The Pure in Heart

Simon Serrailler 2

By: Susan Hill

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler, first introduced in The Various Haunts of Men, is on a painting holiday in Venice when he is summoned home by a telephone call. He has family problems to face, and the stress and grind of running a busy police station. When a little boy is snatched as he stands with his satchel at the gate of his home, waiting for his lift to school, an ordinary community realises that terror and evil are in their very midst.

©2006 Susan Hill (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

This book draws you right in.

From the beginning you can just visualize this story as it unveils and the reading of Spacey couldnt be any more perfect.

Unfinished business

Totally enjoyed this second book in the series, particularly after I realized that the unfinished business would be clarified in book number three. The narrator is exceptional, his interpretation of characters is spot on. Anxious to read the next book to find out what happens next!

A New - and unusual - Favorite Series

After reading the first book in this series, I had a few reservations. This second entry pretty much resolved all that.

The main character, Simon Serrailler, is much more in evidence here. He turns out to be a complex and interesting personality - frustratingly reserved, uncommunicative and distant; but, at the same time, a caring boss, brother, uncle and son. He and the other characters keep you interested, and the plot is an involving one.

Some reviewers have noted that the resolutions of Susan Hill's plot lines are not very satisfying for many mystery fans. I'd say that her characters and the police actions in the books may rather reflect much of the true nature of police investigations and human motives.

Steven Pacey, like all the best narrators, isn't a distracting performer. Instead, he just quietly personifies all the characters and delivers a natural and comfortable reading. Hard to beat that!

Getting more noir-ish

A little sadder, still so well written, great dialog if only it were not so so very bleak. Bleak is the closest I can come to describe the vein of emotion that runs through the story.

Where's the Rest?

I picked this series because I'm a huge fan of Steven Pacey. He's easily my favorite narrator and he doesn't disappoint here. I think Susan Hill's writing is very good but this book left me feeling like the last 1/3 of the book was missing. I'm fine with the main plot line ending as it did but none of the other 3 or 4 other sub-plots were resolved either. I literally went back checking to see if I had accidentally skipped a few chapters. But nope, that was everything.

The story kept me captivated throughout though and I'll probably give the next book a try especially since I enjoyed the first book so much. I have a small problem with the way Ms. Hill writes her male and female characters. The female characters are, almost without fail, sympathetic people who are put upon by their male counterparts. Even Simon Serrailler is somewhat of a cad.

Character based mystery. Excellent narrator.

Susan Hill's characters are subtle and believable; here, as in all her books, don't expect a Hollywood finish. This narrator is first-rate.

Steven Pacey and Susan Hill

I could listen to Steven Pacey read a phone book and this book is far from that. His bringing to life of Susan Hill’s characters in this series is unmissable, and the books themselves aren’t as predictable as some more modern stories.

Enjoyable

If you are looking for a crime novel the books in series may not be for you. While I love the writing, the central family and the narrator I find the crime secondary to Serallier Family. It gets a little melodramatic at times. Having second that I do enjoy them and off to purchase my third now

Susan Hill is a brilliant writer..

This series is a jewel: the writing is wonderful, the characters are complex and well defined,
and the storyline is compelling. This is not a simple 'who dun it,' but complicated and
thoughtful and provocative. Warning: the mystery is not solved in this book, but it lays
the groundwork for a 'follow up' in a next book. Do not let it throw you...
I think this book and the next were one volume, and the editors felt it would be
too long, and had the book divided into two volumes.
Nonetheless, it's a wonderful read..

I'm going to try one more

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

With a caveat...I found the ending very frustrating. I get what the author intends, but it defeats the purpose of written mysteries to me. And the first one was irritating in a different, but in some ways similar, way. I'm going to try one more in the series, but if I don't get more of a positive vibe, I'll leave it there. If you like modern, depressing-equals-real, mysteries/procedurals, these are well written and interesting. I look to written mysteries to in the end give me a sense of hope and order, so far these don't. Side note--if you want proof that the British system of socialized medicine solves the problems of modern medicine--don't look in theses books. Simon's sister and brother-in-law constantly complain about paperwork and government oversight and how no one else is willing to be a GP...

Would you be willing to try another book from Susan Hill? Why or why not?

I'm going to try one more.

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

Just this series, as far as I know--he is great.