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DEBORAH CROMBIE

Born 1952
YEAR
1993
A SHARE IN DEATH
A week's holiday in a luxurious Yorkshire time-share is just what Scotland Yard's Superintendent Duncan Kincaid needs. But the discovery of a body floating in the whirlpool bath ends Kincaid's vacation before it has begun. One of his new acquaintances at Followdale House is dead; another is a killer. Despite a distinct lack of cooperation from the local constabulary, Kincaid's keen sense of duty won't allow him to ignore the heinous crime, impelling him to send for his enthusiastic young assistant, Sergeant Gemma James. But the stakes are raised dramatically when a second murder occurs, and Kincaid and James find themselves in a determined hunt for a fiendish felon who enjoys homicide a bit too much. O-R10/18
1994
ALL SHALL BE WELL
Superintendent Duncan Kincaid is deeply saddened to discover that his terminally ill neighbour, Jasmine Dent, has died. And when the autopsy reveals a lethal dose of morphine, everybody assumes suicide. Everyone except Duncan Kincaid, that is. Jasmine had asked a friend to help her overdose, but she had abandoned that plan at the last minute. And why were there no empty morphine bottles in her flat? And no suicide note? With the help of Jasmine’s own journals, Kincaid explores his neighbour’s life, from her childhood in India to the final months of her illness, discovering a hauntingly beautiful young woman, secretive and ambitious. Somewhere in her past lies the key to her murder. O-R10/18
1995

LEAVE THE GRAVE GREEN
When a body is found floating in the Thames river lock one damp and dreary morning, Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James are summoned from Scotland Yard to the Chiltern Hills outside London. The dead man is Connor Swann, son-in-law of London’s most renowned opera personalities. And prints on his neck suggest that Swann was strangled. As Duncan and Gemma explore the quiet woods above the Thames and the flamboyant world of London opera in search of answers, they discover a tangled web of family secrets and hidden emotions. And when Duncan finds himself dangerously drawn to a suspect, he and Gemma must sort out their complicated feelings for one another. O-R10/18
1996

MOURN NOT YOUR DEAD
The murder at Holmbury St Mary was not one that Superintendent Duncan Kincaid of Scotland Yard would relish investigating. A man has been beaten to death in his own home. A man who just happened to be Commander Alastair Gilbert of the Metropolitan Police. Only adding to Kincaid's problems are his tangled personal feelings for Sergeant Gemma James. And in an investigation of this importance neither can afford a breakdown in their relationship. O-R10/18
1997
DREAMING OF THE BONES
It is the call Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid never expected and one he certainly doesn't want. Victoria, his ex-wife, who walked out without an explanation more than a decade ago, asks him to look into the suicide of local poet, Lydia Brooke, a case that's been officially closed for five years. The troubled young writer's death, Victoria claims, might well have been murder. No one is more surprised than Kincaid himself when he agrees to investigate, not even his partner and lover, Sergeant Gemma James. But it's a second death that raises the stakes and plunges Kincaid and James into a labyrinth of dark lies and lethal secrets that stretches all the way back through the twentieth century, a death that most assuredly is murder; one that has altered Duncan Kincaid's world forever. O-R11/18
1999
KISSED A SAD GOODBYE
In September 1939 thousands of children were evacuated from London. Among them were twelve-year-olds Lewis Finch and William Hammond, both billeted on the Surrey estate of the formidable Edwina Burne-Jones. They became allies, then friends. Fifty years on and Scotland Yard’s Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James are called out to investigate a death on the Isle of Dogs. A beautiful young woman has been strangled. The prime suspect is a busker the woman was seen talking to before she disappeared – a busker with a strange connection to the past...O-R11/18
2001
A FINER END
Jack Montfort grew up in the shadow of Glastonbury Tor in a town revered as the mythical burial place of King Arthur, and, according to New Age followers, a source of strong druid power. Montfort has little more than a passing interest in the history of the area - until he comes across an extraordinary chronicle almost a thousand years old. The unsettling way this record comes into his hands brings Montfort into contact with a disparate group of townspeople, including Nick Carlisle, a student of Glastonbury's myths; Faith Wills, a pregnant teenage runaway; and Winnie Catesby, the Anglican priest who is now Jack's lover. When a member of Jack's circle is attacked and left for dead, he appeals to his cousin, Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, for help. For something terrible and bloody shattered Glastonbury Abbey's peace long ago - and now it is about to spark a violence that will reach forward into the present. O-R11/18
2002
AND JUSTICE THERE IS NONE
Dawn Arrowood is deeply preoccupied as she drives across London through the December dusk. But her worries pale compared with the fate that awaits her, for as she walks up the drive to her grand Notting Hill house, she hears a rustle in the damp stillness and before she can scream she is brutally murdered. Detective Inspector Gemma James is adjusting to a new promotion and a future now intricately entwined with Duncan Kincaid. Assigned to the Arrowood case, she soon discovers that there are many people who might have wished Dawn dead. Soon it becomes clear that the case is linked to a similar unsolved murder being investigated by Kincaid. Duncan and Gemma join forces in a hunt for a killer that will take them from the teeming stalls of the city’s antiques markets to the social tensions of sixties Notting Hill, only to discover a decades-in-the-making vendetta of history and hatred that will threaten all that Gemma holds previous. O-R12/18
2003
NOW MAY YOU WEEP
When Detective Inspector Gemma James is persuaded by her friend, Hazel, to take a trip to the misty Scottish Highlands, she jumps at the chance. But upon their arrival it becomes clear that Hazel has been concealing a dangerous secret. At their remote B&B the pair encounter Donald Brodie, the owner of a local distillery - and Hazel’s former lover. Their relationship had ended abruptly years before. Now Donald is convinced he can win Hazel back. But the lovers' reunion yields shocking - and mortal - consequences. Gemma soon discovers that, in this tight-knit community, there is no shortage of murder suspects. And beneath the hospitable surface, there lurks a hundred years of bitter family rivalry waiting to emerge. O-R12/18
2004

IN A DARK HOUSE
DS Duncan Kincaid is torn away from a bitter family custody battle to an arson scene at a vacant warehouse in Southwark. Inside, the police discover a corpse burned beyond recognition. Meanwhile Kincaid's lover and former partner DI Gemma James is trying to cope with private concerns of her own whilst concentrating on the disappearance of a young, beautiful hospital administrator who has vanished without trace. Across the city, inside an old, dark, rambling house, a nameless woman is holding ten-year-old Harriet hostage. Fearful of her rigidly controllinig captor and desperately  worried abour her feuding mother and father back at home, Harriet tries to escape. While the clock ticks, Kincaid and Gemma must call upon every resource as they work together on their most interesting case yet. O-R12/18
2007

WATER LIKE A STONE
When Superintendant Duncan Kincaid takes Gemma, Kit and Toby to visit his family in Cheshire, Gemma is soon entranced with Nantwich town's pretty buildings and the historic winding canal, and young Kit is instantly smitten with his cousin Lally. But their visit is marred when, on Christmas Eve, Duncan's sister discovers a mummified infant's body interred in the wall of an old dairy barn; a tragedy hauntingly echoed by the recent drowning of Peter Llewellyn, a schoolmate of Lally's. Meanwhile, on her narrowboat, former social worker Annie Lebow is living a life of self-imposed isolation, preparing for a lonely Christmas, made more disturbing by an unexpected meeting earlier in the day. As the police make enquiries into the infant’s death, Kincaid discovers that life in the lovely town of his childhood is far from idyllic, and that the dreaming reaches of the Shropshire Union Canal hold dark and deadly secrets. O-R01/19
2008

WHERE MEMORIES LIE
Detective Inspector Gemma James and her family are back in their Notting Hill house and enjoying a quiet spring in London when Gemma receives a plea for help from her friend and neighbour Erika Rosenthal. Erika and her husband came to London before the end of the war as refugees from Nazi Germany. Her long-dead husband was murdered and his death was never solved. A piece of jewellery stolen from her years ago has turned up at a London auction house. Erika believes the theft may be tied to her husband’s murder. A tragic death placed the investigation firmly in the present and into the hands of Gemma’s partner, Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid. Determined to exact justice, Gemma and Duncan hunt down the  killer in achilling case that will have lasting repercussions for everyone involved. O-R01/19
2009

NECESSARY AS BLOOD
Once the haunt of Jack the Ripper, London's East End is a vibrant mix of history and new ideas, but the trendy galleries of Brick Lane disguise a seedy underside where unthinkable crimes bring terror to the innocent. Artist and young mother Sandra Gilles disappears without trace after leaving her three-year-old daughter, Charlotte, with a friend at the Columbia Road Flower Market. Her lawyer husband, Naz Malik, is devastated - but he's also the prime suspect. When Naz vanishes shortly afterwards, Gemma James and her partner Superintendent Duncan Kincaid agree to work together again to solve the case before the murderer can get his hands on the real prize, Charlotte. But just as the case grows more dangerous, a personal issue threatens to throw Gemma and Duncan off the trail. In the end, it is up to them to stop a vicious killer and protect the child whose fate hangs in the balance. O-R01/19
2011
NO MARK UPON  HER
Olympic rowing hopeful and senior Metropolitan Police officer DCI Rebecca Meredith goes out alone to train on the river in Henley on a dark afternoon in late October but doesn’t return. When a desperate search by the police and a K9 team reveals the possibility of foul play, Scotland Yard wants one of their own on the case. Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, returning from celebrating his marriage to long-time partner Detective Inspector Gemma James, is called to Henley to investigate. He soon finds that the world of elite rowing can be brutal, and that Rebecca Meredith’s ex-husband was not the only person with good reason for wanting her dead. Then, when a search-and- rescue team member is threatened, Kincaid realizes the case may be even more complex and more dangerous than he believed. But it is only when he enlists Gemma’s aid that they find that the answers lie closer to home than they could have imagined, and are infinitely more deadly. It seems that more than one innocent life depends on their ability to track down the killer. O-R02/19
2013

THE SOUND OF BROKEN GLASS
In the past . . . On a hot August afternoon in Crystal Palace area of London, Andy, a thirteen-year-old boy meets his next door neighbour Nadine, a recently widowed young teacher hoping to make a new start in the South London community. Drawn together by loneliness, the unlikely pair form 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 now that her husband, Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, is at home to care for their three-year-old foster daughter. Assigned to lead a Murder Investigation Team in South London, she's assisted by Detective Sergeant Melody Talbot. Their case, a crime scene at a seedy hotel in Crystal Palace. The victim, Vincent Arnott, a well-respected barrister, found naked, trussed, and apparently strangled. Gemma's team must find his companion - a search that forces them to contemplate the weaknesses and passions that lead to murder. Ultimately they will begin to question everything they think they know about their world and those they trust the most. O-R02/19
2014

TO DWELL IN DARKNESS
Recently transferred to the London borough of Camden from Scotland Yard headquarters, Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his new murder investigation team are called to a deadly bombing at historic St. Pancras Station. By fortunate coincidence, Melody Talbot, Gemma's trusted colleague, witnesses the explosion. The victim was taking part in an organized protest, yet the other group members swear the young man only meant to set off a smoke bomb. As Kincaid begins to gather the facts, he finds every piece of the puzzle yields an unexpected pattern, including the disappearance of a mysterious bystander. The bombing isn't the only mystery troubling Kincaid. He's still questioning the reasons behind his transfer, and when his former boss continues to avoiding him, those suspicions deepen. With the help of his former sergeant, Doug Cullen, Melody Talbot, and Gemma, Kincaid begins to untangle the truth. But what he discovers will leave him questioning his belief in the job that has shaped his life and his values, and remind him just how vulnerable his precious family is. O-R02/19
2017
THE GARDEN OF LAMENTATIONS
On a beautiful morning in mid-May, the body of a young woman is found in one of Notting Hill's private gardens. To passers-by, the pretty girl in the white dress looks as if she's sleeping. But Reagan Keating has been murdered, and the lead detective, DI Kerry Boatman, turns to Gemma James for help. She and Gemma worked together on a previous investigation, and Gemma has a personal connection to the case: Reagan was the nanny of a child who attends the same dance studio as Toby, Gemma and Kincaid's son. Gemma soon discovers that Reagan's death is the second tragedy in this exclusive London park; a few months before, a young boy died in a tragic accident. But when still another of the garden residents meets a violent end, it becomes clear that there are more sinister forces at play. Boatman and Gemma must stop the killer before another innocent life is taken. While his wife is consumed with her new case, Kincaid finds himself plagued by disturbing questions about several previous--and seemingly unrelated--cases involving members of the force. If his suspicions are correct and the crimes are linked, are his family and friends in mortal danger as well? Kincaid's hunch turns to certainty when a Metropolitan Police officer close to him is brutally attacked. There's a traitor in the ranks, and now Kincaid wonders if he can trust anyone.As Gemma begins to see a solution to her case, she realizes she holds a child's fate in her hands. Can she do the right thing? And can Kincaid rely on his friends, both inside and outside the Scotland Yard force, to stand beside him as he faces the deadliest challenge of his career? O-R03/19
2019

A BITTER FEAST
Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James, have been invited for a relaxing weekend in the Cotswolds, one of Britain's most enchanting regions, famous for its rolling hills, golden cottages, and picturesque villages. Duncan, Gemma, and their children are guests at Beck House, the family estate of Melody Talbot, Gemma's detective sergeant. The Talbot family is wealthy, prominent, and powerful - Melody's father is the publisher of one of London's largest and most influential newspapers. The centrepiece of this glorious autmun getaway is a posh charity harvest luncheon catered by up-and-coming chef Viv Holland. After fifteen years in London's cut-throat food scene, Viv has returned to the Gloucestershire valleys of her childhood and quickly made a name for herself with her innovative meals based on traditional cuisine using fresh local ingredients. Attended by the local well-to-do as well as national press food bloggers and restaurant critics, the event could make Viv a star. But a tragic car accident and a series of mysterious deaths rock the estate and pull Duncan and Gemma into the investigation. It soon becomes clear that the killer has a connection with Viv's pub - or, perhaps, with Beck House itself. Does the truth lie in the past? Or is it closer to home, tied up in the tangled relationships and bitter resentments between the staff at Beck House and Viv's new pub? Or is it more personal, entwined with secrets hidden by Viv and those closest to her? O-R10/19
2023

A KILLING OF INNOCENTS
On a rainy November evening, trainee doctor Sasha Johnson hurries through the evening crowd in London's historic Russell Square. Out of the darkness, someone jostles her as they brush past. A moment later, Sasha stumbles, then collapses. When Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his sergeant, Doug Cullen, are called to the scene, they discover that she's been stabbed. Kincaid immediately calls in his detective wife, Gemma James, who has recently been assigned to a task force on knife crimes which are on the rise. Along with her partner, detective sergeant Melody Talbot, Gemma aids the investigation. But Sasha Johnson doesn’t fit the profile of the task force’s typical knife crime victim. Single, successful, career-driven, she has no history of abusive relationships or any connection to gangs. Sasha had her secrets, though, and some of them lead the detectives uncomfortably close to home. As the team unravels the victim's tangled connections, another murder raises the stakes. Kincaid, Gemma, and their colleagues must put even friendships on the line to find the killer stalking the dark streets of Bloomsbury. O-Kindle-R02/23


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