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mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
5.0
The chapter with Havers & Nkata interviewing Yolanda the Psychic quite possibly made this book for me! As always, a complex story & riveting mystery featuring some of my favorite characters. And now onto my FirstReads copy of "Believing the Lie!" :)
showell's review against another edition
3.0
This book has elements of the Elizabeth George magic, but also disappointments. The good: I continue to enjoy Lynley's character and story arc. His grief is playing out over time in a way that feels true to me. Even the questionable judgement with respect to his personal life rings true. I hate to see him do it, but at the same time I can accept it in the context of a man who was so thoroughly devastated by sharp sudden grief that any path forward seems better than staying caught where he was.
The main mystery was compelling as well. In true George style the characters in that mystery were complex, well drawn, and people that even if you didn't much care for them, you were interested to see what became of them.
Now the bad: the psychiatric reports of the horrific crime in years past. Yes I see why that mattered in the end, finally, but the reports themselves were a slog and preachy to boot. That bit of backstory could have been handled better. It reminded me of What Came Before He Shot Her and all the things I didn't care for about that story (mainly to do with preachiness).
Also, Barbara Havers in this book read like a caricature of herself. Deborah and Simon felt perfunctorily sketched as well, but it was the treatment of Barbara that really bothered me, perhaps because it's been a while since Deborah and Simon were at the core of any of these books in the way Barbara has been. Unlike in the past books, this time around Barbara was reduced to little more than a chronically terribly dressed and unappealing fried food eating chain smoking female sergeant from the lower classes who has a hopeless blind loyalty to Lynley, a willful disgust of anything that smacks of taking care of her own appearance, and a predilection for rushing off and doing things her own way, whatever the orders from above may be. If I'd only ever read this book I would have no idea why Lynley bothered with her at all.
So while I'm glad I read it, and will read the next because I've read the previous 16--I am not stopping now with only two left in the series (also bc I happen to have already bought the next two *cough, cough*)--but this one wasn't my favorite.
If any of you are considering just starting with Elizabeth George, my advice is to start with the first one in the Lynley series and read them in order, and don't feel bad about skipping What Came Before He Shot Her if you start it and find it's not your cup of tea. That one turns out to be not terribly germane to the Inspector Lynley story arc.
The main mystery was compelling as well. In true George style the characters in that mystery were complex, well drawn, and people that even if you didn't much care for them, you were interested to see what became of them.
Now the bad: the psychiatric reports of the horrific crime in years past. Yes I see why that mattered in the end, finally, but the reports themselves were a slog and preachy to boot. That bit of backstory could have been handled better. It reminded me of What Came Before He Shot Her and all the things I didn't care for about that story (mainly to do with preachiness).
Also, Barbara Havers in this book read like a caricature of herself. Deborah and Simon felt perfunctorily sketched as well, but it was the treatment of Barbara that really bothered me, perhaps because it's been a while since Deborah and Simon were at the core of any of these books in the way Barbara has been. Unlike in the past books, this time around Barbara was reduced to little more than a chronically terribly dressed and unappealing fried food eating chain smoking female sergeant from the lower classes who has a hopeless blind loyalty to Lynley, a willful disgust of anything that smacks of taking care of her own appearance, and a predilection for rushing off and doing things her own way, whatever the orders from above may be. If I'd only ever read this book I would have no idea why Lynley bothered with her at all.
So while I'm glad I read it, and will read the next because I've read the previous 16--I am not stopping now with only two left in the series (also bc I happen to have already bought the next two *cough, cough*)--but this one wasn't my favorite.
If any of you are considering just starting with Elizabeth George, my advice is to start with the first one in the Lynley series and read them in order, and don't feel bad about skipping What Came Before He Shot Her if you start it and find it's not your cup of tea. That one turns out to be not terribly germane to the Inspector Lynley story arc.
dinamakan's review against another edition
3.0
I bought this book from a second-hand store because I was interested with the edition's cover. I ended up having a hard time finishing the book because it was so slow for me.
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
While not as good as some of the previous books in the series, a decent read though way too long. I see no reason why a mystery needs to be almost 700 pages.
mehitabels's review against another edition
3.0
I'll have to own up, I only keep reading George's books because the first 10 or 11 of her series were so jaw-droppingly amazing I can't help but believe she will redeem the story line. And while her characters maintain their strong believability, I am losing touch with the people they are becoming. But I still keep going back, not knowing what is happening to these people is like losing touch with a best friend or favorite childhood cousin, just knowing that the update on their lives is out there . . . well, I have to know. this stalkerish behavior is surely why Facebook is so popular.
I give Ms. George all the credit in the world for her ability not only for the believable mysteries, but realistic detective work and lovely settings. I just wish there could be a happy ending, in life and in fiction.
fowlermillbabe's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book. Very detailed plot but very well written. I actually want to know what happens to some of the characters at the end of the book!
quietdomino's review against another edition
1.0
This book was so boring I stopped after the first chapter. And immediately forgot the title and any identifying details. Were there talking cats?
emjay2021's review against another edition
4.0
Unlike many Lynley fans, I loved What Came Before He Shot Her. I found the follow up, Careless In Red, very slow and didn't finish it, but I think Elizabeth George is in fine form once again with this one. One thing I really like about her mystery novels is that I find myself reading faster and faster because I NEED TO KNOW what happens next. I figured out who the murderer was and the motive long before the book ended, but there were still some surprises.
Just a heads up for people who don't want to read about the murder of a child: the secondary storyline is based on the disturbing true story of James Bulger, a toddler who was kidnapped and murdered by two young boys. This is not a spoiler because it is made obvious at the very beginning of the book. After I read the first chapter and the penny dropped, I skipped all the the subsequent chapters detailing that case because I knew it would upset me a lot. Skipping those chapters didn't make much of a difference to the primary plotline, so if you're like me you might want to do the same.
Just a heads up for people who don't want to read about the murder of a child: the secondary storyline is based on the disturbing true story of James Bulger, a toddler who was kidnapped and murdered by two young boys. This is not a spoiler because it is made obvious at the very beginning of the book. After I read the first chapter and the penny dropped, I skipped all the the subsequent chapters detailing that case because I knew it would upset me a lot. Skipping those chapters didn't make much of a difference to the primary plotline, so if you're like me you might want to do the same.
kmatthe2's review against another edition
4.0
EG really knows how to craft a mystery. Smart plotting and lyrical prose.
stella_starstruck's review against another edition
4.0
A really enjoyable detective novel from Elizabeth George. Lynley is back, albeit for a while and he is still finding his footing after the death of his wife. There is a new department chief and she has her own problems. A worthy entry in the series.