Search - Careless in Red (Inspector Lynley, Bk 15)

Not George's best :-(

I was so looking forward to this book but it was slow to start, the storyline plods along. Some of the characters are well drawn but George has a lot to draw from since nearly every character is from a dysfunctional family or has an obsessive compulsion. I have read the entire series and this is the first book I have not finished reading in less than a week.

The story kind of drags out a bit - I found myself skimming through paragraphs in the hopes of finding an exciting twist or turn, to no avail until the end, and even that wasn't earth-shattering. I love her style of writing, though, and as with nearly all of the other books in this series, I gained an interest in some day visiting yet another part of England.

A fairly good story, but not Elizabeth George's best.

Elizabeth George is a lyrical writer who uses language so beautifully to evoke a sense of place and convey rich characters. She has the capacity to draw such complex, realistic people. In this book, I saw more than ever her amazing gift for gradually revealing layers of depth in every character as she unveils the reasons behind the murder around which the book is constructed. The two processes are inextricably linked and both are fascinating. In addition to a gripping mystery, Careless in Red offers more insight into Thomas Lynley as a man and policeman. I also learned a lot about Cornwall and surfing, which was fun.

I am enjoying the book very much. I like mysteries with many twists and turns. I like the many characters.

This book was a little slow for me. I did not like it as much as the others in this series.

Wow. What to say about this book. While the ending was satisfactory, getting there was excruciating. It took every ounce of willpower to get to the end, as I found pretty much every suspect in this novel completely insufferable. The only thing holding me was the interesting Bea Hannaford (the regional inspector heading the murder investigation), coupled with her perspective on the relationship between Lynley and Havers.

If you're only half-way devoted to this series, I doubt you'll find this to your liking. If you're a devoted fan, you will want to read it in preparation for the next novel. I won't be picking the next one up, however, if its reviews are tepid. This one overall was a disappointment to me.