This is book three in a series. The story is told over a dual timeline and from multiple perspectives. An interesting read

I love Elly Griffiths as an author and this book was so fun. I love DI Kaur as a character. Such a fun thriller and I definitely recommend her books to thriller lovers out there.

Third book in a fantastic series, it has a great storyline with Harbinder Kaur and team. I look forward to reading more

Elly Griffith’s is an auto-buy author from me and this novel did not disappoint!

Incredible writing as always.

I love Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway novels and thought I’d check out her other writing, This is the third novel in the DI Harbinder Kaur series, following on from 'The Stranger Diaries' and 'The Postscript Murders,' although I thought it could work well as a stand-alone novel. Harbinder has moved to London from a more rural setting and I thought the way she missed Neil, her former partner at work, was probably very realistic. When you spend most working days together and create a bond it’s hard to leave behind. However, she has moved for the opportunities being in a big city brings. As Harbinder is feeling at her most homesick and lonely she manages to land a high profile investigation. We are taken to the borough of Chelsea and a school reunion at the rather popular Manor Park School. D.S Cassie Herbert was in attendance at the event, when there is a murder.

This promises to be a high profile case, as the dead man is Garfield Rice MP. Garfield is a bit of a character amongst his backbench colleagues. He is a staunch Conservative and vocal climate change denier. He isn’t the only infamous guest either: there: Labour Party MP Henry Steep, pop star Kris Foster, and actress Isabelle Istar all went to school here. On the more ordinary end of the spectrum is Anna Vance, who has just returned from living in Italy as her mother has been diagnosed with cancer and the head teacher of the school Sonoma Davies. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to go to a reunion. I see the people from school that I want to and have no desire to learn how the rest are living life, but it’s a great premise for a murder mystery story. It throws up a disparate group of characters who wouldn’t normally have been thrown together in this way. Thanks to their choice of school we have a group who have a long history with each other, very complicated relationships and attachments will be uncovered here. In any average school I don’t imagine there would usually be this number of people who have ended up In a very comfortable position in life. The only one in this group with a ‘normal’ life is Anna Vance who grew up on the local estate and is now a single mother, it seems likely that this current murder has its roots in the past, especially when we learn that a schoolboy died when this griuo or people were doing their A’Levels. .

The group prove to be impossible murder suspects making it more difficult for Harbinder and her new team, to investigate. There are past affections here just waiting to reignite, Even worse is the arrogance and interference of other potential witnesses who think their position entitles them to do some digging of their own. I think the characters really were the strong point of this novel, especially Harbinder who is trying to get used to a huge change in her environment and a new team. It won’t replace Ruth Galloway in my affections but I’ll certainly read more from the series.

I really enjoyed this police procedural featuring DI Harbinder Kaur. Harbinder is now working in London, along with DS Cassie Fitzherbert. They get called to a school reunion, where MP Garfield Rice has died, and then they set out to investigate what has happened. I found this book interesting to read, as it had a wide range of characters to delve into, and a good plot which kept me entertained. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

this book does not disappoint. filled with great characters and some good twists and turns this brilliant read will keep you wanting more.
i kept seeing Elly Griffths books but i never picked one up until someone recommended me to her and i am so glad i read her book because otherwise i would be missing out!

Elly Griffiths has produced another captivating novel, featuring Harbinder Kaur. The move from Sussex to London, following her promotion to detective inspector finds her involved with a murder investigation - MP Garfield Rice is killed at a school reunion, attended by Cassie, a detective on her team.

The complex investigation, involves a group of people who were an elite group during their schooldays. They were also suspected in the death of another pupil who was pushed in front of an oncoming train.

This 21 year old death looks to be significant in the current one

As the story progresses, told by Harbinder and several of the people in the group, it looks like the pupil’s death 21 years ago could be the key to the current murders.

There are differeming views on the events both past and present and the relationships of the main suspects becomes fascinating as the investigation progresses.

Harbinder has to work out who to trust to find out what really happened. -the story twists and turns, becoming more complex as Harbinder gets closer to the truth. But just when you think you know in comes a twist in the story that adds to the reading experience,- another triumph from this popular
author.

An interesting story and another good outing for Harbinder Kaur. I found the opening of the story very compelling and whilst I was less interested in the whodunnit itself the writing and the characters were interesting enough to carry me through. I would definitely read another story with Harbinder as our protagonist.

Sorry for the delay, I forgot to put in the review.
I love this series, great characters which are both believable and interesting and a plot that was truly gripping. I admit I love crime stories that blend modern murder with past events, and this one was excellent, blending together what had happened 30 years previously with current events and intrigues. The pace racks up along with the tension as we reach the novels conclusion, and you are left with a very satisfying read.
I can't wait for the next one.

Another brilliant mystery from Elly Griffiths. What more is there? We are reunited with DI Kaur for another mystery. The crime here concerns a group of old friends at a school reunion. A past incident comes back to haunt the group resulting in murder. Cassie is one member of the group and has become a police officer, the conflicts are seemingly obvious but as usual, there are several twists in Kaurs' path to the truth and it is compulsive reading. Griffiths is a master (should that be mistress?) of the twist at the end and it is a goodie. I am so grateful to Netgalley, Quercus and the Author for an advance copy of The Bleeding Heart Yard.
#BleedingHeartYard #NetGalley

Third in this series featuring Detective inspector Harbinder Kaur. Great read with excellent characters and an intriguing storyline.

This is an absolute gem!!! I’ve been so excited about this book and it hasn’t disappointed.absolutely will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me.

I adore Harbinder Kaur. She has a wonderfully dry sense of humour, is really coming into her own and growing in confidence, and is very different to most detectives I read about.

Her she is in the difficult position of having to suspend one of her team (the team she has only just started to head) as they are implicated in a present day murder that has links to a tragic death in the past. It's a great read and Ms Griffiths expertly balances multiple pov's and timelines to create an intriguing and pacy mystery to be solved. The ending of this book is delivered with a literal bang, and I can't wait to see how this pans out for Harbinder.

Roll on book number 4

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review

Ellie Griffiths is a genius! I love her writing, her stories, her characters and how she can challenge you! Loved it

I’m really enjoying this new series from Griffiths featuring the female police detective Harbinder Kaur.

In this, the third book of the series, Harbinder has moved to London to accept a promotion to DI. Her first case is that of the murder of a politician at his school reunion. His school year has more than its fair share of celebrity and eminent classmates, including a famous actress, an equally famous singer, the school’s current principal, another politician and, coincidentally, one of Harbinder’s subordinates from her new station.

The mystery part of the plot was quite satisfying. Sometimes, I will admit, the soap opera of the characters’ lives in Griffiths’s books overshadow the mystery plots but I didn’t think this was the case with Bleeding Heart Yard. The action moved along at a nice pace and the conflict and resolution all made sense.

There were enough clues for the reader to ‘play along’ and I thought I had it all worked out, but Griffiths still caught me unawares with the final resolution and reveal. There’s a couple of topical themes Griffiths addresses in the book too, including date rape and gaslighting.

Harbinder continues to be a great lead character. She really slipped into the DI role in this book with ease and the authoritative position suits her personality. I hope she gets to lead her team for a few more books at least.

As with the other two books in this series, Griffiths also tells the story from the point of view of a couple of the supporting characters. This time it’s two of the school friends - Cassie, the other police officer, and Anna who I suppose you would describe as the least successful and underachieving member of their group.

I’m not sure why I left it so long to catch up on this series. I should have known that Griffiths always delivers.

5 out of 5

Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

Elly Griffiths has written a bunch of incredible ​​crime novels. Now, "Bleeding Heart Yard" is one of them.

As always, this author's writing style is captivating, vivid and descriptive. Elly Griffiths is a master at the suspense genre and always provides both mystery and plot twists in her books. A special feature of Elly Griffith's writing style is also her fantastic descriptions of the environment. And once again these are spot on and absolutely perfect.

There are many small stories and different storylines to keep track of, but once you've got a handle on the characters and can tell them apart, it's a little easier to keep up with the whole thing.

If you like suspense and mystery, and if you already know Elly Griffiths and love her writing style, "Bleeding Heart Yard" is the next crime novel you must read! I've previously reviewed a number of Elly Griffith's books in the Ruth Galloway series, so if, like me, you've fallen head over heels for this author's crime novels, you might want to check out her other books as well.

Thanks to Quercus and NetGalley for ARC.
Reader's favourite Harbinder Kaur is newly promoted to a Detective Inspector post in the Met, newly arrived in London, flat sharing with two strangers. When she is assigned her first case, she's excited and apprehensive in equal measure.
A prominent conservative MP as found dead in suspicious circumstances at a school reunion. One of the ex-pupils in attendance is Kaur's new colleague Cassie Fitzherbert, who needs to be placed on leave as she becomes a suspect. It becomes clear that the MP's death may be related to a tragic accident that occurred on the last day of school 21 years ago, involving a tight knit group of pupils who later (mostly) became prominent in their chosen fields.

Elly Griffiths' light touch and sure way with character-driven action means that even when the plot strains credibility (without offering spoilers, pretty sure some of the revelations by key individuals would have been treated very differently in any police investigation) it canters along, taking the reader with it. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Will Kaur crack the case? Will she call her mother? Will she find love? are all satisfactorily answered by the denouement.

I have only read the three books in Griffith’s Harbinder Kaur series but each one has been truly excellent. The Stranger Diaries remains my favorite but Kaur is a truly unique character I genuinely love reading about and Griffiths’ prose and plotting make her an excellent mystery writer. I loved the use of both past and present chapters detailing the high school students’ lives and relationships- it invested me in the characters and in the victim. Griffiths skillfully paves the unraveling of why committed the murder and why. And of course, we get the tiniest glimpses into Harbinder’s life although I always want to know much more about her! Highly recommend this book and the entire series!

During a school reunion, prominent politician Garfield Rice is found dead in the boys toilets, apparently from a drug overdose. However, it soon becomes apparent that he has been murdered, and the case is handed to Inspector Harbinder Kaur – her first case since taking a promoted post in West London. Coincidentally one of the other people at the reunion is Cassie Fitzgerald, a member of Harbinder’s new team, and Cassie has a secret. Back when she was a pupil at prestigious Manor Park school, a boy died. It was listed as a tragic accident, but Cassie knows the truth – that she killed him. Now it looks to her as if Garfield’s death might have something to do with that earlier death, and she has to decide how much she’s going to tell Harbinder…

Expectations can be a real pain sometimes. The first two books in this series were so original and excellent that I had extremely high hopes for this one. This meant that, though this is a perfectly acceptable cross between a police procedural and a psychological thriller, my main reaction to it was disappointment. That may also be to do with the fact that it’s the third book I’ve read this year where the current crime arises out of a dark secret surrounding something that a tight-knit and elite group of pupils did at school.

Harbinder has moved away from her parents’ home at last and is sharing a flat with two other women. She’s both happy and a little nervous about her new job and her new life. She’s loving being in London but is homesick for her family and friends back home. Griffiths handles all this well, without over-dramatising it. Harbinder remains just as likeable in the previous books, but, again, since so many crime series are set in London I feel the South Coast setting of the earlier books in the series gave them an element of uniqueness which is missing from this one. However, she uses her London setting well, especially the deliciously-named Bleeding Heart Yard – a real place, mentioned also in Dickens’ Little Dorrit – and the legends surrounding its name.

We see the action from three main perspectives – a third person present-tense account from Harbinder’s view, and two first-person past-tense narrators. Cassie is one of those, and the other is Anna, another of the pupils/reunioners. I found their voices indistinguishable, though fortunately each chapter is headed with the name of the character whose perspective it’s from. All the tense and viewpoint jumping is of course obligatory in modern crime, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying.

The plot is quite enjoyable although it strays well past the credibility line on more than one occasion. Without wishing to veer into spoiler territory, there is one point where Harbinder steps so far over the line of how anyone, especially a senior police officer, would react on being told of a serious crime that my jaw dropped. I actually guessed whodunit and why about halfway through, which is rare for me, but I think it was luck rather than it being too obvious. The thriller-ish ending is entertaining despite the total lack of credibility.

Oh dear, this is one of those occasions when my review has turned out more critical than I intended. I did find this an enjoyable read, despite all of the above. The pacing is good and keeps the reader turning the pages, and there’s a good deal of humour, especially around Harbinder getting to know her new colleagues and flatmates. She begins to settle in to her London life, and we see signs of her developing new friendships and possibly even a romance, but she still goes home for visits so the reader is kept up to date with her family and older friends from the previous books. Had this been the first book in the series I’d probably be praising it more highly, but it simply didn’t wow me the way the first two did. I’ll still be eager to see where Griffiths goes with the series in future books though.