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A review by cjeanne99
A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I am getting the Barbara Havers story backwards - having read “The Punishment She Deserves” last year - and now taking on a Banquet of Consequences. It’s not clear to me that Havers is not acting like herself - even though that’s what everyone says. At the crux of this book we have an overbearing and manipulative mother, her ex-husband, her current husband, her two sons, the girlfriend and wife of the two sons, the feminist author, the publisher for the feminist author, current husband’s employees at the bakery - and then on the side we have DI Lynley possibly starting a new relationship with a veterinarian, the backstory of the book publisher and Dorothea Harriman intent on helping Barbara “get on with her life” - or maybe it was “add some spice” to her life. The Lynley/veterinarian pages were skimmable - Rory Strathan’s backstory was unnecessary - Dorothea’s interest in redeeming Barbara’s reputation could have been toned down. But - what’s an Elizabeth George novel if it doesn’t have multiple story lines?
Youngest son commits suicide by jumping off a cliff after discovering his girlfriend reading pages in a notebook he kept as a journal.
Wife of older son moves out for a “trial separation”
Author helps design a garden memorial for youngest son - former girlfriend attends - “stalking” mother
Author dies unexpectedly - turns out she was poisoned.
Barbara and Nikita Winston are sent to investigate - under a tight leash!
Overbearing mother is truly TOO much - interfering in her son’s lives - making demands of her husband - controlling feminist author’s life (or so she wishes). Poison was found in a toothpaste tube - but it was Caroline’s toothpaste - which Clare had borrowed. And then - Rory used the same toothpaste - not knowing it had been poisoned.
The accusations fly - Caroline did it herself - Clare did it and then forgot it was in the toothpaste, the current husband did it - the current husband’s lover did it, the older son did it. Who knows?
Youngest son commits suicide by jumping off a cliff after discovering his girlfriend reading pages in a notebook he kept as a journal.
Wife of older son moves out for a “trial separation”
Author helps design a garden memorial for youngest son - former girlfriend attends - “stalking” mother
Author dies unexpectedly - turns out she was poisoned.
Barbara and Nikita Winston are sent to investigate - under a tight leash!
Overbearing mother is truly TOO much - interfering in her son’s lives - making demands of her husband - controlling feminist author’s life (or so she wishes). Poison was found in a toothpaste tube - but it was Caroline’s toothpaste - which Clare had borrowed. And then - Rory used the same toothpaste - not knowing it had been poisoned.
The accusations fly - Caroline did it herself - Clare did it and then forgot it was in the toothpaste, the current husband did it - the current husband’s lover did it, the older son did it. Who knows?