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Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James #10
In a Dark House
An abandoned Southwark warehouse burns next door to a women's shelter for victims of spousal abuse. Within it lies the charred corpse of a female body burned beyond all recognition. At the same time, workers at Guy's Hospital anxiously discuss the disappearance of a hospital administrator -- a beautiful, emotionally fragile young woman who's vanished without a trace.
And in an old, dark, rambling London house, nine-year-old
Harriet's awful fears won't be silenced -- as she worries about her
feuding parents, her schoolwork . . . and the strange woman who
is her only companion in this scary, unfamiliar place.
Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid -- lovers and former partners -- have their own pressing concerns. But they must put aside private matters to investigate these disturbing cases. Yet neither Gemma nor Duncan realize how closely the cases are connected -- or how important their resolutions will be for an abducted young child who is frightened, alone . . . and in serious peril.
And in an old, dark, rambling London house, nine-year-old
Harriet's awful fears won't be silenced -- as she worries about her
feuding parents, her schoolwork . . . and the strange woman who
is her only companion in this scary, unfamiliar place.
Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid -- lovers and former partners -- have their own pressing concerns. But they must put aside private matters to investigate these disturbing cases. Yet neither Gemma nor Duncan realize how closely the cases are connected -- or how important their resolutions will be for an abducted young child who is frightened, alone . . . and in serious peril.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2004
395 people are currently reading
1460 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Crombie
53 books2,519 followersDeborah Crombie is the author of 17 novels featuring Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Detective Inspector Gemma James. The 18th Kincaid/James novel, A BITTER FEAST, will be released by William Morrow in October, 2019.
Crombie lives in McKinney, Texas with her husband, two German Shepherd Dogs, and two cats. She travels to Britain frequently to research her books.
Crombie lives in McKinney, Texas with her husband, two German Shepherd Dogs, and two cats. She travels to Britain frequently to research her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 472 reviews
November 8, 2018
In a Dark House by Deborah Crombie is a 2005 publication.
In this tenth installment of the 'Kincaid and James' series, Duncan’s diplomatic skills are called upon when a member of parliament makes an investment that goes up in flames, and a dead body is found in the rubble.
Meanwhile, Gemma helps her friend whose roommate has disappeared, leaving behind clues to a double life.
Strangely enough the two cases appear connected which has the couple working in tandem, but separately, as the evidence reveals yet another connection involving the kidnapping of a young girl by her father. The girl is now missing, as well, adding even more layers to this complex murder investigation.
I’ve been working my way through this series for quite some time now. I’ve finally crossed into the double digits, closing in on the home stretch. So far, the series has not always been reliable. It seems like every other installment is a little rocky, so after completing book nine, which was pretty solid, I approached this one with caution. However, I needn’t have worried!
Yes, this installment is quite complicated, and I could not for the life of me figure out how on earth the three cases could possibly be related. Each case was compelling, and mysterious, and I marveled at the way Crombie deftly connected the dots.
I was a little frustrated by Gemma and Duncan’s personal interactions in this installment, however. The ongoing saga with Kit was especially irritating, but also realistic. Although it felt like a step back, it also broke new ground, so I’m curious to see how this all plays out.
Overall, this is another very solid addition to the series. I’m looking forward to the next one with much more enthusiasm than before. I won’t get the series completed before year’s end as I’d planned, but I do see light at the end of the tunnel.
4 stars
In this tenth installment of the 'Kincaid and James' series, Duncan’s diplomatic skills are called upon when a member of parliament makes an investment that goes up in flames, and a dead body is found in the rubble.
Meanwhile, Gemma helps her friend whose roommate has disappeared, leaving behind clues to a double life.
Strangely enough the two cases appear connected which has the couple working in tandem, but separately, as the evidence reveals yet another connection involving the kidnapping of a young girl by her father. The girl is now missing, as well, adding even more layers to this complex murder investigation.
I’ve been working my way through this series for quite some time now. I’ve finally crossed into the double digits, closing in on the home stretch. So far, the series has not always been reliable. It seems like every other installment is a little rocky, so after completing book nine, which was pretty solid, I approached this one with caution. However, I needn’t have worried!
Yes, this installment is quite complicated, and I could not for the life of me figure out how on earth the three cases could possibly be related. Each case was compelling, and mysterious, and I marveled at the way Crombie deftly connected the dots.
I was a little frustrated by Gemma and Duncan’s personal interactions in this installment, however. The ongoing saga with Kit was especially irritating, but also realistic. Although it felt like a step back, it also broke new ground, so I’m curious to see how this all plays out.
Overall, this is another very solid addition to the series. I’m looking forward to the next one with much more enthusiasm than before. I won’t get the series completed before year’s end as I’d planned, but I do see light at the end of the tunnel.
4 stars
April 6, 2017
Why read mystery stories? What is it about the experience that compels me to return, time after time, to the novels of Deborah Crombie, Elmore Leonard, Elizabeth George, Ian Rankin, Michael Connolly, and a dozen others? After all, I read about as many novels about murder and mayhem as I do both nonfiction and “serious” fiction combined. Why?
This question comes to mind with special poignancy as I sit down to review one of Deborah Crombie’s finely wrought police procedurals, In a Dark House. Immediately beforehand, I read Bob Woodward’s Obama’s Wars, his skillful recounting of the months-long policy-making process that led to President Obama’s decision to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan in 2010—and start withdrawing them in July 2011. And just after finishing In a Dark House, I devoured William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer’s The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, the inspirational tale of a seventh-grade dropout in Malawi who taught himself physics from an outdated textbook and constructed an operating windmill from scrapyard junk to produce electricity for his father’s farm.
It’s clear to me what I got from reading Woodward and Kamkwamba. The former illuminating the day-to-day reality of decision-making in the White House that resulted in one of the most significant U.S. foreign policy decisions in recent years. The latter helped me understand the crushing weight of poverty, famine, and ignorance—and how an exceptional individual can overcome them with dogged persistence, supportive friends, and a touch of genius.
So, what moved me to read In a Dark House when I might otherwise have turned to one of the dozens of highly acclaimed novels and nonfiction books in my reading queue? I can think of four reasons:
1. I’ve grown attracted to Crombie’s police duo, Inspector Gemma James and Superintendant Duncan Kincaid, both of Scotland Yard. Picking up another of Crombie’s novels is like reconnecting with old friends. I feel as though I’m getting to know them well. And I like them.
2. As a writer, I admire Deborah Crombie’s skill in character development, plotting, and scene-setting. And I’m in awe of a woman who lives in a small North Texas town who manages to write—apparently with ease—English police procedurals, some of which even win prizes in England!
3. The tension that builds within me as the plot unfolds in a skillful mystery story is pleasantly distracting. Reading one of these books is like losing myself in a great film, temporarily oblivious to the real world with its real problems and real annoyances.
4. A well-written mystery novel takes place in a world that’s new to me. It piques my curiosity. In a Dark House explores the realm of fire and arson. The details revealed in the story reflect the author’s careful research, and—for a brief time, at least, before the knowledge slips between the cracks of my memory—I understand a little more about this fascinating topic.
There’s nothing truly extraordinary about In a Dark House. I’m sure I’ll remember little or nothing about it six months or a year from now. But it was a rewarding experience while it lasted. And that's probably enough.
This question comes to mind with special poignancy as I sit down to review one of Deborah Crombie’s finely wrought police procedurals, In a Dark House. Immediately beforehand, I read Bob Woodward’s Obama’s Wars, his skillful recounting of the months-long policy-making process that led to President Obama’s decision to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan in 2010—and start withdrawing them in July 2011. And just after finishing In a Dark House, I devoured William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer’s The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, the inspirational tale of a seventh-grade dropout in Malawi who taught himself physics from an outdated textbook and constructed an operating windmill from scrapyard junk to produce electricity for his father’s farm.
It’s clear to me what I got from reading Woodward and Kamkwamba. The former illuminating the day-to-day reality of decision-making in the White House that resulted in one of the most significant U.S. foreign policy decisions in recent years. The latter helped me understand the crushing weight of poverty, famine, and ignorance—and how an exceptional individual can overcome them with dogged persistence, supportive friends, and a touch of genius.
So, what moved me to read In a Dark House when I might otherwise have turned to one of the dozens of highly acclaimed novels and nonfiction books in my reading queue? I can think of four reasons:
1. I’ve grown attracted to Crombie’s police duo, Inspector Gemma James and Superintendant Duncan Kincaid, both of Scotland Yard. Picking up another of Crombie’s novels is like reconnecting with old friends. I feel as though I’m getting to know them well. And I like them.
2. As a writer, I admire Deborah Crombie’s skill in character development, plotting, and scene-setting. And I’m in awe of a woman who lives in a small North Texas town who manages to write—apparently with ease—English police procedurals, some of which even win prizes in England!
3. The tension that builds within me as the plot unfolds in a skillful mystery story is pleasantly distracting. Reading one of these books is like losing myself in a great film, temporarily oblivious to the real world with its real problems and real annoyances.
4. A well-written mystery novel takes place in a world that’s new to me. It piques my curiosity. In a Dark House explores the realm of fire and arson. The details revealed in the story reflect the author’s careful research, and—for a brief time, at least, before the knowledge slips between the cracks of my memory—I understand a little more about this fascinating topic.
There’s nothing truly extraordinary about In a Dark House. I’m sure I’ll remember little or nothing about it six months or a year from now. But it was a rewarding experience while it lasted. And that's probably enough.
July 25, 2016
I found myself frustrated with this book. There were too many different plots; who was the serial arsonist, who killed the lady, and where was the kidnapped girl. Once again the action all takes place in a distinctive area. The southern bank of the Thames in London. I like that aspect of this author's work. But I feel like I need to take a break from reading her. The personal story of Kincaid's son used to be interesting, but in this and the last couple books I just kept being distracted by how little time they spend with either child.
October 21, 2019
An excellent foray into forensic fire investigation that involves both Duncan and Gemma. This plot is quite convoluted but everything comes together satisfactory - the detailed map is a marvelous addition and helpful in pinpointing the locations the book uses. Very well done!
November 19, 2013
This series continues to grow on me, and I liked this book best of all I’ve read so far.
Duncan is investigating the death of a woman found in a burning warehouse while Gemma looks into the disappearance of a caregiver to an invalid woman. The disappearance of a child leads to the cases overlapping. Meanwhile, Duncan and Gemma are dealing with an attempt by his ex-wife’s mother to take his son, Kit, away from him.
The story moves along slow but steady for most of its length then bursts to maximum speed at the end.
Crombie could have done a better job with the resolutions of the three crimes. All seemed to end a bit more abruptly than they should have, with a quickie explanation of the perpetrators’ motives. Also, early in the book, several scenes are from the arsonist point of view but somewhere around the middle, he disappears completely until the fire investigators go to question him.
I would like to see Crombie wrap up the story lines regarding Gemma’s on-going distress over her miscarriage and Kit’s grandmother’s attempts to gain custody of him. I think they’ve gone on long enough.
Duncan is investigating the death of a woman found in a burning warehouse while Gemma looks into the disappearance of a caregiver to an invalid woman. The disappearance of a child leads to the cases overlapping. Meanwhile, Duncan and Gemma are dealing with an attempt by his ex-wife’s mother to take his son, Kit, away from him.
The story moves along slow but steady for most of its length then bursts to maximum speed at the end.
Crombie could have done a better job with the resolutions of the three crimes. All seemed to end a bit more abruptly than they should have, with a quickie explanation of the perpetrators’ motives. Also, early in the book, several scenes are from the arsonist point of view but somewhere around the middle, he disappears completely until the fire investigators go to question him.
I would like to see Crombie wrap up the story lines regarding Gemma’s on-going distress over her miscarriage and Kit’s grandmother’s attempts to gain custody of him. I think they’ve gone on long enough.
February 14, 2019
3 stars.
This one seems quite disjointed until the very end. But I do have a question:
In my opinion, both Duncan and Gemma prioritise their jobs too much above the welfare of their kids. Not sure I like that aspect of their personality. Hope we get to see them taking more responsibility in the later books.
This one seems quite disjointed until the very end. But I do have a question:
In my opinion, both Duncan and Gemma prioritise their jobs too much above the welfare of their kids. Not sure I like that aspect of their personality. Hope we get to see them taking more responsibility in the later books.
October 14, 2012
Another winner from Deborah Crombie in her series about Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. I was a bit puzzled in this one as Gemma apparently just didn't show up for her own job as a Detective Inspector but just tagged along-unofficially and without pay- on Duncan's case.
There is actually more than one case here. There is an arson in a Victorian warehouse and a dead woman is found there. Who is she? The hospital worker who lives with a paralyzed Asian woman she seems to have led on thinking they were lovers? The wayward daughter of the rich guy who owns the warehouse? Or perhaps it is the doctor who works with domestic violence victims at the shelter next door to the warehouse who had a very loud battle with her doctor ex-hubby who brought their daughter home a little late from the zoo? All three women seem to have gone missing and unfortunately, a slatternly babysitter saw the little girl get into a car instead of going to school and now the little girl, daughter of the two battling docs is missing too.
The child is locked in a miserable old house, moldly, smelly and with no electricity. She is being kept by a mysterious woman who feeds her moldy oatmeal and dried fruit twice a day and gives her smelly warm water and expects her to use a bucket as a toilet. When she tries to escape, the woman shoves her down the stairs and breaks her arm then leaves her infected body in the house alone. We later find this mystery woman murdered her old parents and this is their house. Guess which one it was?
There is plenty of drama among the police officers and a return of the priest who married Duncan's cousin Jack. This one will keep you on your toes.
The annoying little storyline about Duncan's son Kit continues. For those who are starting with this book, let me explain. Duncan was married to professor Victoria who got annoyed he worked long hours and just walked out without warning one day. She was pregnant by Duncan but married another professor and passed the baby off as his. This guy dumped her and Kit to run off with a sexy grad student. When Vic asked Duncan to help her with a mystery, she got murdered. Her estranged husband Ian abandoned young Kit.
Duncan and Gemma moved in together along with Kit and with Gemma's young son Toby (her husband had dumped her when Toby was born)but now Victoria's parents who blame Duncan for Vic's death is fighting to get the child. Duncan has known since book 5 that Kit is his son but instead of getting a DNA test and proving it so he can have custody, he has hemmed and hawed and now a judge makes the point that the grandparents are blood kin while Duncan and Gemma are not. To make it worse, Duncan does not show up for the hearing with the judge. Yes, a body had been found but he could have let forensics do their work for an hour since he would have had to wait anyway. Gemma calls him on this and told him he did have a choice and he chose not to show up.
Eventually Kit asks him to do the DNA test since he does not want any part of the grandparents (the grandma is a superbitch). Duncan is pressuring Gemma about another child which is ridiculous. Neither of them are ever home, her work is important to her, she just got a promotion, and they are not even married. This personal stuff is something I could live without!
There is actually more than one case here. There is an arson in a Victorian warehouse and a dead woman is found there. Who is she? The hospital worker who lives with a paralyzed Asian woman she seems to have led on thinking they were lovers? The wayward daughter of the rich guy who owns the warehouse? Or perhaps it is the doctor who works with domestic violence victims at the shelter next door to the warehouse who had a very loud battle with her doctor ex-hubby who brought their daughter home a little late from the zoo? All three women seem to have gone missing and unfortunately, a slatternly babysitter saw the little girl get into a car instead of going to school and now the little girl, daughter of the two battling docs is missing too.
The child is locked in a miserable old house, moldly, smelly and with no electricity. She is being kept by a mysterious woman who feeds her moldy oatmeal and dried fruit twice a day and gives her smelly warm water and expects her to use a bucket as a toilet. When she tries to escape, the woman shoves her down the stairs and breaks her arm then leaves her infected body in the house alone. We later find this mystery woman murdered her old parents and this is their house. Guess which one it was?
There is plenty of drama among the police officers and a return of the priest who married Duncan's cousin Jack. This one will keep you on your toes.
The annoying little storyline about Duncan's son Kit continues. For those who are starting with this book, let me explain. Duncan was married to professor Victoria who got annoyed he worked long hours and just walked out without warning one day. She was pregnant by Duncan but married another professor and passed the baby off as his. This guy dumped her and Kit to run off with a sexy grad student. When Vic asked Duncan to help her with a mystery, she got murdered. Her estranged husband Ian abandoned young Kit.
Duncan and Gemma moved in together along with Kit and with Gemma's young son Toby (her husband had dumped her when Toby was born)but now Victoria's parents who blame Duncan for Vic's death is fighting to get the child. Duncan has known since book 5 that Kit is his son but instead of getting a DNA test and proving it so he can have custody, he has hemmed and hawed and now a judge makes the point that the grandparents are blood kin while Duncan and Gemma are not. To make it worse, Duncan does not show up for the hearing with the judge. Yes, a body had been found but he could have let forensics do their work for an hour since he would have had to wait anyway. Gemma calls him on this and told him he did have a choice and he chose not to show up.
Eventually Kit asks him to do the DNA test since he does not want any part of the grandparents (the grandma is a superbitch). Duncan is pressuring Gemma about another child which is ridiculous. Neither of them are ever home, her work is important to her, she just got a promotion, and they are not even married. This personal stuff is something I could live without!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2017
Another excellent addition to this series but I do have some howevers! I have an issue with the way Kit is always let down by Kincaid. He is always a last priority and it needs to stop! Kincaid needs to learn to delegate, the crime world won’t collapse if he doesn’t appear and if the author is giving Kincaid a son then he needs to act more like a father. Yes, I feel very strongly about this. Our two hero’s, Kincaid and Gemma are nice people and they need to step up. That done, I always enjoy the storyline and the way several stories intersect. I google the places around London where the novels are set and love this as it draws me more into the story.
November 19, 2012
It just seems that Crombie never has a lack of subject matter. Whereas the previous novel centered around the whiskey trade, In A Dark House weaves an intricate mystery that's centered around fire and the fire brigade.
A warehouse of a prominent businessman with lots of political connections leads to Kincaid being assigned 'damage control'. When a body is found in the building however, it makes it all the more sensitive and complicated.
Winnie, Kincaid's in law since being married to his relative Jack, is in town taking over for a local minister who's become sick. A house bound parishioner confides to Winnie that her roommate and helper has been missing for over a day and has become concerned but doesn't want to get the police involved for fear that if she's overreacting, her friend would become angered with her so Winnie does the only thing she can think of; she calls in Gemma. Gemma is working a case gone cold where a child has gone missing and welcomes the distraction. She quickly discovers that the roommate may not be who she said she was. Could she be the Jane Doe in the warehouse fire?
Not far removed from Gemma's own cold case back in London, Harriet Novak has also gone missing. Last seen with her father Tony who shows up at a local women's shelter where his ex wife was involved, ranting and raving about them stealing his daughter. As it turns out, the women's shelter is right ACROSS THE STREET from Duncan's warehouse fire. Coincidence? Connected?
This could be one of the most twisting and red herring filled stories in the series yet which really keeps you guessing. You may think you have it all figured out in the beginning and feel that the book is becoming predictable but it's really anything but that. Just another well thought out and well executed mystery in this fantastic series.
A warehouse of a prominent businessman with lots of political connections leads to Kincaid being assigned 'damage control'. When a body is found in the building however, it makes it all the more sensitive and complicated.
Winnie, Kincaid's in law since being married to his relative Jack, is in town taking over for a local minister who's become sick. A house bound parishioner confides to Winnie that her roommate and helper has been missing for over a day and has become concerned but doesn't want to get the police involved for fear that if she's overreacting, her friend would become angered with her so Winnie does the only thing she can think of; she calls in Gemma. Gemma is working a case gone cold where a child has gone missing and welcomes the distraction. She quickly discovers that the roommate may not be who she said she was. Could she be the Jane Doe in the warehouse fire?
Not far removed from Gemma's own cold case back in London, Harriet Novak has also gone missing. Last seen with her father Tony who shows up at a local women's shelter where his ex wife was involved, ranting and raving about them stealing his daughter. As it turns out, the women's shelter is right ACROSS THE STREET from Duncan's warehouse fire. Coincidence? Connected?
This could be one of the most twisting and red herring filled stories in the series yet which really keeps you guessing. You may think you have it all figured out in the beginning and feel that the book is becoming predictable but it's really anything but that. Just another well thought out and well executed mystery in this fantastic series.
June 25, 2017
Gemma and Duncan are working several cases in this one. There is a possible murder when a body id found in a warehouse fire, there are several missing girls and another murder and a possible serial arsonist and its keeping them busy while still dealing with the question of Duncan's son Kit and his adoption. There is plenty going on to keep the reader wondering what will happen next.
May 1, 2019
This was better than the average Crombie, and refreshingly devoid of any supernatural mumbo jumbo that had marred the last few books for me.
A competently written whodunit with proper, menacing villains is such a comfort.
A competently written whodunit with proper, menacing villains is such a comfort.
April 6, 2023
After an extensive fire in a building under renovation in London is put out, a body is found in the ashes. The identity of the victim is unknown and will be difficult to determine due to the damage to the body. Scotland Yard's Duncan Kincaid is called in to work with the fire investigators as the owner of the building is a prominent politician. Gemma James may have a lead when she assists a friend with a potential missing person.
This is a long running series which I am finally making progress in (series goals) and I enjoyed this outing more than the last couple I've read. The storyline focuses more on police work while keeping readers in the loop on family matters. 3.5 stars
This is a long running series which I am finally making progress in (series goals) and I enjoyed this outing more than the last couple I've read. The storyline focuses more on police work while keeping readers in the loop on family matters. 3.5 stars
August 5, 2023
Arson, murder, kidnapping—this must’ve taken one hell of a planning session to work out the setup and execution. It’s like perfect storm of felonies, where the three seemingly unrelated crimes committed by only loosely connected people manage to cover each other up. After all, when they all happen in a relative short amount of time and in a relative small part of London, you have to think they’re connected, right?
Nope.
I guess crimes can just have the right time and right place fall into their laps too. So it is that an arson covers up a murder, which prevents other people from knowing that a child has been kidnapped.
Luckily, Duncan, Gemma, and their motley crew of friends, acquaintances, and relations manage to untangle the mess that is wrought in one night by three different terrible, terrible people.
Nope.
I guess crimes can just have the right time and right place fall into their laps too. So it is that an arson covers up a murder, which prevents other people from knowing that a child has been kidnapped.
Luckily, Duncan, Gemma, and their motley crew of friends, acquaintances, and relations manage to untangle the mess that is wrought in one night by three different terrible, terrible people.
April 19, 2020
Multiple mysteries about an arsonist, two murdered women, a kidnapped child, and domestic abuse that make for a jumbled plot. The author tried to tie all the threads together at the end, but it was a chaotic mess. Lots more action than the Scottish plot though.
May 25, 2019
An excellent read almost ruined by the incredible lack of editing of the kindle version. I object to paying more than 99p for this book and it's a shame that the author has allowed this to happen.
January 17, 2023
An excellent read. I love this series.
July 18, 2011
Another wonderful Deborah Crombie mystery. The story takes place in London, my favorite setting for Crombie mysteries, this time in Southwark. It was in this area of London that Little Dorrit was set, with the Marshalsea prison the focus of the story. Crombie has a little girl attending the Little Dorrit School (based I’m sure on the Charles Dickens School) and Winnie Montfort, the Episcopal priest, is the temporary rector of St Peter’s church (which is based on St Andrew’s.)
The crimes in this story are murder and arson. The body of a woman is found in a burning warehouse and although nobody can prove it, astute fire department investigators suspect arson. Across the street is a refuge for battered women and it is a resident there who calls in the alarm. Is there some connection between the shelter and the murder?
Toss in an abducted child, a rogue fire-fighter who won’t stop searching for a solution to the arson suspicions, a social worker with a guilty conscience, and assorted other puzzles . . .
2011 No 108
The crimes in this story are murder and arson. The body of a woman is found in a burning warehouse and although nobody can prove it, astute fire department investigators suspect arson. Across the street is a refuge for battered women and it is a resident there who calls in the alarm. Is there some connection between the shelter and the murder?
Toss in an abducted child, a rogue fire-fighter who won’t stop searching for a solution to the arson suspicions, a social worker with a guilty conscience, and assorted other puzzles . . .
2011 No 108
March 7, 2018
Love this series. Whenever I get the new book in the series, it's as though I'm catching up with well-loved friends.
February is not coming fast enough for me to be able to get the next book in this series and be able to catch up on what everyone from Duncan, Gemma, Kit, Toby, to Wesley's family is doing. Also, want to know how Gemma's mom is doing.
February is not coming fast enough for me to be able to get the next book in this series and be able to catch up on what everyone from Duncan, Gemma, Kit, Toby, to Wesley's family is doing. Also, want to know how Gemma's mom is doing.
March 25, 2022
Police officers and partners Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James face stressful situations and crisis on all sides in this tense thriller by Deborah Crombie.
Duncan is called out to a mysterious warehouse fire where a corpse is found burned beyond recognition, an investigation in which he is working with the fire investigators and a stuffy, uptight officer from Metro PD. There appear to be no signs of an accelerant other than a pile of old furniture but the fire — in a building adjacent to a women's shelter and owned by a prominent politician — has the signs of arson.
Gemma responds to a call from a relative about the disappearance of a secretive hospital administrator who has vanished without a word to her co-workers or her roommate.
In addition, they both are faced with a feuding couple — he decides to flee with their daughter but puts her into temporary custody with his lover, and now both the wife, the lover and the child are missing.
And if that is not stressful enough, both Gemma and Duncan struggle with work-life balance following Gemma's miscarriage, which she refuses to discuss, and a custody battle over Duncan's son from a prior relationship.
Once again Crombie has crafted a story that is gritty with tension, red herrings and strange twists. It also offers a close-up view of what life is like for a family in which both adults are police, as well as the operations of a modern police force especially when one of the investigators is from Scotland Yard, the other Metro and then for good measure, investigators from the fire department.
Duncan is called out to a mysterious warehouse fire where a corpse is found burned beyond recognition, an investigation in which he is working with the fire investigators and a stuffy, uptight officer from Metro PD. There appear to be no signs of an accelerant other than a pile of old furniture but the fire — in a building adjacent to a women's shelter and owned by a prominent politician — has the signs of arson.
Gemma responds to a call from a relative about the disappearance of a secretive hospital administrator who has vanished without a word to her co-workers or her roommate.
In addition, they both are faced with a feuding couple — he decides to flee with their daughter but puts her into temporary custody with his lover, and now both the wife, the lover and the child are missing.
And if that is not stressful enough, both Gemma and Duncan struggle with work-life balance following Gemma's miscarriage, which she refuses to discuss, and a custody battle over Duncan's son from a prior relationship.
Once again Crombie has crafted a story that is gritty with tension, red herrings and strange twists. It also offers a close-up view of what life is like for a family in which both adults are police, as well as the operations of a modern police force especially when one of the investigators is from Scotland Yard, the other Metro and then for good measure, investigators from the fire department.
September 17, 2021
I read a rather poignant and relatable review about this book that I wish I would've had the wit and intelligence to write myself : "There’s nothing truly extraordinary about In a Dark House. I’m sure I’ll remember little or nothing about it six months or a year from now. But it was a rewarding experience while it lasted. And that's probably enough." Along with many more paragraphs, it resonated with me for some reason.
This is the 10th installment of this series and the reasons that I enjoyed this book are the same reasons that I enjoy most of these books in this series. The author captures the human emotions and experience so relatably, primally, and seemingly easy. (I'm sure it's not that easy to convey raw human emotion...and that's what makes her a great writer.) The character development in the books are done so well...within each book as well as over the large amount of books in the series. The plot development is filled with the proper amount of tension, hope, success and failure. And each book is set in a different part of the United Kingdom so that I'm learning all the time! (I've learned that I really appreciate a book being able to teach me something new {not nonfiction}.)
If you haven't tried this police procedural series set in England, try it! Fans of William Kent Kruger, Louise Penny, Elizabeth George, and Ian Rankin will enjoy this!
This is the 10th installment of this series and the reasons that I enjoyed this book are the same reasons that I enjoy most of these books in this series. The author captures the human emotions and experience so relatably, primally, and seemingly easy. (I'm sure it's not that easy to convey raw human emotion...and that's what makes her a great writer.) The character development in the books are done so well...within each book as well as over the large amount of books in the series. The plot development is filled with the proper amount of tension, hope, success and failure. And each book is set in a different part of the United Kingdom so that I'm learning all the time! (I've learned that I really appreciate a book being able to teach me something new {not nonfiction}.)
If you haven't tried this police procedural series set in England, try it! Fans of William Kent Kruger, Louise Penny, Elizabeth George, and Ian Rankin will enjoy this!
August 29, 2017
The best of the series so far, the suspense kept me glued to the pages and I could not put it down until I found out who had committed all these crimes and why. She does an amazing job of developing characters with intensity, drawing you into their lives. At times you want to hug them, shake them, knock them on the head, shout and scream at them......well, you get the picture. There are two major crime themes in this book which at first seem to be connected, but it soon becomes obvious that they are not: arson and murder. Both themes have complex background stories, and the suspects just keep piling up.....which is why you can't put the book down. At the same time, she continues to develop the personal lives of Gemma and Duncan as well as their family and friends. It's possible to enjoy this series reading it out of order, but I love the feeling of becoming a part of their lives by reading the books in the order written.
March 5, 2017
Crombie introduces this story with a whole raft of characters, not unusual for her. Eventually, of course, readers get to see the connections between the various characters and their stories. For some reason, this time I had trouble keeping things straight. That said, it was a treat to read a novel involving a serial criminal who was not into sexual abuse and torture. (I blame Silence of the Lambs and misogyny for this ongoing trend in crime/mystery/thriller fiction.) It was great to see an author write of some other sort of crime--some creativity out there!
November 11, 2021
This series never fails to disappoint. Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid are fast becoming two of my favorite sleuths. In a Dark House revolves around one of Duncan’s cases this time. An identified female is found burned to death in a warehouse fire. The fire and others like it in the Southwark area are under investigation as suspicious. Meanwhile, Gemma is contacted by the Reverend Winnie (Duncan’s cousin’s wife from an earlier story). Winnie is filling in for another Anglican priest in Southwark and has been alerted by a disabled parishioner about a missing roommate. This parishioner does not want to bring in the police so Winnie consults Gemma. Finally a young girl goes missing and then her mother disappears too. Eventually these three seemingly unrelated events become linked and you are swept away in an excellent, fast-moving whodunit. The supporting characters in this story are what make this novel. In addition to the likable Winnie and Duncan’s new partner Cullen, you’ve got Rose a young and intelligent firefighter, Maura the CID investigator reluctantly working with Kincaid on the fire case, Fanny, tragic and disabled and young Harriet who loves both her Mom and her Dad and ends up caught in the middle after they split. Home life for Duncan and Gemma also continues to figure front and center as they try to balance their policing careers and raising their two boys while dreading the upcoming custody hearing for Duncan’s son Kit. All in all an enjoyable and satisfying installment in this excellent series.
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May 12, 2018British mystery
Very interesting story. Extremely well written. Characters are clearly defined. Ms. Crombie weaves two or three situations, and brings them to a satisfactory conclusion. Good for general audiences.
Very interesting story. Extremely well written. Characters are clearly defined. Ms. Crombie weaves two or three situations, and brings them to a satisfactory conclusion. Good for general audiences.
December 26, 2020
I always enjoy meeting up with Duncan and Gemma. This book had the added interest of fire/arson investigation.
It’s a good mystery; I’ll look forward to reading the next book... and Kit 🥲. I like following his story.
It’s a good mystery; I’ll look forward to reading the next book... and Kit 🥲. I like following his story.
February 20, 2022
After wandering off and sort of losing me in the previous novel, the author comes back to all that I thinks works best in this series, including a lot of complexity skillfully woven so that as a reader you need to work just hard enough to keep up and play the game.
July 26, 2024
3.5 rounded down. felt like there were so many characters that i didn’t get to know any of them, and so many different storylines that i wasn’t attached. i did like the mystery & intrigue, but definitely not my fav mystery author (no one compares to tana french 🫶🏻)
August 8, 2024
This one was a real journey. Even figuring out the victim’s identity was complicated, making the tale very twisty. And, this was a nice reprieve from having one component of the tale told in the distant past.
February 19, 2021
Classic Kincaid and James,very enjoyable
February 1, 2023
Kincaid/James #10 about a firebug....
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