whosemuse 's review for:

A Suitable Vengeance by Elizabeth George

5.0

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Okay, I'm thoroughly ensconced in this series now. I found this an interesting placement for this prequel, coming as it does right after the volume that introduces a source of friction between St James and Deborah. The story here describes those two characters' tortuous journey through their relationship, which is painful to read even when I know how it eventually turns out. I guess it goes to show you that the road to love is rocky by nature. Of course there is more to this novel -- mostly it is an exploration of Lynley's family history (which also shows no family is perfect, no matter how it might look from the outside), as he takes Deborah to Cornwall to introduce her to his home and family there as they prepare to marry. Of course people end up dead, and the Fab Four (Lynley, Lady Helen, St James, and Deb) work to unravel the mystery even as Lynley faces some pretty painful stuff from his past, not even knowing that the future he expects may also be at risk. I do love mysteries where there are parallels between the investigators' lives and the crimes they are trying to solve, and these books do that very well. I appreciated the passing reference to Barbara Havers, who is not yet Lynley's partner, but who becomes so important to his life later on. I picked up the next volume even before I finished this -- can't wait to see what the crew gets up to next.