The House Sitter

Peter Diamond #8

by Peter Lovesey

The corpse of a beautiful woman, clad in only a bathing suit, is found strangled to death on a popular Sussex beach. When she is finally identified, it turns out she was a top profiler for the National Crime Faculty, who was working on the case of a serial killer. And though she was a Bath resident, the authorities don't want Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond to investigate the murder. How strange. What could they be trying to hide?

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

391 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Peter Harmer Lovesey, also known by his pen name Peter Lear, was a British writer of historical and contemporary detective novels and short stories. His best-known series characters are Sergeant Cribb, a Victorian-era police detective based in London, and Peter Diamond, a modern-day police detective in Bath. He was also one of the world's leading track and field statisticians.

Reviews

[Kirsten Mattingly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the plot and pacing and didn’t want to put it down. Detective Peter Diamond teams up with a Detective from the author’s other series, and the two strong personalities have fantastic chemistry. Two murders might be connected, and a murderer has written a manifesto naming future targets. I was very invested in the police stopping the murderer and protecting the people on the list. This book is full of interesting and memorable characters.

I am enjoying this series immensely and will start the next book immediately!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got lucky finding this one available, one of the Diamond books I had not gotten to enjoy yet. Enjoy it I did! Reading this book put me in a great mood despite bad weather. Cooperation with another town and another agency, Special Branch, makes for a lively mixture of characters featuring a psychological profiler as well. There are deaths to investigate and lives to save.
This one is a brilliant read.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read by.................. Steve Hodson
Total Runtime......... 12 Hours 33 Mins

Description: The identification of the woman found murdered on Whiteview Sands poses more questions than it answers. Emma Tysoe was a respected psychologist and an official criminal profiler with several successful cases to her credit. Why was she sun-bathing alone so far from home? How did she get there? Who is the mysterious 'Ken' in her private life? What was the murder weapon? Why did the man who noticed she was dead then completely disappear from the scene? When Peter Diamond is brought into the investigation he sheds some light on these matters - most importantly by discovering that she had been seconded under the greatest secrecy to work on the profile of the person who has assassinated one celebrity and is threatening to kill more. Are these killings connected to Emma's death? Diamond thinks so, but he cannot persuade his colleagues to agree with him, and even he cannot make all the pieces fit the jigsaw he's envisaged.



This is the one with the dead duracell (that's an Eveready™ with the copper coloured top), Laver and Emerson, a crossbow, and 'Ken'.







3* The Last Detective (Peter Diamond, #1)
2* Diamond Solitaire (Peter Diamond #2)
3* The Summons (Peter Diamond #3)
3* Bloodhounds (Peter Diamond, #4)
3.5* Upon A Dark Night (Peter Diamond #5)
3.5* The Vault (Peter Diamond, #6)
3* Diamond Dust (Peter Diamond, #7)
3.5* The House Sitter (Peter Diamond, #8)
CR The Secret Hangman

[John Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that Sherlock Holmes called them his 'Three Pipe 'problems when he meant his most intriguing cases. My reading time is late evening when I can settle down in my favourite armchair with a glass of whisky and relax and enjoy my read. I am usually very good and stick to just one glass but sometimes,very occasionally, reaching THAT place in the right book at the right time makes a second glass inevitable and that is why this book gets the '2nd Glass Award' as I just had to finish it off tonight.

Having just found out of the death ,earlier this year, of Stuart Pawson, who held the title of my favourite living crime author, I am promoting Peter Lovesy to that position.

It is such a personal thing, but I find Peter Diamond such a 'me-guy' in so many ways.He feel like one of us, but may be a bit cleverer and perhaps someone who we would want to be like.
Once again, a read that gets my top mark is one without the gratuitous sex and violence.

I havent read one of Loveseys novels for a year or so but I was pleased to 'come home' and as soon as I started reading, I knew I was going to enjoy it. The question was, How much? The everyday setting of the murder on the beach was so easy to imagine that you were already part of this crime scene and one of the witnesses. It kept me hooked through to the end.
A nicely complex case which nicely split into two separate elements and the person that I thought I had foreseen as the villain - totally wrong.

My type of read.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

We ran into a friend at the library recently who said she had been under a lot of stress and "I just needed to read about people being killed," which was her jokey way of saying a good murder mystery is just the mind candy we often want.

That's why I picked up this book, my first Lovesey mystery, and I would declare it as an enjoyable experience, but not one where I was awed by the characters or the plot.

This apparently was a transitional novel, where Lovesey was shifting from his well known detective, the brusque Peter Diamond, to a new character, detective Hen Mallin, a motherly, optimistic and equally blunt detective. In this book, a woman who is sunbathing on the beach is found dead, and Diamond and Mallin work the case together, because the death occurred in Mallin's patch but the woman was from Bath, where Diamond is based.

The case quickly morphs into much more spectacular territory, because it turns out the victim was a criminal profiler who had just been called in to help with the killing of a well known director -- by crossbow, no less -- and that the killer had predicted he would kill two other celebrities.

Diamond and Mallin end up working on all these cases, even though a predictably priggish British special ops unit wants them to have no part of it.

Without giving anything away, I would simply say that as much as I enjoyed the characters and some of the twists and turns, the final solution was a little too neatly packaged and beggared belief just a bit. Still, enjoyable, and a writer I may return to, especially for more Mallin books.

[Wisconsin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not resist, this is the third Lovesey book in a row, but I had to see what happened to the characters after a death in the last book. What I enjoy most about this author is his ability to keep his cast of regulars fresh and interesting, by rotating the old and bringing in new. He respects the intellligence of his reader and does not rehash previous books. Now I shall practice discipline and wait a few months before reading the next book, which is in my stack.

[Alesha Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting few pages were a bit slow but it creates an eagerness in me to know what’s more to it, what’s next ? Who is gonna be the killer etc. Love Diamond character, secretly wanted there to be a love angle with walpurgis character especially after she gifted him the TV. Loved the idea I was reading someone diary going into their thoughts. Tysoe explanation as a profiler about the killer gave a sense of in-depth knowledge in the field of reading people’s mind, something like how does a killer thinks and that is intriguing to me. Little disappointed that after the entire story, no one mentions what Ken research was about. I’m in awe, what could he have been researching about that was so important that he needed to make a statement via deaths…… was it the studies of ants ?? Lol.

[Louise Culmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young woman is murdered on a Sussex beach, and nobody knows who she is. It takes time for the investigating detective, Hen (short for Henrietta) to find out. It is not immediately apparent what this has to do with Peter Diamond and Bath, but have patience, all will be revealed. This is an enjoyable story with Peter Diamond’s investigations entwined with Hen’s as they strive to solve two different crimes that may or may not be connected. Therr are some good characters, Hen herself provides an enjoyable foil for Peter, and I liked Anna Walpurgis, the singer with a passion for shopping. There are several twists and it kept me in suspence until the end.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovesey had me laughing through this. He is right, though, that murder on a beach does not leave much for the detectives to find. This was a complicated mystery, combining as it did two seemingly distinct murders.

The cast of characters is priceless in this...he is a writer with a wealth of experience and he brings all that worldly wisdom to bear in this one. The house belongs to Police Chief boss madam Georgina Dallymore and Diamond doesn't tell her the house sitter is a pop star.

Another brilliant cast of characters, featuring the head detective in another town some distance away, a woman, who also doesn't take flak lying down.

[Stephen Richter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read out of order, but now I am going back to read everything between 1 to 8. Peter Diamond is a middle age detective, a bit old school in the new CSI police. Like the previous stories, the getting there is better than the end.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another one of those much-acclaimed mystery series that I can't understand the appeal of. There was cleverness in the puzzle, which involves the connection between the murder of a sunbathing woman who later turns out to be a criminal profiler, and a methodical killer intent on killing 3 specific people who leaves quotes from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at the crime scene. Peter Diamond and various colleagues from various jurisdictions pursue this case from all angles and come up against false leads and red herrings at every junction. The man who found the dead body has reasons of his own to want to avoid the police. The two beach guards turn out to have given false names and disappear in the middle of the investigation - is this a matter of missing work permits or of a more serious guilt? But the end is completely unconvincing, since it relies on a totally unlikely coincidence. The psychology of the book felt like the author was phoning it in. Peter Diamond is described as a stubborn loner, a hard case, a non-respecter of authority. But it's all telling and no showing. We gather that he lost his wife a year or so before, and that he's not recovered from that loss - but again, we're told, not shown this.

Altogether a competent but formulaic mystery.

[Joyce Rigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been sitting on my shelf for months and now I am cross because it was so good. I see there are a lot of previous books in the series. So it looks as if I have quite a bit to catch up with. I really liked Hen, although it seemed as if this is her first (and possibly only) appearance in the series. I also liked Peter Diamond once he arrived, the story was interesting and I loved the way the crimes seemed to connect. Can’t wait to go to the start of the series.

[Starpath5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best

While I still am not over the loss of Stephanie, I really liked this snappy and complex story. Hen and Stella are great. Peter Diamond continues to be lucky with the women who surround him - sans Julie of course. Even Georgina’s pompous attitudes seem to work to Diamond’s advantage. Good read all around.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Diamond mysteries I've read yet. Two murders seemingly unrelated occur in two locations. One involved a woman from Bath getting the Murder Squad activated. The other was high profile and was handled by Special Branch. Nothing was going right until Diamond began connecting the clues. Great read.

[Michelle Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG the description of the Psychologist who was to identify the victim, had me laughing so hard I cried, and then my nose ran. Murder mysteries do not have to be hard ass all the time. It takes talent to make the characters so real. I love this series.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superintendent Peter Diamond is still grieving for his wife who was shot dead in a previous episode when he is drawn into a murder investigation following the discovery of a woman's body on a Sussex beach. Her identity reveals that she was a Bath resident and she had an attachment to the special branch. Peter is on his best behaviour with his female colleague from Sussex but as usual, he is at odds with the hierarchy at the Bramshill Police College and the veil of secrecy over her work. Peter ploughs his own furrow and eventually, this leads him to the murderer of the beach victim and the perpetrator of an even greater magnitude.

A good read and a straightforward detective novel. Roll on number 9. A good 3.5 stars.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the middle of a crowded beach in Sussex, a woman is murdered without a single witness to the crime. In addition, her bag is missing and therefore anything that could identify her. When the Sussex police finally identify her, she is found to be a Bath resident and Peter Diamond is called in to be part of the joint investigation with Inspector Hen Mallin of the Sussex police.

The woman is identified as a professor at a University and also a consultant profiler for the police. The last case she was working on before she was murdered adds a complexity to the investigation into her own murder because she was profiling what appeared to be a serial killer. Could this serial killer have killed her too?

Identifying and finding the serial killer who seems to know where police safe houses are and codes to security systems, before the other 2 names on his list are murdered is a race against time without any obvious clues for Peter's and Hen's teams to work with.

The twists in this novel make it a page turner and the ending was a surprise.

[Gypsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a young woman is found strangled on a Sussex beach, Detective Hen Mallin is assigned to investigate. The victim is traced back to Bath, and Inspector Diamond becomes involved. Meanwhile, a famous television producer is murdered in what appears to be the first in a string of serial killings. Mallin and Diamond feel the two are connected, and become embroiled in this case as well.

Diamond is truly likable, and realistic with his flaws and good points. The mystery itself is tight and intelligent, and hangs together perfectly. Lovesey is a good writer, creating a compelling, believable story line with well-drawn characters. Lovesey became a favorite mystery author early in the series, and by this eighth novel, is firmly established in my top five.

[Spuddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the solution in this mystery wasn't a surprise for me, the DI Peter Diamond series remains one of my favorites. Peter gets involved in a case from another jurisdiction because the victim--strangled on a crowded beach on a sunny afternoon in front of hundreds of people--lived in Bath. And he further gets tangled up with the Special Branch crowd because said victim was a top-ranked psychologist from the local university who was often consulted by Special Branch as a serial killer profiler, and she was actively working on a case that has been kept hush-hush.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The murders were 'nice and clean' meaning no great description of blood and guts which I like. I didn't even guess who was the killer and that is rare for me. There were so many red herrings that the author had me totally fooled. For those who don't know Peter Lovesey he writes 'police procedurals' set in the UK and he is very skilled at what he does. If you enjoy a good puzzle he is the one to pick.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes what I most need after a long day at school is a hot bath and a mystery with a curmudgeonly old Brit solving crimes. Peter Lovesey's Detective Diamond is just my man. If you are longing for some dry British wit with murder on the side, I suggest curling up with one of these excellent novels from the Soho Crime Series.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping and fun read. Ingeborg made her return on Peter's staff. I liked Hen, the chow hound from another police district, as well as the story line involving the Ancient Mariner, grant giving, and a pop star who is much more serious than one might think. And I really enjoyed that Peter and his staff had the heads up on deciphering the computer files before the heavyweights did.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best Peter Diamond book I've read, narrated by the incomparable Simon Prebble. The case was interesting, Diamond was at his lovable irascible best, the side characters were quirky, the Bath setting of interest as always. So many red herrings. I figured out one murderer early, but not the second. And not one but two cats play a role!

[Debra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have rated this classic english mystery higher except for (potential spoiler) no professional would mix personal and case notes in a single file. Made everything a little too accessible, and the killer a little bit of an afterthought in character development.

[Joanne Gass · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm liking Peter Diamond more and more. I especially liked that I fell for the red herrings. I also liked the introduction of Hen, the detective from Surrey, and I'm looking forward to reading one of the novels in which she is the main character

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and enjoyable read, one in the Peter Diamond police procedural series. The story centres around the murder of a criminal profiler and the serial killer she was attempting to profile. Excellent characterisation and a well-paced plot kept my interest to the end.

[Minty McBunny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was by far the weakest book I have read in this series so far. There seemed like a lot of juvenile sniggering about sex, foolish characters, and plot lines that went nowhere. I'm glad this was not the first Peter Diamond book I'd read because it would have been the last.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The body of a criminal profiler is discovered on a crowded beach. DS Diamond co-leads the ever-more complicated case with another DS from a neighboring district, Henrietta “Hen” Mallin. 4 stars for an absorbing, surprising mystery with a dash of humor that I stayed up past midnight reading.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn that was a fun book to read. Peter Diamond is a great character and it was a treat to meet his equal -- Hen Mallin from the Sussex police. Tightly plotted and still offering an occasional chuckle, these books are a pleasure.

[Pam Hutley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know neither the author nor the lead detective ( DS Peter Diamond) . It was a convoluted tale spanning two forces- with a killer- bright and a step ahead. The murder of the forensic psychologist is a super red herring…. We are with the detectives as they struggle to find connections and clues- and there are many tensions and frustrations en route to the denouement. A good read but not a favourite I’m afraid .