
November 12, 2025
A Good Read
Fran and Mark are now both retired from the police force, but they have a lot to offer still, and take on a cold case. Twenty years ago footballer's wife Natalie Foreman disappeared from her car taking her small son with her but leaving the body of her baby behind. The weather was terrible and she has never been seen since. With Fran on the case they do make advances in the case but it seems to be one step forward and two back. Even some of the current officers seem as if they are trying to stall progress. A pity if this is the last of the series, I enjoyed all the books.
Fran and Mark are now both retired from the police force, but they have a lot to offer still, and take on a cold case. Twenty years ago footballer's wife Natalie Foreman disappeared from her car taking her small son with her but leaving the body of her baby behind. The weather was terrible and she has never been seen since. With Fran on the case they do make advances in the case but it seems to be one step forward and two back. Even some of the current officers seem as if they are trying to stall progress. A pity if this is the last of the series, I enjoyed all the books.
August 9, 2019
Tight English mystery, with a couple well known to each other but in a new situation so I don't worry about all the backstory I don't have. I didn't care that much about the mystery which was fine since it was a long ago situation that had more recent ramifications, so it was mainly about a small village closing itself off against newcomers. I'm not going to hunt down more but if I stumble across more of Cutler's books I'm sure I'll enjoy them.
October 12, 2024
I have enjoyed this series but I found this a little boring. I missed all the usual characters and got very confused with all the characters in this one, some of which seemed to serve no purpose and didn’t help the story at all.
I also found the constant mention of healthy living , refusing wine, eating salads all the time a bit tiresome. Fran and Mark started to sound like a couple of really old pensioners - even though I’m much the same age.
I also found the constant mention of healthy living , refusing wine, eating salads all the time a bit tiresome. Fran and Mark started to sound like a couple of really old pensioners - even though I’m much the same age.
September 28, 2017
A good book and a good mystery. I’ve not read anything by Cutler before, but I will again. It is replete with local Midlands culture and populated by interesting and likable characters. More importantly, it has no whiff of the staged and brittle cuteness that some writers think necessary for a British mystery.
August 11, 2025
The unusual, intriguing plot that continually twists and turns piling on problem after problem keeps the reader guessing until the final pages. The characters are well-drawn, and the reader is never sure if the loyalty of even the small team assigned to help with Fran and Mark’s investigation can be relied upon.
An excellent read which I can wholeheartedly recommend.
An excellent read which I can wholeheartedly recommend.
August 7, 2020
Not quite 5 stars
A few too many coincidences, a little unnecessary violence. Power mad women, giving strong women a bad name and using that power to undermine other women. Just not as enjoyable read as other books in this series.
Thank you.
A few too many coincidences, a little unnecessary violence. Power mad women, giving strong women a bad name and using that power to undermine other women. Just not as enjoyable read as other books in this series.
Thank you.
December 27, 2025
An enjoyable read. Quite different from the usual mysteries. Well paced and engaging. I had only picked up this book to meet my reading challenge for the year but would look to read this author again. Even though this book was sixth in the series it still successfully stood alone.
December 31, 2025
Read this in one huge gulp
An excellent read as always. Fran and Mark are my favourite sleuthing couple and Judith Cutler weaves brilliant mysteries with intriguing sub plots woven in between the main plot.
First class.
An excellent read as always. Fran and Mark are my favourite sleuthing couple and Judith Cutler weaves brilliant mysteries with intriguing sub plots woven in between the main plot.
First class.
August 28, 2017
Sixth in the police procedural series featuring a pair of retired senior police officers, leavened with domestic detail.
Want to Read
April 18, 2025Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Always good to read about Fran and Mark working so well together and still obviously very much in love and caring for each other.
August 10, 2024
Kind of long and meandering, but finally heats up in the final quarter.
Writing seems ok.
Writing seems ok.
March 30, 2025
Are there coverups in the police departments in rural England? How far back could they reach? To what extremes would someone go to pull the wool over our newly retired inspector's eyes as the voluntarily try to solve an age old case?
April 27, 2015
This was a difficult book for me to rate. It was engrossing and moved rapidly; only after I finished reading did I realize that I didn't really understand the motivations of the various characters. Retired from the police and newly married, Fran and Mark are hired by the newly combined West Mercia force to look into a cold case, a missing woman and her son who left a parked car with her dead baby twenty years ago. No trace of them was ever found. Fran feels out of her territory, if not out of her depth, as the police who hired them seem not too enthusiastic, staff and equipment are lacking, and there are problems with their living quarters as the Severn valley suffers its worst flooding in decades.
June 1, 2015
Needing a good escapism read, I found this on the shelves in my local library. Not riveting, it nonetheless had an interesting plot line, and the atmosphere or setting captured my interest since I like country or rural mysteries best. Fran and Mark are rather interesting detectives, retired police officers with attitude. I am hoping that others in this series are as entertaining.
November 18, 2014
First Fran Harman book I have read. Now have to go back and read the other ones in the series.
June 12, 2015
Other readers may like this book...I did NOT like this book!!! It was totally boring! I had to force myself to read it. Try it for yourself...poor you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews