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Breen and Tozer #3
A Song for the Brokenhearted
In the final chapter of William Shaw's trilogy, Breen and Tozer fight against a powerful member of 1960s London society.
London, December 1968. A wounded Detective Sergeant Breen recuperates on Tozer's family farm where he's given the case file for the murder that has haunted Tozer for years: that of her teenage sister. Breen discovers that the victim had been having a secret affair with James Fletchet, the son of an affluent local landowner, now a rich politician living in Camden and throwing parties for the pop elite.
Breen and Tozer return to London's Criminal Investigation Division, which is falling apart under the pressure of the press's inquiries. The harder they pursue Fletchet, the more elusive he becomes--his stature puts him under the implicit protection of the police, who don't look kindly upon breaking rank.
London, December 1968. A wounded Detective Sergeant Breen recuperates on Tozer's family farm where he's given the case file for the murder that has haunted Tozer for years: that of her teenage sister. Breen discovers that the victim had been having a secret affair with James Fletchet, the son of an affluent local landowner, now a rich politician living in Camden and throwing parties for the pop elite.
Breen and Tozer return to London's Criminal Investigation Division, which is falling apart under the pressure of the press's inquiries. The harder they pursue Fletchet, the more elusive he becomes--his stature puts him under the implicit protection of the police, who don't look kindly upon breaking rank.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2015
63 people are currently reading
732 people want to read
About the author
William Shaw
20 books525 followersI'm a crime writer and write the Eden Driscoll series set in South Devon, the Alex Cupidi series set in Dungeness, Kent and the Breen & Tozer series set in London in 1968-9. The Red Shore – first in the Eden Driscoll series – is published on July 3 2025.
My most recent book is The Wild Swimmers,, the fifth in the Alex Cupid series - if you don't count The Birdwatcher .
In July 2025 I'm publishing the first in a new series set in South Devon, The Red Shore.
My non-fiction books include Westsiders , an account of several young would-be rappers struggling to establish themselves against a backdrop of poverty and violence in South Central Los Angeles, Superhero For Hire , a compilation and of the Small Ads columns I wrote for the Observer Magazine, and Spying In Guru Land , in which I joined several British religious cults to write about them.
A Song From Dead Lips was the first in a trilogy of books set in London in 1968, featuring DS Cathal Breen and WPC Helen Tozer. It was followed by A House of Knives and A Book of Scars .
I live in Brighton and play music with Brighton Ceilidh Collective. I also run an online book event called
My most recent book is The Wild Swimmers,, the fifth in the Alex Cupid series - if you don't count The Birdwatcher .
In July 2025 I'm publishing the first in a new series set in South Devon, The Red Shore.
My non-fiction books include Westsiders , an account of several young would-be rappers struggling to establish themselves against a backdrop of poverty and violence in South Central Los Angeles, Superhero For Hire , a compilation and of the Small Ads columns I wrote for the Observer Magazine, and Spying In Guru Land , in which I joined several British religious cults to write about them.
A Song From Dead Lips was the first in a trilogy of books set in London in 1968, featuring DS Cathal Breen and WPC Helen Tozer. It was followed by A House of Knives and A Book of Scars .
I live in Brighton and play music with Brighton Ceilidh Collective. I also run an online book event called
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 14, 2023
This is my #1 favourite among novels I’ve read thus far in 2023, even though it was published in 2016, and many of my U.K. Goodreads friends read and rated it years ago. For some reason, it is only now being publicized in North America; I discovered it at my library, available in ebook format only.
Although A SONG FOR THE BROKENHEARTED is #3 in the Breen and Tozer series, I was quickly able to comprehend the relationships among the main characters without having read the first two novels. (My library doesn’t have either of them.) This one works well as a standalone. But it reveals details that could mar surprises when, and if, the first two novels become available at my library.
This police procedural is set in the late 1960s—my era—and is remarkably accurate at describing the aura that prevailed during that time period. As well as an extremely well written police procedural, it provides a good history lesson for those readers born after 1965. It depicts—correctly—the hippie movement that was primarily a revolt spurred by upper-middle-class youth. Working-class youth were too busy trying to get a foot on the bottom rung of the success ladder to “turn on, tune in, and drop out”.
The story starts with the murder of Tozer’s sister five years previously and follows a winding strand of clues that eventually leads to the Mau Mau massacre in Kenya from 1952 to 1960. I remember reading about the Mau Mau uprising in my early teens, but the newspaper accounts stressed only the terrible murders of white settlers. In fact, I later learned, relatively few white settlers were killed; far more Africans were massacred during the Mau Mau warfare. It is obvious that the author has done his homework, providing information about the settlers’ “screening centres” that has only recently been revealed by British authorities. Warning to readers: There are several descriptions that are not for the squeamish.
As the setting is England, some of the references to products, fashions, and music did not completely mesh with my memories of their counterparts in Canada, where U.S. products were dominant, but the overall atmosphere reflects my experiences. I had just entered graduate school—a late bloomer with ambitions, the only member of my extended family to graduate from high school, let alone go to university. Because I did not participate in the drug culture, my fellow graduate students, many of whom were from the U.S., tended to shun me; I finally found a roommate who shared my values—though her background was upper middle class, the type of woman who typically attended graduate school in that era. The two of us eventually obtained our PhD’s and university faculty positions. Not many of the others in that year’s class did likewise; Timothy Leary was their hero.
But prior to starting university, I had followed a meandering career path that included living in East Africa for 16 months. I moved to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) in 1963, but didn’t visit Nairobi (Kenya) until 1964. I was surprised by the differences in attitudes between the two cities among members of the white population, even though, by the time I arrived, Kenya had achieved independence. In A SONG FOR THE BROKENHEARTED, the racist attitude held by many white Kenyans is well described in the commentary made by Mrs. Milkwood:
Savages really. Barbarous in the extreme. The thing about Africans. You have to understand that there is no real culture there. No depth of thought. Some of them were wonderful. Our servants were the sweetest people you could wish to meet. A little lazy sometimes but devoted to us. But people like that, their whole lives are governed by superstition. And fear.
So, this novel strongly resonated with me. My era. Reflected many of my experiences. Emotionally gripping.
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing a copy this ebook copy.
Although A SONG FOR THE BROKENHEARTED is #3 in the Breen and Tozer series, I was quickly able to comprehend the relationships among the main characters without having read the first two novels. (My library doesn’t have either of them.) This one works well as a standalone. But it reveals details that could mar surprises when, and if, the first two novels become available at my library.
This police procedural is set in the late 1960s—my era—and is remarkably accurate at describing the aura that prevailed during that time period. As well as an extremely well written police procedural, it provides a good history lesson for those readers born after 1965. It depicts—correctly—the hippie movement that was primarily a revolt spurred by upper-middle-class youth. Working-class youth were too busy trying to get a foot on the bottom rung of the success ladder to “turn on, tune in, and drop out”.
The story starts with the murder of Tozer’s sister five years previously and follows a winding strand of clues that eventually leads to the Mau Mau massacre in Kenya from 1952 to 1960. I remember reading about the Mau Mau uprising in my early teens, but the newspaper accounts stressed only the terrible murders of white settlers. In fact, I later learned, relatively few white settlers were killed; far more Africans were massacred during the Mau Mau warfare. It is obvious that the author has done his homework, providing information about the settlers’ “screening centres” that has only recently been revealed by British authorities. Warning to readers: There are several descriptions that are not for the squeamish.
As the setting is England, some of the references to products, fashions, and music did not completely mesh with my memories of their counterparts in Canada, where U.S. products were dominant, but the overall atmosphere reflects my experiences. I had just entered graduate school—a late bloomer with ambitions, the only member of my extended family to graduate from high school, let alone go to university. Because I did not participate in the drug culture, my fellow graduate students, many of whom were from the U.S., tended to shun me; I finally found a roommate who shared my values—though her background was upper middle class, the type of woman who typically attended graduate school in that era. The two of us eventually obtained our PhD’s and university faculty positions. Not many of the others in that year’s class did likewise; Timothy Leary was their hero.
But prior to starting university, I had followed a meandering career path that included living in East Africa for 16 months. I moved to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) in 1963, but didn’t visit Nairobi (Kenya) until 1964. I was surprised by the differences in attitudes between the two cities among members of the white population, even though, by the time I arrived, Kenya had achieved independence. In A SONG FOR THE BROKENHEARTED, the racist attitude held by many white Kenyans is well described in the commentary made by Mrs. Milkwood:
Savages really. Barbarous in the extreme. The thing about Africans. You have to understand that there is no real culture there. No depth of thought. Some of them were wonderful. Our servants were the sweetest people you could wish to meet. A little lazy sometimes but devoted to us. But people like that, their whole lives are governed by superstition. And fear.
So, this novel strongly resonated with me. My era. Reflected many of my experiences. Emotionally gripping.
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing a copy this ebook copy.
July 28, 2019
This was a dark and disturbing book because of the inclusion of the Emergency in Kenya in the early 1950’s. If torture and brutality pushes a button for you, this is your warning.
I like Cathal Breen, but I just don’t see what he sees in Helen Tozer. I can’t figure her out. She’s crabby and mean and short-tempered. I understand her background and her predicament, and she is tough and smart. There has to be more to her, though. Something to make her more likable.
I’m going right into Book #4, then I’ll be ready for the newest book due out next month.
I like Cathal Breen, but I just don’t see what he sees in Helen Tozer. I can’t figure her out. She’s crabby and mean and short-tempered. I understand her background and her predicament, and she is tough and smart. There has to be more to her, though. Something to make her more likable.
I’m going right into Book #4, then I’ll be ready for the newest book due out next month.
May 27, 2015
“Murdered people never really go away...”
This is the third novel in the Breen and Tozer series, set in the late 1960’s and following on from, “A House of Knives,” and “A Song From Dead Lips.” It is 1969 and Cathal ‘Paddy’ Breen is recuperating from injuries suffered at the end of the last novel, at the Devon farmhouse where Helen Tozer grew up. Also on the family farm is Hibou, a young hippie girl befriended previously by Tozer. Helen Tozer has been forced to give up her career as a policewoman to return to help her parents on the farm and is resentful and angry. Her feelings are not soothed by the fact that both her parents have taken to Hibou – especially her father – who has discovered a new lease of life since she came to stay.
Anyone who has read the previous books will know that Helen Tozer’s sister, Alexandra, was found murdered on the farm in 1964. Now, buried in the country, Breen is bored. In London, they are selecting jurors for the Kray brothers trial – here he feels the dead girl all around him; in the place where she was discovered, in the silences around the table and even in the room he sleeps in. Helen seems to be nudging him to take a fresh look at the unsolved crime and, almost without meaning to, Breen finds himself embroiled in an unofficial investigation.
Alexandra was sixteen when she was murdered and one of the suspects was wealthy landowner Jimmy Fletchet, who was friendly with a member of the police, called Milkwood. When Breen returns to London to follow up, he finds that his questions may not only have unearthed some possible leads, but have also scared those involved. Before long, he becomes fascinated by three men, who knew each other long ago in Kenya, during the Mau Mau uprising. This novel will take Breen from going undercover in London clubs, to visiting poetry happenings, to confronting difficult issues about his relationship with the volatile Tozer – as well as unpalatable truths about the British in Kenya. For her unspoken insistence that he look into that crime will unearth secrets from far longer ago than her sister’s murder, and there will be more death, and personal danger, before the crime is solved…
I have to say that I really do love this series. The author has created a very realistic era – he has not glorified, or romanticised, the Sixties in any way. Although students march for change and people insist they can wear, and do, what they like, the reality is somewhat different. Going undercover, Breen is sneered at while using public transport and Tozer feels confined by the expectations of family and society. Everywhere, casual sexism and racism is voiced openly and without censure. Breen is a man of great inner strength, but he feels out of place, and step, with modern society – he is naturally conservative and shy and yet is drawn to the loud, outspoken Tozer. I really hope that there are further books in this series. I know a trilogy was mentioned, but these characters deserve to have more books and I await them impatiently. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
This is the third novel in the Breen and Tozer series, set in the late 1960’s and following on from, “A House of Knives,” and “A Song From Dead Lips.” It is 1969 and Cathal ‘Paddy’ Breen is recuperating from injuries suffered at the end of the last novel, at the Devon farmhouse where Helen Tozer grew up. Also on the family farm is Hibou, a young hippie girl befriended previously by Tozer. Helen Tozer has been forced to give up her career as a policewoman to return to help her parents on the farm and is resentful and angry. Her feelings are not soothed by the fact that both her parents have taken to Hibou – especially her father – who has discovered a new lease of life since she came to stay.
Anyone who has read the previous books will know that Helen Tozer’s sister, Alexandra, was found murdered on the farm in 1964. Now, buried in the country, Breen is bored. In London, they are selecting jurors for the Kray brothers trial – here he feels the dead girl all around him; in the place where she was discovered, in the silences around the table and even in the room he sleeps in. Helen seems to be nudging him to take a fresh look at the unsolved crime and, almost without meaning to, Breen finds himself embroiled in an unofficial investigation.
Alexandra was sixteen when she was murdered and one of the suspects was wealthy landowner Jimmy Fletchet, who was friendly with a member of the police, called Milkwood. When Breen returns to London to follow up, he finds that his questions may not only have unearthed some possible leads, but have also scared those involved. Before long, he becomes fascinated by three men, who knew each other long ago in Kenya, during the Mau Mau uprising. This novel will take Breen from going undercover in London clubs, to visiting poetry happenings, to confronting difficult issues about his relationship with the volatile Tozer – as well as unpalatable truths about the British in Kenya. For her unspoken insistence that he look into that crime will unearth secrets from far longer ago than her sister’s murder, and there will be more death, and personal danger, before the crime is solved…
I have to say that I really do love this series. The author has created a very realistic era – he has not glorified, or romanticised, the Sixties in any way. Although students march for change and people insist they can wear, and do, what they like, the reality is somewhat different. Going undercover, Breen is sneered at while using public transport and Tozer feels confined by the expectations of family and society. Everywhere, casual sexism and racism is voiced openly and without censure. Breen is a man of great inner strength, but he feels out of place, and step, with modern society – he is naturally conservative and shy and yet is drawn to the loud, outspoken Tozer. I really hope that there are further books in this series. I know a trilogy was mentioned, but these characters deserve to have more books and I await them impatiently. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
February 14, 2018
Once again William Shaw effortlessly captures the feel of 1960's Britain while simultaneously revealing some nasty events from Britain's colonial past in Kenya, during the Mau Mau uprising - a story that has resonated down the decades since.
Five years ago, teenager Alexandra Tozer - sister of Met police detective Cathal Breen's ex-partner, Helen Tozer - was brutally tortured and murdered but her killer was never found.
As a favour to Helen, who has left the police force to return to her parents' farm, Breen carries out an unofficial investigation into Alexandra's death.
His inquiries lead him to investigate a trio of men who first met during the Mau Mau terror which lasted throughout the 1950's and early 1960's and involved war crimes on both sides. As the story unfolds, there are also descriptions of events in 1969's still-swinging London, with occasional revelations about police corruption, particularly in the London Metropolitan Police's Drugs Squad, who seem more interested in the publicity gained from arresting rock stars than preventing the rise of drug use in Britain.
Shaw counters the seediness of London with the hard life of Helen Tozer's family on their tiny Devonshire farm. History students can learn as much from Shaw's Breen and Tozer series as crime fans can of police inquiries into drug related crime and murder in the 1960's.
Five years ago, teenager Alexandra Tozer - sister of Met police detective Cathal Breen's ex-partner, Helen Tozer - was brutally tortured and murdered but her killer was never found.
As a favour to Helen, who has left the police force to return to her parents' farm, Breen carries out an unofficial investigation into Alexandra's death.
His inquiries lead him to investigate a trio of men who first met during the Mau Mau terror which lasted throughout the 1950's and early 1960's and involved war crimes on both sides. As the story unfolds, there are also descriptions of events in 1969's still-swinging London, with occasional revelations about police corruption, particularly in the London Metropolitan Police's Drugs Squad, who seem more interested in the publicity gained from arresting rock stars than preventing the rise of drug use in Britain.
Shaw counters the seediness of London with the hard life of Helen Tozer's family on their tiny Devonshire farm. History students can learn as much from Shaw's Breen and Tozer series as crime fans can of police inquiries into drug related crime and murder in the 1960's.
November 3, 2018
Very surprised by this book to be fair. I only read it as part of a challenge as it contains a character with my name. It’s by an author I’m not familiar with but still a good crime drama with a little romance of sorts thrown in for good measure.
The main character is investigating an old unsolved murder and suddenly all is not what seems to be when they start digging a little deeper. Set in Devon but it takes us to London and back to Devon again. There’s a dramatic twist towards the end which usually helps a good murder mystery book
The main character is investigating an old unsolved murder and suddenly all is not what seems to be when they start digging a little deeper. Set in Devon but it takes us to London and back to Devon again. There’s a dramatic twist towards the end which usually helps a good murder mystery book
June 11, 2015
Following the violent denouement of the previous book, A Book of Scars sees our erstwhile hero detective Cathal Breen taking an enforced spell of R&R at the family farm in Devon of his feisty former police colleague Helen Tozer, who has recently left the Met. Inevitably though, the long shadow cast by the unsolved murder of Tozer’s sister, Alexandra, five years previously, comes back to haunt them in this much darker instalment of William Shaw’s superb 1960’s set series. As the book opens in the closing year of this influential and tumultuous decade, Breen and Tozer have many obstacles, both personal and professional, to overcome to solve this perplexing murder, which leads to others, and to lay the ghosts of the past to rest.
Even if this is your first foray into Shaw’s series, you will soon catch up with the highs and lows of Breen and Tozer’s relationship, accrued through their previous cases, and their frustrating personal relationship. Endeavouring to avoid spoilers, I will simply say that events move on apace, and there is more than one surprise in store for the hapless Breen on the emotional front, as he becomes inveigled in Tozer’s personal strife with the murder of her sister, and the maelstrom of emotions that arise in the wake of this. The ups and downs of their relationship, with Breen being slightly more introverted, and Tozer a real speak-as-you-find kinda gal, makes for an entertaining, yet emotionally tense partnership, and the interplay between their very different investigative styles is as accomplished as in previous books. Breen is methodical, courteous and focussed, but Tozer rather less so, with her tough-as-nails demeanour accrued by living in the shadow of her lost sister, and her forthright decision to join the police, in an era where women were only just making their mark in the force, and barely tolerated in this bastion of masculinity. Hence, throughout the course of the book, there are some lovely incidents of Tozer going all heart of darkness, and Breen attempting to pick up the pieces. However, this is unerringly balanced by how Shaw writes both characters with a real sense of tenderness and poignancy when the need arises, and he doesn’t shy away from putting their individual frailties up for scrutiny. So, for my money, easily one of the most entertaining investigative duos in the world of crime fiction.
As with the previous books, Shaw’s attention to the sights, sounds and socio-political detail of the period never falters. With perfectly placed references to products, fashion, drugs and music interspersed seemingly casually throughout, Shaw firmly roots us in the decade, and as Breen and Tozer dig deeper into Alexandra’s murder, Shaw also goes global, weaving in the uncompromising violence that was brought to the world’s attention through the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya in the 60’s. Using the less than honourable exploits of some of Breen and Tozer’s suspects, during their residence in Kenya, Shaw reveals a well-researched, and eye-opening account of these events in Africa, whilst seamlessly incorporating them into the central plot of the novel. This dark diversion added another real layer of interest to the book, and an unflinching portrayal of this age of revolt, revolution and political corruption. Equally, Shaw leads us off the beaten path several times during the course of our intrepid duo’s investigation, to neatly conceal the perpetrator of Alexandra’s murder and the related deaths that occur as the plot progresses.
As much as I enjoyed the first two books, I think this one resonated more strongly with me, purely because of the emotional intensity that Shaw has injected into A Book of Scars. Not only in the sphere of personal relationships and the reverberation of murder on a family, but also by the inclusion of the dramatic and violent events spawned by the Kenyan uprising. Reading this in a contemporary age, the book gains an added gravitas as we see the events of the past not just in a vacuum, and you read this with a horrible feeling of us not having learnt anything at all in terms of global conflict. However, this more serious side to the book is tempered by Shaw’s lively depiction of his central protagonists (who sometimes you just want to give a good shake) and beautifully placed moments of teasing humour, that lighten the darker corners of the book. A fitting end to a trilogy, or is it, as there’s more than a whiff of a cliffhanger on the closing page….. Good. More please.
Even if this is your first foray into Shaw’s series, you will soon catch up with the highs and lows of Breen and Tozer’s relationship, accrued through their previous cases, and their frustrating personal relationship. Endeavouring to avoid spoilers, I will simply say that events move on apace, and there is more than one surprise in store for the hapless Breen on the emotional front, as he becomes inveigled in Tozer’s personal strife with the murder of her sister, and the maelstrom of emotions that arise in the wake of this. The ups and downs of their relationship, with Breen being slightly more introverted, and Tozer a real speak-as-you-find kinda gal, makes for an entertaining, yet emotionally tense partnership, and the interplay between their very different investigative styles is as accomplished as in previous books. Breen is methodical, courteous and focussed, but Tozer rather less so, with her tough-as-nails demeanour accrued by living in the shadow of her lost sister, and her forthright decision to join the police, in an era where women were only just making their mark in the force, and barely tolerated in this bastion of masculinity. Hence, throughout the course of the book, there are some lovely incidents of Tozer going all heart of darkness, and Breen attempting to pick up the pieces. However, this is unerringly balanced by how Shaw writes both characters with a real sense of tenderness and poignancy when the need arises, and he doesn’t shy away from putting their individual frailties up for scrutiny. So, for my money, easily one of the most entertaining investigative duos in the world of crime fiction.
As with the previous books, Shaw’s attention to the sights, sounds and socio-political detail of the period never falters. With perfectly placed references to products, fashion, drugs and music interspersed seemingly casually throughout, Shaw firmly roots us in the decade, and as Breen and Tozer dig deeper into Alexandra’s murder, Shaw also goes global, weaving in the uncompromising violence that was brought to the world’s attention through the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya in the 60’s. Using the less than honourable exploits of some of Breen and Tozer’s suspects, during their residence in Kenya, Shaw reveals a well-researched, and eye-opening account of these events in Africa, whilst seamlessly incorporating them into the central plot of the novel. This dark diversion added another real layer of interest to the book, and an unflinching portrayal of this age of revolt, revolution and political corruption. Equally, Shaw leads us off the beaten path several times during the course of our intrepid duo’s investigation, to neatly conceal the perpetrator of Alexandra’s murder and the related deaths that occur as the plot progresses.
As much as I enjoyed the first two books, I think this one resonated more strongly with me, purely because of the emotional intensity that Shaw has injected into A Book of Scars. Not only in the sphere of personal relationships and the reverberation of murder on a family, but also by the inclusion of the dramatic and violent events spawned by the Kenyan uprising. Reading this in a contemporary age, the book gains an added gravitas as we see the events of the past not just in a vacuum, and you read this with a horrible feeling of us not having learnt anything at all in terms of global conflict. However, this more serious side to the book is tempered by Shaw’s lively depiction of his central protagonists (who sometimes you just want to give a good shake) and beautifully placed moments of teasing humour, that lighten the darker corners of the book. A fitting end to a trilogy, or is it, as there’s more than a whiff of a cliffhanger on the closing page….. Good. More please.
July 9, 2024
Enjoying this series but struggled with this book.
January 19, 2016
Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.
With A Song for the Brokenhearted William Shaw wraps up the Breen & Tozer mystery trilogy and I’m left hoping to read more about these characters. A trilogy can become a series, right? This book was everything that I hoped it would be: awesome characters, occasional humour, and a mystery that not only holds a personal connection for the main characters but also sheds light on events of an international nature.
A Song for the Brokenhearted picks up soon after the events of the previous book, Kings of London. Breen is recuperating after being injured on the job and ex-policewoman, Helen Tozer, has brought Breen back to her family’s farm to recover. Going a bit stir crazy, Breen is not exactly unhappy when Helen nudges him into looking into her sister Alexandra's unsolved murder. Surprisingly, Alexandra's murder has an unexpected connection to the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. Having loved She’s Leaving Home and Kings of London , I had really, really high expectations of the final book in this retro mystery series. From the start, I have loved being immersed in the 1960s culture and fascinated by the characters of Breen and Tozer. Historical events of the 1960s continue to be present in the Brokenhearted, and the British presence in Kenya during this period is explored. The history of the British in Kenya is not glossed over as one of the murder suspects, James Fletchet, lived in Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising, actively taking part in “screening” locals. It’s not a pretty past, but it adds an unexpected political bent to the novel, which is generally not something that I expect in the mystery genre. The details of international events are skillfully interwoven with the mystery, giving the reader a fantastic sense of place and time. The fact that 1960s London comes alive in this trilogy is a big draw for me and it will appeal to mystery readers who are looking for a read that is more than just procedural information, after all, Breen and Tozer are not even officially on the case.
The characters of Breen and Tozer continue to be fabulous; they are what keep me coming back to these books. Both Cathal Breen and Helen Tozer are such human characters. Breen is definitely not a super detective, yet he stands in sharp contrast to his corrupt fellow official. Helen Tozer, unlike Breen, is comfortable with the fast changing world; she embraces the change that society is experiencing and is all the more frustrated when she’s forced to quit her job and return to help her parents on their farm. The fact that Breen and Tozer are so opposite in terms of the worldview makes their strange relationship all the more compelling. Breen’s more of an old fashioned kind of guy, so his attraction to Tozer is a bit fraught; however, I think with Brokenhearted you can really see how Breen has grow and embraced some of the change that’s sweeping the nation. There are some big changes ahead for both Breen and Tozer and it's how they deal with personal complications during a murder investigation that is so compelling.
Ultimately, Brokenhearted gives readers a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Many of the loose ends from the previous books are wrapped up; however, I think the author leaves enough room for future books to be written. If there is anything that disappointed me about Brokenhearted, it is the ambiguous nature of the ending and the fact that, as it stands, there will be no more books featuring these characters. Ambiguity aside, if you've enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy there is no question that you will love it's finale.
With A Song for the Brokenhearted William Shaw wraps up the Breen & Tozer mystery trilogy and I’m left hoping to read more about these characters. A trilogy can become a series, right? This book was everything that I hoped it would be: awesome characters, occasional humour, and a mystery that not only holds a personal connection for the main characters but also sheds light on events of an international nature.
A Song for the Brokenhearted picks up soon after the events of the previous book, Kings of London. Breen is recuperating after being injured on the job and ex-policewoman, Helen Tozer, has brought Breen back to her family’s farm to recover. Going a bit stir crazy, Breen is not exactly unhappy when Helen nudges him into looking into her sister Alexandra's unsolved murder. Surprisingly, Alexandra's murder has an unexpected connection to the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. Having loved She’s Leaving Home and Kings of London , I had really, really high expectations of the final book in this retro mystery series. From the start, I have loved being immersed in the 1960s culture and fascinated by the characters of Breen and Tozer. Historical events of the 1960s continue to be present in the Brokenhearted, and the British presence in Kenya during this period is explored. The history of the British in Kenya is not glossed over as one of the murder suspects, James Fletchet, lived in Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising, actively taking part in “screening” locals. It’s not a pretty past, but it adds an unexpected political bent to the novel, which is generally not something that I expect in the mystery genre. The details of international events are skillfully interwoven with the mystery, giving the reader a fantastic sense of place and time. The fact that 1960s London comes alive in this trilogy is a big draw for me and it will appeal to mystery readers who are looking for a read that is more than just procedural information, after all, Breen and Tozer are not even officially on the case.
The characters of Breen and Tozer continue to be fabulous; they are what keep me coming back to these books. Both Cathal Breen and Helen Tozer are such human characters. Breen is definitely not a super detective, yet he stands in sharp contrast to his corrupt fellow official. Helen Tozer, unlike Breen, is comfortable with the fast changing world; she embraces the change that society is experiencing and is all the more frustrated when she’s forced to quit her job and return to help her parents on their farm. The fact that Breen and Tozer are so opposite in terms of the worldview makes their strange relationship all the more compelling. Breen’s more of an old fashioned kind of guy, so his attraction to Tozer is a bit fraught; however, I think with Brokenhearted you can really see how Breen has grow and embraced some of the change that’s sweeping the nation. There are some big changes ahead for both Breen and Tozer and it's how they deal with personal complications during a murder investigation that is so compelling.
Ultimately, Brokenhearted gives readers a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Many of the loose ends from the previous books are wrapped up; however, I think the author leaves enough room for future books to be written. If there is anything that disappointed me about Brokenhearted, it is the ambiguous nature of the ending and the fact that, as it stands, there will be no more books featuring these characters. Ambiguity aside, if you've enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy there is no question that you will love it's finale.
February 15, 2017
Es sind ungewöhnliche Kriminalromane, die der Brite William Shaw schreibt, denn er setzt seine Leser in eine Zeitmaschine, die sie direkt mitten hinein in die Swinging Sixties katapultiert. Flower Power, Hippies, Joints und Afghanenmäntel kennzeichnen diese Ära, und Shaws Verweise auf Popmusik und -musiker dieser Zeit bringen zusätzlich das entsprechende Flair in die Krimis der Breen und Tozer-Reihe, die mit dem vorliegenden „History of Murder“ mittlerweile auf drei Bände angewachsen ist. Aber es wären keine Kriminalromane, wenn der Autor nicht auch zeigen würde, dass neben „Love and Peace“ jede Menge Platz für das Verbrechen ist.
1969: Cathal „Paddy“ Breen, der zurückhaltende, besonnene, irischstämmige DS und seine Kollegin Helen Tozer haben der Londoner Polizei den Rücken gekehrt. Sie hat den Dienst quittiert und ist in Begleitung des rekonvaleszenten Paddy Breen, der eine Schussverletzung auskurieren muss, auf die elterliche Farm in Devon zurückgekehrt. Aber auch das Leben dort ist alles andere als beschaulich, denn Helens Vater vernachlässigt die Farm und ist dringend auf Hilfe angewiesen, da er noch immer um seine ermordete Tochter Alexandra trauert. Glücklicherweise gibt es Hibou, ein Hippiemädchen aus London, das Breen und Tozer aus den Fängen eines Sektengurus befreit (vgl. hierzu „Kings of London“, Bd. 2) und mit nach Devon gebracht haben. Sie gibt Helens Vater neuen Lebensmut, aber dennoch liegt der Mord wie ein Schatten auf der Familie. Als Breen wieder einigermaßen auf dem Damm ist, schaut er sich den fünf Jahre zurückliegenden Mordfall etwas genauer an und beginnt heimlich zu ermitteln. Das Ergebnis seiner Recherche ist erschreckend und verstörend, denn Alexandra war nicht das einzige Opfer. Die Spur führt in die unmittelbare Nachbarschaft und letztendlich zu einem unrühmlichen Kapitel britischer Kolonialvergangenheit, das noch immer totgeschwiegen wird.
„A book of scars“, so der Originaltitel und dieser trifft den Kern dieses Kriminalromans weit besser als das eher unverbindlich klingende „History of Murder“, denn vergangene Ereignisse haben bei allen Akteuren, unabhängig ob gut oder böse, Narben hinterlassen. Der Mordfall, natürlich, aber auch verratene Ideale, persönliche Verluste und falsche Entscheidungen.
William Shaw demaskiert in seinen Romanen den Flower Power Mythos und zeigt dessen hässliches Gesicht. Sexismus, Rassismus, Diskriminierung, Korruption und Gewalt gegen Schwache – die Reihe ließe sich endlos fortsetzen. Er schafft Atmosphäre durch ein stimmiges Setting und porträtiert eine Gesellschaft im Wandel, deren unverarbeitete Traumata bis in die Gegenwart wirken. Ergänzt werden diese „historischen“ Details durch überzeugende Charaktere und einen wohl durchdachten Plot, der fesselt und unterhält. Nicht unerwähnt bleiben soll die Übersetzung von Conny Lösch, wie immer genial!
Eine Bemerkung zum Schluss: Ich empfehle nachdrücklich die bisherigen Bände („Abbey Road Murder Song“, „Kings of London“ und „History of Murder“) in der richtigen Reihenfolge zu lesen, da immer wieder Bezüge zu vorangegangenen Ereignissen und Entwicklungen hergestellt werden. Band 4 der Reihe (Sympathy for the devil) ist im Original für Anfang Mai 2017 angekündigt und wird sehnsüchtig erwartet. In der Zwischenzeit können wir uns mit „Der gute Mörder“, einem Kriminalroman außerhalb dieser Reihe trösten, der im Juli 2017 im Suhrkamp Verlag erscheinen wird.
Und hier noch ein Musiktipp, passend zur Lektüre: „Judy Blue Eyes“ von Crosby, Stills & Nash (veröffentlicht 1969).
1969: Cathal „Paddy“ Breen, der zurückhaltende, besonnene, irischstämmige DS und seine Kollegin Helen Tozer haben der Londoner Polizei den Rücken gekehrt. Sie hat den Dienst quittiert und ist in Begleitung des rekonvaleszenten Paddy Breen, der eine Schussverletzung auskurieren muss, auf die elterliche Farm in Devon zurückgekehrt. Aber auch das Leben dort ist alles andere als beschaulich, denn Helens Vater vernachlässigt die Farm und ist dringend auf Hilfe angewiesen, da er noch immer um seine ermordete Tochter Alexandra trauert. Glücklicherweise gibt es Hibou, ein Hippiemädchen aus London, das Breen und Tozer aus den Fängen eines Sektengurus befreit (vgl. hierzu „Kings of London“, Bd. 2) und mit nach Devon gebracht haben. Sie gibt Helens Vater neuen Lebensmut, aber dennoch liegt der Mord wie ein Schatten auf der Familie. Als Breen wieder einigermaßen auf dem Damm ist, schaut er sich den fünf Jahre zurückliegenden Mordfall etwas genauer an und beginnt heimlich zu ermitteln. Das Ergebnis seiner Recherche ist erschreckend und verstörend, denn Alexandra war nicht das einzige Opfer. Die Spur führt in die unmittelbare Nachbarschaft und letztendlich zu einem unrühmlichen Kapitel britischer Kolonialvergangenheit, das noch immer totgeschwiegen wird.
„A book of scars“, so der Originaltitel und dieser trifft den Kern dieses Kriminalromans weit besser als das eher unverbindlich klingende „History of Murder“, denn vergangene Ereignisse haben bei allen Akteuren, unabhängig ob gut oder böse, Narben hinterlassen. Der Mordfall, natürlich, aber auch verratene Ideale, persönliche Verluste und falsche Entscheidungen.
William Shaw demaskiert in seinen Romanen den Flower Power Mythos und zeigt dessen hässliches Gesicht. Sexismus, Rassismus, Diskriminierung, Korruption und Gewalt gegen Schwache – die Reihe ließe sich endlos fortsetzen. Er schafft Atmosphäre durch ein stimmiges Setting und porträtiert eine Gesellschaft im Wandel, deren unverarbeitete Traumata bis in die Gegenwart wirken. Ergänzt werden diese „historischen“ Details durch überzeugende Charaktere und einen wohl durchdachten Plot, der fesselt und unterhält. Nicht unerwähnt bleiben soll die Übersetzung von Conny Lösch, wie immer genial!
Eine Bemerkung zum Schluss: Ich empfehle nachdrücklich die bisherigen Bände („Abbey Road Murder Song“, „Kings of London“ und „History of Murder“) in der richtigen Reihenfolge zu lesen, da immer wieder Bezüge zu vorangegangenen Ereignissen und Entwicklungen hergestellt werden. Band 4 der Reihe (Sympathy for the devil) ist im Original für Anfang Mai 2017 angekündigt und wird sehnsüchtig erwartet. In der Zwischenzeit können wir uns mit „Der gute Mörder“, einem Kriminalroman außerhalb dieser Reihe trösten, der im Juli 2017 im Suhrkamp Verlag erscheinen wird.
Und hier noch ein Musiktipp, passend zur Lektüre: „Judy Blue Eyes“ von Crosby, Stills & Nash (veröffentlicht 1969).
December 16, 2017
I realized about two-thirds of the way through this novel that it was the third in the series. I'd read the first but not the second. So now I'll read the second one. My American hardcover edition (called A SONG FOR THE BROKENHEARTED, in case you're looking up the same book by its British title, A BOOK OF SCARS) does not state that this is the third Breen and Tozer novel.
In any case, it is an improvement over the first one, which was itself a good novel. William Shaw makes some of the scenes quite vivid, such as a visit by Breen, undercover, to the Roundabout, a hippie club in London. Breen's innate distaste for the the atmosphere, and his responsibility to blend in, make for a scene of sociological interest.
The Breen and Tozer mysteries are set in the late 1960s, and Shaw has done a splendid job of bringing back a time and place. Particularly amusing is the presence, as a character among otherwise fictional characters, of Norman ("Nobby") Pilcher, one of the most overzealous policemen in history. They've never proven he actually did plant drugs on the pop stars he busted, but he was jailed for corruption. He is not merely a passing player in this book, but participates in several scenes. A reader who has not heard of him will perceive him as the nasty authority figure always trying to humiliate the hero. This is what makes his extended cameo so good: Shaw does not underscore the fact that Pilcher is an historic figure.
As with SHE'S LEAVING HOME (or, as the British edition is called, A SONG FOR DEAD LIPS) British imperialism is a theme. But in that book it was more or less a backdrop. Here, the British involvement in Kenya in the mid-1950s is a direct influence on atrocities at home in the 1960s. In the acknowledgements, Shaw recommends two books, Caroline Elkins's IMPERIAL RECKONING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF BRITAIN'S GULAG IN KENYA, and David Anderson's HISTORIES OF THE HANGED: THE DIRTY WAR IN KENYA AND THE END OF EMPIRE. Shaw is not writing mere mysteries or simple thrillers. He is writing political novels.
I give this the full number of stars Goodreads allows because of at least three set-pieces which work really well: the scene at the Roundhouse (which, I imagine, was a real club), a scene at the home of a drug-dealing couple (a scene which captures the rabbit-hole nature of a conversation between a rational human being and someone dancing between sanity and insanity) and a scene with a modern-day Kurtz (the uber-villain in Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS) explaining himself.
Each character (out of the many in this book) is well-delineated and the dynamics between them are believable.
The contrast between life in the sixties and life in the 21st-century is not as big a theme as it is in the first book in the series, but what it lacks in irony is more than made up for in the sheer plausibility of the characterizations.
In any case, it is an improvement over the first one, which was itself a good novel. William Shaw makes some of the scenes quite vivid, such as a visit by Breen, undercover, to the Roundabout, a hippie club in London. Breen's innate distaste for the the atmosphere, and his responsibility to blend in, make for a scene of sociological interest.
The Breen and Tozer mysteries are set in the late 1960s, and Shaw has done a splendid job of bringing back a time and place. Particularly amusing is the presence, as a character among otherwise fictional characters, of Norman ("Nobby") Pilcher, one of the most overzealous policemen in history. They've never proven he actually did plant drugs on the pop stars he busted, but he was jailed for corruption. He is not merely a passing player in this book, but participates in several scenes. A reader who has not heard of him will perceive him as the nasty authority figure always trying to humiliate the hero. This is what makes his extended cameo so good: Shaw does not underscore the fact that Pilcher is an historic figure.
As with SHE'S LEAVING HOME (or, as the British edition is called, A SONG FOR DEAD LIPS) British imperialism is a theme. But in that book it was more or less a backdrop. Here, the British involvement in Kenya in the mid-1950s is a direct influence on atrocities at home in the 1960s. In the acknowledgements, Shaw recommends two books, Caroline Elkins's IMPERIAL RECKONING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF BRITAIN'S GULAG IN KENYA, and David Anderson's HISTORIES OF THE HANGED: THE DIRTY WAR IN KENYA AND THE END OF EMPIRE. Shaw is not writing mere mysteries or simple thrillers. He is writing political novels.
I give this the full number of stars Goodreads allows because of at least three set-pieces which work really well: the scene at the Roundhouse (which, I imagine, was a real club), a scene at the home of a drug-dealing couple (a scene which captures the rabbit-hole nature of a conversation between a rational human being and someone dancing between sanity and insanity) and a scene with a modern-day Kurtz (the uber-villain in Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS) explaining himself.
Each character (out of the many in this book) is well-delineated and the dynamics between them are believable.
The contrast between life in the sixties and life in the 21st-century is not as big a theme as it is in the first book in the series, but what it lacks in irony is more than made up for in the sheer plausibility of the characterizations.
March 4, 2021
I’m totally into the characters in this series which I’ve now finished( not in order Matthew) 😱
I miss them already and hope William Shaw has plans for more.
I miss them already and hope William Shaw has plans for more.
September 25, 2019
Really three and a half stars. It didn't have as much of Helen Tozer in the story as the previous books did. Also, the scenes of torture were a bit emotionally difficult for me to read. Still, this is a great series and I will definitely be reading the next book.
May 14, 2019
Loved it. Sympathy for the Devil up next. One of my favorite series'.
May 22, 2015
Having read and enjoyed A Song from Dead Lips and A House of Knives, I was disappointed that the Breen & Tozer series was only going to be a trilogy but after finishing A Book of Scars I can see where William Shaw was going with the series and it works incredibly well as three books. This is definitely one of the most exciting and original trilogies I have read in recent years.
A Book of Scars is a difficult book to summarise, on a very basic 'this is what happens' level, Helen Tozer has left the police and returned home to her parents' farm, the place where five years ago her teenage sister Alexandra was brutally murdered. She has brought with her the recuperating DS Cathal Breen who as with a lot of fictional detectives is not satisfied with just resting up to recover from his injuries, and so he soon becomes obsessed with the murder of Alexandra and quickly unearths evidence that was kept hidden from the family. Helen and the original investigating sergeant go missing, and Breen soon realises this was not just a straight forward murder.
William Shaw is a brilliant writer, and he completely brought life in London in the 1960s to life in his first two books. The research he has carried out for this series is impeccable. In A Book of Scars we return with Helen to her parents' farm, some brilliant descriptions creating a quite vivid picture in your mind of this setting, the backdrop for a rather brutally described murder when we start to learn more about how Helen's sister really died. The characterisation is strong in this series, the attitudes and behaviours of some of the characters appearing outdated, but of course being relevant to the time period. I can't claim to be a history buff, and when I read the blurb I wondered whether certain things would just go over my head. But A Book of Scars is a shocking read, completely laying bare long-buried secrets and 'the history that Britain turned its face from'.
The last few chapters in particular were quite brutal in their intensity, it was a showdown that had me gripped and definitely exceeded any expectations I might have had before picking the book up and definitely with a number of plot twists I didn't see coming and some twisted and disturbing individuals, but totally believable. It isn't one of those stories which has a predictable ending, and in keeping with the realism of the series the whole way through, it was a very satisfying one. And one that left me hoping that we may see more from these characters in the future? Perhaps it's unlikely, but I certainly hope we see more from William Shaw in the future.
A Book of Scars is a difficult book to summarise, on a very basic 'this is what happens' level, Helen Tozer has left the police and returned home to her parents' farm, the place where five years ago her teenage sister Alexandra was brutally murdered. She has brought with her the recuperating DS Cathal Breen who as with a lot of fictional detectives is not satisfied with just resting up to recover from his injuries, and so he soon becomes obsessed with the murder of Alexandra and quickly unearths evidence that was kept hidden from the family. Helen and the original investigating sergeant go missing, and Breen soon realises this was not just a straight forward murder.
William Shaw is a brilliant writer, and he completely brought life in London in the 1960s to life in his first two books. The research he has carried out for this series is impeccable. In A Book of Scars we return with Helen to her parents' farm, some brilliant descriptions creating a quite vivid picture in your mind of this setting, the backdrop for a rather brutally described murder when we start to learn more about how Helen's sister really died. The characterisation is strong in this series, the attitudes and behaviours of some of the characters appearing outdated, but of course being relevant to the time period. I can't claim to be a history buff, and when I read the blurb I wondered whether certain things would just go over my head. But A Book of Scars is a shocking read, completely laying bare long-buried secrets and 'the history that Britain turned its face from'.
The last few chapters in particular were quite brutal in their intensity, it was a showdown that had me gripped and definitely exceeded any expectations I might have had before picking the book up and definitely with a number of plot twists I didn't see coming and some twisted and disturbing individuals, but totally believable. It isn't one of those stories which has a predictable ending, and in keeping with the realism of the series the whole way through, it was a very satisfying one. And one that left me hoping that we may see more from these characters in the future? Perhaps it's unlikely, but I certainly hope we see more from William Shaw in the future.
May 19, 2015
I found the prologue here intriguing even a little unsettling and it certainly made me want to read on. I quickly found that I liked the writing style and within a couple of chapters I realised I was hooked. Set in the '60s this book is atmospheric and shows mostly very good research. The emergence of "hippy" culture for example comes over very well. It is actually the third in a series I discovered however it is fine for a standalone read. Cathal (Paddy) a serving police officer and Helen, previously a police officer who had worked with Paddy are the main characters and the case concerns, initially, a rather gruesome murder. The trail leads to and from the west country, in and out of London and has some background in the Mau Mau "emergency".
I found it well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I certainly plan to read at least one of the earlier books to find out a bit more about Helen and Paddy's backgrounds. That said I didn't fine them particularly compelling characters despite enjoying the book. I'd happily recommend it as a good crime read set in the '60s and would like to read more by this author.
Disclosure - I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.
I found it well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I certainly plan to read at least one of the earlier books to find out a bit more about Helen and Paddy's backgrounds. That said I didn't fine them particularly compelling characters despite enjoying the book. I'd happily recommend it as a good crime read set in the '60s and would like to read more by this author.
Disclosure - I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.
September 9, 2015
This book returns to the strengths of the first book in the series. Breen and Tozer's investigations have a way of not only grappling with the dark side of 60s London society, but also the whole historical and cultural legacy of Britain's fading empire.
February 10, 2020
Third book in the Breen & Tozer series, set in 1969.
July 22, 2018
A Book of Scars is the third book in the Cathal Breen and Helen Tozer series set in the 1960s. In this outing, it’s 1969: Tozer has left the police and Breen is recovering from being shot. While recuperating Breen starts to secretly investigate the violent murder of Tozer’s sister five years previously. A carefree teenager, Alexandra had been conducting an affair with a local Lord when she was snatched, tortured and killed. Breen’s sniffing about has unsettled some of those questioned in the original case. But the investigation takes a turn neither he or Tozer was expecting, leading them back to London and the disappearance of a sergeant in the drug’s squad and the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. Shaw has really hit his stride with this outing. Although a little slow and ponderous at the start, layers are added to the uneasy, complex relationship between Breen and Tozer, the mystery of Alexandra’s death is laid bare, and the story is politically-charged, uncovering the history of the Mau Mau crisis in Kenya and the politics of colonial rule and the violence and torture used to tackle resistance movements. The characterisation is nicely developed and the plot is compelling. The result is an engaging story that works on different levels – personal, institutional, political – moving all the elements of a good police procedural series forward.
September 14, 2019
Shaw has an excellent sense of the dramatic, always leaving the reader with a sense of unease and the feeling that his characters really are in peril; there is genuine suffering in his books, and resolutions are never trite or superficial. The setting, England in the 1960s, is stylish but also gives the reader a feeling for the turmoil and upheaval an unsettled culture experiences when there is dramatic social and generational change. Readers who are familiar with that era and place will enjoy all of the pop culture references. Breen and Tozer are strong characters whose interactions are the strength of this series; those who enjoyed the previous two books will appreciate the developments in their personal and professional relationships. The secondary characters, particularly Carmichael and Tozer’s parents, are well-drawn also, and I have felt more invested in them and their struggles as the series has progressed. Looking forward to the fourth book, Play With Fire; it’s already in the pile on my nightstand.
Read
July 22, 2017Loved it as much as the other two (here in the States, they're called She's Leaving Home (1) and The Kings of London (2); this is called Song for the Brokenhearted). Setting stories in a time before the conveniences of technology allows things to simmer rather than boil. Great reads if you like your mysteries with a bit of the swinging 60s!
January 31, 2019
This series just gets better and better. Highly recommended.
February 22, 2018
An excellent book in the series, thoroughly enjoyed over the last book (it was bad). I love the dynamics and story-line was perfect. It had great flow and kept me interested in story throughout the chapters. Overall a A+ Book and will definitely continue the series.
June 14, 2018
Another interesting adventure with Breen and Tozer, characters whom I've really grown to love over the past 3 novels.
Gripping, easy-to-read and a satisfying ending, what more could you want in a thriller?
Gripping, easy-to-read and a satisfying ending, what more could you want in a thriller?
Read
January 5, 2019I hope this isn't the last we see of Breen & Tozer! They are such great characters! The mystery in this one unfolds very similarly to Galbrath's Career of Evil. It was right in front of us the whole time! Shaw writes such well-crafted stories!
August 5, 2017
This series sort of merges from one book to the next almost seamlessly. Like simply starting a new chapter in the same book as you start a new one!
In this we are back in Devon on the Tozer family farm and Breen is recuperating from being shot at the end of the previous volume. The case of Helen Tozer's sister Alexandra who was murdered some years previously becomes the central issue and Breen starts to review the case notes from the time.
Really liked this one and again, brought out the time and place really well
In this we are back in Devon on the Tozer family farm and Breen is recuperating from being shot at the end of the previous volume. The case of Helen Tozer's sister Alexandra who was murdered some years previously becomes the central issue and Breen starts to review the case notes from the time.
Really liked this one and again, brought out the time and place really well
May 20, 2016
This book is the third in a trilogy and despite many references to the previous novels, it stands alone well. If anything, it has made me want to read the earlier books to find out more about Helen and Paddy.
It is 1969. Cathal (Paddy)Breen, a police detective at the Met and Helen Tozer , who previously worked with Paddy as a police officer are the main characters. Paddy is recuperating from injuries suffered at the end of the last novel, at the Devon farmhouse where Helen grew up. Helen has been forced to give up her career to return to help her parents on the farm and is resentful and angry. They make an unlikely couple, he is rather conservative, and she is feisty and confrontational and tied by outmoded family and society’s expectations. Another thread from the previous novels is Hibou, a young hippy befriended previously by Tozer. Both her parents have taken to Hibou, especially her father, who never recovered from the trauma of his other daughter’s murder, but finds Hibou a willing helper in the farm. Helen’s sister, Alexandra, was 16 when she was found murdered on the farm in 1964. Breen is bored and begins to discover more about the dead girl; where she was found, the effect of her death on the Tozers, Alexandra’s life and character, her relationship with her sister and possible murder suspects.
Helen encourages him to take a fresh look at the unsolved crime and, his curiosity piqued and with a wish to find something to do, Breen finds he is more and more involved and begins his own unofficial investigation, which Breen finds may have opened up a whole can of worms. Before long, he becomes fascinated by three men, who knew each other long ago in Kenya, during the Mau Mau uprising.
I found it well written, well paced and thoroughly enjoyable. Set in the '60s, the book is well researched with nostalgic period detail. These were memorable years for me and it all feels authentic, especially the attitudes of the older generation and the police to the emerging youth and hippy culture, the arts, fashion, sexual freedom and the casual use of drugs. These were uneasy times of protest and revolution, of open casual sexism and racism, of social upheaval.
I liked the contrasts between quiet Devon and bustling, energetic London, with a new generation looking forward contrasting with Britain’s colonial past. The case unearthed some bitter truths about British imperialism at its worst - Britain’s changing society overshadowed by past events that are now difficult to justify.
This police procedural is a first rate, well written mystery. The characters of Breen and Helen are well rounded and believable. I liked the interaction and rivalry between the police divisions and the portrayal of old school mores and class prejudices. The plot has many twists and turns and explores the dark side of man’s inhumanity as well as a sensitive exploration of family relationships; Helen’s, Paddy’s and Hibou’s; all this alongside a taut and suspenseful thriller with a rather gruesome and frightening climax.
It is 1969. Cathal (Paddy)Breen, a police detective at the Met and Helen Tozer , who previously worked with Paddy as a police officer are the main characters. Paddy is recuperating from injuries suffered at the end of the last novel, at the Devon farmhouse where Helen grew up. Helen has been forced to give up her career to return to help her parents on the farm and is resentful and angry. They make an unlikely couple, he is rather conservative, and she is feisty and confrontational and tied by outmoded family and society’s expectations. Another thread from the previous novels is Hibou, a young hippy befriended previously by Tozer. Both her parents have taken to Hibou, especially her father, who never recovered from the trauma of his other daughter’s murder, but finds Hibou a willing helper in the farm. Helen’s sister, Alexandra, was 16 when she was found murdered on the farm in 1964. Breen is bored and begins to discover more about the dead girl; where she was found, the effect of her death on the Tozers, Alexandra’s life and character, her relationship with her sister and possible murder suspects.
Helen encourages him to take a fresh look at the unsolved crime and, his curiosity piqued and with a wish to find something to do, Breen finds he is more and more involved and begins his own unofficial investigation, which Breen finds may have opened up a whole can of worms. Before long, he becomes fascinated by three men, who knew each other long ago in Kenya, during the Mau Mau uprising.
I found it well written, well paced and thoroughly enjoyable. Set in the '60s, the book is well researched with nostalgic period detail. These were memorable years for me and it all feels authentic, especially the attitudes of the older generation and the police to the emerging youth and hippy culture, the arts, fashion, sexual freedom and the casual use of drugs. These were uneasy times of protest and revolution, of open casual sexism and racism, of social upheaval.
I liked the contrasts between quiet Devon and bustling, energetic London, with a new generation looking forward contrasting with Britain’s colonial past. The case unearthed some bitter truths about British imperialism at its worst - Britain’s changing society overshadowed by past events that are now difficult to justify.
This police procedural is a first rate, well written mystery. The characters of Breen and Helen are well rounded and believable. I liked the interaction and rivalry between the police divisions and the portrayal of old school mores and class prejudices. The plot has many twists and turns and explores the dark side of man’s inhumanity as well as a sensitive exploration of family relationships; Helen’s, Paddy’s and Hibou’s; all this alongside a taut and suspenseful thriller with a rather gruesome and frightening climax.
May 22, 2016
This is the 3rd Breen/Tozer installment in the series. I love that the stories take place mostly in London in the 60's. The music and the culture from that crazy time are as much characters as are Paddy Breen and Helen Tozer. Women in the office are still sent out to make the coffee but I guess they make up for it by rebelliously smoking and drinking during pregnancy. Shaw doesn't glorify the 60's. He just nails it. Paddy has taken up temporary residence at Helen's family farm while he recovers from a gunshot wound. Helen has left the police to help her father with the farm. Neither Paddy nor Helen are a good fit for country life. The family is still grieving the loss of Helen's sister Alex, whose unsolved murder haunts them all. When Paddy becomes bored beyond distraction, Helen suggests that he look into Alex's murder. He soon discovers that her murder had been particularly gruesome in that it had involved torture. A missing police file leads him to the door of a wealthy and titled landowner who had had an affair with sixteen year old Alex. The policeman who apparently removed the file to protect the Lord's reputation, has come up missing. As Breen and Tozer try to put the puzzle pieces together, their relationship deepens. This one started off a bit slowly for me but took off midway through. There is plenty of action near the end. The author closed with a cliffhanger. I can't wait for the next one. Peace. Out.
February 24, 2016
A Book of Scars by William Shaw
This is the final instalment of William Shaw’s Breen and Tozer series. Although I haven’t read the previous books, I didn’t feel at a disadvantage as A Book of Scars reads well as a stand-alone. However, I imagine readers of the previous two books would be even more delighted. There was only one brief moment when I thought the timeline might have been wrong but that was probably just me.
The book, set in 1969, starts slowly with DS Camal Breen recuperating on the Tozers’ farm after receiving a bullet wound to his shoulder. Helen Tozer has left the police force and is trying to help her family – especially her father – recover from the violent murder of her sister, Alexandra, five years before. In this she is aided by a teenage runaway, Hibou, she has taken under her wing and who is far more interested in farming than she is. The “sibling rivalry” which ensues is perfectly pitched as Helen feels pushed out (once again) by the younger girl.
The narrative “speeds up” with Breen’s recovery and his unofficial review of the case notes covering Alexandra’s death and the possible suspects. With his return to London, but not yet to active duty, the story really gets into its stride.
William Shaw has woven a complex and intriguing tale with far-reaching international implications. The violence of the finale is truly terrifying.
This is the final instalment of William Shaw’s Breen and Tozer series. Although I haven’t read the previous books, I didn’t feel at a disadvantage as A Book of Scars reads well as a stand-alone. However, I imagine readers of the previous two books would be even more delighted. There was only one brief moment when I thought the timeline might have been wrong but that was probably just me.
The book, set in 1969, starts slowly with DS Camal Breen recuperating on the Tozers’ farm after receiving a bullet wound to his shoulder. Helen Tozer has left the police force and is trying to help her family – especially her father – recover from the violent murder of her sister, Alexandra, five years before. In this she is aided by a teenage runaway, Hibou, she has taken under her wing and who is far more interested in farming than she is. The “sibling rivalry” which ensues is perfectly pitched as Helen feels pushed out (once again) by the younger girl.
The narrative “speeds up” with Breen’s recovery and his unofficial review of the case notes covering Alexandra’s death and the possible suspects. With his return to London, but not yet to active duty, the story really gets into its stride.
William Shaw has woven a complex and intriguing tale with far-reaching international implications. The violence of the finale is truly terrifying.
December 19, 2015
Some books are hard to get through, but are worth it. Some books are engaging, but don't have much to say. And some books yank you in like a whitewater rapid, immerse you in a strange and fascinating world, and don't let you go until they spit you out on some shore far away. Bless William Shaw, this book is definitely of the third sort.
A Song for the Brokenhearted is a historical crime thriller that feels ripped from today's headlines. Its brilliance is never flashy or in-your-face--but, oh, it is brilliant. Every element, from the exquisite detail of the 1960's setting and the complex and believable characters to the impeccably plotted mystery, is executed masterfully. It's the third in the Breen & Tozer series, but can be read as a stand-alone (I haven't read the other two--yet--and was never confused).
The best part? It's 400 pages long. It would just be a tease for a book this good to be over too quickly.
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
A Song for the Brokenhearted is a historical crime thriller that feels ripped from today's headlines. Its brilliance is never flashy or in-your-face--but, oh, it is brilliant. Every element, from the exquisite detail of the 1960's setting and the complex and believable characters to the impeccably plotted mystery, is executed masterfully. It's the third in the Breen & Tozer series, but can be read as a stand-alone (I haven't read the other two--yet--and was never confused).
The best part? It's 400 pages long. It would just be a tease for a book this good to be over too quickly.
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
January 1, 2016
A bit of a slow burner that flamed with intensity and ferocity once it got going. For the first few chapters I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of place and action but found it difficult to warm to the central characters. I wasn't aware this was the final book in a trilogy and therefore feel I missed the opportunity to get to know the characters better. Having said that, it was a very good read, just a bit slow at the start. Once the story got a bit more involved I was hooked into the 60s backdrop of London, the sleepy contrast of the West Country and the shocking revellations of the Mau Mau rising in Kenya. Very well researched bringing to life a part of British History I've only heard about in scant detail.
The story had lots of twists and turns which had me wrong footed on several occasions.
A gripping and disturbing thriller which I would thoroughly recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley for an free advance digital copy for an honest review.
The story had lots of twists and turns which had me wrong footed on several occasions.
A gripping and disturbing thriller which I would thoroughly recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley for an free advance digital copy for an honest review.
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