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Review: Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George

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Believing the Lie book coverIt seems like only yesterday that Elizabeth George wrote her last 600 + page mystery novel featuring Inspector Thomas Lynley. Although it is never too late to join this particular bandwagon, the need to know what came before in Lynley’s life becomes more important as this series continues.

In Believing the Lie, and there are plenty of lies to go around, Inspector Thomas Lynley is sent to Cumbria, a particularly scenic area of England on the Irish Sea. His job is to investigate an apparent drowning of a member of a prominent family. I will refrain from mentioning the names of all the family members of the deceased in order to prevent complete confusion.

What gives coherence and continuity to the story, however, is the appearance of some of the main players from previous Lynley novels – Simon and Deborah St. James, Barbara Havers and Superintendent Isabelle Ardery. I could have gone for more Barbara and Isabelle and less Simon and Deborah. However, in the author’s wisdom Elizabeth George chose to make Deborah a kind of undercover sleuth with disastrous results. She defies her superiors’ and her husband’s advice and basically runs amok.

Barbara, on the other hand, continues to be Lynley’s staunch right hand investigator. She is still working on her new regimen of stylish clothing and a fetching new hair-do as prescribed by Superintendent Ardery. I loved these portions of the book as they added humor to some otherwise deep, dark goings-on.

In addition, Lynley is trying to get on with his life after the tragic loss of his wife Helen , and he and Isabelle are having a hard time adjusting to the direction their relationship is heading.

In the meantime, there are numerous subplots to follow, including a reporter from a tabloid which requires him to search for sensational headlines even when none exist. What he does uncover, however, with the help of the feckless Deborah St. James is a different take on the story altogether that has no value to yellow journalism.

Amidst all the subplots, there are several torn-from-the-headlines topics that are not uplifting. It works in the context of a New Scotland Yard investigation, but the material may be troubling to some readers.

I hope to have gathered a few more members to the Elizabeth George bandwagon. It’s quite a ride.

I give the book 4 lie detectors.

Happy reading from Beverly!

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