The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie
- Series: Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels (Book 15)
- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (February 25, 2014)
Source? the publisher via TLC Book Tours
**FTC Disclaimer - the publisher provided me a copy of The Sound of Broken Glass in exchange for an honest review. The review below and the opinions therein are my own and offered without bias.
Title? Not at all obvious...but very effective...made me say "Ahhhhhhh, nice touch" when I put all the pieces together.
Golden Lines
"...I learned years ago that he would never make a real effort to defend a woman. It was as if he made an automatic assumption of guilt." (119)
The sound faded out. She stood, paralyzed, as little animated rain clouds began to move across the map of Britain on the screen.
It couldn't be. It couldn't be him.
What on earth had she done? (140)
The bastards had followed him home. And they had seen Nadine. (147)
Cleaver Square is a paradox. Sandwiched between two busy streets, it provides a sense of eerie calm rarely seen outside of a Hitchcock movie. (155)
"The way Melody talked about that guitar chap yesterday - did you notice? I didn't like it. Something's up, and I want to know what it is." (163)
"Another barrister? Strangled? Dear God. This is turning into a royal balls-up. What the hell is going on here?" (166)
"...Just play, Andy." She touched one of the geranium blossoms. "No one has been kind to me except you. Think of it as red for red." (186)
"You, Andy? Of all people. I thought you were my friend." (265)
"We all need looking after. It's the greatest of mistakes to think otherwise. No one knows that better than me." (352)
Summary from Amazon
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 byNew York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie is an elaborate and engaging page-turner.
What I Liked
The map - I love the penciled map drawing at the beginning of the novel...Crombie uses the real life Crystal Palace and surrounding areas as the main geographical focus of The Sound of Broken Glass. Even though I've never been to London, nor did I ever feel lost while reading, I enjoyed looking back a the drawing from time to time...and especially once I was completely done with the story.
The twists - By page 140, I thought I had it figured out...by page 318, I realized I was wrong...and had been very willingly duped by Crombie :P Well played, Ms. Crombie...well played.
The lingo - I won't apologize for being a language lover...I could listen to/read different accents, different cultural sayings all day long. There's something about it that makes you feel as if you're actually there. I think it's like giving a blind person cotton balls to help them understand what clouds look like. Yes, I'm an academic who thinks too much...why do you ask? :/
The way the past slowly weaves its way into the present - very possibly for the first time, after finishing The Sound of Broken Glass, I thought about how the writer's craft is not just a story but a well designed puzzle. Those puzzles make all the difference in the world to a reader...and those puzzles very quickly separate the good from the bad. Crombie is most definitely one of the best serial writers I read.
Jagger and Ginger - Michael and Tam's German Shepherd dogs - not even gonna apologize for this :P
What I Didn't Like
The Sound of Broken Glass is only my 2nd read of this series. My first foray into the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James mysteries was No Mark upon Her. Don't get me wrong; I never felt left out of anything...I just want to know these characters better. It's like meeting new people who have a history together and you want to sit around asking questions so you get the whole picture. That is certainly no fault of Crombie's; as a matter of fact, I love her writing even more that she can make her characters that real.
Overall Recommendation
Don't shy away from this series because it's a series. Crombie's books are have enough depth to satisfy even if you don't want to read the entire series.
Don't shy away from this series because it's a series. Crombie's books are have enough depth to satisfy even if you don't want to read the entire series.
The Author
Other Stops on the Tour
Tuesday, February 25th: The Best Books Ever
Wednesday, February 26th: she treads softly
Monday, March 3rd: The Year in Books
Tuesday, March 4th: Kelly’s [Former] France Blog
Thursday, March 6th: Book Dilettante
Monday, March 10th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Tuesday, March 11th: Jen’s Book Thoughts
Wednesday, March 12th: 5 Minutes for Books
I find I enjoy British thrillers better for some reason. Maybe it is hearing them speak in an accent in my head....
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed this, Patti. The drawing at the beginning of the book does sound like a nice, helpful touch. The book sounds like a very well-crafted mystery.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE when a book includes maps and illustrations - it's such a visual bonus for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour!