A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie

First in the series featuring Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James of Scotland Yard

Kincaid is taking advantage of a vacation at a timeshare in Yorkshire which his cousin has offered him. He is looking forward to the time away from Scotland Yard and it is his first experience at a time-share along with several other guests. But he quickly finds his holiday anything but relaxing, as when he arrives at the elegant estate, he overhears a heated argument between the snobbish caretaker and her sarcastic assistant manager. Later that evening, the assistant is electrocuted in the Jacuzzi. Since Kindcaid is the first on the scene he assumes an active role in the investigation, to the consternation of Yorkshire police. When two more deaths occur it is a race for Kincaid to discover who the murderer is and to figure out how these murders are connected and why the murders are happening.

We are introduced to Sgt. Gemma James, a pragmatic single mother, who works with Kindcaid as he calls upon her to dig for additional clues in London about the other guests. You can sense the chemistry between them even though both are trying to be professional.

I find this series fascinating as the author is from Texas yet gives such an authentic British feel to the series. I have read various books and have kept meaning to re-read this one so I listened to it on CD and really enjoyed it. It's nice to read a British murder mystery that doesn't take place in a country town or in London so it feels very original. Plus we see how a police officer has to deal with death in his own backyard and with people he knows while still trying to keep a professional attitude to getting the job done.