Darkness & Light

Frank Elder #3

by John Harvey

Former cop Frank Elder is once more drawn out of retirement by a phone call from his ex-wife, this time asking him to look into the disappearance of her friend Jennie's older, widowed sister Claire in Nottingham. Elder reluctantly agrees to return to the city where his family disintegrated.

Elder soon uncovers sexual secrets of Claire's that take Jennie by surprise. But when Claire is found dead at home--unmarked and carefully dressed--it is Elder who is surprised by the similarities to an old case. To solve this riddle, Elder will have to repartner with another person from his past, Detective Inspector Maureen Prior, and delve into several suspects' own traumatic histories.

In a case in which neither memories, confessions, nor instincts can be trusted, Elder struggles with the weight of the past and Harvey delivers another psychologically trenchant page-turner.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, British Literature, Mystery Thriller, Detective, Thriller

350 pages, Hardcover

First published April 24, 2006

About the author

aka 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.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried this book based on goodreads reviews of this author. This was my first experience reading a book by John Harvey and will likely try another. I will see if I can follow on with the last Frank Elder book published this year, 2018. Otherwise...maybe a Resnick book.
The prose is deliberate as is the investigative style of the retired DI Elder. There are no bells and whistles, no advanced technology utilized and no neglect of personal details revealing a bit more about personal lives than I would care to know.
Slow and steady as she blows...that is the pace. A plus is a smattering of landscape descriptions, something I do appreciate.
This one spotlights a sexually disturbed man who must murder women after playing out his mother fixation, and Elder follows the evidence in contrast to the police who are quick to jump the wrong way. Even though Elder has retired to Cornwall, his ex-wife calls him to Nottingham to come help a friend with a missing sister. He gets to work with his old partner Prior. And all of this gratis? Yeah. Like that happens. Well...he gets free drinks now and then.
Don't know if if there is any connection to John Legend's lyrics to his song Darkness & Light as I did not see any notation in the e book I read giving Legend recognition.

[Gram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very disturbing read which centres on violence against women. Retired police detective Frank Elder agrees to investigate the disappearance of Claire Meecham, a mild-mannered widow in her 50's.
As he begins his inquiries, Claire is found dead at her home - her fully clothed body laid out almost reverentially on her bed. Claire has been strangled and the manner of her death reminds Frank of an unsolved crime from 8 years ago. He joins up with former colleague Maureen Prior to investigate both cases, with Frank co-opted on the police force as a civilian advisor.
Throughout the story, Elder and Prior question a number of men and women and most of the men have hurt women mentally and physically. Frank is convinced that they're dealing with a seriously disturbed killer.
John Harvey is one of Britain's best crime writers and he is sensitive in his handling of the subject of violence against women. The action is gripping and very creepy in parts. Recommended if you can handle gritty realism in a crime thriller.

[Flo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third in John Harvey's Frank Elder series is a perfect example of a perfect police procedural. The writing is so good I did not want the book to end. His Charlie Resnick series just does not come close as far as the writing goes. Actually I found parts of the Charlie Resnick book series reminding me of soap opera with the details of each detective's life story. We learn of Frank Elder's private life, we realize that Maureen Prior has some issues, but Harvey never detours from the main mystery of why a woman is murdered and then dressed and put to bed. Frank Elder's sly humor gives this detective's character intelligence, empathy, even love. He's a total human being, not a blank on a page. The two previous novels in the series are also excellent. Too bad Harvey doesn't continue with Frank. One wants to know how he gets on. Highly recommended.

Re-read this in 2024. I remembered the book, and it's strange murdered woman, dressed and put to bed, but not it's title or who wrote it. I thought I remembered the outcome but I was wrong. Then knew somehow it was the same writer of the Charlie Resnick series and managed to Google that, got to writer, John Harvey and from him to Frank Elder. I enjoyed reading it again, and can repeat all of the compliments I gave it but because of the war in Israel couldn't really concentrate. I can recommend it again. Elder's life in Cornwall, his being lent for this case, the style... So good.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frank Harvey comes out of his retirement in Cornwall to help his old Sergeant now Inspector Maureen Prior . A woman has disappeared and her sister asks him to try to find her, while still making enquiries her body turns up dead in her own bed, neatly laid out. She has been strangled. Inspector Prior comes on the scene and realises that Claire Meechams death has some similarities to Frank's first murder case in Nottingham and that case of the strangulation of Irene Fowler remains unsolved.

The characters are a good and you can relate to Frank as he struggles with the routine of the case, his relationship with his ex wife and his daughter both of whom remain in Nottingham. Maureen Prior remains an enigma to him as she says little about her past or even current home life, until the end.

There are lots of loose ends, officers following false trails but in the end Frank has the perpetrator in his sights and there is a chase to the end.

Good book say 3.5 stars.

[peg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an earlier book in the mystery series by John Harvey. I read it because his latest book, BODY AND SOUL, is longlisted for the 2019 Golden Dagger Award.
https://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/cate...

The first part is excellent, with great character development and atmosphere, but it all becomes a bit muddled in the second half with too many characters and subplots. It will be interesting to compare the Two works written over a decade apart ( that is when I can finally get the newer book at the library)

[Jill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book to read before you prepare to take on a 500+ page tome.......doesn't take much thought and has a decent story line. This is the third in the Frank Elder series, a detective who took early retirement and moved to the solitude (some would say, desolation) of Cornwall. He is called upon to assist the police when a friend of his ex-wife has gone missing. Of course, she turns up murdered and Elder thinks the crime looks very much like one that happened on his watch several years before and was never solved.....and the chase is on.
Everybody in this story is miserable and full of angst....Elder, his ex-wife, his daughter, his police partner, even the incidental characters. Needless to say, it is a rather depressing book and all the protagonists have a bit too much baggage. It is a bit like a psychological study when I was looking for a British police procedural. But it is decent down time reading although I like the author's Charlie Resnick series much better.

[Eden Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visit JetBlackDragonfly (The Man Who Read Too Much) at www.edenthompson.ca/blog

Darkness and Light is the third in the Frank Elder crime series from John Harvey. Elder has been retired four years now, but is called back to Nottinghamshire to look for a missing person by his ex-wife Joanne. Her friend's sister has disappeared.
At this point he should just move back up from Cornwall, he spends all his time in Nottinghamshire, anyway.

Elder agrees to look into the case of Claire Meecham, a middle-age woman who lived a quiet life. She has been gone over a week and the police have done nothing; she is a grown woman free to go where she likes. Elder works with her sister Jennie and interviews her friends, her daughter and son. He connects again with Maureen Prior of Major Crimes, who thinks he is playing hunt the thimble - until Claire appears back in her apartment, meticulously dressed and placed on her bed, dead from strangulation.

This is reminiscent of Elder's first case from 1997, when he was a London detective and first met Maureen who showed him the ropes. Irene Fowler was the same age as Claire, found dressed but strangled dead on her hotel bed. Several suspects were investigated but the case remains unsolved. These two cases are so similar they begin to reinvestigate those suspects, including a man with a penchant for attacking women in the park.
Although Claire seemed tentative, she had an active private life on internet dating sites. Three recent men are a retired suburban man, an arrogant shady investor, and a photography gallery owner. One said she often stood him up, another that she liked to be tied down, and the gallery owner has no recollection of her.

Interspersed with this investigation are flashbacks to the first Irene Fowler murder case, and a further flashback to 1965, where a frustrated social worker deals with a violent eleven year-old boy, a borderline psychotic with a pattern of sadistic behaviour.
Was one of these men the misfit child back in 1965? Will Elder finally solve his first case?

This has several cases running in multiple timelines. It is the most involved Elder case, but again, another enjoyable puzzle from John Harvey. It was great to see Maureen Prior again, someone who should have her own series, as they work both the present case, and flashback to the earlier unsolved case in London. This series needs to be read in order to get the most out of the character development. Elder has one more book in his series, and I look forward to reading it.
Rich in detail and complexity, this is recommended to crime fans.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkness & Light by John Harvey is the third book of the Frank Elder mystery series set in contemporary and 1966 England. After Frank retired from the police force, he moved to Cornwall, where he lives simply; a solitary and peaceful life. He misses his daughter Katherine, who's busy with college these days; a tremendous blessing after surviving her abduction and torture (book 2). Frank's ex-wife Joanne asks him to come to Nottingham to investigate a missing person: her friend Jennie's sister Claire. Claire has lived alone, simply and quietly, since her husband died. The police are not concerned about an adult not being home, where her sister came for their weekly Sunday visit. Joanne begs for Frank's help on Jennie's behalf, and Frank agrees, for the most part to be close by Katherine and able to visit her.

In chapters set in 1966, therapist Alice has a disturbed eleven-year-old as a patient. He gets violent at school, and refuses to talk in their sessions, until one day he draws a disturbing sexual picture. Alice suspects he's a victim of sexual abuse. When she raises concerns, his mother withdraws him from school and moves away.

Frank well remembers his first murder case in 1997, because he didn't solve it. When he and his former colleague Maureen Prior (now the detective in charge) view Claire's body, both immediately agree there are too many similarities between the victims to be coincidence. They divide up the investigation: Frank reopens the cold case and re-interviews everyone involved with Irene's last days, while Maureen investigates Claire's recent activities and contacts. Frank and Maureen frequently compare evidence to identify the killer. Before they know for certain who killed Claire, more deaths occur, and the pressure is on the police. Both are compassionate, sensitive to nuance, not prone to jump to an obvious conclusion. Frank realizes not all deaths were committed by the same person.

Very close to the end, we learn the identity of the abused boy and his twisted motivation for murder.

[Elite Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine ‘Frank Elder’ novel

The book opens with a child psychiatrist in session with a young boy, and you just know that therein lies the whole crux of the plot.

Frank Elder is trying to settle into retirement in Cornwall. But despite moving four years ago, the reader gets the impression from the start that he is not totally happy with his lot. When he gets a phone call from his ex-wife, Joanne, concerning the missing sister of one of her friends, it is not long before Frank Elder is revelling in what he does best – policing.

Despite this being one of the many Frank Elder books, John Harvey makes it easy for the reader to accept the book as a one-off. Elder’s history is gradually revealed and we start to see the man himself as well as the policeman.

When the missing woman is discovered dead in her own bed, alarm bells start to ring concerning a similar murder eight years earlier which eventually went unsolved.

Frank manages to seamlessly work together with the existing Nottingham murder squad, and John Harvey weaves together the murder plot and the various suspects with the personal plot-line of the lives of Frank, his ex-wife Joanne and their daughter Katherine.

This was a very pleasant read. Mr Harvey has managed to create a very personable copper in Frank Elder and all the other main characters in the book are well-presented and plausible. There is also a pleasant amount of humour which does tend to lighten things a little.

I look forward to reading more of the Frank Elder novels.

Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to read

[DrJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unabridged audio e version read by Gordon Griffin.

I really like retired D.I. Frank Elder. I warmed to him and thought he was a well rounded protagonist. Many of the other characters, however, especially the women were one dimensional, unmemorable and there were far too many people so I frequently got confused, especially when one minute they were referred to by their first name and then two minutes later by surname.

It was split timeline. 1. A psychologist from 1965 with a small boy who we know is going to be central to the "now" plot. 2. Elder's first case as a DI when he moves to Nottingham with his family. 3. The current day, but early 2000s when this was written -- no smart phones -- when newly retired Elder is persuaded to help look for a friend's missing sister.

Of course they are all connected and there are a few red herrings thrown in. Quite a lot of Elder pondering and thinking about his daughter and something that happened to her previously. At times it was obvious I was missing stuff as this is book 3 in a series. I struggled listening to it as a one off.

I don't think it helped that this was my audio book whilst I was reading 50/50 reviewed immediately before this. They are VERY different in pacing. But I got to the middle of this book and I did wonder why I was continuing. There's a subplot that I still don't fully understand or really know what happened. All I can think is it is to throw you off the scent, but it's so obvious it's not connected to the main plot...?! But I liked Elder, nonetheless, and the narrator was good. 5/10.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3 stars. Did I suspect the suspect? Yes. But the enjoyment derived from this book was how the evidence was found and the interaction among the characters. Realistic work and personal situations unfold and won me over - no comic book super hero types here. I repeat words from a Charlie Resnick book review ("... the everydayness ") which are accurate in describing the (for me) attraction to John Harvey stories.

John Harvey is a new favorite author. This was the first Frank Elder I read and the only one available (in my Library) as an audio book. As in the other Harvey books I've read the characters are realistic and no over-the-top violence. Other books in this series - like the Charlie Resnick series - are scattered across my Library's system so a-hunting I shall go. And (in high praise) these are books I would gladly read as page turners. Think I'm adding Charlie Resnick and Frank Elder to the gang I've populated with Armand Gamache-Salvo Montalbano-Guido Brunetti.

But don't take my word for it ...

DD@Phila

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a meticulous police procedural in most respects. There are five suspects, though I found it easy to dismiss two of them and more or less guessed who was the culprit. The writing is very good. Harvey has an eye for detail and puts the reader into the picture (and convinced me that Nottingham is not a city I would ever care to visit). There are also a lot of allusions to mysteries (Rebus and Morse, for instance) and British culture (Elizabeth David and Nigella Lawson and others) which are fun if they are familiar, and befuddling when they are not.

Readers should be warned that this is a dark story, dealing primarily with psychological pathology. No one is very happy, and more than half the numerous characters have major issues. Here, too, there are allusions (I remember Melanie Klein, and there were probably more in the field of psychoanalysis). It was not so grim that it repelled me (as opposed to Val McDermid, whom I cannot read) but this is far from a typical British procedural in plot and style.;

[Bookfan53 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had picked this book up in a second-hand shop in Dingwall, Scotland,intending to read it while on holiday there. Somehow that didn't happen and I ended up bringing the book back home with me where it lay on a shelf a couple of years. Lockdown has me perusing my bookshelves and I decided to give this a go. I was not disappointed. I very much liked the character of retired police officer Frank Elder, was not quite so keen on some of the female characters apart from Maureen Prior.
The plot was good, a woman goes missing and Frank is asked to investigate, he travels from Cornwall where he now resides, to Nottingham to look at the case as a favour to a friend.
Police procedure was very well written about and although quite a big book it was an easy read. This would have been a good book to read on holiday and I will certainly look at more John Harvey novels to read in future.

[Jovdb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book; British police procedural.

Elder, a retired policeman, has hunkered down to life in desolate Cornwall, away from his ex wife, his daughter and all reminders of his past life.

Then, Joanne, his ex, calls to ask him for help. The sister of a friend has gone missing. She feels the police aren't taking it seriously, after all, the missing woman is an adult in her late fifties. So, against his better judgement, he goes to the city to look into things. When the woman turns up dead, the similarities to his first, unsolved case, worry him.

He is taken on by the local police force as a consultant. He and his former colleague, Maureen Prior, work together to chase down leads, interview suspects and find a killer.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unremarkable police procedural. A middle-aged widow disappears, and Frank Elder, retired cop, is asked to look into it. The first discovery he makes is that mild, introverted Claire was actually dating up a storm with men she met on the internet. The second discovery he makes is the dead body of Claire herself, inexplicably brought back to her home and meticulously arranged in her own bed.

I found the characters pretty stereotyped (retired cop with complicated relationship to his ex-wife and daughter) and there was not a lot of "whodunnit" to the story because so few potential suspects were even mentioned or explored.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery. #3 in a series - Frank Elder.

DI (Detective Inspector for those of you who do not regularly read English mysteries) Frank Elder has retired and moved to Cornwall where he lives a solitary and mostly contented life. He returns to northern England when his ex-wife asks him to look into the disappearance of a friend’s sister. Of course the missing woman turns up dead and the police ask him to work on solving the murder. Well written and enjoyable.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yet another book about a woman being abducted and killed. Set in Britain. I didn't like any characters. We are told of unsavoury activities constantly. For some reason, a mature widow is looking on the internet for a new partner, when she is far more likely to go play bridge or join book clubs or historical societies to meet people. She's going to be very nervous of the internet.
I read a paperback. This is an unbiased review.

[Richard Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging book that has as its strong point the character of Frank Elder. The background and relationships appear as a great counterpoint to the main theme of the book. These interwoven provide the reader with a story that, on occasion meanders, but mostly carries us on an enjoyable mystery tour of Darkness and Light.

[Merrilie Rowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent ! Written in 2006 but John Harvey is so good at his craft the fact that this book was written 17 years ago doesn't detract from this excellent police procedural one little bit. I think this is the first Frank Elder I have read, having enjoyed the Charlie Resnick series a few years ago. I will be reading all the Frank Elders too !

[Hayley Brawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints the story was told in. Frank and Vincent's characters were well fleshed out, but other characters could have used more development. The story kept you hooked with the incorporation of a previous murder. As my first introduction to Frank Elder, I would likely read more in this series.

[Linda Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will He or Won't He Get Involved?

John Harvey always delights me. I love the way he draws out his characters. This may be the first case Elder was lead on and it was never solved. Has the murderer come back?

[Esther Schmit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I jumped into the third book intros series,I felt like enough of the back story on the characters was provided. This was a book that I couldn't wait to get back to reading although the victims are all women which I usually find off putting.

[Tim Laven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange tale of mysterious relationships in a small town and how many people could be thought of as responsible for a crime.

A little disturbing and graphic in places...

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ah sure, ye know.

[Abin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book while on holiday in a cottage near Cotswolds. Good plot and great read. I might pick up another John Harvey novel soon.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A third outing for Frank Elder who once again is pulled out of his Cornish retreat to solve a cold case

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good mystery...adequate for keeping your mind off world events! Probably be reading more of his books.

[Amy Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

See prior review...series holding up well. Looking forward to the 4th and last...

[Sheila Wyver · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Frank Elder story regarding the murder of two women several years apart set in Nottingham.
A really easy read, good plot, ideal to lose yourself in.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Frank Elder, not Charlie Resnick mystery. Deeply psychological, a sociopath is born and Elder returns from the near-dead of soul to figure out the disappearance of a woman.