Scene of Crime [Hardcover]

Jill McGown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2001

It's three days before Christmas, and the Malworth Amateur Dramatic Society's rehearsal of "Cinderella", scripted by GP Carl Gignall, is struggling thanks to a flu epidemic that has hit the production. But as rehearsals finally get under way at the Riverside Theatre, the police across town are entering Carl's house - and discovering the body of his wife, Estelle...Why was Carl so late for rehearsal? Why is Dr Bignall's neighbour so reluctant to tell the truth about what he witnessed? And why is Dr Denis Leeward, Carl's partner, sitting in his car, slightly bruised and in a state of guilty panic? All detective Chief Inspector Lloyd knows for sure, as he takes charge of the investigation, is that one of them is a murderer...'McGown teases to the absolute, agonizing limit.' - "Sunday Times." "McGown can be relied on to produce a first-rate puzzle." - "Sunday Telegraph." "One of the most seriously underrated crime novelists around." - "The Times".

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her 11th Lloyd and Hill mystery (Verdict Unsafe; etc.), British author McGown provides an expertly crafted whodunit. Judy Hill, a bit cranky in her eighth month of pregnancy and uncertain about Lloyd's willingness to be a father again, ropes her reluctant partner in life and crime into joining her at a rehearsal for a local dramatic society's production of Cinderella. When Lloyd is called from there to the scene of a suspicious death involving the wife of one of the players, the curtain rises on a fascinating domestic drama. Estelle Bignall, apparent victim of a robbery gone wrong, was married to handsome doctor Carl Bignall, who was safely at rehearsal when the call came. Ryan Chester, well known to the local cops as a clever thief, is tied to the scene by the theft of a car and a sackful of Christmas presents from the Bignall house. Ryan's younger half-brother, Dexter, has been spotted running away from the scene of the crime. Sinister next-door neighbor Eric Watson, a former cop, is curiously reluctant to talk to the police. What does he have to hide? Imperturbable as ever, the witty and wily Lloyd, with the able help of his subordinate, Tom Finch, sorts through the maze of conflicting evidence and improbable stories to get to the heart of the matter. Once again, McGown has delivered outstanding entertainment.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

McGown produces another winning entry in her long-running Lloyd and Hill series. Detective Chief Inspector Judy Hill, struggling through the last month of what seems an interminable first pregnancy, is temporarily out of commission as far as investigating violent crimes is concerned. Her life partner (and fellow DCI) Lloyd is nervously anticipating fatherhood and facing one of the most puzzling cases of his career. Estelle Bignall has been murdered, smothered to death in what was apparently a burglary attempt gone wrong. The evidence points to Ryan Chester, a petty thief who's had numerous run-ins with the police, but Lloyd isn't buying it. In the end, it's Lloyd's plodding police work that gets him the evidence he needs to crack the case, but it's his sharply honed "cop's sixth sense" that lead him to the real killer. The book suffers from a sometimes confusing surfeit of characters and subplots, but overall, it's an engaging and carefully crafted British police procedural. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 391 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Pr (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786236477
• ISBN-13: 978-0786236473
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,231,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story, characters and plot, February 18, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scene of Crime (Hardcover)

In Malworth, a local theater group decides to do a production of Cinderella. At the tryouts is eight-month pregnant Detective Chief Inspector Judy Hill who wants the title role. Accompanying her is her professional and personal partner Lloyd. At the same theater is Dr. Carl Bignall, who learns there that someone murdered his wife during an apparent robbery turned ugly.

The police quickly find two suspects. Teenager Ryan Chester has been found with a stolen car and Christmas gifts that Carl identifies as being in his home. A witness confirms that Ryan's half-brother Dexter was near the crime scene at the time of the murder. The case is resolved so why does Lloyd continue to investigate the homicide as if someone else committed the crime?

The eleventh Lloyd-Hill police procedural, SCENE OF THE CRIME, is a fabulous who-done-it that shows why the author and her series are so popular. The story line is intelligent as the reader observes Lloyd and his assistant work through a maze filled with lies, half-truths, and false clues. The recurring cast retains their human qualities so that fans will feel old friends have returned and anxiously await the next visit from Jill McGown's top of the line series.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Expert Craftsmanship Again., May 26, 2003

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scene of Crime (Mass Market Paperback)

Ms. McGown expertly writes a mystery with more than a few "little puzzles" and red herrings. In this one there have been more people going through the murder scene before the body was officially discovered than people in Piccadilly Circus. Lloyd and Tom Finch must try to wade through all the lies and deceits to get to the heart of the matter, and it turns out that the time line is the way they actually find out who did it. (At least Judy points it out to them). Judy is eight months pregnant in this book, and plays a secondary role in the actual investigation, but that doesn't stop her from breaking through all the lies to get to the heart of the matter. The best thing about a Lloyd and Hill mystery is the ongoing storyline with the principles. Each outing the reader gets to know them better and better - where they begin to feel like old friends. I'm actually sorry that I only have one book left to read in this series. Hopefully Ms. McGown will write again soon.

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Reading Ahead, July 5, 2007

By 

J. Owen "Owen" (San Francisco, Ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scene of Crime (Paperback)

Scene of Crime struck me as the author's roll of the dice. It begins with the chaos of the vigorous toss. I was then engaged by the skillful organization of a variety of everyday encounters and events and ...of course...the events surrounding... the murder; I appreciated being clued into the "time line" of this mystery novel.

I had never heard of Ms. McGown's two lead detectives, Hill and Lloyd, prior to learning of her own recent death. As someone new to this famous detecting duo, I enjoyed their unraveling of the mystery while they remained "interesting" and believable.

I found the many characters to be diverse, colorful and very "human". They all remained consistent without becoming overly predictable.

The only thing that kept me from giving it five stars was the missing grappling with the "shadow" or the deeper aspects of the character(s). Unfortunately this omission resulted in a somewhat shallow albeit thoroughly enjoyable read. I'd definitely read more of this author.