Bleeding Heart Yard: Breathtaking thriller from the bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway books

Fantastic read……loved the individual chapters on characters… you really got to know them and their life …………fantastic twist at the end . Didn’t see that coming !

I’m not a huge fan of the author’s other work but have got hooked on the Harbinder books which, to my mind, are a cut above her other stuff. For this, the third in the series, Harbinder moves, on promotion, from the south coast to London, thus severing ties with the usual back up cast of her policeman sidekick (loyal, good humoured), her friends/amateur sleuths (local eccentrics, each with an interesting back story) and her (anything but withdrawn) extended family. Gone too is the more relaxed coastal lifestyle and much of the gentle humour which runs through her previous adventures. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that the story seems far less quirky and original…what we have is an urban thriller centred around an institution ( a secondary school) where the possible suspects already have some knowledge of each other…a territory all too familiar to fans of P D James. Still, Ely Griffiths knows how to tell a story and she does it very well even if some of her descriptions of life in the capital occasionally come across as a little contrived. But this is a minor quibble: the book is very well written, knowing, and with some lovely touches of humour. It certainly kept me entertained and wanting to turn the pages. I do miss the quirkiness of the first two books, though, and I wonder if I’d have been so keen to follow the author if this had been the first in the series. I suspect not. So if you’re new to the author I’d recommend trying the Stranger Diaries (where again, events revolve around a school) and the Postscript Murders first. Those already familiar with Harbinder are unlikely to be disappointed with this effort, though it does veer toward a rather dryer, more police procedural study than the first two. Let’s hope she doesn’t linger too long in London…

The story was gripping and I read it in two days, ending was a little weak but otherwise okay, several nice one liners. Alas neither author nor editor could distinguish between hoard and horde, it's not important to the story but reflects the quality of everything today.

Unbelievable ending to a reasonably enjoyable book. Throughout the book we are led to believe that the person that died fell under a train due to the influence of drugs. However we learn in the last chapter that he had been shot! How could it be that the police missed this vital piece of information?????

I have enjoyed reading this book. A different detective story from this author but interesting all the same. Easy to read and plenty to make you think about.

This is the third in the Harbinder Kaur series, following on from 'The Stranger Diaries' and 'The Postscript Murders,' although all three work well as stand-alones. I was a little sad that Harbinder has moved to London and missed her former work partner, Neil. Still, it is a fact that cities offer more possibilities for crime and soon Harbinder, slightly bemoaning her lot in a rather lonely flat-share, finds herself with a high-profile case.Manor Park School is a trendy comprehensive, located in Chelsea. During a reunion, at which one of Harbinder's colleague, DS Cassie Fitzherbert, is also present, there is a murder. The victim is Garfield Rice, a controversial Conservative backbench MP infamous for being a climate change denier. Others present include Kris Foster, a pop star whose first name was formerly spelt 'Chris,' Labour MP Henry Steep, actress Isabelle Istar, Sonoma Davies, now Head Teacher of Manor Park, and Anna Vance who has returned from Italy as her mother has cancer.Personally, I am not a lover of reunions and I found the whole premise of people wanting to look back to their youth difficult to understand. However, what Griffiths collates is a cast of characters with long histories, complicated relationships, attachments and feelings for each other. More than an average amount have done well; two now famous and two politicians seems unlikely in any group of old schoolfriends, while Anna Vance is the one considered rather cool as she grew up on an estate with a single-parent family. The current murder seems to have links to the past, when a boy at the school died after those involved had finished their A Levels. It is up to Harbinder, and her new team, to get to the bottom of the murder, while the group of old school friends are reunited in more ways than one. Old affections reignite and some try to work out who is responsible, unwilling to remain as suspects without doing anything about it.Although this was not my favourite in the series, I did enjoy it. I enjoyed the characters, although liked the plot slightly less. Still, I am will definitely continue reading if Harbinder appears in any further books and will - I am sure - get used to the change of the central character relocating to the big city.

An excellent stand alone novel.

I enjoyed this book. The DS Kaur books (this is the third) vary a bit in writing style, this one has multiple narrators. like the first book. I didn't warm to the supporting characters in this book like I did to those in the post script murders and it felt a bit darker although DS Kaur's sense of humour remains.This is a good murder mystery set in London and once again I did not guess who did it.

A wonderful story, Taking on different characters and their approach to the story. Excellent A new approach showing how talented she is,!

Although Elly Griffiths has a fairly large backlist, this is the first of her books I’ve read but now I’m definitely a fan! Bleeding Heart Yard is fast-paced and packed with secrets, lies, and murders. The character list is fairly large but easy to keep track of because the author does a wonderful job giving each individual a distinct personality. The story is told from multiple points of view, which I love because it provides a more complete view of unfolding events.I really love Harbinder Kaur, the new DI assigned to the case. She is completely relatable and quite good at her job! Through hard work and quick-thinking, she proves to her team that she is well qualified for the task at hand.Overall, this book kept me on my toes. It’s a well written procedural with likable characters, plenty of action, and an ending I never saw coming. Definitely add this one to your Christmas list!I received An advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

A very enjoyable and arresting (no pun) story. With plenty of twists and turns. I am enjoying this series of books.

Aussi bien que ses romans du Norfolk.

Non amo particolarmente i romanzi in cui la storia è portata avanti dalla prospettiva dei diversi personaggi, ma in questo romanzo, ben congegnato e scorrevole, ciò non crea confusione e non disturba né rallenta lo sviluppo della trama. Serie appena iniziata, ma decisa Imente promossa, insieme alla sua protagonista. I