great series

having lived in Cambridge for the past 15 years I thoroughly appreciate the Knowledge the author has of the local area and happily follow her characters around d the city and villages . the story line has its twists and turns and as always I am left guessing who the baddie is. great book especially if you're a local .

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Enjoyable

I have read all the books in this series so far I do hope there will be more and put onto Audible. The mysteries are excellent and the narrator is brilliant too.

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Brilliant read

loved it, gripped all the way through. definitely worth reading the full dc Goodhew series

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An unusual perspective

The characters stories flowed from one to the other, without missing a beat. There was no fracture between these stories, they were seamless. The characters were believable, and necessary to the plot. Brilliantly performed..

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can't wait!

Believable but omplex characters, gripping plots! Excellent knowledge of Cambridge. I getting very fond of Goodhew.

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Goodhue Grows Up

I enjoyed the way the author grows Gary Goodhue up into a more rounded human being prepared to work with others yet still sustain his individuality. She reveals characters, both their flaws and good points quickly and with more clarity than the previous works in this series. I want to read more.

Broadbent has a super voice and reads with great tonality giving the work excitement and makes it an easy listen.

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Can't wait to hear Cambridge black!

Sad each time the next book in the series ends... checked which book follows and keep checking to see when it may be available!

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Very good

I listen to these because I know Cambridge - but this one gripped. Well-plotted and an interesting context.

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Another excellent book by Alison Bruce

I have to say I'm a great fan of Alison Bruce's books. Helped enormously by knowing Cambridge. I can't wait for the next instalment. Lovely complicated personalities and great story line. Thank you.

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2 people found this helpful

Among the best UK crime writers

Would you listen to The Promise again? Why?

Although I have a long memory, there are certain books in some genres that I am drawn to re-read. I enjoy reading of the evolution of characters and how in the UK, the police are faring with PC, hi-tech, unbelievably bad promotions (which happen less frequently in fiction than real life) and the way the political system has colluded with and betrayed the forces. The author has racked up a good solid performance with this work, brilliantly read, making want more. I particularly like the way Cambridge and the university are depicted in the ancient tension between "Town and Gown." I seem to prefer police outside London and perhaps good writing is a reason.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Promise?

Gary Goodhew, still a DC, has been in a dark place and is haunted not just by the past but family problems and nearly burned alive. Specifically, he shows all the behaviours and sensitivities of a PTSD victim. The point when he turns the corner and realises he can still function was one of the most memorable in the series.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Not a scene as much as the atmosphere of returning to work, hag-ridded by self doubt. At least Gary has a cat!

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

More than in the other book in this series, it stirred my emotions and a certain amount of identification with people who work in closed establishments; find personal friendships difficult especially when there is an area of competitiveness and professionalism being strangled by bureaucracy and funding difficulties. it is extremely difficult to write about PTSD unless you have been there and this makes PC Goodhew a character with even more depth. It's about time he did something with women in his life as a "quickie" now and then would lead him to realise that although the job is important and perhaps the only thing, you have to find some escape and not necessarily with your grandmother.

Any additional comments?

In one of the earlier books, the narrator was not given much credit. I think he does a wonderful job and through him Cambridgeshire is enriched. Readers who come from a non-UK background may struggle with regional crime novels but it's well worth persisting, especially in this case.

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2 people found this helpful