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Harriet Martens #4
The Dreaming Detective
"Who killed the preacher?"
Harriet Martens is taken aback. This is her first face-to-face meeting with the new Chief Constable, and he shot the question at her the moment she took the seat in front of his desk. Why is he setting out to antagonize her?
He must be talking about the famous Boy Preacher, who was murdered there thirty or more years ago. "He's bringing it up now because the old hotel that was the scene of the crime is about to be torn down." And he is giving Harriet the mystery to solve because he wants her out. The media has made much of how young he is, he has to establish himself and he doesn't want a much publicized female detective to steal any glory from him. The preacher's murder has been unsolvable for more than thirty years; Harriet's inevitable failure to solve it now will take care of her. . . .
Harriet was still at school when the murder happened. As she remembers, there were six or seven people, avid disciples, in a position to have killed the wildly popular young figure. But no one had ever been able to point out the killer---or killers---from that list. How in the world could she do it now? DNA, the chief told her. Find out whose DNA was on the boy's body, and get the confession out of him.
Oh, certainly, easy as pie. But Harriet has more than earned her title of The Hard Detective. She is determined to turn the tables on the chief, so determined that the case takes over her dreams. And it is, indeed, a dream that pries open the door leading her to the answer. She will certainly have her readers cheering her on and rejoicing with her when she manages to get her own back. Keating's delicious detective, now happily married and well set in her job, will delight her many fans and bring many more.
Harriet Martens is taken aback. This is her first face-to-face meeting with the new Chief Constable, and he shot the question at her the moment she took the seat in front of his desk. Why is he setting out to antagonize her?
He must be talking about the famous Boy Preacher, who was murdered there thirty or more years ago. "He's bringing it up now because the old hotel that was the scene of the crime is about to be torn down." And he is giving Harriet the mystery to solve because he wants her out. The media has made much of how young he is, he has to establish himself and he doesn't want a much publicized female detective to steal any glory from him. The preacher's murder has been unsolvable for more than thirty years; Harriet's inevitable failure to solve it now will take care of her. . . .
Harriet was still at school when the murder happened. As she remembers, there were six or seven people, avid disciples, in a position to have killed the wildly popular young figure. But no one had ever been able to point out the killer---or killers---from that list. How in the world could she do it now? DNA, the chief told her. Find out whose DNA was on the boy's body, and get the confession out of him.
Oh, certainly, easy as pie. But Harriet has more than earned her title of The Hard Detective. She is determined to turn the tables on the chief, so determined that the case takes over her dreams. And it is, indeed, a dream that pries open the door leading her to the answer. She will certainly have her readers cheering her on and rejoicing with her when she manages to get her own back. Keating's delicious detective, now happily married and well set in her job, will delight her many fans and bring many more.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2004
About the author
H.R.F. Keating
157 books54 followersHenry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating was an English writer of crime fiction most notable for his series of novels featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID.
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 3, 2016
DS Harriet Martens is back ... and she has a new Chief Constable who obviously does not like her and wants her to fail miserably. Maybe it's jealousy that he wants the best detective on board to look like a failure.
Whatever his thoughts and beliefs, he charges her with finding the killer of a young preacher .. a crime that has been unsolved for 30 years. And he wants it solved within the next 2 weeks. The hotel where the preacher was murdered is being torn down at that time.
But being the 'nice' guy he is, the Chief Constable is giving her a helper .... a man who has suffered a mental breakdown and is 'all better' now.
Martens certainly has her hands full; no wonder that this case is finding its way into her dreams ..or nightmares.
There are plenty of suspects. Seven people were at the hotel at the time of the killing. Some had motives ..some didn't. Some are still alive ... some aren't.
Martens must now depend on forensics that weren't available at the time, but who knows what kind of shape the physical evidence is in. Hopefully DNA will point at the killer.
Martens is determined to save her job and solve the crime ... or die trying.
I actually like Harriet Martens better in this book than in The Hard Detective. She becomes more of a likeable person while showing her softer side in the relationship with her husband. Although she has problems with her assistant, she seems to interact with him in a less than volcanic fashion as she would normally.
In the real world of course, a superior officer would not be allowed to play these kinds of games with the detectives under his umbrella .. and especially would not hinder the abilities of the well-known reputation of the best detective around. But this is fiction .........
Many thanks to the author / Endeavour Press / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Whatever his thoughts and beliefs, he charges her with finding the killer of a young preacher .. a crime that has been unsolved for 30 years. And he wants it solved within the next 2 weeks. The hotel where the preacher was murdered is being torn down at that time.
But being the 'nice' guy he is, the Chief Constable is giving her a helper .... a man who has suffered a mental breakdown and is 'all better' now.
Martens certainly has her hands full; no wonder that this case is finding its way into her dreams ..or nightmares.
There are plenty of suspects. Seven people were at the hotel at the time of the killing. Some had motives ..some didn't. Some are still alive ... some aren't.
Martens must now depend on forensics that weren't available at the time, but who knows what kind of shape the physical evidence is in. Hopefully DNA will point at the killer.
Martens is determined to save her job and solve the crime ... or die trying.
I actually like Harriet Martens better in this book than in The Hard Detective. She becomes more of a likeable person while showing her softer side in the relationship with her husband. Although she has problems with her assistant, she seems to interact with him in a less than volcanic fashion as she would normally.
In the real world of course, a superior officer would not be allowed to play these kinds of games with the detectives under his umbrella .. and especially would not hinder the abilities of the well-known reputation of the best detective around. But this is fiction .........
Many thanks to the author / Endeavour Press / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
September 24, 2024
This was another enjoyable story in the box set I have. Used to the writing style and Harriet's character, I thought this instalment was a good whodunit in a cold case.
There were plenty of trails to follow and an obnoxious boss who wanted to prove what a great 'Chief' he was.
A good look at human behaviour and engaging.
There were plenty of trails to follow and an obnoxious boss who wanted to prove what a great 'Chief' he was.
A good look at human behaviour and engaging.
June 18, 2024
Not much of a mystery fan. This book was very drawn out and did not keep me engaged.
It just wasn’t a book for me. It may be a good read for someone else.
The concept of solving a 30 year old murder was cool.
It just wasn’t a book for me. It may be a good read for someone else.
The concept of solving a 30 year old murder was cool.
August 26, 2017
An excellent book. I have nearly all H R F Keating's books and none have let me down.
January 18, 2026
another men writing women bc
August 3, 2011
I read this as well as a few others of the 'hard detective' series. It wasn't as good as the others, though on its own its a decent enough book.
I couldn't get into the mystery as much, though I loved the connections between dreams & the main characters current life and also much of the description. The main character is fantastic...its a wonderful contrast the way it is written how she's obviously very tough as nails yet we get to see her private thoughts, her opinions, prejudices, issues, perspectives...its very well done in all the books of this series that I've read so far.
These books are quite Agatha Christie-ish in tone though still very modern.
I couldn't get into the mystery as much, though I loved the connections between dreams & the main characters current life and also much of the description. The main character is fantastic...its a wonderful contrast the way it is written how she's obviously very tough as nails yet we get to see her private thoughts, her opinions, prejudices, issues, perspectives...its very well done in all the books of this series that I've read so far.
These books are quite Agatha Christie-ish in tone though still very modern.
May 30, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, having previously read another of this series, I did not think I would like it. It was a lovely surprise that this book was one that kept me turning the pages until I finished it, which was long into the night.
It certainly is a series the improves with each book - really kept my interest.
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review
It certainly is a series the improves with each book - really kept my interest.
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review
July 27, 2016
Not sure about how I liked this book - it was OK. A story about an older women detective whose new boss is trying to show her she's washed up by giving her a 30 year old cold case to solve. So with a helper who is just back from having a nervous breakdown, an office the size of a closet and no computer she proceeds to try and solve the case and does she??? You will have to read to find out.
September 4, 2012
Just good Police work..
No tricks.
No tricks.
May 1, 2016
My first read in this series and perhaps I should have read Book one first!I liked the toughness of the main character and the book was well written Thank you Net Galley for the copy.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews