This Body of Death

An Inspector Lynley Novel

By: Elizabeth George

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 23 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Thomas Lynley is called back to Scotland Yard when the body of a woman is found stabbed and abandoned in an isolated London cemetery. His former team doesn't trust the leadership of their new department chief, Isabelle Ardery, but Lynley may be the sole person who can see beneath his superior officer's hard-as-nails exterior to a hidden and possibly attractive vulnerability.

While Lynley works in London, his former colleagues Barbara Havers and Winston Nkata follow the murder trail south to the New Forest, a beautiful and strange place where outsiders are not entirely welcome. What they don't know is that more than one dark secret lurks among the trees, and that their investigation will lead them to an outcome that is both tragic and shocking.

A multi-layered jigsaw puzzle of a story skillfully structured to keep readers guessing until the very end, This Body of Death is a magnificent achievement from a writer at the peak of her powers.

©2010 Susan Elizabeth George (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"George tantalizes with glimpses of a horrific earlier murder case; showcases Lynley at his shrewdest, most diplomatic best; and confounds readers with a complex array of evidence, motives, and possible solutions." ( Publishers Weekly)

Audible Available

So, I wonder why there is a gap of three Audible books. In any case, nice that I can continue with this series. This is a good one, with - ALMOST all the favorite characters. I have no idea why the author did what she did. Sad that she seems to have ended Barbara's potential romance. Hope she's not planning on putting Lynley and Havers together. That would just be wrong.

George is ALWAYS excellent!

Would you listen to This Body of Death again? Why?

Yes, I sure will! I love the characters--Barbara, Lynley, all of them!

What was one of the most memorable moments of This Body of Death?

When poor Barbara had to go shopping!

Any additional comments?

I would recommend ANY of George's books--but this one was really great on a pile of great books!

Too many words

Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria told Mozart his most recent composition had "too many notes". Although I really like Elizabeth George's books, this one had "too many words". Much of the descriptions in one chapter or another could have been left out with no damage to the story. Still, Havers is my favoriate...next to Salandar.

I did not figure out whodunit on this one and for that reason I give it 4 stars.

I still like EG.

Back to heaven

I love Elizabeth George. And I really am not a fan of mystery novels. But George is smarter than I am...she keeps me guessing. Her characters are so well drawn and the first third of all her books keep me happily occupied for hours. And if, as is the fault of many in the mystery genre, the middle two thirds occassionally try my attention level, I am always drawn back in quickly via a twist in the plot or characters. Lynely is brilliant again, his usual erudite and urbane self, but a bit frayed around the edges due to his wife's murder two books ago. Havers is grumpy as ever and even the St. Johns make an appearance. This is not a series for those looking for an easy auditory "read". Sookie Stackhouse this ain't. But it is a well written mystery novel by a seasoned writer. George's heyday seemed behind her as far as I was concerned (I hated "Careless in Red" ~ Lynley was out of his element) but she seems to back with this book. I have read all of George's books and I heartily recommend her to fans of Stieg Larsson or P.D. James. This was a good book and a good audible reading. Although Simon Vance is my favorite, I thought John Lee did a very, very good job connecting with George's characters. Note: Even though I found the correlating story lines fascinating, one may be disturbing to some people. But if you got through any of Larsson's books you'll be fine.

Music?

Great except for the addition of the weird music. It was completely out of place.

Ms. George at her finest.

a bit darker than some others, but intriguing characters. Can't figure out Thomas Linley. his relationship with his possible replacement is confusing.

Love Elizabeth George narrated by John Lee!

John Lee does a wonderful job of bringing Elizabeth George's well-written characters to life! More, please!

A Story to Live In

As always, Elizabeth George delivers a mystery filled with complex and well-drawn characters. The story unfolds gradually and from many perspectives - just like life. Her tale is told in great detail and allows the reader to live inside it. This can be uncomfortable at times, particularly in the story thread in this book concerning the horrible murder of a young child. However, Even here, Ms. George delivers a degree of moral ambiguity. I enjoyed the many hours I spent inside this story. The narrator was its perfect voice.

Buy this book!

I was a little hesitant to purchase this audio book after having read the reviews, which were mixed. However, I'm a big fan of Elizabeth George, both in audio and in print, and this audio book did not disappoint. The narration by John Lee is award-winning, I think, and the plot is suspenseful and well developed. My only criticism is that it takes a little while to "get into" the book. But it's worth the wait. I thought this audio book was absolutely tremendous and would recommend it to any mystery reader.

A long time fan

I am gradually getting over Helen being killed off several books ago but I am still reading books about Lindley. This one was a reasonable read but not as good as many of the early books.