Ann Cleeves
A Lesson in Dying
Detective: Inspector Ramsey
Location:: North East England (Heppleburn)
Time: 1990s
Genre: Police Procedural
This is the first in the Ann Cleeves Inspector Ramsay novels and possibly recently re-published following the success of her later Vera Stanhope and Shetland novels.
The plot is based on the murder of an unpopular headteacher at a small village school and between the staffroom and the parents' association there are a number of likely suspects. When the head's wife is arrested the school caretaker and his daughter (a member of the parents' association) begin their own investigation and after some hesitation Ramsay accepts their support.
Blackmail is uncovered and other deaths follow before the conclusion which has a nice twist.
Ann Cleeves' websie
Showing posts with label British Police Procedural. Show all posts
Showing posts with label British Police Procedural. Show all posts
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Aline Templeton
Dead in the Water
Detective: Marjorie Fleming
Setting: Galloway
Time: Present
Genre: Police Procedural
This, the sixth n the Fleming series, is another cleverly plotted novel by Aline Templeton intertwining a cold case investigation of an unsolved murder from the mid 1980's, the attempted murder of a TV actor with local roots location shooting a police procedural series in the area and feuding among Polish building workers, not to mention unreasonable pressure on Marjorie Fleming by the acting Procurator Fiscal.
The cold case review, demanded by the Fiscal, is a testing one for Fleming as the original investigation was not as thorough as it might have been and involved her immediate superior and her father, then a Detective Sergeant. The TV actor could have been involved, the victims mother thinks he did it, but he had not been interviewed at the time, which necessity draws him into the cold case review. The attack on him could be by the victim's brother seeking revenge, or the result of arguments he has had with an old acquaintance or the confrontation he had had with one of the Polish workmen.
The false leads are all plausible as is the final denouement when the murderer confesses all in a sort of parody of the way a Poirot might force a killer to confess to a room full of the suspects, although with unfortunate implications for Fleming.
A
Aline Templeton's Website
Previously Read
Cold in the Earth
The Darkness and the Deep
Lying Dead
Lamb to the Slaughter
Evil for Evil
Cradle to Grave
Dead in the Water
Detective: Marjorie Fleming
Setting: Galloway
Time: Present
Genre: Police Procedural
This, the sixth n the Fleming series, is another cleverly plotted novel by Aline Templeton intertwining a cold case investigation of an unsolved murder from the mid 1980's, the attempted murder of a TV actor with local roots location shooting a police procedural series in the area and feuding among Polish building workers, not to mention unreasonable pressure on Marjorie Fleming by the acting Procurator Fiscal.
The cold case review, demanded by the Fiscal, is a testing one for Fleming as the original investigation was not as thorough as it might have been and involved her immediate superior and her father, then a Detective Sergeant. The TV actor could have been involved, the victims mother thinks he did it, but he had not been interviewed at the time, which necessity draws him into the cold case review. The attack on him could be by the victim's brother seeking revenge, or the result of arguments he has had with an old acquaintance or the confrontation he had had with one of the Polish workmen.
The false leads are all plausible as is the final denouement when the murderer confesses all in a sort of parody of the way a Poirot might force a killer to confess to a room full of the suspects, although with unfortunate implications for Fleming.
A
Aline Templeton's Website
Previously Read
Cold in the Earth
The Darkness and the Deep
Lying Dead
Lamb to the Slaughter
Evil for Evil
Cradle to Grave
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Bill Rogers
Backwash
Detective DCI Tom Caton
Setting Manchester
Time Immediate
Genre Police Procedural
This is the latest Tom Caton and the first I've read since starting this blog. Set in Manchester the locations are recognisable, which adds to the enjoyment.
This one leads Caton into investigating three murders with a similar MO, all eventually linked to a form of cyber crime and on line bullying. Discoveries of one the victims on line activity leads to a final extra element to the plot with Caton's son from his first marriage exposed to a paedophile ring.
All this is set in the week leading up to Caton's wedding to his current partner. The relationship here has developed gradually through all the novels
Rating A
Bill Roger's website
Previously read
The Cleansing
The Head Case
The Tigers Cave
A Fatal Intervention
Bluebell Hollow
A Trace of Blood
The Frozen Contract
Backwash
Detective DCI Tom Caton
Setting Manchester
Time Immediate
Genre Police Procedural
This is the latest Tom Caton and the first I've read since starting this blog. Set in Manchester the locations are recognisable, which adds to the enjoyment.
This one leads Caton into investigating three murders with a similar MO, all eventually linked to a form of cyber crime and on line bullying. Discoveries of one the victims on line activity leads to a final extra element to the plot with Caton's son from his first marriage exposed to a paedophile ring.
All this is set in the week leading up to Caton's wedding to his current partner. The relationship here has developed gradually through all the novels
Rating A
Bill Roger's website
Previously read
The Cleansing
The Head Case
The Tigers Cave
A Fatal Intervention
Bluebell Hollow
A Trace of Blood
The Frozen Contract
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Alison Bruce
Cambridge Blue
Detective: Gary Goodhew
Time Current
Setting Cambridge UK
Genre British Police Procedural
This is the first of the Gary Goodhew novels. Goodhew is a a young and gifted Detective Constable with a yen for extending an investigation on his own bat. Marks, his exasperated DI, is perhaps a little too generous in tolerating his methods.
The book opens with a murder in self defence which is apparently unconnected to the murder which eventually triggers Goodhew's investigation. The strands in the plot come together intriguingly and that to some extent compensates for some of the implausibility of Geoodhew's characterisation.
Rating A
Alison Bruce's Website
Cambridge Blue
Detective: Gary Goodhew
Time Current
Setting Cambridge UK
Genre British Police Procedural
This is the first of the Gary Goodhew novels. Goodhew is a a young and gifted Detective Constable with a yen for extending an investigation on his own bat. Marks, his exasperated DI, is perhaps a little too generous in tolerating his methods.
The book opens with a murder in self defence which is apparently unconnected to the murder which eventually triggers Goodhew's investigation. The strands in the plot come together intriguingly and that to some extent compensates for some of the implausibility of Geoodhew's characterisation.
Rating A
Alison Bruce's Website
Thursday, 28 February 2013
David Mark
Dark Winter
Detective DS Aector McAvoy
Location Hull UK
Time 2008/9
Genre Police Procedural
This is Mark's first novel featruring Aector McAvoy as DS with a past. He has prior to this novel been involved with securing the downfall of a bent senior detective for which he has not received the full credit due and has stirred up some resentment amongst some of his colleagues although his immediate superior clearly holds his skills in high regard, not that he is as aware of that as he should be. The novel opens with two apparently unconnected killings, one on superfreighter off Iceland of a man who survived a trawler tragedy many years ago, the other of a teenager in chyrch during a service in Hull.
The links bewteen the killings and other subsequent murders gradually become apparent as the plot unfurls.
The McAvoy sub plot is around his young family and the birth of their second child. How this will develop in the sequence of novels is to be seen but there are hints that Mcavoy may well find himself compromised by his female boss.
A second novel, "Original Skin" is due for publication in April 2013
Rating A
Web Reference Quercus Books/David Mark
Dark Winter
Detective DS Aector McAvoy
Location Hull UK
Time 2008/9
Genre Police Procedural
This is Mark's first novel featruring Aector McAvoy as DS with a past. He has prior to this novel been involved with securing the downfall of a bent senior detective for which he has not received the full credit due and has stirred up some resentment amongst some of his colleagues although his immediate superior clearly holds his skills in high regard, not that he is as aware of that as he should be. The novel opens with two apparently unconnected killings, one on superfreighter off Iceland of a man who survived a trawler tragedy many years ago, the other of a teenager in chyrch during a service in Hull.
The links bewteen the killings and other subsequent murders gradually become apparent as the plot unfurls.
The McAvoy sub plot is around his young family and the birth of their second child. How this will develop in the sequence of novels is to be seen but there are hints that Mcavoy may well find himself compromised by his female boss.
A second novel, "Original Skin" is due for publication in April 2013
Rating A
Web Reference Quercus Books/David Mark
Monday, 12 November 2012
Graham Hurley
Happy Days
Detective: Joe Faraday (Paul Winter) Jimmy Suttle
Time: Present
Location: Portsmouth
Genre: British Police Procedural
This is the twelfth and last of the Joe Faraday novels with Faraday, disillusioned and facing retirement after a likely reassignment from front line policing, being found dead from an overdose in the opening chapter. the main course of the novel works to the conclusion of the underlying story ARC which has been the conflict between Faraday and the growing power and menace of Portsmouth's most powerful criminal Bazza McKenzie and to some extent also covers the rehabilitation of Paul Winter, the Faraday aid who went to the "dark side" and began working for McKenzie.
Set against the background of the imminent 2010 General Election, McKenzie, with the aid of a spin doctor and a cmputer guru is positioning himself to run as an Independent in Portsmouth North. Winter, increasingly disillusioned with McKenzie is prepared to risk setting him up while the senior police establishment realise that the man's political ambitions must be stopped. The ne police officer who has ket a good reatioship with Winter, Jimmy Suttle, is Winter's handler on the covert operation, which leaves one wondering to the end whether the operation will see fate catch up with McKenzie and whether Winter will survive the plot.
Although Hurley has finished with Faraday, he is about to launch a new series picking up the career of Jimmy Suttle who has obtained a post outside Portsmouth.
Rating A
Graham Hurley's web site
Previously read in the series
Turnstone
The Take
Angels' Passing
Cut to Black
Blood and Honey
One Under
The price of Darkness
No Lovelier Death
Beyond Reach
Happy Days
Detective: Joe Faraday (Paul Winter) Jimmy Suttle
Time: Present
Location: Portsmouth
Genre: British Police Procedural
This is the twelfth and last of the Joe Faraday novels with Faraday, disillusioned and facing retirement after a likely reassignment from front line policing, being found dead from an overdose in the opening chapter. the main course of the novel works to the conclusion of the underlying story ARC which has been the conflict between Faraday and the growing power and menace of Portsmouth's most powerful criminal Bazza McKenzie and to some extent also covers the rehabilitation of Paul Winter, the Faraday aid who went to the "dark side" and began working for McKenzie.
Set against the background of the imminent 2010 General Election, McKenzie, with the aid of a spin doctor and a cmputer guru is positioning himself to run as an Independent in Portsmouth North. Winter, increasingly disillusioned with McKenzie is prepared to risk setting him up while the senior police establishment realise that the man's political ambitions must be stopped. The ne police officer who has ket a good reatioship with Winter, Jimmy Suttle, is Winter's handler on the covert operation, which leaves one wondering to the end whether the operation will see fate catch up with McKenzie and whether Winter will survive the plot.
Although Hurley has finished with Faraday, he is about to launch a new series picking up the career of Jimmy Suttle who has obtained a post outside Portsmouth.
Rating A
Graham Hurley's web site
Previously read in the series
Turnstone
The Take
Angels' Passing
Cut to Black
Blood and Honey
One Under
The price of Darkness
No Lovelier Death
Beyond Reach
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