A Change of Circumstance

By: Susan Hill

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

In this installment of Susan Hill’s electrifying crime series, Simon Serrailler finds himself in devastating new territory as a sophisticated drug network sets its sights on Lafferton.

The enigmatic and brooding Detective Chief Police Inspector Simon Serrailler has long regarded drugs operations in Lafferton as a waste of time. The small-time dealers picked up outside the local high school can’t - or won’t - turn in any valuable names, so they are merely given a fine and the trail runs cold. But when the body of a 22-year-old drug addict is found in neighboring Starley, the case pulls Serrailler into the underbelly of an elaborate drug running operation that pushes narcotics out from the cities, into the suburbs, and right down to villages. The foot soldiers are the vulnerable local kids, like Brookie and Olivia, whose involvement gives Serrailler a bitter taste of this new landscape.

It’s a harsh winter in Lafferton, and with struggles both at home and on the job, Serrailler soon learns that even the familiar can hold shocking surprises.

With A Change of Circumstance, Hill delivers yet another gripping piece of the Serrailler canon. Written in the tradition of the fabulous mysteries of Ruth Rendell and P. D. James, this newest case is sure to enthrall new fans and surprise old ones in what is a captivating new addition to a highly acclaimed series.

©2021 Susan Hill. Published in 2022 by the Overlook Press, an imprint of ABRAMS, New York. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Another great story.

I certainly don't look forward to the end of the series I wish it would go on and on and on.

Marvelous - want more!!!

Don’t listen to the naysayers or negative reviewer’s. If you have been following this series, this book is just the perfect next step. I love seeing the characters grow and change as life grows and changes. This is a marvelous series, and I would be remiss if I didn’t say that Stephen Pacey does an awesome job narrating! Sure hope there are more left to come!

Done with Serralier

First, this story seemed more like a soap episode. Drugs and the organized drug trade has come to Lafferty and it’s bad. But there’s no real resolution. All the characters’ lives kind of just move along, much of it not too interesting or exciting because it doesn’t lead anywhere in this book.

Honestly, I’ve never been all that fond of Simon. I like most of the side characters more. He’s incredibly self-absorbed, rather immature in many ways and has always treated women badly. Now, spoiler alert, after all this time and the way he’s treated her, Rachel is ready to jump back in? And this is just dropped in at the end? Grow-up first and then “get the girl.” I’m done.

Good narration.

Boring, boring, boring.

I really loved the earlier books and was so excited to get this latest book.. This one was very disappointing. Narration was superb. Story was not. I'm glad I got this as part of a free trial with Audible and didn't pay for it. I won't be waiting for the next one.

Irritating story & dialogue

First, the narrator is superb. After that, everything else falls off the cliff. Like another reviewer said, it’s inexplicable that there’s no real crime solving done in this book- it is truly more of a soap opera, complete with infuriating dialogue. I wanted slap more than one character’s words away. Who speaks like this, and why every character in this book? I have liked some of Susan Hill’s previous Simon Serrailler books, but this one feels like she gave up early on. By throwing together a deeply unsatisfying ending, she is making me a little gun shy in reading further in this series.

Enough of the love life

While I like this series, and the back stories of all the characters add to the series, this time I was completely fed up with Serailler's love life. Having just finished the latest Elizabeth George, in which Lynley similarly dwells on his romance, I want to tell both excellent authors that it doesn't work. The whole brooding, wanting the single life but longing for a partner thing really detracted from the book. And the pathetic ending of this one made me wonder if I had somehow skipped chapters. I think I need a new author!

snooze fest

Susan Hill should of just stopped this its terrible dont waste a credit. all the characters are banal.

Great series, but no crime solving!?

I want the series to go back to crime solving. Second one in a row to just end without the crime solved.