The Bee’s Kiss is the fifth in a series of mystery novels set in England or in British-ruled Central Asia after World War I and featuring a likeable (and eligible) Scotland Yard detective named Joe Sandilands. The series began with The Last Kashmiri Rose and includes other exotic-sounding titles such as The Damascened Blade. These books are consistently atmospheric and character driven, and The Bee’s Kiss is no exception. Here, Sandilands is reunited with a former WWI battlefield subordinate and also partners with a pioneering female Scotland Yard constable to investigate the murder of a prominent British woman. The deceased helped found the WRENS, a woman’s auxiliary unit formed to aid the British forces during the war. While investigating, Sandilands contends with government higher ups’ intrusion into the management of this high profile murder case, with the puzzle of how the assailant made it into the deceased’s hotel room at a time when the building was under police surveillance, and with competition between his two junior colleagues. The questions posed by the story have a contemporary resonance, despite the bygone era in which it takes place--the crime occurred during the very week that Elizabeth, the future Queen, was born.
This book, like others in the series, captured my interest right from the start.Cleverly’s main character, Joe Sandilands, has returned to England and is assigned to investigate the brutal murder of a powerful, connected woman in an elite hotel. But shortly into his investigation, he’s told to drop it because powerful forces within the government don’t want the truth to come out. Of course, Joe continues to dig (one character compares him to a ferret) until he uncovers the guilty party.Initially, the shift to England threw me because there was no hint he would be returning in the prior book (The Palace Tiger), leaving me thinking ‘Hunh? When did that happen?’ for a few pages.I developed a suspicion of who had committed the crime about halfway through the book but hoped I was wrong. Turned out I was right and that disappointed me a little because I wanted a different outcome. A writer who can make me care enough about the guilty party to want them to be innocent is an excellent writer.The rest of the books in this series are already on my ‘To Read’ list.
What do You think about The Bee's Kiss (2006)?
Joe's finally returned from India and is back at Scotland Yard. This time he's called in to deal with the death of a well-loved society woman, Dame Beatrice, who founded the WRENs in WW1. From the beginning very little is actually as it seems. Distrust and wariness are cutting a wide swath in Joe Sandiland's investigation. Aided by a former soldier in his unit, now a Sgt. at Scotland Yard, and a female Constable, who is herself a well-heeled society girl. As the investigation starts to fall into place, orders from 'the highest level' come down; close the case. Joe can't leave it alone, though, and he must decide to allow a murder to go free, or to betray his government.
—Val Sanford
Oh, Joe! Why did you have to leave India? I was disappointed in this, the fifth novel in the Sandilands series. There was hardly a bridge between India and Joe being back in England. India was barely mentioned. I wondered if there was novel #4.5. I found the plot chaotic, at best. Oh, Cleverly is still a good writer and her character development is wonderful -- there are moments in the book! But, overall I found the second half really confusing with clues and insights scattered here and there. Cleverly likes to wrap up her novels with clever little endings where the perpetrator might go off into the ether without the "bring to justice" of most who-dun-its. The risk, for me the reader, is that her hero always appears to be powerless and ineffective because, although he solves the crime to his own satisfaction, he has no ability to reach closure which diminishes his stature a bit. However, Joe seems to be philosophical about his reduced abilities. After all, he is just a pawn in the power structure.I miss the colorful world of India which was a great background for this British inspector. I found the background political intrigue in England to be a pale substitute.
—Marilyn
