The Verge Practice: A Kathy and Brock Mystery (Kathy and Brock Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Barry Maitland (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's hard to call Det. Sgt. Kathy Kolla and Chief Insp. Brock a team, since they work independently and don't often communicate, yet their sleuthing is smooth and efficient as they hunt down the killer of a prominent architect's wife in the latest in Maitland's sophisticated series (The Malcontenta, etc.). Charles Verge, owner of the London practice bearing his name, has suddenly gone missing, putting him under immediate suspicion of doing in his ambitious wife just before plans are unveiled for a controversial new prison. The police also focus on the activities of rival architect Sandy Clarke, until he too is found dead, an apparent suicide leaving a dubious "confession" on his computer screen. Kathy does most of the legwork in this intensive search, going first to the north of England and then to Barcelona where Charles may have been sighted, while Brock is back at headquarters in London directing an inquiry into the firm's shady finances. Maitland, himself an architect, provides vivid insight into the dog-eat-dog world of designing government buildings and also shows us the "nasty end of police business," in the modern forensics lab complete with high-tech gadgetry. Eventually, the pieces of the puzzle fit together in a grisly and unsettling resolution.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Arcade Publishing (July 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559707135
• ISBN-13: 978-1559707138
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,044,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a thoroughly absorbing read, August 8, 2004

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Verge Practice: A Kathy and Brock Mystery (Kathy and Brock Mysteries) (Hardcover)

When Charles Verge's young wife is found savagely murdered in their luxurious apartment, and when Verge himself seems to have gone missing, the hunt for the killer also becomes tied to the search for the missing architect. Did Verge kill his wife and then runaway? Or is Verge himself also dead, the victim of the same brutal killer who had killed his wife? After months of no progress and many mysterious Charles Verge sightings all over Europe, the case is given to Chief Inspector Brock and his team to solve. The police have always believed that Verge had murdered his wife and done a bunk, and it's a theory that Brock leans heavily towards in spite of new evidence (both forensic and financial) that seems to implicate Verge's business partner, Sandy Clarke. Is Clarke guilty of the double murder of the Verges? As Brock and his team go over all the evidence, Brock cannot escape the feeling that they are all being manipulated. But by whom and why?

I'm a huge fan of the Kathy and Brock mysteries, and have enjoyed all the books in the series. "The Verge Practice" is, I think, the best of the five so far. In this installment, even though D.S. Kathy Kolla does most of the leg work, we really get to see why Brock is considered, by many, to be a brilliant detective. Brock has instincts that allow him to "look" at a case in a certain way in spite of the mounting evidence. (And I really didn't understand where the reviewer from Publishers Weekly got the impression that there was very little communication going on between Brock and Kathy, or that they worked independently of each other. The only time Kathy works without Brock's sanction is at the end of the book, and you'll have to read for yourself she does this). And it was a real treat to "see" how Brock's mind works.

Possessing a clever and intriguing storyline, brilliantly plotted and smoothly and evenly paced, "The Verge Practice" was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and one that I cannot recommend enough.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brock and Kolla solve the case again, February 7, 2005

By 

omnireader "Linda" (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Verge Practice: A Kathy and Brock Mystery (Kathy and Brock Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I am a huge fan of Barry Maitland's Kathy and Brock Mysteries and this 6th entry in the series does not disappoint. When four months elapse after the discovery of Charles Verge's dead young wife and his disappearance with no real leads the case is put into the hands of Brock. Is Verge a murderer and suicide, or has someone else framed him for the murder? The motives for others are certainly plentiful, as the world famous Verge architectural firm seems to be in both creative and financial free fall. This a very complex mystery, but very clear and easy to follow, with a shocking answer to the many questions raised.

As a former architect, Barry Maitland's mysteries have a strong sense of place that I particularly enjoy. The scenes set in Barcelona are particularly striking and atmospheric. Brock himself is not as enigmatic a figure as in the earier books, as we begin to get more insights into his personal life and feelings. The relationship between Kathy and he seems to be unfolding just as a real relationship does-over time and with increased trust. Kathy herself comes to an end and new beginning in her personal life with the resolution of her relationship with Leon Desai that has been a part of earlier books.

I would highly recommend the Kathy and Brock mysteries-looking forward to the next one!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Puzzle to Solve, January 17, 2005

By 

A. Christie "bibliofiend508" (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Verge Practice: A Kathy and Brock Mystery (Kathy and Brock Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Detective Chief Inspector Brock and Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla are back with a vengeance in this page-turning seventh installment of the series.

The young wife of architect, Charles Verge is found murdered and Charles himself is missing. Did he kill his wife and run, or did someone kill them both and hide Charles' body? There are clues galore, but the novel is never confusing. This well-paced story is hard to put down, so leave enough time. There's a unique twist to the story to make an outstanding book even better.