Sgt Major Crane Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of Sgt Major Crane Books
Steps to Heaven | (2011) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
40 Days 40 Nights | (2011) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
No Mercy | (2012) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Violation / Honour Bound | (2012) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Cordon of Lies | (2013) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Regenerate | (2014) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Hijack | (2014) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Glass Cutter | (2015) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Solid Proof | (2016) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Sergeant Major Tom Crane is a soldier that polices other soldiers; he works in the Special Investigations Branch as a detective. He is a hard hitting, persistent, hard man, and brash; overall, he is not very nice to anyone, even those on his side of the law. On his cases, he is assisted by his staff Billy and Kim.
The series is an English thriller and police procedural; there are also short stories that are part of the series. It is also self-published by Wendy Cartmell, the author of the series. The series has made its way to the number one spot on Amazon’s bestseller list.
“Steps to Heaven” is the first book in the “Sgt Major Crane” series by Wendy Cartmell. Sergeant Major Crane thought he had seen every crime that had ever been committed (either in war time or peace time), but case comes to him that he is not prepared for. It is a case of a veteran of Afghanistan has murdered his six year old son and wife and then killed himself. Crane works with two other police departments in two different towns. Not long after, similar double murder suicides happen around the country, and it is Crane’s job to figure out the connection. He finds something at a crime scene that was previously missed, that ties everything, all the cases that were thought to be separate together.
Fans of the novel liked the way the author keeps the reader wondering why and how the killings were happening (as this part of the case was very important, because of the fact that it was totally bizarre for these crimes to be just happening on their own); featuring a surprise ending that they completely were not expecting. The novel was a very interesting read for these readers. The author keeps readers involved with Tom Crane for the duration of his case, knowing only as much as Crane does.
Some readers did not like the novel and felt zero connection to the characters in the novel, and they did not feel bad at all towards the victims or good guys because they felt like cardboard without any background to speak of or anything else to make them think that they were real people.
“40 Days, 40 Nights” is the second book in the “Sgt Major Crane” series by Wendy Cartmell. The novel takes place during the summer of 2012. Team GB has taken over Aldershot Garrison as they get ready to compete in the next Olympic Games. Sergeant Major Crane is tasked to babysit all of the athletes for as long as they are there and settle in for what should prove to be a boring few weeks. Supplies disappear and a dead soldier turns up. Something a lot more sinister is at play here. An evil of some kind as entered the base and Crane is on the case. At the same time, he has to worry about his pregnant wife and the birth of his son.
Fans of the novel say that Cartmell does a great job of telling an intricate story but at the same time, allowing the characters to act and feel like they are real, actual people not just cardboard cutouts of real people. Fans especially liked Tom Crane who felt that he was well drawn and portrayed. Some liked the attention to detail the author paid to talking about the Koran and the research she had to do in order to put that in the novel. Some like the way that part of the book is from a terrorist’s point of view. She also allows some readers to get an idea of what life in the military is like. Some fans like the way that Tom is a change of pace.
Readers who did not like the way they were not grabbed by the author and required to read the book. They also did not like the way the book was poorly edited; at times parts of the book were confusing because of some of the mistakes would make some think that there were other, extra characters. Some, those who have worked in the military, do not think she did a great job with her research; saying that some of what she puts in the book is not actually how things would go in real life.
“Honour Bound” is the third book in the “Sgt Major Crane” series by Wendy Cartmell. Tom Crane and his staff of investigators are very rarely called in to investigate rape cases, but they are this time. They must investigate not one, but two cases at the same time; one a murder, and the other is a rape (both are women). There is a rape that happens quite close to home (someone who works directly for him) that makes Crane not know who is innocent or guilty. It changes his mind on why women get raped, that is for sure. The killer may not even be a member of the military.
Fans of the series enjoyed how Cartmell was able to write another winner and strong entry to the series. Some liked how powerful the story was and how personal the part of the novel was for Crane dealing with his newborn child at home and the way he and his wife adapt to having a newborn. Fans of the novel liked the way Cartmell was able to tell the story of a woman being raped well and captured realistic points of view from the victims and there was some open conversations taking place in the novel. Some enjoyed the way the plots and subplots were all brought together in the novel. Some liked the twists and how easy the book was to read.
Some readers did not like the way the dialogue was written, feeling that it was very poorly done and not at all like a real person was talking. Some felt the author’s covering the devastation of rape has her characters show the issues that are involved, but there is not a whole lot of depth to them.
Fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Dugoni, Robert Bryndza, and Angela Marsons should enjoy reading this series.
Book Series In Order » Characters »