Oanade konsekvenser

Inspector Lynley #19

by Elizabeth George

Den brittiska feministen Clare Abbott, berömd för sin banbrytande essä Livmodersdilemmat, hittas död på sitt hotellrum i Cambridge efter en föreläsning om sin nya bok. Kvällen före dödsfallet har hotellpersonalen hört hur Clare råkat i våldsamt gräl med sin personliga assistent, Caroline Goldacre. Clares kvinnliga förläggare, Rory Statham känner stor tveksamhet inför den yviga och påstridiga Caroline och kontaktar Barbara Havers, som hon mött på en av Clares föreläsningar. Rory misstänker att Caroline har något med Clares död att göra.

Caroline och Clare har lärt känna varandra i staden Shaftesbury i Dorset där Clare har ett fritidshus och Caroline bor. Caroline är olyckligt gift och den ena av hennes söner har tagit livet av sig medan den andre är djupt deprimerad. Clare kanske anställde Caroline av medlidande, resonerar Rory. Sanningen är den att Caroline snabbt gjort sig oumbärlig för Clare och hotat att ta över hennes liv med sin moderliga omsorger. Hon har städat, tvättat och lagat mat. Hon har arrangerat Clares signeringar och bokat hennes författarframträdanden och hållit läsarna på avstånd så att Clare skulle få arbetsro. Saker som Rory brukade hjälpa Clare med tidigare.

När så Rory utsätts för ett förgiftningsförsök och överlever råder det plötsligt ingen tvekan om att en mördare går lös och Barbara Havers arbete med fallet tvingas accelerera. Havers och Winston Nkata kämpar mot klockan för bringa klarhet i härvan av halvsanningar, lögner och familjehemligheter när de kommer i dagen.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, British Literature

616 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Librarian 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

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I closed this lengthy (573 pages) new book in the Lynley/Havers series and I breathed a sigh of relief. Oh my goodness, I think Elizabeth George is back on track. This was actually a good installment in the series. After George killed off Lynley's wife and unborn child on their own doorstep, the series went amok. She followed that incident with a book that was truly, in my opinion, horrible "What Came Before Her" and then issued four very mediocre novels with Lynley and Havers behaving very uncharacteristically. I had really about given up but thought that I'll give it one more try. I am glad I did.

This book goes back to the tried and true formula of being about an actual crime. Clare Abbott, a renowned feminist writer, is found dead in her hotel suite while on a speaking tour. At first it is thought to be a heart attack but after further investigation it turns out she was poisoned. Attention turns to her assistant, Caroline Goldacre, and she is quite a piece of work. Clare has one of the most dysfunctional families around. One son commits suicide and her employer builds a monument for him. What is the relationship between these two women?

Havers is still walking a thin line with her boss, Isabelle Ardery, who desperately wants her gone. With the real threat of transfer hanging over her head, Havers must walk a very disciplined line and that is so hard for her. Dorthea Harriman, the department secretary, tries to befriend her and this is hysterical. Harriman is such a fashion plate and Havers is, well, not. Harriman tries to take her shopping and then they try speed dating which is funny. It's Havers taste in clothes that brings her in touch with Claire Abbott, the murder victim.

Lynley meanwhile is continuing his relationship with Daidre, the zoo veterinarian. I think this thread is still a troubling part of the book. It just doesn't fit and I find the relationship awkward. It is just so unlikely. I don't know why George keeps trying to make a square peg fit into a round hole. No matter how many times you pound that peg, you just can't make it work. It doesn't work. Stop it.

I have a lot of time invested in this series. I have read all the books as they come out. They require an investment of time as they are all over 550 pages. I have stuck to it through the very rough times when it appeared George had lost control of the series. I am glad it's back on track with a very readable book. The plot was interesting. The characters were interesting. Havers was back in form. Now if she could only stop trying to force the Lynley relationship, things would be great. Even so, I can recommend this book to all those readers who have stuck with George. It is possible to read this as a stand alone and enjoy it but for long standing fans, it is a breath of fresh air.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this 19th book in the 'Inspector Lynley' series, the Scotland Yard detective and his team investigate the death of a feminist author. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowing the characters makes it more entertaining.



*****

Will Goldacre is a troubled young man who's afflicted with a deformed ear and a condition that seems to resemble Tourette's Syndrome - he sometimes vocalizes curse words and inappropriate phrases. After a break-up and attempted reconciliation with his girlfriend Lily, Will commits suicide by jumping off a cliff. This devastates Will's family, especially his mother Caroline Goldacre.



Caroline copes with her grief (in part) by working as an assistant to well-known feminist author Clare Abbott. When Clare dies suddenly during a book tour, the police take an interest. DS Barbara Havers of Scotland Yard, on the outs with the Detective Superintendent because she causes trouble and doesn't follow orders, desperately wants the case.



So - hoping Barbara can redeem herself - her mentor, DI Thomas Lynley arranges for Barbara to work the case with DS Winston Nkata.



Since Caroline Goldacre was in the adjoining hotel room when Clare died she comes under intense scrutiny. It turns out Caroline's quite a character. She's a liar; a manipulator; an interfering mother; a horrible mother-in-law; an indifferent wife, a jealous friend; and so on.



Then - when Clare's editor Rory (whom Caroline disliked) - is attacked, things start to look very suspicious indeed.

This is a traditional detective book, with Barbara, Winston, and Lynley questioning witnesses, getting search warrants, collecting evidence, putting together clues, etc....in an attempt to uncover the murderer.

There are a large array of additional characters in the story, including Caroline's cheating husband Alistair and his lover and Caroline's son Charlie and his estranged wife India.

At Scotland Yard, secretary Dorothea Harriman......



.....is determined to find tomboyish Barbara Havers a boyfriend (this is pretty hilarious).



There are also appearances by Lynley's lady friend Dairdre, a zoo veterinarian;



and psychological assistance dog Arlo - who's cute and sweet



I enjoyed the first two-thirds of the tale, which moved along at a brisk pace. Then the action seemed to slow down and the book became a bit of a slog. Some additional problems I had with the story: an unnecessarily long and detailed description of women being beaten and raped (and one being murdered); too many uncomfortable scenes of Lynley pursuing Dairdre - with whom he seems to have minimal chemistry; excessive information about Caroline's unfaithful husband and his paramour; ditto India and her new boyfriend. Also, certain aspects of Caroline's behavior were over-the-top and not credible (to me) and the book's conclusion wasn't 100% satisfying.

Still, I did like the detective/investigative parts of the book and got a kick out of the friendship/banter between Barbara and Winston. Barbara even 'cooked' Winnie a meal, which was quite entertaining. All in all, an okay addition to the series.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

[Esil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth George is on my short list of must read mystery writers. Each book is huge, and the equivalent of comfort food. I read a bunch of them all in a row a few years ago at a time when I needed something diverting, consuming but not too serious. Since then, every few years a new one comes out and I sink right back into the world of Linley and Havers. There have been ups and downs in the series -- some misses and some high points. A Banquet of Consequences is no.19 in the series. I was lucky to get an advance copy, and despite the horrible formatting of the copy I got I once again sank right into the story. As usual, the story is told from the point of view of a few people involved in the mystery as well as Linley and Havers. It's a device that works well, because in each book George takes you into the world of the victims and suspects which allows her to keep her books fairly diverse, and she also has a talent for creating good characters and complex human relations. In this case, George definitely creates an interesting cast of characters, including a feminist author, her editor, her assistant, and the assistant's family--the assistant's creepy borderline personality is particularly well done. The relationships between these characters are well done -- especially between the author and her assistant. As with George's last book, Havers is primarily in charge of this investigation, and that alone is a good recommendation for the book because she is a great character. I will say no more about the story. If you're familiar with Elizabeth George, this is a good addition to the series. If you're not familiar with her books, it's a good series if you like your mysteries to be long, not too gritty, and focused more on human relations than police procedure. You could read this one as a stand alone, but I suspect the experience is much richer if you're already familiar with the series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve long been a fan of the Lynley mysteries – Literary crime fiction at it’s best, with A Banquet of Consequences Ms George has hit top form once more.

I’ll be honest and say since the series game changing event that occured in “With No-one As Witness” I felt that the author lost her way a little – whilst the ensuing novels were still good it lost a little something for me – but in A Banquet of Consequences that little hiccup seems to have been shaken off and she is back to doing what she does best. Delivering a tour de force of a crime story with our favourite characters heading back into normal territory and being those we love to read about.

Havers is toeing the line – Lynley finds he doesn’t really like this after all. There are some great humerous moments to be had around that and their interactions with Dorothea (a character who I’d like to see get a good deal more page time) and at last I felt that both Lynley and Havers were regaining lost ground.

Plus the trademark construction is back at its finest – where the crime in question is explored from many angles, giving us a picture of all those caught up in it, from the before during and after. What this author does incredibly well are people. From all walks of life, those who end up on the radar of Lynley and Havers are always fascinating whatever their background. In this case we have an author, a publicist, a mother who has lost a child to suicide and those that surround them – the sheer intricacies of all the interpersonal relationships make for some great reading and it is utterly compelling throughout.

As an entirety this series is simply stunning in its complexity, gorgeous prose, character building and addictive reading quality. Despite the odd downturn, where I believe it’s possible Ms George was grieving as much as her characters were, I would still highly recommend every novel that features Inspector Lynley and co.

You can read any one as a standalone but I would recommend reading in order as far as possible – if only to see the developing friendship between Lynley and Havers – a dynamic duo if ever there was one.

I loved it.

[Dawn Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you want to continue your relationship with Barbara Havers, do yourself a favor and skip to page 567, read it and walk away quickly (take your Converse and run!), then wait another two years. Lynley has apparently been abducted and replaced by a paper doll cutout that resembles very little of the man we came to know. It says it's Lynley, it drives a car like Lynley but it ain't Lynley! Actually all the men (the few there are) in this man hating diatribe seem to have been created from the same pathetic piece of translucent scrap paper that won't stand up by itself.
Barbara deserves better than to be the bookend that holds up an agenda driven work that reads like a freshmen Women's Studies class paper. Gosh, I deserve better.

[Roger Brunyate · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Assured Novelist of Precarious Situations

I recently took a look at the latest Maisie Dobbs mystery by Jacqueline Winspear, whose novels I quite enjoyed at the beginning until I realized that they had settled into a tiresome rut. I felt rather the same about Elizabeth George's British mysteries, though I read a good many more of them before giving up. But here's the difference: I returned to Winspear only to discover that she had become still more annoying; I return to George to find an author who has done nothing but improve, and in particular has eliminated most of the factors that turned me off in the first place.

In short, she has gone far to turn herself from a genre writer into a true novelist. Or, to put it another way, she still emulates the classics of English crime fiction (no small feat for an American), but she has now switched masters. In the beginning, her model seems to have been Dorothy L. Sayers; Thomas Lynley, her blue-blooded Scotland Yard detective, seemed an obvious take-off of Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey, but the trope felt out of place in the modern era. As she matured, however, she seemed to be channeling the great P. D. James, especially the magnificent books of her prime such as Devices and Desires, whose expanded length serves less to complicate the mystery than to do proper justice to all the characters as three-dimensional beings. I had been watching George do the same as she reached her own prime. But this new one is something different: a book where the first suspicious death does not occur for 150 pages—but where those 150 pages have got you as completely hooked as though it were a straight novel. Indeed, George could even have omitted the mystery altogether, and I would still have been satisfied.

About that mystery, I think I should say as little as possible, but I do want to mention a few things about the structure. Classic mysteries in the Agatha Christie mode begin by introducing us to a number of people who are connected in some way; one of the interesting games at this point is to guess who is going to be the victim—generally some unpleasant person whom many people would have motives to kill. I can imagine that most readers would have such a candidate here too, but Elizabeth George does not play the obvious cards; both the first and second victims are quite unexpected, and the motives are far from clear. Then there is the situation in the middle of an investigation where you begin to have an obvious suspect, but start looking at more peripheral possibilities instead, since the obvious just seems too obvious; George plays games with that too. Finally, the police case is closed with fifty pages of the book still to go, but George is not spinning her wheels; not only does she make full use of her long epilogue as a novelist tying up the many human stories, she has another trick or two up her sleeve as a detective writer as well.

The cover labels the book as "A Lynley Novel." But really, DI Thomas Lynley (AKA the Earl of Asherton) is hardly the main focus here. That distinction goes to his subordinate (or rather insubordinate), the proletarian, ill-kempt, loud-mouthed Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, whom I have always found by far the more interesting character. But Barbara is in a precarious situation right now; DS Isabelle Ardery, Lynley's superior, has had enough of her rule-breaking, and is poised to exile her to the grey North at the slightest infraction. Lynley himself, who seems younger and less assured in this novel than I ever remember him, also finds himself walking on eggshells with DS Ardery; his previous patrician ease has all but disappeared.

Precarious situations seem to be the theme of the entire novel. There are at least three marriages or partnerships on their last legs, and a corresponding number of fledgling relationships that could die or prosper as the result of a single move—including Lynley's own as he seeks to find a new anchorage after the death of his wife. And the mystery at the core of the entire case turns out to be a relationship between two women so precarious that nobody can work out what holds it together at all. But George is a deft juggler, and somehow she manages to keep the whole array of plates spinning in the air, with the aid of frequent jump cuts between various places, times, and points of view. So good is she at exploring the edges of more-or-less normal psychology, that it is almost a pity that, before the end, she needs to delve into some sexual behavior that ranges from the mildly perverse to the outright monstrous. George has become such a good writer by now that she could hold an audience through her observation of human behavior alone; someday, I would like to see her trust to that.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

almost 600 pages of the world's worst mother/world's worst mother-in-law, Lynley Brooding Over Helen And Realizing He Is Running Out of Time to Produce an Heir, and The Great Barbara Havers Makeover. I only finished it to find out if Barbara managed to avoid being turned into a fashion plate and acquire manners. I wanted to wash my eyeballs with bleach after reading the icky parts.

[Diane Dickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to absolutely love these books and although I was a little disappointed in the last one I pre-ordered this one. Sadly I think that, for me, they have had their day.

Tommy Lynley seems like a bit part player in this rather slow and tedious tale and though I have not been gripped as I have in the past and at times tried to think of other things to do rather than read which is very unusual for me.

In fairness the plot is clever with a couple of misdirections and one or two of the characters are interesting but the main one is rather tedious and seems to spend much of her time simply screeching obscenities. Some of the "englishisms" become repetitive, there is for example another term for ladies undergarments other than knickers which is in itself a little old fashioned

For me Ms George has tried a little too hard to come into the post 50 shades world but with her really rather precise and slightly old fashioned style it doesn't work that well for this reader.

It is a shame and I really did want to like this but it would be dishonest to pretend that I am still a Tommy Lynley fan - Thank you for all the pleasure Ms George but I think it is time for me to move on now.

[Lisa Frankel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible, boring, and gross. I can't even believe I finished it. Why does everyone seem to like this book?

[Lobstergirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Readers may be surprised that, in installment #19 of the series, Lynley and Havers are still in their 30s. Why, we began with "The Great Deliverance" in 1988, and if you figure Lynley couldn't have been younger than 25 then, in 2015 he would be 52. Havers couldn't be any younger than 50, unless they allow teens to work as detectives.

As usual with George, though there are sexual perversions aplenty, it's the "lovemaking" between ordinary adulterous middle-agers that is most disgusting. There is "feminism" and "feminists," about whom she writes as if she just parachuted in from Mars. I thought she was going to send Havers into lesbianism in the final pages, but fortunately this was an impulse resisted. Tourette's, masturbation, and toothpaste tubes were given in to.

# of times "summat" appears: 8
Sample, from black detective Winston Nkata: "Nuffin. An' I got to say: Way I see it, not likely anyone'd hang on summat so dangerous."

[Robert Dunbar · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, she's good at what she does. It's been ages since a book actually kept me up all night. Of course, I'm having a little trouble getting my eyes to focus this morning...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth George likes to write very long books. This 21 hour audiobook, though, was too long. While the ending wasn't predictable, some thing were. Havers in hot water with her boss, Tommy Lynley being attractive and trying to ignore that he's a lord. You will continue to read though to see who continues to be single or not, if Havers gets a makeover or not, and how they catch the killer.

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swedish review

Oanade konsekvenser är den första Thomas Lynley och Barbara Havers boken jag har läst på flera år, men det känns inte alls som om jag har missat något trots att jag åtminstone inte har läst de senaste 10 böckerna om inte fler. Jag måste erkänna att jag var lite tveksam till boken innan jag började. Men så är den över 600 sidor lång och av erfarenhet vet jag att för att lyckats få läsarna att inte tröttna måste berättelsen hela vägen ha ett flyt och tursamt nog hade boken det. Dock, måste jag erkänna trots att den inte på något sätt var tråkig så saknade jag något med berättelsen, trots den intressanta storyn så kände jag att jag aldrig riktigt fängslades av berättelsen.

Barbara Havers har tydligen begått grova klavertramp i ett tidigare fall och polischefen, Isabelle Ardery, hotar med att förflytta Havers om hon på något sätt gör något överilat och det påverkar berättelsen då hon måste bete sig exemplariskt. Men, hon har Lynely på sin sida som en räddande riddare som försöker få deras chef att förstå att Havers måste få vara Havers, för det är då hon är som bäst som polis. Men Ardery är inte den lättaste att övertala, trots att hon och Lynely en gång i tiden tydligen var väldigt, väldigt nära varandra.

Fallet med den mördade författaren Clare Abbott är intressant även om det kändes som om det tog en lång tid innan allting kom igång, under de första 250 sidorna hände det inte så mycket förutom att Abbotts personliga assistents son tog livet av sig. Men sedan efter mordet på Clare Abbott så kom berättelsen igång och trots avsaknaden av spänning så är boken ändå mycket välskriven och intressant att läsa.

Efter att ha läst Oanade konsekvenser är jag är väldigt sugen på att läsa om de böckerna som jag har läst och sedan ta itu med de som jag har missat. Får se bara när jag får tid till det...

Tack till Norstedts för recensionsexemplaret!

English review

This is the first Thomas Lynley and Barbara Haver book I have read in years. However, it did not feel like I have missed that much despite that I haven't read over 10 books (probably more). I was a bit doubtful towards the book before I started to read it. It's over 600 pages long and I know as a reader that the author really needs to be able to write a story that keeps the reader interested all the way and a 600-page book is tricky. Fortunately, the book manages to keep my interest all the way through. However, I must admit that I felt that something was lacking with the story. It was interesting to read, but I never felt totally engrossed with the story. But, I enjoyed reading about Lynley and Havers again.

Barbara Haver has apparently done something wrong in a previous case and Isabelle Ardery, the police chief is threatening to have her transferred if she does anything wrong again. And, that means that Havers have to behave and that's hard for her (but quite fun to read about). Fortunately, she has Lynley on her side like a knight in shining armor and he is trying through the book to make Ardery understand that Havers need to be Havers to work, but Ardery isn't easy to convince, despite that Lynley and she once upon a time actually were pretty close.

The case with the murdered author Clare Abbott was interesting, but it felt like forever for the story to get started. Not much happened during the first 250 pages of the book except that Abbott's personal assistant's son killed himself. But the story got more interesting after the murder of Clare Abbott. And, despite the fact that the book lacked any real thrilling moments was the book well-written and I enjoyed reading it.

I feel that now after reading A Banquet of Consequences do I want to read again the first book in the series and then read the ones that I have missed. I just need to find some time for that...

Thanks Norstedts for the review copy!

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

George’s massive, character-rich mysteries are unique in the annals of British mystery writing. George’s conclusion to the nineteenth in this series leaves us as anxious to hear the future for her characters as we ever were in the beginning. She throws in everything her characters encounter in a day, making the book dauntingly long, but as I pointed out in an earlier review, look how much story one gets for the investment of a few quid.

Inspector Lynley may indeed be the spine of these novels, but to my mind, Barbara Havers is the beating heart. Her incorrigible refusal to bend to societal expectations both frustrates and endears her to us. She and Lynley are perfectly paired: they accentuate one another’s strengths and weakness. They are more together than they ever would be apart.

In this novel we are treated to a new poison, one easily obtainable on the internet, apparently. It leaves no immediate trace and causes fibrillation of the heart, which can lead to heart failure. For someone to use this against an employer or a family member, one has to be extraordinarily careful since its effects are immediate and deadly to those who come in contact with it.

This novel is about sex. “Goodness, it’s what everyone else is always thinking about, Detective Inspector,” Dorothea, the administrative assistant to Detective Superintendent Isabelle Ardery, said to Detective Inspector Lynley on the subject of Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers’ apparent lack of interest in the subject. In other words, sex is “just the ticket” for getting Havers’ mind off her possible transfer to the outer reaches of prisondom for being too inventive, too edgy in the execution of her duties.

Britain’s foremost feminist author is collecting research for a new book about anonymous casual sexual encounters with married men. She’d troll internet dating sites and when the married men responded, she’d show up at the agreed-upon site and attempt to interview them about their thinking and rationale. George doesn’t crucify these blokes: when we finally meet a few they have quite rational and legitimate reasons for what they do, and one might even come to the conclusion that their marriages, and certainly their sexual satisfactions, are enhanced by their infidelities. However, the sudden death of the feminist author is initially thought by investigators to have been suicide or murder predicated on the fact that the author apparently found the wandering husbands more interesting than just for a chat.

To my mind, partaking of the purported infidelities seems perfectly within the feminist scope. No one has ever succeeded in proving that feminists are uninterested in men, or in sex. What feminists do successfully argue about are unequal constraints within the institution of marriage or that women don’t have the same sexual freedoms as men. Presumably George knew this seemed an insufficient motive for murder because she throws many more compelling motives into the investigation until we suspect practically everyone. In the end, George concludes the episode with the coppers putting away “the obvious suspect” but not the correct one. Divine justice being what it is, however, means even we are not going to agitate for a better solution.

At this point it is worth reminding readers that Elizabeth George is American. While she previously wrote from Huntington Beach, California she now writes from Whitby Island, Washington State, right up near the Canadian border. She claims she can write anywhere, but it is true she does extensive research in the British Isles to complete the set for her mysteries. The language of her characters are even written so that we can tell who is speaking without name identifiers, a skill to which screenwriters aspire.

George had just completed all four of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels before beginning this nineteenth novel in the series of Lynley and Havers. What struck her was that one of Ferrante’s central characters was an unlikable character and yet we couldn’t get enough of her. That character invigorated readers because her reactions, her thinking was so unexpected. George’s creation was surprising, too, and more than a little disagreeable. She had Borderline Personality Disorder, her frantic, manic behaviors characterized by “a tendency towards unstable and inappropriately intense relationships that can be characterized by an inundation of the object necessary for need fulfillment and the sharing of intimate details early in a relationship.”

A short interview with Elizabeth George shares her thinking about the difficulties of writing a long-running series. “The themes of the individual characters’ stories have to mirror the themes of the novel, and that gets very tricky.” So, in this case, there is the discussion of sex, sexual love, and love. Many kinds of love are pointed to in this novel: the love of marriage partners, or of colleagues, or love for children, or love of self. Add to that the complicating need for sex, and you have George’s cornucopia of motives for murder.

My favorite scene in this novel may be the meal that Havers made for Winston Nkata while they worked together in the village of Shaftesbury in Dorset. Sergeant Nkata takes pride in keeping fit, running daily, and not indulging in any vices like drinking or smoking. When his work kept him from their shared accommodation until early evening, Barbara felt she “owed him a meal. He, after all, had been doing the honors with breakfast and lunch.” The starter was “savoury biscuits with orange marmalade accompanied by tuna-and-mayo paste…” I’m not going to tell you the rest, but it goes downhill rapidly from there.

When Nkata returned, he was carrying a shopping bag with fixings for homemade beef, mushroom, and lager pie with a side of sprouts with bacon, shallots, and hazelnuts.

““Shallots, eh?” Barbara wondered what the hell they were.”

[Alexw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billed as a murder mystery but not until page 163 does a murder take place and until then we are introduced to the most annoying character. She has the knack of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time & doubles down by saying it all the time. I was hoping she would be murdered but no such luck and had to suffer through the next 410 pages on her.
There is some comedy relief as her son begs his estranged wife to comfort her for a while he was gone. The estranged wife is having an affair, so a cat fight ensues.
The novel is much better with the 2 police assigned to the murder.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, the good news is that after a slog through the adventures and misadventures (ranging from sad and pathetic to horrifying) of the various members and acquaintances of the most dysfunctional family I've ever encountered in my reading, I did finally come to the part of the book I quite liked. The bad news is it took about 500 pages to get there. The book's fly leaf asks the question whether or not there's a connection between a suicide and an author's death and another attempted murder years later. Well, of course there is. But while I still feel Elizabeth George is a wonderful writer, getting to know these characters was not particularly wonderful. At best, most of these people were tortured and miserable souls, trapped in the web of family lies and their inability to help themselves or each other. At worst, one of them is an absolutely manipulative monster who is mostly responsible for much of this awfulness. Inspector Thomas Lynley and the ever annoying Havers are sent in to untangle this mess (Thomas engineered this over the objections of his REALLY annoying supervisor and former lover because he's Barbara's champion and she desperately needs this case to redeem herself from her last misadventure.) But for a long time there's not enough of Lynley, too much of Barbara Havers, and way too many sordid and repulsive reveals of the persons of interest and even the victims. BUT the ending--the good part--was rather smashing. It changed my 2 stars to 3, even 3 1/2. It was an entirely unexpected resolution that was as satisfying as it was legally incorrect. I'll always love Tommy, of course...even more now, and it convinced me to even hang in there with Barbara...it was that good. I'm so happy that my suspicions about Barbara in my last review may have been correct. However, I'd personally be delighted if Superintendent Isabelle Ardery were the murder victim in the next book.

[Moshe Mikanovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth George is such an amazing writer. It's been awhile since I've read one of her inspector Lyndly cases, and this one was so good! George has a special ability to develop characters and plot and to create such vivid personalities that I was able to feel sorry for or to want to strangle with my bare hands one of the characters ( i won't tell you who...)
It would have been a 5 stars if not for the long time it took to get to the murder. Almost a quarter into the book. While eventually you get why George wrote it that way, at the time it was annoying. Nevertheless, once the deed happened, it was such a splendid read!

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Technically, I didn't actually read this. I started it but less than 5 minutes in, I just couldn't do it. I have never given up on a book so fast before. This one holds the record for that. So I read another book instead, and when I finished that one, I started this one again. Wrong thing to do. I didn't like this. I think I just wasn't in the mood, at least that's my story and I am sticking to it.

[Cynnamon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 19 of the Inspector Linley series is very good, but not quite as good as an Elizabeth George novel can be in best case.
As usual George is addressing a social issue while letting her investigators solve a crime and telling the reader a bit more about the crew we know so well by now.
I haven't read a book from the Linley series for quite a wile, but reading this feels to me like meeting good friends you haven't seen in years.
Even though you didn't have contact for a long time it feels like coming home and like you never had been away.

Like mentioned previously this book is not perfect, but I really liked it. 4 stars.
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Ich bin seit vielen Jahren ein treuer Fan der Inspector Linley Serie und auch Band 19 war keine Enttäuschung für mich, obwohl es sicher nicht der beste Band der Reihe ist.

Nach einer langen Lesepause in dieser Reihe ist mir aufgefallen, dass dies keine Serie ist, die man mit einem beliebigen Band anfangen sollte, d.h. ein Leser, der diesen Band liest ohne zumindest einen Teil der Vorgänger zu kennen, wird wohl nur ein eingeschränktes Lesevergnügen haben.

In diesem Band kommt eine bekannte Autorin und Feministin zu Tode, was sich nach einer Weile als Mord herausstellt. Im Zuge der Ermittlungen rückt die persönliche Assistentin der Autorin samt Familie in den Fokus der Geschichte. Nachdem diese Assistentin eine übermäßig unangenehme Person ist, wünscht sich nicht nur der Leser, dass sie doch die Mörderin sein möge. Der Spannungsbogen wird dadurch aufrecht erhalten, dass die Beweislage rapide wechselnd auf andere Personen hinweist. Die tatsächliche Lösung kommt dann relativ unerwartet, hat mich aber dennoch nicht besonders überrascht.
Wie üblich lebt auch dieser Band von den zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen der Charaktere und Elizabeth George schneidet auch hier wieder ein gesellschaftlich relevantes Thema an.

Mein Liebling aus dieser Reihe ist nach wie vor Barbara Havers, die sich wie üblich mit ihrer ziemlich unangenehmen Chefin arrangieren muss, für ihre Sünden der Vergangenheit büßt und mehr oder weniger erfolgreicht versucht, Dee Harrimans Versuchen ihr ein Makeover zu verpassen aus dem Weg zu gehen.

Ich habe den Roman genossen, fand ihn zumindest gegen Ende ziemlich spannend und bewerte mit 4 Sternen.

[Ellinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clare Abbott, a well known feminist writer, is poisoned. A few days later her editor almost dies as well. But were the two really meant to be the victims or was someone else actually the killer's target?

With this 19th installment in the Inspector Lynley series the old Elizabeth George is finally back! And it was high time for that. After the really bad Just One Evil Act I was about to give this series up. I'm glad I didn't because this book was so good. My expectations weren't very high but once I started reading I couldn't put the book down anymore.

What I found very interesting was the Lynley-Havers constellation: Havers is doing the actual work this time and is almost instructing Lynley what to do next. Lynley is of course still the supervisor but is really in the background. This worked very well and I'm very curious where this is leading. There are also some (positive) changes in both their lives which makes me look forward to the next book a lot.

The crime itself was excellent even though I knew who the killer was quite early. But this just shows how well constructed it was. The characters were well created (I will probably never forget the highly manipulative Caroline) and the many twists and turns made this an exciting read. Let's hope that the series will stay this way!

(I received a free digital copy via Netgalley/the publisher. Thanks for the opportunity!)

[Richard Brand · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only good thing I can say about this story is that Ms. George did create a character that all of us wished were dead. For the rest of the story in my mind was made up of incredibly deficit people. Characters who could not make a decision and move on. There was a certain clique about relationships. Two of the major "families" all had partners outside of marriage. And they could not settle. There was a certain familiar repeating of a love relationship murdered. Those were not the murder that was supposed to be solved. I just found it impossible to believe in the major characters of this story. The Inspector and the police were possible, but rest were just beyond my experiences. I do find it rather amusing that there is this tradition that detectives must have been reared the lap of luxury and engage in police work for a lark. Peter Whimsey,Nero Wolfe, Martha Grimes hero, and on. I am glad that I have read this one so I will not be tempted to read George's other works.

[Jennifer (Insert Lit Pun)]

I didn't find this as gripping as The Punishment She Deserves, but George is so skilled at focusing on the humanity of those involved in and affected by crimes. Onwards (or backwards I guess) to book 18!

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems that George is back to writing the complicated and engrossing Lynley series that is as good as it should be. A Banquet of Consequences is filled with flawed, very human characters and has the detail that makes George a first rate writer. While A Banquet of Consquences is not among her best it is certainly head and shoulders above, say, What Came Before He Shot Her. Ultimately satisfying.

[switterbug (Betsey) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Elizabeth George book, and I am eager to read any more of them that combine traditional novel with a detective story. In A Banquet of Consequences, the first third or so of the book is pure novel. Had I not known George’s reputation, I never would have anticipated a police procedure with returning characters. The author did a superb job of combining the two different genres—in fact, this felt like a story that eclipsed genre altogether.

For those of you already familiar with the Lynley series, you will recognize the brash but bright Barbara Havers, a detective with a history of impudence, who has been professionally scolded and threatened with a post to some back berg if she doesn’t toe the line. Havers has a charming (to readers) way of bucking authority. Her partner, Tommy Lynley, was born with blueblood breeding, and is ever the diplomat. He is in love again, after mourning the death of his wife for eighteen months. But, the woman he loves, Daidre, is reticent, and certainly enigmatic. I suspect there is more to her than meets the eye, and more for future books to explore.

In this novel you’ll meet an unforgettably dysfunctional family in Dorset, England, with an alarmingly enigmatic matriarch. There’s Will, a whiz at landscape gardening, with a deformed ear and what seems to be a bad case of Tourette’s Syndrome—at least, the verbal aspect of it (but the diagnosis isn’t stated-they just say his Words)—he is in love with Lily Foster, a tattoo artist, who is happy with him in London, away from his interfering mother.

Will’s brother, Charlie, is the psychotherapist which brings to mind, Doctor, heal thyself. His estranged wife India, an acupuncturist, has begun dating again. The problem with both men? Their meddling mother, Caroline, a strident, arrogant, possessive master manipulator, who manages to interfere with her sons’ lives so much that their relationships become difficult. Her long-suffering husband, Alastair, who owns several successful bakeries, raised the two boys like they were his own. Her ex-, a plastic surgeon, is remarried and happy to be away from her wiles.

Then there is Clare Abbott, a confident celebrity feminist with a popular book that is all the rage in England and even beyond. Caroline met her via The Women’s League, and has managed to impose herself on Clare and make herself indispensable to her as some vaguely defined assistant. She seems to be in a battle of wills or jealousy with Clare’s publisher, Rory. Rory has a tragic past she is still coping with, and her small dog, Arlo, is her assistance dog, allowed to be with her at all times. Rory and Clare have developed a close friendship over the years, and Rory finds Caroline’s behavior to be intrusive.

The book seamlessly alternates between London and Dorset (Shaftesbury), with a bit of Cambridge thrown in, and a few other places in the countryside. The story, of course, must open itself to a rather serious crime, as Inspector Lynley and Sergeant Havers are on the case. It has levity, too, as the secretary, Dorothea Harriman, attempts to do a makeover on Havers, even taking her shopping for a new wardrobe. Barbara is fairly stubborn, and feels caught in wanting to keep her job, but having to capitulate to a point where she isn’t herself any more. Lynley is the mediator between Havers and the Superintendent, Isabelle Ardrey; he and Adrey have a bit of a brief, torrid past.

That’s the long and short of this review, as I don’t want to reveal what happens to bring the law aboard. I was blown away by the end of the book, I will say that!

My only problem with coming to a series late is that I now know certain key things about the characters that happened in the past. I know that Tommy’s wife was murdered, and that Barbara Havers has been on the chopping block (likely explained in previous books). So, when I go back to read the earlier books, and read about Lynley squiring Helen, I’ll think of her as dead before they are even married. And I’ll know that Havers is headed for trouble at work. But, such is the case when you arrive late. George is otherwise circumspect about earlier cases. She certainly can’t hide certain facts, but I am hoping to go back and read her earlier books with blinders going in.

In summary, if you like a good, juicy, horrifying domestic drama, as much as or more than a detective story, go for this one. You won't be disappointed. If you are already a George fan, I don't need to convince you.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George is a 2015 Viking publication.


This is yet another long running series, this being the nineteenth Inspector Lynley mystery, that I have been neglecting for a good long while. Although I have a few older titles in the series sitting on my shelf that have yet to be read, I couldn’t help but picking up this latest installment from my Overdrive library account.

I have kept up with the series well enough to know that a huge change took place a little while back and since then the series seems to have lagged a bit. However, I thought this one was really good, despite the fact Lynley is on the outskirts of the story with his sole contribution being to try and get Barbara back in the good graces of their boss.

When a popular feminist author dies unexpectedly, a heart attack is blamed, but a good friend of the author insisted upon further test, which resulted in the realization that the woman had been poisoned. Right on the heels of this discovery, the author's friend nearly dies the same way. Coincidence? I think not.

Barbara is still living with the threat of a transfer hanging over her head, so she’s really trying to tone down her usual antics, which has put a damper on her crime solving abilities. Still, she manages to stumble across this particularly puzzling situation, quite by accident, and finds herself working the case,although it’s not really in her jurisdiction, and the evidence is very thin and circumstantial.

Lynley plays a fatherly role with Barbara, keeps the brass off her back, and stands guard. However, that’s about the extent of his role in this one. The only other time we hear from him is when he is dealing with his complicated love life.

While, I have not always enjoyed the author’s choices when it comes to the main characters, it does keep the series from falling into a formulaic, unimaginative pattern.

With this story, the emphasis is on creating an interesting character study for all the people involved, and author as no qualms about addressing and creating true, diabolically evil characters or addressing topics that make even the most jaded crime reader feel a little squeamish. The atmosphere is heavy and dark as taboo topics and actions threaten to see the light of day.

But. After all is said and done, it looks like Barbara is starting to get her groove back, but Lynley is still dealing with a huge life change that has him off his game I think. Only time will tell how he sorts things out. Hopefully, the wait between books won’t be so long, but, even if there is a wait, I have all those older titles to tide me over.

I’m glad I picked this one up, as it’s whetted my appetite for more British mysteries and has re-enforced my faith in this series.


4 stars

[Tanja Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is vintage Elizabeth George! A detailed character study of familiar evil. It takes about 160 pages before the first person, the writer Clare Abbott, gest murdered. Of course, it does not first look like a murder at all. It is when her friend and editor Rory contacts police inspector Barbara Havers - who's had a brief encounter with Clare - that a second autopsy reveals death by poison.

Before we get to this death we've had plenty of time to get to know Clare's personal assistant Caroline. She is a narcissistic woman of the worst calibre. She lost a son, Will, to suicide when he jumped off a cliff. Will's girlfriend Lily is not on Caroline's good side. Then again, no one seems to be. Least of all her current husband Alistair - who is not the father of Caroline's sons - who has taken on a lover, Sharon. Caroline is a compulsive liar and I have rarely disliked a person as much. But why would she kill Clare? Although this is what I want to have taken place right from the start.

We also meet the old familiar cast of detective inspector Thomas Lynley, super intendent Isabelle Avery and fool-hardy Barbara Havers. Barbara has a threat of transfer issued by Isabelle hanging over her head. She really has to prove that she is able to walk the straight and narrow this time. Lynley seems to be getting his life in order and does not figure prominently in this book.

Elizabeth George is one of only a handful authors I started to follow in my teens and still read. I almost left her at a couple of occasions, because not everything she has written is stellar. The first book I read was "For the sake of Elena" back in 1994. I guess her books can be read as stand alone - particularly this one - but you get much more out of them if you read them in order. Meeting beloved characters again and again feels like reuniting with good old friends. I was about say "feels like coming home", but that's a misnomer for me because I've lived so many places in so many countries I have no such, yet. I've lived exactly five years in my current home and that's as long as I have every lived in any one place, ever. Anyway, now I have to settle in for the long wait of a new installment to one of few constans in my life!

[Mary Lins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair warning, I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley novels, and I'm particularly fond of Detective Sargent Barbara Havers. ( I've avoided watching any of the British TV series because I don't want my imagining of the characters altered by actors as they are real to me in my mind as Ms. George has painted them. For example, a character describes Barb as "a barrel on legs with porcupine hair", and I doubt they cast an actress who can meet that description!)

"A Banquet of Consequences" begins weaving the intricate psychological thriller which will involve our beloved characters at some point. So we settle in and learn about the Goldacre family: mother Caroline, Stepfather Alastair, and two sons, Will and Charlie. Ms. George deftly drops us subtle hints about the nature of the mother/sons relationship in this obviously dysfunctional family.

Soon we get to Lynley and Barbara and find them as we left them; Barbara has altered herself in demeanor, deed, and dress to please Detective Superintendent Isabell Ardery, their boss. But Lynley is concerned that the "Barbara-ness" that he needs from her to be an effective Scotland Yard detective is being subverted by her desire to NOT be transferred to the sticks. Secretary Dee Harriman steps in to help, thinking that what Barbara needs is a man. (Speed Dating is just one of her ideas!)
As always, ugly secrets are revealed, sexual perversity is hinted, twisted motivations are plumbed, and murder is suspected.

"A Banquet of Consequences", like almost all of the Lynley novels, is the kind of book you wrap yourself on the couch with and dive into. Immersion is the best way to enjoy Ms. George's wonderful prose, suspenseful story-telling, and witty dialogue. I think of it as the "George Experience" - long may Ms. George provide them!​

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being able to enjoy such a quite vast story that is a 'Lynley' series entry in quite few sittings and period of time is a great and rare treat. Elizabeth George writes with such care and such detail, that you get to know her characters amazingly well - the reappearing ones even more so of course. The story in this one is one of family hardships and tragedy - ending in suicide and a few years later, some cases of poisoning. What these have in common and who's to blame is very much down to Barbara Havers to find out, as this is very much her story - even if Tom Lynley himself gets ample time on stage as well. Barbara struggles this time around with Dorothea Harriman - determined to lure her "out in life" - or at the very least into the arms of a capable man, be it temporary or not, as she's determined that the lone wolf life style is the root cause of her problems. This is, however, a small challenge. Superintendent Ardery has not forgiven a single stray out of bounds on Barbara's behalf and is determined to keep her on a very short leash. Lynley, at the top of his ability, still manages to place Barbara at the head of the complicated and delicate case, something she takes on with her usual ferocity. I enjoyed the book very much and the missing star is only due to a couple of overly long chapters in the last third. Also, it is a bit frustrating that the continued storylines go quite short ways in such long books, starting out, a number of hopes and guesses about the futures of our old friends gets awakened, only to have come short ways at the end. Oh well, maybe in the next book...

[MARILYN · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best in series featuring Barbara Havers. Barbara is trying to redeem herself from her disastrous outing in Italy. She's looking into the death of a feminist writer and attempt on her literary agent. This was classic EG with interesting characters and red herrings galore. My only problem is Thomas Lynley's' love life. She is so lifeless and boring compared to Helen how could he possibly be interested in her. I don't buy that aspect of the story and wish she would. Drop it so she can get back to her big animals and roller derby.

[Aleshanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mein Fazit: Ich bin immer wieder fasziniert, wie die Autorin mich mit der Handlung und vor allem mit den facettenreichen Figuren fesseln kann. Der Fokus liegt natürlich auf dem Mordfall, aber vor allem wichtig sind die Charaktere - was sie denken, fühlen, ihre Vergangenheit die sie geprägt hat, ihre Reaktionen, das verstrickte Denkmuster aus dem sie nicht ausbrechen können ... das war in diesem Band für mich wirklich top!
Damit verbunden viele zwischenmenschliche Themen, wie die Rolle der Frau, das anerzogene Denken, nach dem wir unser Verhalten richten, ganz gleich, ob bewusst oder unbewusst und wie schwierig es ist, neue Wege zu gehen.
Der Rückblick am Anfang hat die Neugier sehr geschürt und der Aufbau war super, um die Spannung immer mehr zu erhöhen.
Havers ist in Höchstform und auch Nkata, der mit ihr zusammenarbeitet, hat viele positive Punkte gesammelt. Nur die Chefin Isabelle Ardery kann ich immer noch nicht ausstehen :)

Insgesamt ein für mich absolut gelungener Krimi, der mich viel hat rätseln lassen und die Spannung immer wieder in die Höhe treibt.