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Mysteries, especially English murder ones, have always been one of my favorite genres. So, any time an Elizabeth George novel is published I’m there. I first became aware of this American author when my niece, Kristin, gave me a copy of Missing Joseph, her sixth novel. I was immediately hooked. The setting was so incredibly described it was surely like another character in the book.
Then I became obsessed with reading all George’s previous books. Not just reading but collecting first edition hardcovers. I scoured so many independent, used bookstores especially in the Boston area and on Cape Cod. Another favorite bookstore of mine is BookmanBookwoman. If you are ever in Nashville TN you must check it out. This place is a treasure trove and may even have those books you have been looking for. This is what I do with authors I love to read. It is a thrill when the hunt for a particular book is successful.
So, it is with a bit of a heavy heart that I write this review of the latest Lynley Series novel, Elizabeth George’s Just One Evil Act. You see back on September 21,1999 I went to a talk Ms George gave in Cambridge, MA while on a book tour for In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner. After the question and answer session I stood in line to get my copy of the book autographed such an exciting moment for me meeting this incredible author and all. I had long thought of her books as literature. Having a bit of a history with the author I was so looking forward to reading her latest book.
Sad to say Just One Evil Act was a difficult read for me. More than once I’m thinking I can’t continue reading this, it’s too long, I don’t seem to care what happens, I’m not invested in the characters etc etc. Let me say that Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers in particular was the source of my consternation. She had such a blind, annoying devotion to her neighbor, Azhar and his kidnapped daughter, Hadiyyah that I just was not buying it. Barbara has always been a bit of a renegade which is one of things which made her a favorite of mine. Now I was trying to manage my feelings of not really caring what became of her or Azhar and Hadiyyah for that matter. But the thoughts I was having about Barbara really hurt.
Barbara was so real to me. Never did I think that I would no longer care about a once beloved character. This is why it was so hard for me to get through the book. I’ve thought long and hard about whether I will continue to read the Lynley Series. I have read them all beginning with her first novel, A Great Deliverance published in 1988. The feeling I have about Barbara is one of being deserted by an old friend whose actions crossed several lines of what you were accustomed to expecting. Some may call it character growth but for me it was in a negative way.
It is only fair to acknowledge that I may want to continue to learn more about Scotland Yard Inspector Thomas Lynley’s journey. One very bright spot in this book was Lynley beginning to find love again after the painful murder of his pregnant wife, Helen. So, it is likely that learning more about Thomas Lynley will be enough for me to give Elizabeth George’s next Lynley book a read.
