Harriet Martens

The Hard Detective is called upon to root out corruption in an elite London crime squad in this British mystery novel by the author of A Detective in Love. Detective Superintendent Harriet Martens earned her reputation by having more grit, brains, and dogged determination than any man on the Greater Birchester police force. But when she's called down to London to investigate accusations of bribery among the elite Maximum Crimes Squad, Harriet finds that her fight for respect-and pursuit of the truth-will be harder than ever before. Commander Charles Boxall, known as Boxer, has a reputation of his own-not to mention a major investigation into human trafficking underway. He's not about to let some "dozy northern tart" interrupt his work over a few bad apples. But as Harriet digs beneath the squad's tough exterior to expose a far-reaching conspiracy, she demonstrates once again why they call her the Hard Detective. A Detective Under Fire is the 3rd book in the Harriet Martens Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

In the wake of a personal tragedy, the Hard Detective must hunt down a potential terrorist in this British mystery from the Edgar Award–nominated author. Detective Superintendent Harriet Martens has always kept her family life separate from her work. But when tragedy strikes, that discipline becomes impossible to maintain. Her twin sons, Graham and Malcolm, both police officers in London's Notting Hill, are caught in the explosion of a terrorist's bomb. While Malcolm hangs on in a coma, Graham did not survive. Overcome with grief, the only way for her to cope is continuing working. But her new assignment may have more to do with her son's death than it first appears. She's investigating the theft of an extremely potent herbicide. In the wrong hands, the substance could cause widespread havoc-destruction of the sort Harriet knows only too well. One Man and His Bomb is the 6th book in the Harriet Martens Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.