Description

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Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James return in a chilling and suspenseful tale of murder, kidnapping, madness, and the frightening ordeal of a helpless child, the latest masterwork of crime fiction from New York Times Notable Book of the Year author Deborah Crombie ...

An abandoned warehouse burns next door to a women's shelter for victims of spousal abuse, an apparent case of arson. But it is the charred corpse within -- a female body burned beyond all recognition -- combined with the political sensitivity of the case, that entangles Superintendent Duncan Kincaid in its twisted skein.

At the same time, Kincaid's lover and former partner, Gemma James, is coping with twin crises of her own, one personal and the other professional. Gemma must put her private concerns aside to investigate the disappearance of a hospital administrator, a beautiful, emotionally fragile young woman who vanished without a trace. Yet neither Gemma nor Kincaid realizes how closely their cases are connected -- or how important the resolutions will be for a young child who was a victim of parental abduction.

In an old, dark, rambling house, nine-year-old Harriet worries about her feuding mum and dad, her friends, her schoolwork. Most of all, she worries about the strange woman who is her only companion in this scary, unfamiliar place. The events that led her there happened too quickly and are too complicated for a child to fully comprehend. But despite her youth and innocence, Harriet's awful fears will not be silenced: that she may never see her parents again ... and that her own life is in serious peril.

About the Author

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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.

Praise For…

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“Crombie has laid claim to the literary territory of moody psychological suspense owned by P.D. James and Barbara Vine.”
— Washington Post

“Crombie...has evolved into a masterful novelist.”
— Denver Post

“A master of the modern British mystery...one writer who gets better with every book.”
— Harrisburg Patriot News

“Rich and complex.”
— London Times

“A defiinite recomendation for fans of Elizabeth george, P.D. James and Ruth Rendell.”
— Library Journal

“Crombie keeps this series on its toes with her smooth procedural techniques and engagingly eccentric characters.”
— New York Times Book Review

“An uncanny affinity for the English detective genre...Her characters are three-dimensional and are drawn with compassion and sensitivity.”
— Dallas Morning News

Crombie’s steady hand drives teh story--and the likable Kincaid and james--safely home again.
— Texas Monthly

“...interesting and attractive characters...”
— Publishers Weekly

“As always, Ms. Crombie peoples her novel with well-drawn, interesting characters.
— Richmond Times-Dispatch

In this dark house, the author’s light shines brightly.
— Richmond Times-Dispatch on In a Dark House