Believing the Lie

An Inspector Lynley Novel

By: Elizabeth George

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 23 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

After writing 16 Inspector Lynley novels, New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth George has millions of fans waiting for the next one. As USA Today put it, "It's tough to resist George's storytelling, once hooked." With Believing the Lie, she's poised to hook countless more.

Inspector Thomas Lynley is mystified when he's sent undercover to investigate the death of Ian Cresswell at the request of the man's uncle, the wealthy and influential Bernard Fairclough. The death has been ruled an accidental drowning, and nothing on the surface indicates otherwise. But when Lynley enlists the help of his friends Simon and Deborah St. James, the trio's digging soon reveals that the Fairclough clan is awash in secrets, lies, and motives.

Deborah's investigation of the prime suspect - Bernard's prodigal son Nicholas, a recovering drug addict - leads her to Nicholas's wife, a woman with whom she feels a kinship, a woman as fiercely protective as she is beautiful. Lynley and Simon delve for information from the rest of the family, including the victim's bitter ex-wife and the man he left her for, and Bernard himself. As the investigation escalates, the Fairclough family's veneer cracks, with deception and self-delusion threatening to destroy everyone from the Fairclough patriarch to Tim, the troubled son Ian left behind.

Crack another case with Inspector Lynley.

©2012 Elizabeth George (P)2012 Penguin

Critic reviews

"A multiplicity of subplots and a richness of physical detail.... The terrain and the weather are objective correlatives to the characters' stormy patches. Meanwhile, the story strands are untied and retied in satisfying and often moving ways." (The Wall Street Journal)

"Elizabeth George is a superstar of the crime-fiction world, British Inspector Division. Deservedly so: Her tales always provide nuanced character studies and insights into social issues along with their intricate mysteries." (The Seattle Times)

"Devilishly complicated." (Entertainment Weekly)

Oh No

What would have made Believing the Lie better?

It was so convoluted. There were too many storylines that did nothing to enhance the plot. Sadly, I think she used them as red herrings for the mystery. Some of them were so super depressing that nothing could redeem the characters experiences. I can deal with this if there is a reason for it, but it all seemed like subterfuge that could have been left out of the book. I like a good complicated story but it has to be well plotted. I do love the way she crafts her characters. They are interesting, though Lynley is acting completely out of character. He has gone from understandably flawed to lacking common sense. Davina Porter's narration was as always, excellent, but after this disappointment, I do not know if I will ever read another book in this series.

Too much for so little

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

People with the same

Would you ever listen to anything by Elizabeth George again?

NO

What three words best describe Davina Porter’s voice?

Versatile, appropriate and easy

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Believing the Lie?

About half of the book

Any additional comments?

I am very tired of George's

Bizarre turn from an established storyteller.

Would you try another book from Elizabeth George and/or Davina Porter?

I would only buy an earlier work of Elizabeth George - I'm afraid this indicates a downhill trajectory.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I'm looking for another mystery.

What does Davina Porter bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

The narration matched the characters quite nicely, either strong or simpering. It made the entertwined stories easier to follow.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

I was quite disappointed and afraid this shows the author is losing touch with reality. The original premise doesn't make sense, and sends the main characters to a place improbably full of people with every kind of sexual secret. The gay men are all liars, cheaters or pedophiles, and the author works in way too many homophobic slurs and weird sexual connections. The main characters have lost all depth except self absorption. This is my last George book.

A Lynley Shame

What would have made Believing the Lie better?

A plot would have been nice.

What do you think your next listen will be?

A Ngaio Marsh novel or Michael Connelly.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I'm sure she did her best. However,she gave a reading that sounded like someone were dying. A reading from a Sunday school teacher would have been more interesting.I have noticed that a good narrator performance, sometimes makes a mediocre plot enjoyable. It's too bad that this was not the case here. I will certainly not by anything narrated by Davina Porter in the future.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Believing the Lie?

Good editing would have improved this book tremendously.What editor let this pitiful book be published as it is! The detail was written in the most pathetic manner. There was too much boring, uninteresting, and extraneous detail about the family in Cumbria; Most of this could have been cut. The Affair with the Inspector's supervisor could have been done away with for certain. The intimate scenes were written as if one were going to the Dentist for a Root Canal .If this is an Inspector Lynley novel wouldn't it have been nice to include he and his team in the story! If I could I would get a refund. The author seems to be loosing her touch I may never read one of her novels again.

Quickly becoming a former fan.

Would you try another book from Elizabeth George and/or Davina Porter?

I love Davina Porter as a narrator and I used to eagerly look forward to Elizabeth George's novels, but this last outing angered me even more than the last. Her treatment of every single non-heterosexual character in this installment was appalling and frankly unforgivable.

What could Elizabeth George have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

She could have eliminated extraneous, whiny and cliched characters to deliver a story with more depth and resonance. Tightening up of the narrative could have also done wonders.

Do you think Believing the Lie needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

There will surely be a follow up, but I'm staying clear.

A shock and disappointment,

Would you try another book from Elizabeth George and/or Davina Porter?

Doubtful. If I do buy another Elizabeth George audiobook/book, it would only be after a complete research into the plot.

What do you think your next listen will be?

A cosy mystery.

Have you listened to any of Davina Porter’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

She is very professional and does a good job separating the characters by voice.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No. Only If abridged so that the strong foul language and sexual story bits are eliminated then it might have a murder mystery plot. .

Any additional comments?

None of the reviews nor the story summary I read prepared me or warned me of the explicit adult subjects in the book: homosexuality, transsexuals, adultery, and child pornography.

Too... Drawn out!!!

Would you try another book from Elizabeth George and/or Davina Porter?

This author seems to have missed the concept that less is more. She sets the stage and tells and retells the foundation over, and over, and over again. I was getting so frustrated with the drawn out dialogue that I almost stopped listening and move onto another book. The only thing that kept me listening was wanting to know how the children came out. The ending left me thinking that's it? The goal of an author is to make the reader want to get their hands on another book by that author ASAP. This author did not achieve that with me. I was just glad it was over.

What was most disappointing about Elizabeth George’s story?

Trouble through out the book. Less setting the stage that had already been set. Assume the reader is not stupid and got it the first time maybe the second but to repeat and repeat just not necessary.

Did Davina Porter do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes, I did follow that.

What character would you cut from Believing the Lie?

?

Beyond idiotic- from series fan

Painfully embarrassing. Modern day transgender romance with partner in the dark? I think not, Ms. George

A Downward Spiral of a Series

Another reviewer said exactly what I was thinking - this book is a downward spiral of the Lynley series and nothing compared to the earlier books in the series. Lynley himself was quite two-dimensional throughout, with none of the interesting interactions with his "team" that made earlier books in the series so compelling. His main focus in this book was an affair that seemed both unbelievable and out of character. Lynley's affair was just plain boring and trite with nothing to recommend it. The plot was really a tangle of tangents with so many "sub-plots" it was hard to care about any of them. Instead of having one or two - or even three - subplots with good character development - George had at least seven different subplots with a heavy hand on sexual/gender issues that didn't improve the story overall. More is not better. Deborah St. James came across like an idiot and deserves better. Simon St. James got the barest whisper of a part and didn't fair well, either. The only long term character that seemed true to herself in this story was Barbara Havers, and since she was only tangentially involved in any of the miriad subplots she wasn't enough to carry the story. I used to wait with great anticipation for the next installment in the Lynley series. Not anymore. If the downward spiral continues I won't be reading the next one. A once good series is being slowly tortured to death.

So disappointed in Inspector Lynley

Would you try another book from Elizabeth George and/or Davina Porter?

Oh, yes! They are two of my favorites. I'm hoping this book is just a one off. I probably didn't rank Porters performance as high as I should because the story was so bad.

Would you ever listen to anything by Elizabeth George again?

I would. Elizabeth George is one of my favorite authors and I used to love Inspector Lynley.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Believing the Lie?

I would not have published the book. The plot is so unbelievable. Starting with the reason Lynley was sent to investigate in the first place. Every scene with Deborah St James should be removed. She was acting soooo out of character and invading people's personal lives for no reason, except personal nosiness--so much harm done. And, please Ms George, how could you let Lynley be interested in a woman like Isabelle? I was flabbergasted at that in the last book of this series. Again, so out of character for him.