Cambridge Blue

DC Goodhew, Book 1

By: Alison Bruce

Narrated by: Jonathan Broadbent

DC Gary Goodhew is intelligent, intuitive, and the youngest detective at Cambridge's Parkside Station. He is the first on the scene when the body of a young woman is discovered on Midsummer Common and for the first time in his career is given the chance to work on a murder investigation.

Soon there is an identity for the victim: Lorna Spence. Richard Moran, her boyfriend and employer, has reported her missing and is distraught to discover that she has been killed. He claims she was loved by his staff and his sisters, reserved Alice and vulnerable Jackie. He says she had no enemies but it isn't long before Goodhew discovers plenty, including her high maintenance colleague Victoria and Goodhew's reckless former classmate Bryn. They both swear that they have nothing to do with Lorna's death but Goodhew knows someone is lying.

Then there is another brutal murder and Goodhew knows it is time to use his own initiative to flush out the killer, even though it means risking his job and discovering the truth about the one person he hopes will be innocent.

©2012 Alison Bruce (P)2012 Audible Ltd

Tense British police procedural

Excellent police procedural set in Cambridge, UK featuring 25-year old DC Gary Goodhew, a new detective, who is viewed with mistrust and envy due to his quick rise to the DC role.

The book follows the stories of suspects, victims and police, showing the varying point of views (POVs) as we seek to unravel this complex mystery.

DC Gary Goodhew is a bit of a maverick at the station, following his own methodologies and uncanny hunches, much to the chagrin of his boss, DI Marks who is determined to make Goodhew a team player or let him go.

I loved the writing, especially how well all of the characters were fleshed out and the intricate relationships between the families and the co-workers.

Jonathan Broadbent did an excellent job with the narration, although his pacing can be a bit "off-putting" at first.

Cannot give it 4, 3.5

I like the style, the writing is great, narration great, but...

A little too much gore in places where it is unnecessary? I'm not put off by violence to suggest evil, but it was strange how gore just popped up in the most unlikely places.

This is a real procedural type novel that feels a little like a first time outing. Good, maybe the next will be great?

Very good police procedural mystery

This is the first in what will become a series, featuring DC Gary Goodhew. In this book, we are introduced to the characters who will move through others, such as Marks--the boss who cannot understand Goodhew's unconventional way of moving through a case, and is almost ready to fire him before he realizes that he actually does have the talent to put clues together. Also, there is the unpleasant detective Kincaid, a colleague who is less than likable. There is Mel, another colleague who plays the saxophone, but Goodhew's favorite woman is: his grandmother, who is also his best support.

This book involves the need to sort out a mystery spanning some years, that leaves the reader considering various of the key people at different points, and comes to its climax with Goodhew acting according to what he thinks he has to do, even if it costs him his job. Almost too late, Marks realizes he has a talented officer, and supports him in solving the crimes.

Alison Bruce is an excellent writer. Not only does she offer a very intriguing mystery, but she has a gift for presenting the details of a situation providing the building tension that brings the reader directly into the moment and keeps the story from being simply a series of scenes offering clues. Also, she has the ability to let the story move back and forth in time, as it plays itself out. She develops this style in future books as well. Recommend!

My home town

I love reading books about my home town and Alison Bruce does a good job with Cambridge (to be listening to the book whilst, coincidentally, walking the same street was a tad surreal though!). I'm not sure that Goodhew's behaviour would get the same response in a real life police force but, hey it is fiction. I do have issues with the narrator though - he sounds young and Goodhewish to be sure but he mispronounces local names which really bugs me and I find myself wanting to yell at him when he does so - not a good look when you are walking in town! I will follow the series though, I enjoy the context.

Much procedural detail but no narrative tension

What disappointed you about Cambridge Blue?

The long drawn out plot with many twists and turns but little resolution

What aspect of Jonathan Broadbent’s performance would you have changed?

He should work on his flow, making narration more natural.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The characters are interesting and mostly well portrayed.

Muddled and unpleasant

I realize I might be owning up to the decline of my gray matter when I say, I did not get this. Who's speaking? That's very hard to keep track of. The characters are extreme: the treacherous sister, the jealous brother, the victim with a big secret, the other victim who had a dog and managed to get away, although I gather she goes down later.

I managed to keep listening, backing up several times to replay chapters that lost me the first time, until the cop hero appeared. Is that early on? I'm hours into this story, and I'm lost. Is drooling next for me, or is this story a mess?

Maybe if I'm desperate to listen to something, anything, I'll come back to this, but I'm thinking of asking for a refund.

Also, this story is way, way unpleasant. Good writer, but nasty.