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Title: Careless in Red LP: A Novel (Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers Novels)
ISBN: 0061562785
Author:
Elizabeth George
Publicate Date: 2008-05-01
Publish: 2008-05-01
List Price: $27.95
Average Customer Rating: 3.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $17.45
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $17.06
Amazon Merchant Price: $18.45
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| Customer Review: |
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1: tortuous and torturous
I'm listening to the second-to-last disc now, and I wish I was reading it instead, so I could just flip through to the end.
I've liked earlier books by George, but this one was tedious and long-winded. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief, but not hang it by the neck until dead. (Example: yes, of course we police officers will follow you to this deserted hut in the middle of nowhere to get you to talk. Of course we'll let you go on and on like some kind of Columbo extra....)
Stick to her earlier books, and pass this one up.
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2: Not impressed
Well, on the bright side, this is a novel. On the downside, the plot lines don't all get resolved in the end, the writing feels stilted, the characters are so numerous as to be overwhelming, and I lost interest about a third of the way into the book. Could have been much better, I'm sure, given than Elizabeth George seems to be such a prolific writer. But this was my first book of hers, and it will likely be my last.
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3: One of Her Best
Since others have outlined the plot I won't go into detail on that. Suffice it to say the stricken Thomas Lynley, mourning the loss of his murdered wife, has set off on a long walk intended to help him sort out his grief. When he discovers the body of a dead youth he becomes first a suspect and then,when his identity becomes known, a party to the investigation.
Personally, I consider this one of George's best in the series. Her novels are becoming increasingly literary and she excels here in illuminating a complex cast of intriguing characters. My only regret is the late entry of Barbara Havers into the fray. But she does arrive and participate in her ebullient way and is even teamed up with an equally fascinating female in DI Bea Hannaford.
The interplay of the characters, a sufficiency of mystery and red herrings and the colour of life in Cornwall made this a thoroughly enjoyable read for me. I can't wait to see what George will offer us next.
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4: Not enjoyable
This is the first Elizabeth George book I've read and will probably be the last. I found the sheer number of characters unnecessary and confusing. There is an overload of distracting "side" information and stories. Ultimately, I feel the author has confused me into the murder being a mystery.
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5: Deeply disappointed-not up to her usual standards
I am a huge fan of Elizabeth George and, in particular, of Thomas Lynley. But to say this book was a disappointment is an understatement. It was way overwritten with many side stories that don't contribute at all to the outcome, nor do these story lines get wrapped up in a satisfactory way; they sort of trail off to nowhere. George must have made good use of a thesaurus because she uses the most arcane words imaginable. At the end Lynley is left wondering and so are we. I finished it and thought "Is that all there is? Is that it???"
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