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: #1361 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-01
• Released on: 2008-05-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 640 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)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

MOSTLY A DOWNER
Have read all of Ms George's Inspector Lynley novels. Thought the opening of this book was brilliant. We knew it was Tommy and wondered what happened to him. He's back. The parts with him and Barbara Havers were so welcomed as were Insp Hannaford and her family. The rest of the characters in this book were downers. There was no reason to smile about anything else.

Most of the time the prose was confusing and spoken in parables. The conclusion was most disappointing and frustrating. I am not looking for the Book of Life but I do like conclusions that explain motives and actions.

Will donate this book to the library.

tortuous and torturous
I'm listening to the second-to-last disc now, and I wish I was reading it instead, so I could just flip through to the end.

I've liked earlier books by George, but this one was tedious and long-winded. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief, but not hang it by the neck until dead. (Example: yes, of course we police officers will follow you to this deserted hut in the middle of nowhere to get you to talk. Of course we'll let you go on and on like some kind of Columbo extra....)

Stick to her earlier books, and pass this one up.

Not impressed
Well, on the bright side, this is a novel. On the downside, the plot lines don't all get resolved in the end, the writing feels stilted, the characters are so numerous as to be overwhelming, and I lost interest about a third of the way into the book. Could have been much better, I'm sure, given than Elizabeth George seems to be such a prolific writer. But this was my first book of hers, and it will likely be my last.