A Slowly Dying Cause by Elizabeth George

My thoughts:

I have been reading books by Elizabeth George ever since her very first which was titled A Great Deliverance. I found many of the books to be quite excellent and hard to put down. Others have been “misses” for me. This title is somewhere in the middle.

What I liked:

I enjoyed spending time with the many characters whom I had gotten to know in the earlier books. These include Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers who have investigated numerous crimes together (although I think that the class differences may be overplayed. Also, is Britain so formal that after all this time, Barbara never calls Lynley by first name, even when away from work and a guest in his house?) There are also members of Tommy’s family in these pages and it was nice to see them.

Other characters that I was glad to see included Daidre (a one time love interest of Tommy. She has a significant back story) and Bea (another detective who has a lot going on in her personal life).

I liked the setting in Cornwall. Here readers get to spend time at Lynley’s ancestral home. It is in need of a serious cash infusion.

What I liked less:

The book is very long at 640 pages and, I think, could have used some editing.

Not spoilers because readers learn this early on (but skip if concerned).

Three male characters are involved with women who are significantly younger than they are. Yes, comparisons can be made but it seems unnecessary to me to have this plot repeat.

I did not find many of the characters likeable.

I wish that I had cared more for the victim.

Final comments:

I spent a lot of time reading this book. I wish that I had liked it more. I hope that George’s next book will be better as I will almost definitely pick it up.

If any blog readers, read this one, I would love to know your thoughts

From the publisher:

Description:

from the publisher

A new and highly anticipated Inspector Lynley TV series releasing this fall from BritBox

Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers and Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley are back in the next Lynley novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George.

Michael Lobb has just been found dead on the floor of his family’s tin & pewter workshop. It’s suspicious enough that his body was found by a representative of Cornwall EcoMining, a company keen on acquiring his family’s land, and it’s made even worse when he’s revealed to have been the majority owner of the business and the sole obstacle preventing a deal from being made. But it doesn’t take long for Inspector Beatrice Hannaford to unearth the layers of estrangement that surrounded Michael in his final days, pointing suspicions elsewhere. In comes Kayla, a young woman half Michael’s age, who has just been made his widow.

Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers are brought in to help solve the crime and search for justice in a community where lust, greed, and family traditions collide with devastating consequences.

Editorial reviews:

Praise for A Slowly Dying Cause and Elizabeth George

“George again delivers a winner…this is George at her best; she delivers a stunning must-read for Lynley fans new and old.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“Plenty of intriguing twists and turns that will leave the reader guessing. Trademark George, with a satisfying resolution that’s a long time coming.”
—Kirkus Review

“[George] is an essential writer of popular fiction today.”
—The Washington Post

“[George is] one of the reigning queens of the genre.”
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Elizabeth George is a superstar of the crime-fiction world.”
—The Seattle Times

“It’s tough to resist the pull of [George’s] storytelling once hooked.”
—USA Today

“George can do it all, with style to spare.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“[Lynley is] one of the greatest character portraits in contemporary crime fiction.”
—The Boston Globe

The book is, also as ever, too long by a quarter, but it’s got plenty of intriguing twists and turns that will leave the reader guessing. Trademark George, with a satisfying resolution that’s a long time coming. Kirkus Reviews

The author:

from Amazon

Elizabeth George is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one psychological suspense novels, five young adult novels, two books of nonfiction, and two short-story collections. Her work has been honored with the Anthony and Agatha awards, two Edgar nominations, and both France’s and Germany’s first prize for crime fiction. She lives in Washington State.