A Garden of Evil

The Kincaid and James series by Deborah Crombie have long been a favorite of mine. Through the years we have seen Duncan and Gemma skirt through the narrow twists and turns in the lives of married police detectives. In Garden of Lamentations they are each off in separate directions without a clue what the other is doing.

Duncan has nagging feelings about a another case involving a man he called a friend. Unsatisfied with the verdict of suicide, he wants to review the scene of the crime photos to see what he might have missed.

Gemma inadvertently becomes involved in the death of a young nanny. Reagan Keating was found dead, arranged under a tree in the common garden of a gated community. With no evident signs of trauma, Gemma must wait for a cause of death. She soon discovers Reagan's death is the second tragedy to befall this exclusive neighborhood in London. A young boy died in a tragic accident six months prior.

While Duncan tries to piece together his crime, he discovers his former boss Detective Chief Superintendent Denis Cross is back at the Metropolitan Police. Duncan receives a cryptic text from Cross asking him to meet him in an out-of-the-way pub. During the meeting Cross reveals he is feeling threatened by something that happened in the past and warns Duncan to be careful who he talks to. When the Cross is brutally attacked and left for dead in a cemetery, Duncan fears his concerns about the suicide of his friend might be tied into something altogether different that he thinks. 

Two complex stories lead Gemma and Duncan into two different investigations. One has roots in the past and smells of corruption in the Met. The other seems like a random death. Neither is that simple.

Deborah Crombie weaves another stellar tale in Garden of Lamentations. For other books by Deborah Crombie, click here.