Product Description

The "Evidence Exposed": The two-week course on 'Great Houses of Britain' brings together a varied group of enthusiasts. When one of their number turns up dead, Inspector Thomas Lynley makes a cameo appearance. "I, Richard": Malcolm Cousins has spent years in the single-minded pursuit of a priceless letter, probably written by Richard III on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth. But does he want it enough to kill for it? "The Surprise of His Life": When Douglas Armstrong has his first consultation with Thistle McCloud, he has no intention of murdering his wife. His mind, in fact, doesn't turn to murder until two weeks after consultation number four.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2617430 in Books
• Published on: 1999-11-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 176 pages

Review
'George is excellent at slowly unfolding plot and atmosphere ... fine writing and sensitive handling of relationships.' -- Independent 'Immensely well plotted ... a first class, page-turning read' -- The Times 'Splendid writing and a very good mystery' -- Sunday Telegraph 'Tough, breathtaking mystery' -- Cosmopolitan 'Nailbitingly good' -- Company 'George at her most adroit ... a collection that will win George many new readers' -- Internet review

About the Author
Elizabeth George has written ten highly acclaimed novels of psychological suspense which have been published in twenty-one languages. Her first novel, A Great Deliverance, was honoured with the Anthony and Agatha Best First Novel awards in America and received the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere in France. Well-Schooled in Murder was awarded the prestigious German prize for international mystery fiction, the MIMI, in 1990. An Edgar and Macavity Nominee as well as a New York Times international bestselling author.

Customer Reviews

Writer's block?
There is some kind of con going on here. The Evidence Exposed is a collection of three stories; while I. Richard, the next collection out, is the same three stories (though with one drastically altered), plus two more, plus author introductions. The title story of The Evidence Exposed is also the lead story in I. Richard, but called simply, "Exposed." The author is quite frank about the repetition, saying that she was so dissatisfied with The Evidence Exposed that she wrote it again, realizing that she had "killed the wrong person." It is a story that did not work the first time, and does not work the second time, either. She should have left it alone -- in fact, forgotten it.

The best story in this collection is,"Remember, I'll always love you." It was the only one that was not predictable. Otherwise, it does seem hard on Elizabeth George's many fans that they should be tricked into buying two books that are almost identical. In effect, they are being asked to pay out again, in order to read a couple more yarns, plus a revision. In her defence, it must be recognized that inspiration does not always oblige, especially when an author has set such high standards for herself. It would be nice if her publishers would give her breathing space to regroup, and quietly devise another of her wonderful plots without being pressured by contractual or commercial obligations. I am sure her fans would understand and be patient.

A disappointing find
This book by Elizabeth George consists of three short stories. If you are expecting to find the detail and development in her novels, you should look elsewhere. When I bought the book, I was looking forward to a dense read and found instead stories that were thin on plot, development, and text. If you're a die-hard Lynley fan, you might enjoy the one story where he briefly appears. Otherwise, wait until her next novel is released.

A puzzle.
I'm a huge fan of Ms. George's work and I was puzzled by this short book of mystery stories. They seemed like something a person would write for an adult education language arts class - maybe they were, for something she was teaching? She joined her students in the exercise? I don't know the background. They seemed like skeletons of stories. Why release them, then? They didn't even serve as something a fan could use to tide her over until the next novel, because her usual characters don't appear (except for a cameo by Lynley and his wife in the first story). Please Ms. George, write another full length novel that features Barbara Havers heavily. It's what a lot of fans are waiting for.