Believing the Lie

Believing the Lie is the 17th Inspector Lynley mystery and the series is wearing out. I discover I'm no longer interested in Lynley's private life and his skills at solving mysteries, never all that sharp, rely more on Sergeant Havers than ever. Meanwhile, Havers' private life, which I do care about, is not given enough attention. That may change with the next novel as this one leaves us with a cliff hanger.

The set up for Believing the Lie is unrealistic, though I don't really begrudge a mystery writer who reaches for strange situations. All the ordinary ones (like insane serial killers, etc.) have been worn out. In this book a friend of Lynley's boss' boss asks that Lynley be sent to visit him at his estate in Cumbria, undercover, to determine whether his nephew's recent drowning was really accidental as the inquest decided or if he was murdered. The boss, with whom Lynley is having an affair (which really is beyond belief) spends the entire book trying to find out where he is and what he's doing.

There are a dozen little and big mysteries, with family members and spouses and partners discovered to have interesting pasts. The "biggest" mystery, the background of the estate-owner's daughter-in-law, is bizarre. But I guessed it very early in the book. I guessed at a few other things and was wrong. This is a guesswork because there aren't a lot of solid clues.

This book, more than other Elizabeth George mysteries, has some disgusting characters, and the language is, in my opinion, overly offensive and vulgar. There were no likable characters at all. The people one sympathizes with are presented without subtlety. The reader never suspects them of anything nefarious. Some of the descriptions of Lake Windermere and Morecambe Bay are lovely. But when the descriptions of scenery are more gripping that the "suspense" you have a problem.

2012 No 14

Comments

[Karen]

I confess I "gave up" on this series several books ago, and I am a lover of mysteries. I just ceased to care about Lynley et al. Maybe she should kill him off and write a new series with Havers as the focus?

[Mary]

Interesting idea, Karen. She could get a fresh start by focusing on Havers and Winston Nkata, both of whom are interesting characters. I'm also a little tired of Deborah and Simon Sinjin.