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In this dazzling addition to Deborah Crombie's acclaimed mystery series, a disappearance, a murder, and a child in danger lead Scotland Yard detectives Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid into London's legendary East End—a neighborhood where the rich and the poor, the ambitious and the dangerous, collide—to solve one of the most challenging and disturbing cases they've ever faced. . . .
Necessary as Blood
Once the haunt of Jack the Ripper, London's East End is a vibrant mix of history and the avant-garde, a place where elegant Georgian town houses exist side by side with colorful street markets and the hippest clubs. But here races and cultures still clash, and the trendy galleries and glamorous nightlife of Whitechapel disguise a violent and seedy underside, where unthinkable crimes bring terror to the innocent.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in mid May, a young mother, Sandra Gilles, leaves her daughter with a friend at the Columbia Road Flower Market and disappears. Shortly thereafter, her husband, a Pakistani lawyer, is killed. Scotland Yard detective Gemma James happens upon the scene in time to witness the investigator making a mistake.
When Duncan and his trusted sergeant, Doug Cullen, see Gemma's name in the report, they decide to take the case. Working together again, Gemma, Duncan, Doug, and Melody Talbot must solve it before the murderer can get his hands on the real prize, Naz and Sandra's daughter.
But just as the case grows more dangerous, a personal issue threatens to throw Gemma and Duncan off the trail. In the end, it is up to them to stop a vicious killer and protect the child whose fate hangs in the balance.
Deborah Crombie is a native Texan who has lived in both England and Scotland. She currently lives north of Dallas in McKinney, Texas, sharing a 102-year-old house with her husband, three cats, and two German shepherds. When not walking dogs or remodeling, she spends a good deal of time in the U.K., researching her Kincaid/James novels.
Scotland Yard detectives Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid are getting married shortly. However just getting to the altar has stressed out both as peers and family list their demands that seem to grow every day
Someone murders solicitor Naz Malik, who had been a suspect in his wife textile collage artist Sandra Gilles's disappearance. The autopsy revealed that the victim, who died from suffocation, had an animal tranquilizer in his blood, which made him an easy target for his killer. When Gemma's mother becomes ill, she struggles to balance her homicide investigation, her wedding plans and h4er mom's needs while she fears Malik's daughter will end up with Sandra's insalubrious family.
The latest James-Kincaid British police procedural is an interesting entry as the romance for the first time supersedes the investigation. Both Gemma and Duncan consider running off to Gretna Green as nothing seems to go right with their wedding plans and the demands grow. The homicide is a welcome relief until her mom becomes ill. NECESSARY AS BLOOD is a fine fresh entry, but with the romance being prime, diehard investigative fans will find the smooching spin too sugary for their taste.
Harriet Klausner
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.angeleyesAS
Posted June 15, 2010
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Scotland Yard detectives Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid are getting married, which is being put together to please Gemma's cancer stricken mother. Nothing seems to be going right and Gemma wants an intimate and meaningful ceremony, not the high class extravaganza that her parents expect.
A young mother named Sandra Gilles vanishes, leaving her toddler daughter with a family friend for what she promises will just be an hour or two. Then, months later, her husband also disappears. Gemma and Duncan are mutual friends with Naz, Charlotte's father and a lawyer and are in on the case early, even before the first dead body shows up. From then on, they work together and separately to resolve the mystery and help create the best possible future for Charlotte.
Another exciting, enjoyable read.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 7, 2009
I love Crombie's books and this is no exception. It is a wonderful read and will keep you engaged to the very end.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 28, 2009
Once again, Deborah Crombe has written a book I couldn't put down. Her series about Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James always makes me feel like I am visiting old friends and they never let me down. They are both complex, yet very understandable and lifelike people--people I would like to know in person. The ending left me with a wide smile!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 29, 2010
I am disappointed in this storyline. Yes, I liked the main characters, but felt like the story did not flesh out well. I have read so many excellent books the past six months, and this one would not compare to those. I would not recommend it for a book club selection, but it would be a quick read for a snowy weekend.
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Overview
Once the haunt of Jack the Ripper, London's East End is a vibrant mix of history and the avant-garde, a ...