In the 16th entry in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series by Deborah Crombie (The Sound of Broken Glass), Duncan and Gemma are still juggling their intense jobs with their hectic home life (they have a foster daughter, two sons from previous marriages, plus a small menagerie of pets). Gemma, a Detective Inspector in South London, is investigating the rape and murder of a young girl. Duncan, recently demoted from Scotland Yard, is heading up a major-incident team in Holborn.
Duncan's team is called in to St. Pancras Station when a protest goes awry and fire breaks out. Someone (a man?) dies horribly in the conflagration, and the closure of this major transit hub interrupts train service across England and Europe. Duncan's team is under pressure from the higher-ups to assess quickly not only who died but also whether the apparent self-immolation was a terrorist attack or an accident. Struggling to cooperate with team members resentful of his appointment, Duncan finds himself searching for the truth through unofficial channels. But will his investigation put him at risk of more than another career setback? Meanwhile, Gemma is struggling to find hard evidence to link the dead girl to the man she believes to be guilty.
To Dwell in Darkness showcases Crombie's trademark blend of happy family minutiae and disturbing murder details. But the darkness of the crimes spills over into the protagonists' household, creating a sense of conspiracy and unease that will keep readers anxiously turning the pages. --Jessica Howard, blogger at Quirky Bookworm