I was a little surprised with all the negative reviews of this George novel. I virtually read it in one sitting/day. It is a novel with an interesting setting with intriguing historical contexts and a mystery of all is not what it seems.

It was also a "growth" story of two of George's recurring characters-the St James who I enjoy. I like the way George uses them to reflect all that is not in the Lynley marriage. And I do think this is a novel which sets up alot of what happens in the next of the series which I have already quickly read. While I enjoy the other characters to a degree it is reading what George does with the St. James in her "soap opera" portions of her novels which I really like. In this novel Deborah, in particular, and there is little talk of her infertility, faces alot of humbling situations and the hard facts of living. So does Simon but the one thing the couple sustains is their love for each other and the strength it gives them.

I thought the whole of the arc of the mystery intriguing as well as other characters-all learning all is not what it seems and how to deal with that. Frankly I thought it was one of her best novels and while it does deal with sexual themes and innuendo less so than for example what I thought was amorality in In Pursuit of A Proper Sinner. I too was surprised as to George's use of the treatment of animals in this novel-not really typical but then maybe that was all part of the parallel microcosms she creates in her novels.

I think it says it all when a reader whose favourite author is Elizabeth George can't finish this book.That's me.I have been really trying to go past half-way, where it was, actually, a struggle to get, for a couple of weeks and gave up.No need to analyse the reasons - just the fact that I had been amazed by most of her earlier novels (especially captivated by Deception in his Mind), put her up in my Favourite author box but couldn't read this one is enough. It could be the lack of Helen and Lynley and Barbara, it could be the setting that was depressing, it could be the length, but mostly, it was just boring.The characters were boring, not shallow nor undeveloped.They were simply not interesting.I just didn't care to find out why and how that person died.It's really such a pity, because Ms. George can do so much with her characters and has such a lovely style of writing.I don't know what happened here, but I'm so disappointed.

I have been an Elizabeth George fan for years, but I have finally learned my lesson, and I will never rush to buy her books in hardcover again. This book was a slow and sometimes painful read. Too much attention was devoted to flesh out subplots that were never resolved and characters with only an incidental relationship to the main plot. At least I think it was the main plot. It's impossible to make specific criticisms without spoiling the plot, so let me just say that I was disappointed that separate plots were not brought together but left to lumber off in different directions. The focus on Deborah was unfortunate, as Deborah is the weakest of George's main characters, and this novel did nothing to redeem her from her constant whining. Simon and Deborah's relationship also seemed different than it was characterized in "A Suitable Vengeance," which I found odd. My biggest problem with the novel was none of the above, amazingly enough. My biggest problem was that I found the motivation for the crime being investigated totally unconvincing, and the behavior of many of the main characters unbelieveable. Luckily Deborah Crombie has a new novel due soon. I discovered her a few years ago, and her novels have filled the gap left by my disappointment in Elizabeth George's recent novels.

A change from her previous novels, Elizabeth George brings two of her secondary characters, Simon and Deborah St. James, into the forefront.Thomas Lynley and Lady Helen make a brief appearance in the beginning of the novel. Barbara Havers does not appear at all.

The setting for Elizabeth George's newest novel is the English Channel island of Guernsey. Americans, Cherokee River and his sister China, act as courier's of a set of architectural plans to be transported to Guernsey per the request of businessman Guy Brouard. Guy is building a museum to honor Guernseymen who resisted Nazi occupation.Shortly after the Rivers' arrival in Guernsey, Guy is found murdered. China is arrested. One rainy night Deborah St. James opens her front door and there is River requesting her help. Deborah was China's roommate for her soul-searching three-year stay in California. Deborah feels a debt toward China and enlists her unwilling husband, Simon St. James, to aid the quest for the truth. What ensues is richly complex, multi-layered psychological drama. Sometimes it is too complex and too mult-layered.

There were a couple of problems with the book. There are an excessive number of characters. Some are simply not needed. The book was over 500 pages and it tended to ramble on quite a bit in the middle, which it a lumbering pace. The plot relied a little too heavily on misdirection that made certain elements confusing. It's still a pretty good book, but if you are Elizabeth George fan don't expect this to be one of her best.

No Havers and Lynley and, as everyone has noted, Deborah and Simon St. James are uninteresting characters: she whines, he patronizes.The plot is pedestrian and, for George, uncharacteristically banal -- a terminally ill old ladies and her ammoral old rake of the brother, both victimized and permanently scarred - I mean, even the little dog gets kicked around in this book.

I am a fan of Elizabeth George and had eagerly awaited her new novel.While I can't call myself a victim -- I read it, after all -- I certainly feel neglected.Bring back Havers and Lynley!Bring back Helen!

Unless you're a die-hard George fan (pun intended), you might do well to skip this one.