The Hard Detective

by H.R.F. Keating

When a police officer is found stabbed to death in a dark alley, DCI Harriet Martens must confront a killer—and her own force.

The a young constable with a reputation for skiving. The a filthy passageway in Greater Birchester. The a brutal knife to the neck. It should be a straightforward murder case—but in Harriet’s world, nothing ever is.
With her controversial "Stop the Rot" campaign targeting even the pettiest criminals, Harriet has made enemies. Plenty of them. And when a second officer is killed—this time under a city bus—it becomes someone is declaring war on the police.

Driven, uncompromising, and fiercely principled, Harriet Martens won’t back down. Not even when the investigation is ripped from her hands and handed to a self-serving male superior. Not even when she’s next on the hit list.
This is the beginning of one of crime fiction’s most formidable female detectives.

For fans of Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Peter Robinson, Jane Casey, P.D. James, and Judith Cutler.

About Detective Chief Inspector Harriet Martens
DCI Harriet Martens is a straight-talking, no-nonsense police officer who believes in meeting toughness with toughness. While known professionally as DCI Martens, she's privately married to John Piddock, keeping her personal life separate from her demanding career.

Hard but fair, Harriet runs the controversial "Stop the Rot" campaign, cracking down on even minor lawbreakers to restore order in her division. This has earned her respect, resentment, and anonymous "presents" through her letterbox from those she's targeted.

Though some colleagues like Phillip Barstow's description of her as a "hard damn bitch" bothers her, Harriet stands firm in her belief that hardness is necessary in the face of crime. Unlike her macho colleagues who cultivate hardness for image's sake, Harriet sees it as a requirement of effective policing - less a choice than a duty.
Methodical and relentless, she faces each challenge with determination and a keen analytical mind, even as the bodies pile up and the pressure mounts to catch a killer who seems to know the police's every move.

229 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2025

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

[Roo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off well, although I felt as it progressed it got a bit chaotic light on police work in hunting the offender.. and then just like that... the end. That was sudden. still, a good story but lacking in details hor me.

[John Barberio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard detective, Harriet Martens, faces multiple police killer

This is first in series of crime thrillers featuring Harriet Martens, a self declared Hard detective. A constable is found knifed to death, followed by other killings of police ( or ex-) which follow pattern of quite from Bible - an eye for eye, etc. Despite "help" from profiler, the identity of the murderer is found. But is not apprehended until 6 attacks. Follow the progress of the investigation in this thriller.

[T A FERRIS · Rating 4 out of 5]

The deadly nutter woman ?

Interesting story a bit bewildering in parts especially as a racing older women who blamed the police for her problems.it was called the hard detective but was she?.a mad probably pensioner by now managed to kill 5 coppers and outwit a top detective Mmmm.read and see what you think?

[Viragored · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm...
Difficult English with long, complex sentences. A plot in which the detectives leap straight from a possibility to the knowledge of what the perpetrator would do. So much attention to the personality of the lead character. All in all not a satisfying book.

No more of this character for me.

[Dibby · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book difficult to read. The main character didn’t really have much appeal. Other characters were either weak or not developed. The ending was a real let down. I won’t be following this series any further.

[Lois Carkhuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

different

I can’t say that this book was good or not. I have rate it average. The ending really did surprise me though.

[Sylvia Dinnage · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hard detective

This was quite a good read a bit rambling in so.e parts but if you take the story it wasn't bad worth a read .

[Ute C Hodgson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not really enjoy this book. It didn’t flow well, the story was pretty boring and dragged on. I only finished it because I hate starting a book and not finishing it.