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Doyle & Acton #3
Murder in Hindsight
Chief Inspector Acton and Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle know firsthand how the administration of justice can often follow a labyrinthine path. As they pursue a self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner, Acton's own questionable methods may prove his undoing. . .
The notoriety of being married to the enigmatically brilliant Lord Acton presents its own challenges as newly promoted Detective Sergeant Doyle contends with a series of homicides that seem to point to a vigilante killer. The victims are all criminals who eluded justice--until they ran afoul of an avenger whose modus operandi is a bullet to the back of the head. The key to the vigilante's identity lies in connecting the cold cases and searching for an event that may have triggered retribution after all these years--a daunting task.
Meanwhile, Doyle finds herself shadowed by a mysterious figure. After the man steps forward to rescue her from harm, she wonders why he is invested in protecting her. But when she learns he's in contact with Acton's nemesis, she fears she's being used in a plot against her husband, whose personal code of justice has the potential to put his reputation--and his life--at risk.
For his own part, Acton must outmaneuver an unscrupulous reporter being fed information from someone within the ranks of Scotland Yard. The stakes are high, and both Doyle and Acton must work independently to outwit the players--before their lives are brought crashing down like a house of cards. . .
The notoriety of being married to the enigmatically brilliant Lord Acton presents its own challenges as newly promoted Detective Sergeant Doyle contends with a series of homicides that seem to point to a vigilante killer. The victims are all criminals who eluded justice--until they ran afoul of an avenger whose modus operandi is a bullet to the back of the head. The key to the vigilante's identity lies in connecting the cold cases and searching for an event that may have triggered retribution after all these years--a daunting task.
Meanwhile, Doyle finds herself shadowed by a mysterious figure. After the man steps forward to rescue her from harm, she wonders why he is invested in protecting her. But when she learns he's in contact with Acton's nemesis, she fears she's being used in a plot against her husband, whose personal code of justice has the potential to put his reputation--and his life--at risk.
For his own part, Acton must outmaneuver an unscrupulous reporter being fed information from someone within the ranks of Scotland Yard. The stakes are high, and both Doyle and Acton must work independently to outwit the players--before their lives are brought crashing down like a house of cards. . .
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2015
573 people are currently reading
836 people want to read
About the author
Anne Cleeland
36 books473 followersAnne Cleeland writes a contemporary Scotland Yard mystery series that is featured in the Amazon top 100 best sellers. She also writes a historical series of stand-alone books set in the Regency period. A member of International Thriller Writers, The Historical Novel Society, and Mystery Writers of America, she lives in California and has four children. www.annecleeland.com; @annecleeland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
December 11, 2015
There are those book series with which I’m so besotted that a new book in the series has me fairly dancing to begin. Of course, the down side is that the book only has a countable number of pages. So it began when I received my advanced reader’s copy of Anne Cleeland’s latest New Scotland Yard Mystery starring Chief Inspector Michael Acton and Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle, Murder in Hindsight. Euphoria upon opening the cover and reading this fascinating story and dreading the end, where you long for just one more scene, one more glimpse at one of mystery’s most unique duos.
Murder in Hindsight presents Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle with a real connect-the-dots case. Trying to ease Chief Inspector Acton’s worries over his trouble prone wife, she has taken up the job of reviewing cold cases. But, Doyle becomes involved despite her best intentions and her husband’s over protectiveness in an apparent serial murder case. Someone is meting out justice that didn’t get served in the courtroom by putting a bullet in the guilty party’s head, and the murder victims are all related to different cold cases. Acton is also on the scene to investigate, but he has his own set of problems to solve, which involve a reporter whose intentions go far beyond getting the latest scoop. Doyle slowly discovers Acton’s perilous position that has him dodging scandal and ruin. Unwittingly, Doyle becomes entwined in the conspiracy against Acton as she begins communications with a man who, after he rescues her from an attack, proves to be an associate of a criminal serving time because of Acton. Doyle must figure out who she can trust if she is to stop the vigilante killings and keep Acton’s secrets, of which he has many, from destroying him and their life together. Doyle’s strong sense of loyalty and intuition will serve her well in her tasks.
There are few series that have engaged me to the point that Anne Cleeland’s New Scotland Yard Mysteries. Cleeland has the ability to bring characters to your heart and bind you to them. Kathleen Doyle is so full of wit and devotion to the people she loves that she continues to delight and charm in each book, making Acton’s obsession with her completely reasonable. Lord Michael Acton never disappoints in his commitment to Doyle and to a system of justice that serves up the guilty to their just desserts. Doyle and Acton have such a complete understanding of one another that the reader will develop strong protective instincts of his/her own. The supporting characters of the ever irritating DS Isabel Munoz and Doyle’s could-have-been boyfriend, now friend, DS Thomas Williams add so much to the narrative and the life of Doyle. The stories are so intricately plotted and layered that the action is always moving forward at just the right pace.
Murder in Hindsight presents Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle with a real connect-the-dots case. Trying to ease Chief Inspector Acton’s worries over his trouble prone wife, she has taken up the job of reviewing cold cases. But, Doyle becomes involved despite her best intentions and her husband’s over protectiveness in an apparent serial murder case. Someone is meting out justice that didn’t get served in the courtroom by putting a bullet in the guilty party’s head, and the murder victims are all related to different cold cases. Acton is also on the scene to investigate, but he has his own set of problems to solve, which involve a reporter whose intentions go far beyond getting the latest scoop. Doyle slowly discovers Acton’s perilous position that has him dodging scandal and ruin. Unwittingly, Doyle becomes entwined in the conspiracy against Acton as she begins communications with a man who, after he rescues her from an attack, proves to be an associate of a criminal serving time because of Acton. Doyle must figure out who she can trust if she is to stop the vigilante killings and keep Acton’s secrets, of which he has many, from destroying him and their life together. Doyle’s strong sense of loyalty and intuition will serve her well in her tasks.
There are few series that have engaged me to the point that Anne Cleeland’s New Scotland Yard Mysteries. Cleeland has the ability to bring characters to your heart and bind you to them. Kathleen Doyle is so full of wit and devotion to the people she loves that she continues to delight and charm in each book, making Acton’s obsession with her completely reasonable. Lord Michael Acton never disappoints in his commitment to Doyle and to a system of justice that serves up the guilty to their just desserts. Doyle and Acton have such a complete understanding of one another that the reader will develop strong protective instincts of his/her own. The supporting characters of the ever irritating DS Isabel Munoz and Doyle’s could-have-been boyfriend, now friend, DS Thomas Williams add so much to the narrative and the life of Doyle. The stories are so intricately plotted and layered that the action is always moving forward at just the right pace.
April 18, 2019
4.5 stars.
The stars down a bit, Acton behaved like Curran in KD’s book #6 😠
The good things here, Kathleen knew very early what was going on and Michael had been open as much as he can to her, not like Kate who had been blindsided by Curran’s behavior! 😬
Still loving this one ❤️
The stars down a bit, Acton behaved like Curran in KD’s book #6 😠
The good things here, Kathleen knew very early what was going on and Michael had been open as much as he can to her, not like Kate who had been blindsided by Curran’s behavior! 😬
Still loving this one ❤️
March 17, 2015
I've just finished Murder in Hindsight and absolutely loved it!
Acton and Doyle are such an unusual couple. They have unique dynamics in their relationship and I end up getting glued to the screen of my kindle every time I read a book in this series. Let me explain their appeal.
Acton is a modern "Holmes", titled, rich, highly ranked police detective...He is also highly dysfunctional. He drinks, he obsesses, he is a hermit, and he is a very dark hero, almost an antihero. When he fixates on a green police constable, Kathleen Doyle, in the first book in the series, Murder in Thrall, only her own oddness and isolation due to her ability sense lies creates this space field surrounding them both that no one else can understand. She tames the dragon, figuratively speaking.
Two books later this couple has been through a hell of a lot and is happily married, or would be if only people stop going after the famous detective. This time Acton's secrets catch up to him and he is forced to play a dangerous, complicated game to deceive a powerful enemy, and Doyle has to play along no matter how hurtful the circumstances are.
Add to it Doyle investigating a series of murders by a vigilante, a very stressful weekend at Acton's estate, worried Williams and a mysterious guardian angel who looks after Doyle but just as easily can turn on her... and Kathleen is one a very thin ice.
While some mysteries in this book are easy to solve, others keep their secrets until the end. I also find it very intriguing that Kathleen's gift is getting stronger and morphing into something more complex. Murder in Hindsight might not be as dramatic as Murder in Retribution, but it's no less mesmerising. Read it, highly recommended.
Acton and Doyle are such an unusual couple. They have unique dynamics in their relationship and I end up getting glued to the screen of my kindle every time I read a book in this series. Let me explain their appeal.
Acton is a modern "Holmes", titled, rich, highly ranked police detective...He is also highly dysfunctional. He drinks, he obsesses, he is a hermit, and he is a very dark hero, almost an antihero. When he fixates on a green police constable, Kathleen Doyle, in the first book in the series, Murder in Thrall, only her own oddness and isolation due to her ability sense lies creates this space field surrounding them both that no one else can understand. She tames the dragon, figuratively speaking.
Two books later this couple has been through a hell of a lot and is happily married, or would be if only people stop going after the famous detective. This time Acton's secrets catch up to him and he is forced to play a dangerous, complicated game to deceive a powerful enemy, and Doyle has to play along no matter how hurtful the circumstances are.
Add to it Doyle investigating a series of murders by a vigilante, a very stressful weekend at Acton's estate, worried Williams and a mysterious guardian angel who looks after Doyle but just as easily can turn on her... and Kathleen is one a very thin ice.
While some mysteries in this book are easy to solve, others keep their secrets until the end. I also find it very intriguing that Kathleen's gift is getting stronger and morphing into something more complex. Murder in Hindsight might not be as dramatic as Murder in Retribution, but it's no less mesmerising. Read it, highly recommended.
August 26, 2016
I simply don't know what to say about books in this series. While I like them, I actually feel a little uneasy that I do. These people have enough baggage to keep a team of therapists busy for years.
DC Kathleen Doyle can tell if people are lying, an obvious asset for a police detective. Her husband, Lord Acton, also a high-ranking detective, is very intelligent - besides being titled, handsome and rich. However, these people have some serious problems. Acton is obsessed with his wife, Doyle. Before they were married, he stalked her, photographed her, bugged her phone and her computer, and broke into her apartment. This was all hunky-dory with Doyle. They are married now, and he insists on knowing where she is at all times, and that she check in by phone every hour. He tracks her by the GPS on her phone. He has killed for her, and has no qualms about doing it again. (Killing is his solution to most problems, anyway, and he speaks of killing someone as casually as most people order lunch.) Doyle complies and accepts all that as a matter of fact, because, after all, that's just the way he is. One of Acton's murders was done right in front of her, and she never turned a hair, simply and matter of factly helped him cover it up. He also does gun-running on the side, which might be a new story arc but that is not clear as yet. Just your basic, nice people next door, right?
SPOILER ALERT///SPOILER ALERT///SPOILER ALERT///SPOILER ALERT
In this third book, Doyle is working a cold serial killer case while Acton is putting the moves on an attractive reporter, and Doyle has become to suspect he is cheating on her. When he explains his reason (setting up the reporter, who is trying to dig up dirt on him), Doyle goes along with the act, acting the jealous wife, even to the point of offering to let him divorce her so he could marry the reporter. At one point, he tells Doyle he's tired of the reporter and would rather kill her than to keep on with her, but he needs more information first. Doyle tells him that killing is "not a good thing", so instead, after leading the reporter on and letting her think he is divorcing Doyle for her, he brutally breaks it off by phone (in front of Doyle) and then ruins her professional career to boot, just because he can. Doyle's cold case work takes a weird turn, and ends up involving a hit man...who also kills for her! What IS this strange attraction Doyle has for psychos?
This is not one of my more coherent opinions, but it matches how I feel about the series. It rings every alarm bell I have, but Doyle and Acton's story is compelling, and I have to find out what happens next.
DC Kathleen Doyle can tell if people are lying, an obvious asset for a police detective. Her husband, Lord Acton, also a high-ranking detective, is very intelligent - besides being titled, handsome and rich. However, these people have some serious problems. Acton is obsessed with his wife, Doyle. Before they were married, he stalked her, photographed her, bugged her phone and her computer, and broke into her apartment. This was all hunky-dory with Doyle. They are married now, and he insists on knowing where she is at all times, and that she check in by phone every hour. He tracks her by the GPS on her phone. He has killed for her, and has no qualms about doing it again. (Killing is his solution to most problems, anyway, and he speaks of killing someone as casually as most people order lunch.) Doyle complies and accepts all that as a matter of fact, because, after all, that's just the way he is. One of Acton's murders was done right in front of her, and she never turned a hair, simply and matter of factly helped him cover it up. He also does gun-running on the side, which might be a new story arc but that is not clear as yet. Just your basic, nice people next door, right?
SPOILER ALERT///SPOILER ALERT///SPOILER ALERT///SPOILER ALERT
In this third book, Doyle is working a cold serial killer case while Acton is putting the moves on an attractive reporter, and Doyle has become to suspect he is cheating on her. When he explains his reason (setting up the reporter, who is trying to dig up dirt on him), Doyle goes along with the act, acting the jealous wife, even to the point of offering to let him divorce her so he could marry the reporter. At one point, he tells Doyle he's tired of the reporter and would rather kill her than to keep on with her, but he needs more information first. Doyle tells him that killing is "not a good thing", so instead, after leading the reporter on and letting her think he is divorcing Doyle for her, he brutally breaks it off by phone (in front of Doyle) and then ruins her professional career to boot, just because he can. Doyle's cold case work takes a weird turn, and ends up involving a hit man...who also kills for her! What IS this strange attraction Doyle has for psychos?
This is not one of my more coherent opinions, but it matches how I feel about the series. It rings every alarm bell I have, but Doyle and Acton's story is compelling, and I have to find out what happens next.
February 17, 2016
I'm not sure how I feel on this one. I'm going to go w/ 4 stars. Though some parts were 2 stars.
The author is a cleaver writer. She does a good job w/ weaving dark humor into the story. I greatly enjoy that. The h is quirky & dryly humorous which is nice.
I didn't care for parts of the plot. My feelings probably wouldn't be so negative if we got some H pov. It was definitely needed.
Still fade to black sex which I guess is the author's writing style.
I do hope the author writes more books w/ Doyle & Acton. I enjoy the sweetness between them.
The author is a cleaver writer. She does a good job w/ weaving dark humor into the story. I greatly enjoy that. The h is quirky & dryly humorous which is nice.
I didn't care for parts of the plot. My feelings probably wouldn't be so negative if we got some H pov. It was definitely needed.
Still fade to black sex which I guess is the author's writing style.
I do hope the author writes more books w/ Doyle & Acton. I enjoy the sweetness between them.
August 28, 2021
A very engaging addition to the Doyle/Acton series I really enjoyed reading. I think this makes three down for me and on to the next one available through Kindle Unlimited. The fight between good and evil continues with the help of Doyle's Irish intuition, or fey radar, keeping her safe in the worst of times as she investigates a string of murders and her husband gives her extra duties. As she might say, "Whist, it's a challenge!"
Kindle Unlimited
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March 23, 2019
I'm not a fan of suspense mixed with romance however I'm really enjoying the Doyle & Acton series. Glad that i found this author.
January 12, 2020
I am hooked! I adore Kathleen Doyle and her quirkiness. It's action packed and a very entertaining read. On to book #4.
May 25, 2015
Well this series has gone downhill. They both (husband and wife) keep lying to the other person.
The heroine also keeps making really dumb decisions. These include: Of course I should go meet a crooked cop in my apartment lobby without a weapon or telling anyone where I'm going. Of course I should go meet a jailed Russian criminal because I want to hear what he has to say. But it turns out he just wanted me to visit him in jail so I'd be on camera there and he could frame me for murder. Aargh.
I don't like how the heroine keeps kissing other men either. She's married. You don't get to kiss other men when you're married.
And for some reason, every guy the heroine meets falls in love with her. It's getting ridiculous at this point. Hardened criminals fall for her, fellow co-workers, newspaper reporters...
The heroine also keeps making really dumb decisions. These include: Of course I should go meet a crooked cop in my apartment lobby without a weapon or telling anyone where I'm going. Of course I should go meet a jailed Russian criminal because I want to hear what he has to say. But it turns out he just wanted me to visit him in jail so I'd be on camera there and he could frame me for murder. Aargh.
I don't like how the heroine keeps kissing other men either. She's married. You don't get to kiss other men when you're married.
And for some reason, every guy the heroine meets falls in love with her. It's getting ridiculous at this point. Hardened criminals fall for her, fellow co-workers, newspaper reporters...
November 13, 2023
Love this one but it was a bit more stressful because of the annoying OW.
The audio reader is great!
Solonic (sp?) is doing his damndest to get back at Acton through his wife, Doyle. Doyle gains yet another admirer. There's also a serial killer turned vigilante.
Now about that OW. She's a scheming reporter that Acton has to pretend to be dallying with and you just want to choke her. I thought the author did a fine dance keeping it from getting to angsty and keeping the reader from wanting to box Acton's ears. Don't worry, she gets what's coming to her in the end.
You also get to hang out at Trestles in this one.
safety is fine
The audio reader is great!
Solonic (sp?) is doing his damndest to get back at Acton through his wife, Doyle. Doyle gains yet another admirer. There's also a serial killer turned vigilante.
Now about that OW. She's a scheming reporter that Acton has to pretend to be dallying with and you just want to choke her. I thought the author did a fine dance keeping it from getting to angsty and keeping the reader from wanting to box Acton's ears. Don't worry, she gets what's coming to her in the end.
You also get to hang out at Trestles in this one.
safety is fine
June 13, 2020
Well, I tried to give this series one more chance and now I'm sure it's not for me. Doyle is such an annoying character, I hate everything about her and she doesn't get any better with each book. I cringe so much when she talks. She is either saying something stupid or doing something stupid. Munoz is another awful character. In fact, the author writes all women with the exception of Doyle as villians. While I love Acton and his devotion to Doyle, their marriage is a mess. Both of them hide so much from each other. Most of this book consisted of them saying "I can't tell you that" or "I'd rather not say." Plus, what kind of idiot is ok with her husband openly leading another woman on? Doyle claims to be religious but speaks so lightly of her husband's criminal misdeeds not to mention her utter gluttony when it comes to caffeine. I really wanted to like this series but there is so much wrong with it.
September 14, 2017
I liked this one, I just didn't love it. What I liked the most are the two MCs, Acton and Doyle. They are married and I loved their relationship interaction and the dialogue. They were fun to watch because I just don't know what they would say or do next.
What I didn't like was the constant poor decision making by Doyle, the wife. Here, she sounds so cute and darling, but she has no street smarts, or any other kind. It was always a miracle that she survived all the precarious situations, she either naively walked into or created herself. Towards the end, I'd think, "Hmmm....who is going to swoop in and save her this time?" So 3 stars.
What I didn't like was the constant poor decision making by Doyle, the wife. Here, she sounds so cute and darling, but she has no street smarts, or any other kind. It was always a miracle that she survived all the precarious situations, she either naively walked into or created herself. Towards the end, I'd think, "Hmmm....who is going to swoop in and save her this time?" So 3 stars.
March 29, 2022
Book 3 in the series complete. Doyle, Acton, Williams, and Munoz are up to their old tricks of navigating friendships, relationships, marriage, mother in law ( in Doyle’s case, and murders! The book continues some of the events and characters from Books 1 & 2 do reading them in order I think is better in order to really enjoy the series.
Doyle is still clueless but has a good heart
Acton is still and antihero psychopath who adores his wife and will do anything to slay dragons in her path.
Munoz is still searching for love
Williams still loves Doyle
Cons: Every man does not have to love Doyle 😒😒🙄🙄
Doyle is still clueless but has a good heart
Acton is still and antihero psychopath who adores his wife and will do anything to slay dragons in her path.
Munoz is still searching for love
Williams still loves Doyle
Cons: Every man does not have to love Doyle 😒😒🙄🙄
July 27, 2023
This unusual series is funny, sexy, and intricately plotted. An addictive read!
March 1, 2015
Every time one of these books comes out, I immediately drop whatever I'm reading. (My apologies to the other authors. Please stand by, I WILL get back to you). The "problem" is I've become completely caught up in the ongoing story of these two oddball British detectives & their circle of colleagues.
The third book finds Acton & Doyle happily married & on the trail of a serial killer. There's something strange about the group of victims & any answers may lie in their pasts.
In fact, keeping the past dead & buried (literally) will be a challenge for several of the characters.
Early on, Doyle has a run-in with a scary crime lord whose interest in one of her colleagues could prove fatal for the couple. Her desire to protect Acton overrules her better judgement & she must depend on her unique ability to keep them safe.
But she's not the only one with secrets. Acton is involved in an investigation of high level government officials & it's unclear whether he's been brought in to find the truth or be the scapegoat. This mysterious story line remains vague & you get the feeling we've caught a glimpse of something that will be developed in the next book.
Most of the regulars are back. Williams is on the fast track for promotion again & continues to have doubts about Doyle's marriage. We also learn he's got a skeleton or two in his past. Munoz is...well, Munoz. If she can't get promoted she'll settle for a rich husband. Making another unpleasant appearance is Acton's mother in all her imperious glory. And Reynolds is now firmly ensconced as majordomo in the Acton household. Why wouldn't he be...he's the kind of guy who will calmly finish preparing dinner after helping dispose of a body.
There is a lot of intrigue here. Everyone has an agenda & it's not 'til the end that we uncover who was playing for the same team. Some won't survive & others will probably reappear in the future.
But the heart of the story is the relationship between Doyle & Acton. He's working hard to rein in his little problem while she struggles to protect him from himself. Their individual quirks make them perfectly suited & they have each other's back, even when an old enemy tries to rock their marriage. There are changes in store for their personal lives & I can't wait to see this developed further.
It's a great read. You'll fins yourself tearing through the pages, trying to unravel all the twists & before you know it, you're done. Now begins the looong wait for book #4.
The third book finds Acton & Doyle happily married & on the trail of a serial killer. There's something strange about the group of victims & any answers may lie in their pasts.
In fact, keeping the past dead & buried (literally) will be a challenge for several of the characters.
Early on, Doyle has a run-in with a scary crime lord whose interest in one of her colleagues could prove fatal for the couple. Her desire to protect Acton overrules her better judgement & she must depend on her unique ability to keep them safe.
But she's not the only one with secrets. Acton is involved in an investigation of high level government officials & it's unclear whether he's been brought in to find the truth or be the scapegoat. This mysterious story line remains vague & you get the feeling we've caught a glimpse of something that will be developed in the next book.
Most of the regulars are back. Williams is on the fast track for promotion again & continues to have doubts about Doyle's marriage. We also learn he's got a skeleton or two in his past. Munoz is...well, Munoz. If she can't get promoted she'll settle for a rich husband. Making another unpleasant appearance is Acton's mother in all her imperious glory. And Reynolds is now firmly ensconced as majordomo in the Acton household. Why wouldn't he be...he's the kind of guy who will calmly finish preparing dinner after helping dispose of a body.
There is a lot of intrigue here. Everyone has an agenda & it's not 'til the end that we uncover who was playing for the same team. Some won't survive & others will probably reappear in the future.
But the heart of the story is the relationship between Doyle & Acton. He's working hard to rein in his little problem while she struggles to protect him from himself. Their individual quirks make them perfectly suited & they have each other's back, even when an old enemy tries to rock their marriage. There are changes in store for their personal lives & I can't wait to see this developed further.
It's a great read. You'll fins yourself tearing through the pages, trying to unravel all the twists & before you know it, you're done. Now begins the looong wait for book #4.
June 16, 2017
If you like a mystery heavy on romance, this melodrama passed off as a police procedural is for you. It reads like the Alleyns and Lynleys were tossed in a blender then the wit and plot strained out of the result. Hokey Irish-accented dialogue abounds along with silliness like a peerage that dates to the Norman Conquest (move over Earl of Arundal, a Baronet bumped you). This is Martha Grimes with the detectives in official togs. Our humble, plucky heroine DS Doyle is plagued by all the usual cliches: dim boss, love-lorn co-worker, beautiful rival, and handsome, besotted lover. The last is her ultra-English husband DCI Acton, who is suitably masterful and brooding. We are repeatedly told how brilliant he is, so he doesn't bother doing anything clever. Fortunately, that isn't a problem, as the case is quite simple. Early in this insipid investigation, DS Doyle is repeatedly reminded of how she heroically leaped off a bridge to rescue her nemesis. (What bridge is unclear. It's called Greyfriars, but Shrewsbury seems like a stretch, so perhaps Blackfriars was meant...) Anyway, by the middle of this muddle, I was ready to follow the lass into the Thames. In the second part, we're off to Trestles, Acton's ancestral pile, which exists in an alternate reality untouched by wars and estate taxes. It's all Wodehouse meets Sexton Blake just drearier. If the plot was more interesting, the other faults of this effort could be forgiven, but it isn't. Two more novels follow in this ongoing series, so if you do enjoy it, you can get plenty more of the same. I'll pass.
September 2, 2017
I didn't care much for the story line. I'm not a fan of books with other women. Even a pretend one. I think Doyle was way too forgiving. It's hard to believe Acton's obsessive love for Doyle when he's fine with schmoozing another woman. Just because he didn't have sex with her doesn't mean he isn't a cheater. I expected more consideration from Acton for his wife. If he's so smart he could have thought of other ways to take care of the reporter without the appearance of an affair and hurting Doyle's feelings. I expected more from Doyle as well. Her attitude over Acton's behavior made her out to be a TSTL and a doormat.
So disappointing.
3.0 - 3.5 ***
So disappointing.
3.0 - 3.5 ***
July 12, 2016
I am still enjoying this couple even after this third book. I did find the extensive setup a bit exasperating.
January 12, 2018
This the third book, and the story continues where it left off in book 2.
I love these books, the charectors are colorful, surprising and most of all human. I'm now starting for book 4 and can't wait to see what happens next! These books are addictive, the minute you finish you want to return to spend more time with Detestive Kathleen Doyle and her husband, Detective Inspectore Lord Acton.
I agree with other posters that anyone begin the series with the first book, Murder in Thrall. This series and the characters deserve to be read in order to truly appreciate how unique their story is and how complicated their lives are in a police procedural that is part love story and part thriller.
I love these books, the charectors are colorful, surprising and most of all human. I'm now starting for book 4 and can't wait to see what happens next! These books are addictive, the minute you finish you want to return to spend more time with Detestive Kathleen Doyle and her husband, Detective Inspectore Lord Acton.
I agree with other posters that anyone begin the series with the first book, Murder in Thrall. This series and the characters deserve to be read in order to truly appreciate how unique their story is and how complicated their lives are in a police procedural that is part love story and part thriller.
August 18, 2019
4.5 Stars
rounded up to 5 Stars.
June 11, 2016
Newest novel in the Scotland Yard Mystery series, Murder in Hindsight, continues the amazing story of Acton and Doyle. This the best English police procedural I have read. The relationship between Acton and Doyle is enough to keep the reader satisfied, but the notoriety of being married begins to be a challenge for newly promoted Detective Sergeant Doyle. She must contend with a series of homicides where the victims are all criminals who eluded justice. But, there is an avenger who delivers the justice they escaped by putting a bullet in their heads. Doyle must examine cold cases to try and find a common denominator and find the trigger.
Doyle is the most delightful female figure in literature. Her Irish accent, her red hair and creamy complexion, her way of expressing herself, and most of all, her ability to discern if someone speaking is truthful. She realizes that someone is following her and after the man rescues her from harm, she wants to know why he is protecting her. She finds out that he is an enemy of Acton's, she senses she is being used in a plot against her husband. A reporter is being fed information by someone in Scotland Yard and posting pictures of Acton and herself.
They must visit Acton's estate to ensure his legacy and this is the best part of the story. I love the descriptions of the Lady who must step down and her arrogance. Doyle and Acton must pretend to be on rocky grounds which is difficult for a couple who can't keep their hands off each other. This is one of the most romantic novels series. Supposedly, the publisher decided to halt the series, but another steppedi n to save it. So, readers will have more Doyle and Acton to look forward to.
Doyle is the most delightful female figure in literature. Her Irish accent, her red hair and creamy complexion, her way of expressing herself, and most of all, her ability to discern if someone speaking is truthful. She realizes that someone is following her and after the man rescues her from harm, she wants to know why he is protecting her. She finds out that he is an enemy of Acton's, she senses she is being used in a plot against her husband. A reporter is being fed information by someone in Scotland Yard and posting pictures of Acton and herself.
They must visit Acton's estate to ensure his legacy and this is the best part of the story. I love the descriptions of the Lady who must step down and her arrogance. Doyle and Acton must pretend to be on rocky grounds which is difficult for a couple who can't keep their hands off each other. This is one of the most romantic novels series. Supposedly, the publisher decided to halt the series, but another steppedi n to save it. So, readers will have more Doyle and Acton to look forward to.
November 22, 2018
This book was filled with a bunch of stuff that really bothered me. Acton takes a weird way to keep himself and his wife safe, even though it causes a lot of issues for her. This bothered me, not only because I didn't get it, it was really rather annoying and added a lot of extra drama to the story.
Also, Doyle is doing her best for Acton, and he seems to have no idea what she goes through to help him. And when he actually learns somethings about his wife he starts to realize that she is trying to protect him as much as he protects her.
This book was filled with mystery and suspense. But it had a lot of drama that bothered me, other than that I liked the book. I liked the ending of this one a lot though, and I enjoyed how Doyle handles Acton and what happens with that. The only other thing that bothered me was the case Doyle worked wasn't really solved. There was still a murder that was going to happen yet that is glossed over in the end. I'm hoping that is because the next book will include that case again, even though that would be slightly annoying as well.
I do want to read more in this series, but this one just didn't really do much for me other than make me like Doyle and Acton together even more.
Also, Doyle is doing her best for Acton, and he seems to have no idea what she goes through to help him. And when he actually learns somethings about his wife he starts to realize that she is trying to protect him as much as he protects her.
This book was filled with mystery and suspense. But it had a lot of drama that bothered me, other than that I liked the book. I liked the ending of this one a lot though, and I enjoyed how Doyle handles Acton and what happens with that. The only other thing that bothered me was the case Doyle worked wasn't really solved. There was still a murder that was going to happen yet that is glossed over in the end. I'm hoping that is because the next book will include that case again, even though that would be slightly annoying as well.
I do want to read more in this series, but this one just didn't really do much for me other than make me like Doyle and Acton together even more.
October 28, 2019
I do appreciate a series that has characters that push the envelope of what we would think a protagonist should be. Doyle in her, and I hate to say this, country bumpkin stereotypical way, has won the heart of the handsome, titled and brilliant Lord Acton (who is also a self confessed ‘Section Seven’), and when you understand his characters pathology, you see just how different that is for a female protagonist. Sorry about the vagueness, but I am trying not to spoil the surprise if you haven’t read the books yet.
In Murder in Hindsight (MiH), Doyle and Acton are still trying to get their personal and professional lives in order, while trying to solve their latest high profile cases, plus Doyle is also dealing with Williams (the knocker), plus the catty Munoz. I don’t envy her one bit. The cases have been interesting, and have gradually become more complicated as more links are found between previous cases and these newer ones.
I’m enjoying Doyle as she learns to deal with Acton’s moods, as well as his need to have complete control over the marionette strings for everyone who comes into their orbit.
A great new case in what is fast becoming an auto buy series for me. Loved it so much that I splurged on a physical copy! 😄
4 stars ⭐️
In Murder in Hindsight (MiH), Doyle and Acton are still trying to get their personal and professional lives in order, while trying to solve their latest high profile cases, plus Doyle is also dealing with Williams (the knocker), plus the catty Munoz. I don’t envy her one bit. The cases have been interesting, and have gradually become more complicated as more links are found between previous cases and these newer ones.
I’m enjoying Doyle as she learns to deal with Acton’s moods, as well as his need to have complete control over the marionette strings for everyone who comes into their orbit.
A great new case in what is fast becoming an auto buy series for me. Loved it so much that I splurged on a physical copy! 😄
4 stars ⭐️
May 19, 2019
What can I say? I love this series! I have listened to these books and love the narrator- but I don’t believe she’s narrating the rest of the series, so I might have to read the books - and that I will do!
Acton and Doyle are quite the team, and I must say, frequently I find myself thinking, I would never be ok with that- but, I am not Doyle. Maybe I should learn to be more like her! Anyway, they are smart and the stories are intriguing. The books reference previous situations so they must be read in order to really “get it”. Now that I’ve finished the third book, I am going back to reread the first one to remind myself how all the characters were originally introduced to the story.
A&D’s relationship is interesting- fade to black on sex- that part is done well. I love her inner dialog- some people don’t like it, but I love listening to the narrator read it, so maybe that’s why I enjoy it. Acton is still a low key “section 7” with a penchant for taking matters of justice into his own hands. Doyle is a smarty pants. I have to say, she must be awfully cute because she keeps getting hit on.....I love these characters and will finish the series.
Acton and Doyle are quite the team, and I must say, frequently I find myself thinking, I would never be ok with that- but, I am not Doyle. Maybe I should learn to be more like her! Anyway, they are smart and the stories are intriguing. The books reference previous situations so they must be read in order to really “get it”. Now that I’ve finished the third book, I am going back to reread the first one to remind myself how all the characters were originally introduced to the story.
A&D’s relationship is interesting- fade to black on sex- that part is done well. I love her inner dialog- some people don’t like it, but I love listening to the narrator read it, so maybe that’s why I enjoy it. Acton is still a low key “section 7” with a penchant for taking matters of justice into his own hands. Doyle is a smarty pants. I have to say, she must be awfully cute because she keeps getting hit on.....I love these characters and will finish the series.
December 15, 2019
I have now read the first three books in this series and am debating if I want to bother reading any more. The first hundred pages or so of this book had me totally bored and ready to stop reading, which I try never to do once I start a book. It did pick up after that point, but I still feel that I'm being generous giving it two stars. I started this series because I thought it would be a series of murder mysteries (based on the title of the series and the descriptions in Goodreads), but so far the first three books seem like a soap opera about a dysfunctional married couple who also happen to be police detectives and occasionally try to solve crimes. I find myself constantly sounding like Joe Friday - "The facts ma'am, just the facts". If you took away all of the extraneous dialogue about the foibles of the various characters, the book would be a short story.
September 2, 2015
***เป็นรีวิวหนังสือสามเล่มแรกในชุดเขียนพร้อมกันค่ะ***
เราลัดคิวเขียนรีวิวชุดนี้ทันทีที่อ่านจบ เพราะเป็นหนังสือที่ "ว้าว" เราได้ องค์ประกอบหลายอย่างในเรื่องไม่ใช่สิ่งที่เราคาดคิดตอนที่หยิบอ่าน ความคาดหวังทั้งหมดที่เรามีก่อนที่จะอ่านถูกทำลายวินาศ
ไม่แน่ใจนะคะว่า เป็นเรื่องดีรึเปล่า เพราะคนที่หยิบหนังสือเล่มนึงมาอ่าน ย่อมมีความคาดหวังในใจ คนที่อ่านโรแมนซ์ ก็คาดหวังว่าจะจบแบบพระนางคู่กัน คนที่อ่านสืบสวนก็ย่อมคาดว่า จะหาตัวคนร้ายเจอ และเล่มนี้ด้วยรูปลักษณ์ภายนอก คำโปรยหลังปก กระทั่งหน้าปกเองก็บอกชัดเจนว่า เป็นแนวสืบสวน ก็ชื่อชุดยังชื่อว่า New Scotland Yard Mystery เลย
มันน่าจะเป็นหนังสือสืบสวนใช่ไหมคะ
คำตอบคือ ไม่ใช่
เรื่องชุดนี้ประหลาด นี่เป็นคำจำกัดความเดียวที่เรามีให้ มันประหลาด ซึ่งเราจะขยายความต่อไป แต่ก่อนอื่นคงเป็นคำเตือนค่ะ เราคิดว่า ที่เราอ่านเรื่องนี้แล้วติดพัน (และด้วยข้อเสียทั้งหมดที่มันมี เราสนุกไปกับมัน) ก็เพราะความผิดคาดของเรื่อง แต่เราไม่มีความสามารถเพียงพอที่จะเขียนรีวิวโดยไม่อธิบายของจุดที่ทำให้เราชอบ (ซึ่งก็คือ "ความผิดคาด" ของเรื่อง) ได้ ดังนั้นการอ่านรีวิวของเราอาจจะเป็นการทำลายอรรถรสในการอ่านของเพื่อน ๆ ก็ได้นะคะ
แต่ในขณะเดียวกันเราก็ไม่กล้าแนะนำเรื่องชุดนี้ให้ใครอ่าน เพราะความประหลาดของมัน ซึ่งอาจจะไม่ต้องรสนิยมของใครหลายคน
เอาเป็นว่า ตอนที่เราอ่านเรื่องชุดนี้ เรานึกถึงหนังสือชุดสามชุด Fifty Shades of Grey, In Death, และ The Talented Mr. Ripley หนังสือที่ดูแล้วไม่มีอะไรเหมือนกันเลย แต่ตอนเราอ่านเรื่องนี้ เรานึกถึงหนังสือชุดเหล่านี้ค่ะ
มาถึงรีวิว (สปอลย์นะคะ)
จบแล้วจริง ๆ คือ ไม่รู้ว่าจะแนะนำให้อ่านกันดีไหม เรามีเหตุผลส่วนตัวที่ชอบเรื่องชุดนี้ แต่ไม่แน่ใจว่า เป็นเหตุผลสากลที่ชาวบ้านจะคิดกันไหม ดังนั้นคงต้องบอกว่า ลองอ่านเล่มแรกกันดูนะคะ อดทนให้ได้สักครึ่งเรื่อง จนปริศนาบางอย่างเฉลยออกมา ถ้ายังไมเวิร์ค ก็เลิกอ่านค่ะ ถ้าชอบในสิ่งที่อ่านไป ส่วนที่เรื่องก็เขียนแบบนั้นแหละค่ะ
เราลัดคิวเขียนรีวิวชุดนี้ทันทีที่อ่านจบ เพราะเป็นหนังสือที่ "ว้าว" เราได้ องค์ประกอบหลายอย่างในเรื่องไม่ใช่สิ่งที่เราคาดคิดตอนที่หยิบอ่าน ความคาดหวังทั้งหมดที่เรามีก่อนที่จะอ่านถูกทำลายวินาศ
ไม่แน่ใจนะคะว่า เป็นเรื่องดีรึเปล่า เพราะคนที่หยิบหนังสือเล่มนึงมาอ่าน ย่อมมีความคาดหวังในใจ คนที่อ่านโรแมนซ์ ก็คาดหวังว่าจะจบแบบพระนางคู่กัน คนที่อ่านสืบสวนก็ย่อมคาดว่า จะหาตัวคนร้ายเจอ และเล่มนี้ด้วยรูปลักษณ์ภายนอก คำโปรยหลังปก กระทั่งหน้าปกเองก็บอกชัดเจนว่า เป็นแนวสืบสวน ก็ชื่อชุดยังชื่อว่า New Scotland Yard Mystery เลย
มันน่าจะเป็นหนังสือสืบสวนใช่ไหมคะ
คำตอบคือ ไม่ใช่
เรื่องชุดนี้ประหลาด นี่เป็นคำจำกัดความเดียวที่เรามีให้ มันประหลาด ซึ่งเราจะขยายความต่อไป แต่ก่อนอื่นคงเป็นคำเตือนค่ะ เราคิดว่า ที่เราอ่านเรื่องนี้แล้วติดพัน (และด้วยข้อเสียทั้งหมดที่มันมี เราสนุกไปกับมัน) ก็เพราะความผิดคาดของเรื่อง แต่เราไม่มีความสามารถเพียงพอที่จะเขียนรีวิวโดยไม่อธิบายของจุดที่ทำให้เราชอบ (ซึ่งก็คือ "ความผิดคาด" ของเรื่อง) ได้ ดังนั้นการอ่านรีวิวของเราอาจจะเป็นการทำลายอรรถรสในการอ่านของเพื่อน ๆ ก็ได้นะคะ
แต่ในขณะเดียวกันเราก็ไม่กล้าแนะนำเรื่องชุดนี้ให้ใครอ่าน เพราะความประหลาดของมัน ซึ่งอาจจะไม่ต้องรสนิยมของใครหลายคน
เอาเป็นว่า ตอนที่เราอ่านเรื่องชุดนี้ เรานึกถึงหนังสือชุดสามชุด Fifty Shades of Grey, In Death, และ The Talented Mr. Ripley หนังสือที่ดูแล้วไม่มีอะไรเหมือนกันเลย แต่ตอนเราอ่านเรื่องนี้ เรานึกถึงหนังสือชุดเหล่านี้ค่ะ
มาถึงรีวิว (สปอลย์นะคะ)
จบแล้วจริง ๆ คือ ไม่รู้ว่าจะแนะนำให้อ่านกันดีไหม เรามีเหตุผลส่วนตัวที่ชอบเรื่องชุดนี้ แต่ไม่แน่ใจว่า เป็นเหตุผลสากลที่ชาวบ้านจะคิดกันไหม ดังนั้นคงต้องบอกว่า ลองอ่านเล่มแรกกันดูนะคะ อดทนให้ได้สักครึ่งเรื่อง จนปริศนาบางอย่างเฉลยออกมา ถ้ายังไมเวิร์ค ก็เลิกอ่านค่ะ ถ้าชอบในสิ่งที่อ่านไป ส่วนที่เรื่องก็เขียนแบบนั้นแหละค่ะ
April 9, 2023
I gave the previous book in the series 3 stars, but enjoyed this one a lot less, so I'm torn between bumping that one up to 4 stars even though it had a lot of problems or bumping this one down to 2.
Basically, it had a lot of the same issues as book 2: Doyle's extremely redundant language (e.g. referring to herself as "her fair self" / "the fair Doyle" among other phrases dozens of times), both of them keeping secrets from one another, etc.
But this book had even larger problems:
- Doyle is a self-proclaimed puritan in this book (she calls herself this more than once). She's been a pretty devout Roman Catholic since Book 1, but here, she's a lot more judgy and "shocked" by hearing about people having casual sex and stuff like that. But what's much worse is that she actually explains why she isn't as bothered by lack of "earthly" justice as many of her colleagues/fellow police when criminals don't get what they deserve - it's because she believes in God's punishment and finds that to be much more important and something she can't change or affect with her actions. So, she's gone from being religious in a charming way in Book 1 to religious to the point where she, as a police officer, doesn't think it's a big deal when justice isn't served because "God will take care of it". This bleeds over into how she talks to criminals - she tries to get them to become religious. I don't know about you, but I would not be happy if someone told me what I was doing was wrong because God said so and because I wouldn't be able to go to Heaven if I continued doing what I was doing.
- Ironically, sex comes up so many more times than previous books, which is both unprecedented and makes no logical sense plot-wise (these scenes are still closed door, but less so because we get more details now). Doyle gets off the phone with work colleagues, sees Acton and a colleague return to the stables where she was waiting for him, and asks to speak to him. As a reader, you'd think this is to tell him some urgent news from work, especially since there are two people waiting for them in this small space. Instead, she is dragging him into the tack room to have a quickie with him because of her sudden "melting lust" that she can't restrain, which wasn't present in the pages leading up to this. She begins tearing at his clothes and so they have a quickie knowing the two men can hear everything through the thin door, and knowing they're waiting for them to finish so the colleague can leave without being rude. I'm not a prude at all, but we know Doyle's character is, so this was just so strange and unprofessional. Like, just think of how cringy that would have been in real life. Doyle seriously couldn't keep her lust restrained for a few more minutes and gone to the car (which happens later in the book) or mansion and not made two men wait for them to have sex real fast in the side room? I get that she didn't have sex with Acton the night before, but it was literally one night of abstinence.
And to clarify, I'm not criticizing there being more sex because I dislike it morally (which is very far from the truth since I love spice in books and actually wish these scenes weren't closed door), I'm criticizing it because it's so out of character for Doyle in particular, and is so different from the previous books. If it was really important for this scene to happen, the author could have mentioned her crazy lust in the pages leading up to it, even when she and Acton first arrived at the stables before the guest got there, etc, but instead, it's just bizarrely random.
- If you've read Book 1, you know Doyle has a very heightened sense of perception. It goes a lot further in this book in a way I didn't appreciate, giving Doyle literal superpowers and almost changing the genre of the book:
- The whole unrequited love thing for Doyle doesn't die down, it increases and we now have three men infatuated with her. Doyle deals with it okay but it just started getting even less realistic than the previous books.
- Issues in logic with the identity of the culprit, since it's never explained how Doyle knew. Doyle does the same thing where she goes off a bunch of times alone without telling anyone where's she going or what's she doing.
- Like Book 2, there are unresolved issues with a lot of loose ends, so you don't feel like this book stands alone very well, which is not a good thing in the genre of mystery series.
- Acton is an alcoholic becoming increasing reliant on his drinks. He shows up heavily inebriated many times in the book, and it's unclear why Doyle doesn't try to get him to stop and even asks him seriously if they should stop for him to get a drink on the way home, or if he can wait long enough for pour himself his scotch at home. I assume it'll be addressed in a later book since it's made way too obvious to not be a problem, but it's again out of character for Doyle to not say anything about his excessive drinking.
- It spoils part of the mystery of Agatha Christie's The A.B.C. Murders by explaining the motive of the killer from that book. I actually put this book down in order to read The ABC Murders first (since it was already on my shelf) when I saw the spoiler coming, and then returned to this afterwards. It doesn't name names, but obviously if you know the motive you could quickly narrow it down.
And now this review is becoming too long, even though there's so much more I can say. I guess I'm just really disappointed because of how much I loved Book 1 in the series. Not sure if I'll continue on, especially since Book 4 is when the author started self-publishing them (that often means more errors/inconsistencies without the editing of a large publishing house), but I think I'm still attached enough to Acton and Doyle to want to give a fourth book a try. And who knows, maybe subsequent books will be better.
Basically, it had a lot of the same issues as book 2: Doyle's extremely redundant language (e.g. referring to herself as "her fair self" / "the fair Doyle" among other phrases dozens of times), both of them keeping secrets from one another, etc.
But this book had even larger problems:
- Doyle is a self-proclaimed puritan in this book (she calls herself this more than once). She's been a pretty devout Roman Catholic since Book 1, but here, she's a lot more judgy and "shocked" by hearing about people having casual sex and stuff like that. But what's much worse is that she actually explains why she isn't as bothered by lack of "earthly" justice as many of her colleagues/fellow police when criminals don't get what they deserve - it's because she believes in God's punishment and finds that to be much more important and something she can't change or affect with her actions. So, she's gone from being religious in a charming way in Book 1 to religious to the point where she, as a police officer, doesn't think it's a big deal when justice isn't served because "God will take care of it". This bleeds over into how she talks to criminals - she tries to get them to become religious. I don't know about you, but I would not be happy if someone told me what I was doing was wrong because God said so and because I wouldn't be able to go to Heaven if I continued doing what I was doing.
- Ironically, sex comes up so many more times than previous books, which is both unprecedented and makes no logical sense plot-wise (these scenes are still closed door, but less so because we get more details now). Doyle gets off the phone with work colleagues, sees Acton and a colleague return to the stables where she was waiting for him, and asks to speak to him. As a reader, you'd think this is to tell him some urgent news from work, especially since there are two people waiting for them in this small space. Instead, she is dragging him into the tack room to have a quickie with him because of her sudden "melting lust" that she can't restrain, which wasn't present in the pages leading up to this. She begins tearing at his clothes and so they have a quickie knowing the two men can hear everything through the thin door, and knowing they're waiting for them to finish so the colleague can leave without being rude. I'm not a prude at all, but we know Doyle's character is, so this was just so strange and unprofessional. Like, just think of how cringy that would have been in real life. Doyle seriously couldn't keep her lust restrained for a few more minutes and gone to the car (which happens later in the book) or mansion and not made two men wait for them to have sex real fast in the side room? I get that she didn't have sex with Acton the night before, but it was literally one night of abstinence.
And to clarify, I'm not criticizing there being more sex because I dislike it morally (which is very far from the truth since I love spice in books and actually wish these scenes weren't closed door), I'm criticizing it because it's so out of character for Doyle in particular, and is so different from the previous books. If it was really important for this scene to happen, the author could have mentioned her crazy lust in the pages leading up to it, even when she and Acton first arrived at the stables before the guest got there, etc, but instead, it's just bizarrely random.
- If you've read Book 1, you know Doyle has a very heightened sense of perception. It goes a lot further in this book in a way I didn't appreciate, giving Doyle literal superpowers and almost changing the genre of the book:
- The whole unrequited love thing for Doyle doesn't die down, it increases and we now have three men infatuated with her. Doyle deals with it okay but it just started getting even less realistic than the previous books.
- Issues in logic with the identity of the culprit, since it's never explained how Doyle knew. Doyle does the same thing where she goes off a bunch of times alone without telling anyone where's she going or what's she doing.
- Like Book 2, there are unresolved issues with a lot of loose ends, so you don't feel like this book stands alone very well, which is not a good thing in the genre of mystery series.
- Acton is an alcoholic becoming increasing reliant on his drinks. He shows up heavily inebriated many times in the book, and it's unclear why Doyle doesn't try to get him to stop and even asks him seriously if they should stop for him to get a drink on the way home, or if he can wait long enough for pour himself his scotch at home. I assume it'll be addressed in a later book since it's made way too obvious to not be a problem, but it's again out of character for Doyle to not say anything about his excessive drinking.
- It spoils part of the mystery of Agatha Christie's The A.B.C. Murders by explaining the motive of the killer from that book. I actually put this book down in order to read The ABC Murders first (since it was already on my shelf) when I saw the spoiler coming, and then returned to this afterwards. It doesn't name names, but obviously if you know the motive you could quickly narrow it down.
And now this review is becoming too long, even though there's so much more I can say. I guess I'm just really disappointed because of how much I loved Book 1 in the series. Not sure if I'll continue on, especially since Book 4 is when the author started self-publishing them (that often means more errors/inconsistencies without the editing of a large publishing house), but I think I'm still attached enough to Acton and Doyle to want to give a fourth book a try. And who knows, maybe subsequent books will be better.
January 25, 2018
A fun story
Since I read the first two in this series, I knew I would probably like this one, and it didn’t let me down. Except for the fact that some things are repeated over and over, this is a fairly light mystery. I hope the next one has a bit more about Doyle’s unusual gifts. Looking forward to the next one. <><
Since I read the first two in this series, I knew I would probably like this one, and it didn’t let me down. Except for the fact that some things are repeated over and over, this is a fairly light mystery. I hope the next one has a bit more about Doyle’s unusual gifts. Looking forward to the next one. <><
October 14, 2019
Our chief inspector is a very dark character.
July 4, 2021
Good
Solid story and great characters. Still enthralled and reading as fast as possible! I really like the cast in this series.
Solid story and great characters. Still enthralled and reading as fast as possible! I really like the cast in this series.
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