reader_one's review against another edition
3.0
So, I thought the characters spent undue amounts of time anguishing over their own lives in the last book in the series-clearly I was underestimating each of their own capacities to make it all about themselves. Again the mystery was ok-one of the central plot points was pretty obvious early on, but getting to the resolution was entertaining. The backstory here is clearly important, but I missed the interplay between Lynly and Barbara. I mostly read this impatiently so I could get to the next book that wasn't a prequel.
msmandrake's review against another edition
3.0
Well this was a first, the fourth in a series that takes place before the other books. A bit disconcerting initially, but ultimately I appreciated it. Obviously this series is as concerned with characterization as it is with the mystery, and it did add a new dimension. And the mystery took some interesting twists. On with book 5....
sarah_liest's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
auntieg0412's review
4.0
When I started reading I didn’t realize this is a prequel to the first three books. The characters were so self-absorbed and whiny that I might not have continued if I had read this one first, though. Excellent plot that kept me going to the finish.
ncrabb's review against another edition
3.0
The lovely and talented photographer, Deborah Cotter, has come back to England from her years studying in the U.S. Simon St. James, a forensic scientist, has been in love with her since she was 17. No less ardently in love with Deborah is Inspector Tommy Lynley, who is about to announce his engagement to her at his family home in Cornwall. Awkwardly enough, everyone has been invited to the estate for the announcement, including Simon St. James. It is a diffident and civil love triangle, but a love triangle just the same. Deborah clearly loves them both.
But before the weekend party can break up, the usually peaceful Cornwall countryside is riddled with murder, and everyone’s a suspect from St. James’s sister, Sidney, to Tommy Lynley’s brother. A journalist has been savagely murdered—a journalist whose wife grew up on the Lynley estate—a journalist with plenty of secrets, any one of which could get him killed.
Sidney St. James’s boyfriend also soon turns up dead, and Lynley and others must discover whether his death was accidental.
Almost as suspenseful to me as were the efforts to solve murders was Deborah Cotter’s decision as to which man she would ultimately select. (Because I’ve flounced about through the series, I knew how it would turn out, but watching it unfold in this book was fascinating indeed.
But before the weekend party can break up, the usually peaceful Cornwall countryside is riddled with murder, and everyone’s a suspect from St. James’s sister, Sidney, to Tommy Lynley’s brother. A journalist has been savagely murdered—a journalist whose wife grew up on the Lynley estate—a journalist with plenty of secrets, any one of which could get him killed.
Sidney St. James’s boyfriend also soon turns up dead, and Lynley and others must discover whether his death was accidental.
Almost as suspenseful to me as were the efforts to solve murders was Deborah Cotter’s decision as to which man she would ultimately select. (Because I’ve flounced about through the series, I knew how it would turn out, but watching it unfold in this book was fascinating indeed.
lilias's review against another edition
3.0
I had been putting this one off over and over since I’d heard it was a sort of prequel to the series and didn’t have Havers as much of a character. But it turned out to be better than I was afraid it would be. The love triangle was boring beyond, but it was nice to be able to get to know these characters better. The mystery itself wasn’t thrilling, but Elizabeth George is so readable. In short, this was a solid book.
whitneyborup's review against another edition
2.0
I just got a new puppy, so I was looking for something easy and absorbing when I knew I would be distracted by other things. I liked the first three in this series so much, I thought this would be that, so I think I'm being harsh because it was not what I wanted. As a general rule, I don't like prequels. Plus, this one was less about the crime and way too much about melodramatic rich-people love.
nonna7's review against another edition
5.0
I am working my way through the early Elizabeth George books. This one is particularly interesting because it explains a LOT about the later ones. In this book, Deborah Cotter, daughter of Simon St James' valet, who grew up in St James home has returned to England after 3 years in the United States studying photography. She has won some prize money, enough to buy a new camera and lens collection. She is also engaged to Lynley, close friend of Simon's. Simon has been unable to express his love for Deborah. When she left England she was only 17. He was 28. Now she is back. Lynley has visited a number of times and has proposed marriage which she has accepted. So now they are making a trip to Cornwall where Lynley's home as Lord Atherton is located. He announces that they will marry and make their home in Cornwall. In the meantime, he has to deal with his younger brother who is a drug addict. Then a local journalist who is married to a young woman who does some work on Lynley's estate is murdered and castrated after his death. He is known to have been a womanizer so the theory is that that he has crossed someone's husband/lover. However, it's far deeper than that. What a story! We learn about Lynley's deep estrangement from his mother, his brother's problems and so much more. This was a really excellent book with a lot of twists and turns as well as a lot of emotion. Fans know he does NOT marry Deborah.
mfeibel's review against another edition
2.0
Read for book club, it took me a long time to get into it. The first body doesn't even fall until about 100 pages in. I found myself far more intrigued by the Lynley/Deborah/St. James triangle than the actual mystery. And even that didn't seem like it was up for debate until the last few pages. And since this is a prequel, anyone reading it knows that Deborah and St. James end up together. So it wouldn't be a surprise if you read them in publication order. I felt George spent too much time on flowery and dramatic description than she did on making the mystery interesting and exciting. I frequently forgot aspects of the crime because so much time was spent analyzing the personal lives of the characters.
And in the end, it was so nicely convenient that the killer was the man Lynley hates all along.
All this being said, I might give her other books a chance as I've heard they're better. And I do like the characters (especially the fact that Deborah and Simon ended up together), I just wanted a more exciting mystery.
And in the end, it was so nicely convenient that the killer was the man Lynley hates all along.
All this being said, I might give her other books a chance as I've heard they're better. And I do like the characters (especially the fact that Deborah and Simon ended up together), I just wanted a more exciting mystery.