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Friday, February 13, 2009

Where Memories Lie

Crombie, Deborah. Where Memories Lie.

Another Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James mystery. I've been reading and enjoying this series for years because I like the characters, the detailed and interesting settings, and the tight plots. I also love the end papers which display a map with drawings of important sites in the broader area in which the novel is set.

Laura Hartman Maestro does the maps for each novel, and I love the sense of immediacy they add. Of course, I'm also a great fan of illustrated maps in general, her maps are quite beautiful. The map below is from Crombie's novel Water like a Stone.

This the map from A Finer End.

I could scan the end papers for this novel, but it is a library book and has "jacket interference."

Where Memories Lie begins with an Art Deco brooch showing up for auction and leads to Gemma looking into a cold case involving the murder of a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany and a connection to current murders. As usual, I enjoyed this mystery by Deborah Crombie.

Fiction. Mystery. 2008. 295 pages.

11 comments:

  1. My husband and I both love this series. We've been reading them in paperback which means we're missing those lovely maps. What a bummer!

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  2. I think it was because you reviewed another of Crombie's that I started reading my first one=-) I am near the end of it at the moment, it is the very first in the series...I see, like Cathy above, that I am missing the maps by reading the paperbacks...The next one I am getting from the inter-library loan system instead of Amazon so maybe it will be hardcover =-) I am enjoying this author and story...my go-to genre for relaxing reading...

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  3. I need to read this series. I think I may have read the first one many years ago, but I keep hearing good things about it. I'll keep it in mind.

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  4. I think all mysteries should have maps! I love 'em :)

    I had really enjoyed these mysteries until someone in my book group (a couple of years ago) spoiled some of the upcoming mysteries. I had to stop reading them for a while but really should go back. I think I left off around book 5.

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  5. I love maps - in books or atlases. Sometimes when I talking on the phone with my mother (87)we'll start talking about places. Pretty soon we each get out our own atlas and magnifying glass and plan trips. It's really quite a delightful activity.

    The maps you show are so beautifully drawn. I'm glad to know they are not in the paperback so that I can get these books in hardback. The book I'm reading now, A Singer of All Songs, has a map in the front but it's smeary and hard to read. It's paperback so that's probably why the map is no good.

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  6. I love this series too. I'm looking forward to reading this latest one!

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  7. I read the first book years ago. I absolutely have to go back and start over again from the beginning! I only have paperbacks, which I think don't have the maps--too bad, as they're nice!

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  8. Cathy - It is a good series. It is a shame that the paper backs don't include the maps!

    Debby - I'm glad you began with the first one! I'm not sure when the maps began to be included, but they've been in the last 4 or 5 books.

    Kay - I think you'll enjoy it, and you'll have plenty to catch up on. I love finding a series where I'm assured of a lot of books already published.

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  9. Iliana - I agree! I hate it when I know too much about what is going to happen; what a shame that someone spoiled some of the novels for you.

    booklogged - I'm the same way. I love atlases, globes, old maps, new ones, seeing relationships between cities, states, countries, and planning trips! I hate it when I have a library book and part of the map is covered by the jacket flap.

    Kate S. - And I'm waiting for the next one!

    Danielle - At some point, maybe I'll start over at the beginning. I think the first one was published in the early 90's.

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  10. Another lover of maps over here. That said, I am going to make sure I get the hard backs from the library, thanks for the tips ladies!

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  11. Vicky - And library books are free!

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