sdcunningham96's review against another edition
3.0
Another reviewer said this book could have been 200 pages shorter. I'm inclined to agree.
It slogs a bit, but there's enough twists and turns that kept me going. The end reveal got me. The ending got me. It really got me.
It's true what Robert McKee (the character in the Charlie Kaufman written film Adaptation) says: "Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit."
It slogs a bit, but there's enough twists and turns that kept me going. The end reveal got me. The ending got me. It really got me.
It's true what Robert McKee (the character in the Charlie Kaufman written film Adaptation) says: "Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit."
barbs's review against another edition
3.0
Aber nur weil die letzten 50 Seiten mal etwas Spannung in die Sache gebracht haben...
lisamck's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
msmandrake's review against another edition
4.0
A pretty good one. I like that the series has more meat on its bones then just the mystery. (This had the added bonus of Lynley being mean to Deborah. I can't stand Deborah!)
ncrabb's review against another edition
It’s the age-old story. The young hotshot reporter goes to a political conference and finds a woman who is eager to take off the rough edges of a lonely night. Eleven years later, Dennis Luxford edits a sleazy tabloid and Eve Bowen, the woman with whom he did the nasty nocturnal, is a high-profile member of Parliament and the fictional undersecretary of state for the UK. That one night at the conference was a life changer for Eve. Dennis impregnated her, and Eve gave birth to Charlotte.
Fast forward eleven years. Eve married a chef who took Charlotte in as his own daughter. Dennis married Fiona, a former fashion model who knew nothing about the conference confab or the resulting child. Fiona bore him an extremely sensitive son, Leo, about whom Dennis worries because he’s not man enough to suit the editor.
Someone abducts little Charlotte after a music lesson, and Dennis receives a note that insists he publicly take responsibility for the existence of his firstborn child. The announcement must appear on page one of Dennis’s despicable tabloid. If the story isn’t there, Charlotte will die.
But the narcissistic Eve Bowen is too much of a rising star to agree to the publication of the story. She won’t call the cops for help, and she won’t let Dennis run the admission and apology. He’s just as happy since his wife doesn’t know.
It’s a race against time to find an alternative way to free little Charlotte. Eve hires Simon St. James and his photographer wife, Deborah, to privately find the child. That will eventually bring New Scotland Yard into the picture. Inspector Tommy Lynley and his associate, Barbara Havers, sign onto the case.
This is a long book at 22 hours normal speed. I’m sure it’s about eleven hours longer than it really needs to be. I can’t say it’s ever completely boring, and the things you ever-so gradually learn are largely relevant, but it’s long. It doesn’t really get good until part two where Lynley and Havers work the case. I suspect unless you’re almost clairvoyant you won’t see how this ends. On balance, it’s a highly satisfactory albeit long read.
Fast forward eleven years. Eve married a chef who took Charlotte in as his own daughter. Dennis married Fiona, a former fashion model who knew nothing about the conference confab or the resulting child. Fiona bore him an extremely sensitive son, Leo, about whom Dennis worries because he’s not man enough to suit the editor.
Someone abducts little Charlotte after a music lesson, and Dennis receives a note that insists he publicly take responsibility for the existence of his firstborn child. The announcement must appear on page one of Dennis’s despicable tabloid. If the story isn’t there, Charlotte will die.
But the narcissistic Eve Bowen is too much of a rising star to agree to the publication of the story. She won’t call the cops for help, and she won’t let Dennis run the admission and apology. He’s just as happy since his wife doesn’t know.
It’s a race against time to find an alternative way to free little Charlotte. Eve hires Simon St. James and his photographer wife, Deborah, to privately find the child. That will eventually bring New Scotland Yard into the picture. Inspector Tommy Lynley and his associate, Barbara Havers, sign onto the case.
This is a long book at 22 hours normal speed. I’m sure it’s about eleven hours longer than it really needs to be. I can’t say it’s ever completely boring, and the things you ever-so gradually learn are largely relevant, but it’s long. It doesn’t really get good until part two where Lynley and Havers work the case. I suspect unless you’re almost clairvoyant you won’t see how this ends. On balance, it’s a highly satisfactory albeit long read.
crowyhead's review against another edition
3.0
I had a really hard time getting through this mystery. I think the problem was that I just recently saw the "Mystery!" adaptation of it on PBS, so I already knew what the big plot twist was, which made the story drag more than it would have otherwise. I like the characters, though, especially Barbara Havers, so I'll probably give Elizabeth George another chance.
georgia29's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mccosgrove's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
elinevandm's review against another edition
4.0
"Politieke carrière wordt hier boven het leven van een kind gezet. Gruwelijk!"
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2019/08/27/in-handen-van-de-vijand-van-elizabeth-george-4/
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2019/08/27/in-handen-van-de-vijand-van-elizabeth-george-4/