Blue Rondo

Inspector Troy #5

by John Lawton

Blue Rondo

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Crime, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Detective

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2005

About the author

John Lawton is a producer/director in television who has spent much of his time interpreting the USA to the English, and occasionally vice versa. He has worked with Gore Vidal, Neil Simon, Scott Turow, Noam Chomsky, Fay Weldon, Harold Pinter and Kathy Acker. He thinks he may well be the only TV director ever to be named in a Parliamentary Bill in the British House of Lords as an offender against taste and balance. He has also been denounced from the pulpit in Mississippi as a `Communist,’ but thinks that less remarkable.

He spent most of the 90s in New York – among other things attending the writers’ sessions at The Actors’ Studio under Norman Mailer – and has visited or worked in more than half the 50 states. Since 2000 he has lived in the high, wet hills ofDerbyshire England, with frequent excursions into the high, dry hills of Arizona and Italy.

He is the author of 1963, a social and political history of the Kennedy-Macmillan years, six thrillers in the Troy series and a stand-alone novel, Sweet Sunday.

In 1995 the first Troy novel, Black Out, won the WH Smith Fresh Talent Award. In 2006 Columbia Pictures bought the fourth Troy novel Riptide. In 2007 A Little White Death was a New York Times notable.

In 2008 he was one of only half a dozen living English writers to be named in the London Daily Telegraph‘s `50 Crime Writers to Read before You Die.’ He has also edited the poetry of DH Lawrence and the stories of Joseph Conrad. He is devoted to the work of Franz Schubert, Cormac McCarthy, Art Tatum and Barbara Gowdy. (source: http://www.johnlawtonbooks.com)

He was born in 1949 in England.

Reviews

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read. I started reading it yesterday on a journey back from Portugal and only failed to finish it then because I fell asleep reading it in bed. I had some years ago read three other books by John Lawton and thoroughly enjoyed them so I knew what to expect. I don't read anywhere near as much fiction as I used to it but books like this could easily change that situation! It is labelled as crime fiction but it is so much more than that. Comedy, social comment, history, espionage - there is a lot there and I found it very readable. A particular highlight for me was when Troy was introducing a gluttonous gumshoe (long time since I saw that term!) to the delights of a chip butty in a greasy spoon. Then there was the juxtapositions between toffs and proles such as the incongruity of drinking Pouilly Fume with fish and chips. Another was leaving the reader to work out for themselves (if not American that is) what "playing hiding the salami"meant particularly when like me you nearly always see it sliced.

There are however elements of the novel which suited me perfectly and added to its appeal but some of which may not be as easy for others, at least not without quite a lot of background research. The novel brilliantly captures the time and place. I can vouch for this as I lived through the era described, being the same age as the author and being bought up in London and actually knowing all the places described as they were then. The author also makes lots of literary allusion without necessarily clarifying them. Being reasonably well read I think I got quite a lot of these. He is fond of PG Wodehouse for example. There are also characters in the novel who are obviously real but disguised as fictional and as this "history" use to be current affairs to me so I probably got all of these. Finally there is a lot of British (upper and lower class) slang - bollocks, shagging, shanks's pony, duffer, prole for example and references to institutions that only someone living in the UK would recognise such as LCC (no longer exists), NHS, MD for example.

I am sure that I have read many books where some of the better parts have totally eluded me. I have on occasion reread books that I read many many years ago and realised just how much I had missed first time round. But I do wonder how much this makes John Lawton less popular than he ought to be. In my view he is a brilliant author so I would recommend him unreservedly.

[MisterLiberry Head · Rating 3 out of 5]

FLESH WOUNDS opens with a scene from BLACK OUT (1995), and then skips 10 years ahead to 1959 and gang wars sparked by a fictionalized version of the notorious Kray twins. The psycho-killers twins are avatars of what the “Polish Beast,” Dr. Kolankiewicz calls “the moral decay we can expect in post-war life” (p30).

Troy suffers yet another major concussion, which sidelines the often-wounded detective for much of the novel and unleashes a parade of current and ex-lovers. (The Scotland Yard copper has had more head injuries than Merril Hoge and as many lovers as Joe Namath!) He acquires a driver, Constable Mary McDiarmuid, who promises to be a welcome addition to Team Troy. Central to the plot is the surprise reappearance from the USA of Troy’s old flame Kitty Stilton after “seventeen years, ten months, three weeks …” (p76)--but, who’s counting? Now married to a presidential prospect, Kitty is earnestly tailed around London by a New York City gumshoe who seems as theatrically dumb and obvious as Lt. Columbo--but, at least he’s paying attention, which Troy doesn’t do for much of the story.
FLESH WOUNDS is full of cynicism about politics and political parties (“Jam Forever!”), about urban renewal and police corruption. Insightful for a moment, one of Troy’s wicked twin sisters tells him something that applies equally to his romantic life and to his police method: “Your trick is to let things happen. To let things take their course” (p330). Our dark-minded, rather misanthropic series hero hasn’t changed much from 1938 to 1959. However, one transformation during FLESH WOUNDS is very important. Once a notoriously bad marksman, Troy has taken lessons from master gunsmith Bob Churchill (Inspector Troy, #4) and become a crack shot with just about every model of handgun made-- a handy skill, even if you disdain firearms, when you’re going after two gun-crazy psycho-killers!

(PERSONAL TIRADE: Largely to spite Amazon.com, I prefer reading books checked out from the public library. This can be a problem when a previous borrower has marked up the book--in heavy black ink, no less! My borrowed copy of FLESH WOUNDS is filled with underlinings and squiggles where British argot has confounded some anonymous previous reader. Words and phrases like “spag bol,” “down the nick,” “elevenses,” “karzey” and “punters.” Irritating, unconscionable and impossible to ignore.)

[Sam Reaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is apparently book number five in a series featuring Inspector Troy of Scotland Yard; I grabbed it because I had really liked Lawton's Then we Take Berlin and wanted more of the same. With this series, however, it turns out that it pays to start with the first one rather than jump in anywhere, as there's a lot of back story which keeps popping up throughout, not always relevantly. So don't start with this one; start with... well, that's a good question. The publication order is not the same as the chronological order, some of the books came out under different titles in the U.S. and the U.K.... Maybe Blackout. Consult Lawton's Wikipedia page for guidance.
Anyway, in this one, Troy gets banged up early in a car bombing and is on medical leave for much of the book; meanwhile coppers and male prostitutes are getting killed, the wife of a U.S. presidential candidate is in the U.K. sleeping with any man who catches her eye, Troy's love life is getting ever more complicated and unwholesome, and a pair of really rotten twins from Troy's East End patch are trying to take over the London rackets. There's a lot going on.
It reminded me of some of Margery Allingham's London novels with their quirky characters and peculiar locales, and sure enough, at one point Troy takes "an old Penguin Margery Allingham" up to bed with him, confirming my guess as to one of Lawton's literary influences.
The crowded back story can be a little distracting, but that might be part of the fun if you have been with the series from the start. The writing is excellent, sharp and witty; the people are eccentric but believable, and it makes London in the 50s sound like a lot of fun.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it immensely - like others in the series - but I would like to make a comment about comments posted by others for Lawton's books. It is irritating to see repeated complaints about the use of "British slang" by this author ... what on earth do they expect, the book is set in Britain? It is no more offensive or difficult than is the placing of American slang in books situated in the USA. If stuck - use a dictionary.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much the best of Lawton's Inspector Troy novels. Perhaps because it is more of a police procedural rather than and attempt to mix London based police work with international espionage involving the secret services, as do his other novels. Also, the sex is less porny. However, this writer's obsession with nitwit nymphos is still on display and still unbelievable.

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

In terms of publication date, I believe this to be number 5 in the series, through chronologically and after number 3, the books have (confusingly), jumped around a bit. So yes, a bit confusing. This, like the earlier books, is a combination of police and politics with a bit of spying thrown in for good measure.
It is set in London in 1959; the country is just free of rationing and hovering between the wreckage of the war years and the modern age. Troy is now Police Superintendent at Scotland Yard. A criminal world ‘Mr Big’ has been sent to prison for a lengthy stretch and new kids on the block are flexing their muscles to take over organised crime and protection rackets. The body count starts to build up, including that of a senior police officer. Troy spends much of the book off work on medical leave, though he is well enough to continue meddling with live cases, much to the annoyance of colleagues. He also receives what seems to be an endless stream of 'needy' female visitors.
If you like your crime fiction to be straight forward, this is not the series for you. If you like depth, layers and complexities, read on. I will probably take a longer break before reading the next one than I have between the first 5 books in the series.

[Minnesinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not my favorite of the Inspector Troy series. Too many people murdered, too many dismembered bodies, too graphic in describing what happened to the 2 young men before they were killed. Sex and morality/amorality are the main ‘themes’, for lack of a better word. Sex pervades the book, and just because Masha raises the issue of morality near the end doesn’t make the constant sex any more palatable.
jThe character of Troy seems emotionally stunted; he is passively open to sex if it’s on offer, but not interested in pursuing anyone special. Maybe he thinks women are just there for sex, but that objectifies them.
Masha tells Troy that his former girlfriends have told her that he is up for sex if the woman initiates, but he’s not interested in pursuing anyone. I’d love to know what a shrink would say about his character. He can initiate a lengthy conversation with brother Rod, and talk with his sisters if they initiate a conversation.

The incest scene was a shocker. Yes, they both regretted it later, but once that line has been crossed, things have to be different. Masha points out later that even then Troy was passive, just taking what was offered, let Masha take control and steer the course. To go along with sex with his SISTER was seriously messed up. Amoral. With brain and heart disengaged, animal nature just took over.

The issue of Morality often comes up in Laeton’s novels. Angus speaks about character and integrity (with Troy), but we don’t get to hear Troy’s response. Troy has clearly stated that he doesn’t “do” guilt; he feels no remorse about anything, not even blowing away the second Ryan brother. Masha asks Troy if he feels bad at all; Jack goes further and condemns him for that and for using Mott Kettle as bait. I think he did feel remorse over killing Diana, one of the women he claimed to love. He says in earlier books that he “only loved 4 people in his life”: his father Alexei, Rod, Tosca, and Diana Brack. I find it hard to accept that he truly loved Diana; I think he confused love with sex.

He forges friendships with men, mainly Rod and his father, never with his mother. He says several times in various books that he has only ever loved those 4 people. He married Tosca, yet he avoided her when she started feeling unhappy and bored at Mimram House. She finally left and he didn’t try to stop her. They didn’t stay in touch. When he asked her for a divorce later (to marry Shirley Foxx, half his age), she said no. Troy and Tosca did care about each other; Troy seemed genuinely distraught when he thought she had been killed in her Orange Street flat. She was there for him in Berlin; he for her in Amsterdam. He flew there to rescue her from KGB thugs, took her to Vienna to marry her so she could get a British passport. He stayed with her when she was too bruised and embarrassed to leave the hotel room. At Mimram House, he is careful with her feelings, but ge sort of pussyfoots around which is sort of passive. He doesn’t engage her in conversation to find out what she wants or needs. It’s clear that she’s bored and misses challenging, meaningful work, but ultimately only she can determine what she needs. I remember her telling him her life story in another book, but he doesn’t reciprocate. Maybe because she right there, living with his family, seeing them daily for 3 months. No one goes out of their way to make her feel welcome except maybe Rod’s wife Cid. His sisters are horrible to her, and we aren’t told how his mother treats her (or I forgot). Troy did tell her once that he loved her, which is a huge deal for him. But does he even know what real love looks like?

I hope he eventually reconnects with Tosca, because he has more in common with her than any other woman: the Russian heritage and language, for starters. Her American side seems a bit foreign to him at times, but she is refreshing and gutsy and makes him laugh. (Her Mae West line—in Russian—when she first met his family was classic.) They’re both on the short side, so even at 5’8”, Troy towers over 5’ Tosca. I hope Troy comes to his senses and gets back together with Tosca.

There is much more to this book than his love life, however. The character of Ted Steele is fascinating, and I appreciated the way Lawton wove in the politics in both the UK and the US.
Lawton has a way of pointing out the choices his characters make, never judging them. The two scariest people here used to be innocent children only 12 years ago. Lawton shows that there is a reason they turned out that way. The consequences are dire when children grow up without the basic necessities, without love, support, and guidance by caring, responsible adults. The picture he paints of post-war England is grim; the effect of the war on Britons was devastating and long-lasting. It changed the country forever. Children who grew up during the war years may have suffered the most, because all their families were ripped apart, dreams dashed; crime rose when people couldn’t find work. Rationing continued for years after the war was over. Hunger made people desperate, no parents, no guidance or love resulted in a new generation that didn’t care about anyone because no one cared about them. With suffering the norm, people became harder, society more dog-eat-dog, every man for himself.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

UNIQUE SERIES

This is the fifth installment in the Frederick Troy series. Troy is a London homicide detective of Russian heritage - his father an immigrant who became a very powerful and wealthy newspaper publisher. The series takes place between the 1930's and the sixties and although there is a chronology to these books, the series doesn't follow a calendar. Also several of the books, including this one, have been published under different titles, i.e. same book, different title depending on if it's the British or American version.

I have not run across many folks who are familiar with this series which is unfortunate - these are great books - Flesh Wounds or Blue Rondo - being no exception. The books are historically based mysteries with historic figures - for instance Eisenhower makes an appearance in this one - and follow the events of the time. Our hero Troy is somewhat of a lone wolf on the police force - jaded just enough to be both pragmatic and at times very funny but personable, politically savvy and competent enough to climb the promotion ladder. He's the Chief Superintendent in this one.

There's also a supporting cast of characters - Troy's family, his friends and co-workers, including a distant cousin of Winston Churchill - who are well developed and engaging on their own. The books are a blend of mystery, police procedural and political intrigue, all handled extremely well by the author. Lastly, much like Charles McCarry's books, there is a lot of sex in this series and there's even more bed-hopping in this book than its predecessors - including one brief but bizarre and somewhat disturbing scene.

Flesh Wounds begins with a brief flashback to 1944 and war-time London and then moves forward to 1959. Troy finds himself embroiled in a case in which the London East End underworld is in transition as an increasingly violent group of Young Turks is supplanting their older predecessors. Troy and his cohorts get knocked around a bit and find themselves not only dealing with this new breed of criminals but also the same old corrupt politicians - but they come out on top in the end.

A very good book and highly recommended although - and I seem to be saying this with more and more frequency - I wouldn't start here simply because you miss a lot of Troy's history - specifically familial - if you haven't read the earlier books.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Lawton's Inspector Troy series has given me mixed feelings before Flesh Wounds. When he hits his stride, he writes amazing police procedurals. The characters are well developed, and while he can be a bit long-winded at time, he writes so well that the pages move quickly.

In his other books, he explored his characters' sex lives in such depth that it seemed to go a bit far. I'm no prude, but sex has its place and while some is fine in a detective novel, the amount and level of detail Mr. Lawton indulges in is more than seems necessary or appropriate. I know how the mechanics of it work, and I don't need the depth of detail he employs in his novels. Then we get to one particular sexual encounter our protagonist has in this book. One that had me saying, as it became obvious where things were going, "No. No. He's not really going to... Oh, jeez!" Without spoiling it, I will say it's one of those things that I realize happens in this world. But it's considered taboo, at least by cultures with which I'm familiar, and more to the point, I don't see how it added anything to the story. It didn't add to the character, either, and I don't know what the point of this particular scene was. Truly baffling and off-putting. Troy is clearly made very human and fallible, but to what degree does Lawton need to taint him?

If a lot of the sex were removed, or at least made a little more PG-rated, I think the overall book would be far better.

[Luis Gouveia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is either the third or fourth time I've read the entire series.
The novel is primarily set in London in 1959 and focuses on the wave of crime affecting the city at the time. Unlike some of the author's other works, this story has a more local scope, with most events taking place in London and only a few connections to the wider world.
The novel is also notably dark, as the crimes depicted throughout the story are often brutal and disturbing.

As I noted in my previous reviews of this author's work, the books in this series are not always presented in chronological order.
Although this is the fifth book in the Troy series, it is actually the fourth in the series' chronological timeline. As a result, readers who have already read the third book, which takes place in 1963, will already know the outcome of several events that are intended to be mysteries in this installment.
For example, the 1963 novel reveals the outcome of Troy's conflict with the Ryan brothers, whose crime wave dominates the events of this book. The same issue arises with several of Troy's romantic relationships throughout the series. Here are three examples in which the suspense surrounding those relationships is diminished because their outcomes have already been revealed in the fifth book.

The brief appearance of Troy's wife, Tosca, is particularly interesting, as she is both a likeable and enigmatic character. It illustrates one of the strengths of Lawton's writing, namely his talent for inserting seemingly incidental episodes into the middle of the narrative that are engaging in their own right. On the other hand, Tosca's role in this story is not entirely clear unless it is intended to provide additional context for events described in the later book. Was she trying to reconcile with Troy and rebuild their marriage after leaving him three years earlier?
This episode nevertheless showcases the author's craftsmanship by revealing much about Troy's behaviour in his personal relationships. The two arrange to meet later, seemingly in the hope of beginning a reconciliation, but Troy ultimately misses the appointment. His explanation is not entirely convincing, leaving the reader to wonder whether he could not have found a way to avoid his other commitments. Instead, it feels as though the author deliberately contrives the circumstances to prevent the meeting from taking place. This is not especially surprising, however, since readers of the 1963 novel already know that Troy and Tosca never reconcile.

Anna makes brief but meaningful appearances. Her short appearances, both in this novel and in other books in the series, reinforce my impression that she is, by far, the person who cares most deeply about Troy. For example, in this story, she is the one who uses her professional judgment to tell his boss that the best way for Troy to truly recover is to return to active service. A curious brief episode also occurs during one of Troy's interactions with Anna. He learns that one of her clients is the enigmatic boss of the equally enigmatic Fat Man, but nothing more is revealed. This small detail adds further intrigue and mystery to both characters.

The most prominent female character in this novel is Kitty Stilton, a familiar figure from the previous book and formerly one of Troy's lovers. We learn that her husband, Calvin Cormack, the American character also introduced in that novel, is now running for the presidency of the United States. Because of his political ambitions, Kitty is under close scrutiny to ensure that no compromising relationships become public. The revelation of such an affair could seriously damage Calvin's electoral prospects. Kitty's involvement with Troy provides yet another example of the complex romantic entanglements that run throughout the series. At the same time, the novel explores her connections to organized crime figures. Despite Troy's repeated efforts to warn her about the dangers of these associations, Kitty remains involved with them, adding further tension to both her storyline and Troy's relationship with her.
At the end of the novel, following the confrontation with the Ryan brothers, Kitty and Troy meet once more. Without prior knowledge of the next book, this scene would leave readers wondering what the future holds for their relationship. However, those who have already read the later novel know in advance how that relationship ultimately develops, diminishing the suspense of the ending.

The story starts immediately after the 1944 events of the first novel, when Troy narrowly survives an attack. Recognizing his lack of firearms expertise, the pathologist Kolankiewicz introduces him to Bob Churchill, a renowned shooting instructor and brother of Winston Churchill. The training Troy receives later proves crucial to the plot.

Their conversation also introduces one of the novel's central themes: the fear that returning servicemen, facing unemployment and retaining their wartime weapons, could contribute to a post-war crime wave. This concern forms a key premise of the story and in fact, this novel reveals another connection to the first book, Black Out. The children who helped Troy and Bonham at the beginning of Black Out have now grown into adults. One of them has become a police officer and even assists Troy and his colleagues, while two others, the Ryan twins, have turned into the villains of this novel.

The narrative then shifts to 1959, the novel's main setting. It opens with Troy narrowly surviving a bomb attack, and his slow recovery shapes much of the story. This section of the novel is particularly dark, with a series of gruesome and unsettling deaths.

The second part of the book has a much clearer focus, centering on Troy and his colleagues as they pursue the Ryan brothers. Having largely recovered from his injuries, Troy returns to work and assumes a more active leadership role in the investigation. One of the book's greatest strengths is its detailed portrayal of the investigative process. Together with his colleagues, and with assistance from his brother-in-law, a newspaper editor, Troy gradually builds a case against the Ryan brothers, gathering evidence, identifying those who support them, and uncovering those willing to help bring them to justice. This careful, methodical approach gives the narrative both tension and authenticity.

An interesting addition to the story is an American private investigator who arrives in London to monitor Kitty's behaviour. His interactions with Troy provide some welcome moments of humour, offering relief from the novel's otherwise bleak atmosphere. More importantly, he is the first character to clearly identify the true villains behind the events of the story.

A document written by the investigator and discovered later in the novel reveals his perceptive analysis of the case. Through it, readers are introduced to a seemingly unlikely, and shady character enrolled by several intelligence services. A subsequent conversation between Troy and his brother suggests that this individual is unwittingly connected to a British intelligence operation aimed at repairing Anglo-American relations following the recent exposure of British traitors.

The document also hints that Alex Troy's. Troy's father, obscure past may be worth exploring in greater depth. This appears to foreshadow a significant thread in the rumoured forthcoming novel, tentatively titled Dishonest Truths, which is expected to to describe an earlier period in the series and shed further light on Troy's family background.

Even with foreknowledge from the 1963 book, I feel this novel makes a worthwhile addition to the period between the 1956 book (the second in publication order) and the 1963 book (the third). It is not my favourite in the series, but it still carries Lawton’s characteristic writing style, full of twists and unexpected surprises.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Lawton has an excellent feel for time and place. This novel is set in 1959 London; MacMillan's 'Never had it so Good'; East End hoodlums rubbing shoulders with society; the beginnings of the sexual freedom of the sixties; and an overall mood for change. Nominally a procedural detective novel, the first half is the story of Freddie Troy, his character, loves and life, as he recovers from a head injury received when a booby trapped police car explodes nearby. The second half is a more orthodox police thriller. Characters from previous novels are used as bit players, but the overall reference is to events in 1944, when Troy used a gang of urchins in bombed out East London to help him in a murder case (Black Out).

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Flesh Wounds by John Lawton is the 5th book of the Frederick Troy mystery series, set in 1959 England. Throughout the book, equal emphasis is on British politics (of which I know zilch) as on crime-fighting by Scotland Yard. Indeed, the serial murders are to an extent entangled with 1950s politics. Political focus is relevant and important to Troy; brother Rod expects to soon be Home Secretary of a triumphant Labour Party.

People frequently ask Troy to speak to Rod about a Parliament job for them. Troy eventually grows tired of the requests (long after the reader!). One night he and Rod get drunk with politician Gaitskill, laugh at all the requests. Too drunk to hold back, they leave a prank phone message "you get Archbishop of Canterbury!" (an impossible posting for a known homosexual in 1959).

Lawton's dry humor is entertaining.

Kolankiewicz could drink a pub dry.

Some murderers, as you well know, have a precision that matches mine and a cunning that matches yours.

Troy's conversations with "Gumshoe" are hilarious. Gumshoe: ex-NYPD cop turned PI, stalking Kate (Kitty). Troy never takes Gumshoe seriously until he's murdered.

Troy's boss: Onions bulked on his doorstep. Blue suit, black boots, short back and sides, bullet-headed, bull-brained and bear-bodied, a battered brown briefcase under one arm, a bottle of whiskey clutched in one hand - the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force disguised as an ordinary copper. If he turned up with whiskey, he was up to something.

One brief chapter is a "laundry list" of casual sex. Troy (in bed with Shirley) muses on who is cheating on their partners. His current mistress Kitty, also known as Kate, was in bed with her old lover Danny. Or if the night had changed course, she was in bed with Anna's husband Angus. Troy's lover Anna was in bed with Troy's brother-in-law Lawrence. Shirley's current lover Vince was former lover of Kitty. Don't even mention Troy's sister Masha...

Note to a reader who has not yet read a book by John Lawton: Books in this series are not in storyline chronological order. For example, book 6 is set in 1938-1940, prior to the series debut. I suspect the series would be more enjoyable if read in chronological order of events (and references to Troy's wife Lorca would make more sense).

[Doris M · Rating 3 out of 5]

With Flesh Wounds I have finished all of the Troy and Wilderness novels published so far. All are worth reading. My favorites among the Troys were A lily of the Field and A Little White Death: both complex and insightful narratives of the years before and after World War II and the Cold War.
In Flesh Wounds, set in 1959, we have more or less of the same format as the others. It is a continuance of a literate soap opera involving Troy and his odd and very wealthy family which in this one takes up too much of the story. Also on hand are Freddie’s women to ignite the “old flames” - Anna, Kitty and Foxx all tumble into Freddie’s bed at some point as well as his sister, Sascha. Troy welcomes the lovemaking, but as always is incapable of committing to a relationship - this becomes quite obvious in Moscow Exile.
We do finally see Superintendent of the Murder Squad, Freddie Troy, doing what he does best: working various crime scenes featuring dismembered bodies and police officers killed in car explosions. The author has used the factual Kray twin brothers (circa 1960’s) from east end London who were involved in murder, robbery, gambling, etc. while mingling with London society as well as politicians and entertainers. In Flesh Wounds they become the notorious Ryan brothers who must ultimately be confronted by Troy. How Troy manages this with the help of Wildeve and other coppers becomes an exciting read from midpoint to the end of the story.

[Roy Timpe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have not read the others in the series. (caution this review does have spoilers) Frederick Troy of Scotland Yard is the main character. Adam Woog of the Seattle times writes, "Lawton's characters are morally complex . . . " In this book the plot lumbers slowly for the first third of the book whilst the characters (including Troy) play genital musical chairs with each other. Only about 15% of this sexual activity in germane to advancing the plot. My guess is: this is the today's requirement for morally complex characters. Once the plot got underway the book was enjoyable. The book is from a decidedly left leaning perspective. Troy ends up killing the two main antagonists (sadistic murderers) in a gunfight that is clearly self-defense. Oddly the reader is left with the notion that Troy's self defense was wrong, even though it saved a fellow officer's life. The right to self-defense is only about 6,000 years-old in our culture, but is under attack by the left in the USA. There was more falling action after the antagonists were dispatched, however, it was interesting enough.

[Laura Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story started out with fits and starts and it seemed nothing was really hanging together. Then it came together as a wonderful tale of a post World War II British detective from Scotland Yard. It amazed me how much of the story dealt with relationships from the war and ruins that were left after the Nazi bombing. I was not really aware that ruins were still blighting London in the last 50's! The murders were gruesome and the end was better than I could have expected. I will look forward to read/hear this author again!

I listened to it as an Audiobook and the narrator was fabulous! He was able to allow the listener to hear clearly the differences between a London accent, a Liverpool accent, a Scots accent from Glasgow, American from NYC and from South Carolina!

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have attempted to read these John Lawton books in order of publication date, even though they are not necessarily a chronological depiction of Troy’s life. I enjoy the recurring characters, but it is lots of fun to see which old girlfriend, or wife, might show up years later and make an appearance. Scenes are often repeated also, as they are part of a new story. All of this binds me to the group and I feel quite smug when I recognize something from another book.

This book is mainly set in the early 60s, with Kitty making a reappearance 15 years after she married the American intelligence officer. Troy knows who the bad guys are, twin brothers who are really bad, but he has to prove it.

[Christopher Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes pretty good I thought. The latest in this series I have read and set mainly in the late 1950's although this book seems to start out rehashing events of the earlier books and adding some bits we were not aware of earlier. Interesting idea. Don't think have seen that done before. The main theme after that is a politicians who may be a spy; East End gangsters (identical twins no less) who mix with politicians and own a West End club and then some brutal murders. Sounds a little familiar? To take real historical events and fictionalize them is not a bad idea, even if things pan out a little differently. Certainly keeps you gripped until the end!

[Deborah Sowery-Quinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realize this is part of an on-going detective series but it was fine as a stand-alone. Very well written & moves fast but the main character, Troy, a detective, or regular police, I am not sure now, sleeps with just about everyone possible including his own sister so it's a bit much. The crimes described are also quite gruesome. And I actually lost track of who some of the characters were, there were so many, at some point. So there's no need for me to read anymore in this series, which is too bad as I did like the writing style a lot but there's a million other books waiting for me that I will connect better with.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read an ealier Inspector Troy book several years ago, but remembered so little about it that I was at sea in this one, #5 in the series. Vivid portrait of postwar England, especially London, but the plot was confusing for this too-quick reader (for example, everyone goes by first names on one page and last names on the next, leading me to lose track of who was who). And the incest might have made a bit more sense if I had had the entire backstory, but without that it seemed revolting and unnecessary. I can admire bits of this but didn't really like it very much.

[Reid Malinbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, as an American reader, I was thrown off with some English jargon. Reading from a kindle, I enjoyed finding out their meanings. The start of the story, felt foreign in its ways. Again, you come to appreciate it when you stay with the story as J. Lawton does not miss any details. You become absorbed with the protagonists & their quirks. It read like an investigation & a novel. Growing up in the mid fifties in France, I could relate to the state of minds, the after war affects portrayed in his fast beats story.

[David C Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

A changing London, after the war. An historical mashup of a lot of themes from “housing for heroes” to the Kray Brothers to a Kennedy surrogate, to the class structure of England, to the beginnings of swinging London. The basic mystery of young gangsters muscling in is quite good - although why the bad guys are quite so stupid at the end is hard to fathom - but there’s entirely too much family drama and it’s too shambling with about five endings - plus the police kind of look like dopes.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the style of this book - it's kind of a modern version of those old British mysteries, like those by Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham, among others. It's set in the 1950s for the most part, with references to events during WWII. Like many modern mysteries, this one does have more gore and raunch than to my taste, but overall I enjoyed it because of the style. The plot is great, never predictable, and the characters well express through their actions and speech.

[Lysergius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another John Lawton. Just as gripping as the last. A writer you want to read all of. The year is 1959. I remember it well. A general election, Supermac was going strong and the Profumo affair was still on the horizon. The country had to wait a few more years to get rid of the sleazy Tories. Ah well, you cannot win the all. As somebody said...

[Jan Heppner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish it. Couldn't quite get past the rather casual incest scene. Why did he include this unnecessary episode? The story appeared to be deteriorating into a long litany of sexual conquests and so I quit reading it. Too bad as I think I might have enjoyed the story itself. I won't try John Lawton again.

[Araych · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Troy #5. FYI publishing dates of books in the series does not match the actions within. London, 1959 (mostly) in which Troy is at war with a pair of bloodthirsty twin villains. Wonderfully done but the action moves back and forth in time so one should pay attention. Another fine entry in an exceptional series, part mystery and part thriller. 4 stars

[Rg Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminiscent..

Enjoyed this ongoing history of my favourite Scotland Yard Detective as always well written and historically sound.. Loved the storyline London in the late fifties the London of my own father as a young married man, many thoughts of him as I read this exciting novel ... Thank you.

[Richard mansbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Lawton’s sense of humor and word play in his earlier works. With Flesh Wounds I found the sex to be gratuitous, Troy being emotionally detached in sex and most of his interactions.

My favorite book of Lawton so far has been “Bluffing Mr. Churchill.” The humor was fast paced and an exciting read.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is simply no end to all there is to learn about, now, Chief Superintendent Frederick Troy. His worlds all seem to circle back into one another. The rag tag collection of Stepney urchins who helped him find body parts in 1944 are still around.....but older and much changed estates. And there's finally a female character who doesn't get in the sack with him.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luv, luv, luv John Lawton. Prose are decidedly "UK" influence so getting stuck on a turn of phrase will occur from time to time. That said, character development is awesome; story line has more twists than the stripe on a barber shop pole; intrigue and surprises from cover to cover!

[Peter Babani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant depiction of coppers in post war London

Excellent story full of East End characters. Inspector Troy is a marvel, noir writing at its very best-read the novels in the order they were written to gain maximum enjoyment as many of the luminaries feature over and over again