Ashes to Ashes (Francis Hancock Mysteries)
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Product Description
Product Description
As the German Luftwaffe bomb the capital, undertaker Francis Hancock suddenly finds himself caught up in the middle of a terrifying abduction plot.
It's 29 December, 1940, the night that Hitler has chosen to destroy London under a barrage of flaming incendiary bombs. Their main target - St Paul's cathedral - is where Hancock is sheltering from the onslaught. But the First World War veteran doesn't just have bombs to contend with; a young girl, who was also sheltering in the cathedral, has vanished. Then some of those charged with protecting the building are brutally murdered. Hancock must face his own demons and fears in his struggle to catch those responsible and bring them to justice...
It's 29 December, 1940, the night that Hitler has chosen to destroy London under a barrage of flaming incendiary bombs. Their main target - St Paul's cathedral - is where Hancock is sheltering from the onslaught. But the First World War veteran doesn't just have bombs to contend with; a young girl, who was also sheltering in the cathedral, has vanished. Then some of those charged with protecting the building are brutally murdered. Hancock must face his own demons and fears in his struggle to catch those responsible and bring them to justice...
About the Author
Barbara Nadel trained as an actress but is now a full-time writer. She has worked as a public relations officer for Rethink Severe Mental Illness's Good Companion Service, and prior to that was a mental health advocate in a psychiatric hospital. Born in the East End of London, she now lives in Lancashire.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first Francis Hancock book is one of the best books I have ever read,a wonderfully created and richly described flawed, courageous and endearing character. In Ashes to Ashes the author reduces him to a cardboard cut-out, so lacking in depth that in fact I wondered if this book was actually written by Nadel herself or ghosted by someone without talent.There is much tedious repetition and lost opportunities for using an actual historical event to provide greater insight into the lives of Londoners at that time.The plot is thin with no attempt at expansion or development. Perhaps having produced so many excellent thrillers, Nadel is now exhausted and needs a sabbatical.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the third, I think, in Barbara Nadel's series about Francis Hancock, an undertaker in London during the Second World War. Her hero is a very complex, damaged, endearing person, and I'd guess anyone with any experience of mental illness would identify with him. He sees things through the prism of his mental illness, and then leaves you wondering who is really ill, him or some of the people he encounters.
I strongly recommend the series, and indeed all of Barbara Nadel's books. I've read all of them, some more than once. She's a superb writer, and she's also a wonderful storyteller. The skills don't often go together.
It's the height of the Blitz, and the City of London - with St Paul's Cathedral at its centre - is a firestorm. This upmarket part of London isn't Eastender Francis Hancock's home territory, but by chance he gets marooned inside the huge historic church, with a motley group of others. Some are supposed to be there - clergymen, architects, fire fighters - others (like Francis himself) have been forced inside by the bombing. The huge dark empty building was built as a spiritual haven. On this night of nightmares it becomes a trap; a slaughter house.
For those who don't know London, St Paul's Cathedral, which stands today, is one of the UK's greatest churches, built in 1708 by Sir Christopher Wren. Since its consecration it has stood as a symbol of London, and Hitler was wild to flatten it during his bombing raids on London. Its survival was a matter of British morale. The descriptions of the bombing, the firestorm, the sheer size of the destruction, are almost tangible, almost unbearable.
I won't give the plot away, but the tale covers madness, loyalty, patriotism, priorities, faith - all the deep stuff Barbara Nadel tackles so well. The previous two books in this series are Last Rights and After the Mourning, and they are well worth buying too.
Crime fiction is massively under-rated. Most of what is today considered modern literature seems to me the product of those who can write very elegantly but can't feel or tell a tale. Barbara Nadel is a seriously perceptive, interesting writer.
I strongly recommend the series, and indeed all of Barbara Nadel's books. I've read all of them, some more than once. She's a superb writer, and she's also a wonderful storyteller. The skills don't often go together.
It's the height of the Blitz, and the City of London - with St Paul's Cathedral at its centre - is a firestorm. This upmarket part of London isn't Eastender Francis Hancock's home territory, but by chance he gets marooned inside the huge historic church, with a motley group of others. Some are supposed to be there - clergymen, architects, fire fighters - others (like Francis himself) have been forced inside by the bombing. The huge dark empty building was built as a spiritual haven. On this night of nightmares it becomes a trap; a slaughter house.
For those who don't know London, St Paul's Cathedral, which stands today, is one of the UK's greatest churches, built in 1708 by Sir Christopher Wren. Since its consecration it has stood as a symbol of London, and Hitler was wild to flatten it during his bombing raids on London. Its survival was a matter of British morale. The descriptions of the bombing, the firestorm, the sheer size of the destruction, are almost tangible, almost unbearable.
I won't give the plot away, but the tale covers madness, loyalty, patriotism, priorities, faith - all the deep stuff Barbara Nadel tackles so well. The previous two books in this series are Last Rights and After the Mourning, and they are well worth buying too.
Crime fiction is massively under-rated. Most of what is today considered modern literature seems to me the product of those who can write very elegantly but can't feel or tell a tale. Barbara Nadel is a seriously perceptive, interesting writer.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I can't believe that the same author of the Inspector Ikmen novels wrote this. While the picture she paints of Istanbul is of a fascinating, intriguing if dangerous city, the setting of wartime London does nothing for this book. I also found the central character irritating and the plot ludicrous. How could she have forsaken her lovable. honourable Turkish inspectors for this?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Very disappointing
Suffice it to say I was unable to find any redeeming feature in this book. That is not strictly true because I found the historical background of the World War Two Fire of London... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mrs. V. Bradley
Bit Over The Top
Having been an avid reader of barbara Nadels novels since the start of the ikemen series,i looked forward to reading this book. Read more
Published on 26 Jun 2009 by Red Kell
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