A very slow moving story which did not do enough I keep my interest. Too much jumping about. Not very interesting characters.

DI Bea Hannaford is investigating the case if a tin streamer who was stabbed to death.in his own workshop. But this case is going to get complicated. Bea is an ex-girlfriend of DI Thomas Lynley, as is Daidra, the oldest sister of the man who is charged with his murder. But she doesn't want DI Lynley to know, but instead enlists the help of Barbara Havers, DI Lynley's Sergeant. She in turn has just lost her mother who has been slowly dying of dementia for several years, and Barbara isn't coping well After an outburst at work, she's forced to take a week's compassionate leave, and Lynley takes her down to his family pile, as he needs to go to consider how to replace its very expensive roof. Add in the murdered man's first and second wives, his children and the company who wanted to buy his property and there you have the cast of a sinewy, complicated plot

The novel had a bit of a slow start for me, and perhaps took a bit long to introduce Lynley and Havers into the story. However, this is an excellent constructed murder mystery, with twists and turns, revelations, double bluffs and as much intrigue as you can imagine, with pretty much everyone in this man's life having a motive to kill him. I have previously read some, though by no means all, of the Lynley series,. I wouldn't say this is the best one I have read, but it is certainly well written, imaginatively plotted and has a logical and reasonable, if somewhat unexpected ending.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. It has been ages since I have read anything from this author. This was a great book, good storyline and great characters. 4 stars from me.

Elizabeth George is one of my favourite authors and it was lovely to see that she had a new book being published this autumn. Once more she delivers a well written story, with characters and reveals that are first rate. Excellent.

What a pleasure to be back in the company of detectives Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers! A different case for them this time, and not on home territory in London but a murder in Cornwall, close to Lynley’s ancestral home where he is visiting in order to solve some major problems with the ancient building housing his mother and sister. And how did Barbara Havers become involved? Because she’s Barbara Havers and can’t resist a good murder investigation of course! The plot is not particularly fast moving but the slower pace suits the more relaxed pace of life in Cornwall and the complications of relationships in the case also slow down the solving of it. As always, the writing is immensely readable, characters all well drawn and the plot convoluted with a satisfying denouement.

Inspector Lynley makes a welcome return in a murder case set in Cornwall, not far from his ancestral home which is causing its own problems with a leaky roof. The victim is Michael Lobb, the owner of Lobb’s Tin and Pewter whose relationship with the much younger Kayla tears his first marriage apart. The first half of the book establishes the lives of those in and around his family, building a cast of characters that is both diverse and believable with motives galore. The story telling is spot on drawing the reader inexorably into the lives of these people with all those little details that you don’t really need to know but make it all seem real and very human. The only bit that jarred for me was the scene where the murder weapon is discovered which seemed a bit tasteless.
From early on in the narrative the reader has access to the victim’s own perspective on his relationship with Kayla. It is not clear where this has come from but it does lay out a side to the case which is not evident to the investigating team. This is interesting as the reader then has a chance to ponder on who is telling the truth and who has something to hide. Initially the case is investigated by the local team led by DI Hannigan who think they have their killer but eventually both Lynley and his trusty Sergeant Havers are drawn into the story to work their magic. I wish this had been a little earlier as everything perked up a bit from this point.
The detail is amazing and integrated into the story with such ease you would think the author was already an expert on the extraction of tin. Descriptions of the different locations transport the reader to the West Country where Lynley’s own family play a lively role as they welcome Barbara as a guest into their stately home. This provided a bit of light relief as I found many of the characters not very likeable. There are links to earlier novels but it is not necessary to have read them to enjoy this.
It is a long read as are many of the Lynley stories but flows along with ease. The resolution is not really a surprise once you get there but I didn’t feel let down as, although a little sad, it fitted in well with the rest of the story. I like the way that life is seen to move forward for Lynley, Havers and Hannigan afterwards. Also delighted to learn that there is a new TV series in the offing.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This one wasn’t for me, but I’m sure long-term Lynley readers will love it. From the start something felt a bit off, and I was confused as to why the dialogue seemed to move between quite old fashioned and very modern. It was only when I saw the word faucet that I twigged the author was American - although she’s done a great job overall there’s bits of dialogue that just don’t ring true for me and I found them jarring. There’s also a plot point around a will which I’m not sure stacks up under English law. For me these detracted from the book, but I’m sure others won’t find them distracting and enjoy it much more.

My thanks to Netgalley and publishers Pan Macmillan for an ARC of this title because I've long been a fan of the Inspector Lynley television series. I've recently realised that TV versions are not always true to the source books and am testing out a few of my favourites. This seemed an ideal opportunity.
I'm now wary of the words "based on" or "adapted from" when attached to a TV version. I've loved the Brighton-based Grace novels of Peter James from the very first book and was so disappointed by the screened version that I began to wonder. When Netgalley recently offered me Ann Cleeves' latest Shetland novel, having loved all the TV stories which have now finished with the original hero, I was intrigued. Wow ! Not only were they so different, they were infinitely superior. Thinking that I knew the stories from the television, I've never read the first eight novels, but am doing so now and loving them..So Elizabeth George's latest Lynley book seemed a must to test the theory.
Sadly, I'm afraid that I was very disapointed. In nthis instance the TV version was different, but better. I'm sorry but I'm afraid that I got a fifth of the way into the book and had to give up. It was too rambling, jumping from one character, onesenario, to another.I'm sure that they would all have come together in the end, but I couldn't wait any longer for the tale to begin to "gel". Frequently, I felt that there were irrelevant passages. Although interesting, they didn't seem to enhance the plot. And there were just too many characters, the story flying around between them. Plus, Lynley hadn't appeared yet. I couldn't wait any longer. This was probably a tale that would have benefited from a T V adaptation to pull it all together
Whilst grateful for the chance to read one of the novels in the series, I'm afraid that I won't be looking for another. That's just a personal opinion, and others may enjoy the book.

In the 22nd book in the series that features DI Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers, Michael Lobb is found brutally murdered in his tin and pewter workshop.
DI Bea Hannaford is brought in to investigate and discovers Lobb’s complex family life, not least his previous abandonment of his wife and children for a young girl Kayla whom he later marries.
To add to the mix of possible motives a mining company are desperate to buy his land, however Lobb, as the biggest shareholder, is absolutely against it.
Lynley and Havers make their appearance much later on in this book, Barbara a little subdued owing to the death of her mother and Lynley concerned with the urgent need for repairs to the roof of his ancestral home. Also interspersed throughout are extracts from Michael Lobb’s diaries.
I haven’t enjoyed this series as much since the death of Lynley’s wife Helen, and I don’t feel the connection between him and Daidre Trahair with whom he’s been having an on/off relationship.
There are also a few secondary characters whose stories just seem to tail off.
I think the character of DI Bea Hannaford and her family situation is well portrayed, it would be good to read a stand alone Elizabeth George just featuring her as the main detective.
The banter between Lynley and Havers is always entertaining to read but for me there were too many characters and loose ends to make it one of the better books in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for an ARC

I’ve not read any other stories in the series and hadn’t realised this was number 21. I found the overwhelming amount of characters, their various goings on, relationships and lack of connection initially to the murder that I just got confused! I’d worked out who the murder was fairly early on and got frustrated that the detectives didn’t crack on and solve the case. I assume if I knew more about the characters I’d have been more invested in the case. I’m sorry to say this book just wasn’t for me particularly as the ending was rather grim!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Please don't 'shoot the messenger'...
This is a compelling story but, for me, it had a number of major problems., the most serious being the repeated assertion of the victim not having updated a Will made prior to his remarriage. Unless the law has changed in the last few years, any Will made before a marriage (unless stated to be 'in contemplation of' a specified marriage) becomes null and void and the estate would then be administered according to the rules of intestacy - i,e, the wife would inherit a large amount of the estate with any surplus then being distributed to children and/or siblings etc.
There were a number of other legal anomalies (mostly to do with the UK probate procedure) but this is the most glaring and I am sure many UK readers wold pick up on this.
Other than this problem I enjoyed this - I have read most of the Lynley saga (I still have a couple of the more recent ones to read) and this is certainly one of her best and I look forward to reading more in the future

The latest in George's novels about mismatched detectives Lynley and Havers is a good read. I find the quality of this series quite variable, from superb to below average, so you can never be sure what you might get with each one. This is probably the best since 'What Came Before He Shot Her'. After her bold decision to kill off the inspector's beloved wife, the series lost its way a bit. But it feels like it might be getting on track again.

The action takes place in Cornwall, and there's no messing about with long introductions. The body - that of artisan craftsmen Michael Lobb - is found in the first chapter and the rest of the novel is a slow unpicking of who killed him and why. Posh inspector Lynley and his opposite-of-posh sergeant Havers don't get involved into halfway through, when they arrive for a short break in the county and get drawn in through a link between one of the suspects and Lynley's ex. During the first half, the case is investigated by Inspector Hannaford (from 'Careless in Red'), as she interviews the dead man's much-younger second wife, his embittered and estranged children and ex-wife, and the man who found the body - a representative of a mining firm desperate to persuade Lobb to sell his land and business to them.

There are suspects and motives aplenty, and the investigative action alternates with sections from the journal of the dead man, telling the rather seedy story of how he met his then-teenaged second wife whilst on holiday with his first, and ultimately made her his mistress then his wife. Despite those bits giving me the creeps, the book overall is very compelling from start to finish despite not containing much in the way of 'action' or peril. The plot is beautifully paced and unravels in an intriguing way. I didn't work out who did it, and there are a few red herrings along the way. I like it when a writer can surprise me and the story unfurls as elegantly as the pieces of jewellery made by the victim.

If you enjoy detective stories, this one is well worth reading. It's not essential to have read all of the former books in the series - whilst there are ongoing stories about the characters of the detectives, they are not hard to pick up and most of the story is focussed on the characters in the mystery itself. I have dipped in and out and read out of order and I don't think it's affected my understanding or enjoyment. For those who have read previous Lynley books and who have, like me, an allergy to the exceptionally irritating character of Deborah, I can reassure you that she's not even mentioned in this one! So you can read in safety!

I really enjoyed this book in the Inspector Lynley series - I had missed book 21 but this did not detract from my enjoyment.

Michael Lobb is found dead in his tin and pewter workshop leaving a much younger second wife; a disgruntled first wife, unhappy children from his first marriage and a complicated business arrangement with his younger brother.

The story is told through his diary of life with his second wife and the progress of the investigation.

Barbara Havers becomes involved when approached by Daidre - who was in a relationship with Lynley - as her birth family are embroiled in the investigation.

Add into the mix, the death of Barbara’s mother and a crisis at the family estate for Lynley to deal with and you have a very satisfying plot!

The novel has its elements of humour but it’s outcome is grim.

Another brilliant case of murder to solve. At least a third of the book does not involve DI Lynley and Barbara Havers as the people connected to the victim give us their stories. I guessed who did it fairly early in the novel, but there was a big twist at the end. When Tommy Lynley and Barbara get involved I found I was more interested as I had read all the previous novels in the series.

There is comedy too as Barbara gets to stay at Lord Asherton‘s estate and of course Lord Asherton is Tommy himself. To complicate matters, Barbara is keeping secrets from Tommy but this cannot last long. Barbara is also undergoing a personal crisis of her own. Then she is asked by Tommy’s ex lover.Daidre to help prove the innocence of an arrested murder suspect.

Unusually, we get to hear a lot from the victim himself who at first seems okay but gradually becomes more and more unlikable mainly due to his misogynistic view of women.

This novel is such in Cornwall mainly, and the scene is set very well. There is a clear eyed view. of Tin mining but also of the problems running a larger estate, especially when the house needs serious repairs. And this is Tommy’s house.

I read an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publishers. I really like Elizabeth George as an author; she writes very well. I recommend this to anyone who likes a superior crime novel.

This is a slow-paced book that isn't really a police investigation as the Cornwall investigation team make a fast off-page arrest leaving a case full of holes: no weapon, no motive, they haven't bothered with fingerprint tests or opened the safe in the victim's office to find his will, just make assumptions and guesses. Lynley and Havers aren't called in as advertised in the blurb: they happen to be staying at Lynley's vast ducal family estate of Howenstow and Barbara Havers is contacted by Dairdre (yes, she's back!) and offers to spend her holiday as an assistant to the solicitor on the case for free. At about 75% Havers finds the weapon but that barely moves the case on - and at about 80% the lawyers finally find the will (in the victim's safe, exactly where you'd expect) and the journal of the murdered man, which we've already been drip-fed, and somehow Lynley and Havers are given the moral foreground.

All the space that should have been filled by the investigation is instead shared between backstory from the journal and various relationships of the family of the victim and various hangers-on: the woman concerned with her best friend's cheating boyfriend, the endless maneuverings of a dodgy 'eco-mining' company wanting to buy up land in Cornwall, the adult ex-teacher having an affair with his teenage pupil. Indeed, the latter seems to be the theme of the book: how toxic men abuse and victimise women. This series has always been character-driven and it's one of George's strengths that she creates complex situations and characters - here, though, most of this is essentially filler and stand-in for the murder investigation which barely gets off the ground. The truth is transparent from early on, in my case, and so there is no 'ah!' moment at the end - instead, I was waiting for Lynley and co. to catch up even though my insight comes from the journal that they don't have access to till close to the end. It's not a structure that worked for me and many of the relationships depicted felt like clichés.

And oh, the nuisance of Dairdre being brought back along with all her family! She's a character who has never gelled with me and here we're given an out of the blue revelation at the end which seems both a bit emotionally cheap and, sadly, to indicate the unconvincing love affair with Lynley is back on.

There's some comic relief as Barb visits Lynley's 'family pile' and wins over his family, of course. Back in London, Isabel Ardery is back and Winston Nkata makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearance. Some of Barb's more cartoonish characteristics are dialled down but it's still unbelievable that an intelligent police sergeant in the Met should think it's ok to turn up to work wearing a ridiculous slogan t-shirt, clown-striped drawstring trousers, red trainers with unbrushed teeth and uncombed hair - Barb is not an idiot even if she is suffering from repressed grief. And we see the proof when she goes shopping for some decentish clothes to take to Lynley's home.

I really wish this had been a proper murder investigation with the team, rather that using the excuse of someone else's case to get Lynley, Havers and Dairdre all together in Cornwall as hangers-on.

I'm so nostalgic for the earlier entries in this series where the police investigations were riveting, fascinating and took centre stage with all the great character work as supporting acts to give meat to the crime - here that dynamic is reversed, there's barely an investigation and we end up embroiled in the lives of so many almost random characters. George has such a skill to create people and situations that pull us in but they used to drop out of the investigation and lead back to it - here, it's like the murder case is mere excuse to create pen portraits of people and places in Cornwall, with barely a concern for the whodunnit aspects that fall by the wayside.

More 'slice of life' and indulgent 'Lynley and Havers go to Cornwall' than the murder thriller I was here for - and my heart truly sank at the end with its Dairdre and Lynley revelations.

Wonderfully written storyline with great characters.
An enjoyable read with the added bonus of being set in Cornwall.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

This is another wonderful read in the Inspector Lynley series. Michael Lobb, owner of a tin and pewter company in Cornwall has been found murdered. The first part of the book introduces us to the large cast of characters and Michael's relationship to them. We are a good way through the book when Lynley puts in an appearance. He goes to Cornwall to deal with repairs to his house and takes Barbara Havers with him. Barbara is daunted by the thought of staying in his stately home. While in Cornwall, they both become involved in solving the murder mystery.
The plot, when revealed, is grim and shocking.
George excels in creating believable characters. The descriptions of the Cornish landscape are superb.
Like all the books in the series, it kept me enthralled from the first page to the last.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This time her familiar characters are in slightly different territory, Lynley's home county of Cornwall. As always this is extremely well plotted with the denouement well disguised. I loved the flashes of humour in Barbara's tshirt slogans and the humanity shown in dealing with ( or not dealing with) parental death. Excellent as always.