Leave the Grave Green (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels) (utgåvan 2005)

Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his sergeant Gemma James are called to investigate a suspicious drowning in the countryside outside London. Connor Swann, son-in-law of conductor Sir Gerald Asherton and his wife, soprano, Dame Caroline Stowe, has been found floating in the Thames battered and bruised, under suspicious circumstances. Julia, the Ashertons' daughter, had recently left Connor, who was a drinker, a gambler and fond of other woman. Because of the Ashertons' high profile, the Chief Superintendent wants extra eyes on this. As they begin to question those close to Connor, they discover this isn't the first time the family has experienced a tragedy related to drowning. When Julia was a small girl, she and her brother, Matty, were walking along the lock when he also fell in and was swept to his death.

Was Connor pushed to his death? He and Julia were separated, though he was still close to her parents, and there are several other important suspects that need to be investigated. Kincaid finds himself strongly attracted to Julia and, to his embarrassment, acts in an improper fashion whenever he's around her. What makes it even worse is Julia is the prime suspect in her husband's murder. This leads to some problems between Duncan and Gemma, who are fighting their mutual attraction to one another.

This is a fairly slow moving story. It's a true police procedural where Duncan and Gemma interview suspects and try to tie their clues together. It's not action packed and thrilling. The characters are well developed and the interaction was appealing. This is the third book in this series and I think I'll continue to read a least one more of them. There are some changes to Duncan and Gemma's relationship in this book and I'm curious to see where they take us.
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Wow. These just keep getting better and better!! Real writing, and I didn't pick out the murderer till the end, right before they told us. ( )

Inspector Duncan Kincaid und seine Kollegin Sergeant Gemma James, die sich auch privat zugetan sind, stehen vor einem neuen Fall. Als Connor Swann tot aus der Themse gezogen wird, ist ein Unfall zwar nicht ganz auszuschließen, doch eigentlich deutet alles auf Mord hin. In Verdacht gerät zunächst die Ehefrau des Toten, Julia Asherton, Tochter eines bekannten Dirigenten und einer gefeierten Primadonna – und das schwarze Schaf der Familie. Das Ableben ihres Gatten nimmt sie äußerst gelassen, wenn nicht gar erfreut zur Kenntnis. Außerdem hat sie kein Alibi. Als Kincaid und James die ehrenwerte Familie etwas genauer unter die Lupe nehmen, stellt sich heraus, dass der tote Schwiegersohn ein notorischer Schürzenjäger und Schuldenmacher war – und dass Tod durch Ertrinken bei den Ashertons offensichtlich Tradition hat.

I enjoyed the mystery here, but I was disappointed in the more personal developments in this book. The coming relationship was set up pretty obviously, but this is not how I would have wanted it to start. ( )

Series is improving. More devp between Kincaid and Gemma. Characterizations are well-done.