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amothersmusings1's review against another edition
4.0
I love Inspector Lynley books by Elizabeth George, they are well written traditional British police procedural stories that have great characters and excellent storylines. Not to everyone's taste as can be slow going and don't usually have the gore and violence so many of today's novels have, but are a great read and would recommend.
babs83's review against another edition
2.0
It has never taken me 3 weeks to read a book. I really thought this one would never end. The last two George books were too long. The story could have been told just as well, perhaps better, in less pages. Words for the sake of words. It's going to be a while before I pick this series back up.
booksuperpower's review against another edition
3.0
This is the 12th book is this series. It's supposed to be a Lynley novel, however, he only makes a couple of small appearances in this novel.
Debrorah and Simon are at the center of this one when Debrorah's old friend is accused of murder and she and Simon sign on to help.
This was a long book, and for me it was sort of slow going. I liked it, but it was not one of the best in the series.
Over all a B-
Debrorah and Simon are at the center of this one when Debrorah's old friend is accused of murder and she and Simon sign on to help.
This was a long book, and for me it was sort of slow going. I liked it, but it was not one of the best in the series.
Over all a B-
jennievh's review against another edition
4.0
Honestly, I only remember a bit of this, but I remember it was intriguing and good like all Elizabeth Georges that I've read...
drsarahgrace's review against another edition
4.0
Passed to me by my mom ages ago. Trying to return a number of her and my dad's books soon!
I enjoyed it, but it was a bit long.
I enjoyed it, but it was a bit long.
claudia2945's review against another edition
5.0
A great mystery by an accomplished author. Good to the last page!
rebleejen's review
2.0
This book promised more than it delivered. Lots of subplots that turned out to have nothing to do with the murder, lots of unresolved questions. I didn't buy the killer's motivations. Plus, no Barbara, almost no Lynley, and lots of Deborah, who I kind of can't stand.
sandyd's review
3.0
OK, I was disappointed in this because I really loved a lot of Elizabeth George's earlier mysteries. And I just didn't *like* a lot of the main characters (especially China & Cherokee River, the suspects).
Also -- there were only a few minor mentions of Thomas Lynley, NO mention at all of Barbara Havers -- my favorite character! What is happening with her life?!!!!
Instead, Simon St. James & wife Deborah do the investigation. China was a college friend of Deborah's when she spent 3 years in California, now she is in prison on the Isle of Guernsey (in the English Channel), suspected of murdering an older man who was building a WWII museum there. There is lots of interesting history, good writing, some surprises, but I just didn't -- couldn't -- get into this the way I have most of George's earlier books. In fact, it was rather plodding at parts. And 511 pages, which I thought would be great, turned into major ho-hum.
Also -- there were only a few minor mentions of Thomas Lynley, NO mention at all of Barbara Havers -- my favorite character! What is happening with her life?!!!!
Instead, Simon St. James & wife Deborah do the investigation. China was a college friend of Deborah's when she spent 3 years in California, now she is in prison on the Isle of Guernsey (in the English Channel), suspected of murdering an older man who was building a WWII museum there. There is lots of interesting history, good writing, some surprises, but I just didn't -- couldn't -- get into this the way I have most of George's earlier books. In fact, it was rather plodding at parts. And 511 pages, which I thought would be great, turned into major ho-hum.
pturnbull's review
3.0
I almost quit reading before I reached the half-way point of this novel. I didn't enjoy the characters. Though Guy Brouard seems a very charming and seductive man, he's the one who gets murdered, and it's unpleasant to witness the parade of ex-lovers and ex-wives who bully his fragile sister about the will.
As other reviewers have noted, the detectives in this case are Deborah and Simon St. James. George presents Deborah in a terrible light--all of her insecurities are unleashed, grating against the patience of saintly Simon. Of course, she's simply being presented honestly, and she behaves as any sheltered twenty-something would who is beginning to understand her own capabilities and wants to be treated as an equal to her older, sadder, wiser husband. She's feeling out her identity and not liking the position she's in. The fact that Simon doesn't trust her with information exacerbates her resentment.
The novel takes place on Guernsey Island and everyone we meet has a big secret that may or may not relate to the murder. By the time I got beyond halfway, I was committed, and wanted to see justice done, especially to sympathetic minor characters such as Guy's sister, Ruth, and Paul, an almost nonverbal teen aged friend of Guy's.
Mostly, I'm impressed by George's in-depth look at the St. James's marriage. As (I think), one of the unpleasant ex-wives said, some people cannot make the transition from passionate infatuation to the companionable comfort of a long-lasting marriage. Will Deborah and Simon make it? I don't know, but they do solve the case.
As other reviewers have noted, the detectives in this case are Deborah and Simon St. James. George presents Deborah in a terrible light--all of her insecurities are unleashed, grating against the patience of saintly Simon. Of course, she's simply being presented honestly, and she behaves as any sheltered twenty-something would who is beginning to understand her own capabilities and wants to be treated as an equal to her older, sadder, wiser husband. She's feeling out her identity and not liking the position she's in. The fact that Simon doesn't trust her with information exacerbates her resentment.
The novel takes place on Guernsey Island and everyone we meet has a big secret that may or may not relate to the murder. By the time I got beyond halfway, I was committed, and wanted to see justice done, especially to sympathetic minor characters such as Guy's sister, Ruth, and Paul, an almost nonverbal teen aged friend of Guy's.
Mostly, I'm impressed by George's in-depth look at the St. James's marriage. As (I think), one of the unpleasant ex-wives said, some people cannot make the transition from passionate infatuation to the companionable comfort of a long-lasting marriage. Will Deborah and Simon make it? I don't know, but they do solve the case.