Part of Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James, book 8
First published 2003
Inspector Gemma James faces her first major case since her promotion when Dawn Arrowood turns up murdered in fashionable Notting Hill. The young wife of wealthy antiques dealer Karl Arrowood was six weeks pregnant and having an affair with Alex Dunn, a porcelain dealer in Portobello Market. While Alex appears genuinely devastated, Karl emerges as the obvious suspect with the strongest motive for killing his unfaithful wife. But the case takes a disturbing turn when Gemma realizes the murder mirrors an unsolved killing of another antiques dealer. As violence escalates and claims another victim, Gemma and her former partner Duncan Kincaid find themselves pursuing separate but connected investigations. Their hunt leads them through the crowded stalls of London's antiques markets and into a web of decades old vengeance. Gemma must navigate not only the dangerous case but also her evolving relationship with Duncan as they work to uncover a killer driven by historical hatred.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, separate-but-connected-investigations
Setting: Notting Hill, Portobello Market, London
Period: contemporary
416 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Bantam