To Dwell in Darkness

London detectives and spouses Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James each are working on difficult murder cases. Kincaid is in charge of investigating a case in which an anti-development activist set off a lethal white phosphorus incendiary grenade, instead of the innocuous smoke bomb he meant to release. The protestor was incinerated, and several bystanders were injured, including Kincaid’s friend Tam and Kincaid's wife’s partner, Melody Talbot, who was on the scene at the St. Pancras train station for a concert by her boyfriend Andy.

Kincaid has recently been transferred from Scotland Yard to Holborn station, so he has a new team to get to know in addition to figuring out what happened at St. Pancras. But he finds himself once again show more relying on Doug Cullen, his brilliant former detective sergeant from the Yard, who is recovering from a badly broken ankle, and has time to help. Melody also surreptitiously works on the case; she feels personally invested because of having witnessed it. At the same time, she assists Gemma in finding evidence to indict a very canny rapist/murderer.

One of my favorite things about the Duncan Kincaid detective series is the juxtaposition of warped evil people and the crimes they commit, with Duncan’s diverse, messy, warm, loving network of family and friends. So many detectives have personal lives that are dark in some way, featuring struggles with painful pasts, relationships gone bad, and/or addiction. Detective Superintendent Kincaid and his wife Detective Inspector Gemma James are not without worries, but they are more of the sort shared by everyone - the security of your job, the safety of your kids, or whether or not the kids should be allowed to keep stray kittens.

Evaluation: I think this series is excellent (this is the sixteenth installment). This newest book is best savored if you start back at least a few books, although it isn’t really necessary. show less

4.5/5 I only 'discovered' Deborah Crombie a bit ago, but I instantly knew the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series was one I would be following. The latest (#16), To Dwell in Darkness, has just released.

Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid has recently been transferred from Scotland Yard to a London borough. When a bombing in a local train station results in a horrifying death, the case falls to Duncan and his new team. Gemma is also an Inspector with the CID and it is Melody, one of her Detective Sergeants, who is on the scene when the attack occurs. But things are not as straight forward as they might first appear. Duncan isn't sure about his new team and ends up taking Melody, Gemma and a former sergeant into his confidence as he show more runs his own investigation parallel to the official one. Gemma, too, is dealing with a nasty case, but it is not given as much time as Duncan's.

Crombie's cases are intriguing. The factual evidence is there for us to start putting the clues and pieces along with the team. The interviews, the interrogations, the intuition and the characterizations - the personal aspect, is what makes the investigation really interesting.

But, the most captivating of all, is the large group of characters that appear in each book, their lives changing and growing with every new entry. They're an eclectic bunch, but I have become fond of them all. They're so well drawn, they've become almost real, especially Duncan, Gemma and their children. I feel like I know them. Although others may complain that the domestic details of the characters detracts from a good mystery, I find it gives the story much more depth. I've become invested in their lives and want to see where Crombie takes them from here. Sitting down with the latest feels like catching up with old friends.

I found the historical headers referring to St. Pancras at the beginning of each chapter interesting.

The case is wrapped up by the final pages, but there are some threads left dangling that have only whet my appetite for the next book in this wonderful series. show less

To Dwell in Darkness is book number 16 in Deborah Crombie’s Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series. It may be a bit difficult to believe that these fictional detectives have been around for that long already, but it is that very longevity that makes the series so appealing to longtime readers. Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and his wife Gemma James live complicated personal lives centered on the logistics of making their blended family work, and things seldom stand still for them on the home front.

This time around, Duncan is dealing with his recent transfer from Scotland Yard headquarters in London to a new job in the borough of Camden. To all appearances, the transfer is a demotion in both status and responsibility, but because show more his old boss at the Yard is avoiding him, Duncan has never been given a proper explanation for the change. If that were not bad enough, Duncan misses his old team in London, and is finding it difficult to warm up to the team recently assigned to him in Camden. And unfortunately, the new team largely feels the same about Duncan.

But, when a bomb explodes in St. Pancras Station during the afternoon rush hour, Duncan and the new team, be they ready or be they not, must get to work. Luckily for Duncan, Gemma’s trusted friend and colleague, Melody Talbot witnesses the explosion and ensuing panic and becomes an integral part of the investigation. This opens the door for Duncan to run two separate investigatory teams simultaneously (one official and one not), and he jumps at the opportunity even though this will leave him open to much second-guessing by his Camden staff.

Gemma, in the meantime, is managing an unrelated London investigation of her own that haunts her terribly. She feels certain that she has identified the brutal killer of a little girl, but she does not have the evidence necessary to prove her case. The killer seems to have thought of everything, but Gemma is relentless in her pursuit of the man.

As soon as Duncan, Gemma, and Melody learn that some of the victims are close friends of theirs, the investigation becomes personal – and, at the same time, more difficult. Not only are they charged with finding the group behind the bombing, they have to help their friends deal with its aftermath. Was this the work of a terrorist group, and will the group strike again, or is it simply an innocent protest gone bad? And what if it is a bit of both?

Crombie has another winner in To Dwell in Darkness. She significantly progresses the Kincaid/James family dynamic and, for that matter, the personal lives of all of her main characters in ways that are sure to please longtime fans of the series. And, in what I hope does not later prove to be a misstep, the author builds the novel to a rousing climax that ends with a dramatic cliffhanger leading directly to her next book. It is the direction that the cliffhanger seems to be taking the next book that makes me a bit uneasy - but knowing Crombie, she will prove me wrong for having doubting her. show less

Long-time fans of Deborah Crombie's wonderful series might find To Dwell in Darkness a bit of a mixed blessing. In the "good" column is no longer having to wait for the next book and to be rejoined with the best married police officers in all of crime fiction. In the "not-so-good" column is a lack of the richness and depth of story that fans have come to expect.

Most of the rushed quality to this book is due to its time frame. This is the most thriller-like of all Crombie's books, with the action taking place in just four days. A lot has to happen in a short period of time, and that means that all those secondary characters who add so much to the series are scarcely seen or even mentioned. I missed them, as I'm sure other readers will. show more

Another thing that will drive some readers absolutely wild is that Duncan's situation-- which was a cliffhanger in the last book The Sound of Broken Glass-- is not cleared up by the end of this book. Yes, To Dwell in Darkness ends in yet another-- rather chilling-- cliffhanger, but unlike some readers who prefer that everything be resolved at the end of each book, I do not mind a dangling plot line. I tend to like story arcs that develop over the course of a few books, and I trust Crombie to deliver the goods. (It also doesn't hurt that I was present at an author signing in which Crombie said that she's going to deal with Duncan's situation in the next book.)

While Duncan is dealing with the explosion at St. Pancras, Gemma has her own case to solve, but even though her investigation does provide Duncan with the inspiration to solve his own, there's so little of it that Gemma almost feels like filler, and that didn't set well with me at all. However, her case does prove that it's often the attention to even the smallest of details that can go on to solve murders.

Yes, I've been grumbling just a bit, but there is a lot to like in this book. I enjoyed seeing Duncan out of his comfort zone. He's used to being liked at work, and he's not in his new position. His second-in-command, Detective Inspector Jasmine Sidana, seems to have little use for him at all, and Duncan has to learn how to deal with that. Cat lovers in particular will rejoice when Duncan and Gemma's two sons rescue a mother cat and her kittens and insist on bringing them home. Speaking of those two sons, as the series progresses, I am more and more impressed with the oldest. Kit is growing up and proving that he can think on his feet and take appropriate action when something doesn't feel right.

Crombie is known for weaving a bit of history into her books, and in her latest she shares her knowledge of London train stations. She had me so fascinated that I was looking up the London station from which our train will be leaving for Inverness next year.

I always look forward to Deborah Crombie's next book, and I'm all for any author trying something different, but I have to be honest and admit that I'm hoping that she's got the thriller out of her system and will return to the richness of her earlier books. To Dwell in Darkness is a good book. It's just not her best. show less

We end with many of the same questions with which we begin To Dwell in Darkness, Deborah Crombie’s latest entry in the Gemma James-Duncan Kincaid mystery series. After the political machinations of a previous novel, Detective Chief Inspector Duncan Kincaid returns from paternity leave to find himself transferred out of Scotland Yard without any explanation. In his new assignment, he investigates the death of a protestor in a grenade explosion at historic St. Pancras train station. So who was the dead man? And why is there no record of the existence of the man presumed dead, one Ryan Marsh?

At the same time, Kincaid’s old boss has disappeared — allegedly gone off to Singapore to see an ailing sister. But Kincaid suspects that both show more of them are being punished as part of some shadowy behind-the-scenes conspiracy of corruption and silence. Was Kincaid’s wife Gemma suddenly promoted to buy his silence? And who was Ryan Marsh really? And why was an undercover policeman interested in a small and feeble anti-development protest group?

The resolution of To Dwell in Darkness’ main mystery — the death at St. Pancras — is resolved, although that resolution isn’t very satisfying; however, the novel ends on a cliff hanger, which won’t be resolved until the next novel. While I’m giving this novel only three stars — probably the first time I’ve done so for Crombie — the cliff hanger has me desolate that I’ll have to wait a year for the next novel. show less

Duncan returning to work after taking leave to care for Charlotte finds he has a new office location, and new staff. Doesn't know why. Investigating a complicated, horrific bombing and murder at St. Pancras Int'l Station keeps them focused on working in unison, allowing them to get to know each other quickly, without time for petty feelings to fester.

Gemma and her team are working on a 'simpler' but challenging case. They know who the bad guy is but need definitive proof.

To Dwell in Darkness introduces new characters, continues to feature familiar characters, always keeping the plots, dialogues fresh and exciting.

This novel introduces a dynamic element of intrigue and conspiracy into the series, making it more frightening, and edgy. show more Not sure if I welcome that. Will have to see where it leads.

I can say series improves book by book so folks who enjoy good myteries should put these novels on their 'must read' list. show less

Oh my Deborah Crombie! This book you've written is something else! I love this series, and I absolutely love Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James (Kincaid) and I always love the mysteries they are trying to solve. I was thrilled to hear from Deborah herself that the BBC is thinking about making a television series based on her books. I hope that they do - the main reason being that it will expose more people to Duncan and Gemma, both in their personal as well as in their professional lives. For those who don't know, both Gemma and Duncan are in the CID in London. They work in different stations, but there are lots of times where their open cases are connected in some way. That's not really the case in this book, but each is working on a case. show more Duncan has been newly transferred to another station, and is trying to break in with a new team. A horrific incident occurs at a nearby train station (St. Pancras station) and Duncan is tasked with finding out who caused the explosion and to determine why it happened. He calls on his team as well as Doug Cullen from his past team and Melody Talbot who works with his wife Gemma to help him solve this particularly gruesome crime. As usual Ms.Crombie has us wrapped up in her tale and furiously turning pages to find out what happens next. And also as usual, we get particularly intimate glimpses into the personal lives of her characters. It is the latter that makes these books so special. But shame on you Deborah for leaving us all hanging at the end of this book! Now you had better get writing and quickly so we all can find out just what is going to happen to Duncan and Gemma. show less