It has been several years since fans have been able to catch up with Duncan Kincaid, Gemma James, their police teams, and their family. A Killing of Innocents, the nineteenth in the series, doesn’t disappoint.
Detective Sergeant Duncan Kincaid noticed the young woman while he was sitting in a pub waiting for Detective Sergeant Doug Cullen. He wonders afterward if he could have prevented her murder. Just twenty minutes after she left, Sasha Johnson was stabbed to death in London’s historic Russell Square, and Kincaid and Cullen are called to the scene. The only witness is a five-year-old boy, although he’s a better witness than most. He saw a large hooded figure, and even knew what direction he went.
Duncan calls his wife, Gemma James, because her team is working on knife crimes. But, Kincaid’s victim doesn’t seem to fit the pattern. She’s a doctor, a trainee at a nearby hospital. She’s not involved with a gang or using drugs. But, as Kincaid’s team digs in, they discover Sasha has secrets, and she isn’t the only one on the staff at the hospital who came there under a cloud. The media sends chills through London when they cover a second stabbing, but Kincaid suspects there are personal connnections.
Without revealing too much, I can talk about Crombie’s strengths. She excels at combining the police procedural investigation with the personal lives of her characters. Their family lives are integral to the stories, affecting the work lives of Duncan and Gemma. But, Crombie is skilled at handling that combination with the other members of their teams as well, personal and professional lives. And, she brings the same skill to development of the minor characters, victims, friends and relatives of the victims. Even witnesses are developed in Crombie’s books.
A Killing of Innocents is the nineteenth in the series. I sometimes think, when an author has been writing for so long, we tend to take their books for granted, and forget about the skill and creativity that goes into each book. Deborah Crombie’s Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James books are as entertaining and well-developed, with the same depth, as books by some of my other favorite authors, Louise Penny and J.D. Robb. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit to discover that readers appreciate the same qualities in all these books – atmospheric stories, well-developed plots, and beloved characters.
Deborah Crombie’s website is https://deborahcrombie.com/
A Killing of Innocents by Deborah Crombie. William Morrow, 2023. ISBN 9780062993397 (hardcover), 368p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I read a galley to review for a journal.
Very nice review, Lesa! And I just started this one as I was eating my breakfast. So happy to see a new Duncan and Gemma book. I agree with all you said about Deborah Crombie’s strengths and the way she continues to intrigue us with her tales. I am a big fan of both Penny and Robb, as you know, and also agree with what you said about them. After this many books, there is definitely something that keeps this reader coming back again and again. Every single book in a series is not necessarily my ‘favorite’, but I get so attached to the characters and their lives and I love getting the updates about those things. And, of course, some books in a long-running series are indeed a ‘favorite’. Looking forward to seeing if this is one of those for me.
Thank you, Kay. As you know with all your reading, reviewing, and leading of book discussion groups, it’s sometimes hard to say something different when you’re a fan of a long-running series. On the other hand, it must be so hard to be the author of a long-running series, trying to say something different! It’s interesting to know that you and I are attracted to the same features in a series.
I don’t know why, but after reading about the first 10 books in the seriesm I fell away from them. There was one book in there that I just couldn’t get into and I never went back. One of her strongest talents is that, as an American who lived in Britain for many years, she never makes a mistake that a less savvy writer might make. My problem was, as with Peter Robinson sometimes, the books seem a little long. My attention span is not what it used to be.
Jeff, I fell away from it, too. I went back with her 2013 book, The Sound of Broken Glass, and picked up from there. I loved her 2019 book, A Bitter Feast.
Starting this one this evening and cannot wait! Terrific review, Lesa!
Thank you, Kaye! Enjoy it!
I am down in NC taking care of my mother after knee surgery and haven’t been doing much reading. This book is waiting for me upon my return to Michigan, hopefully next week. One of my favorite series! Can’t wait to read!
Oh, you don’t have time, Jennifer. You just need to be there for you mother. I hope you enjoy it when you get to it!
I found myself annoyed at Melody again and sad for Doug again. And it boggles my mind that neither one of two of the suspects ever made a phone call or just asked someone about an earlier disappearance. I really wanted to know more about the woman whose story starts the book.
Did like Jasmine a lot more this outing. And Rashid is always a delight.