The Sound of Broken Glass - (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels) by Deborah Crombie (Paperback)

About the Book

"A hardcover edition of this book was published in 2013 by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers."--Title page verso.

Book Synopsis

Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are on the case in Deborah Crombie's The Sound of Broken Glass, a captivating mystery that blends a murder from the past with a powerful danger in the present.

When Detective Inspector James joins forces with Detective Inspector Melody Talbot to solve the murder of an esteemed barrister, their investigation leads them to realize that nothing is what it seems--with the crime they're investigating and their own lives.

With an abundance of twists and turns and intertwining subplots, The Sound of Broken Glass by New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie is an elaborate and engaging page-turner.

From the Back Cover

In the past. . .home to the tragically destroyed Great Exhibition, a solitary thirteen-year-old boy meets his next-door neighbor, a recently widowed young teacher hoping to make a new start in the tight-knit South London community. Drawn together by loneliness, the unlikely pair forms a deep connection that ends in a shattering act of betrayal.

In the present. . .On a cold January morning in London, Detective Inspector Gemma James is back on the job while her husband, Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, is at home caring for their three-year-old foster daughter. Assigned to lead a Murder Investigation Team in South London, she's assisted by her trusted colleague, newly promoted Detective Sergeant Melody Talbot. Their first case: a crime scene at a seedy hotel in Crystal Palace. The victim: a well-respected barrister, found naked, trussed, and apparently strangled. Is it an unsavory accident or murder? In either case, he was not alone, and Gemma's team must find his companion--a search that takes them into unexpected corners and forces them to contemplate unsettling truths about the weaknesses and passions that lead to murder. Ultimately, they will question everything they think they know about their world and those they trust most.

Review Quotes

"Those familiar with Crombie's earlier novels will be pleased that this entry matches her previous books in suspense and writing prowess. Newcomers to the series will find a welcome backlog of previous James/Kincaid novels to whet their appetite after discovering this fine novel." - BookPage.com on The Sound of Broken Glass
"This is the fifteenth in this superb, near-literary mystery series, and highly recommended as always." - Sullivan County Democrat
"This series, featuring Scotland Yard detectives Gemma James and Duncan Kinkaid, gets better as it goes on.... Crombie shines." - The Globe and Mail
"...Deborah Crombie never falters. Her novels are a delight, and with The Sound of Broken Glass, she keeps her impressive creative streak intact." - Miami Herald
"An intriguing, atmospheric London murder mystery set in both the past and the present." - People
"A master storyteller who weaves a compelling, richly textured tale. . . . Highly recommended." - Boston Globe
"Intricately layered." - New York Times
"Psychological and compelling. . . . Crombie's prose is elegant and her sensibility exquisite." - Mostly Murder
"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
"Masterly . . . supremely satisfying. . . . Essential for mystery lovers, particularly for Anglophiles and fans of P.D. James." - Library Journal
Crombie, a three-time Macavity Award winner, an Edgar Award nominee, and a New York Times Notable author, stages another New Scotland Yard procedural here, with the team of Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his partner through the series (now his wife), Inspector Gemma James. It gets off to an eerie start.... Adding to the considerable interest of plot and characters here is the expertise Crombie shares on the rigors and skills of sculling." - Booklist
"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)
"There are many twists and turns in NO MARK UPON HER and you'll be caught up in all of them from the very first page! It's almost impossible to put this book down once you've started reading it because of the constant pull it will keep on you to find out what happens next. Ms. Crombie has crafted characters that are so real that you just HAVE to care about them." - Freshfiction.com