What do you think?
Rate this book
DI Hillary Greene #19
Murder Now and Then
Former Detective Hillary Greene and her cold case team are taking a fresh look at the unsolved murder of Michael Beck, found bludgeoned over the head and dead in a river near his home in 2012.
Just twenty-two at the time, he’d recently finished a history degree and had his whole life ahead of him. Everyone said he was a pleasant sort of lad with a passion for the past, quietly living with his parents until he could afford a place of his own. But it quickly turned out that there were at least two people who might have wanted him dead.
The first, his recently-jilted girlfriend Mia de Salle, hadn’t taken the break-up well. The second, his former tutor Dr Timothy Durning, had been accused of sexual harassment by Michael. But the original team could find no forensic evidence linking either of their prime suspects to the crime, nor witnesses placing them in the area when Michael was killed.
Hillary, however, is determined to find fresh leads. But while she and her team get to work, in the city of Oxford two men from the city’s criminal underbelly have been viciously murdered in the last six months.
Are the recent murders and her own cold case linked? More than a decade later, has the same killer struck again? And if so, what’s the connection between the mild-mannered young man and the underworld criminals.
It’s up to Hillary to stop a killer getting away with murder — both now and then.
Just twenty-two at the time, he’d recently finished a history degree and had his whole life ahead of him. Everyone said he was a pleasant sort of lad with a passion for the past, quietly living with his parents until he could afford a place of his own. But it quickly turned out that there were at least two people who might have wanted him dead.
The first, his recently-jilted girlfriend Mia de Salle, hadn’t taken the break-up well. The second, his former tutor Dr Timothy Durning, had been accused of sexual harassment by Michael. But the original team could find no forensic evidence linking either of their prime suspects to the crime, nor witnesses placing them in the area when Michael was killed.
Hillary, however, is determined to find fresh leads. But while she and her team get to work, in the city of Oxford two men from the city’s criminal underbelly have been viciously murdered in the last six months.
Are the recent murders and her own cold case linked? More than a decade later, has the same killer struck again? And if so, what’s the connection between the mild-mannered young man and the underworld criminals.
It’s up to Hillary to stop a killer getting away with murder — both now and then.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2021
2007 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Faith Martin
99 books981 followersFaith Martin is a pen name of English author Jacquie Walton, who is best known for her popular detective series, starring Detective Inspector Hillary Greene.
As Joyce Cato, she writes more classically-inspired 'cosy' murder mysteries, such as the Monica Noble mystery series.
As Maxine Barry, her latest romance novels are now available from Corazon Books.
As Jessie Daniels, her 'spooky' crime novel, The Lavender Lady Casefile came out in November 2017.
As Joyce Cato, she writes more classically-inspired 'cosy' murder mysteries, such as the Monica Noble mystery series.
As Maxine Barry, her latest romance novels are now available from Corazon Books.
As Jessie Daniels, her 'spooky' crime novel, The Lavender Lady Casefile came out in November 2017.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
September 29, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this arc.
This is the 19th Hillary Greene book. While not strictly necessary to read them all, I do recommend it as this is a more character driven series than some. There's still a plot and some action. As a police procedural, it's a slower pace than most. Hillary is still with the cold case review team and has been assigned a 10 year old unsolved murder to look into. This read starts off at a fairly slow pace and picks up steam as it progresses. There are the usual plodding along and unexpected "twists" that seem to be present in all of the Hillary Greene stories. Hillary seemed a little "flatter" than I was used to, but then she's still recovering and grieving Stephen's death from the 17th book.
4.5 stars
This is the 19th Hillary Greene book. While not strictly necessary to read them all, I do recommend it as this is a more character driven series than some. There's still a plot and some action. As a police procedural, it's a slower pace than most. Hillary is still with the cold case review team and has been assigned a 10 year old unsolved murder to look into. This read starts off at a fairly slow pace and picks up steam as it progresses. There are the usual plodding along and unexpected "twists" that seem to be present in all of the Hillary Greene stories. Hillary seemed a little "flatter" than I was used to, but then she's still recovering and grieving Stephen's death from the 17th book.
4.5 stars
September 21, 2021
Murder Now and Then is the nineteenth instalment in the Detective Inspector Hillary Greene series. DI Greene has now retired from her former position with Thames Valley Police and now works as a civilian cold-case consultant at their HQ in Kidlington as her expertise and solve rate is deemed too exceptional for her to be let go completely. Luckily, this means it's still only a short commute in her trusty Volkswagen, aka Puff the Tragic Wagon, from her narrowboat home, known as the Mollern, close to the village of Thrupp. As the head of the intrepid Crime Review Team (CRT), she works alongside former police sergeant Claire Woolley and ex-soldier Gareth Proctor. They are requested to review the ten-year-old cold case of 22-year-old Ancient History graduate Michael Beck, who went out on his bike one September morning in 2011 and never returned. His body was discovered that evening in the water meadow near Islip not far from where he lived in the village of Woodeaton which was only a few miles down the road. He had been found by a dog walker; upon examination, it was determined he had been hit over the head once with something oddly shaped, vaguely rounded and likely metallic, and the force of the single blow had been enough to crack open his skull. Although the original senior investigating officer on the case, DI Weston, went over the evidence thoroughly, the team could never pinpoint which of two potential suspects carried out the act.
The first suspect they identified was Michael's ex-girlfriend, 25-year-old PhD student Dr Mia de Salle, with whom he split after a year-long relationship, and this is when she began stalking him. The second was Dr Timothy Durning, a tutor at Bristol University, who Michael had made an allegation of sexual harassment against. The CRT head out to interview the two original suspects, Michael's parents and his best friend, Kevin Philpott as a starting point. This culminates in Hillary strongly believing that the killing has nothing to do with any of them which drives her to look for fresh evidence to hopefully help solve the case. When she finds that 6 months ago there were two murders in which the victims were both tasered before being hit over the head with unidentified, bizarrely shaped objects, it's clear the blunt force injuries were caused by the same weapon that struck Michael. Can they get to the bottom of who the perpetrator is before another person is slaughtered? This is a captivating, exciting and compulsively readable procedural that I found incredibly difficult to put down. The complex, multilayered investigation holds your interest from start to finish, and there is ample use of devious twists, about-face turns and dizzying misdirection to keep you steamrolling through the pages. Hillary is a capable, intelligent and quirky character who comes alive on the page. A superbly plotted, fast-paced and engrossing mystery that is thoroughly entertaining. Highly recommended.
The first suspect they identified was Michael's ex-girlfriend, 25-year-old PhD student Dr Mia de Salle, with whom he split after a year-long relationship, and this is when she began stalking him. The second was Dr Timothy Durning, a tutor at Bristol University, who Michael had made an allegation of sexual harassment against. The CRT head out to interview the two original suspects, Michael's parents and his best friend, Kevin Philpott as a starting point. This culminates in Hillary strongly believing that the killing has nothing to do with any of them which drives her to look for fresh evidence to hopefully help solve the case. When she finds that 6 months ago there were two murders in which the victims were both tasered before being hit over the head with unidentified, bizarrely shaped objects, it's clear the blunt force injuries were caused by the same weapon that struck Michael. Can they get to the bottom of who the perpetrator is before another person is slaughtered? This is a captivating, exciting and compulsively readable procedural that I found incredibly difficult to put down. The complex, multilayered investigation holds your interest from start to finish, and there is ample use of devious twists, about-face turns and dizzying misdirection to keep you steamrolling through the pages. Hillary is a capable, intelligent and quirky character who comes alive on the page. A superbly plotted, fast-paced and engrossing mystery that is thoroughly entertaining. Highly recommended.
September 11, 2021
This is the nineteenth DI Hillary Martin novel; I have read and enjoyed two others. Hillary lives on a narrowboat and drives a car she has tagged “Puff the Tragic Wagon”; that gives you a little insight into her character. I like Hillary although her presence didn’t seem as strong in this novel as in the others I read.
Still, it was a decent, absorbing police procedural, albeit Martin’s team, charged with investigating cold cases, is a little unconventional.
Note: I do not usually provide a synopsis of a book in my reviews; you can read that on Goodreads or Amazon. You can read my other reviews at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.
Still, it was a decent, absorbing police procedural, albeit Martin’s team, charged with investigating cold cases, is a little unconventional.
Note: I do not usually provide a synopsis of a book in my reviews; you can read that on Goodreads or Amazon. You can read my other reviews at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.
November 11, 2021
I would like to thank NetGalley & Joffe Books for my ARC of Murder Now And Then in exchange for an honest review.
Book 19? In the Hilliary Greene Series, no longer a DI. Now working cold cases as a civilian. It has the usual format we have come to expect and love a simple crime but a detailed investigation. Another quick and easy book to read. That is well written and hooks you in from the start.
Already looking forward to the next installment
Book 19? In the Hilliary Greene Series, no longer a DI. Now working cold cases as a civilian. It has the usual format we have come to expect and love a simple crime but a detailed investigation. Another quick and easy book to read. That is well written and hooks you in from the start.
Already looking forward to the next installment
September 11, 2021
DI Hillary Greene #19
Former Detective Hillary Greene and her cold case team are taking a fresh look at the unsolved murder of Michael Beck, found bludgeoned over the head and dead in a river near his home in 2012. Just twenty two at the time, he'd recently finished a history degree and had his whole life ahead of him. Still living with his parents until he could afford a place of his own. But there were at least two people who might have wanted him dead: his recently-jilted girlfriend Mia de Salle and his former tutor Dr Timothy Durning, had been accused of sexual harassment by Michael.
This is a quick and easy book to read. Former police detective Hillary Greene is now working on cold cases as a civilian consultant. Hillary is like a dog with a bone, once she gets her teeth into a case, she doesn't let go again until it's resolved. This is a well written story that had me hooked from the first few pages. It was good to see Hillary back and I hope we get another cold case for her to solve soon.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #FaithMartin for my ARC of #MurderNowAndThen in exchange for an honest review.
Former Detective Hillary Greene and her cold case team are taking a fresh look at the unsolved murder of Michael Beck, found bludgeoned over the head and dead in a river near his home in 2012. Just twenty two at the time, he'd recently finished a history degree and had his whole life ahead of him. Still living with his parents until he could afford a place of his own. But there were at least two people who might have wanted him dead: his recently-jilted girlfriend Mia de Salle and his former tutor Dr Timothy Durning, had been accused of sexual harassment by Michael.
This is a quick and easy book to read. Former police detective Hillary Greene is now working on cold cases as a civilian consultant. Hillary is like a dog with a bone, once she gets her teeth into a case, she doesn't let go again until it's resolved. This is a well written story that had me hooked from the first few pages. It was good to see Hillary back and I hope we get another cold case for her to solve soon.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #FaithMartin for my ARC of #MurderNowAndThen in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2021
Disappointing.
The murderer was easy to guess and the storyline was 'meh'.
The standard of writing and plot development has dropped to such a degree in this series that I'm actually wondering if another author has taken over writing under this pen name and extending the series???
The murderer was easy to guess and the storyline was 'meh'.
The standard of writing and plot development has dropped to such a degree in this series that I'm actually wondering if another author has taken over writing under this pen name and extending the series???
September 23, 2021
Former Di Hilary Greene is now a civilian consultant of cold cases. With only a team of two, she has taken on a cold case that is 10 years unsolved.
Michael Beck was a young man, found bludgeoned over the head and dead in a nearby river. The case was investigated, but there were no clues, no DNA, no witnesses, and no motive.
As the team begins their own investigation, they start at the beginning talking to Michael's family, friends, ex-girlfriend, professors. They did find at least two people who might have wanted him dead. One was an ex-girlfriend, who didn't take their break up well and began stalking the victim. The other was a professor who was accused of harassment. No evidence was found to link either of these to the murder.
The story bounces back and forth between the present and of events 6 months ago. Two men, criminals, have been viciously murdered.
What could possibly link these cases together? Is it even the same killer?
This police procedural is full of action with a few twists and turns here and there. Hilary seems more subdued in this tale, but I enjoyed seeing Gareth and Claire and how far they have come. I really enjoy seeing at how seamlessly blended are the personal and the professional lives.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe / Books n All Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Michael Beck was a young man, found bludgeoned over the head and dead in a nearby river. The case was investigated, but there were no clues, no DNA, no witnesses, and no motive.
As the team begins their own investigation, they start at the beginning talking to Michael's family, friends, ex-girlfriend, professors. They did find at least two people who might have wanted him dead. One was an ex-girlfriend, who didn't take their break up well and began stalking the victim. The other was a professor who was accused of harassment. No evidence was found to link either of these to the murder.
The story bounces back and forth between the present and of events 6 months ago. Two men, criminals, have been viciously murdered.
What could possibly link these cases together? Is it even the same killer?
This police procedural is full of action with a few twists and turns here and there. Hilary seems more subdued in this tale, but I enjoyed seeing Gareth and Claire and how far they have come. I really enjoy seeing at how seamlessly blended are the personal and the professional lives.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe / Books n All Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
January 26, 2022
I have read 12 of the 19 books in the DI Hillary Greene series, so I see I will have to correct that and go back and pick up those I missed. The plotting is always good and there are always interesting challenges for Hillary, now a civilian cold case consultant and not a DI.
The Oxford setting, the manner in which Hillary processes information and is willing to take risks keeps the reader engaged. This is another good one, and I hope to pick up those I have missed reading along the way.
Kindle Unlimited
The Oxford setting, the manner in which Hillary processes information and is willing to take risks keeps the reader engaged. This is another good one, and I hope to pick up those I have missed reading along the way.
Kindle Unlimited
April 30, 2022
Love these Stories
Hillary Green is back and I was So Happy to Get Book No. 19 in this magnificent series. This one does not Dissapoint.. No Superheroes. Just ordinary People with real lives. A really good Story and I am looking forward to Book 20
Hillary Green is back and I was So Happy to Get Book No. 19 in this magnificent series. This one does not Dissapoint.. No Superheroes. Just ordinary People with real lives. A really good Story and I am looking forward to Book 20
April 15, 2022
I've loved and re-read most of the previous novels in this series but sadly have found her latest Hillary Greene to be slow paced and too wordy. As someone else has reviewed, it's almost like another author has taken over. "Faith Martin" is trying out a different writing formula of jumping backwards and forwards in time and it didn't flow for me. There is little of the old snappy dialogue and far too many and too lengthy internal conversations of the "what if" and "shall I or shan't I" variety that I eventually started skipping pages.
Time also to get a new car? Puff the Tragic Wagon has now become Enuff the Boring Pun. This is not a children's book and what was originally a clever spin on words is now a dreary non-joke.
And while I'm bashing away, please give Hillary A LIFE! Some friends, a potential man friend? a family....
If this is your first Hillary Greene, don't be put off. Start at the beginning of the series when the books were really well written and Hillary had a life.
Time also to get a new car? Puff the Tragic Wagon has now become Enuff the Boring Pun. This is not a children's book and what was originally a clever spin on words is now a dreary non-joke.
And while I'm bashing away, please give Hillary A LIFE! Some friends, a potential man friend? a family....
If this is your first Hillary Greene, don't be put off. Start at the beginning of the series when the books were really well written and Hillary had a life.
August 22, 2023
Series should have ended at Hillary's last case
Series has been disappointing since the author killed off Crayle. We get no clue as to her state of mind or feelings in books 18 and 19. Clearly the author is tired of this character and wanted to end the series but her publisher probably wouldn't let her. This book is poorly edited and the same old phrases keep reappearing over and over. I identified the murderer by chapter 4. Too bad, Hillary doesn't deserve this.
Series has been disappointing since the author killed off Crayle. We get no clue as to her state of mind or feelings in books 18 and 19. Clearly the author is tired of this character and wanted to end the series but her publisher probably wouldn't let her. This book is poorly edited and the same old phrases keep reappearing over and over. I identified the murderer by chapter 4. Too bad, Hillary doesn't deserve this.
September 22, 2021
Former Detective Hillary Greene and her cold case team are taking a fresh look at the unsolved murder of Michael Beck a twenty two year old graduate, found bludgeoned over the head and dead in a river near his home a decade ago. There were two suspects, his recently-jilted girlfriend Mia de Salle who hadn’t taken the break-up well. Then the second, his former tutor Dr Timothy Durning, who had been accused of sexual harassment by Michael. There was no evidence linking them to the case. Hillary, however, is determined to find fresh leads. But while she and her team get to work, in the city of Oxford two men from the city’s criminal underbelly have been viciously murdered in the last six months. Are the recent murders linked & if so how?
This is the nineteenth outing for Hillary & another well written entertaining read. It wasn't my favourite of the series but it did keep me engrossed all the way through, there were twists & turns but all the clues were there I just had difficulty putting them all together! I love Hillary who is just Hillary quirks & all but I felt her character was a bit flat in this book but she still solved the case
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is the nineteenth outing for Hillary & another well written entertaining read. It wasn't my favourite of the series but it did keep me engrossed all the way through, there were twists & turns but all the clues were there I just had difficulty putting them all together! I love Hillary who is just Hillary quirks & all but I felt her character was a bit flat in this book but she still solved the case
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
September 9, 2021
This is the 19th in the Detective Hillary Greene series, but I read it as a standalone without any confusion!
Former DI Hillary Greene now heads up a police cold case team as a civilian consultant, along with two other civilians, Claire and Gareth. The team is working on an unsolved murder from ten years ago; the body of Michael Beck, a 22-year-old graduate, was found in the river.
Two shady characters have been murdered in the last six months, and it’s starting to look as though there could be a connection to the cold case.
I became hooked in the first few pages and had difficulty putting it down. I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading more from the Hillary Greene series, as well as other books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
Former DI Hillary Greene now heads up a police cold case team as a civilian consultant, along with two other civilians, Claire and Gareth. The team is working on an unsolved murder from ten years ago; the body of Michael Beck, a 22-year-old graduate, was found in the river.
Two shady characters have been murdered in the last six months, and it’s starting to look as though there could be a connection to the cold case.
I became hooked in the first few pages and had difficulty putting it down. I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading more from the Hillary Greene series, as well as other books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
September 28, 2021
This book has two seemingly unconnected murder investigations, one involves Hilary’s cold case team investigating the ten year old murder of a history student, but this alternates with a current case involving the killing of a couple of local criminals. To begin with I wasn’t sure about the two separate stories, but I found it quite interesting trying to workout how the two could be connected.
There is also a third story involving a member of the cold case team, that just seems to have been added to provide a bit of extra drama.
It was just past halfway when the connection between the two cases and the perpetrator becomes clear, then it becomes a waiting game to see when Hilary also pulls it altogether. As it happens we don’t have to wait very long as the same snippet of information also triggers her solving the case.
If possible I would have given 3.5 stars. I nearly made this up to four, but I thought the ending was a bit messy, especially as Hilary was basically excluded from wrapping up her case.
There is also a third story involving a member of the cold case team, that just seems to have been added to provide a bit of extra drama.
It was just past halfway when the connection between the two cases and the perpetrator becomes clear, then it becomes a waiting game to see when Hilary also pulls it altogether. As it happens we don’t have to wait very long as the same snippet of information also triggers her solving the case.
If possible I would have given 3.5 stars. I nearly made this up to four, but I thought the ending was a bit messy, especially as Hilary was basically excluded from wrapping up her case.
September 8, 2024
Hillary and her cold case team are assigned to investigate an unsolved murder from 10 years ago. An Oxford student of history, by all accounts a very nice man, was found dead with no clues as to why he was targeted. Hillary finds a detail that was not uncovered when the case was initially investigated, and also helps a member of her team with some personal problems.
October 7, 2021
Another good read from Faith Martin. Excellent series well worth reading.
January 7, 2023
Final book in the series was satisfying. The h had a number of things to resolve and once again I liked her practical approach and how she didn't get her own way all the time. Great series, a little outdated but a great read.
June 7, 2025
Always enjoy the Hillary Green stories, she is one of the good cops!!!!
September 4, 2021
Hilary is back, with a team of two that complement and work with her solving cold cases. A young man of twenty two was killed and pushed into the river. They had the details, now looking for new comments. A girlfriend older then him, began stalking when he broke it off. A tutor who he though highly of, till he seen another side. A business that was not really a business, and more murders, having first been tasered Hilary is determined
to find the link and bring closer.
She is back and one is glad to have another cold case to figure out.
Given ARC by Joffe for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
to find the link and bring closer.
She is back and one is glad to have another cold case to figure out.
Given ARC by Joffe for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
July 15, 2022
A very good story
This one made up for the previous going one. I've liked nearly all of Hillary's cases. This one was very good. Mia was really a nut! This one built to an exciting climax.
This one made up for the previous going one. I've liked nearly all of Hillary's cases. This one was very good. Mia was really a nut! This one built to an exciting climax.
September 3, 2021
Another cold case for former D.I. Hillary Greene and her team. Ten years ago 22 year old, Michae Beck was found dead in a river near his home. A recent history graduate, a quiet young man. But their are two possible suspects. But six months ago there were two murders, killed the same way. Is it the same murderer.
Another entertaining, well-plotted and well-written crime story, with its likeable and interesting main characters. A good addition to this lovely series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Another entertaining, well-plotted and well-written crime story, with its likeable and interesting main characters. A good addition to this lovely series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 8, 2023
2.5 Since I have already read #20 Murder in the Parish, I have completed the Hilary Greene series, at least to date. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Greene, but think the series got weaker with the last three books.
February 6, 2023
Excellent, but not my favorite.
This is only one of two books of the 19 I’ve read in the series that I was positive I knew who the killer was fairly early on. In this case at 60% according to the kindle status.
If you haven’t read all of the preceding books yet, stop here because there are some spoilers for earlier books. I was upset when Mel died, but I understand the larger story and where Hillary was heading. On the other hand, I may never forgive the author for killing off Steven. I think Hillary deserves more joy and there’s nothing in the books since that should have required his death.
This is only one of two books of the 19 I’ve read in the series that I was positive I knew who the killer was fairly early on. In this case at 60% according to the kindle status.
If you haven’t read all of the preceding books yet, stop here because there are some spoilers for earlier books. I was upset when Mel died, but I understand the larger story and where Hillary was heading. On the other hand, I may never forgive the author for killing off Steven. I think Hillary deserves more joy and there’s nothing in the books since that should have required his death.
September 21, 2021
I have given the book 4* however overall 3.75* from me. I have read and loved all of this series and this one is good too however I felt that it was a bit slow in the first half and so it took me longer to read than normal. The main character Hillary Greene, is herself, showing signs of age and that may be why the initial chapters didn't 'grab' me as they used to. It is still and enjoyable read and a good addition to the series as the story does ramp up in the second half.
Thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC to review.
Thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC to review.
February 9, 2022
Easy read. Enjoyed it
I've read all the Hillary green series and enjoyed this one too. Perhaps the main murder case wasn't as gripping or involved as some but the sub plots were more enjoyable. Still worth a read. I really want to go 3.5 stars if it would let me.
I've read all the Hillary green series and enjoyed this one too. Perhaps the main murder case wasn't as gripping or involved as some but the sub plots were more enjoyable. Still worth a read. I really want to go 3.5 stars if it would let me.
September 26, 2021
I have been a fan of Faith’s work for a few years now. I have read and enjoyed reading every book that she has written today. I have to say that my favourite series has to be the series that features Hilary Greene. ‘Murder Now & Then’ is the nineteenth book in the Hilary Greene series and what a fabulous addition to the series it is. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Murder Now & Then’ but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Hilary Greene? She is a middle aged lady, who recently retired from the police force. She hasn’t stayed idle though because she works for the same police force but as a civilian investigator on the cold case team. Hilary hasn’t exactly had it easy of late and she is still grieving the loss of her partner. Hilary is in charge of a small team and by small, I mean small. Hilary oversees two other members of the team. One is a former police officer and the other is an army veteran. Each individual brings their own particular strength to the table and together they make a formidable team. Hilary wouldn’t ask anybody to do anything that she wouldn’t be willing to do herself. If anything, Hilary takes on the more difficult tasks herself.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into this story. In fact, the title of the book was enough to grab my attention and the fact that it was the next instalment of the Hilary Greene series was the icing on the cake. When I started reading ‘Murder Now & Then’, I knew that I wouldn’t be doing anything else other than reading for the rest of the afternoon and that I wouldn’t be able to put the book down. I was spot on too on both counts. The story isn’t particularly long and so I was able to read it in one long reading binge. I found ‘Murder Now & Then’ to be the true definition of an unputdownable, page turner of a read. I found it to be a gripping read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘Murder Now & Then’ is extremely well written but to be fair I think that to be true of all of Faith’s books. She certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and then reels the reader in. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Murder Now & Then’ felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Faith’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Murder Now & Then’ and I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Faith’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
What can I say about Hilary Greene? She is a middle aged lady, who recently retired from the police force. She hasn’t stayed idle though because she works for the same police force but as a civilian investigator on the cold case team. Hilary hasn’t exactly had it easy of late and she is still grieving the loss of her partner. Hilary is in charge of a small team and by small, I mean small. Hilary oversees two other members of the team. One is a former police officer and the other is an army veteran. Each individual brings their own particular strength to the table and together they make a formidable team. Hilary wouldn’t ask anybody to do anything that she wouldn’t be willing to do herself. If anything, Hilary takes on the more difficult tasks herself.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into this story. In fact, the title of the book was enough to grab my attention and the fact that it was the next instalment of the Hilary Greene series was the icing on the cake. When I started reading ‘Murder Now & Then’, I knew that I wouldn’t be doing anything else other than reading for the rest of the afternoon and that I wouldn’t be able to put the book down. I was spot on too on both counts. The story isn’t particularly long and so I was able to read it in one long reading binge. I found ‘Murder Now & Then’ to be the true definition of an unputdownable, page turner of a read. I found it to be a gripping read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘Murder Now & Then’ is extremely well written but to be fair I think that to be true of all of Faith’s books. She certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and then reels the reader in. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Murder Now & Then’ felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Faith’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Murder Now & Then’ and I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Faith’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
April 25, 2025
I was so excited when I saw there were new Hillary Greene books. Back in my KU addicted days, I read the whole series in under three months, I was so obsessed.
It's been a few years since that flurry of activity and I don't know if it's rose-tinged nostalgia glasses but this was so disappointing? She's gone from being a compelling character to a bit of a know-it-all, holier than thou, who always knows the perfect thing to say and mysteriously knows everything, and has infinite resources of experiences/hobbies. In one of the books, she randomly has the power of recognising a rare, random bird from a good distance away, noting how tiny it is... but she is also continuously lamenting her fading eyesight due to age and not being able to see that far and resenting the need for glasses. She alone seems to notice VERY BLATANT or EXTREMELY SUBTLE clues, and the rest of her team remain clueless and trust her blindly, noting that she is an omnipresent deity in the criminal world.
Further, I have found that in three of the four new books, I picked up on the clue that denoted the killer and the reason the second it was dropped, very early on in the book. I'm not sure if that's because I'm a bit of an omnipresent deity myself, or the writing has become quite heavy handed, but unfortunately I think this series or this author is no longer for me. The repeated info-dumping (which always praised Hillary Greene's past, multiple times per book, with each character having to individually realise that she was a quite good looking, ridiculously intelligent, well-respected professional), the repeated jokes about Puff the Crap Wagon, and the random head-hopping, sometimes multiple times on a page, frustrated me enough to pull me out of the story.
I'm sure it didn't help that I read all four of the new books within 3 days, which no doubt compounded the above frustrations.
It's sad, because I really loved this series and was so happy when I saw they were back, and part of me wants to read some of the original series to see if I'm misremembering how good they were... but I truly LOVED Hillary Greene's character originally, and much like my old college boyfriend, we have clearly grown up and apart, and it's time to move on. I would still recommend these books to other, less critical and voracious readers of crime. I'm sure my mother would be awed by the criminal each time, but I personally need something different from my mysteries, moving forward.
It's been a few years since that flurry of activity and I don't know if it's rose-tinged nostalgia glasses but this was so disappointing? She's gone from being a compelling character to a bit of a know-it-all, holier than thou, who always knows the perfect thing to say and mysteriously knows everything, and has infinite resources of experiences/hobbies. In one of the books, she randomly has the power of recognising a rare, random bird from a good distance away, noting how tiny it is... but she is also continuously lamenting her fading eyesight due to age and not being able to see that far and resenting the need for glasses. She alone seems to notice VERY BLATANT or EXTREMELY SUBTLE clues, and the rest of her team remain clueless and trust her blindly, noting that she is an omnipresent deity in the criminal world.
Further, I have found that in three of the four new books, I picked up on the clue that denoted the killer and the reason the second it was dropped, very early on in the book. I'm not sure if that's because I'm a bit of an omnipresent deity myself, or the writing has become quite heavy handed, but unfortunately I think this series or this author is no longer for me. The repeated info-dumping (which always praised Hillary Greene's past, multiple times per book, with each character having to individually realise that she was a quite good looking, ridiculously intelligent, well-respected professional), the repeated jokes about Puff the Crap Wagon, and the random head-hopping, sometimes multiple times on a page, frustrated me enough to pull me out of the story.
I'm sure it didn't help that I read all four of the new books within 3 days, which no doubt compounded the above frustrations.
It's sad, because I really loved this series and was so happy when I saw they were back, and part of me wants to read some of the original series to see if I'm misremembering how good they were... but I truly LOVED Hillary Greene's character originally, and much like my old college boyfriend, we have clearly grown up and apart, and it's time to move on. I would still recommend these books to other, less critical and voracious readers of crime. I'm sure my mother would be awed by the criminal each time, but I personally need something different from my mysteries, moving forward.
September 27, 2021
4.5 Stars
The fabulous Hillary Greene makes a welcome return in Faith Martin’s brilliant new novel, Murder Now and Then.
Hillary and her cold case team are taking a fresh look at the unsolved murder of history graduate, Michael Beck. Having been bludgeoned to death back in 2012, Michael’s murder had been a huge shock for the entire community. Mild-mannered Michael had a passion for the past, was personable and kind-hearted and had no enemies to speak of. Back then, the finger of suspicion had been pointed towards two people: his ex-girlfriend Mia who hadn’t taken their break-up at all well and his tutor Dr Timothy Durning, who had been accused of sexual harassment by Michael. As the police at the time hadn’t managed to link either one of the suspects to Michael’s murder, the case had gone cold leaving his killer still at large. But Hillary and her team are determined to change that and they vow to leave no stone unturned in their quest for justice.
In Oxford, two men with links to the criminal underworld have been viciously murdered and Hillary cannot shake off the feeling that these deaths might have a connection with her own cold case. As Hillary and her team begin looking into the two cases, they begin to wonder whether the murderer has struck again – and whether it’s only a matter of time before another victim is found. Hillary is the only one who can put the murderer behind bars, but with the odds stacked against her, will she manage to solve this case in time? Or will the killer end up getting away with murder again?
Faith Martin strikes gold yet again with Murder Now and Then. A compelling, captivating and immensely enjoyable crime novel, in Murder Now and Then, the fantastic Hillary Greene is on superb form and she once again uses all her skills, talents and humanity to find her killer. As always, Faith Martin’s gift for plotting and characterization is absolutely superb and no sooner had I had started reading Murder Now and Then that I found myself so transfixed that I was still turning the pages of this book in the early hours of the morning.
A first class crime novel from one of the queens of the genres, Faith Martin’s Murder Now and Then delivers on all counts.
The fabulous Hillary Greene makes a welcome return in Faith Martin’s brilliant new novel, Murder Now and Then.
Hillary and her cold case team are taking a fresh look at the unsolved murder of history graduate, Michael Beck. Having been bludgeoned to death back in 2012, Michael’s murder had been a huge shock for the entire community. Mild-mannered Michael had a passion for the past, was personable and kind-hearted and had no enemies to speak of. Back then, the finger of suspicion had been pointed towards two people: his ex-girlfriend Mia who hadn’t taken their break-up at all well and his tutor Dr Timothy Durning, who had been accused of sexual harassment by Michael. As the police at the time hadn’t managed to link either one of the suspects to Michael’s murder, the case had gone cold leaving his killer still at large. But Hillary and her team are determined to change that and they vow to leave no stone unturned in their quest for justice.
In Oxford, two men with links to the criminal underworld have been viciously murdered and Hillary cannot shake off the feeling that these deaths might have a connection with her own cold case. As Hillary and her team begin looking into the two cases, they begin to wonder whether the murderer has struck again – and whether it’s only a matter of time before another victim is found. Hillary is the only one who can put the murderer behind bars, but with the odds stacked against her, will she manage to solve this case in time? Or will the killer end up getting away with murder again?
Faith Martin strikes gold yet again with Murder Now and Then. A compelling, captivating and immensely enjoyable crime novel, in Murder Now and Then, the fantastic Hillary Greene is on superb form and she once again uses all her skills, talents and humanity to find her killer. As always, Faith Martin’s gift for plotting and characterization is absolutely superb and no sooner had I had started reading Murder Now and Then that I found myself so transfixed that I was still turning the pages of this book in the early hours of the morning.
A first class crime novel from one of the queens of the genres, Faith Martin’s Murder Now and Then delivers on all counts.
September 24, 2021
This story is told in two separate timelines, that of the CRT (Crime Review Team) case and that of an investigation six months previously into two very similar murders carried out on the same day. DI Robin Farrell is in charge of the murders, that of a very small time fence and unofficial pawnbroker and also the loan shark who had recently supplied him with funds. Farrell thinks the new crime boss in the area is responsible but has no way of proving it, and eventually the case is put to bed. It still niggles with him though, especially the use of an unusual and unidentified weapon. Hillary's cold case is just as baffling, the murder, also with a strange weapon, of Michael Beck, a young man who had just finished his history degree in Bristol and returned to Oxford to live with his parents while he looked for work. A man seemingly without enemies, except for the ex-girlfriend who won’t accept their relationship is over and the university professor who sexually harassed him and lost his job as a result. There was no evidence against either suspect and the case has been cold for ten years. With boss Supt Rolland Sale still in charge, Hillary and her small team of mother hen Claire Woolley, an ex copper with many years experience in rape and domestic violence cases, and Gareth Proctor, a former soldier invalided out of the army and taking to the job very well, revisit the witnesses and suspects from the time to see if they can find a little thread to pull that will reveal the truth about what happened to Michael all those years ago. There is also one little thing still bothering Hillary about Gareth and the murder of a soldier in Reading. Is she right to be worried about her new member of staff? And what is Jason, Gareth’s former army buddy, up to?
This story sees plenty of action for Hillary and her team, and also a possible crisis of conscience that makes her even more likeable in another great addition to this highly enjoyable series. Recommended for everyone who wants an engrossing story with a good solid plot and great characters. 5*
This story sees plenty of action for Hillary and her team, and also a possible crisis of conscience that makes her even more likeable in another great addition to this highly enjoyable series. Recommended for everyone who wants an engrossing story with a good solid plot and great characters. 5*
September 16, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Murder Now and Then, the nineteenth novel to feature former DI turned cold case civilian investigator Hillary Greene of the Thames Valley police.
Hillary and her team are asked to revisit the 2011 murder of Michael Beck, a young graduate found murdered by a blow to the head with an unidentified blunt object. The original team had two prime suspects, a college tutor he accused of sexual assault and an ex-girlfriend, but Hillary isn’t so sure and starts looking for fresh evidence, which may come in the shape of two recent murders that seem to have been committed by the same weapon.
I enjoyed Murder Now and Then, which has the usual format of a relatively simple crime and a complicated investigation to get at the truth. I didn’t find it as compulsive as some of the previous novels, perhaps because the narrative switches between the present crimes and the killer’s perspective and Hillary’s investigation into the past. Then there is her personnel problem that I’m not going to elaborate on. I find it less than immersive when the point of view keeps changing as it gives me nothing to sink my teeth into and run with.
Still, the plotting is clever. It hinges on a late development and Hillary’s smarts on putting it together. Is there a hint of serendipity or is it intelligent questioning? I don’t know, but it’s a game changer. What I like about this novel, and the series in general, is that the solution isn’t particularly difficult, is credible and the hints are all there, the difficulty lies in interpreting them. It gives the reader plenty of room to speculate.
Hillary is Hillary, smart, competent and a “safe pair of hands”. She cuts a rather solitary figure in this novel and some of her trademark wit is missing, but she can still get the job done.
Murder Now and Then is a good read that I can recommend.
Hillary and her team are asked to revisit the 2011 murder of Michael Beck, a young graduate found murdered by a blow to the head with an unidentified blunt object. The original team had two prime suspects, a college tutor he accused of sexual assault and an ex-girlfriend, but Hillary isn’t so sure and starts looking for fresh evidence, which may come in the shape of two recent murders that seem to have been committed by the same weapon.
I enjoyed Murder Now and Then, which has the usual format of a relatively simple crime and a complicated investigation to get at the truth. I didn’t find it as compulsive as some of the previous novels, perhaps because the narrative switches between the present crimes and the killer’s perspective and Hillary’s investigation into the past. Then there is her personnel problem that I’m not going to elaborate on. I find it less than immersive when the point of view keeps changing as it gives me nothing to sink my teeth into and run with.
Still, the plotting is clever. It hinges on a late development and Hillary’s smarts on putting it together. Is there a hint of serendipity or is it intelligent questioning? I don’t know, but it’s a game changer. What I like about this novel, and the series in general, is that the solution isn’t particularly difficult, is credible and the hints are all there, the difficulty lies in interpreting them. It gives the reader plenty of room to speculate.
Hillary is Hillary, smart, competent and a “safe pair of hands”. She cuts a rather solitary figure in this novel and some of her trademark wit is missing, but she can still get the job done.
Murder Now and Then is a good read that I can recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews