No Mark upon Her - (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels) by Deborah Crombie (Paperback)

About the Book

New York Times Notable author Deborah Crombie is regularly named among the greats of British-set crime fiction (P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth George et al) for her riveting police procedurals featuring Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, Scotland Yard partners as well as devoted life-mates.

A brilliantly conceived and executed, deeply atmospheric mystery, No Mark Upon Her embroils Kincaid and James in the case of the puzzling drowning of a rower, a Met detective, on the Thames. A finely-hued and twisting tale of psychological suspense a story rich in deadly secrets, salacious lies, and unexpected betrayals No Mark Upon Her is everything Crombie s fans have come to expect from this exceptional writer and more."

Book Synopsis

A finely-hued and twisting tale of psychological suspense--a story rich in deadly secrets, salacious lies, and unexpected betrayals--No Mark Upon Her is everything New York Times bestseller Deborah Crombie's fans have come to expect from this exceptional writer . . . and more.

Olympic rowing hopeful and Metropolitan Police officer DCI Rebecca Meredith goes out to train on the river in Henley on a dark afternoon in late October. When, the following morning, her ex-husband realizes she hasn't returned, a search is instituted and a K9 search and rescue team finds Meredith's body in the river.

Scotland Yard superintendent Duncan Kincaid, returning from a family celebration of his marriage to Inspector Gemma James, is called to investigate Meredith's death. He soon finds that both Meredith's rowing colleagues and her ex-husband might have had good reason to want her dead. But when an attempt is made on the life of one of the search and rescue team members who found Meredith's body, Kincaid realizes the case may be more complex and more dangerous than he believed.

It is Gemma, however, who discovers that Meredith's murder may be connected to enemies within the heart of the Met itself, and together Duncan and Gemma must endanger their careers and their lives to bring the killer to justice. . .

From the Back Cover

When a K9 search-and-rescue team discovers a woman's body in the Thames, Scotland Yard superintendent Duncan Kincaid finds himself heading an investigation fraught with complications. The victim, the talented and difficult Rebecca Meredith, was an Olympic rowing contender on the verge of a controversial comeback. She was also a high-ranking detective with the Met--a fact that raises a host of sensitive issues in an already tangled case.

To further complicate the situation, a separate investigation, led by Detective Inspector Gemma James, Kincaid's wife, soon reveals a disturbing--and possibly related--series of crimes, widening the field of suspects. But when someone tries to kill the search-and-rescue team member who found Rebecca's body, the case becomes even more dangerous. Pressured to find answers quickly while protecting the Yard at all costs and with his career and reputation on the line, Kincaid must race to catch the killer before more innocent lives are lost--including his own.

Review Quotes

[A] psychological thrill-ride that explores the allure of power, the pull of jealousy, and the seduction of greed. - The Tuscon Citizen

This is a lovely, satisfying British police procedural with many relationship subplots that lend texture. - Suspense magazine

"All of Crombie's work is marked by a happy blend of clever plotting, astute characterization and vivid prose....But Crombie is not content merely to write crime fiction; with each book, she advances the personal stories of Kincaid and James -- and the blended family they have created. The result, in No Mark Upon Her as in the entire series, is touching and tender, the work of a writer who grows with each novel." - Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Crombie is very talented at putting together a richly atmospheric whodunit.... [A]s a creator, she energetically inhabits the many strange worlds she shows her readers...." - Washington Post

"Ms. Crombie again has turned out a gripping and nicely tailored mystery and added another chapter to her chronicle of Kincaid and Jones." - Washington Times

"No Mark Upon Her is again deserving of fans' devotion due largely to her intelligent, subtle wit and above all, her meticulous attention to detail, from sculling equipment and competitive jealousy to a 3-year-old's birthday party meltdown to the deep bond between a man and his dog." - Miami Herald

"Her writing is sophisticated and her suspense taut." - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Intricately layered." - New York Times

"Crombie has laid claim to the literary territory of moody psychological suspense owned by P. D. James and Barbara Vine." - Washington Post

"Macavity Award-winner Crombie examines the corrupting nature of power in her riveting 14th novel featuring Scotland Yard Supt. Duncan Kincaid and Det. Insp. Gemma James.... Crombie gives an insightful look into British police procedures as well as a vivid view of the vagaries of London neighborhoods." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

...[R]eaders who savor excellent writing will find that Ms. Crombie delivers it again. - New York Journal of Books

"If I had to make a list of my ten favorite authors . . . the ones whose books I would buy sight unseen, Deborah Crombie's name would certainly be there. . . . Crombie does it again and again, and brilliantly." - Mystery News

"Masterly . . . supremely satisfying. . . . Essential for mystery lovers, particularly for Anglophiles and fans of P.D. James." - Library Journal

"A master storyteller who weaves a compelling, richly textured tale. . . . Highly recommended." - Boston Globe

"A masterful novelist." - Denver Post

"Excellent . . . satisfying reading." - Chattanooga Times