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Inspector Lynley #13
With No One as Witness
When the Metropolitan Police fail to realise a serial killer is at work, London ignites over the fact that the killer's victims are young black and mixed race boys. Institutionalised racism is claimed by the community's activists and tabloids alike. Acting Superintendent Thomas Lynley is given the case, and his Scotland Yard task force is soon handling more killings and a looming tragedy.
Elizabeth George brings to the familiar subject of the serial killer a freshness and clarity of vision that provide illuminating insight into the psychological complexity of the tortured criminal mind. She does so within a richly textured, thrillingly suspenseful narrative that defies any reader to predict its outcome. Nor does she neglect our favourite characters, whose private lives provide an engrossing counterpoint to their professional duties.
Elizabeth George brings to the familiar subject of the serial killer a freshness and clarity of vision that provide illuminating insight into the psychological complexity of the tortured criminal mind. She does so within a richly textured, thrillingly suspenseful narrative that defies any reader to predict its outcome. Nor does she neglect our favourite characters, whose private lives provide an engrossing counterpoint to their professional duties.
676 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2005
1024 people are currently reading
3984 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth George
102 books5,496 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Susan Elizabeth George is an American author of mystery novels set in Great Britain. Eleven of her novels, featuring her character Inspector Lynley, have been adapted for television by the BBC as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.
She was born in Warren, Ohio, but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when she was eighteen months old. She was a student of English, receiving a teaching certificate. While teaching English in the public school system, she completed an advanced degree in psychology.
Her first published novel was A Great Deliverance in 1988, featuring Thomas Lynley, Lord Asherton, a Scotland Yard inspector of noble birth; Barbara Havers, Lynley's assistant, from a very working-class background; Lady Helen Clyde, Lynley's girlfriend and later wife, of noble birth as well; and Lynley's friends Simon and Deborah St. James.
This Elizabeth George is distinct from the other author named Elizabeth George (Christian author).
Series:
* Inspector Lynley
Susan Elizabeth George is an American author of mystery novels set in Great Britain. Eleven of her novels, featuring her character Inspector Lynley, have been adapted for television by the BBC as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.
She was born in Warren, Ohio, but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when she was eighteen months old. She was a student of English, receiving a teaching certificate. While teaching English in the public school system, she completed an advanced degree in psychology.
Her first published novel was A Great Deliverance in 1988, featuring Thomas Lynley, Lord Asherton, a Scotland Yard inspector of noble birth; Barbara Havers, Lynley's assistant, from a very working-class background; Lady Helen Clyde, Lynley's girlfriend and later wife, of noble birth as well; and Lynley's friends Simon and Deborah St. James.
This Elizabeth George is distinct from the other author named Elizabeth George (Christian author).
Series:
* Inspector Lynley
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 893 reviews
September 2, 2020
I have been a fan of the Thomas Lynley series from the beginning, reading them in order and loving each one. However, this one takes a plot twist that was a mistake, in my opinion. I was, quite honestly horrified and heart broken by what happened. I have continued to read the books after this one but I confess it is with less enthusiasm and I find I care less about the characters. It's as though since the author apparently doesn't care enough about the character to give them a life that is at least not miserable, why should I care?
I don't understand why authors feel they must make their main characters miserable or make them the target of criminals. As if just because they are detectives, the whole world is out to get them. I quit reading the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell because it got so unbelievable that every criminal on the east coast even knows about, much less wants to kill the Virginia state medical examiner.
I find the same disturbing trend in television detective series. Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS, The Mentalist, etc. etc. etc. Either the main characters themselves or their spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc. have all been targeted (stalked/murdered/tortured/etc.) by criminals. It's just too unbelievable. Ok, I'm done with my diatribe.
I don't understand why authors feel they must make their main characters miserable or make them the target of criminals. As if just because they are detectives, the whole world is out to get them. I quit reading the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell because it got so unbelievable that every criminal on the east coast even knows about, much less wants to kill the Virginia state medical examiner.
I find the same disturbing trend in television detective series. Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS, The Mentalist, etc. etc. etc. Either the main characters themselves or their spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc. have all been targeted (stalked/murdered/tortured/etc.) by criminals. It's just too unbelievable. Ok, I'm done with my diatribe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2022
A book with a shock! Curious what will happen in the next one!
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...
October 19, 2012
I have followed this series from the first book and read them all in order. This one, took me by surprise and brought a tear to my eye, something that does not usually happen. Firstly, Ms. George for the first time went for a serial killer and also took on a difficult subject of what goes through the mind of a paedophile and their justifications for how they act. Mixed race 12/13 year old boys are being murdered with their bodies mutilated in London, and it takes four deaths before the police realize that they have a serial killer on their hands. The boys are all from troubled backgrounds and initially treated as runaways, and by the time New Scotland Yard take on the case, the killer has started to escalate. Linley is under so much pressure from the press and his boss, Hillier, he is close to breaking point. Added to this, Nkata has been promoted by Hillier for all the wrong reasons, Barbara Havers has not had her rank reinstated and there the clock is ticking to stop this killer, before another body is discovered. I do not want to give too much away here, as some reviews went too far and gave way too much away, but Ms. George took a brave decision here and threw a major spanner in the works in this book. I gave it 5 stars because it make an impact and left me thinking about it, long after I finished it. If you like this series, this book is the best one, in my opinion, todate. I cannot understand why some people gave it one star, maybe they did not follow the series, who knows. I would highly recommend it, but it should be read in the order of the series.
November 22, 2008
I read one of the early Elizabeth George novels years ago and didn't like it. George is an American writing police procedurals set in London. Having lived in London myself, I was put off by her unsure grasp of English social customs and mores. I don't know what possessed me to read this, but I must say George has come a long way in the intervening years. Not only is she more sure-footed in making her way through the English class system, her gift for plot has truly blossomed. The only real complaint I have is that she way overkills the backstory. Or more properly, backstories. Even her backstories have backstories. There is no character so minor that his or her motivation is not scrutinized unto the seventh generation. The result is a 775 page rendition of a 300 page story.
May 30, 2020
“Of all my children, you were always the hardest on yourself. You were always looking for the right way to behave, so concerned you might make a mistake. But, darling, there are no mistakes. There are only our wishes, our actions, and the consequences that follow both. There are only events, how we cope with them, and what we learn from the coping." (Thomas Lynley's mother, to him, from "With No One as Witness")
I am always challenged, infuriated and often disgusted by Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series. She offers little cover for readers from her unyielding gaze upon depravity and cruelty. Her characters' flaws and poor choices are aggravating and obstinately entrenched.
She seldom shrinks from terrible events, cruelty, injustice, casual unkindness, and vile human nature that mar, gouge, and shape the world.
While her books are never easy reading, she skillfully uncovers her layered narratives with unrelenting honesty, aided by her misfit collection of unblinking investigators. The tortuous self-examination of the socially privileged, unfailingly polite, but decidedly non-conforming Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley is offset by Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers' abrasive qualities, including a slothful lifestyle and appearance, harsh judgment, social insecurity, and compulsive insight. Detective Sergeant Winston Nkata offers additional racial and social sensitivity, great instincts, and quiet competence. Havers and Nkata are also unwaveringly loyal to Lynley. This trio of well-developed characters offers excellent opportunities for stretching readers' understanding of human nature and our own self-examination, as well as exploring evil done by and to real and imagined monsters that lurk in darkness and expose our fears and flaws. In short, Elizabeth George is an excellent writer of weight and substance, who plies her craft in the psychological mystery thriller genre, deftly carrying readers through her complex storytelling with great skill and deep understanding.
While I have read all her other books to date, I somehow missed this piece that is prologue to all subsequent volumes. I knew that these events had occurred, because the lives of the characters are never the same afterward, but I had not experienced the process that makes this volume pivotal to the series. Elizabeth George surgically damages the lives of her creations to make them grow in nearly every book, but this one cuts very close to the bone, with calculated destructive power that shatters and demands future transformation for her characters. Together with these damaged children of her imagination, we readers experience these events, cope with them, and are finally left with "what we learn from the coping." This is essential Elizabeth George and, perhaps, her best work.
I am always challenged, infuriated and often disgusted by Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series. She offers little cover for readers from her unyielding gaze upon depravity and cruelty. Her characters' flaws and poor choices are aggravating and obstinately entrenched.
She seldom shrinks from terrible events, cruelty, injustice, casual unkindness, and vile human nature that mar, gouge, and shape the world.
While her books are never easy reading, she skillfully uncovers her layered narratives with unrelenting honesty, aided by her misfit collection of unblinking investigators. The tortuous self-examination of the socially privileged, unfailingly polite, but decidedly non-conforming Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley is offset by Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers' abrasive qualities, including a slothful lifestyle and appearance, harsh judgment, social insecurity, and compulsive insight. Detective Sergeant Winston Nkata offers additional racial and social sensitivity, great instincts, and quiet competence. Havers and Nkata are also unwaveringly loyal to Lynley. This trio of well-developed characters offers excellent opportunities for stretching readers' understanding of human nature and our own self-examination, as well as exploring evil done by and to real and imagined monsters that lurk in darkness and expose our fears and flaws. In short, Elizabeth George is an excellent writer of weight and substance, who plies her craft in the psychological mystery thriller genre, deftly carrying readers through her complex storytelling with great skill and deep understanding.
While I have read all her other books to date, I somehow missed this piece that is prologue to all subsequent volumes. I knew that these events had occurred, because the lives of the characters are never the same afterward, but I had not experienced the process that makes this volume pivotal to the series. Elizabeth George surgically damages the lives of her creations to make them grow in nearly every book, but this one cuts very close to the bone, with calculated destructive power that shatters and demands future transformation for her characters. Together with these damaged children of her imagination, we readers experience these events, cope with them, and are finally left with "what we learn from the coping." This is essential Elizabeth George and, perhaps, her best work.
July 25, 2007
I won't read any more Elizabeth George novels because of this one. I was so angry at what she did to the characters that I swore off her altogether.
A big part of what I enjoy about murder mystery series is that we get to know the primary characters over time, and see them develop. So to mess around with the relationship between readers and characters is to incur the readers' wrath.
I hope to eventually forgive Ms. George, because I enjoyed the series prior to "With No One As Witness". For now, I'll have to be content with The Inspector Lynley series on PBS.
A big part of what I enjoy about murder mystery series is that we get to know the primary characters over time, and see them develop. So to mess around with the relationship between readers and characters is to incur the readers' wrath.
I hope to eventually forgive Ms. George, because I enjoyed the series prior to "With No One As Witness". For now, I'll have to be content with The Inspector Lynley series on PBS.
August 19, 2007
SPOILER ALERT: This review reveals an irritating, but important, plot detail.
Sweet Lord mother of God. Did nobody tell this woman that reading a book about a crazed serial killer is tough enough going?
But to kill off Lynley's fricking WIFE in the middle of the book! For no apparent reason. Give me a freaking break.
Sweet Lord mother of God. Did nobody tell this woman that reading a book about a crazed serial killer is tough enough going?
But to kill off Lynley's fricking WIFE in the middle of the book! For no apparent reason. Give me a freaking break.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2015
I remember reading this book when it first came out. I had read all its predecessors, but this one put me off Elizabeth George forever more. I also remember there was a great cry and backlash against the author for one particular event in this book, which, I believe, resulted in the subsequent "What Came Before He Shot Her." In interviews after the outcry about "Witness," I recall the author was quite prickly that no one (i.e., readers) could dictate where her stories went and characters developed. On the other hand, any author of a series depends for sales on readers' involvement with and affection for the main and recurring characters -- in addition to finely honed plots. I believed, and still believe, that Ms. George violated that author-reader pact. She may have explained in "Shot Her," and (obviously) genuinely believed the events in "Witness" were necessary to take her series wherever she decided it should or needed to go. That's her right. It's my right to decide not to read any more of her books. All this time later and I'm still aggrieved.
March 4, 2020
I don't even know what to say here. I think I am still just ticked. George had too much happening this book and I really think that she would have been better off just sticking with Lynley and Havers third person points of views. Adding in Winston, the bad guy, a woman, and several others started making me twitchy. With the book setting up a showdown with Lynley's new superior and then the book jumping to something totally unexpected (and made no damn sense) makes me wonder how this series continued after this. George does not seem to care for married couples (see St. James and Deborah) and she even showed that Lynley was hesitant after marrying Helen. It's so weird to me to just basically see that all of the people are 100 percent exhausting and then there's murder thrown in to make you want to bang your head a thousand times.
"With No One As Witness" follows Lynley on the trail of a serial killer. Lynley is also dealing with Webber's replacement, Hiller, who has an ax to grind against Havers and wants to use Winston as the "face" of the police force due to the serial killer targeting mixed race boys. George though not satisfied with this throws in some other things going on besides this.
Havers is dealing with getting her neighbor's child in trouble and fighting with the father about how he treats her. I seriously did not care about this story-line at all.
Winston is dealing with a well earned promotion, but knowing it comes with a lot of strings attached. He is also still thinking about the woman, Yas, he met in one of the prior books. The whole thing read too stalky for me so I was not happy about this story-line.
Lynley and Helen are preparing for the birth of their baby and Lynley is dealing with the machinations of Hiller. Hiller just sucks and there's no other word for it. Lynley is doing what he can to make sure Havers can get her rank back, but with Hiller throwing up roadblocks with journalists and a profiler, it doesn't look like it's happening.
Of course St. James and Deborah are in this and I still dislike Deborah. No she didn't do anything wrong in this one, but I just can't stand this character.
The writing was a chore to get through. I felt my attention wandering a lot. And then we had a plot twist thrown in that made me feel like I was reading a totally different book. And then it didn't work at all as a whole.
The ending...yeah. I got no words.
"With No One As Witness" follows Lynley on the trail of a serial killer. Lynley is also dealing with Webber's replacement, Hiller, who has an ax to grind against Havers and wants to use Winston as the "face" of the police force due to the serial killer targeting mixed race boys. George though not satisfied with this throws in some other things going on besides this.
Havers is dealing with getting her neighbor's child in trouble and fighting with the father about how he treats her. I seriously did not care about this story-line at all.
Winston is dealing with a well earned promotion, but knowing it comes with a lot of strings attached. He is also still thinking about the woman, Yas, he met in one of the prior books. The whole thing read too stalky for me so I was not happy about this story-line.
Lynley and Helen are preparing for the birth of their baby and Lynley is dealing with the machinations of Hiller. Hiller just sucks and there's no other word for it. Lynley is doing what he can to make sure Havers can get her rank back, but with Hiller throwing up roadblocks with journalists and a profiler, it doesn't look like it's happening.
Of course St. James and Deborah are in this and I still dislike Deborah. No she didn't do anything wrong in this one, but I just can't stand this character.
The writing was a chore to get through. I felt my attention wandering a lot. And then we had a plot twist thrown in that made me feel like I was reading a totally different book. And then it didn't work at all as a whole.
The ending...yeah. I got no words.
February 25, 2010
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I like to read Elizabeth George because I'm so attached to her characters, especially to Helen Lynley because she adds a light touch to the proceedings. Other than Helen, the characters are all very serious and pained in various ways. This book is very well plotted and the characters are as strong as ever. The ending is satisfying, while leaving me wondering what will happen with these characters next. I have a big problem, though. Ms. George has killed off Helen and I'm not sure I can forgive her for that. Heartbreaking, and I'm not sure who will supply the required grace note now that Helen is gone. I also had a second, smaller, but still significant problem. I don't want to see into the mind of the serial killer. There were some keys to the killer's identity embedded in his thoughts, but I don't care. I wish the author had found a different way of doing it. I like police procedurals and the puzzle of it all, but I don't want my own thoughts polluted by his and I don't care how the killer got the way he is. He is what he is, irredeemable, and needs to be caught and put away somewhere. Full stop.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2014
I am done with this book for now. I read the prologue and that made me start this giant novel, but just after a couple of pages I felt totally disenchanted and bored by the story. The writer has a literary flair and her usage of some proverbs and phrases is amusing at times but the pace of the story is nowhere near that of a fine mystery thriller book. Very slow paced and laden with useless details of London streets and how Barbara Havers smoke cigarettes is quite unnerving as well as annoying.
So, I am done with this one.
So, I am done with this one.
April 30, 2010
I know I wrote a review for this some time ago and I'm disappointed the system seems to have blipped said review into oblivion..... As with almost all George's books, I loved this one and was so dumbstruck and awed and distressed by the ending that I could not read the sequel to this particular story - 'What Happened Before He Shot Her'..... still haven't managed to get to it although I've read 'Color of Blood' I think it's called - the one that came after "What Happened..." ..... anyway.... I'll enthusiastically awaiting the new one, which I've requested from the library and should be coming my way in a week or so..... YAY!!! FOr the future reader's FYI, there is a sequence to all her books -not just which was written and published first, but the story line of Inspector Linley and his friends and colleagues..... which actually starts with 'A Suitable Vengence'. George is a brilliant writer of crime. Hope you all enjoy!
December 22, 2012
I have been re-reading the Inspector Lynley series from the start, and this is the first one I remembered well. I'm guessing it left an indelible impression because it's such a devastating story. This time through I was aware of all the forehadowing. Lynley, Havers, and newly promoted Winston Nkata are investigating the serial murders of adolescent boys, and the path leads straight home. Havers is at her best when she's most vulnerable, and she's finally starting to understand herself better. Lynley is also at his most vulnerable, especially as he begins to understand how his life is changing with impending fatherhood approaching. This is a gripping novel.
December 13, 2012
This one was quite a ride. One of the best in the series, in my opinion. I almost didn't want to read it, having accidentally found out a major plot development in advance. But Ms. George's writing was spot on in describing how all the characters dealt with the situation. Very realistic. It was good to have Lynley & Havers back, although this one leaves you hanging whether they will be a team in the future. If you're a fan of the series, and the characters, this one is a "don't miss." Not easy, necessarily, but very, very good. Kind of like Aslan, if you know what I mean.
March 25, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book. It took me a moment to get into it as well as get around the dialect. This book is 928 pages or 19 cds long. Starts off slightly boring and takes a minute to kickstart the desire to read.
There's a killer going around selecting young black males as his victims and performing painful torture to them. No one ever witnesses these abductions nor does anyone know why these boys would be so susceptible to their killer. On the case is Constable Havers, Acting Superintendent Lynley, Constable N'Carter and over 20 other personnel to help find this killer.
There's a killer going around selecting young black males as his victims and performing painful torture to them. No one ever witnesses these abductions nor does anyone know why these boys would be so susceptible to their killer. On the case is Constable Havers, Acting Superintendent Lynley, Constable N'Carter and over 20 other personnel to help find this killer.
January 25, 2019
Sehr spannend aufgebaut mit vielen Details zu den Ermittlungen - ein wirklich toller Krimi!
February 4, 2024
According to many readers of Elizabeth George and lovers of crime fiction, With No One as Witness is one of the best novels by this very Anglophile American writer.
This is also my opinion so far, as I was drawn into a breathless plot from the first pages to the very end.
The murder of a teenager is committed by someone he visibly knows. This crime proves to be just the latest in a series. Behind an elaborate and sordid modus operandi lies a particularly deviant mind. It is up to New Scotland Yard to get to the bottom of this and urgently catch the killer before he kills again.
The Assistant Commissioner instructs Acting Superintendent Thomas Lynley to work, amongst others, with freshly promoted Sergeant Winston Nkata - a black policeman - to put together an active and efficient team. Barbara Havers, who has been reinstated as a constable after a period of misconduct (we know her character), has some interesting ideas about an non-governmental organisation responsible for the social rehabilitation of delinquent youths. It is a race against time in the incident room at the headquarters and in the field, not without false leads, fatal mistakes and many dead ends, due to a serial killer who is both very clever and very disturbed, and an Assistant Commissioner who is clearly out of touch with reality.
This novel takes the reader's breath away, thanks to an ingenious and gripping narrative technique. The geographical precision takes us to all possible and imaginable districts of London, with a wealth of details, not in a sometimes tedious Balzacian way, but as a skilful enrichment of the plot down to the tiniest things of everyday realities.
I found myself repeatedly caught up in this breathless narrative, in which interrogations in the field, reconnaissance of the premises and surroundings, meetings at Scotland Yard, brief pauses in the private lives of the investigators - we get to know Winston Nkata but also Barbara Havers' background better - and the delusions of the mysterious serial killer alternate.
The at times colloquial style of many of the novel's characters and lines - sometimes disturbing in Careless in Red - finds its perfect place here, both as a restitution of the atmosphere of certain environments and as an outlet for a very difficult and tense investigation with complex ramifications.
The tragedy is very present - the serial killer makes also collateral victims who leave a very bitter taste - but the final action, at the climax, as dramatic as it is, has an unusual touch.
This is also my opinion so far, as I was drawn into a breathless plot from the first pages to the very end.
The murder of a teenager is committed by someone he visibly knows. This crime proves to be just the latest in a series. Behind an elaborate and sordid modus operandi lies a particularly deviant mind. It is up to New Scotland Yard to get to the bottom of this and urgently catch the killer before he kills again.
The Assistant Commissioner instructs Acting Superintendent Thomas Lynley to work, amongst others, with freshly promoted Sergeant Winston Nkata - a black policeman - to put together an active and efficient team. Barbara Havers, who has been reinstated as a constable after a period of misconduct (we know her character), has some interesting ideas about an non-governmental organisation responsible for the social rehabilitation of delinquent youths. It is a race against time in the incident room at the headquarters and in the field, not without false leads, fatal mistakes and many dead ends, due to a serial killer who is both very clever and very disturbed, and an Assistant Commissioner who is clearly out of touch with reality.
This novel takes the reader's breath away, thanks to an ingenious and gripping narrative technique. The geographical precision takes us to all possible and imaginable districts of London, with a wealth of details, not in a sometimes tedious Balzacian way, but as a skilful enrichment of the plot down to the tiniest things of everyday realities.
I found myself repeatedly caught up in this breathless narrative, in which interrogations in the field, reconnaissance of the premises and surroundings, meetings at Scotland Yard, brief pauses in the private lives of the investigators - we get to know Winston Nkata but also Barbara Havers' background better - and the delusions of the mysterious serial killer alternate.
The at times colloquial style of many of the novel's characters and lines - sometimes disturbing in Careless in Red - finds its perfect place here, both as a restitution of the atmosphere of certain environments and as an outlet for a very difficult and tense investigation with complex ramifications.
The tragedy is very present - the serial killer makes also collateral victims who leave a very bitter taste - but the final action, at the climax, as dramatic as it is, has an unusual touch.
December 30, 2022
Turns out you cant even trust the people that are meant to be guiding you. This adventure tok barbara n lynley for a ride. From facing off with hillier (whom I'm awaiting to read in the next book some sort of punishment for brining in a rapist into the investigation) to painful decisions.
Glad to see in the end barbara getting her promo back. But i felt it when lynley pulled th plug on Helen. She wasnt my favourite character, because she always gave into lynley when he was being a unreasonable ass, but she had potential.
Lynley as allways was brilliant in his deductions. Didnt much care for ulrike's and nakata's cameos.
Glad to see in the end barbara getting her promo back. But i felt it when lynley pulled th plug on Helen. She wasnt my favourite character, because she always gave into lynley when he was being a unreasonable ass, but she had potential.
Lynley as allways was brilliant in his deductions. Didnt much care for ulrike's and nakata's cameos.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2023
Does anyone write about black people or write black dialogue more awkwardly than Elizabeth George? In her world, white people might say "He's expecting us" but black people would say, "He's 'xpecting us." Subtle! She also seems to think a reference to Little Black Sambo (a thought in the head of a black character) is cutting edge social commentary. Also, in every book she is sex-obsessed. This book features a NAMBLA-type organization and a serial killer after adolescent boys. If you omit the very annoying race awkwardness, it's a decent enough page-turner which lays the groundwork for the execrable What Came Before He Shot Her.
May 28, 2013
I really should have brushed up on my British Slang. I spent the first quarter of the book trying to settle in to a language barrier. I found it odd, actually, because British accents are among my favorite to listen too but to read in British slang is a challenge I failed at miserably. Believe me, in my head the person reading was a horrible interpretor. I finished the book thinking if I had used an audiobook I probably would have enjoyed it more.
Besides trying to make out what a "torch" is or a "slog", being "knacked" or "sod off" the story line itself was a decent one. A great crime-psychological-thriller and I admit I had not figured out in the initial hundred pages who was at work. The characters were all defined well and shown to have many levels of personality. Being that my parents are "coppers" I was able to follow along the line of duties and the makings of the case with ease. I found myself skipping over the abundant street names, places, and monuments that I assume are there to bring depth to the imagery. Again, if I was more familiar with London I'm sure it would have held a bit more interest to me. It was hard for my imagination to really grab hold of scenery and details being used and unlike other books I didn't feel the need to fire up the laptop and delve into GOOGLE for the necessary help to visualize.
The novel was a long 627 pages with many different storylines with different angles but tied in together eventually. At times I felt I was regurgitating the same police work and details a few times too many in the pages with only a handful of actual characters to study, but all in all, I was happy with the surprise that I had not ascertained "who dunnit". The storylines of Colossus, Linley's background, Barbara's self depreciating, Nkata's self struggle, Simon's background and the once mighty mentor were all massed together and branched at various times when I found myself thinking....why can't we just stick with the case, I want to know how they plan on finding the murderer not how each character steps off the path in their spare time. At the same time, I was sucked into the personal lives of every character and their path off the beaten path of police work. The story itself held more about the inner minds of the people working the details of the serial killer then of the serial killer and the case, itself.
But, to be fair, this is my first "Lindley novel" (as it was expressed on the book jacket) and I'm sure each off-branch to a character is nicely wrapped up in a previous novel with a previous storyline. I'm just impatient, and re-living the humanity of each character was little interest comparable to the serial murderer they were supposed to be chasing. To be honest, the serial murderer was a very small portion of this book. HE popped up here and there, you got a peek into an instability, you got a stench of foul at play, but as a whole the novel was based on finding the details and crime scenes afterwards. I'm used to a more in-your-face portrayal of a murderer.
Or, maybe I'm used to a more fantasized portrayal of murderer. A definite fantasy angle and told from a very exaggerated state. I will say that this book, in hind-sight, is very well written to the facts, the humanity, and to the workings of the police. Almost like a true crime novel but with the embellishment of fictional characters and the shortcomings that come with them. Also appreciated in this book is the under-currents of racial inequality and underprivileged youth. Even in London it is noted that today's youth is tomorrow's future, lord help us all. The stabs at Americans within the pages was also humorous. Yes, if it's a oversized bum and a foul mouth..it must be American. *grin*
If I found another "Lindley Novel" I'd most likely pick it up and have a go at another 600 pages of disheveled, loudmouthed Barbara. Properly groomed and to the point Lindley. Nkata and his balance of being a black man in a white uniform and his youthful goings in a gang. The characters made an impression....even if the book they were in left less of one.
Thrashdthoughts.com
Besides trying to make out what a "torch" is or a "slog", being "knacked" or "sod off" the story line itself was a decent one. A great crime-psychological-thriller and I admit I had not figured out in the initial hundred pages who was at work. The characters were all defined well and shown to have many levels of personality. Being that my parents are "coppers" I was able to follow along the line of duties and the makings of the case with ease. I found myself skipping over the abundant street names, places, and monuments that I assume are there to bring depth to the imagery. Again, if I was more familiar with London I'm sure it would have held a bit more interest to me. It was hard for my imagination to really grab hold of scenery and details being used and unlike other books I didn't feel the need to fire up the laptop and delve into GOOGLE for the necessary help to visualize.
The novel was a long 627 pages with many different storylines with different angles but tied in together eventually. At times I felt I was regurgitating the same police work and details a few times too many in the pages with only a handful of actual characters to study, but all in all, I was happy with the surprise that I had not ascertained "who dunnit". The storylines of Colossus, Linley's background, Barbara's self depreciating, Nkata's self struggle, Simon's background and the once mighty mentor were all massed together and branched at various times when I found myself thinking....why can't we just stick with the case, I want to know how they plan on finding the murderer not how each character steps off the path in their spare time. At the same time, I was sucked into the personal lives of every character and their path off the beaten path of police work. The story itself held more about the inner minds of the people working the details of the serial killer then of the serial killer and the case, itself.
But, to be fair, this is my first "Lindley novel" (as it was expressed on the book jacket) and I'm sure each off-branch to a character is nicely wrapped up in a previous novel with a previous storyline. I'm just impatient, and re-living the humanity of each character was little interest comparable to the serial murderer they were supposed to be chasing. To be honest, the serial murderer was a very small portion of this book. HE popped up here and there, you got a peek into an instability, you got a stench of foul at play, but as a whole the novel was based on finding the details and crime scenes afterwards. I'm used to a more in-your-face portrayal of a murderer.
Or, maybe I'm used to a more fantasized portrayal of murderer. A definite fantasy angle and told from a very exaggerated state. I will say that this book, in hind-sight, is very well written to the facts, the humanity, and to the workings of the police. Almost like a true crime novel but with the embellishment of fictional characters and the shortcomings that come with them. Also appreciated in this book is the under-currents of racial inequality and underprivileged youth. Even in London it is noted that today's youth is tomorrow's future, lord help us all. The stabs at Americans within the pages was also humorous. Yes, if it's a oversized bum and a foul mouth..it must be American. *grin*
If I found another "Lindley Novel" I'd most likely pick it up and have a go at another 600 pages of disheveled, loudmouthed Barbara. Properly groomed and to the point Lindley. Nkata and his balance of being a black man in a white uniform and his youthful goings in a gang. The characters made an impression....even if the book they were in left less of one.
Thrashdthoughts.com
April 18, 2010
I had considered a longer review but I'm not sure this book is worth it. I consider Elizabeth George to be a B level mystery writer. I like Lynley and Havers but tend to find the plotting and prose to be sub par. In fact the Lynley series is one of the few where I prefer the BBC production to the novels themselves. It took me a long time to finish this book. It's excessive length is exasperated by the unnecessary inclusion of a a social worker character. The parts of the book from her perspective take over a hundred pages and are useless to the conclusion. It's a serial killer story which I personally usually find unsatisfying. Give me characters with normal human understandable motives, not some bizarre need to purify because the daddy was mean to the killer. And finally the conclusion comes out of nowhere. It's Dues ex machina personified. They never determined who the killer was he just shows up at the end and gets caught.
I did learn something important from this novel. The BBC tv versions are completely different. They do not follow the same plot elements or character developments.
I did learn something important from this novel. The BBC tv versions are completely different. They do not follow the same plot elements or character developments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2008
I was exasperated by the monumental struggles with authority faced by Lynley, Havers and Nkata in this book. On top of their problems at work, too, Havers has to deal with an unpleasant situation at home, Nkata can't make any headway with Yasmin (and struggles with the recognition of his own weakness) and Lynley... well I won't go into that. All the personal drama is wrapped around the hunt for a serial killer who preys on those least likely to be missed. I enjoyed this book, in spite of the above-reference teeth-grinding exasperation. That's what life's like though, isn't it? Good people do have to struggle, just as much as the rest of us. The ending was devastating. Yeah, they caught the killer, but so what? I knew bad stuff was coming and had guessed who would be the victim, but it was still deeply wrenching and very emotional. A good book, well-written. I'll be reading "What Came Before He Shot Her" next, to learn more about the events leading up to the ending of this book, and look forward to finding out what happens to our favorite characters as they move forward.
February 2, 2018
Però non si fa così! Anche se lo avevo già letto in inglese, quando sono arrivata al punto fatale .... sigh, ho pianto come un vitello! Sono talmente affezionata a Linley & co.! ok, questo il commento a caldo.
Quello a freddo eccolo qua: Il livello della scrittura della George è notevole, ed è notevole come non si affievolisca in lei - libro dopo libro - l'impegno che ci mette. Scrittura e struttura sono un meccanismo ad incastro che in questo libro si muovono inarrestabili verso la tragedia finale.
Il modus operandi da serial writer (di altissimo livello) della George si ripete senza mostrare cedimenti: vediamo in parallelo l'assassino, la vittima, il detective. Il bello è che sappiamo tutto del colpevole, tranne sapere chi è. In questo palinsesto, secondo me, sta il fascino del libro. Oltre che nella sua capacità di cogliere psicologie e sentimenti senza descrizioni patetiche. con un'eccezione: quando si arriva al Dunque, in questo libro, la George mi sembra che affondi un po' troppo il coltello e cerchi un po' troppo facilmente la nostra lacrima.
Quello a freddo eccolo qua: Il livello della scrittura della George è notevole, ed è notevole come non si affievolisca in lei - libro dopo libro - l'impegno che ci mette. Scrittura e struttura sono un meccanismo ad incastro che in questo libro si muovono inarrestabili verso la tragedia finale.
Il modus operandi da serial writer (di altissimo livello) della George si ripete senza mostrare cedimenti: vediamo in parallelo l'assassino, la vittima, il detective. Il bello è che sappiamo tutto del colpevole, tranne sapere chi è. In questo palinsesto, secondo me, sta il fascino del libro. Oltre che nella sua capacità di cogliere psicologie e sentimenti senza descrizioni patetiche. con un'eccezione: quando si arriva al Dunque, in questo libro, la George mi sembra che affondi un po' troppo il coltello e cerchi un po' troppo facilmente la nostra lacrima.
July 18, 2010
This is my first Elizabeth George book, so I'm not able to comment on how it compares to her previous works nor how it compares to other books in the series of Lynley and Havers novels. I know this can be a blessing and a curse to review readers.
That said, I found the book absorbing...despite its length, I was hardly able to put it down. Ms. George paints the scene beautifully, and her characters are richly multidimensional, bringing the reader into their heads and hearts to see the world through their eyes. I found the plot to be nicely done, with lots of delicious twists. One of my problems with the book was understanding some of the Brittish slang used. I was surprised to find a bodice-ripper-style sex scene in a crime/mystery book, but it was not jarringly out of place in the plot.
That said, I found the book absorbing...despite its length, I was hardly able to put it down. Ms. George paints the scene beautifully, and her characters are richly multidimensional, bringing the reader into their heads and hearts to see the world through their eyes. I found the plot to be nicely done, with lots of delicious twists. One of my problems with the book was understanding some of the Brittish slang used. I was surprised to find a bodice-ripper-style sex scene in a crime/mystery book, but it was not jarringly out of place in the plot.
March 11, 2009
This novel was a fun and enjoyable read: a little bit of gore, a good bit of suspense, and a whole lot of mystery.
This is the first Lynley series I've ever read...and I find it hilarious that I just watched theInspector Lynley BBC series for the second time and Lynley's wife gets shot and killed, which definitely sets a damper on my spirits. And then I read this book and his wife gets shot while she's pregnant, and consequently she's brain dead and Lynley has to pull to plug on both his wife and unborn child because the doctors say there's nothing they can do. DEPRESSING! I stayed up until 3 am reading the ending and I was in tears. :-(
And as a last note, Barbara Havers is kick-ass! Yay for awesome female characters!
This is the first Lynley series I've ever read...and I find it hilarious that I just watched theInspector Lynley BBC series for the second time and Lynley's wife gets shot and killed, which definitely sets a damper on my spirits. And then I read this book and his wife gets shot while she's pregnant, and consequently she's brain dead and Lynley has to pull to plug on both his wife and unborn child because the doctors say there's nothing they can do. DEPRESSING! I stayed up until 3 am reading the ending and I was in tears. :-(
And as a last note, Barbara Havers is kick-ass! Yay for awesome female characters!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2017
If you have the stomach for it, reading a suspense novel about a serial killer, With No One as Witness (Inspector Lynley, #13) by Elizabeth George is a page turner! Several social issues play a role in the hunt for the killer, which gives depth to the plot. I challenge anyone to predict who the killer(s) is/are, which characters find a love interest, who loses a love interest and who is able to hold on to his/her job as the case is resolved. Everything is threatened in this book. Everything is a shocking surprise and nothing is certain until it is.
October 20, 2010
I don't know if I can continue my once unabated enthusiasm for Lynley and his friends. I am tiring of the neurotic distress Lynley seems to feel perpetually. Havers is interesting to me, but she plays a diminishing supporting role, and it seems as the series progresses we are thrust into the minds and thoughts of so many other characters for a larger period of time and it gets harder to hold the thread of the plot in mind as you must deal with everyone's life issues.
February 6, 2021
Much better than the last one (any Lynley book with a minimal Deborah content is automatically a winner as far as I am concerned), but honestly, this pattern of the detective whose loved ones are tragically lost has become too much of a cliche. Which is why Gamache is such a breath of fresh air. And another source of grief: why kill Helen and leave Deborah alive? Why? :-))
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2022
A serial killer is making waste of young boys. New Scotland Yard is having problems not only with the investigation, but with Hillier’s methods of handling the media. Our main characters all shine in this episode, professional and personal keeping the monster of a read interesting. The concluding pages become a mind blowing, weeping mess for fans of the series.
June 26, 2023
Listened to the audio this time round
Perhaps the most happening and most emotional one in the D I Lynley series.
I didn't like what happens in the life of the inspector, but then we cant stop the author from playing God.
Was as enjoyable as ever
Barbara was as stubborn as ever
Perhaps the most happening and most emotional one in the D I Lynley series.
I didn't like what happens in the life of the inspector, but then we cant stop the author from playing God.
Was as enjoyable as ever
Barbara was as stubborn as ever
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