Deborah Crombie is a Texan who writes a fabulous British mystery series. Now in its 12th installment, her Duncan Kincaid-Gemma James mysteries are complex, involving and cleverly crafted; the progression of the love story between the two cops and their interactions with friends and family is compelling; the secondary characters, good and bad, are always exceptionally well drawn. But this one, which focuses on Gemma's old friend Erika Rosenthal and what happens when a long missing and valuable old diamond brooch of hers turns up at a London auction house, is just superb and gets my vote as Crombie's best yet. If you're already a fan of the series you'll remember Erika from earlier appearances in the series and will have doubtless come to like her as much as Gemma does. Now it would appear that several seemingly unconnected murders, both past and present, can only be solved by digging all the way back to Nazi Germany and Erika's sad and, till now, closely guarded history.


If once you've finished this gem, you find you'd like to go back and follow the Duncan & Gemma story from the beginning (highly recommended as you're sure to gain a richer appreciation for Crombie's work and her characters), here's the list as of June 2008: 1. A Share in Death, 2. All Shall Be Well, 3. Leave the Grave Green, 4. Mourn Not Your Dead, 5. Dreaming of the Bones, 6. Kissed a Sad Goodbye, 7. A Finer End, 8. And Justice There Is None, 9. Now May You Weep, 10. In a Dark House, 11. Water Like a Stone, 12. Where Memories Lie.

Debroah Crombie is on a par with George & James. This well-crafted whodunit will engage fans who like their crime in a London setting.