So far, I've loved every one of this series that I've read so far. All are worth a 4+. Wish I'd discovered Deborah Crombie years ago!

Another recommendation from a librarian. I started on the fourth book because they didn't have the first three.

This was a nice but unexceptional mystery. The main characters obviously have a history and are engaging, although in this book they are uncomfortable around each other after having slept together in a previous story.

The ancillary characters are also well-drawn, but fit into standard tropes so you don't have to think too hard.

I wouldn't mind reading the earlier books to see how the characters develop. It's not challenging, but a fairly standard British police procedural. It's a pleasant read for when you just want to enjoy the story and not feel like you just wrestled a book.

My biggest beef with the story is when the author reveals that a main character has a revelation, but doesn't let us in on the insight. This is a fairly common device in mysteries, but I really enjoy solving the mystery with the main characters, rather than just watching them solve it.

Keep going.

Edging toward a 4. This is a near-perfect British cozy series, if you like that sort of thing, and I do.

Not as good as the last one, but the city v. village dynamic is pretty good. I just found out that the author of these oh-so-English book is...Texan! Huh. But she lived here for many years and makes frequent visits for research. Maybe I need to take up detective fiction...

The small village setting of this episode in the series worked well and some of the minor characters were interesting. Duncan and James are still dancing around the issue of their relationship, but I feel like the series is on increasingly solid ground as Crombie moves forward.

I enjoyed the book, but I marvel at the readers who say they knew whodunnit early on. There were so many loose threads—kleptomania, drugs, police corruption, sexual jealousy—it was hard to keep track. Even by the end of the book, it wasn’t at all clear who did poor Jackie in, and while many crimes never get solved in real police work, in fiction you expect the author to see justice done.

It was a pleasure to see men chasing after Deborah for a change!

Вот черт! А ведь засасывает

Confession, I was torn about this one. Liked the mystery end of it very well. Really felt like the relationship between Gemma and Duncan felt over-the-top and stilted. I hope they don't over-use that angle in the coming books.

This series has grabbed my attention and my heart! Deborah Crombie crafts her stories in such a way that I become emotionally invested in the characters and their lives. Each installment seems to be a little better, and “Morn Not Your Dead” is no exception!