Gideon's Week

This Gideon book, the second in the series, is just as strong as the first book in the series. It covers a week in the life of Chief Superintendent Gideon as Scotland Yard must deal with a big jailbreak up near Manchester in addition to the usual crimes in London. One interesting thread of the jailbreak story is how the force treats the family of one of the escapees. The family receives protection from the police because the escapee is suspected of wanting to extract vengeance, but at the same time the son idolizes his father and is not impressed with the cops, so the cops have to tread carefully while at the same time doing their duty.

The story moves along quickly, there is a fair amount of tension, and it feels plausible. A good solid show more police procedural. show less

I thought this was a more accomplished piece of writing than GIDEON'S DAY, the first in the series, which I listened to and reviewed last week. The hunt for the escapees from Millways Gaol holds it together nicely for the whole book.
Gideon and his wife Kate have overcome some emotional hurdles, a friend of his daughter Pru approaches Gideon at work when her brother is accused on murder, and we get a better glimpse of the personal lives of Gideon and his offsider Lemaitre.
George Gideon is really the fore-runner of Ruth Rendell's Reg Wexford. He is so well described I can see him in my mind's eye. He is a big man, someone all his colleagues and those he commands look up to, thoroughly nice, with a photographic memory and the ability to show more make snap decisions. show less

Commander George Gideon is experienced in using insight, clear thought, reserving judgement, and quickly grasping people. He gets his nearly impossible job done well because he cares about the citizens of London, knows the natures and personalities of the men under him, and understands the criminal mind, and their behavior. He proactively works as hard, if not harder, than his staff, but luckily enjoys a strong family life with (a renewed affection for) his wife, and love of his 6 children.

Surprisingly good. Stands the test of time.

Another in the very competent Gideon series which did much to establish the police procedural genre.

England, London, ca 1950
Indeholder kapitlerne "1. Rapport til Gideon", "2. Flugten", "3. Et alibi for Rose?", "4. Benson", "5. Rosenpigen", "6. Bensons kone", "7. Ruby Benson", "8. Frygtens årsag", "9. Benson alene", "10. Klokken tolv", "11. Dyb sne", "12. Stadig sydpå", "13. Andre spor", "14. Omringet", "15. Helten", "16. På hospitalet", "17. Far og søn", "18. Benson taler ud", "19. Sandheden", "20. Nat", "21. Sidste runde".

George Gideon er øverstkommanderende kriminalkommissær ved opdagelsespolitiet ved Scotland Yard. Bogen her følger ham en uge igennem efter at han har holdt weekend for en gangs skyld. En Syd Benson og 8 andre er flygtet fra fængslet og Gideon fik i sin tid Syds kone Ruby til at vidne mod ham, så hvis Syd show more vil hævne sig på konen eller børnene, vil Gideon gerne forpurre det. Der er to børn, Syd og Liz og drengen er mest til sinds at holde med faren mod politiet. En anden sag, der optager Gideon er en mordsag, hvor en ung mand William Rose er fængslet for knivmordet på hans kæreste, men har han nu også faktisk gjort det? Gideons næstkommanderende Lemaitre er fremragende til netop det. Gideons kone, Kate, holder sammen på familien og deres 6 børn, heriblandt de tre døtre, Prudence, Prisilla og Penelope.
Vi følger de 6 af de undvegne fanger efterhånden som de bliver fundet. To af holdene begår drab undervejs for at skjule deres spor. Syd Benson, Freddy Tisdale, Jingo Smith, Wally Alderman, Matt Owens. Syd og Freddy er de sidste to, der bliver pågrebet. Syd har ellers arrangeret en flugt til udlandet, men de bliver fanget i et pakhus ved havnen. Freddy glider da han forsøger at hoppe over på nabobygningen og falder ned. Syd forsøger at begå selvmord, men bliver stoppet i det. Egentlig kunne man godt mene at han havde fortjent det, for han står bag et overfald med vitriol på Rubys nye kæreste og han har også fået sin egen søn til at forgive moren ved at bytte hendes aspirin ud med det kraftigere middel. Gideon får dog forhindret at det ender så galt.
Også sagen mod William Rose får måske en lykkelig afslutning fordi et nyt vidne melder sig.

Udmærket politiroman fra før, de kom på mode. Gideon er ganske fornuftig og har endda en familie. show less