A Patient Man (Inspector James Given Investigations, #3)

by Charlie Garratt

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

A Patient Man is the third mystery featuring Inspector Given written by Charlie Garratt. Released 13th July 2020 by Sapere books, it's 271 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book and the others in the series are currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a very well written book, with characters who behave in accordance with their motivations. The narrative arc is well constructed and the clues are presented fairly. There are a plethora of suspects from which to choose and as the plot progresses, figuring out 'whodunnit' is an entertaining challenge. The book, though not highly dramatic or 'thriller'-like, moved along at a good pace and I never felt that it dragged. I was never yanked out of my suspension of disbelief and I felt immersed in the story and had a good rapport with the lead character. The dichotomies in his life, being pulled between trying to fit in with his family and trying to do his work as a policeman in an increasingly anti-Semitic England on the brink of war, were sensitively rendered and well done.

In some ways these books remind me of Barbara Nadel's Francis Hancock series which are set around the same time period. They're very carefully and intricately plotted with meticulously researched and realistic historical settings.

I would heartily recommend this one to lovers of classic British golden age police procedurals. Readers should however be aware of some potentially troubling content (all used in context): murder, PTSD, rape (in flashbacks), suicide, antisemitism, prostitution, and racism. The language is quite clean and there is no direct sexual content. The denouement is satisfying and leaves the potential for more volumes to follow. I'm looking forward to see what's next for Inspector Given and co.

Four stars. Really enjoyable read, an author to look out for. I've liked all of these books and will definitely continue with the series. This one works well enough as a standalone, though I heartily recommend them all.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.