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Will Grayson and Helen Walker #1
Gone to Ground
From one of Britain’s leading crime writers — Flesh and Blood, Ash and Bone — comes his new book — sure
to go straight to the top of the bestseller lists.
Will’s first thought when he saw the man’s face: it was like a glove that had been pulled inside out.
When police detective Will Grayson and his partner, Helen Walker are called upon to investigate the violent death of Stephen Bryan, a gay Cambridge academic, their first thoughts are of an ill-judged sexual encounter, of rough trade gone wrong.
But as their investigation widens, their attention focuses on the biography Bryan was writing about the life and death of fifties film star, Stella Leonard, whose death from drowning, when the car she was driving skidded mysteriously off a lonely Fenland road, uncannily echoed the climax of her most notorious film, Shattered Glass.
With Bryan’s journalist sister egging them on, and bringing herself into mortal danger as she conducts her own investigation, Will and Helen gradually peel away the secrets of a family blighted by a lust for wealth and power and its own perverted sexuality.
to go straight to the top of the bestseller lists.
Will’s first thought when he saw the man’s face: it was like a glove that had been pulled inside out.
When police detective Will Grayson and his partner, Helen Walker are called upon to investigate the violent death of Stephen Bryan, a gay Cambridge academic, their first thoughts are of an ill-judged sexual encounter, of rough trade gone wrong.
But as their investigation widens, their attention focuses on the biography Bryan was writing about the life and death of fifties film star, Stella Leonard, whose death from drowning, when the car she was driving skidded mysteriously off a lonely Fenland road, uncannily echoed the climax of her most notorious film, Shattered Glass.
With Bryan’s journalist sister egging them on, and bringing herself into mortal danger as she conducts her own investigation, Will and Helen gradually peel away the secrets of a family blighted by a lust for wealth and power and its own perverted sexuality.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2007
8 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
John Harvey
276 books203 followersaka Jon Barton, William S. Brady (with Angus Wells), L.J. Coburn (with Laurence James), J.B. Dancer (with Angus Wells), John B. Harvey, William M. James (with Terry Harknett and Laurence James), Terry Lennox, John J. McLaglen (with Laurence James), James Mann, Thom Ryder, J.D. Sandon (with Angus Wells), Jon Hart
John Harvey (born 21 December 1938 in London) is a British author of crime fiction most famous for his series of jazz-influenced Charlie Resnick novels, based in the City of Nottingham. Harvey has also published over 90 books under various names, and has worked on scripts for TV and radio. He also ran Slow Dancer Press from 1977 to 1999 publishing poetry. The first Resnick novel, Lonely Hearts, was published in 1989, and was named by The Times as one of the 100 Greatest Crime Novels of the Century. Harvey brought the series to an end in 1998 with Last Rites, though Resnick has since made peripheral appearances in Harvey's new Frank Elder series. The protagonist Elder is a retired detective who now lives, as Harvey briefly did, in Cornwall. The first novel in this series, Flesh and Blood, won Harvey the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 2004, an accolade many crime fiction critics thought long overdue. In 2007 he was awarded the Diamond Dagger for a Lifetime's Contribution to the genre. On 14th July 2009 he received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Nottingham in recognition of his literary eminence and his associations with both the University and Nottingham (particularly in the Charlie Resnick novels). He is also a big Notts County fan.
John Harvey (born 21 December 1938 in London) is a British author of crime fiction most famous for his series of jazz-influenced Charlie Resnick novels, based in the City of Nottingham. Harvey has also published over 90 books under various names, and has worked on scripts for TV and radio. He also ran Slow Dancer Press from 1977 to 1999 publishing poetry. The first Resnick novel, Lonely Hearts, was published in 1989, and was named by The Times as one of the 100 Greatest Crime Novels of the Century. Harvey brought the series to an end in 1998 with Last Rites, though Resnick has since made peripheral appearances in Harvey's new Frank Elder series. The protagonist Elder is a retired detective who now lives, as Harvey briefly did, in Cornwall. The first novel in this series, Flesh and Blood, won Harvey the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 2004, an accolade many crime fiction critics thought long overdue. In 2007 he was awarded the Diamond Dagger for a Lifetime's Contribution to the genre. On 14th July 2009 he received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Nottingham in recognition of his literary eminence and his associations with both the University and Nottingham (particularly in the Charlie Resnick novels). He is also a big Notts County fan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
April 26, 2018
British police investigate the murder of a quiet gay man, only to find that their case is connected to a fifties film star.
Twists and turns. It seems like it should be set in LA or at least San Francisco, but it's in England. Kind of weird.
Twists and turns. It seems like it should be set in LA or at least San Francisco, but it's in England. Kind of weird.
September 21, 2018
Having read the Charlie Resnick series by John Harvey I decided to try this series which seems to be just two books. It is a good, straightforward police procedural novel featuring Detective Inspector Will Grayson and Detective Sergeant Helen Walker base in Cambridge. A college lecturer is found beaten to death in his home. Initial suspicion falls on his gay lover but nothing puts him in the house at the time and the trail goes cold. Meanwhile homophobic and racist troubles break out in Cambridge and is there a link to a book being researched by the first victim, the violence and a local developer and his wild actress daughter. Lots of sub plots and twist, some not quite expected that are blended into a very readable novel.
A good 4 stars
A good 4 stars
April 16, 2021
Abandoned halfway through - not keen on any of the characters and they are not growing on me, so no point reading on.
November 9, 2022
Probably more a 3.5. Nice to have a book set somewhere you know, although not sure about the popping from Cambridge to Nottingham, bit further than the book suggested!😂
July 23, 2011
Bit pedestrian as a thriller. Wondered why the plot was muddied with red herrings which didn't really add much to the story to increase the suspense.
November 11, 2020
I've been a big fan of John Harvey in the past but I struggled to finish this novel.
Solid police procedural but too long.
Not as good as his Resnick or other novels.
Solid police procedural but too long.
Not as good as his Resnick or other novels.
February 5, 2023
Gone to Ground by John Harvey is book 1 of the Will Grayson & Helen Walker mystery series, a police procedural set in contemporary London. The characters are well developed, empathetic, definitely worth continuing the series. An intriguing plot device is to intersperse stage/movie directions occasionally. The rest is not memorable. Tracking down gang member crimes against people of different race and gender occupies a great deal of the story. The ending reveals the secret reason for a major murder suspect to refuse to cooperate (a bit anticlimactic). A different person is arrested for the crime (somewhat confusing). An engaging story of the perseverance required to solve a murder case, and side effects in personal life.
August 18, 2020
The writing was ham-fisted and the whodunit element droll and uninteresting. More name drops than an Eminem song and more product placement than a James Bond movie. Even two stars feels a little generous.
June 28, 2021
SPOILER ALERT
This first of the series introduces DI Will Grayson and DS Helen Walker. They are investigating the brutal murder of Stephen Bryan, a gay man who worked in filmmaking, and was writing a book about a fairly unknown actress Stella Leonard. Leonard's family, especially her daughter Lily's husband, Howard Prince, a businessman, who skirts the edge of respectability, is not happy with the proposed book. Prince says it is because Lily is not well and her mental health cannot withstand the stress. Or is it because scrutiny would reveal his shady dealings. Bryan persists. It is one of the possible motives for his murder. But they also are looking at Mark McKusick, his lover of several years, with whom he had recently broken up.
Stella Leonard had made one film, Shattered Glass, that is being proposed for a remake, with Natalie Prince, actress, starring as her great aunt Stella. It seemed at first that Prince was going to put up some of the funding, then he withdraws. A BBC radio reporter, Lesley Scarman, the sister of Stephen Bryan is also looking into his death. She is attacked as she is investigating.
DS Walker intervenes in an attack on a couple of gay men and is stabbed and beaten. The theme of gay bashing is at the forefront of this story, with numerous attacks occurring.
As Natalie meets and helps Lesley, she invites her to go to Scotland to meet Irene, Stella's sister who is an artist. Irene has an upcoming exhibition in London. Her work is a departure from her previous paintings of flowers and nature. Natalie wants to see it. But she is for a shock. They are paintings of young girls, naked, and being raped by a part man, part bear. The paintings also depict part of the myths of the Maid of Norway. In all of them the girls are bloodied and vulnerable. Irene then tells them of her father Adam raping her from the age of seven to nine, then starting of Stella. He keeps the relationship with Stella going for years. Stella becomes pregnant. Stella begs Irene to take the child, Lily, and raise her as her own. Otherwise she would have had to have an abortion. She can no longer live with the secrets, and is revealing them in the paintings. Lily was told of the relationship before by Adam and Stella, who visited her, and then dying in a car accident. Prince reveals that Lily had followed them when they left and returned with the car damaged. He protected her.
A damaged hockey stick in found in the river, and believed to have been used in the attacked on the gay men, one of whom died. However, fingerprints are found on it. Mark McKusick's, and he is arrested for the murder of Bryan, the spurned lover who could not live without him.
A sordid story, sad and compelling. I was not overly drawn to either of the detectives. Will Grayson has a stormy not very warm relationship with his wife, and children, who are very young. Helen has her own demons, with a former lover, Andrew appearing infrequently, and her sleeping with him, though he doesn't stay. AS she is recovering from the attack and in the hospital, he again appears with flowers. She begs Will to tell him to go away. As the book ends she seems to have fully shut him out.
This first of the series introduces DI Will Grayson and DS Helen Walker. They are investigating the brutal murder of Stephen Bryan, a gay man who worked in filmmaking, and was writing a book about a fairly unknown actress Stella Leonard. Leonard's family, especially her daughter Lily's husband, Howard Prince, a businessman, who skirts the edge of respectability, is not happy with the proposed book. Prince says it is because Lily is not well and her mental health cannot withstand the stress. Or is it because scrutiny would reveal his shady dealings. Bryan persists. It is one of the possible motives for his murder. But they also are looking at Mark McKusick, his lover of several years, with whom he had recently broken up.
Stella Leonard had made one film, Shattered Glass, that is being proposed for a remake, with Natalie Prince, actress, starring as her great aunt Stella. It seemed at first that Prince was going to put up some of the funding, then he withdraws. A BBC radio reporter, Lesley Scarman, the sister of Stephen Bryan is also looking into his death. She is attacked as she is investigating.
DS Walker intervenes in an attack on a couple of gay men and is stabbed and beaten. The theme of gay bashing is at the forefront of this story, with numerous attacks occurring.
As Natalie meets and helps Lesley, she invites her to go to Scotland to meet Irene, Stella's sister who is an artist. Irene has an upcoming exhibition in London. Her work is a departure from her previous paintings of flowers and nature. Natalie wants to see it. But she is for a shock. They are paintings of young girls, naked, and being raped by a part man, part bear. The paintings also depict part of the myths of the Maid of Norway. In all of them the girls are bloodied and vulnerable. Irene then tells them of her father Adam raping her from the age of seven to nine, then starting of Stella. He keeps the relationship with Stella going for years. Stella becomes pregnant. Stella begs Irene to take the child, Lily, and raise her as her own. Otherwise she would have had to have an abortion. She can no longer live with the secrets, and is revealing them in the paintings. Lily was told of the relationship before by Adam and Stella, who visited her, and then dying in a car accident. Prince reveals that Lily had followed them when they left and returned with the car damaged. He protected her.
A damaged hockey stick in found in the river, and believed to have been used in the attacked on the gay men, one of whom died. However, fingerprints are found on it. Mark McKusick's, and he is arrested for the murder of Bryan, the spurned lover who could not live without him.
A sordid story, sad and compelling. I was not overly drawn to either of the detectives. Will Grayson has a stormy not very warm relationship with his wife, and children, who are very young. Helen has her own demons, with a former lover, Andrew appearing infrequently, and her sleeping with him, though he doesn't stay. AS she is recovering from the attack and in the hospital, he again appears with flowers. She begs Will to tell him to go away. As the book ends she seems to have fully shut him out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2025
Der Filmhistoriker Stephen Bryan wird ermordet aufgefunden. Sein Gesicht ist bis zur Unkenntlichkeit entstellt. Der erste Verdächtige ist sein ehemaliger Lebensgefährte. Der hat für Bryan alles aufgegeben, um dann abgeschoben zu werden. Somit hat er ein allzu gutes Motiv.
Doch dann tut sich eine neue Spur auf. Bryan war vor seinem Tod dabei, die Biografie der Schauspielerin Stella Leonard zu schreiben. Der Filmstar aus den 50er Jahren kam bei einem Autounfall ums Leben, dessen Umstände nie ganz geklärt wurden. Stephens Schwester Lesley glaubt, dass die Nachforschungen für das Buch der wirkliche Grund für den Rod ihres Bruders sind. Die Reporterin beginnt, auf eigene Faust zu ermitteln und bringt sich damit selbst in Gefahr.
Detective Inspector Will Grayson und Detective Sergeant Helen Walker sind ein eingespieltes Team. Zu gut eingespielt für den Geschmack von Wills Frau Lorraine. Während ihr Mann Verbrechen aufklärt, verbringt sie ihre Zeit zuhause mit zwei kleinen Kindern. Viel Abwechslung hat sie nicht, denn die junge Familie ist erst vor kurzem aufs Land gezogen. Lorraine möchte gerne in den Beruf zurück, aber Will kann sich mit dem Gedanken nicht anfreunden. So wenig, wie er daheim aufhören kann, an die Arbeit zu denken, so wenig kann er aufhören, bei der Arbeit an seine privaten Probleme zu denken.
Trotzdem ist Will ein guter Ermittler. Er betrachtet seine Fälle aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln und verfolgt auch Spuren, die unwichtig erscheinen. Das macht dieses Ermittlerduo aus. Sie bringen Dinge an den Tag, die nicht unbedingt zur Aufklärung des Falls beitragen, die aber trotzdem interessant und das Bild abrunden.
Ein ruhig geschriebener Krimi, der ohne große Effekte auskommt. Manche mögen das langweilig finden, mir hat es gut gefallen.
Doch dann tut sich eine neue Spur auf. Bryan war vor seinem Tod dabei, die Biografie der Schauspielerin Stella Leonard zu schreiben. Der Filmstar aus den 50er Jahren kam bei einem Autounfall ums Leben, dessen Umstände nie ganz geklärt wurden. Stephens Schwester Lesley glaubt, dass die Nachforschungen für das Buch der wirkliche Grund für den Rod ihres Bruders sind. Die Reporterin beginnt, auf eigene Faust zu ermitteln und bringt sich damit selbst in Gefahr.
Detective Inspector Will Grayson und Detective Sergeant Helen Walker sind ein eingespieltes Team. Zu gut eingespielt für den Geschmack von Wills Frau Lorraine. Während ihr Mann Verbrechen aufklärt, verbringt sie ihre Zeit zuhause mit zwei kleinen Kindern. Viel Abwechslung hat sie nicht, denn die junge Familie ist erst vor kurzem aufs Land gezogen. Lorraine möchte gerne in den Beruf zurück, aber Will kann sich mit dem Gedanken nicht anfreunden. So wenig, wie er daheim aufhören kann, an die Arbeit zu denken, so wenig kann er aufhören, bei der Arbeit an seine privaten Probleme zu denken.
Trotzdem ist Will ein guter Ermittler. Er betrachtet seine Fälle aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln und verfolgt auch Spuren, die unwichtig erscheinen. Das macht dieses Ermittlerduo aus. Sie bringen Dinge an den Tag, die nicht unbedingt zur Aufklärung des Falls beitragen, die aber trotzdem interessant und das Bild abrunden.
Ein ruhig geschriebener Krimi, der ohne große Effekte auskommt. Manche mögen das langweilig finden, mir hat es gut gefallen.
January 19, 2023
Very good writing and even better character plotlines. It had good development throughout the book and it displayed each and every character within their own bubbles excellently.
The author managed to portray the various personal qualms with the way the case was being handled along each step of the way. From journalists to victims and their families, each person's opinion and feelings regarding the case and the surrounding stories were made evident.
Harvey was extremely good at setting the scene of the crime and the area in which it happened. Each look into the world of Will Grayson and Lesley Scarman made the case at hand even more interesting and added an air of mystique around the life of the deceased, Stephen Bryan, and why so little is known about him. In addition to the incredible murder mystery on the forefront, Harvey managed to intertwine another tragic love story that tied together two parts of the story beautifully.
In an effort to keep this review spoiler-free, the most I'll say about the binary storyline is that it brought two eras of earth together to create a seamless fusion of narratives.
The author managed to portray the various personal qualms with the way the case was being handled along each step of the way. From journalists to victims and their families, each person's opinion and feelings regarding the case and the surrounding stories were made evident.
Harvey was extremely good at setting the scene of the crime and the area in which it happened. Each look into the world of Will Grayson and Lesley Scarman made the case at hand even more interesting and added an air of mystique around the life of the deceased, Stephen Bryan, and why so little is known about him. In addition to the incredible murder mystery on the forefront, Harvey managed to intertwine another tragic love story that tied together two parts of the story beautifully.
In an effort to keep this review spoiler-free, the most I'll say about the binary storyline is that it brought two eras of earth together to create a seamless fusion of narratives.
March 21, 2021
Felt like it moved very slowly for me. Lots of extraneous stuff that just didn't add to the story. Didn't care for the sections where they added in the movie scenes. Read it as a kindle version and it needed some editing because every time there was a word that should have started with a capital "C" it was a "G" instead which interrupted the flow of reading and was annoying.
The basic story was ok, a gay man is murdered and the two detectives look for the killer and at first only have one real suspect, the man's former lover. It then branches off looking at the fact he was writing a book about a former film star so that woman's family is looked at. A side story involves some youths beating up people and one of the detectives is seriously injured. The gay man's sister gets involved and starts to investigate the film star's family. The ending was ok but still left a question or two about some minor things.
Felt like the story kept going off in tangents and I just wasn't all that impressed.
The basic story was ok, a gay man is murdered and the two detectives look for the killer and at first only have one real suspect, the man's former lover. It then branches off looking at the fact he was writing a book about a former film star so that woman's family is looked at. A side story involves some youths beating up people and one of the detectives is seriously injured. The gay man's sister gets involved and starts to investigate the film star's family. The ending was ok but still left a question or two about some minor things.
Felt like the story kept going off in tangents and I just wasn't all that impressed.
June 6, 2017
Maybe just too many different stories going on here. Might have worked better if they tied in somehow with the main murder. Still, not a bad storyline.
"When police detective Will Grayson and his partner, Helen Walker, investigate the violent death of Stephen Bryan, a gay academic, their first thoughts are of an ill-judged sexual encounter or a fatal lovers’ quarrel: The man’s face was like a glove that had been pulled inside out. But they soon shift focus to the book Bryan was writing about the life and mysterious death of fifties film star Stella Leonard. While Bryan’s sister puts herself in danger by conducting her own investigation, Grayson and Walker peel away the secrets of a family blighted by a lust for wealth and power and by its perverted sexuality."
"When police detective Will Grayson and his partner, Helen Walker, investigate the violent death of Stephen Bryan, a gay academic, their first thoughts are of an ill-judged sexual encounter or a fatal lovers’ quarrel: The man’s face was like a glove that had been pulled inside out. But they soon shift focus to the book Bryan was writing about the life and mysterious death of fifties film star Stella Leonard. While Bryan’s sister puts herself in danger by conducting her own investigation, Grayson and Walker peel away the secrets of a family blighted by a lust for wealth and power and by its perverted sexuality."
February 10, 2020
Enjoyed listening to this Audio book. Usual night time occupation. Lots of side stories and red herrings. Homophobic attack with Helen Walker getting stabbed. Victim researching biography of Stella Leonard, star of Shattered Glass. gets warned off by the family - solicitor's letter. Lesley (victim's sister) a radio journalist becomes friends with actress about to play lead roles in remake of Shattered Glass, the niece of original star. Allows her to start investigating into the biography too. Lots about Will's family and should his wife go back to work after birth of second child or not. Helen's ex boyfriend included in the story too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2019
This was the audible version. I chose the book because of the narrator who is really good at the dialogue and accents but I find his way of speaking the narrative to be a little odd. It’s hard to explain but it’s almost like a documentary/Attenborough mixture of cadence and stress. Anyway, the plot is pretty mundane, the ending 100% predictable, the secondary story also guessable. I am not sure whether I would have finished a hard copy version of this book. Unable to recommend to the normal crew despite the rating.
July 8, 2025
Always enjoy John Harvey's writing style. Story flows along. Underlying this story is the prejudice against the "gay" community. A murder in Cambridge spreads to involve the Nottingham police as well. Will and Helen find their case growing to involve not only murder but gang violence, corruption , fraud and historic child abuse. Not forgetting Helen being stabbed and put on life support in hospital..
October 5, 2022
Sharp characters, deft interweaving of parallel stories, and superb writing make this an excellent police procedural/whodunit. Grayson and Walker are a winning team. Only disappointment to me was the resolution; I was expecting more of a connection between the two main plot lines, and the confession of the murderer seemed contrived.
April 20, 2023
Clearance pile book and should have left it there. Gave up after reading half and nothing happened except harassing a suspect. Characters are good and its well-written. I just lost patience. This won a big award but it wasn't foe being a page-turner. Could be cut by 100 pages. Read my firefighter crime novels--they move along.
November 28, 2018
This is my first book by this author and it won’t be my last! Very well written murder mystery with two detectives, Will Grayson and Helen Walker, who will stay in my mind for a long time.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
August 22, 2020
Wish I had all of John Harvey's crime fiction, but alas, I've only got a couple. I love this one - Resnick takes a back seat and it's all about Will and Helen, and their relationships and the relationships between their victims and suspects. Brutal in some respects, but honest too. Great writing.
December 28, 2020
I should know better than to believe a comment like ‘From the master of British Crime Writing’. The book had 2 mysteries, both of which you had to read to the end to find out what really happened. But pretty ordinary writing, dialogue and characters. Scratch John Harvey as ‘want to read’.
August 6, 2022
Good story, well-written with lots of misdirection. Always loved the Resnick novels so thought I'd try a different series by the same author, the characters aren't quite as compelling, but still well-rounded and interesting. They may develop well. Will read more.
October 24, 2023
Abandon après une nouvelle remarque raciste. Entre le sexisme, l'homophobie et la grossophobie et le plot inexistant au bout de la moitié du livre il n'y a vraiment rien à sauver dans cette histoire...
January 1, 2025
Honestly I did not expect the ending, and it was pretty cool, so worth the read. I will say I think there was a fair bit of unnecessary filler and some of the wording was tough to get into because it was VERY British, but overall, a decent read.
January 10, 2019
Ici, on traque. Oui. Mais on traque les ombres de la longueur et de l'ennui ! Point d'autre !
March 9, 2018
I like John Harvey's detective stories, I'd like them even more with fewer F... words in them.
June 23, 2018
Pedestrian.
December 28, 2018
The pace doesn't exactly fly. But it moves enough to keep things interesting.
July 12, 2019
John Harvey's books are always good quality entertainment.
September 1, 2019
Good, my first Harvey
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews