Author: Deborah Crombie
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: October 2019
Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and
his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James, have been invited for a relaxing
weekend in the Cotswolds, one of Britain’s most enchanting regions, famous for
its rolling hills, golden cottages, and picturesque villages.
Duncan, Gemma, and their children are guests at Beck House,
the family estate of Melody Talbot, Gemma’s detective sergeant. The Talbot
family is wealthy, prominent, and powerful—Melody’s father is the publisher of
one of London’s largest and most influential newspapers. The centerpiece of
this glorious fall getaway is a posh charity harvest luncheon catered by
up-and-coming chef Viv Holland. After fifteen years in London’s cut-throat food
scene, Viv has returned to the Gloucestershire valleys of her childhood and
quickly made a name for herself with her innovative meals based on traditional
cuisine but using fresh local ingredients. Attended by the local well-to-do as
well as national press food bloggers and restaurant critics, the event could
make Viv a star.
But a tragic car accident and a series of mysterious deaths
rock the estate and pull Duncan and Gemma into the investigation. It soon
becomes clear that the killer has a connection with Viv’s pub—or, perhaps, with
Beck House itself.
Does the truth lie in the past? Or is it closer to home,
tied up in the tangled relationships and bitter resentments between the staff
at Beck House and Viv’s new pub? Or is it more personal, entwined with secrets
hidden by Viv and those closest to her?
A Bitter Feast is the 18th book in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series. It's only the second one that I have read. Taken as a police procedural, I did really enjoy the mystery. There were a number of suspects, so it was hard to figure out who the culprit was. Through flashbacks, we learn a little about the victim and why he was in town. I also enjoyed the working dynamic between Gemma and Duncan.
Since, I have only read the first book in the series, I did feel like I was missing out on a lot of relationship back story. In the first book, Gemma and Duncan are only partners and not even romantically involved. There were also a lot of references to earlier cases of which I didn't understand the context. However, I didn't find any of this took away from my enjoyment of the mystery. In fact, I want to go back and read the earlier books to see how Duncan and Gemma got to this point in their relationships and careers.
Purchase Links
About Deborah Crombie
Deborah Crombie is a New York Times bestselling
author and a native Texan who has lived in both England and Scotland. She now
lives in McKinney, Texas, sharing a house that is more than one hundred years
old with her husband, three cats, and two German shepherds.
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1 comment:
Very cool, thank you for being on this tour. Sara @ TLC Book Tours
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