Product Description

In her most eagerly anticipated novel yet, Elizabeth George brings back Scotland Yard's Thomas Lynley to investigate a ruthless crime.

After the senseless murder of his wife, Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley retreated to Cornwall, where he has spent six solitary weeks hiking the bleak and rugged coastline. But no matter how far he walks, no matter how exhausting his days, the painful memories of Helen's death do not diminish.

On the forty-third day of his walk, at the base of a cliff, Lynley discovers the body of a young man who appears to have fallen to his death. The closest town, better known for its tourists and its surfing than its intrigue, seems an unlikely place for murder. However, it soon becomes apparent that a clever killer is indeed at work, and this time Lynley is not a detective but a witness and possibly a suspect.

The head of the vastly understaffed local police department needs Lynley's help, though, especially when it comes to the mysterious, secretive woman whose cottage lies not far from where the body was discovered. But can Lynley let go of the past long enough to solve a most devious and carefully planned crime?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #444481 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-01
• Released on: 2008-05-20
• Format: Large Print
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1024 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. At the start of bestseller George's stellar new suspense novel, the grieving Thomas Lynley, a Scotland Yard detective who left the force after the murder of his pregnant wife, Helen, in With No One as Witness (2005), is filling his days with a long trek in his native Cornwall. During his ramble, Lynley stumbles on the body of teenager Santo Kerne, who apparently fell from a cliff onto some rocks, though it soon becomes evident that someone tampered with Kerne's climbing gear. As the first on the scene, Lynley himself comes under suspicion, despite his lack of history with the victim, by the investigating officer, the capable but crusty Det. Insp. Bea Hannaford. Lynley fittingly plays a secondary role in the homicide inquiry as he continues to struggle to find a reason for living after his devastating loss. The plausible resolution of the crime leaves enough ambiguity to satisfy readers who prefer psychologically sophisticated plots and motivations. 10-city author tour. (May)
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About the Author

Elizabeth George is the New York Times bestselling author of fourteen novels of psychological suspense, one book of nonfiction, and two short-story collections. Her work has been honored with the Anthony and Agatha awards, the Grand Prix de LittÉrature PoliciÈre, and the MIMI, Germany's prestigious prize for suspense fiction. She lives in Washington State.

Customer Reviews

One of Her Best
Since others have outlined the plot I won't go into detail on that. Suffice it to say the stricken Thomas Lynley, mourning the loss of his murdered wife, has set off on a long walk intended to help him sort out his grief. When he discovers the body of a dead youth he becomes first a suspect and then,when his identity becomes known, a party to the investigation.

Personally, I consider this one of George's best in the series. Her novels are becoming increasingly literary and she excels here in illuminating a complex cast of intriguing characters. My only regret is the late entry of Barbara Havers into the fray. But she does arrive and participate in her ebullient way and is even teamed up with an equally fascinating female in DI Bea Hannaford.

The interplay of the characters, a sufficiency of mystery and red herrings and the colour of life in Cornwall made this a thoroughly enjoyable read for me. I can't wait to see what George will offer us next.

Not enjoyable
This is the first Elizabeth George book I've read and will probably be the last. I found the sheer number of characters unnecessary and confusing. There is an overload of distracting "side" information and stories. Ultimately, I feel the author has confused me into the murder being a mystery.

Deeply disappointed-not up to her usual standards
I am a huge fan of Elizabeth George and, in particular, of Thomas Lynley. But to say this book was a disappointment is an understatement. It was way overwritten with many side stories that don't contribute at all to the outcome, nor do these story lines get wrapped up in a satisfactory way; they sort of trail off to nowhere. George must have made good use of a thesaurus because she uses the most arcane words imaginable. At the end Lynley is left wondering and so are we. I finished it and thought "Is that all there is? Is that it???"