MURDER AT THE UNIVERSITY a gripping crime mystery full of twists (DI Hillary Greene Book 2)

It's difficult to like this book, no matter how hard one tries. The scenario is excellent. But abruptly, the story switches from being a competent police procedural to a tired character study more suitable for a YA novel. Hillary is in love with Mike, Tommy is in love with Hillary, Janine is a jealous social climber sleeping with Mel, her boss, while Frank is a lazy, drunk, lecherous thief. None of these are spoilers - the author tells us all this within the first few pages, then never misses a chance to reiterate. The squad room has more whiny drama than any group of high school cheerleaders, and the reader gets hit over the head with it again and again. The interplay of the main characters is so coy and repetitively predictable that they lose any interest value, and in the process, any meaningful mystery gets lost. At the end of it all, the characters have become nothing more than tedious cliches.Which really is a shame, considering the fact that underneath all the junior high angst, there is the skeletal system of a really good story. A young, educated, talented, brainy looker with a sordid double life gets bumped off by person or persons unknown? Egad, how could you throw that setup away?

A student is found dead on the hallowed grounds of OxfordUniversity. The cause of death is not immediately apparent, but a contradiction quickly develops: the dead woman was at the school on a full scholarship, but her wardrobe is bursting with expensive clothes. DI Hillary Greene is on the case and while everyone agrees she is a fine detrctive, she may lack the bureaucratic skills to gain promotion. She likes being a detective and is determined to solve the case overcoming personal and professional challenges. It will not be easy, because the case involves an odd assortment of characters and it is difficult to see how they fit together. This is a fine police procedural.

I do agree with some readers that it is tiresome to hear repeat comments over Hillary's admirers. However, apart from that and one serious error by forensics team (wouldn't they check waste paper baskets first) it was a good story. As for the obvious rivalry in the force this seems understandable as with any public department where higher positions mean higher wages, of course there will be some favouritism. All in all I like the police procedures and at least the characters are well formed.

Hillary always seems to have a niggling about a point of interest in the investigation that keeps you also searching your mind for the source. She's seasoned, she's smart and she reads everyone around her. I also like that every character has a voice. Each one sharing their personal perspective but also showing their respect for Hillary. This one just kept me turning the pages until the very unexpected ending. Great read.

Hillary Greene makes for an intriguing yet believable new detective, along with her cadre of police cohorts. The setting, while familiar to all Morse/Lewis/Endeavor fans, is presented in a contemporary light. I also found it appealing how all the characters thoughts are presented, not just the main protagonist's. And the plots are just complicated enough, without being overly tortuous. I'm glad there's plenty of novels in this series to binge through!

Wonderful series! So glad I discovered Faith Martin’s Hillary Greene series. I’ve read 8 so far, and can't wait to read the rest.Rather than commenting on each book individually, I’ll just say that it’s a great collection of police procedurals, set in Oxfordshire. They're not at all cosy, but there’s no superfluous gore, either.We meet intriguing people, glimpse gleaming spires, picturesque landscapes and down-at-heel housing estates, and find ourselves bouncing along with Hillary in her “Tragic Wagon” in search of villains and the answers to more personal mysteries.

DI Hillary Greene is sour on everyone, including her own colleagues on the team. She apparently has no respect or compassion for anyone. This is my second book in the series and definitely the last. Half of these books are devoted to the backbiting rivalries in the team rather than coming together to solve the crime. Instead of bringing her team together, DI Greene simply sits in judgment (silently) on each of them with no evidence that she would be disturbed if any of them were killed or injured in the line of duty. She evinces only scorn for everyone except herself. And again, half the book is devoted to this team drama and Hillary’s judgments instead of the murder at hand. I’m definitely finished with this series.

Murder at the University follows Murder on the Oxford Canal with equal acclaim. I always like a novel's locality when I am familiar with it - in this case, Oxford. The easy writing style is most attractive, filled with conversational repartee and 'asides' that make you laugh aloud. The characters are likable and well bedded in. The rest of the series to look forward to.