A
Place of Hiding by Elizabeth George
Published by Hodder & Stoughton, 2003
I have
been a fan of Elizabeth George’s crime novels and have read
all her previous books which feature Inspector Lynley and his friends.
The strong point of her writing was the development of her characters
from book to book – they grappled with personal dilemmas while
solving crime. This book follows the same pattern, focusing on Lynley’s
friend St. James and his wife Deborah and their involvement in solving
a murder committed in Guernsey.
However
in this book the plot is unbelievable, the characters tedious and
the book goes on too long. The reader’s interest has died
long before any issue has come anywhere near being resolved. The
navel gazing indulged in by the St. James couple on the state of
their marriage is not credible and becomes boring.
Writers
of popular fiction should know when to call a halt. Part of the
art of writing and story-telling must be recognising when that art
has been lost. If the writer cannot recognise that the story doesn’t
work surely it is the duty of a good editor or publisher to prevent
a writer from issuing a work that is way below her usual standard.
I am
tempted to quote Dorothy Parker and say – not a book to be
taken lightly, but hurled as far as possible with all your strength
in sheer frustration because Elizabeth George is capable of better.
Reviewed
by Marie, a Clare County Library staff member
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