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A review by jacki_f
The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller
3.0
Laurence Bartram is living in London in 1920 and coming to terms with the death of his wife and son while he was away fighting in France. He receives a letter from Mary, the sister of Laurence's old school friend John Emmett. John had also fought in WW1, returning with shell shock, but appeared on the mend when he abruptly killed himself. Mary is hoping that Laurence can help her to understand why, and so he initiates an investigation into the final years of John Emmett's life.
Where this novel works very well is as a depiction of life in post war Britain and the lasting effects that WW1 had on both soldiers and civilians. Where it works less well - for me anyway - is as a mystery. Laurence's investigations are slow and drawn out and when everything is resolved at the end it feels like Speller just wanted to wrap it up quickly: Laurence stumbles on the solution rather than deducing it. It's a well written book and I enjoyed reading it, but I also got frustrated by the slow pace and it took me a week to read (which is a long time for me).
The novel reminded me in some ways of Maisie Dobbs, which is also a mystery involving shell shocked post WW1 veterans.
Where this novel works very well is as a depiction of life in post war Britain and the lasting effects that WW1 had on both soldiers and civilians. Where it works less well - for me anyway - is as a mystery. Laurence's investigations are slow and drawn out and when everything is resolved at the end it feels like Speller just wanted to wrap it up quickly: Laurence stumbles on the solution rather than deducing it. It's a well written book and I enjoyed reading it, but I also got frustrated by the slow pace and it took me a week to read (which is a long time for me).
The novel reminded me in some ways of Maisie Dobbs, which is also a mystery involving shell shocked post WW1 veterans.