Blue Rondo (Inspector Troy series Book 5)

A while back, I grew tired of the run of the Mill serial killer or bang bang shoot 'em up super hero dealing with supervillain type of book. I found a John Lawton book by chance. I'd never read or heard of the author. Within 50 pages I was hooked. What stories, what prose, the ease and elegance of his writing, this is modern day Dickens. His research is second to none, pretty much faultless for a work of fiction. In a single paragraph his prose can be charming, disarming, bloody, tacky earthy and vulgar yet so beautifully descriptive. Thank goodness for the thesaurus/dictionary at times. Their is of course a publishing order but it doesn't matter too much as most of the characters intertwine in the stories. I will not reveal the storyline other than to that is set in 1941 wartime London and involves espionage, murder, spies, sorrow, a love story/ies, revenge and political shenanigans, and if you think that you've " read it all before " , then you are misguided. Beware!!!! These books are not to be merely read but more ....savoured, akin to a good cheese, a decent red wine or a single malt, not to be scoffed. The only disappointment is that I've read all of them and am now reduced to trawling through the bookshelves seeking a book that will hold my attention and thoroughly entertain me. Some Hope !!

Although it kicks off in 1944, this book soon moves on to 1959, by which time Troy has reached the rank of Chief Superintendent in the Met and is running the Murder Squad at Scotland Yard.There is actually no real story here until about half way through the book. Instead it focuses on Troy's personal life, which appears to consist of tangled sexual liaisons where everybody in his circle sleeps with everybody else with no apparent regard for feelings, consequences or even decency. One particular liaison was shocking and, to my mind, completely unnecessary to the story.The police procedural part (when it finally gets going) appears to be inspired by the Kray twins. Troy is the kind of copper who is perfectly happy to disregard the law in favour of doing whatever he thinks is a appropriate, which is one of his less appealing traits.This is one of the poorer books in the Troy series for me. If I'd picked this up first, I wouldn't have continued with the series. I hope that Mr Lawton sticks with young Troy in the future, not middle-aged Troy

This series of books keeps the reader gripped all through and if you thought it was just about inspector troy - think againI love the way the books in the series pick up different times from the thirties to the eighties and nineties and link the main characters throughout the narrative with with personages of that period. Brilliantly researched i don't know what i am going to do at the end of this series!

I takes a while to get to know Troy. One senses that he and John Lawton have a lot in common. I like the way that he weaves his stories around actual characters albeit some with different names. (Buster Crabbe bearing the name of Commander Cockerell ), but Kruschev remains Kruschev with whom Troy has a romp around the seamier parts of London. While some of his characters are less than convincing, others are a joy to experience. Kolankievicz is a joy. The plot is engaging and having started with 'Blackout' I shall read the series, hopefully in the right sequence. Blue Rondo awaits

I really love this author and the way he includes historical characters and fictional characters around real historical events. It’s all so believable, and realistic, at least to me. It is however frustrating that despite reading the books in order that the chronological development of the main characters and their families and friends doesn’t also follow.

even though nothing much happens until later on, how Troy, the detective at centre, fares physically and in his police work is compelling enough - and then it all takes off - his high level contacts, and asocial behaviour is utterly captivating - we meet or hear of Macmillan, Driberg and others of the time and it's delicious gossip - I am utterly addicted to Lawton's Troy novels - and you will be too should you pick one up - almost any will do! this requires a bit knowing of the past however, I have to admit but nothing crucial ... read it!!

Love the John Lawton Inspector Troy series. This is the second time I have read the series. On my list of favourite authors, he just captures the time and places so well.

I liked it but there were so many elided words it was at times incomprehensible. It struck me that it had been put together by somebody whose first language was not English. Very annoying.