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sorcerersupreme's review
Not for me. Age gaps aren’t my thing at all (should have read the fine print going in)
turrean's review
2.0
There's some good solid storytelling here, and some great characters. Plucky Detective Sergeant Kate Wakefield is unexpectedly drawn to the much older, experienced, and reserved Tony Hetheridge, her new boss, as they unravel the sordid details of a recent murder case. Kate's life is complicated by some difficult personal circumstances, including a missing boyfriend, a late period, and responsibility for a young nephew and a mentally challenged brother. Hetheridge is trying to come to grips with his approaching 60th birthday, and the wistful feeling that his life, without spouse or children, is a bit lacking.
But as I read, I started to feel a bit queasy. It's a romance novel, yes, and a short one, so there's lot that has to happen in a short time. Still, some things are inexcusable. First, there's the double standard on sexual harassment. We're meant to think that Kate's first boss is a complete creep for making a pass, yet when Kate offers a "cheeky" comment about her new boss's appearance in a tux, she's merely being honest. (Can't I tell him he's a "bloody good-looking old man in his bloody tux?") Kate's first boss is a creep for discussing her sexuality, but two chapters later, Kate and Hetheridge have a conversation about their sexual orientation. Apparently because Hetheridge is a good guy, and polite about the sexy wrestling and Kate's "cheeky" conversational blunders, it's all okay.
Then there's the lack of estrogen. Where are the other decent female characters? Kate has no women friends, nor even any friendly female co-workers. The other women in the story are total bitches or complete wimps, and often ugly to boot. Hetheridge's administrative assistant is portrayed as relentlessly efficient and tough, but we're meant to cheer when Kate sneers at her as a "mad old bat without a life." (That's the moment I stopped liking the main character.) Another woman cop has a face as "wide and flat as a shovel." One beautiful young woman is nice enough, but is such a ditz she doesn't realize her lover was a manipulative old creep, and so shallow that a piece of chocolate cake is a cure for her grief. There's only one "friendly" woman besides Kate in the whole novel, a friend of Hetheridge's who, the author is careful to explain, is old and rude, with heavy thighs and belly. No wonder Hetheridge is attracted to Kate the minute he sees her--she's literally the only conventionally attractive, decent female in his entire life.
I tagged this "lamentable" because there was the basis of a great story here--too bad it wasn't realized.
But as I read, I started to feel a bit queasy. It's a romance novel, yes, and a short one, so there's lot that has to happen in a short time. Still, some things are inexcusable. First, there's the double standard on sexual harassment. We're meant to think that Kate's first boss is a complete creep for making a pass, yet when Kate offers a "cheeky" comment about her new boss's appearance in a tux, she's merely being honest. (Can't I tell him he's a "bloody good-looking old man in his bloody tux?") Kate's first boss is a creep for discussing her sexuality, but two chapters later, Kate and Hetheridge have a conversation about their sexual orientation. Apparently because Hetheridge is a good guy, and polite about the sexy wrestling and Kate's "cheeky" conversational blunders, it's all okay.
Then there's the lack of estrogen. Where are the other decent female characters? Kate has no women friends, nor even any friendly female co-workers. The other women in the story are total bitches or complete wimps, and often ugly to boot. Hetheridge's administrative assistant is portrayed as relentlessly efficient and tough, but we're meant to cheer when Kate sneers at her as a "mad old bat without a life." (That's the moment I stopped liking the main character.) Another woman cop has a face as "wide and flat as a shovel." One beautiful young woman is nice enough, but is such a ditz she doesn't realize her lover was a manipulative old creep, and so shallow that a piece of chocolate cake is a cure for her grief. There's only one "friendly" woman besides Kate in the whole novel, a friend of Hetheridge's who, the author is careful to explain, is old and rude, with heavy thighs and belly. No wonder Hetheridge is attracted to Kate the minute he sees her--she's literally the only conventionally attractive, decent female in his entire life.
I tagged this "lamentable" because there was the basis of a great story here--too bad it wasn't realized.
katiya's review
4.0
Assigned to a new unit, Detective Sergeant Kate finds herself investigating a particularly gruesome murder. The East Ender must battle her way to a solution amidst the politics of both the Met and the upper crust.
I've loved this series for several years now and only recently had the opportunity to acquire this introductory story. I find that right from the start, the characters are as formed as they are in later novels and it was akin to looking at photographs from the past. (Oh, Maman, you were a teenager?!?)
As far as a police procedural can be, this is a fun romp. There's a light colouring outside of the lines and perhaps a shade of suspension of disbelief required, but if you can let your mind allow all that is written to happen, it is glorious.
I've loved this series for several years now and only recently had the opportunity to acquire this introductory story. I find that right from the start, the characters are as formed as they are in later novels and it was akin to looking at photographs from the past. (Oh, Maman, you were a teenager?!?)
As far as a police procedural can be, this is a fun romp. There's a light colouring outside of the lines and perhaps a shade of suspension of disbelief required, but if you can let your mind allow all that is written to happen, it is glorious.
bookdrgn's review
4.0
While I’m not sure about the age difference, if Kate and Tony explore a romantic relationship, their working one is interesting.
They banter well with each other and with DC Bahr.
There’s conflict with other officers and murders to solve. This was a good introduction to the series.
They banter well with each other and with DC Bahr.
There’s conflict with other officers and murders to solve. This was a good introduction to the series.
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I'm guessing I got the ebook of this as part of a bundle or some other offer, but I didn't remember it's existence. Having read it, I'm not interested in reading more -- the title of the series is in some ways telegraphing something I'm assuming will happen later, and also a significant misrepresentation of what I got. Which is a police procedural over the top murder mystery that thinks it is a romance.
As a police procedural, I guess it was okay? Lighter on the policing details than previous I've read, but also a bit tongue in cheek about how ridiculous some of the obsession with forensics is in the genre. As an over the top murder mystery it flounders, and there was certainly a moment where I knew I wouldn't be reading more of the series just in the way this part of the plot was (mis-)handled. As a romance it was ham-fisted and stretched incredulity. I'll read an enjoy an age gap romance if the author sells it to me, but this one stinks.
There are good set pieces, and some of the writing is good, but the characterisation is weak (particularly for some of the minor characters whose roles seemed to be ''mysogist" and "racist" so that random unnecessary slurs could be thrown around and vaguely farcical elements could be added). The plot bunny-hops like a beginning driver in a manual car.
As a police procedural, I guess it was okay? Lighter on the policing details than previous I've read, but also a bit tongue in cheek about how ridiculous some of the obsession with forensics is in the genre. As an over the top murder mystery it flounders, and there was certainly a moment where I knew I wouldn't be reading more of the series just in the way this part of the plot was (mis-)handled. As a romance it was ham-fisted and stretched incredulity. I'll read an enjoy an age gap romance if the author sells it to me, but this one stinks.
There are good set pieces, and some of the writing is good, but the characterisation is weak (particularly for some of the minor characters whose roles seemed to be ''mysogist" and "racist" so that random unnecessary slurs could be thrown around and vaguely farcical elements could be added). The plot bunny-hops like a beginning driver in a manual car.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Vomit, and Death
The slurs--racist, homophobic, misogynistic--didn't add anything to the story, and in fact felt shoehorned in to give 'verisimilitude'cthuwu's review
5.0
thank u, emma jameson, for breaking my reading slump and writing a romance remarkably like the one i'm currently procrastinating writing so i can read it and not have to. now it's time to go and sniff out book two
eserafina42's review
3.0
Like other people, I had mixed reactions to this book. It was a quick read and I enjoyed it, but I also noticed the similarities to Elizabeth George's Lynley and Havers series and this one didn't come off that well in comparison. One of the charms of the George books was that, at least as far as I'm aware - I only read the first 5 books or so - she resisted the temptation to match her characters up with one another, and with these two it's again, as someone else said, "insta-love." Also, although I personally didn't noticed the Americanisms others pointed out, I guessed pretty easily that this was by an American because of the portrayal of a class system that seems to have been transplanted almost intact from the era of Downton Abbey into the 21st century, complete with protectively hostile retainers a la Mrs. Danvers, even at the office.
Then there's the pregnancy. Sigh. This has to be something like the fifth pregnant cop I've run into this year, and if these books are to be believed, professional women in their thirties have to be the most inept users of birth control on the planet, even though at least for this one there was that "one time" she and her "lover" (really, who uses that word these days) didn't use protection.
Finally, and probably my biggest problem, the person who turned out to be the murderer came right out of left field and it seemed completely unbelievable to me, given what we knew about them.
Then there's the pregnancy. Sigh. This has to be something like the fifth pregnant cop I've run into this year, and if these books are to be believed, professional women in their thirties have to be the most inept users of birth control on the planet, even though at least for this one there was that "one time" she and her "lover" (really, who uses that word these days) didn't use protection.
Finally, and probably my biggest problem, the person who turned out to be the murderer came right out of left field and it seemed completely unbelievable to me, given what we knew about them.
Spoiler
And then, even if we assume that she had been deviously hiding her true colors for years and was really a murderous psychopath, it then becomes completely out of character for her to then turn the gun on herself.ccgwalt's review
4.0
A very solid and enjoyable police procedural. Great characters and good plotting.
kmpuzzled's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5