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Simon Serrailler #6
The Betrayal of Trust
Freak weather and flash floods all over southern England. Half of Lafferton is afloat. A landslip on the Moor has closed the bypass and, as the rain slowly drains away, a shallow grave - and a skeleton - are exposed. The remains are identified as those of missing teenager, Harriet Lowther, last seen 16 years ago.
355 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
325 people are currently reading
1730 people want to read
About the author
Susan Hill
180 books2,263 followersSusan Hill was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire in 1942. Her hometown was later referred to in her novel A Change for the Better (1969) and some short stories especially "Cockles and Mussels".
She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factories. Hill states that she attended a girls’ grammar school, Barr's Hill. Her fellow pupils included Jennifer Page, the first Chief Executive of the Millennium Dome. At Barrs Hill she took A levels in English, French, History and Latin, proceeding to an English degree at King's College London. By this time she had already written her first novel, The Enclosure which was published by Hutchinson in her first year at university. The novel was criticised by The Daily Mail for its sexual content, with the suggestion that writing in this style was unsuitable for a "schoolgirl".
Her next novel Gentleman and Ladies was published in 1968. This was followed in quick succession by A Change for the Better, I'm the King of the Castle, The Albatross and other stories, Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, A Bit of Singing and Dancing and In the Springtime of Year, all written and published between 1968 and 1974.
In 1975 she married Shakespeare scholar Stanley Wells and they moved to Stratford upon Avon. Their first daughter, Jessica, was born in 1977 and their second daughter, Clemency, was born in 1985. Hill has recently founded her own publishing company, Long Barn Books, which has published one work of fiction per year.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author by this name.
She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factories. Hill states that she attended a girls’ grammar school, Barr's Hill. Her fellow pupils included Jennifer Page, the first Chief Executive of the Millennium Dome. At Barrs Hill she took A levels in English, French, History and Latin, proceeding to an English degree at King's College London. By this time she had already written her first novel, The Enclosure which was published by Hutchinson in her first year at university. The novel was criticised by The Daily Mail for its sexual content, with the suggestion that writing in this style was unsuitable for a "schoolgirl".
Her next novel Gentleman and Ladies was published in 1968. This was followed in quick succession by A Change for the Better, I'm the King of the Castle, The Albatross and other stories, Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, A Bit of Singing and Dancing and In the Springtime of Year, all written and published between 1968 and 1974.
In 1975 she married Shakespeare scholar Stanley Wells and they moved to Stratford upon Avon. Their first daughter, Jessica, was born in 1977 and their second daughter, Clemency, was born in 1985. Hill has recently founded her own publishing company, Long Barn Books, which has published one work of fiction per year.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author by this name.
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December 28, 2024
Sometimes people say to me that they have never heard of Susan Hill. “Have you seen 'The Woman in Black'?” I ask. Invariably that rings a bell. And anyone who found the stage dramatisation or film of that novel compelling, should be prepared to be riveted and disturbed in equal measure by The Betrayal of Trust. In it you will read of a gruesome discovery, danger and betrayal, suffering and endurance, a cold case — followed by another — plus a detailed analysis of issues to do with terminal illness, assisted suicide, and our own mortality. It is written with great fluency ... but it is not an easy read.
For many years Susan Hill had an established reputation as a literary writer, having won many awards with her early novels. Then a while ago she seemed to switch horses mid-stream, and her writing took a new direction. Stating that the modern crime novel was now itself, “a serious literary genre,” she decided, “My aim was to look at issues in the world around me and contemporary life — which I have not done in my novels before.” So now, as well as writing the ghost stories which her public demand every Christmas — which are also a departure from her earlier mainstream writing — she also is the author of a hugely successful crime series. It features the invented character of Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler, and is based in a fictional cathedral town called Lafferton, near London. The Betrayal of Trust is the sixth novel in this series, and was published in 2011.
At the beginning of the novel we learn that Lafferton has been flooded with downpours of heavy rain, resulting in a cascade of sludge and rubble being washed down from the moors. This landslide has blocked the road, but there is something even worse ... As the rain slowly drains away, the skeleton of a young girl and a shallow grave become exposed.
The remains are examined forensically, and quickly identified as those of a missing teenager, Harriet Lowther. Harriet was 15 years old, a bright, confident and happy girl, the daughter of a prominent local businessman. Then she vanished without trace one afternoon in 1995, sixteen years earlier, whilst waiting at a bus-stop. Harriet had been on the way to meet her mother in Lafferton. This started her mother’s downward spiral of depression, eventually leading to her suicide.
Soon after this, another skeleton is found nearby, and Serrailler has to determine the identity of the second victim, who is also a young girl. He also needs to reopen the first case, and establish whether the two murders are connected.
Those who know Susan Hill’s writing will know that although the book is defined as a police procedural, it will not have a plot whose complexity lies in the mechanics of the crime. Rather, the novel will take a sideways shift. It is not merely the land which slips, but the concerns within the novel. Despite our best efforts, we are immune to Susan Hill's great powers of storytelling. We become distracted from solving the crime, to become immersed in the lives of the main characters. Moreover, our understanding of the huge life issues which concern them soon develops into more abstract reflections, and an analysis of ethical principles. Allied to this is the more familiar device of a back story, about the inspector’s personal life. Sometimes the sheer range of subjects involved overwhelms us, and we no longer feel so gripped by the enormity of the crimes themselves. Our minds have become otherwise occupied.
If we focus on the story, we are still more concerned with Simon Serrailler’s sister — or another character with increasing dementia — and cannot yet see how, or even if, they will play a part in the main plot. Cat, also known as Dr. Deerbon, has been recently widowed. She is also head-hunted as the full-time director of a hospice, which inevitably is in financial crisis and has staff shortages. Cat has always seemed a more balanced and rounded person than her brother Simon, but his incessant self-absorption seems to begin to fray even her nerves in this novel. The extended family all seem to make demands on her, and she is in danger of becoming the main character herself. She also has to take charge of a medical student, who is very new to the concept of hospice patients; yet another area of ethics to explore.
Another very absorbing plotline is about a woman of 73 who is diagnosed with motor neurone disease, and who determines on assisted suicide. Her daughter is bitterly opposed to this decision. As her daughter is a lawyer, there are thus many legal and moral dilemmas and ramifications in store. In cases of assisted suicide, even complicity itself is technically illegal in this country (Susan Hill is English) and a lawyer would necessarily fall foul of this aspect, whereas a member of the general public following their conscience, would arguably have the option of deciding differently.
There is also the question of fees, and who else would need to be involved: family, friend or employed stranger. There is the question of the doctors’ integrity, and the professionalism of the clinic. Are any of the individuals offering to assist a suicide (by enabling travel overseas), possibly dishonest and unprincipled — just out to defraud? This part of the story becomes as full of suspense as either of the two crimes. What will be the fate of the woman? Is the professed compassionate help, always genuine? What will become of any companion eventually chosen to accompany her to Switzerland — and face the possibility of prosecution on their return? We examine the compassion and motivations behind both issues; those surrounding assisted suicide, and also the area of hospice funding, budget cutbacks, and appointments.
In fact the story is meshed into these concerns very effectively, and feels totally plausible. The problem I found with much of it was that even though it was a page-turner, it did not follow the channels expected in a crime novel. You cannot go by the cover, or the blurb, or the genre this is placed in. I have found this before with Susan Hill's work; she breaks all the rules. It is rather like having a hero you follow for half a book — only to then find you are following another entirely. It might make you lose faith in the book.
One of the more expected subplots concerns the protagonist, Simon Serrailler's, love life. At the beginning he is unattached, but — as always — during the course of the novel, this is to change. And this time there is an added complication. Simon Serrailler has fallen head over heels for someone he has met at a dinner party. But although the two of them had both felt overwhelmingly attracted to each other immediately, she is not in the same situation as he is. She has a much-loved and older husband. In keeping with the novel's recurring motif, he suffers from the debilitating condition of Parkinson’s disease. Conscience dictates that she must be loyal to him, despite her feelings for Simon Serrailler.
This novel is as always, beautifully written. We learn much about the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and the dementia suffered by another character. The novel is dark, thoughtful and uncomfortable. It is filled with illness, death and dying, but the topics are explored honestly and with a sure sense of conscience. Perhaps it indicates the ageing author, to be preoccupied with such topics. They are clearly more in the forefront of her mind, and the sections about the crimes themselves sometimes seem almost unwelcome, as if they interrupt the main concern, and are put in as an afterthought.
So what is happening here? Is the secondary theme in fact the main theme of this novel? Is it not really a crime novel per se? Certainly the idea of assisted suicide is more serious and complex than its ostensible subject — which after all is necessarily hypothetical: a couple of crimes in a work of fiction. So indeed are the issues surrounding end of life care, degenerative diseases and hospices. The author treats these issues with great respect, allowing a deep exploration of all topics through the characters in her book. However they inevitably overshadow the "crimes", which sometimes all but get lost. The novel feels rather unbalanced.
There are two investigations here, which both demand our attention. Ironically, it is the real-life one which preoccupies us more than the fictional element. It is clearly more important than the other — yet the fact that we are diverted from the novel's raison d'être might make us feel cheated. It is not just the embankment which has crumbled. It is our loyalty to the plot. It is still the story of life and death in an English town, yes, but it has been stretched to panoramic proportions. The murders are just tiny instances of dramas which happen throughout life in Lafferton, which is clearly viewed as a microcosm of the world. The author has her initial promise to us firmly in her mind; she certainly is looking at — and dissecting in great detail — issues in the world around her. They are contemporary issues, these issues of life and death — but they are also timeless too.
This is not to say that there is no completion to the mystery. The crimes are explained, as Simon Serrailler solves the mystery of the two deaths. Crime aficionados however, may be slightly disappointed by the ending. They may even have managed to guess part of it, as there are so few characters in the novel. In this way, the Serrailler novels are not as complex as many murder mysteries. Some fans of detective novels may well feel that they did not "buy in" to this novel to be presented with quite so much much about illness and dying, at the expense of another juicy murder, or a more detailed investigation of the two murders. Their own mortality may not be on their minds quite as much as the author's.
However, in sheer quality of writing, the Serrailler series beats many a cops book hands down. Plus there are two more tantalising elements, to make us keep reading the series. Firstly Simon Serrailler's frustrated love affair remains unresolved. And secondly, we become aware that unbeknownst to him, a new killer has moved onto the scene.
I probably will continue with this series about Simon Serrailler, the tall, handsome, fastidious, artistic, top cop in a fictional cathedral town not far from London. True to type, he is never romantically attached for long. Perhaps this is another case where the author has eventually fallen in love with her own created character, just as Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey) and P.D. James (Adam Dalgleish) did. But it is not a series I'd go to for a standard lightweight police procedural.
In fact it makes me wonder which particular heavy life issue Susan Hill will present me with next, in the guise of a less-than-cosy mystery.
For many years Susan Hill had an established reputation as a literary writer, having won many awards with her early novels. Then a while ago she seemed to switch horses mid-stream, and her writing took a new direction. Stating that the modern crime novel was now itself, “a serious literary genre,” she decided, “My aim was to look at issues in the world around me and contemporary life — which I have not done in my novels before.” So now, as well as writing the ghost stories which her public demand every Christmas — which are also a departure from her earlier mainstream writing — she also is the author of a hugely successful crime series. It features the invented character of Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler, and is based in a fictional cathedral town called Lafferton, near London. The Betrayal of Trust is the sixth novel in this series, and was published in 2011.
At the beginning of the novel we learn that Lafferton has been flooded with downpours of heavy rain, resulting in a cascade of sludge and rubble being washed down from the moors. This landslide has blocked the road, but there is something even worse ... As the rain slowly drains away, the skeleton of a young girl and a shallow grave become exposed.
The remains are examined forensically, and quickly identified as those of a missing teenager, Harriet Lowther. Harriet was 15 years old, a bright, confident and happy girl, the daughter of a prominent local businessman. Then she vanished without trace one afternoon in 1995, sixteen years earlier, whilst waiting at a bus-stop. Harriet had been on the way to meet her mother in Lafferton. This started her mother’s downward spiral of depression, eventually leading to her suicide.
Soon after this, another skeleton is found nearby, and Serrailler has to determine the identity of the second victim, who is also a young girl. He also needs to reopen the first case, and establish whether the two murders are connected.
Those who know Susan Hill’s writing will know that although the book is defined as a police procedural, it will not have a plot whose complexity lies in the mechanics of the crime. Rather, the novel will take a sideways shift. It is not merely the land which slips, but the concerns within the novel. Despite our best efforts, we are immune to Susan Hill's great powers of storytelling. We become distracted from solving the crime, to become immersed in the lives of the main characters. Moreover, our understanding of the huge life issues which concern them soon develops into more abstract reflections, and an analysis of ethical principles. Allied to this is the more familiar device of a back story, about the inspector’s personal life. Sometimes the sheer range of subjects involved overwhelms us, and we no longer feel so gripped by the enormity of the crimes themselves. Our minds have become otherwise occupied.
If we focus on the story, we are still more concerned with Simon Serrailler’s sister — or another character with increasing dementia — and cannot yet see how, or even if, they will play a part in the main plot. Cat, also known as Dr. Deerbon, has been recently widowed. She is also head-hunted as the full-time director of a hospice, which inevitably is in financial crisis and has staff shortages. Cat has always seemed a more balanced and rounded person than her brother Simon, but his incessant self-absorption seems to begin to fray even her nerves in this novel. The extended family all seem to make demands on her, and she is in danger of becoming the main character herself. She also has to take charge of a medical student, who is very new to the concept of hospice patients; yet another area of ethics to explore.
Another very absorbing plotline is about a woman of 73 who is diagnosed with motor neurone disease, and who determines on assisted suicide. Her daughter is bitterly opposed to this decision. As her daughter is a lawyer, there are thus many legal and moral dilemmas and ramifications in store. In cases of assisted suicide, even complicity itself is technically illegal in this country (Susan Hill is English) and a lawyer would necessarily fall foul of this aspect, whereas a member of the general public following their conscience, would arguably have the option of deciding differently.
There is also the question of fees, and who else would need to be involved: family, friend or employed stranger. There is the question of the doctors’ integrity, and the professionalism of the clinic. Are any of the individuals offering to assist a suicide (by enabling travel overseas), possibly dishonest and unprincipled — just out to defraud? This part of the story becomes as full of suspense as either of the two crimes. What will be the fate of the woman? Is the professed compassionate help, always genuine? What will become of any companion eventually chosen to accompany her to Switzerland — and face the possibility of prosecution on their return? We examine the compassion and motivations behind both issues; those surrounding assisted suicide, and also the area of hospice funding, budget cutbacks, and appointments.
In fact the story is meshed into these concerns very effectively, and feels totally plausible. The problem I found with much of it was that even though it was a page-turner, it did not follow the channels expected in a crime novel. You cannot go by the cover, or the blurb, or the genre this is placed in. I have found this before with Susan Hill's work; she breaks all the rules. It is rather like having a hero you follow for half a book — only to then find you are following another entirely. It might make you lose faith in the book.
One of the more expected subplots concerns the protagonist, Simon Serrailler's, love life. At the beginning he is unattached, but — as always — during the course of the novel, this is to change. And this time there is an added complication. Simon Serrailler has fallen head over heels for someone he has met at a dinner party. But although the two of them had both felt overwhelmingly attracted to each other immediately, she is not in the same situation as he is. She has a much-loved and older husband. In keeping with the novel's recurring motif, he suffers from the debilitating condition of Parkinson’s disease. Conscience dictates that she must be loyal to him, despite her feelings for Simon Serrailler.
This novel is as always, beautifully written. We learn much about the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and the dementia suffered by another character. The novel is dark, thoughtful and uncomfortable. It is filled with illness, death and dying, but the topics are explored honestly and with a sure sense of conscience. Perhaps it indicates the ageing author, to be preoccupied with such topics. They are clearly more in the forefront of her mind, and the sections about the crimes themselves sometimes seem almost unwelcome, as if they interrupt the main concern, and are put in as an afterthought.
So what is happening here? Is the secondary theme in fact the main theme of this novel? Is it not really a crime novel per se? Certainly the idea of assisted suicide is more serious and complex than its ostensible subject — which after all is necessarily hypothetical: a couple of crimes in a work of fiction. So indeed are the issues surrounding end of life care, degenerative diseases and hospices. The author treats these issues with great respect, allowing a deep exploration of all topics through the characters in her book. However they inevitably overshadow the "crimes", which sometimes all but get lost. The novel feels rather unbalanced.
There are two investigations here, which both demand our attention. Ironically, it is the real-life one which preoccupies us more than the fictional element. It is clearly more important than the other — yet the fact that we are diverted from the novel's raison d'être might make us feel cheated. It is not just the embankment which has crumbled. It is our loyalty to the plot. It is still the story of life and death in an English town, yes, but it has been stretched to panoramic proportions. The murders are just tiny instances of dramas which happen throughout life in Lafferton, which is clearly viewed as a microcosm of the world. The author has her initial promise to us firmly in her mind; she certainly is looking at — and dissecting in great detail — issues in the world around her. They are contemporary issues, these issues of life and death — but they are also timeless too.
This is not to say that there is no completion to the mystery. The crimes are explained, as Simon Serrailler solves the mystery of the two deaths. Crime aficionados however, may be slightly disappointed by the ending. They may even have managed to guess part of it, as there are so few characters in the novel. In this way, the Serrailler novels are not as complex as many murder mysteries. Some fans of detective novels may well feel that they did not "buy in" to this novel to be presented with quite so much much about illness and dying, at the expense of another juicy murder, or a more detailed investigation of the two murders. Their own mortality may not be on their minds quite as much as the author's.
However, in sheer quality of writing, the Serrailler series beats many a cops book hands down. Plus there are two more tantalising elements, to make us keep reading the series. Firstly Simon Serrailler's frustrated love affair remains unresolved. And secondly, we become aware that unbeknownst to him, a new killer has moved onto the scene.
I probably will continue with this series about Simon Serrailler, the tall, handsome, fastidious, artistic, top cop in a fictional cathedral town not far from London. True to type, he is never romantically attached for long. Perhaps this is another case where the author has eventually fallen in love with her own created character, just as Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey) and P.D. James (Adam Dalgleish) did. But it is not a series I'd go to for a standard lightweight police procedural.
In fact it makes me wonder which particular heavy life issue Susan Hill will present me with next, in the guise of a less-than-cosy mystery.
July 12, 2018
This 6th of the Simon Serrailler series is an excellent read. The town of Lafferton is swept by torrential rains that flood the roads, uproot trees and dislodge land. In one area, a skeleton is revealed that proves to be that of 15 year old Harriet Lowther, missing for 16 years. A long cold case is reopened.
With the chief on leave and personnel cutbacks, Simon is back to hands on police work rather than administrative tasks and is largely a one man team working through the old records and seeking new leads.
In the middle of this, Simon himself appears to have fallen in love! And his family continues to have problems relating to each other and coping with past changes. There is also a secondary plot related to assisted suicide that is another interesting story of people in trouble. It amazes me that Hill can keep these various balls twirling and the stories spinning without any crashes.
I’m looking forward to A Question of Identity, the next book in the series, which I also have from the library. Now I can learn the answers to some lingering questions.
With the chief on leave and personnel cutbacks, Simon is back to hands on police work rather than administrative tasks and is largely a one man team working through the old records and seeking new leads.
In the middle of this, Simon himself appears to have fallen in love! And his family continues to have problems relating to each other and coping with past changes. There is also a secondary plot related to assisted suicide that is another interesting story of people in trouble. It amazes me that Hill can keep these various balls twirling and the stories spinning without any crashes.
I’m looking forward to A Question of Identity, the next book in the series, which I also have from the library. Now I can learn the answers to some lingering questions.
December 31, 2015
Every time I open the cover of one of Susan Hill's Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler mysteries I think, well, she's going to have figured this out by now. She's going to have realized that you can't keep passing your readership razor blades and encouraging the location of a vein. She's going to have stopped imagining that she's doing me some monumental literary favor by illuminating the miserable nature of life and the sheer folly of hoping for a moment's joy, some form of contentment, some small, safe haven of an actual peace. It's going to have dawned on her that I'm here for the solving of a crime and not the crush of an existential clarity dark enough to chamber a bullet and cock a hammer back. She's going to alter this avenue of approach. She is. She surely is. And every time, every single bloody time, I'm wrong. So very wrong.
The skeletons of two young women have been unearthed during a flood. Simon Serrailler takes up the challenge to identify the remains and hunt the killer down. Because he's just your garden variety ass who would really much rather be sketching on the moors, this is going to take some time. So in the interim we'll be spending several chapters with his sister, Cat, a hospice doctor, and a group of heartbreakingly bereft elderly people as they are diagnosed and struggle to contend with dementia, motor neuron disease and Parkinson's. All of this will bear only the most glancing connection to Simon's quest, and yet I suspect Ms. Hill is more than well aware that no one - not a single, solitary reader - would sit through this level of catastrophic despair without the promised biscuit of an eventual arrest. (And there are times she's out of biscuits, people. I feel it's only fair to mention that.)
I know, I know. I should just let it go. But it's really a matter of principle now.
Proceed at your own risk.
The skeletons of two young women have been unearthed during a flood. Simon Serrailler takes up the challenge to identify the remains and hunt the killer down. Because he's just your garden variety ass who would really much rather be sketching on the moors, this is going to take some time. So in the interim we'll be spending several chapters with his sister, Cat, a hospice doctor, and a group of heartbreakingly bereft elderly people as they are diagnosed and struggle to contend with dementia, motor neuron disease and Parkinson's. All of this will bear only the most glancing connection to Simon's quest, and yet I suspect Ms. Hill is more than well aware that no one - not a single, solitary reader - would sit through this level of catastrophic despair without the promised biscuit of an eventual arrest. (And there are times she's out of biscuits, people. I feel it's only fair to mention that.)
I know, I know. I should just let it go. But it's really a matter of principle now.
Proceed at your own risk.
December 5, 2011
I was waiting for this, the sixth book in Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler detective series.
I have loved this series for so many reasons. The quality of the writing. The perfectly drawn, complex characters and relationships. The broad view of crime and all those it touches. Consideration of serious issues. And the willingness to break the conventions of crime fiction, leaving loose ends, carrying plot strands between books.
All of that is still present. The body of a girl missing for many years and another, unidentified body, are found. The lives of the Serailler family continue to evolve. A woman considers ending her life when she is diagnosed with a progressive, debilitating disease. And another woman struggles to cope with her partner’s slide into dementia. The plot links them all.
But the plot is unbalanced. The crime story felt secondary to the consideration of ageing, illness and how a life should end. Important issues but, for me, having to consider motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease all in one piece of crime fiction was too much.
The ending of the crime story was much too neat, and much too rushed, ongoing storylines were advanced too little, and far too many threads were left hanging.
I can but hope that there will be another book to answer my questions, and that book will get the balance right.
I have loved this series for so many reasons. The quality of the writing. The perfectly drawn, complex characters and relationships. The broad view of crime and all those it touches. Consideration of serious issues. And the willingness to break the conventions of crime fiction, leaving loose ends, carrying plot strands between books.
All of that is still present. The body of a girl missing for many years and another, unidentified body, are found. The lives of the Serailler family continue to evolve. A woman considers ending her life when she is diagnosed with a progressive, debilitating disease. And another woman struggles to cope with her partner’s slide into dementia. The plot links them all.
But the plot is unbalanced. The crime story felt secondary to the consideration of ageing, illness and how a life should end. Important issues but, for me, having to consider motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease all in one piece of crime fiction was too much.
The ending of the crime story was much too neat, and much too rushed, ongoing storylines were advanced too little, and far too many threads were left hanging.
I can but hope that there will be another book to answer my questions, and that book will get the balance right.
August 2, 2017
'How they change us, change us and age us, how they leave their mark, these terrible things. '
Susan Hill never writes about just one thing. Although The Betrayal of Trust, #6 in the excellent Simon Serrailler series, is primarily the story of Harriet Lowther, a schoolgirl who went missing 16 years before her body is uncovered by a land slip, it also addresses the relentless march of and the devastation caused by dementia and motor neurone disease, and the delicate subject of assisted death.
As always when I pick up one of Hill's books, whether or not I have read it before, I know I am going to get nothing done until I am finished.
Susan Hill never writes about just one thing. Although The Betrayal of Trust, #6 in the excellent Simon Serrailler series, is primarily the story of Harriet Lowther, a schoolgirl who went missing 16 years before her body is uncovered by a land slip, it also addresses the relentless march of and the devastation caused by dementia and motor neurone disease, and the delicate subject of assisted death.
As always when I pick up one of Hill's books, whether or not I have read it before, I know I am going to get nothing done until I am finished.
December 11, 2023
I recently rediscovered this series and now I can’t get enough of it. I don’t usually read them right in a row like this, but they’re hitting my current mood perfectly. So, onward I go.
Lafferton has had a deluge of rain. The resulting fallout included the unearthing of two shallowly buried skeletons. When it’s determined that their dating is fairly recent, DCI Simon Serrailler starts looking for a killer (or killers).
Along with the DCI and his close circle of recurring detective characters, you’ll see what’s been happening with Simon’s family members. In addition, two new characters are introduced, and I’m interested in seeing where their storylines go.
Hill has a way of making you care for people (sometimes, even villains) immediately. Sometimes she’ll introduce new characters in a chapter, and follow their story every few chapters for awhile, and you have no idea how they connect to the storylines already in place. Not to worry, though, because eventually she ties them all together, and they will make sense in the bigger picture.
If you enjoy a creepy British atmospheric tale ( including that perfect sinister voice on the audio narration), that is high on character development, while being low on sex, violence and gore, I encourage you to try this series. These aren’t cozies as she does mess with her readers’ heads here and there. But I’m really enjoying both her writing, setting, and especially her characterization. The plot is always interesting, and usually keeps me up later than I want to be, but for me, the plots here are secondary to my interest in the lives of her recurring characters.
This entire series is highly recommended.
Lafferton has had a deluge of rain. The resulting fallout included the unearthing of two shallowly buried skeletons. When it’s determined that their dating is fairly recent, DCI Simon Serrailler starts looking for a killer (or killers).
Along with the DCI and his close circle of recurring detective characters, you’ll see what’s been happening with Simon’s family members. In addition, two new characters are introduced, and I’m interested in seeing where their storylines go.
Hill has a way of making you care for people (sometimes, even villains) immediately. Sometimes she’ll introduce new characters in a chapter, and follow their story every few chapters for awhile, and you have no idea how they connect to the storylines already in place. Not to worry, though, because eventually she ties them all together, and they will make sense in the bigger picture.
If you enjoy a creepy British atmospheric tale ( including that perfect sinister voice on the audio narration), that is high on character development, while being low on sex, violence and gore, I encourage you to try this series. These aren’t cozies as she does mess with her readers’ heads here and there. But I’m really enjoying both her writing, setting, and especially her characterization. The plot is always interesting, and usually keeps me up later than I want to be, but for me, the plots here are secondary to my interest in the lives of her recurring characters.
This entire series is highly recommended.
September 2, 2016
This was a good installment of this series. The mystery was in solving a cold case involving a teen-ager gone missing 16 years ago. Simon had to go this one alone due to budget cuts in the department. A side story involving assisted suicide pros and cons for terminally I'll patients gave some fascinating insights into that issue as well. And Simon falls in love.
March 11, 2019
This is one of my favourite "quieter" series. That's not to say that nothing happens. Indeed some of the stories have been quite dramatic but they are definitely character driven. So along with whatever murder is being investigated we are privy to the rich tapestry of the lives of Superintendent Simon Serrailler and his family and certain other significant others. I wouldn't say the books are heartwarming either, just at times quite intimate in their portrayal of these characters and their foibles, warts and all.
There are two main story lines in this book. In one a bad storm causes flooding and a landslide which exposes a skeleton where there shouldn't be one, further investigation reveals a second. It is soon found that one of the skeletons is that of a teenaged girl who went missing 16 years ago. The other proves more difficult to identify. The other story line was hard for me to read about. Jocelyn, a sprightly 72 year old, has been experiencing some odd symptoms and then learns it is motor neurone disease. As she is aware of how the disease will progress she decides to take her own life while she still can. My mother died of MND and she, too, was an active and busy person who died far too young. It was just awful watching the deterioration helplessly, unable to do a damn thing. So anyway Jocelyn explores a range of options for euthanasia or assisted dying - some not very ethical. I was wondering if my mother wouldn't have preferred that if it had been an option all those years ago (the ethical version of course).
Despite the above, I thought this was one of the better books in the series although I have thoroughly enjoyed them all.
There are two main story lines in this book. In one a bad storm causes flooding and a landslide which exposes a skeleton where there shouldn't be one, further investigation reveals a second. It is soon found that one of the skeletons is that of a teenaged girl who went missing 16 years ago. The other proves more difficult to identify. The other story line was hard for me to read about. Jocelyn, a sprightly 72 year old, has been experiencing some odd symptoms and then learns it is motor neurone disease. As she is aware of how the disease will progress she decides to take her own life while she still can. My mother died of MND and she, too, was an active and busy person who died far too young. It was just awful watching the deterioration helplessly, unable to do a damn thing. So anyway Jocelyn explores a range of options for euthanasia or assisted dying - some not very ethical. I was wondering if my mother wouldn't have preferred that if it had been an option all those years ago (the ethical version of course).
Despite the above, I thought this was one of the better books in the series although I have thoroughly enjoyed them all.
August 23, 2020
Where I got the book: audiobook on Audible. And yeah, I reviewed this book in 2012 and my other review gives it a higher rating, but this time I'm seeing it in the context of the whole series plus I get grumpier as I get older. I stand by what I said in that review.
And here's today's review:
I get the feeling that Hill got so wrapped up in the subplots about assisted suicide and dementia that she kind of forgot about the actual crime story somewhere in the middle there. I certainly did. The crime story is the discovery of two skeletons during a flash flood—one is that of a schoolgirl who went missing sixteen years before, the other seems to have no connection with anyone. Serrailler, who by now is of high enough rank that he needs an excuse to leave his desk to work on a crime, finds himself working almost alone because of cuts in police resources. It seems almost too coincidental that the key witness finally emerges after all this time, given that Serrailler didn’t have a clue throughout most of the book. The identity of the killer started to become obvious at a certain point anyway, if only by a process of elimination.
And what is UP with the falling in love at first sight? Totally deprives the reader of the pleasure of watching a woman finally get under Simon’s skin in a realistic way, which is what I originally thought was going to happen with Jane Fitzroy, a few books back. Hill’s so good with writing realistic relationships, too, but only when they’re realistically far from ideal. Here she gives us perfect Disney insta-love—the chick even has violet eyes, creamy skin and gorgeous red hair. I immediately thought of Ariel the Little Mermaid (cue crab singing “you gotta kiss de girl.”) Seeeeeeeeeriously? And of course the love is thwarted by the tiny fact that she’s married, which doesn’t seem to deter either of them. Le sigh.
So anyway, what with all the other stuff going on, the increasingly obvious solution to the crime story is pushed into a rushed-over confrontation where Serrailler basically stares down the witness until they (deliberate use of neutral pronoun) crumble. And a massive thread is left dangling, leaving me thinking that the subplot that consumes so much space in this book was another of Hill’s gigantic red herrings, which I’m coming to expect every time I begin a new one of these novels.
I don’t sound like I enjoyed this episode, but I did, because Hill writes so well that it’s going to be hard to give her anything less than three stars. I do get impatient with her, though, because she never seems to want to give any real structure to her tales and has this tendency to just drop plot points when she has no further use for them. Still, what with the good narration and Hill’s way with words, I can easily listen to this series without ever getting annoyed to the point where I want to stop.
And here's today's review:
I get the feeling that Hill got so wrapped up in the subplots about assisted suicide and dementia that she kind of forgot about the actual crime story somewhere in the middle there. I certainly did. The crime story is the discovery of two skeletons during a flash flood—one is that of a schoolgirl who went missing sixteen years before, the other seems to have no connection with anyone. Serrailler, who by now is of high enough rank that he needs an excuse to leave his desk to work on a crime, finds himself working almost alone because of cuts in police resources. It seems almost too coincidental that the key witness finally emerges after all this time, given that Serrailler didn’t have a clue throughout most of the book. The identity of the killer started to become obvious at a certain point anyway, if only by a process of elimination.
And what is UP with the falling in love at first sight? Totally deprives the reader of the pleasure of watching a woman finally get under Simon’s skin in a realistic way, which is what I originally thought was going to happen with Jane Fitzroy, a few books back. Hill’s so good with writing realistic relationships, too, but only when they’re realistically far from ideal. Here she gives us perfect Disney insta-love—the chick even has violet eyes, creamy skin and gorgeous red hair. I immediately thought of Ariel the Little Mermaid (cue crab singing “you gotta kiss de girl.”) Seeeeeeeeeriously? And of course the love is thwarted by the tiny fact that she’s married, which doesn’t seem to deter either of them. Le sigh.
So anyway, what with all the other stuff going on, the increasingly obvious solution to the crime story is pushed into a rushed-over confrontation where Serrailler basically stares down the witness until they (deliberate use of neutral pronoun) crumble. And a massive thread is left dangling, leaving me thinking that the subplot that consumes so much space in this book was another of Hill’s gigantic red herrings, which I’m coming to expect every time I begin a new one of these novels.
I don’t sound like I enjoyed this episode, but I did, because Hill writes so well that it’s going to be hard to give her anything less than three stars. I do get impatient with her, though, because she never seems to want to give any real structure to her tales and has this tendency to just drop plot points when she has no further use for them. Still, what with the good narration and Hill’s way with words, I can easily listen to this series without ever getting annoyed to the point where I want to stop.
February 16, 2012
SLIGHTLY SPOILERISH IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH.
Where I got the book: from my local library.
I read a lot of Susan Hill when I was a young woman (between dodging the dinosaurs). That was before the internet and I didn't have a TV, so I would go into the W.H. Smith's in the center of Brussels (which had a tea room on the upper floor, just imagine) and come back with a pile of books. When I think of the sheer amount of TIME I had back then...
But I digress. This is the second Simon Serrailler book I've read, and not in order I think. The setup is classic police procedural: fictional cathedral town, lonely attractive senior detective with a Past and a penchant for sensitive pursuits (in this case art). All well and good. I quite like Serrailler and his family, who naturally get pulled into interacting with sinister criminal types like moths to a flame.
So I enjoyed this latest episode, finding it a compelling read and enjoying the restrained, clear writing that's a Hill hallmark. What gets interesting is seeing how all the separate threads presented at the beginning of the book get woven together as the narrative progresses, usually with a satisfying ending.
But.
THE ENDING.
Cries of WHAT? HUH? NO WAY! emanated from the Steen residence. No no no no no. This is not the kind of book where you get to leave loose threads dangling all over the place. I don't care if it's a series, I do NOT want "find out next time" to be the end of a crime novel. And the one thread that was tied up was done so very unsatisfactorily imho.
And I was surprised to detect some typos in the text, and even some inelegant sentences (I'm talking about things like using the same word twice in close proximity, stuff you usually detect in the first round of edits and certainly hope to catch by the third draft). And on a very bizarre note, the blurb on the front inside flap gets the name of Victim #1 wrong.
Yet the strength of the writing and the well-roundedness (for a procedural) of the characters, plus the brooding sense of horror that always seems to hang over a Hill novel, redeemed it enough for four stars. And I'll read the next one [SPOILER] to see just when Serrailler's new girlfriend falls into the clutches of an axe murderer. It's bound to happen.
Where I got the book: from my local library.
I read a lot of Susan Hill when I was a young woman (between dodging the dinosaurs). That was before the internet and I didn't have a TV, so I would go into the W.H. Smith's in the center of Brussels (which had a tea room on the upper floor, just imagine) and come back with a pile of books. When I think of the sheer amount of TIME I had back then...
But I digress. This is the second Simon Serrailler book I've read, and not in order I think. The setup is classic police procedural: fictional cathedral town, lonely attractive senior detective with a Past and a penchant for sensitive pursuits (in this case art). All well and good. I quite like Serrailler and his family, who naturally get pulled into interacting with sinister criminal types like moths to a flame.
So I enjoyed this latest episode, finding it a compelling read and enjoying the restrained, clear writing that's a Hill hallmark. What gets interesting is seeing how all the separate threads presented at the beginning of the book get woven together as the narrative progresses, usually with a satisfying ending.
But.
THE ENDING.
Cries of WHAT? HUH? NO WAY! emanated from the Steen residence. No no no no no. This is not the kind of book where you get to leave loose threads dangling all over the place. I don't care if it's a series, I do NOT want "find out next time" to be the end of a crime novel. And the one thread that was tied up was done so very unsatisfactorily imho.
And I was surprised to detect some typos in the text, and even some inelegant sentences (I'm talking about things like using the same word twice in close proximity, stuff you usually detect in the first round of edits and certainly hope to catch by the third draft). And on a very bizarre note, the blurb on the front inside flap gets the name of Victim #1 wrong.
Yet the strength of the writing and the well-roundedness (for a procedural) of the characters, plus the brooding sense of horror that always seems to hang over a Hill novel, redeemed it enough for four stars. And I'll read the next one [SPOILER] to see just when Serrailler's new girlfriend falls into the clutches of an axe murderer. It's bound to happen.
April 2, 2019
I picked this book up without knowing that it was a whodunit. I had read Susan Hill's The Woman in Black, and enjoyed it - also, her Howards End is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home, a book about books and reading was fantastic.
Her beautiful writing is very much in evidence in this book too, as is her characterisation. But as a mystery, it sucks big time.
The premise is intriguing. A skeleton is uncovered in the cathedral town of Lafferton as the aftermath of a flash flood. On closer inspection, it turns out to be that of a teenager who disappeared without a trace sixteen years ago. And as soon as Detective Inspector Simon Serrailler gets his teeth into the case, trying to uncover an extremely cold trail, a second skeleton is discovered - of a young woman whom nobody reported missing, murdered at about the same time.
It had me hooked - but as the story progressed, it fast petered out into a damp squib.
Don't get me wrong. The story is well plotted, and the investigation is described in exemplary fashion. One feels that this is what the gendarmerie would do, and not foolish shenanigans like the brainless policemen of traditional whodunits. But it lacks the punch. There is no "aha!" moment.
And as a traditional mystery aficionado, I am of the opinion that they should be just that - mysteries. Here, the whodunit is interspersed with the parallel narrative of terminally ill patients, and the ethics of assisted suicide: and one thread is left practically hanging at the end.
I won't be reading any of Susan Hill's other mysteries.
Her beautiful writing is very much in evidence in this book too, as is her characterisation. But as a mystery, it sucks big time.
The premise is intriguing. A skeleton is uncovered in the cathedral town of Lafferton as the aftermath of a flash flood. On closer inspection, it turns out to be that of a teenager who disappeared without a trace sixteen years ago. And as soon as Detective Inspector Simon Serrailler gets his teeth into the case, trying to uncover an extremely cold trail, a second skeleton is discovered - of a young woman whom nobody reported missing, murdered at about the same time.
It had me hooked - but as the story progressed, it fast petered out into a damp squib.
Don't get me wrong. The story is well plotted, and the investigation is described in exemplary fashion. One feels that this is what the gendarmerie would do, and not foolish shenanigans like the brainless policemen of traditional whodunits. But it lacks the punch. There is no "aha!" moment.
And as a traditional mystery aficionado, I am of the opinion that they should be just that - mysteries. Here, the whodunit is interspersed with the parallel narrative of terminally ill patients, and the ethics of assisted suicide: and one thread is left practically hanging at the end.
I won't be reading any of Susan Hill's other mysteries.
January 25, 2012
Review from Badelynge.
The sixth book from Susan Hill to feature the inhabitants of Lafferton. The two main characters are siblings Dr Cat Deerbon and top cop DCS Simon Serrailler. The plots and themes explored usually feature the family's ongoing story and topics and situations thrown up by the pair's respective professions; health or lack of it, crime in society - all sensitively addressed in Hill's brilliant prose and her thoughtful insights into human emotions. Crime fiction? Well yeah, but not really comparable to much of the genre's staples and conventions.
In this one flooding in Lafferton has unearthed the bones of a young girl missing for 16 years, a mystery from the past that caused a big splash on the national consciousness. But alongside them are the bones of another young woman whose disappearance contrastingly caused not even a ripple. Serrailler is tasked with the cold case but is hampered by severe budget restrictions and he's just met the love of his life. Cat Deerbon deals with financial problems directing the local hospice, calling on the expertise of a newcomer to the town who is setting up a new care home for Alzheimer sufferers. In her general surgery she is consulted by a woman called Jocelyn with the early symptoms of Motor Neurone Disease, which leads to the thorny subject of assisted suicide. I think Hill tackles the subject as objectively as possible, though of course her characters are more swept along with the emotions of the terrible choices they face. Age, mortality, memory, lives lived and lives cut short, all played out in the setting of a Cathedral town and tied together with the lines of synchronicity within a cold case murder inquiry. I would add the advisory that this one is probably going to have more resonance with older readers or folk who have had their lives touched by terminal illness.
The sixth book from Susan Hill to feature the inhabitants of Lafferton. The two main characters are siblings Dr Cat Deerbon and top cop DCS Simon Serrailler. The plots and themes explored usually feature the family's ongoing story and topics and situations thrown up by the pair's respective professions; health or lack of it, crime in society - all sensitively addressed in Hill's brilliant prose and her thoughtful insights into human emotions. Crime fiction? Well yeah, but not really comparable to much of the genre's staples and conventions.
In this one flooding in Lafferton has unearthed the bones of a young girl missing for 16 years, a mystery from the past that caused a big splash on the national consciousness. But alongside them are the bones of another young woman whose disappearance contrastingly caused not even a ripple. Serrailler is tasked with the cold case but is hampered by severe budget restrictions and he's just met the love of his life. Cat Deerbon deals with financial problems directing the local hospice, calling on the expertise of a newcomer to the town who is setting up a new care home for Alzheimer sufferers. In her general surgery she is consulted by a woman called Jocelyn with the early symptoms of Motor Neurone Disease, which leads to the thorny subject of assisted suicide. I think Hill tackles the subject as objectively as possible, though of course her characters are more swept along with the emotions of the terrible choices they face. Age, mortality, memory, lives lived and lives cut short, all played out in the setting of a Cathedral town and tied together with the lines of synchronicity within a cold case murder inquiry. I would add the advisory that this one is probably going to have more resonance with older readers or folk who have had their lives touched by terminal illness.
December 23, 2011
These books don't require any mental agility; they pass the time and I look forward to the relaxation they afford but really Susan Hill's writing can be so much better than this. I am sure it pays the bills though. I know I will read the next one if only to find out whether our hero finally falls in love with someone who isn't stunningly attractive. How disappointing that in 2011 a female writer will trot out this stereotypical man. Give me Rebus any day of the week.
December 13, 2011
I am usually a fan of Hill's work but I found this particular book a disappointment. A blurb on the cover described it as 'brooding'. I realize now that is a synonym for 'boring'. There were so may different characters in various scenarios that I starting confusing the characters and grew tired of waiting for their stories to weave together in some coherent fashion. And one that wasn't boring (sorry, brooding). It actually seemed to be setting the stage for her next book by leaving some things pending. I hope the next book is better.
February 5, 2020
Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill. This latest Simon Serrallier mystery starts with a violent rainstorm, resulting local flooding, and the uncovering of a skeleton. Chief Superintendent Serrallier hopes it will turn out to be a Roman soldier, but it's not. It's the remains of a teenager who disappeared 15 years before and this discovery reopens a cold case. A chief superintendent doesn't usually take on such a case but Serrallier is particularly interested and hopes to be able to solve the crime, especially when a second skeleton is unearthed nearby.
One of the things I like about the Serrallier books is the integration of Simon's work as a policeman and his work as an artist with his sister, Cat's, work as a doctor and her family life without her husband. Cat has become increasingly interested in hospice care and cut back on her office hours in order to spend more time at the local hospice.
But there are budget cuts everywhere and that is producing problems for everyone in our story. Serrallier has a single assistant in his "team" and Cat is faced with the closure of a wing of the hospice. The father of the missing girl whose skeleton has now been found is the chair of the hospice committee and he and Cat identify a doctor who is opening a small facility for Alzheimer's care as a possible fund raiser.
Meanwhile we are following a woman who has been diagnosed by Cat with motor neurone, the generic term for conditions such as ALS. She wants to commit suicide before her condition deteriorates to the point where she can do nothing, but the various alternatives are not attractive. Her plight is treated with a great deal of sympathy in the book. The opposition to assisted suicide is voiced well and vehemently by Cat.
A computer imaging of the skull of the second set of bones, a music teacher who is facing the problems of a partner with dementia, and the unearthing of a witness to the disappearance of one of the victims 15 years before lead Serrallier to a sad and inconclusive solution to his cold case.
2012 No 25
One of the things I like about the Serrallier books is the integration of Simon's work as a policeman and his work as an artist with his sister, Cat's, work as a doctor and her family life without her husband. Cat has become increasingly interested in hospice care and cut back on her office hours in order to spend more time at the local hospice.
But there are budget cuts everywhere and that is producing problems for everyone in our story. Serrallier has a single assistant in his "team" and Cat is faced with the closure of a wing of the hospice. The father of the missing girl whose skeleton has now been found is the chair of the hospice committee and he and Cat identify a doctor who is opening a small facility for Alzheimer's care as a possible fund raiser.
Meanwhile we are following a woman who has been diagnosed by Cat with motor neurone, the generic term for conditions such as ALS. She wants to commit suicide before her condition deteriorates to the point where she can do nothing, but the various alternatives are not attractive. Her plight is treated with a great deal of sympathy in the book. The opposition to assisted suicide is voiced well and vehemently by Cat.
A computer imaging of the skull of the second set of bones, a music teacher who is facing the problems of a partner with dementia, and the unearthing of a witness to the disappearance of one of the victims 15 years before lead Serrallier to a sad and inconclusive solution to his cold case.
2012 No 25
October 24, 2024
Another excellent installment in this stellar series. This is book 6. Life has gone on in Lafferton-as it does everywhere. Two skeletons are found after a flood event, and Simon is on the case piecing it together, in between handling his own messy love life. There are a couple of side stories that eventually tie in. Euthanasia is introduced, discussed, examined. Simon’s sister, Cat, features prominently, and there are discussions of cutbacks in both the healthcare and police budgets. In other words, life has gone on with all of its ups and downs, so thoughtfully presented by this wonderful author.
My only quibble is that there is an error in the jacket blurb, stating that the remains of a long-missing teenager, Joanne Lowther, have been found that eventually led to her mother’s suicide. The only problem is that the teenager’s name was Harriet Lowther, and there is no mention of her mother, except that she died 4 years after her daughter-no mention of suicide. 🤷♀️
My only quibble is that there is an error in the jacket blurb, stating that the remains of a long-missing teenager, Joanne Lowther, have been found that eventually led to her mother’s suicide. The only problem is that the teenager’s name was Harriet Lowther, and there is no mention of her mother, except that she died 4 years after her daughter-no mention of suicide. 🤷♀️
July 30, 2012
Unfortunately, this is not the high point of the Simon Serrallier series. This sixth book takes a much longer time than usual for the story to start moving, and when the various pieces of the plot begin to come together, it is quite disappointing how predictably these pieces fit. The characters lose a lot of their likability here, and there are some holes in the continuity of the series as a whole here, too. It also leaves the ending plot rather open, but rather than make me excited to read the upcoming release, I am more than willing to wait - after all, with Hill there’s just no guarantee that any of these hanging plot points will ever be addressed...
November 15, 2020
Covers the controversial issue of assisted suicide to the elderly and terminally ill in a thoughtful and caring way, whilst also following the investigation of the cold case of a missing teenager 16 years ago.
Another great read!
Another great read!
June 8, 2022
So many people have recommended this series to me, so I finally picked one up at the library. Admittedly, I shouldn't have started at book 6, but I was able to become engrossed in the main characters' lives with no problem. What really bothered me about this book was how the mystery plot is an afterthought to all the personal drama taking place. Inspector Serailler is called upon to solve a cold case mystery of a young girl who disappeared 16 years prior, and whose body has just been unearthed by a flood. There is absolutely no sense of urgency to follow up on clues and solve the case. I could see where the evidence pointed, but the detective sure couldn't. He was too busy mooning after his unattainable girlfriend. I think this series is not for me.
May 26, 2015
This installment of the Serailler series starts with flood waters unearthing the remains of a young girl who had gone missing many years prior. Shortly after, the remains of a second body are also discovered. As far as the main characters, Cat continues to crusade for the hospice center and Simon meets a possible romantic interest. The novel also centers heavily on whether assisted suicide is ethical or simply immoral.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. I like that Hill frequently includes topics in her books that are debatable issues in current times. I have found that she generally portrays both sides of the topic quite well and gives the reader information to digest and ponder.
With each book, I find myself always curious about not only the murders that need to be solved, but the personal lives of the characters. In this book, the reader gets more insight on Molly and also is given the impression that something in Judith and Richard's relationship may be taking a turn for the worse. I was bothered by Simon's sudden love interest for some reason though. I am not a fan or believer in love at first sight and anyone who has read the series knows that Simon burns through women rapidly. Therefore, to have him fawning over one particular woman to such a great extent was irksome.
Finally, I was extremely bothered by what I BELIEVE is an inconsistency in the story-line. In an earlier book, Richard tells Cat that her mum killed Martha and that they must not tell Simon. (It is possible that Meriel told Simon herself before her death but I don't recall the reader being informed of this.) In this installment, Judith talks to Simon about Richard telling her how Martha dies. It seems that Simon is not surprised by this bit of news and already knew how she died. Simon discusses it with Cat, and she is flabbergasted because she knows nothing about it. That just didn't make sense to me.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and thought it was another 4 star part of the series. The last line is quite memorable in this one. With that said, I'm looking forward to the next one.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. I like that Hill frequently includes topics in her books that are debatable issues in current times. I have found that she generally portrays both sides of the topic quite well and gives the reader information to digest and ponder.
With each book, I find myself always curious about not only the murders that need to be solved, but the personal lives of the characters. In this book, the reader gets more insight on Molly and also is given the impression that something in Judith and Richard's relationship may be taking a turn for the worse. I was bothered by Simon's sudden love interest for some reason though. I am not a fan or believer in love at first sight and anyone who has read the series knows that Simon burns through women rapidly. Therefore, to have him fawning over one particular woman to such a great extent was irksome.
Finally, I was extremely bothered by what I BELIEVE is an inconsistency in the story-line. In an earlier book, Richard tells Cat that her mum killed Martha and that they must not tell Simon. (It is possible that Meriel told Simon herself before her death but I don't recall the reader being informed of this.) In this installment, Judith talks to Simon about Richard telling her how Martha dies. It seems that Simon is not surprised by this bit of news and already knew how she died. Simon discusses it with Cat, and she is flabbergasted because she knows nothing about it. That just didn't make sense to me.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and thought it was another 4 star part of the series. The last line is quite memorable in this one. With that said, I'm looking forward to the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2014
I liked this better than books four and five in this series, but oh, Simon. Falling in "love" over a public dinner where you exchange less than a paragraph's worth of conversation? Of course, she's beautiful with violet eyes. It was such childish, trite writing. The mystery was a good, solid one - two cold cases where female skeletons were turned up by some severe flooding in Lafferton - it was just the interpersonal pieces that seemed to be so ridiculous this time around. Simon himself and his reactions to women seem increasingly cliched to me.
The book seemed to end rather abruptly; I could not believe it when I hit the last page. So much was left unresolved. In this case, despite the tremendously poorly written love interest bits, I am intrigued to see where the next book goes. So, I will be reading book #7, after I take a brief break to get the bad taste of that Serailler coup de foudre out of my mouth. Honestly, it's like reading a 13-year-old's diary. Three stars because I enjoyed the mystery so much and could not imagine how the decades old murders might be linked together. Otherwise, I would have given it one star for love interest silliness.
The book seemed to end rather abruptly; I could not believe it when I hit the last page. So much was left unresolved. In this case, despite the tremendously poorly written love interest bits, I am intrigued to see where the next book goes. So, I will be reading book #7, after I take a brief break to get the bad taste of that Serailler coup de foudre out of my mouth. Honestly, it's like reading a 13-year-old's diary. Three stars because I enjoyed the mystery so much and could not imagine how the decades old murders might be linked together. Otherwise, I would have given it one star for love interest silliness.
April 18, 2019
This series is like catching up with old friends. Very readable. Enjoyed the book but found the ending disappointing. I will most definitely be reading the next in the series though.
December 16, 2020
There is flooding in Lafferton following a violent storm and a landslip has blocked the new bypass - as contractors move in to clear the road, a skeleton is found which has slipped down the hill from a shallow grave. It turns out to be the body of a teenage girl who went missing 15 years before but, despite this impetus to re-open the investigation, resource cuts mean Simon may have to work the case virtually alone - even when another female body is located not far from the site of the first one. As Simon painstakingly picks through the original investigation into the disappearance of teenage Harriet from a bus stop, you often are left wondering how he is going to solve the case after such a length of time. And the other body can't easily be identified and no-one seems to have reported her missing - so it's down to a budget 'Crimewatch-type' reconstruction for Harriet and a computer-generated face for the unknown woman....
There were quite a few storylines beyond the main one concerning the murder investigation. Several of these have to do with people with terminal illness and whether they should have the right to take their own life. Even the husband of Simon's new love interest has Parkinson's disease and others have early onset dementia and motor neurone disease. I was really enjoying the book right up to Simon's ultimate discovery of the truth, only to find the next screen-swipe led to 'acknowledgements' - a bit of a sudden and deflating end leaving several of the 'minor' storylines hanging, hopefully to be taken up in the next book. Still really enjoying this series and the author always seems to be able to bring something unique to the table amongst the plethora of UK crime fiction - still 4 stars but marked down a bit for the sudden and partly inconclusive ending! - 8/10.
There were quite a few storylines beyond the main one concerning the murder investigation. Several of these have to do with people with terminal illness and whether they should have the right to take their own life. Even the husband of Simon's new love interest has Parkinson's disease and others have early onset dementia and motor neurone disease. I was really enjoying the book right up to Simon's ultimate discovery of the truth, only to find the next screen-swipe led to 'acknowledgements' - a bit of a sudden and deflating end leaving several of the 'minor' storylines hanging, hopefully to be taken up in the next book. Still really enjoying this series and the author always seems to be able to bring something unique to the table amongst the plethora of UK crime fiction - still 4 stars but marked down a bit for the sudden and partly inconclusive ending! - 8/10.
May 26, 2019
Plockade med mig den här från en bokbyteshylla eftersom jag tyckte att omslaget var så tilltalande. Det visade sig att det här var den sjätte boken i serie om polisen Simon Serrailler – det märks genom att författaren gör en hel del referenser till sådant som hänt i Serraillers och de andra personernas liv före denna bok på ett sådant sätt att man kan ana sig till att det finns en utförligare skildring av dessa händelser i en annan bok. Utöver det tycker jag att den här boken står rätt stadigt på egna ben också.
Med det sagt: Det här är en ganska ovanlig deckare. Det börjar klassiskt med ett skelett som sköljs fram efter en översvämning och visar sig tillhöra en lokal tonåring som försvann 16 år tidigare. Men den här deckaren handlar om död och lidande på många fler sätt än deckare brukar göra. Det finns flera personer vars historier berättas, och en gemensam nämnare för allihop är att de alla hanterar allvarliga sjukdomar, antingen de lider av dem själv, vårdar en anhörig eller är läkare. The Betrayal of Trust är lågmäld men välskriven, och jag gillar både Simon Serrailler och hans syster Cat som är läkare.
Den här gratisboken som kom i min väg riskerar alltså att leda till att jag börjar köpa dyra utländska pocketböcker, alternativt föreslår att mitt biblioteken ska köpa in även de första delarna i serien med hänvisning till att de har flera av de senare delarna.
Med det sagt: Det här är en ganska ovanlig deckare. Det börjar klassiskt med ett skelett som sköljs fram efter en översvämning och visar sig tillhöra en lokal tonåring som försvann 16 år tidigare. Men den här deckaren handlar om död och lidande på många fler sätt än deckare brukar göra. Det finns flera personer vars historier berättas, och en gemensam nämnare för allihop är att de alla hanterar allvarliga sjukdomar, antingen de lider av dem själv, vårdar en anhörig eller är läkare. The Betrayal of Trust är lågmäld men välskriven, och jag gillar både Simon Serrailler och hans syster Cat som är läkare.
Den här gratisboken som kom i min väg riskerar alltså att leda till att jag börjar köpa dyra utländska pocketböcker, alternativt föreslår att mitt biblioteken ska köpa in även de första delarna i serien med hänvisning till att de har flera av de senare delarna.
June 2, 2025
When I read this several years ago, I found it so compelling that I didn't want it to end. This time around, I enjoyed it, but I found the ending abrupt and slightly rushed compared to the pace of the entire book. For this, I would deduct one star. The exploration of terminal illness, death and assisted dying (euthanasia)is superb both in its research and illustration.
Four stars. A little depressing once you reach your seventies, so I won't be reading this again!
Four stars. A little depressing once you reach your seventies, so I won't be reading this again!
March 24, 2013
Not brilliant I didn't think, the book spent to long focusing on dementia and terminal illness to only your it briefly in with the story line, that it felt a bit forced. I liked the character of Simon and Cat. It was easy to pick up on them and their lives without feeling like having a whole load of back history rammed down my throat. Might try another...maybe.
November 12, 2013
This is one of the best Susan Hill books. We do not know the killer - maybe killers - until the next to last page. Looking back, there were so many hints but I was too focused on the clinic closing, the romance, a lot of other things so I missed important clues. This is a super mystery. Not violent and not blood and guts, just s wonderful story that keeps the reader entranced.
February 13, 2016
Susan Hill's writing and characterization in this series is usually excellent, but this installment plodded along for far too long. I had the mystery partly figured out before the midpoint. Moreover, I was very annoyed by Simon's affair with a vapid married woman. He talks to her for five minutes and they instantly start acting out this angsty, juvenile, star-crossed drama.
October 2, 2019
Am really enjoying this series. They seem to be getting better in terms of plot and theme (although there seemed to be a bit of a plot hole in this one, but minor and I might be mistaken) On the downside Simon is increasingly annoying. And the love sub-plot ridiculous (but mildly entertaining in its direness) But they are a cracking read. So allons-y!
July 17, 2023
Not Susan Hill's finest hour, to be honest. The story seemed very rushed towards the end, which took away the flow of the narrative, and that perfect 5 with it.
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