What do you think?
Rate this book
Sight Unseen
Another classic mystery from the “master of the clever twist.”On a summer’s day in 1981, a two-year-old girl, Tamsin Hall, was abducted during a picnic at the famous prehistoric site of Avebury in Wiltshire. Her seven-year-old sister Miranda was knocked down and killed by the abductor’s van. The girls were in the care of their nanny, Sally Wilkinson.One of the witnesses to this tragic event was David Umber, a Ph.D student who was waiting at the village pub to keep an appointment with a man called Griffith who claimed he could help Umber with his researches into the letters of “Junius,” the pseudonymous eighteenth century polemicist who was his Ph.D subject. But Griffin failed to show up, and Umber never heard from him again. The two-year-old, Tamsin Hall, was never seen again either. The Hall family fell apart under the strain. Sally Wilkinson, the nanny, wound up living with Umber, whom she had met at the inquiry. But she never recovered from the incident, suffered increasingly from depression, and eventually committed suicide.In the spring of 2004, retired Chief Inspector George Sharp receives a letter signed “Junius” reproaching him for botching the 1981 investigation. Sharp confronts Umber, whose explanation for being at the scene of the tragedy has always seemed dubious. Obliged to accept Umber’s denial of authorship of the letter, he nonetheless forces him to join in a search for the real culprit — and hence the long-concealed truth about what happened 23 years previously. It is a quest that both will later regret having embarked upon. Too late they come to understand that some mysteries are better left unsolved.From the Trade Paperback edition.
369 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
77 people are currently reading
679 people want to read
About the author
Robert Goddard
110 books868 followersIn a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
November 18, 2012
I picked this up on a whim, 2nd hand, because of the Avebury connection, a place I've visited twice in lovely Somerset. I was expecting, hoping for a mistery that would stick close to these surroundings but that wasn't to be.
Instead I read a mistery that proved annoying at times but remained unputdownable.
Annoying because of the bland characters, unanswered yet obvious questions at certain stages, the protagonist hopping on one train and plane after another without the accounting resources. Likewise concerning hotels or hire cars; the few hundred quid he might have combed off a deceased baddie don't quite cover it... The writing style is adequate but unremarquable.
Unputdownable though because the pace of events is complex, unexpected and never slacks down.
The mistery unravels slowly, the cinch of it to be fond on litteraly the last page.
Will I be hunting down another Goddard? No.
Would I pick up another Goddard? Probably, in a huff of annoyance ;)
Instead I read a mistery that proved annoying at times but remained unputdownable.
Annoying because of the bland characters, unanswered yet obvious questions at certain stages, the protagonist hopping on one train and plane after another without the accounting resources. Likewise concerning hotels or hire cars; the few hundred quid he might have combed off a deceased baddie don't quite cover it... The writing style is adequate but unremarquable.
Unputdownable though because the pace of events is complex, unexpected and never slacks down.
The mistery unravels slowly, the cinch of it to be fond on litteraly the last page.
Will I be hunting down another Goddard? No.
Would I pick up another Goddard? Probably, in a huff of annoyance ;)
February 21, 2019
Convincing denouements are such important things aren’t they, for our enjoyment of a crime or mystery novel? In crime novels, the denouements, are of course, the revelation of the identity of the murderer, maybe also the how and the why if they have not been revealed already.
In Goddard’s novels the why is all important, even I would say, above the identity of the perpetrator/perpetrators. The scene is set for mystery, intrigue, murder, disappearances and conspiracies. The past is all important but the why eludes until the very end.
In Sight Unseen it is “July, 1981. The peace of a summer’s day at the ancient stone circle of Avebury (where I now want to visit) is shattered by the abduction of two-year-old Tamsin Hall and the violent death of her sister Miranda.”
“One of the witnesses is Ph.D. student David Umber, waiting at the nearby pub to meet a man called Griffin who claimed he could help him with his researches into the identity of Junius, pen-name of the famous and mysterious (and by the way real) eighteenth-century letter-writer and political polemicist. But Griffin never showed up. And Umber never heard from him again. He lost interest in Junius and never completed his Ph.D.”
Goddard sets the scene of the abduction and death flawlessly and in 2004 as new events unfold in the lives of Umber and the retired Chief Inspector of the case George Sharp, the reader is left wondering and turning pages to find out the connection between Junius and the abduction of a small child.
When the denouement finally comes after yet more tragedy, the why is a very believable one. It is the strongest “of course” denouement that I have read so far in Goddard’s novels. By this time we have journeyed a long way with Umber, understood how the abduction derailed his life and the lives of several others and the ripple effect it created on all those involved. A very satisfying read.
In Goddard’s novels the why is all important, even I would say, above the identity of the perpetrator/perpetrators. The scene is set for mystery, intrigue, murder, disappearances and conspiracies. The past is all important but the why eludes until the very end.
In Sight Unseen it is “July, 1981. The peace of a summer’s day at the ancient stone circle of Avebury (where I now want to visit) is shattered by the abduction of two-year-old Tamsin Hall and the violent death of her sister Miranda.”
“One of the witnesses is Ph.D. student David Umber, waiting at the nearby pub to meet a man called Griffin who claimed he could help him with his researches into the identity of Junius, pen-name of the famous and mysterious (and by the way real) eighteenth-century letter-writer and political polemicist. But Griffin never showed up. And Umber never heard from him again. He lost interest in Junius and never completed his Ph.D.”
Goddard sets the scene of the abduction and death flawlessly and in 2004 as new events unfold in the lives of Umber and the retired Chief Inspector of the case George Sharp, the reader is left wondering and turning pages to find out the connection between Junius and the abduction of a small child.
When the denouement finally comes after yet more tragedy, the why is a very believable one. It is the strongest “of course” denouement that I have read so far in Goddard’s novels. By this time we have journeyed a long way with Umber, understood how the abduction derailed his life and the lives of several others and the ripple effect it created on all those involved. A very satisfying read.
August 19, 2016
Entertaining with many twists and turns. Robert Goddard at his best.
May 1, 2009
I enjoyed this a lot, it kept me guessing right to the end. Unfortunately the end is the worst part. The unveiling of the plot was very clever and unexpected but I have a couple of gripes.
I didn't like the way that Sharp just disappeared from the story. Once he was out of jail I was waiting for him to come back into the story, but he never did. Neither did I like the fact that the villains went free and unpunished, though I suppose that it's feasible given the way the plot evolved. But what really bugged me was the way that our hero disappeared off to a new identity with a girl he hardly knew, leaving everything and everyone behind without a qualm. This just didn't fit in with my image of him at all.
But anyway a good mystery, a very, very good plot and I will certainly be reading more by Goddard
I didn't like the way that Sharp just disappeared from the story. Once he was out of jail I was waiting for him to come back into the story, but he never did. Neither did I like the fact that the villains went free and unpunished, though I suppose that it's feasible given the way the plot evolved. But what really bugged me was the way that our hero disappeared off to a new identity with a girl he hardly knew, leaving everything and everyone behind without a qualm. This just didn't fit in with my image of him at all.
But anyway a good mystery, a very, very good plot and I will certainly be reading more by Goddard
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2009
This mystery thriller took me by surprise... A chance buy at a second-hand stall, I was attracted by the unsolved crime/mystery element, but the novel began with a tale of a mystery figure in the history of politics called "Junius". I'm not usually enthralled by the history genre, but the novel quickly turned its attention to an unresolved crime which certainly added an exciting element to the book early on and hooked me.
It wasn't until the epilogue that I realised Junius wasn't fictional, but a true identity. In that sense, I was very impressed by the way Goddard managed to weave it into the novel in such a complicated manner.
The novel is centred around the abduction and killing of siblings in 1981 in Avebury: a fictional crime, which was unconvincingly resolved and which, more than 20 years later, is brought to light again by some of the people involved. The case is unofficially reopened and Umber, the protagonist, an amateur historian and witness on the day of the crime, is pulled into helping a retired policeman investigate. Old wounds are opened, witnesses comlicate matters and it soon becomes evident that the danger that surrounded that day in 1981 is still prominent.
The whole novel weaved in Junius theories and unexplained phenomena issues and kept me hanging the whole way through. I had suspicions as to the reason for the abduction/killings and the people involved, but Goddard tells the story in such a way that clues and information are drip-fed to the reader. New leads arise the whole way through and I often felt surprised by them.
Goddard weaves a complicated tale. The ending was satisfactory - although I did find myself questioning what happened to some of the other characters involved in the novel. Overall, this was a really good read, one which I devoured quickly. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller/mystery!
It wasn't until the epilogue that I realised Junius wasn't fictional, but a true identity. In that sense, I was very impressed by the way Goddard managed to weave it into the novel in such a complicated manner.
The novel is centred around the abduction and killing of siblings in 1981 in Avebury: a fictional crime, which was unconvincingly resolved and which, more than 20 years later, is brought to light again by some of the people involved. The case is unofficially reopened and Umber, the protagonist, an amateur historian and witness on the day of the crime, is pulled into helping a retired policeman investigate. Old wounds are opened, witnesses comlicate matters and it soon becomes evident that the danger that surrounded that day in 1981 is still prominent.
The whole novel weaved in Junius theories and unexplained phenomena issues and kept me hanging the whole way through. I had suspicions as to the reason for the abduction/killings and the people involved, but Goddard tells the story in such a way that clues and information are drip-fed to the reader. New leads arise the whole way through and I often felt surprised by them.
Goddard weaves a complicated tale. The ending was satisfactory - although I did find myself questioning what happened to some of the other characters involved in the novel. Overall, this was a really good read, one which I devoured quickly. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller/mystery!
May 17, 2017
This started off well, with a 1981 abduction and a murder in Avebury witnessed by a historian, and as the plot thickened it drew me in and made for an enjoyable read. Somewhere around the mid-point however, all the plot twists and conspiracies started to become a little difficult to swallow, and there was a whiff of Dan Brown in there (albeit Goddard is a better writer than Brown) with heroic derring-do and solving of mysteries of entitlement via clues in ancient documents. It all felt a bit contrived and I stopped believing in the central character's ability to get to the bottom of things, meaning the last hundred pages were skimmed a little. Formulaic, though not without merit in terms of a pacy page-turner.
May 12, 2018
I couldn't put this down! Perfect pace for me, filled with interesting places and historical bits and pieces. Great plotting too.
December 1, 2010
This had a somewhat far-fetched plot that lost its momentum toward the end, so it was a disappointment. But all in all it wasn't a bad mystery. It involved a decades old kidnapping that resurfaces following the death of a person who was affected by the original crime. It also involves the mystery of authorship of the letters of Junius, a political commentator of the 18th century. That one has a kind of pat ending.
Read
June 28, 2009TOO BORING, DIDNT FINISH
November 21, 2021
Involving and breathless adventure with complicated and believable characters. Two days before Charles and Di got hitched, David Umber is idly waiting outside the pub in Avebury. He’s a history student and been promised a look at some important manuscripts from a mysterious source. While he’s enjoying a pint he witnesses the dramatic kidnapping of a young girl and a tragic accident which sets in train a life changing emotional upheaval. The enormity affects significant others including the victims’ parents, nanny and local police inspector, George Sharp, who feels he’s failed in his work. On his retirement he contacts Umber, now a reluctant tour guide in Prague, and persuades him to return to the UK and help reinvestigate events which are more than 20 years in the past. The action moves between Avebury, Marlborough, Hampstead, Ilford, Jersey and back again as Umber gets deeply involved and discovers that desperate people will go to any length for their secrets to remain undiscovered.
June 6, 2023
Que cette histoire est compliquée ! Malgré tout , cette sensation que l'on est dans une course poursuite, toujours sur un fil et que l'on peut basculer dans le vide à tout moment rendent la lecture plaisante. Mais je sens que tout ce qui se passe entre l'événement d'Avebury au tout début du livre et les révélations de la fin , va quitter ma mémoire aussi vite que je vais rédiger cet avis
December 1, 2018
Bien fait, chouettes personnages, intrigue bien montée, du rythme, très agréable à lire
July 13, 2025
The plot kept me on my toes. Rather surprised I have not read a Robert Goddard before.
December 5, 2017
On a beautiful July afternoon in 1981 David Umber witnesses the kidnapping of a young girl. At the same time the child's sister is struck and killed by the kidnapper's van. In the ensuing confusion the kidnappers escape and are never heard from again. No ransom demand is ever presented for the child and she (or her body) is never located. Several years later a convicted sex offender confesses to the crime and is jailed, but there is some doubt that he was the kidnapper.
The events of that July day profoundly affect David's life, his promising academic career is cut short. He marries the kidnapped child's nanny and they drift around Europe for several years before separating. Suffering depression, she commits suicide. Several years later when he is working in Prague in a dead-end job as a guide for British package tours, he is approached by a retired British policeman who wants to re-open the investigation into the kidnapping and David's wife's suicide. David reluctantly agrees, and for the next 400+ pages of the book he chases clues, is chased, beaten up and threatened with death. As he says at page 409:
"It was too good to be true. It was too alluring to be anything but a trap. And maybe it was a trap deadlier than any of those he had so far blundered into. But he had agreed to go. And he would. He could not ignore the summons. He could not resist the bait. He could not avoid the trap."
The surprise ending is saved for the very end of the book. It's a long slog to finish the book, but well worth the effort. There's an interesting parallel story about the "Junius Letters" that plays in the background. Some readers may feel that it's a meaningless distraction, but I found it interesting.
All said, this is an action-filled suspense story, with a satisfying conclusion.
Recommended.
The events of that July day profoundly affect David's life, his promising academic career is cut short. He marries the kidnapped child's nanny and they drift around Europe for several years before separating. Suffering depression, she commits suicide. Several years later when he is working in Prague in a dead-end job as a guide for British package tours, he is approached by a retired British policeman who wants to re-open the investigation into the kidnapping and David's wife's suicide. David reluctantly agrees, and for the next 400+ pages of the book he chases clues, is chased, beaten up and threatened with death. As he says at page 409:
"It was too good to be true. It was too alluring to be anything but a trap. And maybe it was a trap deadlier than any of those he had so far blundered into. But he had agreed to go. And he would. He could not ignore the summons. He could not resist the bait. He could not avoid the trap."
The surprise ending is saved for the very end of the book. It's a long slog to finish the book, but well worth the effort. There's an interesting parallel story about the "Junius Letters" that plays in the background. Some readers may feel that it's a meaningless distraction, but I found it interesting.
All said, this is an action-filled suspense story, with a satisfying conclusion.
Recommended.
February 7, 2024
"Some things are not meant to be. And some things are not allowed to be". So says Robert Goddard in the author's note, and that's not a bad summary of the premise of this novel.
Over the years I've read most of Goddard's books, and I've never once been disappointed. Many of his plots are fairly complex, cleverly weaving the past with the present (indeed, the unraveling of the one is often fundamental to shedding light on events in the other), usually crossing various localities, and yet he navigates the reader through the intricacies of the story with a clear, intelligent, compelling, whilst easy-to-read style. He is masterful at the drip, drip, drip approach to revealing just enough at any one time to keep you turning the pages to the very end, and like many of his other novels, this was one I struggled to put down, always hoping to squeeze in just one more chapter before I stop.
On this occasion, I did pretty much guess right as to the "who", but as for the "why", actually I didn't have that completely worked out, so I really wasn't quite sure how it was all going to pan out until the final chapters. Unlike some, I thoroughly enjoyed the Junius element of the story, which I found an interesting complementary plotline; most of his novels draw on actual historic events that he then weaves into the fabric of the story, and for me that is part of the joy of reading Robert Goddard .... and (in my opinion) I'm not sure many do it better ...
I guess different people will have different opinions as to which are his best novels (personally, I loved Past Caring, In Pale Battalions, Dying to Tell, Found Wanting, Blood Count and all the Harry Barnett novels), but in my view, even if one of the "least best" of Robert Goddard's novels .... it's still a lot better than many other novels!
Over the years I've read most of Goddard's books, and I've never once been disappointed. Many of his plots are fairly complex, cleverly weaving the past with the present (indeed, the unraveling of the one is often fundamental to shedding light on events in the other), usually crossing various localities, and yet he navigates the reader through the intricacies of the story with a clear, intelligent, compelling, whilst easy-to-read style. He is masterful at the drip, drip, drip approach to revealing just enough at any one time to keep you turning the pages to the very end, and like many of his other novels, this was one I struggled to put down, always hoping to squeeze in just one more chapter before I stop.
On this occasion, I did pretty much guess right as to the "who", but as for the "why", actually I didn't have that completely worked out, so I really wasn't quite sure how it was all going to pan out until the final chapters. Unlike some, I thoroughly enjoyed the Junius element of the story, which I found an interesting complementary plotline; most of his novels draw on actual historic events that he then weaves into the fabric of the story, and for me that is part of the joy of reading Robert Goddard .... and (in my opinion) I'm not sure many do it better ...
I guess different people will have different opinions as to which are his best novels (personally, I loved Past Caring, In Pale Battalions, Dying to Tell, Found Wanting, Blood Count and all the Harry Barnett novels), but in my view, even if one of the "least best" of Robert Goddard's novels .... it's still a lot better than many other novels!
June 23, 2013
A wonderfully circular novel about events that are out of our control, and how we can possibly take our lives back afterward, or if we can, or should we.
Yes, it's a British sort-of whodunnit told from 20 years after the Big Event, which is the abduction of a toddler, and the death of her sister when she is hit by the getaway car. There were only a few witnesses, one of whom is the main character in this book: David Umber. Take note of the name; it's carefully chosen. He later married the nanny from whom the children were abducted, and they battled their individual demons and memories of the event until her death a few years before the book begins.
We catch up with David 20 years later, living (sort of) in Prague doing canned tours of the city for foreign sightseers. One of the tourists turns out to be the police officer who was assigned to the case originally. CI Sharp (again with the name) has recently retired and has been stung by an anonymous letter that accuses him of not doing his best work on this case.
The two of them go back to England to see what Sharp could have missed. And from there all sorts of weirdness ensues.
Wonderful story that's really not that much about the criminal case, but about how we react to events and how the oddest things end up sticking in our heads (and our hearts). At the end, the reader is left wondering what these people all would have become had this tragedy never happened. And how much of history is memory and unprovable premise.
Yes, it's a British sort-of whodunnit told from 20 years after the Big Event, which is the abduction of a toddler, and the death of her sister when she is hit by the getaway car. There were only a few witnesses, one of whom is the main character in this book: David Umber. Take note of the name; it's carefully chosen. He later married the nanny from whom the children were abducted, and they battled their individual demons and memories of the event until her death a few years before the book begins.
We catch up with David 20 years later, living (sort of) in Prague doing canned tours of the city for foreign sightseers. One of the tourists turns out to be the police officer who was assigned to the case originally. CI Sharp (again with the name) has recently retired and has been stung by an anonymous letter that accuses him of not doing his best work on this case.
The two of them go back to England to see what Sharp could have missed. And from there all sorts of weirdness ensues.
Wonderful story that's really not that much about the criminal case, but about how we react to events and how the oddest things end up sticking in our heads (and our hearts). At the end, the reader is left wondering what these people all would have become had this tragedy never happened. And how much of history is memory and unprovable premise.
September 13, 2011
Eén keer gelezen, maar dat is te lang geleden voor een goede recensie. Dus, eerst nog een keer lezen, dan horen jullie wat ik ervan vind.
Intend to release this one at the meeting on Terschelling, so will read this in the course of next week.
After a considerable time I re-read this book. This time, liked it a lot better than the first, when I compared it too much with Verboden te lezen, a book by the same author. Now that I did not read them one after the other, I am able to talk about this book.
There's a lot going on in this book. Occasionally I had trouble following the leaps of thought of certain characters, how he/she came to the conclusion .... I'm not saying that everything should always be written in great detail, but because there were some unexplained things, the story lines came together very late. As a reader I'd have preferred to know some reasons / causes earlier on in the story. Most likely I would have appreciated the book more.
It is certainly not a bad book, but I have read more exciting / better books. The only scene that really stood out for me was the one near the end of the book, at the tain station. That was very well done. I won't say anything more.... ;-)
Intend to release this one at the meeting on Terschelling, so will read this in the course of next week.
After a considerable time I re-read this book. This time, liked it a lot better than the first, when I compared it too much with Verboden te lezen, a book by the same author. Now that I did not read them one after the other, I am able to talk about this book.
There's a lot going on in this book. Occasionally I had trouble following the leaps of thought of certain characters, how he/she came to the conclusion .... I'm not saying that everything should always be written in great detail, but because there were some unexplained things, the story lines came together very late. As a reader I'd have preferred to know some reasons / causes earlier on in the story. Most likely I would have appreciated the book more.
It is certainly not a bad book, but I have read more exciting / better books. The only scene that really stood out for me was the one near the end of the book, at the tain station. That was very well done. I won't say anything more.... ;-)
December 14, 2011
Am not a huge fan of crime/thrillers, but am regularly drawn back to Goddard's work. Known as "the master of the clever twist", I must say that I agree with this statement. Having been slightly disappointed with the last few novels of his I had read, I am glad I retained my faith, and read another. This was a very good read-and I had no idea-yes, "no idea", as to how the plot would pan out.
An abduction and death some 20 years previously are intersposed with the academic research of one of the protagonists who was on the scene at the time of the abduction-supposedly to meet with someone who could shed interesting information on his reseach. This lends an added depth and slant to the novel, weaving a seperate sub plot which worked well in it's own right. None of the characters were particularly likeable-rather too self absorbed and lacking in sympathy for their fellow man, but the plot more than compensated for this dearth of empathy.
I would certainly recommend this one-a quick read, but satisfying nonetheless.
An abduction and death some 20 years previously are intersposed with the academic research of one of the protagonists who was on the scene at the time of the abduction-supposedly to meet with someone who could shed interesting information on his reseach. This lends an added depth and slant to the novel, weaving a seperate sub plot which worked well in it's own right. None of the characters were particularly likeable-rather too self absorbed and lacking in sympathy for their fellow man, but the plot more than compensated for this dearth of empathy.
I would certainly recommend this one-a quick read, but satisfying nonetheless.
March 1, 2010
It's a summer’s day in 1981. The main character sees a two-year-old girl abducted during a picnic and her older sister knocked down and killed by the abductor’s van. Their nanny never gets over it and ends up committing suicide. 23 years later a witness of the event is trying to unravel who the abductor was. It's classic Goddard and certainly keeps the pages turning. I read it on a train and hardly noticed the other passengers.
March 20, 2019
My first book by Mr Goddard. He's a very good storyteller for sure. Kept my interest up throughout with twists and turns aplenty.
A different feel to it than Michael Connolly, Jeffrey Deaver and the type of book I have devoured so far. There's an historical element to this that helps drive it and plenty of who?, what?, where? situations to keep you guessing.
I like it a lot. Robert Goddard is now on my list of authors to look out for.
A different feel to it than Michael Connolly, Jeffrey Deaver and the type of book I have devoured so far. There's an historical element to this that helps drive it and plenty of who?, what?, where? situations to keep you guessing.
I like it a lot. Robert Goddard is now on my list of authors to look out for.
May 18, 2021
Loved it, complicated and impossible to narrate to another person, but beautiful story, some points seem a bit weak, but otherwise an amazing book!
June 27, 2017
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Les Mystères d'Avebury ?
"Les Éditions Sonatine ont une belle collection thriller avec, régulièrement, des titres qui m'intriguent. J'ai eu la chance de recevoir celui-ci et ce fut pour moi l'occasion de découvrir cet auteur qui n'en est pas à son coup d'essai."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"En 1981, alors que David Umber boit un café en terrasse, il assiste, impuissant, à l'enlèvement d'une petite fille qui se promène dans le village avec sa nounou, son frère et sa soeur. En 2004, alors qu'il pense avoir mis tout cela derrière lui, le passé va venir se rappeler à son bon souvenir..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous?
"Ça commence plutôt pas mal, avec un drame horrible qui marquerait n'importe qui à vie et nous plonge immédiatement dans les tourments ressentis par les protagonistes en nous rendant nous-mêmes témoins des faits. De fait, les personnages ont réussi à m'accrocher. Même si on se doute fortement de l'issue du mystère, on reste poussé par l'envie de savoir à partir de quoi l'histoire a pu refaire surface plus de vingt ans après. Malheureusement, malgré des passages intéressants à Londres et une intrigante enquête historique en parallèle, ça finit par s'essouffler puis par déraper terriblement. Je ne peux pas vous en dire trop sans vous spoiler mais à un moment donné, c'est vraiment le mort de trop si je puis dire. Après ça, mon intérêt fut tout relatif pour la fin de l'histoire, qui empire encore, et pour ses dénouements, qui ne nous surprennent pas. À trop vouloir en faire..."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini?
"C'est cruel, c'est une genre de fin heureuse qui ne rend absolument personne heureux et qui aura coûté la vie à beaucoup trop de personnes innocentes sur son chemin..."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"Les Éditions Sonatine ont une belle collection thriller avec, régulièrement, des titres qui m'intriguent. J'ai eu la chance de recevoir celui-ci et ce fut pour moi l'occasion de découvrir cet auteur qui n'en est pas à son coup d'essai."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"En 1981, alors que David Umber boit un café en terrasse, il assiste, impuissant, à l'enlèvement d'une petite fille qui se promène dans le village avec sa nounou, son frère et sa soeur. En 2004, alors qu'il pense avoir mis tout cela derrière lui, le passé va venir se rappeler à son bon souvenir..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous?
"Ça commence plutôt pas mal, avec un drame horrible qui marquerait n'importe qui à vie et nous plonge immédiatement dans les tourments ressentis par les protagonistes en nous rendant nous-mêmes témoins des faits. De fait, les personnages ont réussi à m'accrocher. Même si on se doute fortement de l'issue du mystère, on reste poussé par l'envie de savoir à partir de quoi l'histoire a pu refaire surface plus de vingt ans après. Malheureusement, malgré des passages intéressants à Londres et une intrigante enquête historique en parallèle, ça finit par s'essouffler puis par déraper terriblement. Je ne peux pas vous en dire trop sans vous spoiler mais à un moment donné, c'est vraiment le mort de trop si je puis dire. Après ça, mon intérêt fut tout relatif pour la fin de l'histoire, qui empire encore, et pour ses dénouements, qui ne nous surprennent pas. À trop vouloir en faire..."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini?
"C'est cruel, c'est une genre de fin heureuse qui ne rend absolument personne heureux et qui aura coûté la vie à beaucoup trop de personnes innocentes sur son chemin..."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
February 27, 2023
On a summer’s day in 1981, a two-year-old girl, Tamsin Hall, was abducted during a picnic at the famous prehistoric site of Avebury in Wiltshire. Her seven-year-old sister Miranda was knocked down and killed by the abductor’s van. The girls were in the care of their nanny, Sally Wilkinson.
One of the witnesses to this tragic event was David Umber, a PhD student who was waiting at the village pub to keep an appointment with a man called Griffin who claimed he could help Umber with his researches into the letters of “Junius,” the pseudonymous eighteenth century polemicist who was his PhD subject. But Griffin failed to show up, and Umber never heard from him again. The two-year-old, Tamsin Hall, was never seen again either. The Hall family fell apart under the strain. Sally Wilkinson, the nanny, wound up living and marrying Umber, whom she had met at the inquiry. But she never recovered from the incident, suffered increasingly from depression, and eventually died. It was thought to be a suicide, but doubts about this were raised by Umber.
In the spring of 2004, retired Chief Inspector George Sharp receives a letter signed “Junius” reproaching him for botching the 1981 investigation. Sharp confronts Umber, whose explanation for being at the scene of the tragedy has always seemed dubious. Obliged to accept Umber’s denial of authorship of the letter, he nonetheless forces him to join in a search for the real culprit — and hence the long-concealed truth about what happened 23 years previously. It is a quest that both will later regret having embarked upon. Too late they come to understand that some mysteries are better left unsolved.
Lots of travel involved, lots of deaths and an unexpected outcome.
One of the witnesses to this tragic event was David Umber, a PhD student who was waiting at the village pub to keep an appointment with a man called Griffin who claimed he could help Umber with his researches into the letters of “Junius,” the pseudonymous eighteenth century polemicist who was his PhD subject. But Griffin failed to show up, and Umber never heard from him again. The two-year-old, Tamsin Hall, was never seen again either. The Hall family fell apart under the strain. Sally Wilkinson, the nanny, wound up living and marrying Umber, whom she had met at the inquiry. But she never recovered from the incident, suffered increasingly from depression, and eventually died. It was thought to be a suicide, but doubts about this were raised by Umber.
In the spring of 2004, retired Chief Inspector George Sharp receives a letter signed “Junius” reproaching him for botching the 1981 investigation. Sharp confronts Umber, whose explanation for being at the scene of the tragedy has always seemed dubious. Obliged to accept Umber’s denial of authorship of the letter, he nonetheless forces him to join in a search for the real culprit — and hence the long-concealed truth about what happened 23 years previously. It is a quest that both will later regret having embarked upon. Too late they come to understand that some mysteries are better left unsolved.
Lots of travel involved, lots of deaths and an unexpected outcome.
March 27, 2022
Goddard remains one of my favourite authors, and an author I often judge other writers against - especially in the mystery and thriller genres. Most of the Goddard novels I've read I've found to be amazing, and Sight Unseen is full of the twists, expert plotting, well managed pacing, and intriguing characters that I find in most of his works. I also admire Goddard's use of language and tone. There is something gentle with his approach, even in scenes that are tense or lethal.
Bringing in the historical aspect of the Junius letters into this novel added to the mystery, and makes me want to learn more about this topic. Of course, Goddard doesn't want to add a simple connection. There are multiple strings tied to the Junius letters in this story, some benign and others more deadly. And the reader is only privy to these strings when Goddard throws in the twist.
While I read this novel, I imagined scenes playing out in my mind - like a Hitchcock movie. That is the overall feeling I'm left with after finishing this novel. It felt like a Hitchcock thriller, a story with many layers and twists that play out over time and are surprising.
I've many Goddard novels in my book pile. Some I've read before, will happily read again. I recommend this novel to any person who enjoys a great mystery.
Bringing in the historical aspect of the Junius letters into this novel added to the mystery, and makes me want to learn more about this topic. Of course, Goddard doesn't want to add a simple connection. There are multiple strings tied to the Junius letters in this story, some benign and others more deadly. And the reader is only privy to these strings when Goddard throws in the twist.
While I read this novel, I imagined scenes playing out in my mind - like a Hitchcock movie. That is the overall feeling I'm left with after finishing this novel. It felt like a Hitchcock thriller, a story with many layers and twists that play out over time and are surprising.
I've many Goddard novels in my book pile. Some I've read before, will happily read again. I recommend this novel to any person who enjoys a great mystery.
October 3, 2025
This review doesn't contain spoilers as such, but it does kind of refer to a couple of things that happen in the book.
Sight Unseen was a very frustrating read, I found. I originally started and gave up halfway through because the main character is such a luckless oaf. He annoyed me beyond all reason. He keeps letting people get the better of him when he should be paying more attention. His life's on the line for god's sake! What an idiot!
Anyway, a week later I decided to press on, hoping things would get better, but no! He allows himself to get distracted, robbed of his incriminating papers, and kidnapped in a van!
By this point, I'm thinking "oh, just put the berk out of his misery."
Honestly.
I guess I'm growing impatient with foolish people (even if they are fictional foolish people).
But the plot is nicely worked out and the characters are pretty good, which is possibly why they have the capacity to annoy.
And at the end of it, I think it deserves 4 stars, despite me almost tearing out my hair .
As an aside, I wanted to read this novel because most of it is set in Avebury, the Wiltshire village built within an ancient stone circle. I finally visited Avebury a few years ago after about 2 decades of wanting to but never doing so. It's a wonderful place and I heartily recommend it.
Sight Unseen was a very frustrating read, I found. I originally started and gave up halfway through because the main character is such a luckless oaf. He annoyed me beyond all reason. He keeps letting people get the better of him when he should be paying more attention. His life's on the line for god's sake! What an idiot!
Anyway, a week later I decided to press on, hoping things would get better, but no! He allows himself to get distracted, robbed of his incriminating papers, and kidnapped in a van!
By this point, I'm thinking "oh, just put the berk out of his misery."
Honestly.
I guess I'm growing impatient with foolish people (even if they are fictional foolish people).
But the plot is nicely worked out and the characters are pretty good, which is possibly why they have the capacity to annoy.
And at the end of it, I think it deserves 4 stars, despite me almost tearing out my hair .
As an aside, I wanted to read this novel because most of it is set in Avebury, the Wiltshire village built within an ancient stone circle. I finally visited Avebury a few years ago after about 2 decades of wanting to but never doing so. It's a wonderful place and I heartily recommend it.
May 7, 2018
3,5/5
Le point de départ de l’intrigue est passionnant : comment l’enlèvement d’une enfant, 20 ans auparavant, a pu avoir autant de répercussions dans la vie les personnes qui ont assisté à la scène . On pense évidemment à la famille mais pas seulement, Sally la baby-sitter n’a jamais pu faire taire ce sentiment de culpabilité, l’enquêteur Sharp a continué à penser à cette affaire et David Umber , témoin malheureux a fui ses souvenirs jusqu’en Pologne. Sauf que des lettres mystérieuses et anonymes font remonter l’affaire, que tout ne semble plus aussi clair et qu’il faut de nouveau, mener l’enquête sur cet après-midi de juillet 81. Dans un premier temps, cette partie est très prenante pour le lecteur , avide de comprendre de quoi il retourne. Le rythme est soutenu et à mesure que l’on s’enfonce dans l’intrigue, le brouillard s’intensifie, on gagne en intensité . Peut-être même un peu trop ... même en lisant ce roman assez rapidement, j’ai eu parfois du mal à remettre les pièces du puzzle dans l’ordre. Le dénouement est si complexe qu’il éclipse les rebondissements précédents . J’ai adoré le style et ce rythme dense mais j’ai moins accroché aux explications finales. En tout cas, j’ai hâte de découvrir d’autres romans de l’auteur !
Le point de départ de l’intrigue est passionnant : comment l’enlèvement d’une enfant, 20 ans auparavant, a pu avoir autant de répercussions dans la vie les personnes qui ont assisté à la scène . On pense évidemment à la famille mais pas seulement, Sally la baby-sitter n’a jamais pu faire taire ce sentiment de culpabilité, l’enquêteur Sharp a continué à penser à cette affaire et David Umber , témoin malheureux a fui ses souvenirs jusqu’en Pologne. Sauf que des lettres mystérieuses et anonymes font remonter l’affaire, que tout ne semble plus aussi clair et qu’il faut de nouveau, mener l’enquête sur cet après-midi de juillet 81. Dans un premier temps, cette partie est très prenante pour le lecteur , avide de comprendre de quoi il retourne. Le rythme est soutenu et à mesure que l’on s’enfonce dans l’intrigue, le brouillard s’intensifie, on gagne en intensité . Peut-être même un peu trop ... même en lisant ce roman assez rapidement, j’ai eu parfois du mal à remettre les pièces du puzzle dans l’ordre. Le dénouement est si complexe qu’il éclipse les rebondissements précédents . J’ai adoré le style et ce rythme dense mais j’ai moins accroché aux explications finales. En tout cas, j’ai hâte de découvrir d’autres romans de l’auteur !
July 14, 2018
Op een zomerdag in juli wordt een meisje ontvoerd. Haar oudere zus probeert de auto van de ontvoerders tegen te houden, maar wordt daarbij overreden en sterft. De jonge student David Umber, die zich gespecialiseerd heeft in de Juniusbrieven, is hiervan getuige, maar kan niets doen.
Bijna 25 jaar later, David woont inmiddels in Praag, komt George Sharp, een oud-hoofdinspecteur van de politie, hem daar opzoeken en laat hem een brief die ondertekend is met 'Junius' zien. Dit leidt ertoe dat ze samen proberen deze oude zaak op te lossen.
De Juniusbrieven is een boek dat redelijk vlot leest, hoewel het boek ook wel wat moeilijk leesbare passages heeft. Veel spanning heeft het boek niet, in feite is het voornamelijk een weergave van een onderzoek.
Dit neemt niet weg dat het een vervelend boek was. Maar om nu te zeggen dat je na het lezen van één Goddard verslaafd bent (dit staat namelijk op het kaft vermeld), is ook weer een uiterste. Voor mij is het gewoon een gemiddeld boek.
Bijna 25 jaar later, David woont inmiddels in Praag, komt George Sharp, een oud-hoofdinspecteur van de politie, hem daar opzoeken en laat hem een brief die ondertekend is met 'Junius' zien. Dit leidt ertoe dat ze samen proberen deze oude zaak op te lossen.
De Juniusbrieven is een boek dat redelijk vlot leest, hoewel het boek ook wel wat moeilijk leesbare passages heeft. Veel spanning heeft het boek niet, in feite is het voornamelijk een weergave van een onderzoek.
Dit neemt niet weg dat het een vervelend boek was. Maar om nu te zeggen dat je na het lezen van één Goddard verslaafd bent (dit staat namelijk op het kaft vermeld), is ook weer een uiterste. Voor mij is het gewoon een gemiddeld boek.
February 12, 2021
Het boek is een redelijke rollercoaster van begin tot eind. Het begint al vrij heftig met de ontvoering en moord van 2 kinderen. Daarna komt het even tot rust tot Umber wordt aangevallen en daarna stopt het eigenlijk niet meer, van moord tot zelfmoord tot doodslag. Het enige wat ik nog niet begrijp is wat de motivatie was van Marilyn om de schutbladen eruit te scheuren, behalve als trucje van de auteur zodat Umber ze pas aan het einde in hand zou krijgen. Eigenlijk was er helemaal niet zo'n goede motivatie om de Juniusboeken uberhaupt te houden voor haar. Hall had daar ook niet echt een bevredigende verklaring voor.
Ik moet wel zeggen, nadat de onthulling van Chantelle was geweest, vroeg ik me wel sterk af hoe dit in vredesnaam iets met Junius te maken had, en daar heeft de auteur wel weer mooi naar teruggestuurd.
Ik moet wel zeggen, nadat de onthulling van Chantelle was geweest, vroeg ik me wel sterk af hoe dit in vredesnaam iets met Junius te maken had, en daar heeft de auteur wel weer mooi naar teruggestuurd.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews