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Songbird
by
Peter Grainger
police procedural in a Kindle edition on May 17, 2019 and has 370 pages.
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First in the Kings Lake Investigation police procedural mystery series that continues on from Grainger’s DC Smith series. The focus is on Detective Sergeant Chris Waters and his first time managing a crime scene.
My Take
It starts as it goes on with Chris going over and over in his mind what he’s supposed to do. He’s terrified he’ll miss something, do something, that will screw up the case. The older cop certainly isn’t helping! And I do like how Chris gets on with it.
Chris is also worried about the behind-the-scenes politicking, what’s being said about his readiness for this larger role. I gotta say he doesn’t help himself when he rings up the combative lawyer!
His isn’t the only voice we hear from, for Grainger is using third person global subjective point-of-view. We hear worries from many of the characters, including Reeve.
If coffee and paracetamol were a cocktail, it’d be called the DCI.
Chris is also worried about his relationship with Janey. It’s that second interview that would be such a great opportunity for her, if only it weren’t for a job hours . . . possibly an ocean . . . away. It seems that the glamor of a detective boyfriend is wearing off.
That little old lady cracked me up. Giving Chris that lecture about the footpath and that he won’t be allowed on it either.
The introduction of Fraser was confusing at first, and I couldn’t figure out who’s kid was getting married until I got further in. I also got confused at the start of those back histories that keep cropping up, references Chris makes to previous crimes. I’m guessing they’re stories from the DC Smith series.
Chris does plenty of reflecting as well on how cops worked in the old days before computers and all this emphasis on time. Eric Boyd has his own moment of reflection about cop shops being shut down.
All sorts of conflicts crop up in Songbird, from vacationers who are heading home, unexpected DNA results, tricky PR, assessments of the victim and those around her, and snarky remarks from other coppers.
The complication of a Down’s syndrome character was interesting with Grainger including quite a bit about the issues caused by the disability — their dreams, hopes, and abilities. Grainger made such a great character of Oliver! I love how Oliver wants to be a grown-up, he wants to be useful and to matter. It made my heart cry.
There’s a slight emphasis on King’s Lake having a new murder squad created but they haven’t had any murders! Poor things, lol. Then again, Grainger goes on to mention that Serena has been seconded to the murder squad at different times, so how that computes with no murders, I don’t know.
There’s an interesting emphasis on keeping an open mind — even though it’s all too human to leap to conclusions *grin*. Of course there are also disgusting judgments made. And this unit does toss plenty of ideas back and forth.
Oh, boy. Michelle and her husband have an odd relationship. I, ahem, think he’s better off.
There’s an interesting few paragraphs about Smith being a political misfit and having had a team of outstanding misfits. Yes, very interesting. It does make me want to read the DC Smith series, lol. I do love me a misfit.
I hadn’t thought of filming interrogations being useful the way Grainger says, and it makes a lot of sense. Just make sure it’s not you!
Grainger provides a nice range of characters from good to bad most with their own personalities that keeps things lively in the cop shop and in Chris’ personal life. I’m gonna hafta read On Eden Street if I want to know what happens next.
The Story
It’s his first time controlling a crime scene, and Chris is terrified of getting it wrong.
The Characters
King’s Lake Central
Detective Sergeant (DS) Chris Waters was promoted four months ago, so the responsibility is all still new to him. Janey Cole is Chris’ newly graduated girlfriend; Sam Cole is her uncle, the captain of the Lady Ann, and he lives in Barnham Staithe. Chris’ father, Douglas Waters, had also been a cop. I think Clare is an earlier girlfriend.
Assistant Chief Constable Devine. Chief Superintendent Allen is in charge and very concerned with public perceptions. Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Alison Reeve is in charge of this investigation. DCI Cara Freeman’s sergeant, Terry Christopher, has gone to head up the chief constable’s personal liaison team; she’ll be taking over. Cara’s mum, Millicent Freeman, had been the director of her own commercial design company, and now she needs a carer, Daria.
At times annoying and at other times thoughtful, Detective Constable (DC) Serena Butler has a quirky sense of humor and does well at autopsies. Detective Inspector (DI) Simon Terek (he’s married to Maureen and they have two children) works under Reeve and has some issues. DS John Wilson is a jerk and the acting desk sergeant on the Simms investigation. John Murray is on vacation (he and Maggie Henderson had a baby a year ago). DC Richard Ford is new. Mike Dunn and O’Leary, who’s another jerk. DC Marta Dobrowski is with Regional Serious Crimes with experience in “complex personality issues”; her brother, Antoni, had Down’s syndrome. It seems that DCS Alexander is Marta’s boss.
Gervaise Fraser is the police photographer. Dr Robinson is the eccentric forensic pathologist. Olive Markham is his assistant. Ann Crisp is with Family Liaison. Sally Lonsdale heads up the Scene-of-Crimes (SOCO) team, which includes Patricia and Troy (a PhD botanist). Gridder appears to be an app SOCO uses. Gary is with the Financial Investigation Unit in Norwich. Michael is either Gary’s red setter or significant other. Priti is with admin.
The duty solicitors available for public defense include Mrs Gethin, Andrew Brown, and Christine Archer, who likes to make an investigator’s life difficult.
The shabby chic DCI (retired) David Smith had been Chris’ mentor who had to retire after a stabbing by Paolo Harris. Jo Evison had been a detective inspector in the Metropolitan Police but is now a profiler and author. Smith and Evison live together at Drift’s End; the Rebecca Louise is Smith’s dinghy. Smith’s son, Diarmuid, is married to Mairead Kelly; they have a son Justin Barran Kelly, David’s grandson. Lia Wisbey is an aunt to Diarmuid. Catriona is Lia’s sister. The well-read, well-respected Sheila had been Smith’s first wife.
The Blue Note is a jazz club. Katherine and Jason Diver are sister and her computer-savvy brother who inherited a private detective agency, Diver and Diver Associates, from their uncle. I get the impression that Katherine is something of a barracuda. And Chris had dated Katherine a few years back. Justin and Mike “Mick”, a professor of life sciences, are a couple of the Divers’ friends. Kenny Morton is a jazz musician. Micky Lemon runs a café.
Hunston
Police Constable Steve Hannam is the younger man. Sergeant Eric Boyd is helpful and is appointed assistant crime scene manager. Peter is a civilian support worker. Mrs Peake is an old lady obsessed with illegal parking after her granddaughter, Laetitia, was knocked down.
Luton
DI Glover is overseeing the SOCO team about the Cadillac. Sergeant Janet Brady heads up the team.
Pinehills
Shirley Salmon owns the caravan site. Oliver Salmon is her nephew with Down’s syndrome; he volunteers at the British Heart Foundation. Michael (an executive in an energy company) and Erica Salmon are Oliver’s parents. Nikki is Shirley’s office girl. Ted works as her handyman and caretaker as well as driving the land train — and she’s hoping he’ll retire to strictly driving the train. Mrs Collins is one of Shirley’s regulars. Other visitors include Norman and the wheelchair-bound Patricia Jackson with their spaniel, Molly. Elsie and Bill Donnelly are from Barnsley in Yorkshire. Bill has a good reason for getting home on time.
Michelle Holt Simms manages a salon, Vicky’s, in Luton and loves to sing . . . and drink. She’s probably bi-polar. Gavin is Michelle’s deputy manager. Barry is Michelle’s sweet, unassuming husband who caters to his wife; he’s a shift engineer at Schmidt Plastics. Michaela Fletcher is Michelle’s sister. The sisters are on vacation with Michaela’s daughters, Zara and Phoebe. Graham is Michaela’s husband, and he owns LHCS Ltd Boiler Installation and Servicing. Ashley is the receptionist at LHCS — Graham poached her from the salon. Julian Edgeley is Graham’s lawyer. There’s mention of a funeral for Wayne Fletcher, a teenage son, but I have no idea how he fits in. A previous case?
”Yes, 911 Carrera Cliché. From the mid-life crisis range.”
Charlie Hills retired from being the desk-sergeant. Ma Budge has a larcenous son. Martina works for a phone company. There’s a hospital for the severely mentally ill and the suicidal and potentially dangerous at Great Mossingham. Wally Weston runs a grocery store. Marjorie Harris makes a great dressing. Julie Shapiro has recovered from her medical treatment. Mr Mancini is the manager at Gleneagles Motors in Luton. Neville is one of the salesmen. Trevor Longhill is a teacher at the Glebe School and had been Oliver’s tutor; previously he’d been the head of an English Department in a mainstream school. Other disabled students had included Ivan, Lucy, Honeysuckle, Johnny, and William. Milton Hall is a private clinic near Cambridge. The Lobster Pot offers up lemonades.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a study in grays with the Rebecca Louise beached on the sand, the marshes in the background. All the text is white starting with the author’s name at the top. The title is below the dinghy and the series info is below the title.
The title refers to the victim, for she was a Songbird, as well as Oliver’s favorite song.
