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Lambert and Hook #28
Skeleton Plot
When a human skeleton is discovered on the boundary of a 20-year-old property development, it seems there are a large number of people who may know the identity of the corpse and how it got there. But twenty years is a long time and those individuals were very different people back then. Skeletons are being revealed in all senses and there are many prominent local figures who are beginning to feel uncomfortable and afraid. It’s up to Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and Detective Sergeant Hook to dig around in the past and unearth the truth of how and why the body ended up buried in the ground all those years ago.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
6 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Gregson
61 books47 followersJames Michael Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 4, 2015
A perfectly adequate read, but one that I feel failed to live up to the promise shown in the earlier part of the book, when I felt the book unfolding before me like a movie. I could hear the characters speaking and visualise what was happening on the page.
As the book progressed, or rather failed to progress, it seemed the story stalled and what could have been a riveting read never quite materialised.
Apparently this is the 28th in the Lambert and Hook series, but is quite able to be read as a standalone as it is not constantly referring to past cases/relationships.
A human skeleton is unearthed by a young man digging over a plot for a vegetable garden for his grandfather. Test reveal that the body has been interred for approximately 20 years and the investigating team of Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and Detective Sergeant Hook are being stonewalled in their enquiries into how the body came to be there and who was responsible for the death.
Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House Publishers and author J M Gregson for the gift of a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As the book progressed, or rather failed to progress, it seemed the story stalled and what could have been a riveting read never quite materialised.
Apparently this is the 28th in the Lambert and Hook series, but is quite able to be read as a standalone as it is not constantly referring to past cases/relationships.
A human skeleton is unearthed by a young man digging over a plot for a vegetable garden for his grandfather. Test reveal that the body has been interred for approximately 20 years and the investigating team of Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and Detective Sergeant Hook are being stonewalled in their enquiries into how the body came to be there and who was responsible for the death.
Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House Publishers and author J M Gregson for the gift of a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2015
This book is the 28th in the Lambert and Hook police procedural crime series set in the Hereford and Gloucestershire area. It is the first one I have read and I enjoyed it and will probably go on to read the rest of the series. The book can easily be read as a standalone story as there are few references to past cases or to the back story of the two detectives – John Lambert and Bert Hook. In this one a skeleton is discovered in what was a field until it was sold as individual plots to add to the gardens of the houses backing onto it.
Lambert and Hook must investigate events of twenty years previously amongst a group of people who have everything to lose if their pasts are revealed to the media or to the courts. But Lambert and Hook are not concerned with less serious crimes – they simply want to find the murderer and bring him or her to justice.
I thought this was an enjoyable, if undemanding read. I liked the way the victim’s life was pieced together and the way the group of people surrounding her at the time of her death were gradually revealed. If you like police procedural crime novels then you will probably enjoy this one. Lambert and Hook are both likeable characters and the book is well plotted and well written. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.
Lambert and Hook must investigate events of twenty years previously amongst a group of people who have everything to lose if their pasts are revealed to the media or to the courts. But Lambert and Hook are not concerned with less serious crimes – they simply want to find the murderer and bring him or her to justice.
I thought this was an enjoyable, if undemanding read. I liked the way the victim’s life was pieced together and the way the group of people surrounding her at the time of her death were gradually revealed. If you like police procedural crime novels then you will probably enjoy this one. Lambert and Hook are both likeable characters and the book is well plotted and well written. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.
April 17, 2016
Disclaimer: This book was provided to me as an advanced readers copy by the publisher, Severn House through NetGalley.com, in exchange for an honest review.
When a skeleton is unearthed at the edge of a twenty-year-old property development, it is up to Lambert and Hook to unearth the past and determine who the bones belong to, and who was responsible for her death.
I was a little hesitant to start reading this when I saw how many other books there are in the series, but found it quite easy to jump right in so far along. That being said, I don’t really have much else to say about The Skeleton Plot—it wasn’t outstandingly spectacular nor was it completely awful either. It was a nice, quick read It is your basic police procedural novel: body found, police investigate, ask questions, solve the crime. The Skeleton Plot wasn’t a bad book, but I don’t think I’ll be seeking out anymore of Lambert and Hook’s cases in the near future, either.
When a skeleton is unearthed at the edge of a twenty-year-old property development, it is up to Lambert and Hook to unearth the past and determine who the bones belong to, and who was responsible for her death.
I was a little hesitant to start reading this when I saw how many other books there are in the series, but found it quite easy to jump right in so far along. That being said, I don’t really have much else to say about The Skeleton Plot—it wasn’t outstandingly spectacular nor was it completely awful either. It was a nice, quick read It is your basic police procedural novel: body found, police investigate, ask questions, solve the crime. The Skeleton Plot wasn’t a bad book, but I don’t think I’ll be seeking out anymore of Lambert and Hook’s cases in the near future, either.
April 30, 2020
This book is crafted with complete assurance by J M Gregson. It is one of a series of detective novels in which Lambert and Hook solve the crimes. The plot is gripping from the start and there is an array of memorable characters. It is designed to hold the reader's attention and for me it succeeded, even overcoming my lack of concentration during lockdown.
December 27, 2018
A skeleton is found at the edge of some property. Lambert and Hook have to dig in history to figure out who it is and what happened.
Great police procedural!
Great police procedural!
September 2, 2015
Detective Tale Generates Tedium, not Thrills, 1 Sept. 2015
Plodding and lethargic, this is a real disappointment as this story has all the right ingredients for a thrilling murder mystery.
When 16-year-old Damon unearths a skeleton while turning over his grandfather’s vegetable plot it is soon linked to a disappearance that happened more than twenty years ago. Identifying the victim is easy for Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and Detective Sergeant Hook; however, unravelling her life and the circumstances of her death prove much more complicated. A number of prominent figures with shady pasts seem to be involved, but what is the truth and who has the most to hide?
An undemanding read, this had all the right ingredients for a thriller but it failed to deliver. It was slow and plodding; conversations were laboured, with the detectives revisiting key suspects on numerous occasions, but somehow gaining very little new information. It could be argued that they were sensitive, intelligent police officers, who used their brains rather than their brawn, but I found them lacklustre and I doubt the crime would’ve been solved had it relied solely on their investigative prowess.
I found the story to be unlikely and frustrating: how often do petty drug dealers grow up to become bigwigs in the world of education? And there was such a disappointing ending: it was almost like an episode of Scooby Doo where the perpetrator admits everything in the final scene, in one lengthy confession.
This is the first of the 28 Lambert and Hook police procedurals that I’ve read, and I can’t help but wonder if Gregson has lost his way somewhat. They can’t all be this dire, can they? Maybe Lambert and Hook are downshifting towards retirement; perhaps if I was a devoted reader who had followed their story from the beginning I’d have more sympathy for the seemingly lethargic duo. But I’m not, and Skeleton Plot has certainly not inspired me to go back to get know them any better! ~Anouk
Rating: Two Stars.
Plodding and lethargic, this is a real disappointment as this story has all the right ingredients for a thrilling murder mystery.
When 16-year-old Damon unearths a skeleton while turning over his grandfather’s vegetable plot it is soon linked to a disappearance that happened more than twenty years ago. Identifying the victim is easy for Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and Detective Sergeant Hook; however, unravelling her life and the circumstances of her death prove much more complicated. A number of prominent figures with shady pasts seem to be involved, but what is the truth and who has the most to hide?
An undemanding read, this had all the right ingredients for a thriller but it failed to deliver. It was slow and plodding; conversations were laboured, with the detectives revisiting key suspects on numerous occasions, but somehow gaining very little new information. It could be argued that they were sensitive, intelligent police officers, who used their brains rather than their brawn, but I found them lacklustre and I doubt the crime would’ve been solved had it relied solely on their investigative prowess.
I found the story to be unlikely and frustrating: how often do petty drug dealers grow up to become bigwigs in the world of education? And there was such a disappointing ending: it was almost like an episode of Scooby Doo where the perpetrator admits everything in the final scene, in one lengthy confession.
This is the first of the 28 Lambert and Hook police procedurals that I’ve read, and I can’t help but wonder if Gregson has lost his way somewhat. They can’t all be this dire, can they? Maybe Lambert and Hook are downshifting towards retirement; perhaps if I was a devoted reader who had followed their story from the beginning I’d have more sympathy for the seemingly lethargic duo. But I’m not, and Skeleton Plot has certainly not inspired me to go back to get know them any better! ~Anouk
Rating: Two Stars.
June 15, 2015
When 16 year old Damon helps his granddad to dig over a piece of ground to plant vegetables, to his horror he finds a human skull in the earth.
Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and DS Hook find themselves investigating a 20 year old cold case. They get a lucky break early on as to the identification of the victim and the investigations unravel through the difficult task of interviewing people they have identified as being around at that time.
Although there are plenty of suspects, the reader doesn’t get many clues as to who the murderer is as the detectives are reliant on the information given – or not given! It is the sheer determination of Lambert and Hook which eventually unmasks the killer. This is an enjoyable mystery enhanced by the author’s connection with human behaviours and his ability to portray this in his writing.
This is easily read as a stand alone novel and I found that the pages were flying past. It has interesting police information, references to social issues and vivid characterisation.
Detective Chief Superintendent Lambert and DS Hook find themselves investigating a 20 year old cold case. They get a lucky break early on as to the identification of the victim and the investigations unravel through the difficult task of interviewing people they have identified as being around at that time.
Although there are plenty of suspects, the reader doesn’t get many clues as to who the murderer is as the detectives are reliant on the information given – or not given! It is the sheer determination of Lambert and Hook which eventually unmasks the killer. This is an enjoyable mystery enhanced by the author’s connection with human behaviours and his ability to portray this in his writing.
This is easily read as a stand alone novel and I found that the pages were flying past. It has interesting police information, references to social issues and vivid characterisation.
September 6, 2015
Don't get me wrong. This is a perfectly acceptable British police procedural. A young man gives his grandfather a helping hand, and digs up a skeleton in the new garden plot. (That's the last about the young man and his grandfather.) Several men who were in the area at the time forensics gives for the death are interviewed. I didn't find the energy between Lambert and his second-in-command Hook was quite as interesting as in previous, more enjoyable outings. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood?
October 15, 2016
Interesting British Police procedure mystery. The who of the murderer was fairly obvious from the nature of the the characters and even the why, but how to pin it on the villain was not obvious. The developing deviousness of the police interrogations was well done. It wasn't brilliant detective work that solved the case but break-through phone call from an almost new character to the story. Some reality in that!
June 4, 2015
The book was OK. At times I thought to myself Get on with it already!
Did drag on a bit and all the mystery from the characters was a bit much
Did drag on a bit and all the mystery from the characters was a bit much
December 21, 2015
The conclusion of the book was extremely unsatisfying and annoying.
December 22, 2015
Good plot and likable characters
April 12, 2016
Very good detective work. I did have a suspicion as to the guilty party but of course the murderer was not revealed until the end. Another entertaining story of the British police.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews