New Books and My Continuing Look at the Mystery Genre - English Cops Part 7

Remembrance Day 2018 - Ottawa

This year I didn't attend my local Remembrance Day ceremonies but I instead watched the CBC coverage of the National ceremonies in Ottawa. It was a very emotional ceremony. The voices of the Youth Choir were wonderful and got me quite choked up. Rosemary Barton also featured an interview she had with the Silver Star mother, a lady from Winnipeg whose 22 son had committed suicide due to PTSD issues he had after his deployment to Afghanistan. It was a lovely but sad interview. It made me think more of the sacrifices parents, and husbands and wives and children also make when their children / spouses / parents join the military.

I know how I felt when I first heard that my older brother was a passenger on a Canadian Forces C130 Hercules aircraft that crashed on route to our northern base at CFS Alert in the Northwest Territories. I can only imagine how Rick's wife and kids and my parents also were impacted by the information and the wait to discover if he was one of the survivors. (He was one thankfully).

(You can check my previous post if you would like more info on the crash or you can check out this excellent book.)

Anyway, it was a lovely ceremony in Ottawa and I'm sure it was just as emotional here in the Comox Valley. Before I get choked up again, let's move on to books. When I was out yesterday, I dropped some books I've read off at Nearly New Books and while there I did a wander through. I found two books of interest.

New Books

1. Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum. I was surprised to see this book. For some reason, I had no idea that Baum wrote a number of books set in Oz. This was the last book. I may check out the remainder.







"Glinda of Oz is the fourteenth Land of Oz book written by children's author L. Frank Baum, published on July 10, 1920. Like most of the Oz books, the plot features a journey through some of the remoter regions of Oz; though in this case the pattern is doubled: Dorothy and Ozma travel to stop a war between the Flatheads and Skeezers; then Glinda and a cohort of Dorothy's friends set out to rescue them. The book was dedicated to Baum's second son Robert Stanton Baum."

2. August Heat by Andrea Camilleri (Inspector Montalbano #10 / 2009). I really like the covers in this series.











"When a colleague extends his summer vacation, Inspector Salvo Montalbano is forced to stay in Vigàta and endure the August heat. Montalbano's long-suffering girlfriend, Livia, joins him with a friend-husband and young son in tow-to keep her company during these dog days of summer. But when the boy suddenly disappears into a narrow shaft hidden under the family's beach rental, Montalbano, in pursuit of the child, uncovers something terribly sinister. As the inspector spends the summer trying to solve this perplexing case, Livia refuses to answer his calls-and Montalbano is left to take a plunge that will affect the rest of his life. Fans of the Sicilian inspector as well as readers new to this increasingly popular series will enjoy following the melancholy but unflinchingly moral Montalbano as he undertakes one of the most shocking investigations of his career."

The Mystery Genre - English Cops Part 7

In my last post on this topic I highlighted Susan Hill (Inspector Serrailler), Alan Hunter (Inspector George Gently and P.D. James (Inspector Dalgliesh). Let's continue.. 

 

Peter James

1. Peter James (Inspector Roy Grace). I first heard of this series when we joined up for the Xmas house tour. Jo decorated the house and locals, who had purchased tickets for charity, came and looked at our decorations. It was lots of fun. Anyway, one of the visitors noticed my books and my tendency to favor mysteries. He mentioned the Peter James series, which is set in Jo's home town of Brighton. I've since read the first two books. There are currently 14 books in the series. James, who was born in Brighton in 1948 has also written a number standalone novels. (See if you notice a theme in the titles of the Roy Grace novels)

a.  Dead Simple (2005).

"It was meant to be a harmless stag night prank. A few hours later four of his best friends are dead and Michael Harrison has disappeared. With only three days to the wedding, Detective Superintendent Grace - a man haunted by the shadow of his own missing wife - is contacted by Michael's beautiful, distraught fiancee, Ashley Harper. Grace discovers that the one man who ought to know Michael Harrison's whereabouts is saying nothing. But then he has a lot to gain - more than anyone realizes. For one man's disaster is another man's fortune . . . Dead simple . . " (4 stars)

b. Looking Good Dead (2006). 












"Looking Good Dead by Peter James is the second book in his Inspector Roy Grace mystery series set in Brighton, England. If you like a tense, sometimes action-packed, gritty mystery, then you'll like this book.

Tom Bryce, a London-based businessman, sees a CD left on a seat in the train car he takes home to Brighton after work each day. He sees the man who dropped it but can't find him to return it. That night he checks it out to see if there might some clue to the owner so he can return it. This turns out to be a fateful mistake as the CD leads him to a website where he views a snuff film, a young woman murdered on camera. The CD can be tracked by the people making the film and this turns Bryce's life upside down.

Meanwhile, Inspector Roy Grace and his murder investigation team are investigating the murder of a young woman, whose body has been found in a field. Well, parts of her body have been found. The body is in pieces and her head is missing.

Thus begins a fascinating, fast-paced thriller. The tie-in between Tom Bryce and the dead body comes to light during the investigation. Bryce finds himself and his family under threat from the murderers. Grace's job is under threat from his boss, who is threatening to transfer him to the north of England due to a recent car chase accident which has received bad press.

Grace, after the disappearance of his wife, many years ago is only slowly getting his life back in order, even starting to date, this being lovely pathologist, Cleo. We also get insight into the lives of his team, how their work affects the family lives. Each member of the team is different and interesting.

We also get insight into the lives of the Bryces, their financial issues, Kellie's spending and drinking habits, etc. And we also are exposed to the murderers, their coldness and cruelty. The story moves quickly, the investigation is fascinating. The build-up is tense and interesting and the ending moves at a very fast pace.

I enjoyed this thriller very much. It read well and kept you turning pages to see how things would be resolved. I also enjoyed the development of relationships and look forward to seeing how they move along in future books. Excellent story. (4 stars)"

The remaining books in the series are -
- Not Dead Enough (2007)
- Dead Man's Footsteps (2008)
- Dead Tomorrow (2009)
- Dead Like You (2010)
- Dead Man's Grip (2011)
- Not Dead Yet (2012)
- Dead Man's Time (2013)
- Want You Dead (2014)
- You Are Dead (2015)
- Love You Dead (2016)
- Need You Dead (2017)
- Dead if You Don't (2018)

Lynda La Plante

 2. Lynda La Plante (Anna Travis). Lynda La Plante was born in 1943 in Lancashire, England. She is a successful author, screen writer and actress. She might be best known for Prime Suspect series which was turned into a successful TV series starring Helen Mirren as Inspector Jane Tennison. La Plante also wrote The Widows and Trial and Retribution. I will be focusing on her Anna Travis mystery series of 9 books. I've read two so far and have a couple of others on my bookshelves.

a. Blind Fury (#6 / 2010).












"When the body of a young woman is discovered close to a highway service station, Detective Inspector Anna Travis is brought on to the team of investigators by her former lover and boss, Detective Chief Superintendent Langton. As more evidence is uncovered, the team realizes that they are contending with a triple murder investigation—and no suspect.

But then a murderer Anna helped arrest years ago makes contact from prison. Cameron Welsh insists that he can help track down the killer, but he will divulge his secrets only to Anna herself. Does he really have an insight into another criminal’s mind, or is he merely intent on getting into hers?

The team soon realizes that they are dealing with a killer whose deviousness has enabled him to commit horrific crimes, yet remain undetected for years. As the case draws to a close, Welsh’s obsession for Anna fuels a terrifying rage that will have disastrous consequences for Anna, who finds herself staring into the face of a desperate personal tragedy." 

My Review - I wasn't writing such detailed reviews back in 2012.

"Lynda La Plante can write a story. Interesting mystery, well-paced story. I could see some aspects of the story but it didn't really matter. I don't know that I particularly like aspects of DI Fraser's character, but they make her human. Good story. (4 stars)"

b. Above Suspicion (#1 / 2004).












"Young Anna Travis has been assigned to her first murder case - a series of killings that has shocked even the most hardened of detectives. They started eight years ago - now the body count is up to six. The method of killing is identical, the backgrounds of the girls identical - all drug users and prostitutes.

Then a seventh body is found. The modus operandi is the same, but the victim is a young student with the 'face of an angel'. The profile of the murderer has changed dramatically.

Determined to earn the respect of her male colleagues, Anna stumbles on a vital piece of information which links one man to the killings, a much-loved actor on the brink of international stardom. His arrest would create a media frenzy. But if he were found innocent, his wouldn't be the only career over - Anna's hard fought for reputation would be destroyed once and for all.."

My Review

"Excellent, well-paced, intelligent mystery. I quite enjoyed this story. I liked how the plot was developed and lead to an exciting ending. I enjoyed the characters; Anna Travis and her boss DCI Langton and the other members of the Murder Team. Great follow-on to the Prime Suspect series. I look forward to any other books in the series as well as seeing the tv series based on the books. Highly recommended. (4 stars)"

I have the next two books in the series. The remaining books are -
 - The Red Dahlia (2006)
- Clean Cut (2007)
- Deadly Intent (2008)
- Silent Scream (2009)
- Bloodline (2011)
- Backlash (2012)
- Wrongful Death (2013)

John Lawton

3. John Lawton (Detective Sergeant Troy). I only recently discovered this series. John Lawton was born 1949 and along with other books has written 8 books in the historical mystery series featuring Inspector Frederick Troy of Scotland Yard. I only have the first book in the series so far.

a. Black Out (1995).

"As the Luftwaffe makes its last, desperate assaults on the battered city in 1944, Londoners take to the underground shelters amidst the black out. Detective-Sergeant Troy starts with the clue of a neatly dismembered corpse leading him into a world of stateless refugees, military intelligence, and corruption all the way to the top of Allied High Command." 

Sounds interesting.




The remaining books in the series are -
- Old Flames (1996)
- A Little White Death (1998)
- Riptide (2001)
- Blue Rondo (2005)
- Second Violin (2007)
- A Lily of the Field (2010)
- Friends and Traitors (2017)

Well, there you go. Sunday is almost over and we start a new week tomorrow. Enjoy!