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257th out of 419 books
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404 voters
Not My Blood (Joe Sandilands #10)
Scotland Yard Detective Joe Sandilands is caught off guard one night in 1933 by a phone call from a distressed boy named Jackie Drummond, who just might be the illegitimate son Joe never knew he had. Jackie is in trouble at his Sussex boarding school, where a teacher has been murdered. When Joe gets himself assigned to the investigation, he learns the boarding school case...more
Hardcover, 345 pages
Published
August 21st 2012
by Soho Crime
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First Sentence: Carrying more than a hint of snow, a southwesterly wind gusted up from the Channel, spattering the school’s plate glass windows with sleety drops.
A phone call from Jackie Drummond, a young boy claiming to be his nephew has Joe Sandilands travelling to a boarding school in Sussex where a teacher has been murdered. The case raises a number of questions for Joe. Is the boy actually his illegitimate son? Why has Dorcus, the daughter of close friends, who had recently been avoiding Jo...more
A phone call from Jackie Drummond, a young boy claiming to be his nephew has Joe Sandilands travelling to a boarding school in Sussex where a teacher has been murdered. The case raises a number of questions for Joe. Is the boy actually his illegitimate son? Why has Dorcus, the daughter of close friends, who had recently been avoiding Jo...more
The special appeal of series fiction, at least for me, largely comes from watching the lead characters change and mature over a number of years. That, however, can be a double-edged sword when a reader begins a long-running series with its latest volume. Not having watched a character evolve over time, a reader might find the current versions of the character and setting intriguing but discover that, for them, the earlier books do not work as well. Because Not My Blood is Barbara Cleverly’s tent...more
I always like Cleverly's mysteries (love her name too, for that matter). This one takes place 12 or 13 years after the last one I read (which was the one written immediately before this one also - interesting). It tackles a tricky and horrifying topic - the "popularity" of the notion of eugenics - selective breeding of humans, selective sterilization of those deemed not "good enough" to allow to reproduce, and selective "culling of the herd" - the elimination of some who were mentally ill, incor...more
An unpopular master at an exclusive grammar school is killed. Whitehall asks Scotland Yard to send Joe Sandilands to investigate. As fate would have it, Joe's "nephew" (or son?) is a student at the school and was the student who found the body. Once on site, Joe discovers that, in addition to the murder, boys have been disappearing from the school for years with little or no demur from their families. The murdered master, though, had photos of all the missing boys in his notebook. As Joe and the...more
Oh, how I like Joe Sandilands. Am an old married woman, but Joe could be a temptation. He's just such a good man, with good kind instincts, a conscience, and a very sharp mind. This story brings him closer to the rumblings before WWII - several ideas that would become popular within Germany are brought forward --- beware of words beginning in "eu". There is a bit of a mystery about the true identity of the young man from India who runs away from his boarding school and goes to "Uncle Joe. Dorcas...more
I like the Joe Sandiland mysteries mostly becuase Joe is such a laid-back character with so many experiences under his belt in his early 30s. In the British army, he spent much time in India (the earlier novels) and fought in Europe in World War II. This latest episode starts very slowly... after the first 50 pages I was extremely disappointed with how little interest Cleverly developed in the reader about the death of a boy's school professor. However, the real plot, once it got going, was clev...more
I haven't received my copy yet, just received notice I had won. 8/28/12
Received 9/8/12
Started 9/9/12
Finished 9/13/12
1933: London. Inspector Joe Sandilands gets an unexpected call. A young boy, Jackie Drummond, is in trouble and had the officer that responded call Joe for help. Joe finds out that Jackie may be his illegitimate son he didn't know existed, and that Jackie is a murder suspect for the death of one of his teachers at boarding school. While returning Jackie to school, Joe finds himself...more
Received 9/8/12
Started 9/9/12
Finished 9/13/12
1933: London. Inspector Joe Sandilands gets an unexpected call. A young boy, Jackie Drummond, is in trouble and had the officer that responded call Joe for help. Joe finds out that Jackie may be his illegitimate son he didn't know existed, and that Jackie is a murder suspect for the death of one of his teachers at boarding school. While returning Jackie to school, Joe finds himself...more
I've missed the last few in this series, but will definitely be checking those out. Enjoyed this mystery.
"In the long-awaited tenth installment Barbara Cleverly's historical mystery series featuring suave, handsome Scotland Yard Detective Joe Sandilands. Scotland Yard Detective Joe Sandilands is caught off guard one night in 1933 by a phone call from a distressed boy named Jackie Drummond, who just might be the illegitimate son Joe never knew he had. Jackie is in trouble at his Sussex boarding s...more
"In the long-awaited tenth installment Barbara Cleverly's historical mystery series featuring suave, handsome Scotland Yard Detective Joe Sandilands. Scotland Yard Detective Joe Sandilands is caught off guard one night in 1933 by a phone call from a distressed boy named Jackie Drummond, who just might be the illegitimate son Joe never knew he had. Jackie is in trouble at his Sussex boarding s...more
I have not read a book by this author before and am not certain where I saw this, as it's not the first in the Sandilands series.
It was well written and held my interest. In fact, by the end, I realized that the horrible events that unfolded had been released to me in a rather polite fashion. Not until I thought about it did I realize the heinous nature of what was underneath the original mystery.
Other readers might recognize this earlier than I. Perhaps I was caught up in the original mystery t...more
It was well written and held my interest. In fact, by the end, I realized that the horrible events that unfolded had been released to me in a rather polite fashion. Not until I thought about it did I realize the heinous nature of what was underneath the original mystery.
Other readers might recognize this earlier than I. Perhaps I was caught up in the original mystery t...more
Although the plot got a little strange (sorry, no spoilers!), this well-written book gave the lead character, now assistant commissioner of Scotland Yard Joe Sandilands, more emotional depth than the last several books. A phone call from an unknown nine-year-old boy asking for help takes Sandilands out on a snowy night, and involves him in the sinister doings at St. Magnus School. More than that, Joe realizes that there's a chance that the boy is his biological son. Over the years, boys have bee...more
This novel hits many of my more recent reading standards: mystery set in England; time period of post-WWI/pre-WWII; intelligent, well read characters who naturally imbed clever literary references into their conversations; details about the murder(s) that do not scare the bejesus out of me (my job does that to me); and is a part of a series.
This tenth book involving Scotland Yard detective Joe Sandilands was thus, a great find for me, well written, involving an ethical issue that continues to re...more
This tenth book involving Scotland Yard detective Joe Sandilands was thus, a great find for me, well written, involving an ethical issue that continues to re...more
Not My Blood is set in England in the 1930's at a boy's preparatory school where several of the lads have disappeared and one of the teaching masters is murdered. Joe Sandilands becomes involved when one of the lads runs to him. The young boy may be Joe's son. The investigation commences as Joe encounters natural selection and testing on afflicted boys. As many writers have hinted, Hitler's testing and super race plans had already begun to surface. The characters and setting are intriguing. The...more
I really enjoyed the brand new Joe Sandilands novel! It skips ahead a few years, and it worked well in this case. Important characters return and help Joe evolve into a more mature man and not just a really smart, roaring 20s fun guy. Cleverly also introduced a very real social issue pertinent to the time in a thought-provoking manner. One can't help but draw parallels to our modern society and how we treat children, especially those of a lower socio-economic level. Still witty, engaging and fun...more
I'm usually a big fan of Sandilands, and while that hasn't changed much, I'm finding I'm having less fun reading about his adventures.
The mystery here is in two parts - a teacher's death at a prep school and then a more sinister conspiracy involving that prep school. Sandilands, of course, is in charge of uncovering the conspiracy, which he does, but with more luck than with skill (view spoiler)...more
The mystery here is in two parts - a teacher's death at a prep school and then a more sinister conspiracy involving that prep school. Sandilands, of course, is in charge of uncovering the conspiracy, which he does, but with more luck than with skill (view spoiler)...more
Sometimes it takes a while to get into a book; not this one. I was grabbed in the first few pages. Not surprising, as Barbara Cleverly always delivers a great story, well-plotted and fun to read. Joe Sandilands is an engaging hero, and over the course of the series, I've enjoyed getting to know him better. If you haven't discovered him yet, you have a great series to devour.
I read this book for a bookclub. It was a decent read, except I think I would have understood it better if I had read the previous books in the series. For me, the author, did not provide enough of the backstory and kept me wondering about the history of the characters. Unfortunately, my wondering isn't enough to want to go back and read the earlier books.
I have enjoyed every one of the 'Joe Sandilands' mysteries, and this latest is even better than the rest. It's 1933, and the story connects up with some of the people and events from 10 years ago in India (but if you haven't read the earlier books, you'll be okay, just enough backstory tidbits are supplied to explain). The usual superb plotting and character development. Anyone who appreciates period mysteries will like this book.
This is my first Joe Sandilands mystery, although it's the tenth in the series. I bought The Last Kashmiri Rose 10 years ago and have just now started it. Probably would have enjoyed this book more if I had started at the beginning. The author certainly knows Britain and the time period, 1933, well and the characters are very well drawn.
I really liked the Detective Joe Sandilands of the first few books in this series, set in India. Once he returned to England, the plots have become more complicated and less enjoyable. Some good moments here (is the 10 year old Jackie Drummond Joe's son?) but the underpinnings to this story are very unpleasant and convoluted.
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In some ways, Joe Sandilands reminds me of Adam Dalgliesh -- they're both smart, dashing loners, and I think I like the two series as much for their main characters as anything else. That said, while I enjoy Cleverly's writing quite a bit, she's no P.D. James.
I found the plot to be a bit convoluted in "Not My Blood" -- some things were telegraphed very early in the story, but it was a bit hazy at the end how it all really fit together. Still, the atmosphere was great and the plot ties in nicely...more
I found the plot to be a bit convoluted in "Not My Blood" -- some things were telegraphed very early in the story, but it was a bit hazy at the end how it all really fit together. Still, the atmosphere was great and the plot ties in nicely...more
Very good period novel/mystery. The denouement was a bit muddled but I enjoyed the story, the characters were well-drawn and the plot interesting. I will go back and read some of this author's earlier books in this series...
Not My Blood is the 10th of this series about Joe Sandilands and I'm still enjoying every page. This novel takes on a social issue as well as a mystery and shows us a side of Joe that new and unexpected. Looking forward to the next in the series.
Firstreads book.This was a well-written, thought-provoking book. I did not rate it higher than a three because I felt there were some details not well explained (loose threads). This was the first book in the series I have read and will be on the lookout for more in thrift stores.
This is a good series. This time it investigates the close ties of England with Nazi Germany and the creation of the "right" kind of people
Like the series - this was a better one for me. Does a good job of making you feel the era whether in India-England or Europe.
The plot is pretty feeble, but I like Joe Sandilands, the protagonist. A bit Boys'Own Annual in tone.
Interesting spin as the book progresses. A bit of history that we sometimes forget happened.
Set in the 1930's this is reminiscent of classic mysteries by Christie, Marsh, and Sayers. I will probably seek out others in the series.
wonderfully written - must now find the other Joe Sandilands mysteries
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Barbara Cleverly was born in the north of England and is a graduate of Durham University. A former teacher, she has spent her working life in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk; she now lives in Cambridge. She has one son and five step-children.
Her Joe Sandilands series of books set against the background of the Indian Empire was inspired by the contents of a battered old tin trunk that she found in her a...more
More about Barbara Cleverly...
Her Joe Sandilands series of books set against the background of the Indian Empire was inspired by the contents of a battered old tin trunk that she found in her a...more
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