4 stars

Charles Foxley, an entertainment representative, gets himself killed in a most hideous manner.

DS Jane Tennison and DS Spencer Gibbs are on the team to ferret out the killer. The problem is that Foxley had many enemies – but no one believes that anyone hated him enough to kill him in such a dramatic way. Obviously, someone is lying. From his drama queen associates at the agency to his wildly histrionic ex-wife, Jane, (they are all in the theater after all...), Spencer and the rest of the team must find this vicious murderer.

At the same time, both Jane and Spencer are dealing with their transfers to a new station somewhat under a cloud and all the guilt/shame the transfers engender.

Also a subplot runs through the story about a covert operation in which Jane gets involved.

This is a very convoluted investigation. Just when the police think that they are on to something, another clue arises and takes them in a different direction. They discover that Foxley was not a very likable guy and had his fingers in many pies, some of them not so honorable. The degree of Foxley's ex-wife's problems are revealed to be much more serious than an unpredictable temperament. Jane feels sure that her developing theory of the murder is valid, but the brass is not taking her seriously.

This is a well written and plotted novel. It started out slowly, but then picked up rather quickly. Ms. La Plante has a very real talent for writing subtle tension in her stories. I wasn't sure about Jane though. Her character seemed a little uneven to me. I liked Spence, even though he had a chip on his shoulder, but fights to overcome it. The author shows her characters to be all too human, complete with warts and all. I appreciate that about her writing. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading her next offer.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre USA for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

There is no doubt that LaPlante is the fairy godmother of female police procedurals. Before her Jane Tennison, females in crime dramas were either victims or clueless twits who needed their male colleagues to solve the crimes. In this latest novel, Jane has been removed from the Flying Squad for political reasons and finds herself in a wealthy and very boring suburb of London. But just when Jane thinks she’s going to lose her mind to boredom, the body of a man is found in the neighborhood. He has been beaten, dismembered and disemboweled. Looks like Jane’s turn out to pasture has become very interesting.

This was an exciting crime drama that I had a great time reading. The book was very well written and the characters were believable. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre USA for the eARC.
This is the 6th in the Jane Tennison series.
I enjoyed it quite a bit, especially the fact the murder takes place among tv and movie characters. The murdered man, an influential agent with many important clients, meets his end in a brutal way: his throat cut and disemboweled. The first suspect is his ex-wife, who has a history of mental illness. But it's hard to prove for the team. A long, difficult inquiry with many interviews makes for much overtime.
There are some very interesting, strange characters (Mandy Pilkington!), I liked Spencer, but found Jane surprisingly flat as a character, I couldn't get a handle on her at all, which diminished the enjoyment of the read a bit.

Four stars for Tennison enthusiasts who are eager for the next step in her origin story. If you are not already a Tennison fan, this may not be the book to begin to learn about the strong, complex, lonely, driven, and compassionate detective she ultimately becomes.

This long (432 pages), sometimes slow-moving book picks up Tennison after her banishment from the elite Flying Squad. She is trying to rehabilitate her career in a sleepy police station, where the maximum action seems to be people stealing from Harrods. Salvation of a sort arrives in the form of the grisly murder of an important theatrical agent, and in the mysterious intentions of her private firearm instructor.

I enjoyed this book but also found it wearing. Clothing and furnishings are described in minute and exhausting detail. There was insufficient suspense in the step-by-step of the police procedure, with its dead-ends and disappointments, because for two-thirds of the book, the major reason I was invested was just Jane's career. There are legions of characters, most unnecessary, and the pertinent characters get glancing treatment.

On the plus side, though, there is Jane Tennison. It's always a pleasure to spend time with Jane. Here we see her growing lonelier, stronger, seeing the victims whom others overlook. She makes mistakes and is not always effective, which just stokes the fire inside her. I believe this is the sixth book of Tennison's origin series. I look forward to the seventh.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love all of Lyndas books. Tennison is a brilliant character and love watching the TV programme. Keep the books coming I think I have read them all now x