Painful in Red
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If you are a fan of Elizabeth George, as I am, you will find this book excruciatingly painful. Unlike her previous books, this one is pretentious (giving characters names such as Daidre, Santo, Selevan, and Dellen does not make a novel literary!)and whenever the action veers away from police routine to personal relationships, it is downright precious - a cross between the worst of Mary Wesley and some third-rate whodunnit. The characterization at these moments is nowhere near George's usual highly plausible and enjoyable style. For example, when an 18-year old is found dead after a climbing fall, the female police officer investigating his death, upon discovering that the dead boy has a black eye from being punched, immediately asks the pathologist if he thinks the boy was into sadomasochism. Then, the father of the dead boy rips the clothes off his grieving wife : "In a fury, he made her naked. She arced to accept him and cried out as he took her." Please! What was she thinking? After the first 100 pages I couldn't bear to go on.
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I wish it was better
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I must admit getting hooked up on the Thomas Lynley/Barbara Havers stories through television. Recently, I bought several of the book versions of the works of Elizabeth George to see, how much more enjoyable details are there in print. In general, the books are way better. This one seems to be the exception. There is so much unrelated detail, that it becomes painfull to read through it, especially, because the main plot is also disappointing. I did not give up on Elizabeth George, the next one must be better again.
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A KEENLY UNDERSTOOD NARRATION
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One would be hard pressed to find a more perfect reader for the latest Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley mystery than London born Charles Keating. After all, who else could neatly toss off such lines as "A bit daft, that, but it's summick to do, innit." with easy authenticity?
An experienced actor who appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-Upon-Avon, he soon became known to American audiences with his work on TV's Another World and numerous Broadway performances. He brings both decisiveness and keen understanding to his narration.
As many will remember Lynley lost his wife in a previous novel, "No One To Witness" when she was fatally shot outside their London home. Numb with grief Lynley has fled London, going to Cornwall where he walks along the coast. Is as if he knows the miles he walks will not bring solace but perhaps some relief from the pain of his loss.
It is on one of these walks that he comes across a dead body, that of a rock climber, a young boy from the nearby village of Casvelyn. Of course, Lynley immediately notifies the local police, and another "of course" - knowing George the death was not an accident. Scotland Yard sends Havers to assist Lynley in the investigation and hopefully bring him back to London and the job he does so well.
The deceased was far from an innocent youth, having bedded a good number of the female population of Casvelyn. Thus, there's certainly no dearth of those who would have wished him dead and gone.
As readers of George have come to know her plots are complex and wonderfully character driven. Careless In Red is one more engrossing story from this award winning author (the Anthony and Agatha awards, and the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere among them).
Highly recommended.
- Gail Cooke
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Flawed Look at Husbands without Wives and Children without Mothers
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Careless in Red will surprise most fans of the Thomas Lynley/Barbara Havers novels. Elizabeth George doesn't return to her roots, but attempts a more literary novel that primarily explores how fragile husbands and children are without wives and mothers to love and nurture them. Those who just want a good mystery will wonder why all the extra characters and plots are in place until they realize that the mystery is secondary to telling stories that build the major theme.
As the book opens, Lynley is a wreck following the murder of his wife and unborn child. He's been trekking along the coast without thought to comfort and safety, becoming little more than a homeless man. That mind-numbed state is disturbed when he spots a dead body and is pulled into the investigation. His police instincts are alerted when a woman he meets begins lying and he wants to find out why.
The book is rich in character development, relying on many different interacting narrators. Ms. George uses this device to explore many family mysteries, which may or may not be related to the crime mystery. If you find it fascinating to think about all the ways that families can become dysfunctional, this book is for you.
Within all these stories, there is a deep tragedy . . . the kind the ancient Greeks would have appreciated. Lynley senses that something like that might be looming behind the current events and helps to bring it to light.
I would rate this book higher, but the breakdown of Lynley and his fairly quick recovery didn't ring true to me. I can't exactly tell you why, but it set a false note that undermined the rest of the story for me. I also found the endings (which don't let anyone hint about to you) to be unsatisfying compared to the scale of the foundation for the novel.
I did find the book to be compelling. I stayed up late on two nights to finish.
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