Customer Reviews

Dreaming of the Bones

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Except for Martha Grimes, I don't usually go in for English mystery series, the sort of thing with continuing characters and starring a Scotland Yard investigator, nor have I read any others in this series. But I can see why this novel was voted a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and why it was nominated for both the Edgar and the Agatha.

Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid has been divorced for twelve years, his life is ticking right along, and he has a nicely developing romance with his sergeant, Gemma James. And then he hears from his ex-wife, Victoria, now a professor of modern English poetry at Cambridge, who has been researching a biography of Lydia Brooke, who died in what Victoria has come to believe are suspicious circumstances a few years before. She wants Duncan's help, and he agrees, to Gemma's consternation. Sounds like a pretty routine plot, doesn't it? It's not, believe me. Where most writers in this genre concentrate on the plot, with characters who are less than three-dimensional, or (again, like Martha Grimes) develop wonderful characters but tend to stint the mystery itself, Crombie succeeds very well at both. Duncan and Gemma and Victoria all come alive, as do the supporting players, and you won't guess at the solution to the mystery until the denouement, either. By the end of the book, Duncan's life has become permanently more complicated, and I want to know what happens next! (Obviously, I'm going to have to go back and read the first four books in this series before tackling the sixth one.)

So how can an author keep the readers interested in the two main characters after they become romantically involved with each other? For Deborah Crombie, it is easy. Bring in Duncan's ex-wife with a several-year-old murder masquerading as a suicide, her 11 year-old son, another murder, and still tie in Duncan and Gemma's explorations of their new relationship. This is a book about shattered dreams, new expectations, surprise revelations, and distorted relationships.

DREAMING OF THE BONES is, at times, funny, extremely sad, touching, and infuriating. It is Crombie's most emotionally complex book yet. I couldn't put it down and read it cover-to-cover in one sitting. Enjoy!

Let me first admit to having had several reservations before starting to read Dreaming of the Bones: the blurb told me Miss Crombie is an American writer, from Texas, writing an "English Mystery"; the protagonist detectives are of different social levels; and the word "bones" is in the title (a personal foible). The word "formula" began echoing in my mind, but having the book in hand with crisp pages full of promise is a strong antidote to untested doubt and the reading proved itself rewarding on many levels, the most pleasurable being the superb quality of the writing itself.

The story can be read first as a straight who-done-it with sufficiently engaging plot subtleties to give casual readers enough doubt to pull them through to the end, all the while wondering and in the end being truly surprised. For the mystery afficionada, this is genuine goods and well worth the investment.

On another level, the skillful and very effective weaving of the intriguing plot with character's past and present histories, snippets of a book being written by one of the characters, along with the on-going lives of the detectives themselves is seamless and masterful, particularly given the ambitious task Miss Crombie posed for herself as a writer to make it look "easy" to the reader. Not only does she succeed, but she created an avid admirer in the process. This book frequently leaps out of the mass-market mystery genre, with its often over-pared editorial limitations, into the literary mystery, bringing to my mind a comparison to PD James and her scrupulous attention to detail. A fine first read for me and well recommended for those who love "English Mysteries".

New readers and fans of Deborah Crombie will not be disappointed with her fifth installment of the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James detective team from Scotland Yard.

When Duncan receives a call from his ex-wife, Vic, after a twelve year separation, it can only be trouble. Vic, recently abandoned by her husband for a younger model, is writing a biography about a semi-popular poet, Lydia Brooke. During the course of Vic's investigation for her book, she comes across some disturbing evidence that the poet may not have taken her own life five years ago and seeks out Duncan's professional connections for more details.

Duncan decides to help Vic, much to the distress of Gemma, Duncan's partner both professionally and personally. Duncan assures Gemma he plans on only obtaining a copy of the police report, but once Vic turns up dead Duncan decides to take a leave of absence to further investigate. Gemma stands by her man and they set out to find her murderer. They conclude that the key to finding her murderer is to determine who didn't want her to continue her exploration of Lydia Brooke's death.

As with some author's who keep the reader in the dark about key pieces of information as a means to disguise their inability to write skillfully, Deborah Crombie unveils the facts to the reader as Duncan and Gemma learn them. This skillful writer intersperses letters written by Lydia to her mother as well as private conversations that take place outside of Duncan and Gemma's ears and still pulls off "I can't believe that's who did it" at the end.

Deborah Crombie's books are categorized as police procedurals, but within each successive book in the series she adds a dimension to the growing relationship between Duncan and Gemma. While finding Vic's murderer (as well as the murderer of Lydia Brooke) brings closure for Duncan, what Vic leaves behind will change Duncan and Gemma's personal relationship forever.

I hope Ms. Crombie doesn't take too long to finish her next installment as readers will be anxiously awaiting to see how Vic's legacy will impact Duncan and Gemma.

Reading this book was an emotionally draining experience-the kind that always comes after reading a thrilling literary novel. Many of the characters in this book feel loss in one sense or another, but it's the way Crombie conveys this that make the book so potent. With magnificent characters and startling plot twists, this elaborate whodunit keeps you guessing up until the end. Even though I was disappointed by the identity of the killer, the book was still worth it. Superintendent Duncan Kincaid gets an unexpected call from his ex-wife, who is writing a biography of ill-fated poet. Asked to look into the poet's suicide, Duncan finds some inconsistencies but the police refuse to reopen the case. Suddenly his ex-wife is murdered; poisoned just like the poet. Now Duncan and his partner and lover, Sergeant Gemma James, must find out who murdered the poet in order to expose his ex-wife's killer.

I am reading all of the Kincaid-Gemma books in chronological order. This is the best one yet. I like Crombie's books better than Elizabeth George's. Her characters get on with the crime solving & don't indulge in such navel-gazing & endless angst over their relationships the way George's do. I think the reader should just take this book for what it is -- fiction -- a good mystery & not get onvolved in analyzing the poetry, the letters, & who is supposed to represent whom in real life. Just enjoy it! I can't wait to read the next one.

during the first third of this book I found myself not liking it as much as the previous novels in the series. Why? Well there just wasn't that much Kinkaid/James in this Kinkaid/James mystery! I'm glad I stuck with it though because it ended up being very good and quite frankly one of Crombie's darker books.

Things are going as normal for Duncan and Gemma..they're both comfortable with their relationship, doing their normal workday routines as coppers in Scotland Yard when Duncan gets a call from the last person he ever suspected, his ex wife, Victoria.

Vic is a professor of literature at the University and has been working on a biography of a local poet from the 60s, the problem with that is that she's become rather obsessed. Lydia was a local moderate success in the 60s and had a history of attempted suicides until finally, it was a successful attempt. As Vic does more research she finds herself more and more uneasy with the case being deemed a suicide. Vic thinks Lydia was murdered and she asks for Duncan's help.

Much to Gemma's consternation, Duncan decides to help in what limited way he can by calling in some favors and soon he finds himself more and more intrigued by the case. What's more, Vic doesn't seem to be the cold viper that Duncan remembers walking out on him without a word years ago, much to Gemma's chagrin.

As I said at the beginning, the first third of the novel is primarily about Vic. Vic doing research for the book which leads her into the circle of old friends Lydia kept from University until she died. The mystery was set up nicely but I found myself missing the abundance of Duncan and Gemma that Crombie usually gives us in these novels. Not that the beginning of the book is bad, I just wanted more D and K. Crombie throws a gear into the works though that entrenches Duncan and Gemma even further into a case neither of them had any interest in (for obvious reasons) and exposes a history of darkness, secrets and seemingly unattainable redemption.

As usual, Crombie evolves the relationship with Duncan and Gemma at a nice pace with some very interesting developments that are sure to keep the series fresh and new. Well, new to me anyway being that I'm late to the party ;)

So, if you find yourself feeling the beginning is a little slow or not as engrossing as the rest of the novels because of the seeming lack of Kinkaid and James, you'd do well to stick with it! As the mystery reveals itself the book only gets better and better.

Dreaming of the Bones is a wonderful book, and the title reflects the storyline. The way Ms. Crombie slides in and out of the past with the book is almost dreamlike. In this book, Duncan Kincaid and his Gemma are trying to solve what could have been a five year old murder, but while they're trying to convince the authorities that it was murder and not suicide another death occurs that can't be anything but murder. Kincaid has to determine what happened years and years ago to try to figure out who has committed these murders. In his search he comes upon some truths of his own that will probably change his life completely. It's a voyage of discovery for him as well as revenge. Despite the few discrepancies this book seemed to be more British than the others that I have read in this series. Ms. Crombie should do a bit of research to determine how the English spell "colour", but it did not take away from the story, and I really did enjoy it!

Deborah Crombie writes uncannily like another American-born author of English detective novels, Elizabeth George. Both Crombie and George write about British detectives who are intensely human, compassionate and introspective. At the same time, these detectives are very competent and persistent in their dogged pursuit of justice. Crombie and George also go to great pains to develop their characters, and they write natural dialogue that is both literate and engaging. In "Dreaming of the Bones," Crombie explores the deepening relationship between Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. The personal lives of these two characters are in turmoil, and suddenly, Kincaid and James find themselves joining forces to solve a serious of murders that hit uncomfortably close to home. In "Dreaming of the Bones," Crombie uses flashbacks skillfully and her sardonic humor is delightful. The only drawback is the ending, which is a little anticlimactic and drags on longer than it should. In spite of this flaw, I recommend "Dreaming of the Bones" highly, since it is a satisfying and an entertaining mystery.

Five years ago, the talented Cambridge poet Lydia Brooks apparently committed suicide. Now Victoria McClellan, is writing a biography about the renowned Lydia. However as she digs deeply into the background of the deceased poet, Vic begins to question whether Lydia actually killed herself or was murdered. She turns to her estranged former spouse, Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid for help.

Duncan wants nothing to do with the feminist who dumped him over a decade ago. However, her evidence is compelling, so, along with his current lover and partner, Gemma James, he looks at the local police report, which he finds shoddy and its conclusion very shaky. As the two law enforcement officials begin to dig, Vic is murdered. A stunned Duncan and his partner start investigating one current murder and one potentially five year old murder in an effort to uncover a killer, who will do anything to keep a four decade old secret quiet.

Deborah Crombie has a well deserved reputation for her Kincaid series. However, her latest entry, DREAMING OF THE BONES, clearly tops her already superior work because the reader has an incredible glimpse into what makes Duncan what he is. His relationships with Gemma and Vic are thoroughly explored, turning the Superintendent into a human being. The story line is exciting, especially the ultimate clue to the killer's identity. Fans of this series will be elated with this book, but will wonder whether Ms. Crombie can top this outstanding novel, let alone match its excellence.

Harriet Klausner