4*s
What I want from a police procedural is a solid mystery and Alison Bruce came up with a plot for this, the sixth outing for Gary Goodhew in this mystery series based in Cambridge.
At the beginning of this book Gary Goodhew is still off sick after the events of the previous instalment and Susan Scully comes across something that she believes that Gary should be made aware of, but before she can decide how to break the news there is a murder! Ratty a well-known homeless man who Gary has used for information in the past has been murdered and now the team need to find out who he is and what the motive for his murder was.
I do like this series, the author has come up with a great cast of solid characters. The location is well-described and the secondary characters far more than cardboard cut-outs which all makes for a good background to the serious business of the investigation.
With Gary’s backstory being fleshed out and a bit of uncertainty with Marks due to retire imminently the book has the potential to be slightly confusing for those of us who haven’t read the entire series, but I found that despite only reading the first two books it worked well as a stand-alone even though I hadn’t kept up to date with everyone. This book really bought the homeless community in Cambridge to life so that I felt that the victim of the murder was intentionally chosen both by the fictional killer but more especially the author for a purpose.
We are also introduced to Kyle Davidson, a fairly new father as his life is beginning to unravel following his return from Afghanistan. With his wife spending levels high and her inability to put their son Harry at the centre of her life, and Kyle not being the same man he was before his latest tour of duty, I could only speculate how big the fall-out was likely to be. Kyle’s younger sister Leah was another great character, the author having realistically portrayed the life as a teenager without resorting to the tired clichés.
This was a solidly good read written at a good pace, not so fast that it is hard to keep up with all the action leaving no time to ponder on the clues left but neither were there plodding areas where you wonder when something is going to happen. Although nowhere near as brutal as some crime books, there were some descriptions that are best avoided if you are particularly squeamish but fortunately these weren’t dwelt upon for any more than necessary!
I am sorry that I have missed some of the books in this series and with this one seemingly pivotal in revealing much of Gary’s backstory, I’m not sure whether I will go back to read the missing episodes but I’m certainly well-motivated to read the future ones as I do enjoy the original yet not outlandishly so plots.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to the publishers, Little Brown Book Group UK who allowed me to read this book for which I have returned the favour by writing this review.
The Promise will be published on 4 February 2016
Previous books in the DC Gary Goodhew Series
Cambridge Blues
The Siren
The Calling
The Silence
The Backs
I’m really in awe of how you consistently read and put up reviews ! Really inspiring 🙂
LikeLike
That’s exactly what I was going to say! How do you work Cleo? Do you write the review immediately you finish the book? Or do you make notes you turn into a review within a day or two? And do you know what book(s) you’re going to read next? Any hints to help me with efficiency gratefully accepted! I also love your layout – is that purely WordPress, or input from a website designer? Please excuse my nosiness!
And I must get to the two early books in this series I have – nos. 1 and 3, I think. If I enjoy them, I’ll get more of the series.
LikeLike
I do most of my post preparation on a Sunday if at all possible and then schedule them throughout the week which is why they all get posted at 6:00 am – I then add the links to my pages (authors and 2016 book reviews) copy to NG & Amazon as appropriate – I usually update Goodreads on a Sunday. This week is chaos we had visitors so not enough reading or posts already feeling stressed!!
As to what I’m going to read next I have an excel spreadsheet with books to review by publication date for each month – I have my own books on different tabs and slot those into the gaps – I know it makes everyone laugh!!
My blog is pure WordPress – I use the widgets for my top posts and pages and my recent posts but nothing fancy. Then I have another at the bottom for the posts I’ve visited around the blogosphere.
I have to admit I’m wary of changing it too much now…
LikeLike
Aw thank you 🙂
LikeLike
This does sounds like a solid police procedural novel, Cleo. Like you, I like my police procedurals to have a good mystery at the heart of them, and this one sounds like a good ‘un.
LikeLike
Yes I’m kicking myself because I’ve ruined the middle books now but I did enjoy this one, the mystery was fascinating.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like another good police procedural series and I do like that cover! But my willpower is strong today after doing the end of the month TBR count-up yesterday… *shudders*
LikeLike
Haha one of those sobering moments was it?
LikeLike
Sobering – and then drove me to the wine… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I’ve said that I have the first book in this series on my Kindle. Have no idea when I will get to it. I like the setting of this series though. And it doesn’t have too awfully many entries yet. Sigh. I wish I could read twice as fast, but then I’d probably forget even more about the plots than I already do. Guess we’re not ever going to be able to read every book we want to, right?
LikeLike
I really enjoyed the first one in this series, so much so I bought the second and then it lay neglected on my kindle for an age! I know what you mean about memory, that’s partly why I started reviewing as I had a habit of thinking I hadn’t read a book and then realising I had!
LikeLike
Another awesome series to check out! Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
It is a good one – I have been bashing the series in January haven’t I? February has a bit of a change…
LikeLike
Not an author I’ve read but will keep and eye out for at the library. I am always a little nervous jumping into a series too far in but sounds like this would be OK to do.
LikeLike
I must admit this is a good series and although the personal life of Gary Goodhew was made much clearer in this book the mystery aspect of each book is original and easily read as a stand-alone.
LikeLike