Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2876806 in Books
• Published on: 1997-01-01
• Format: Import
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 568 pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent, like all of its predecessors
I consider Elizabeth George to be the best living writer of mysteries, by a wide margin. In this book, Barbara Havers goes more or less "solo" by getting involved in a case outside of London where she is supposed to be on vacation. In addition to being a superb mystery, this book examines the racial friction generated by the influx of Pakistani immigrants into a seaside resort town in England. I can't speak for the accuracy of her analysis, but her portrayals of the cultural misunderstandings between the police and the immigrant community ring true to my ears. I don't recommend this book as your introduction to Elizabeth George's mysteries. The previous books introduce both of the main characters, Havers and her boss, Inspector Lynley. This book makes several references to the things she learned from Lynley, and to their partnership. The reader will understand those references much better if (s)he has read at least one of the previous books. However, I want to vehemently disagree with a couple of previous reviewers who downgraded this book on the grounds that Havers is a less interesting character than the absent Lynley. I think Havers is a MUCH more interesting character than the pampered and superficial Lynley. I didn't miss him at all in this book. As always, George's writing, characterizations, and plotting put her in a class of her own among mystery writers. This is not a little paperback for an afternoon; it's a real novel. If you love mysteries or if you simply love well-written, thought-provoking fiction, you should read every one of Elizabeth George's books.

Another Shining Star in the Mystery Genre
I read the hardback edition of this book last summer after checking it out from my local library. I had become a fan of Elizabeth George after hearing Derek Jacobi narrate''In The Presence Of The Enemy'', and, once again, I was pleased to find that Ms.George has skillfully blended the element of mystery with a lesson in culture, the case this time concerning a Pakistani immigrant and his young daughter. It helps the reader gain a better understanding of this particular group of people, as well as allowing them to spend a little more time getting to know Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers as a person separate from her partner, Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley, while still enjoying the thrill of helping Havers solve the case! A well-rounded piece of work, indeed!

The Mysterious Wonders of Elizabeth George Never Cease!
I have been a fan of Elizabeth George since I buying and listening to In The Presence Of The Enemy, read by Derek Jacobi, and, the mysterious wonders of this writer never cease! I was especially pleased to discover that the writer recognizes boys shouldn't have all the fun when it comes to crime-solving, as this particular mystery was given strictly to DS Barbara Havers, and it also gave me a better understanding of the Pakistani culture, as I was educated a little bit more every time I read the story, and again, it served its true purpose of being a fascinating mystery from the first page to the last!