The appearance of a long-lost precious brooch at an auction house in London sets off a wide-ranging investigation by Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid, protagonists in this popular series of mysteries. Coupled with flashbacks to Jewish refugees fleeing to England just before the start of World War II, and Gemma's personal problems--her mother's illness and her own insecurity with regard to her relationship with Kincaid--set the tone for a highly emotional and poignant story.

The author, a Texan with a penchant for the English procedural, travels at least twice in each novel to London to research the places in which the tales take place. A charming map highlighting the locations and characters adorns the inside cover of the meticulously researched book. However, there is one error: the Hagganah as a terrorist group (it was the Irgun that performed such deeds against the English).

The alternating descriptions of the past and present keep the reader on edge virtually till the end of the book. The characters are deep and the interplay of emotions and relationships telling. The author's sensitivity to the plight of German Jews under the Nazis are moving and touching. A very good read, and one which is recommended.

American author Deborah Crombie scored another hit with her latest novel with the crime-fighting duo Duncan and Gemma. We learned more about the family and their dedication to police work. I haven't been to England but feel like I took a trip there. The places were very real and I am sure accurately portrayed. The story had good action and keep me guessing until the very end.

A marvelous diamond brooch is the catalyst for this Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novel. Its appearance in the catalog of an auction house sets into motion events that have their roots in the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany and in the investigation of a fifty-year-old murder. When Detective Inspector Gemma James gets a distressed late-night call from her old friend Erika Rosenthal, who had been a refugee from Hitler's regime, asking her to look into the re-appearance of her diamond brooch, it precipitates a series of crimes which ultimately involve people in very high places. Gemma's partner, Duncan Kincaid, is soon involved and at the same time, Gemma must cope with stresses within her own family.

No one does better than Ms. Crombie the trick of involving the reader new to her series (and reminding the reader familiar with her work) without a lot of detail and without a lot of maneuvering to avoid spoilers. "Where Memories Lie" has quite a bit of cutting from various times in the past to the current investigation, which could be very confusing, and this too is very well handled. While a few of the characters border on the unbelievable, most of them are compelling and in some cases, truly touching. (Some readers may hear echoes of "The Manchurian Candidate.") The resolution of Gemma's family situation is a little too pat, but much about it is appealing.

Definitely recommended.

I continue to enjoy the wonderful mysteries created by Deborah Crombie. I love all of her books. They do not dissapoint.

I couldn't put this book down. Lots of action and the best of the British tradition. I can hardly wait for the next edition.

This twelfth in the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series is a killer! I love this series, and this book upholds the high standard that Ms. Crombie has set with this wonderful series. This is probably the best new book that I've read this summer as well! Crombie mixes the past with the present in this book, and it is done in a totally unique way. Gemma's friend Erika finds out a brooch that was made by her father before the war has turned up for sale in England, and she wants to know where it came from after all these years. This sets loose a whole series of catastrophic events and brand new murders to cover up an old secret. We see Gemma and Duncan working together to solve this puzzling crime. This is a totally wonderful series, and I highly recommend that anyone interested in police procedurals read it from beginning to end. Ms. Crombie is a wonderful writer who I have come to admire totally.

Deborah Crombie has written a great addition to her Kincaid/James series with WHERE MEMORIES LIE.

I particularly like the fact that Duncan and Gemma are back in the forefront of this series and not relegated to secondary characters like I believe they were in their last outing. It was also a smart move to have a bit less of Kit in this book, simply because I think to much emphasis has been placed on this character in the last couple of books.

The flow of the storyline moves from past to present seamlessly, and the actual mystery is a good one, although I figured out "who done it" quite early on in the book.

Crombie does a great job bringing her characters to life. If you like a good mystery, try this one.

How very rare it is to find a series that never disappoints! Crombie's Gemma James/Duncan Kincaid mystery - their 13th - takes place in Notting Hill and Chelsea, with glimpses of St Paul's tossed in. The plot takes us to London during the Blitz, with the emphasis on Jewish immigrants from Hitler's Germany. The chapter headings come from diaries of the time as well as histories and make great reading all by themselves.

Gemma's fascinating friend, Erika Rosenthal, is the focus of much of the action and we get to enter her world, past and present. Crombie doesn't beat us over the head with the suffering of the Jews, however, and that makes the sharply-drawn scenes we do get all the more powerful. The plot is very plausible and peopled with vivid characters - Mr Khan is an especially delightful surprise. I've always admired Crombie's bravery at setting her stories in England, and once again she comes through without putting a foot wrong. Nor does she follow the Elizabeth George model of piling on so much researched background detail that you are too numb to notice any day-to-day errors. She gives us Brit characters speaking believable Brit in a detailed setting stocked with flowers and dogs and a fine cat. I love the little bits and pieces of real life Crombie always fits in. Two novels ago I ended up buying Clarice Cliff pottery; now I'm listening to Barb Jungr - education through mystery novels.

The action moves quickly and even the to-ing and fro-ing part of the mystery (where the sleuths put the bits together before the big finale, my least favorite part) is crisply accomplished. In fact, at 295 pages, it was all over far too soon.

The family gets less air-time than I'd like, some attention having to go to Gemma's sick mother and blustery father, but Kit continues to develop as a wonderful character. Hope we see more of the boys next time, as well as Gemma's associate Melody, who is getting very edgy and interesting. The ending isn't exactly Harriet and Peter exchanging Latin tags on Magdalen Bridge, but it's quite good enough to make long-time readers smile. Brava.

I've always liked the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James books and this one was no disappointment. Glad I read it.

This book is a perfect blend of mystery and history. Yet again, Crombie manages to engage us in the lives of her detectives, Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid, their respective families, collegues and friends. The family dynamics are especially well done-the interactions feel real and are touching.
I loved the excerpts from books that introduced each new chapter.

The horrors of Nazi Germany reach across time and awaken buried memories and guarded secrets.

Twelfth novel in a series by award-winning Deborah Crombie, this latest crime thriller, Where Memories Lie, features main characters, Duncan Kincaid, an inspector with Scotland Yard and Gemma James, an inspector with the Metropolitan Police. The earlier books developed the careers, relationship and romance of Duncan and Gemma, and in this one, they are sharing a home, their lives and their sons.

In the late 1930s a renowned German jeweler made a diamond brooch for his daughter and gave it to her as she and her husband fled from Nazi Germany. The brooch was stolen from her in Germany and has now resurfaced more than fifty years later in an auction house in London.

Erika Rosenthal, original owner of the brooch and now a widow, has established a successful academic life but has kept her past closed off to everyone including herself. The reappearance of the brooch has brought it all to the front, and now Erika has asked Gemma to find out how the brooch came to be in London. But soon people connected to the brooch begin to be murdered, and Scotland Yard is called in. Gemma and Duncan, working together again, are drawn into the sometime deceptive and apparently dangerous world of art collecting.

A connection to a 1952 murder is intermingled into the present story. A young Erika identifies the body of her murdered husband who had been writing a book about the Nazis and their German sympathizers-some still alive and free at the time. The detective assigned to the case is ordered to drop his investigation, and he also ends up dead when he refuses.

The priceless brooch connects all the murders and Erika's memories hold the key to the secrets someone will kill to protect.

Fear, guilt, greed and cover-ups drive the emotions and tragedy in this suspenseful, complex story that was hard to put down. Although this is a series, it is a stand-alone plot with a continuation of the lives and Duncan and Gemma.

Armchair Interviews says: Another great addition to the series.

Every time I read a Deborah Crombie novel I'm convinced she can't get any better, and then I read her next book, which builds on the previous books and does, indeed, get better. I couldn't put Where Memories Lie down, and once I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about the way Ms. Crombie manages to braid three stories together into one beautifully complete whole. I highly recommend this and all her earlier books.

In Deborah Crombie's "Where Memories Lie," Superintendant Duncan Kincaid and Detective Inspector Gemma James have settled into domestic tranquility with their sons from former relationships, thirteen-year-old Kit and five-year-old Toby. Kincaid works in Scotland Yard and Gemma is stationed in Notting Hill. Although they are no longer professional partners, they still depend on one another for advice and support. Gemma's friend, Erika Rosenthal, is a retired academic who left Berlin with her husband, David, at the beginning of World War II. One evening, Erika asks Gemma to come over to discuss an important matter. It seems that an Art Deco brooch made of diamonds set in platinum has surfaced and is about to be auctioned off at a house called Harrowby's. Erika's late father, Jakob Goldshtein, was a master jewelry maker who created this exquisite item in 1938 and gave it to his daughter. It was stolen from her fifty years ago under tragic circumstances and she never expected to see it again. Erika asks Gemma to find out how a British auction house managed to acquire Jakob's masterpiece. Gemma agrees to make inquiries, not realizing that her visit to Harrowby's will set off alarms in the mind of a cold-blooded killer.

The author makes excellent use of flashbacks to 1952 London, in which an inspector named Gavin Hoxley investigates the murder of Erika Rosenthal's husband. Gemma studies Gavin's case notes, and as she learns more about Erika and David's lives, she begins to realize how the past and the present have converged, "as if time had rippled." Duncan and Gemma team up, pooling their resources to solve a series of brazen homicides. Meanwhile, Gemma has problems of a more personal nature. Her dad, Ern Walters, who always treats her with a touch of disdain, shows up at her home one evening while she is out. He tells Duncan that Gemma's mum, Vi, has collapsed and is in the hospital. Since Vi has always been lively, independent, and energetic, Gemma is dismayed to learn that her mother has a serious illness with an uncertain prognosis. Gemma is also guilt-ridden because her busy schedule has kept her from looking in on her parents more often. She struggles to come to terms with her mother's illness, her father's resentment, and her fear of accepting Duncan's marriage proposal.

Crombie has assembled a varied and colorful cast. Gemma and Duncan are soul mates who are enjoying their well-earned contentment after years filled with misfortune and heartbreak. Erika Rosenthal is a dignified and independent woman who keeps her own counsel until she is ready to tell her horrifying tale. Kristin Cahill is an ambitious and attractive girl with an art history degree who is employed at Harrowby's. She is in love with Dominic Scott, a "pretty boy" with bad habits and unsavory associates. Dom's mother, Ellen Miller-Scott is a beautiful, haughty, and wealthy woman who disapproves of her son's irresponsible behavior. Harry Pevensey is a pretentious actor in decline. In spite of his shrinking bank account, he still has a taste for the finer things in life and is hoping for a substantial "payoff from the recent little financial gamble he had let himself be talked into, against his better judgment." Doug Cullen, Kincaid's sergeant, is unlucky in love and is uneasy when Gemma tries to match him up with one of her colleagues, DC Melody Talbot.

Her effortless writing style, smooth dialogue, and strong characterizations make this one of Crombie's most satisfying works. She skillfully demonstrates how events that date back half a century have a way of reaching out and influencing the present. In addition, Crombie shows the disastrous consequences of prejudice, greed, ambition, and pride. "Where Memories Lie" works on many levels--as an intriguing murder mystery, a look back at an appalling chapter in European history, and a deeply affecting tale of complex personal relationships. This is a poignant and engrossing installment in a deservedly long-running and popular series.

Where too many authors are letting us, their readers, down these days, Deborah just gets better it seems. This one is flawless even with subplots and subplots that could be dangerous with a less experienced writer Deborah doesn't let us down for a moment. Her cast of characters superb and her own family's involvement emotions drawn out very nicely. I like the way Kit is growing in this one. For all that's he's been through in his young life and the way that Crombie lets him grow in this one is delightful to watch. Actually everyone grows in this one though you wonder about Gemma's dad. And then the mystery or mysteries is great and connect nicely with exceptional characters and plots and subplots.

Bravo Deborah Crombie. This one is a gem.

You don't have to be a fan of Deborah Crombie, or have followed the Kincaid/James series to thoroughly enjoy this book. Of course, as a fan of the author AND someone who loves the series, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Where Memories Lie is one of the best in the series. Crombie stays true to her characters, respects her readers, and delivers a solid story. Gemma takes the lead in this book, as she tries to deal with all of the facets of her life - her relationship with a friend and neighbor in need, finding her footing in her relationship with her own parents as she forges more of a relationship with Kit, and finally deciding on what her future with Duncan will be. All of this unfolds as she is embroiled in a murder which gives her the opportunity to work with Duncan again. There is so much detail in the writing that someone who had never read any of the books in the series could read this one and become an instant fan. I'm ready for the next one, please!

Where Memories Lie is a wonderful addition to the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series. The mystery is thought provoking - taking the reader to post WWII England and injustices still not answered. Her characters are richly drawn with attention to detail. But the part I liked best is the continuing story of Gemma and Duncan. Their struggles are believable and one can not help but be drawn to their love story. The ending leaves you waiting in anticipation for their next outing.

Deborah Crombie is a Texan who writes a fabulous British mystery series. Now in its 12th installment, her Duncan Kincaid-Gemma James mysteries are complex, involving and cleverly crafted; the progression of the love story between the two cops and their interactions with friends and family is compelling; the secondary characters, good and bad, are always exceptionally well drawn. But this one, which focuses on Gemma's old friend Erika Rosenthal and what happens when a long missing and valuable old diamond brooch of hers turns up at a London auction house, is just superb and gets my vote as Crombie's best yet. If you're already a fan of the series you'll remember Erika from earlier appearances in the series and will have doubtless come to like her as much as Gemma does. Now it would appear that several seemingly unconnected murders, both past and present, can only be solved by digging all the way back to Nazi Germany and Erika's sad and, till now, closely guarded history.


If once you've finished this gem, you find you'd like to go back and follow the Duncan & Gemma story from the beginning (highly recommended as you're sure to gain a richer appreciation for Crombie's work and her characters), here's the list as of June 2008: 1. A Share in Death, 2. All Shall Be Well, 3. Leave the Grave Green, 4. Mourn Not Your Dead, 5. Dreaming of the Bones, 6. Kissed a Sad Goodbye, 7. A Finer End, 8. And Justice There Is None, 9. Now May You Weep, 10. In a Dark House, 11. Water Like a Stone, 12. Where Memories Lie.

Debroah Crombie is on a par with George & James. This well-crafted whodunit will engage fans who like their crime in a London setting.