In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner (Inspector Lynley Book 10)

I was disappointed that Inspector Lynley, Helen, Deborah and St. James were not in this book. The story seemed to drag in the middle and it took me several weeks to persevere and finish this book. I usually read Elizabeth George's books in a fews days or less.

This is the 10th book in the Inspector Lynley series and it's one of the best. I say this mainly because of the plot, which is a truly absorbing who-done-it that will keep you guessing right up to the final few pages. There are plenty of plausible suspects, so I kept going back and forth among the various possibilities, first being sure the killer was one character and a few pages later believing that I had been wrong and was now on to the person who *really* did it. Then, a chapter or so further on, I was back to thinking that the killer must indeed be the person I had first settled on.

Also contributing to the 5 star rating I've assigned to this novel is the continued development of the relationship between Lynley's erstwhile partner, Barbara Havers, and her Pakistani neighbors, Haddiyah and Taymullah Azar. Having introduced the girl Haddiyah and her father in an earlier book, author Elizabeth George has continued to give them an increasingly prominent place in Barbara's life. Their inclusion allows George to explore the ways that culture influences one's perception of events, while at the same time highlighting the values and beliefs that appear to bind us all together, regardless of differences in background.

If you have not read any of the Lynley series, try to read them in order, starting with A Great Deliverance. While each book stands quite well on its own, reading the series in the proper order makes the earlier books more interesting because you won't know the outcome of some plot details that are revealed in the later novels. The individual books in the series vary somewhat in quality, but all rate at least four stars, and this one is a solid five.

Book 10, in the Inspector Lynley's mystery series

Elizabeth George hasn't lost her touch and her work continues to be amazing. She is one of the true masters at spinning webs of intrigue. A swift pace and an engaging protagonist had a stimulating effect on my imagination; it was quite exhilarating trying to guess the next move. This is a mind-absorbing fiction, as powerful and provocative as all the previous ones.

This intricate plot and complex tale has D.I. Thomas Lynley on the scene of a grisly crime, in which a young man and woman have been brutally murdered and their bodies found in the wilds of Calder Moor. The case is also a sensitive one, it happens that one of the victims is, Nicola Maiden, the daughter of a former undercover officer and one of Lynley`s past mentors.

D.C. Winston Nkata is his lead assistant on the case. His usual partner, Barbara Harvers, has been demoted to Detective Constable for an incident the previous summer and ever since, both have suffered from a strained relationship. Although in the dog house for over stepping her boundaries, Barbara is determined, she is a woman of strong character and not the type to sit on the sideline. With this in mind, she clandestinely starts her own investigation, hoping to prove to Lynley that her renegade attitude can bring positive results and be an asset to his team....When Lynley found out what she was up to, my first reaction was can he take the grrr out of the tiger and get her to follow orders....

As they dig deeper into the life of the two victims, a disturbing pattern emerges, suspects are plentiful, nothing is as it seems and everyone appears to be concealing something. The tension grows as each layer of deceit is peeled away, the result created an intense mystery populated with great characters.

I found myself totally engaged till the end, it is a large book but I enjoyed every moment spent with it.

In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner by Elizabeth George is yet another mystery unlike any other. In this tale Inspector Lynley, the sleek aristocrat and his partner, the rumpled Constable Havers are at odds. He is always social perfection, but plagued by introspective doubts. She is a fashion train wreck and lucky if her socks match, but she knows who she is and doesn't waste time tearing herself up about it. Havers is one of my favorite characters because she so wonderfully depicts the attitudes of the English commoner.
While Lynley follows the evidence, but is hampered by his personal feelings about the suspects, Havers doesn't like the evidence and strikes out on her own to find new clues. The story is filled with interesting characters and places as the two sleuths shift constantly from blindly following their gut instincts to being coldly logical. Lynley's logical "by the book" investigation leads him from the murder scene on the moors to an elegant bed and breakfast, then to a crumbling manor house. While Havers' gut instincts send her bustling through the city's modern art scene and stumbling onto a social network of sadomasochists. The real question you keep asking yourself is which one is on the right trail. Like all George's stories you get to know places you've never been to and look deep into the people that inhabit them. A great read.

Elizabeth George is an American who writes mystery novels set in England, thus encroaching on the sacred soil of Agatha Christie et al. As an American I can't judge how authentic her books may be to an English reader, but I detect in them an American expansiveness --- this one is 709 pages long.

"In Pursuit...." is about two murders on an English moor and the investigation to catch the killer or killers. The merit -- and the mystery -- in the story is which of two Scotland Yard detectives is pursuing the line of investigation that will lead to solving the case. Detective number one is Thomas Lynley -- elegant, privileged, earnest, respected, of noble heritage and the owner of a Bentley automobile which he loves almost as much as he loves his upper-crust wife. Detective number two is Barbara Havers, a dumpy, working-class slob with the personality of a bulldog and an appetite for pop tarts and cigarettes. She uses her t-shirt for a napkin and does not have a Bentley -- or a flourishing social life.

Lynley and Havers have different notions as to the motives and the perpetrators of the murders on the moors and they embark on parallel -- and competitive -- investigations. I didn't really care much about solving the mystery; rather I cared about who won the match between Lynley and Havers. Which one will you root for? A compilation of the answers to that question from English and American readers would be interesting.

George is a good plotter and pacer and a decent writer and this one kept my interest to the end despite its formidable length. George can be spoken of in the same breath as P.D. James, the reigning queen of British whodunits.

Smallchief

And her repeated words and themes. Really sick of her use of the word "preternaturally" and the issue of women needing(not needing) a man to complete them. Ugh. One of her characters is always facing this dilemma. She repeats herself a lot in her books. Also, the various characters with disabilities, diverse sexual orientation, marriages of mixed race, women in charge, abuse victims, charity recipients, etc are just too many and over the top. No reason not to be inclusive but good grief...we get it already. Tired of Lynley and his mommy issues, tired of Barbara and the chips on her shoulder (cliche), tired of Debra and her ruminations, etc....i guess I am just done with her series. I have tried to read most of them but often just toss them aside. This is the one time where I prefer the TV version to the books.

I remember reading "Playing for the Ashes" and "For the Sake of Elena" many years ago and really enjoying them. I hadn't read any of EG in a few years and decided to check her out again a few months ago by reading this book and "In the Presence of the Enemy" which I read just prior to this one. I was disappointed with this one.

What struck me most negatively in both these books after reflecting on how much I enjoyed her previous novels were the creepy and obsessive references to sex. Both these books overdid it. In this one, I didn't need to know so much about the S&M scene - it seemed almost gratuitious. The result is a dark, ominious feeling throughout which made it a downer of a read during our rainy winter. I was surprised to find how much I came to dislike Lynley - he seemed so inflexible. Barbara seemed like everso the doormat, though Nkata was likeable. The book was way too long, and I found myself close to not finishing it - I ended up caring so little for the characters in the end.

I would have liked to have seem Havers' relationship with Azhar developed more.

If you are a EG fan, you'll probably enjoy it - it was well written. But not that satisfying for me. I think I'll head back to Tony Hillerman and the Southwest!

I find it aggravating when I discover that an Elizabeth George novel is awarded four stars by the readers, and then find that some forgettable, superficial 210-page mystery by someone else is classified as a five-star work. It shows that the "star" system has some deficiencies, because those formulaic genre mysteries (and I enjoy them as much as anyone) can't be mentioned in the same breath as George's work.
If you haven't read an Elizabeth George novel before, then this isn't the one to start with. At the very least, you need to read "Deception On His Mind" first. (I really believe that everybody should start with her first Lynley/Havers novel, "A Great Deliverance", and read them all in sequence, but I have to accept that some people may not be that ambitious or as fervent an admirer of Ms. George as I am!)
The long-simmering conflict between Havers and Lynley takes center stage in this novel. In order to accentuate the conflict, George has Lynley acting even more rigidly than usual, while Havers becomes even more impulsive. Masterful writer that she is, George uses the conflict between the two of them to make the mystery itself even more complex and interesting than usual.
The bare outlines of the story are that two murders are committed one night in an isolated area of a moor. One victim is the daughter of a retired Scotland Yard detective of Lynley's acquaintance; the other is a young man who aspired to be an artist but actually made his living distributing the business cards of prostitutes to phone booths and other public places. At the beginning the two victims seem to have no connection to each other, but we soon learn that the daughter had been living a double life, and was a highly paid dominatrix in London. There is, of course, an ample supply of suspects and motives. George handles both the mystery and the relationship between Havers and Lynley masterfully. And George has not forgotten the relationship between Havers and her Pakistani neighbor family that was so central to "Deception on his Mind". Although that relationship occupies only a few pages of this book, it is still perhaps the most emotionally moving part of the story.
In sum, this is another memorably wonderful Elizabeth George novel. I hope she never, never stops writing them.

I terrorized the local library this summer, reserving this book in June, before they even knew it existed. And, while I am glad that I read it, I feel that there were too many characters who, fully developed, were left at loose ends at the end of the book. (I did not care if Julian married his plodding--and plotting--cousin, but . . .) Also, EG never fails to have a "refrain" in her books--in "Deception," Havers drove me crazy whining about the heat; in "Pursuit" it is the constant cry of "Julie," whom we know to be a man's man. A small point, sure--but it annoyed this South Georgia girl! Other reviewers cite many things that were implausible about this book, but we have all known that Lynley is arrogant and Havers is depicted by EG as much less of a woman than she actually is. (An aside: I think that EG needs to realize that, were her books cast as movies, Paula Poundstone would play Havers--not a beauty queen, not a weak woman, but a woman nonetheless.) The major flaw I saw was that we are again asked to believe that Lynley's professional judgment is impaired by his personal ties to a case--isn't this at least the third time? Shouldn't he be smart enough to realize this? Also, Nkata and Havers have gotten along well in previous books--to have her suddenly presented as having been jealous of him in the past irked me, when I considered them dinner buddies. I would like to see EG write a mystery without the "kink" element--one in which we do not have gratuitous encounters with the dark side (and they WERE gratuitous, in my opinion)--because her mysteries do not need to depict man's weaknesses, which we know all too well. Her mysteries are strong enough to stand on the merit of her writing, without the sexual deviance.

I've been reading Elizabeth George since discovering a copy of "Missing Joseph" left in a laundromat in 1995. Talk about wonderful chance discoveries! As soon as I could, I ran to the library and checked out the rest of the series--and I wasn't disappointed.
Then came the last several titles in this series--"In the Presence of the Enemy" and "Deception on His Mind". Both books were good, enjoyable reads--but something was missing. The appeal of Ms. George's books is the combination of great mystery and the growing relationship/friendship between Lynley, Havers and the other people in their world (Simon, Helen, etc.). Maybe the missing element of the last two titles was the lack of interaction between Lynley and Havers. Havers has become increasingly independent, to the point where Lynley barely appeared in "Deception on His Mind".
The Odd Couple are reunited in "In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner". Havers has been demoted due to the events at the climax of "Deception", and Lynley is relunctant to work with her again. But the demands of the case throw these unlikely allies together... In the final analysis, the mystery takes a back seat to the interactions between the character, but I have no complaints.
A supporting characters assumes a leading role in this installment: Winston (Winnie) Nkata. Although Lynley is clearly the top hunk in George's hierachy, Nkata must come a close second. No one could possibly replace Lynley and Havers, but I look forward to seeing much more of young Winnie.
For Elizabeth George fans, this is a worthy addition to a great series. For George novices, this is a read not to be missed.

As an Englishwoman, born and bred, I cannot believe that Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers are not the product of an English writer - born and bred. Elizabeth George has such an incredible understanding of the English culture and she reflects this in all aspects of her books, not an easy task for anyone!!
I am sure that many like myself have been waiting eagerly to discover the fate of the irrepressible Barbara Havers. I was very excited to learn that the next installment was available at last and I was instantly hooked - as usual!!
Never have I been so enthralled by a book - Elizabeth George always manages to get her characters right under my skin. They are so convincing, I really feel as though they are personal friends now and I have laughed and cried with them. In this book, we never meet Nicola Maiden in the flesh, but George ensures that we know everything about her as though she were still walking and talking. George weaves an intricate web of mystery and scandal surrounding this central character, which just left me crying out for more!! With an excellent plot and outstanding conclusion this has to be one of her best!!
My message to Elizabeth George - Please Please Please don't make me wait too long for my next fix!!

With "In The Presence of the Enemy" still being my favorite of the series and being a bit disappointed with "Deception on his Mind", I was eagerly anticipating this installment of the series. George is one of the gifted writers that make you read every word for fear of missing a vital plot link. The story was similar to "For the Sake of Elena" with Nicola Maiden's tawdry living and relations with what seemed the entire country of England, but still George makes it fresh. The prologue was all but forgotten for me until 3/4 through the novel, making me say out loud, "So THAT's what she was talking about". I always hold out hope for our dear Barbara Havers that romance will soon come her way. Taymullah may not be as suave as Lynley, but one can only hope their relationship will blossom in subsequent novels. Helen and Thomas Lynley's ever present squabbling is here too. Would this marraige really last in the real world between these two self absorbed characters? Still, Lynley settling down does not seem to agree with him so far. So I, along with the millions of other readers will wait patiently and anticipate our next venture into the lives of the English souls.

In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner is a profound and intricate mystery, a stunning book! It is so because it consists of layers upon layers of mysteries, each with its own victims and its own protagonists. Throughout the 600 tightly-written pages these characters interact with each other, and the layers of plot become interwoven, untangled, and enmeshed again.
The question is asked over and over: who is the 'proper sinner'? And for what crime? If the title word 'proper' means 'appropriate', one must ask, for which crime? Murder? Pornography? Theft? Blackmail? Prositution? Insubordination? And if the title word 'proper' means 'possessed of propriety', then most of the many sinners in this intriguing novel qualify: they are all enamored of their own self worth and gratification--including Thomas Lynley and his partner Barbara Havers.
There is no resolution of the mysteries in this novel: there never can be a resolution to human frailty and the pain it causes. But in the end, a murderer is caught and the tangled skeins rest coiled and ready for use again.
Hopefully it won't take Elizabeth George too long to weave another spell. I'll be waiting.

I have been an Elizabeth George fan for years, mostly because she has had nice tight plots and Havers has been a very real character, touching and exasperating at the same time.

I wish somebody had been around to tell me when to quit, so that I did not go on to read the later books where the series went downhill so badly.

You can see the signs in this book, which is too long, includes some very unrealistic and unlikely situations, and has the characters behaving in the stupidest possible manner in order to move the story along.

Still, it's readable; it does tell a story. It's not as excellent as the early Lynley-Havers books were, but it's passable. The next one she wrote, A Traitor to Memory, really isn't. That one is over 200 pages too long, wallows around taking forever to tell a simple and rather dull story, and it shows all too clearly that Ms George has lost interest in her characters. From there she goes on to write one without Lynley and Havers, A Place of Hiding, in which Simon and Deborah fail to carry the weak plot and you have to listen to Deborah whine about her own shortcomings for hundreds of pages; then she writes one, With No One as Witness, that takes the regular characters and centers the story on them to the point where the angst overwhelms the thin story at tedious length. As I write this, the most recent book, What Came Before He Shot Her, isn't really a mystery at all, but what passes for a psychological study of a young murderer who apparently has troubles of his own that explain his murdering.

Please don't get me wrong; the first books are still very good, and I don't want to deny her any praise for them; she's earned her right to go off in a different direction and try not using a proper editor if she wishes to, and good luck to her. But if you are a reader who likes a good mystery story with all sorts of twists and red herrings and a process of solving the mystery to observe, enjoy, and try to anticipate--well, stop here, say thanks to the lady, and move on to some other series. If you've never read P.D. James, her writing is always restrained and elegant, the mystery element is always honest, and she has never written a book without having a story to carry it along; she never tears up her characters as a substitute for a good plot.

What a terific read and great excuse for leaving work undone. Hated to see it come to an end, even though the ending was eminently satisfying: just what most readers were hoping for and expecting. Must agree that George needs some British editing if she is concerned with authentic vocabulary and cultural background. It is amazing that we become to engrossed in her characters even while wanting to shake them senseless: would love to see Havers make enough money to have her teeth capped and go to Weight Watchers...of course then maybe she wouldn't be Havers anymore. And couldn't Hadiyyah just keep quiet for one minute, once? "Wouldn't be Hadiyyah," yes, I know. So we're entranced with them, warts and all. In earlier books I found the two couples to be tiresomely wrapped up in themselves, endlessly analyzing every word and gesture, forever agonizing over their psyches and relationships. They do seem to be growing up. So, I for one can hardly wait to read the next in this fascinating series, warts and all.

I have a theory that the word "secateurs" appears somewhere in every Elizabeth George novel. I am pleased to report that it duly appears in this one. (Its appearance this time is so contrived that I actually am starting to wonder whether it is some sort of game she is playing.)
I am in the process of forming a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Barbara Havers. And Elizabeth George is _terribly_ cruel to poor Barbara in this novel. I can remain impassive as I read the passages that deal with murder, suicide, sadomasochism--even the explanation of how that mysterious shiny metal cylinder is supposed to be used. (Well, <shudder>, fairly impassive, anyway). (And Ms. George looks so diffident and demure in her dustjacket photo!) But, omigod, the things that happen to Barbara--they're (sob) just TOO much to bear. The things that happen in her personal and professional relationship with Lynley... and just when that seems to be getting straightened out at last, she gets hit with something else from an entirely different quarter when--no, no, I can't bear to talk about it.

I have read a number of Elizabeth George's books. Many reviewers compare her to Ruth Rendell and P D James and she is certainly their equal in terms of characterization and plotting. Arguably, Lynley can be compared to Dalgleish and Wexford, my favourite, however, is Morse. Her research is thorough and her descriptions of names and places are phenomenal.
The way she weaves her plots are excellent and her pace rivets the reader. Her novels have been criticized for their length, but I don't notice the it with the way she dangles the suspense.
She even spells the English way. This, of course, may only be for the English and Canadian editions. I want to give her 5 stars, so what is holding me back.
She has an annoying habit of using the term "fag" and other slang expressions out of context with the quality of her writing. As an expat Brit I suppose I speak with some authority on this matter. Fag is old country jargon for a cigarette. Although that word does have a pejorative meaning elsewhere, it is still used as a colourful description for a cigarette in Britain and parts of the old empire. Its use is primarily colloquial and in Elizabeth George's books she uses it too often in her narrative. It looks out of place given the overall quality of her writing. She doesn't do it all the time, but it is enough to be annoying.
Other than that, anyone who is considering reading an Elizabeth George book should do so. I am surprised that the BBC hasn't started a series based on her characters yet. If they have, I am not aware of it. I have heard that the A and E network is considering a production.

This is my first Elizabeth George novel, and probably my last. Ms. George is obviously a P.D. James wannabe, but something is missing. I think it may be writing talent. George is a competent (though verbose) wordsmith, and her plot here is adequate. But where James' characters are three-dimensional and thus ultimately believable, George's are cardboard caricatures. Andy Maiden is ONLY wretched, Nicola is ONLY depraved, Havers is ONLY humiliated, Julian is ONLY lovesick, Helen is ONLY gentle and patrician, Vi is ONLY - well, whatever she is. Each George character projects only one primary trait or emotion, and is driven by a single motivation. Thus each is almost totally predictable; indeed, the book's only real surprises occur on those rare occasions when a character steps out of character, as it were. And even then, we never really know WHY they do it. It's all a bit like expecting Raymond Chandler and getting a big plateful of Erle Stanley Gardner instead.
George substitutes mechanical sex for James' turbulent passions; petty bickering for James' graceful, almost poetic, dialogue; geographical facts for James' masterful sense of place and mood; postmodern nonjudgmentalism and platitudes for James' excruciating moral dilemmas and soul-searching struggles. And does anyone really CARE about Lynley's musings over his off-again, on-again spats with wife Helen and disgraced subordinate Havers? It's all so. .. .banal. Lynley is to Adam Dalgleish as James Bond is to George Smiley. We never feel truly drawn into George's characters' world, because their world is flat, not round.
ON THE OTHER HAND, if you enjoy gratuitous sex - gratuitous and kinky sex - lots of gratuitous and kinky sex of the S&M variety - then this is your book! But hey, just email me and I'll tell you where to find the juiciest parts; it'll save you wading through 600 pages (that's right!) of nonessential verbiage. Is it possible that Ms. George is paid by the word?
My bottom line advice: you should definitely read every book Elizabeth George has written - AFTER you've finished with Colin Dexter, Ross McDonald, Ruth Rendell, Margery Allingham, Dorothy Sayers, Martha Grimes - and - oh, yes - P.D. James, who (IMO) has accomplished more within the classic mystery genre than any living writer. Try reading Devices and Desires, a James classic which is, on the surface, fairly similar to this book. I think you'll see what I mean.

This is the 10th book in the Lynley-Havers series and it is one that strains their relationship and makes it stronger at the same time.
After Havers returns back to the force after the ninth book, she has been demoted following her actions which involved shooting a superior officer in order to save a eight year old girl from drowning. Lynley, who has supported the demotion, is taking a hardline look at Havers and gives her punishing and demeaning tasks when two bodies are found in an ancient circle in England. The father of one of the deceased also turns out to be one of Lynley's former colleagues. With Havers taking things into her own hands and Lynley trying to keep his anger to himself, the two learn that they have faced the same demons in the recent weeks and now they can both understand each others motives. This is a must read book.

This was my first Elizabeth George mystery and will most likelybe my last...
George is an excellent writer but she's a bit wordyfor my liking. Not that I don't appreciate detailed description andlengthy character development, but it took me almost 250 pages to get hooked. There have only been two books I haven't finished reading in my entire life, so I guess you can say I'm hard pressed to give up once I've started. I almost put this one down around page 170 but fortunately I forged ahead. Once I got hooked, I was HOOKED. I couldn't wait to find out whodunit and was not disappointed by the ending. The main problem I had was that I just didn't like the two main characters. Lynley's unwillingness to forgive Havers was extremely irritating. And Havers being the "good soldier" and not sitting him down and questioning his bad attitude was frustrating too. I mean if these two had worked together for so many years, you'd think they'd both be mature enough to talk it out. George just drags out their mutual animosity. Grow up already! END

Elizabeth George is one of my favorite authors, and I'm thrilled that she is back with the latest addition to her Inspector Lynley series. This book was wonderful - almost as good as In the Presence of the Enemy (my personal favorite, and I've read them all). The characters are well-drawn, the plot was intriguing, and the whole book reeks of civility, style, and class. A welcome change from some of the crap I've read this summer (Thomas Harris, please note). George's characters are people you realy care about, her reasearch is first-rate, and the plot, while convoluted at times, is wrapped up nicely in the end. Elizabeth George and Martha Grimes are my two favorite authors, and I'm happy to say that I am now about to start on Grimes' latest Richard Jury novel. I hope it will be as satisfying as this book was. For those of you who like to be taken seriously as readers, do yourself a favor and read this book. Elizabeth George never disappoints!

As always Elizabeth George keeps us guessing until the very end. Her complex, multiple plots all tie together in the end and Barbara Havers redeems herself as Lynley realizes he too is capable of making mistakes. I have enjoyed watching the main characters grow and change and learning about their lives with each new novel by Elizabeth George. This one doesn't disappoint. I can't wait to read the next one but am willing to wait so that we can have more quality writing by this fine author. I have quit reading other authors who rush their books to press just to get another one out. So unlike some of the other reviewers, I say take all the time you need Ms. George so that I will continue be enchanted by your characters, your intricate plots and the settings you describe so magnificently.

I have read several mysteries by Elizabeth George and while I sometimes balk at the long winded narratives and similar Oedipal plots, I keep returning for more. 'Pursuit' is the latest mystery to be solved by New Scotland Yard in the form of Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers. The pair are at odds this go around due to prior perceived insubordination. Hence they go about solving the mystery of 2 young people found murdered on a Derbyshire moor from different angles and locations. Secrets are revealed as they dig into the lives of their suspects and of course, there are more personal revelations as well. This paperback is a long 716 pages, but it will keep you intrigued enough to stay with it. In fact, I think I am feeling a little withdrawal as I write this... :-)

This is by far my favorite Elizabeth George mystery. Her characters are complex and flawed, but they do grow and learn from their behavior. Havers is beginning to realize that her defeatist attitude affects her relationships with her co-workers and leads to much unfair prejudice on her part. To that end pairing her with Winston Nkata was brilliant. I wonder what will happen between Havers and Azhar. The moments between them are so wonderful, and Havers' friendship with the sweet and charming little Hiddyah is just beautiful. George did an excellent job of handling of secondary characters and story lines, especially the Julian-Samantha relationship. I would love to know how she conducted her research on the S&M scene. This book is full of terrific moments and altogether makes up a terrifc book.

This lady can write----and write---and write. With 600 pages filled with literate development, a reviewer may be presumptious in summing it all up in a paragraph or two.
My hat is off to EG for her ability to make an extraordinarily long development. At first I thought her cast of characters was too limited to keep a book of this length interesting. But she surprised me by continually introducing new players into the game, even late into the book. Yet there was early foundation for each new character and development along the way.
Perhaps the most lasting impression EG will leave with the reader, long after he has forgotten the details of the story, is the question, "What is normal?" We may all be proper sinners in some way.

Any mystery lover worth his/her salt surely has to have Elizabeth George on their "must read" list! After reading George's first book, I was hooked, and now own and have thoroughly enjoyed all of her previous ten books. I eagerly awaited this latest book, and have not been disappointed. As usual her language is beautiful, no need for graphic sex scenes or foul language to try to catch one's attention - it is a pleasure to read such evocative writing. The plotting of this book is clever, and one can envisage each scene as it unfolds. George describes the countryside so perfectly, one feels as if one is there, and her understanding of England and the English, be it in language or by descriptive prose, makes the reader envious of her abilities. She is certainly in the genre of P.D. James and Ruth Rendell. This time we have Barbara Havers working in London away from her boss, Tommy Lynley, who has been called to Derbyshire by an old friend to help in solving two grisly murders. Havers, in spite of Lynley's orders, manages to get involved and has a great rapport with Nkata, the member of the team selected by Lynley to help him in Barbara's place, after her initial restment of him for taking her place. The story is full of twists and turns, ensuring that I had some sleepless nights as I hated to put the book down! I now await Elizabeth George's eleventh book with great anticipation. If you are anxious to read a big, beautifully written mystery, do read In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner - you will not be disappointed. George's writing puts to shame so many of today's "shocker" authors - if only they would realise that many readers are turned off by explicit sex and gore - they accomplish nothing by writing this way - there is too much lowering of standards at present, without having to write filth. I would respectfully suggest that any aspiring author read any Elizabeth George book - he/she could not fail to be impressed.

This is one of George's best. The characters and the action is believable and it keeps you guessing for quite a long time. Its interesting because it shows what feet of clay darling Lynley has and it gives Havers a sweet chance at love. Its really a follow up to a lesser book. Even Helen sees the flaw in Lynley now. The only problem is that George didn't give enough attention to the second plot which could really have been more interesting than the first plot. I actually didn't understand the ending. If X already got a million dollars in blackmail money than why did he need Y? It wouldn't produce more money for him. I dont want to give the plot away so I am using X and Y. If George had devoted more energy to plot 2, then this would have been a five star book indeed. Havers is such a hot head. The BBC movie doesn't do her justice. She is too fat and unkempt to be a tv star but just perfect for Lynley's partner. Her incipient romance is charming. Is it followed up I wonder in subsequent books.

I recently finished Elizabeth George's latest Lynley (now Lynley-Havers) book and found it riveting. But I fail to understand (and don't appreciate) the author's decision to make Havers so terribly unattractive, fat, sloppy and intent on intensifying her obsessions with smoking and eating fat.George has clearly decided to make HER female character different from all the others and I imagine she thinks it is amusing, or gets a charge out of being deliberately politically incorrect. Fine. But the emphasis is such that at least this reader is beginning to find some of her discriptions downright distasteful. I hope the author will cool it in the future and concentrate on what she does so well, weaving one or more tales into a fascinating plot and peopling them with intriguing, interesting and at times unfathomable characters.

It is difficult to classify exactly why George's books are so compelling but I will have a go. The murder plot was not particularly interesting and a little tedious to follow - I won't spoil it for anyone but the identity of the murderer is a little contrived.
Simply said, George writes terrific fiction and it is fiction, despite what some say about her right on observation of English life. I have lived in the UK for 30 years and can tell all you Anglophiles right now that George's England does not exist.
It's true to say that none of her characters are interesting people, Lynley in particular is downright two dimensional ... yet somehow she provides a magical concoction that, when shaken together is richly satisfying, and a wonderful escapist read.

Five stars for the writing and the research, this very dark tale is beautifully composed. What begins at a genteel and well bred pace, slowly tunnels into the very darkest places and emotions, and made the journey virtually endless. Lynley and Havers (and Winnie) take the reader into the world of Scotland Yard and the most unsavory characters (including those you might least expect). The writing is impressive, the characterization is excellent, and the reader is placed right in the midst of the investigation. But all in all the story is devoid of hope -- very, very dark. Not having previously read any of Ms. George's book, I think I'll stop here, for it was a bit too realistic for me.

Elizabeth George is a wonderful writer-she grabs hold of you and doesn't let go, even after you have closed the book. This, along with A Great Deliverance and Deception on His Mind, is one of my favorites of hers.
The book twists and turns at breakneck speed. The characters are, as always, wonderfully written (and while I agree with others that Lynley's neuroses are getting a little tiring, I found it necessary in this book for him to be dealing with what he was dealing with).
Altogether, this is a marvelous mystery. I was completely engrossed, and came to feel, as I always do, that Havers and Lynley are people I know well, and I am a fly on the wall eagerly hunting for the same clues they are (although I have to admit, I got the "picture at games" clue almost immediately after we discovered what the oak was used for.)
If you like mystery/suspense, don't miss Elizabeth George.

What can I say about Elizabeth George's work that hasn't already been said? This book is un-put-down-able, I seem to have been reading it for a year, and I don't want it to end! Interesting development with the Pakistani neighbor and Barbara Havers coming up? I wondered when that would happen. The only thing I kind of don't like about this novel is it seems an awful lot of fuss and work over the murder victim, I had no sympathy for her at all, the silly slut! There has been a sense of the tragic in some of Ms. George's previous novels which is missing here. However, I highly recommend it, especially if you have read her previous novels.

I always wait with anticipation for George's next novel and this one did not disappoint me. I tried to savor it, but of course I read it too fast! What sets this author apart are her interesting characters and their developing relationships with one another that are all too human. I enjoyed the many plot twists in this book and Barbara Haver's ultimate vindication at the end. This book is clever, proving once again that crimes are too often like a stone creating ripples on a pond--resulting in many unexpected (and often unwelcome) disclosures about people's lives. As usual, Elizabeth George works on numerous levels. Now I just have to wait until the next one...

Elizabeth George's IN THE PURSUIT OF THE PROPER SINNER interweaves B. Havers and Insp. T. Lynley fighting each other with the smash production of David King-Ryder.
King-Ryder after two stage disasters works his magic and achieves a hit, before he kills himself.
The artistic character development and dense plotting of this novel will keep you reading late into the night. George keeps getting better and better as we explore her main characters and discover new personalities that lead to murder and death.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS.

Ms. George's real strengths are the texture of her characters -- their dialog, interior monolog, etc. -- and the clever, thoroughly researched plots. In both respects the book shows her craft splendidly.
My only criticism is that the ending is ridiculously convoluted, improbable, verbose, and pretentious (even a quote from Orwell, for heaven's sake!). Too many coincidences and loose ends that are never explained. Though Lynley is a fine parody of the Oxbridge detective (all that is wanting is for him to murmur a few lines from Ovid or Cicero from time to time), he's a tad overwrought by the end of this book -- far too precious and priggish to be plausible. Turn down the wattage a bit, Ms. George!

I became an Elizabeth George fan a couple of years ago when I read 'For the Sake of Elena'. I was so impressed, I immediately went back to the first book in the series and have now read them all. I think she's a fantastic author who keeps her readers interested in the ongoing lives of her main characters whilst introducing a new and fascinating murder mystery. 'In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner' does not disappoint - Ms George skilfully keeps you guessing (and misguessing!) right until the end. Fans will enjoy the next episode in the lives of Lynley and Havers. If you have not read Elizabeth George before, I suggest you try this on for size, then go back to the start of the series and read them all. The story is all the more enriched by knowing the history of these wonderful characters.

This book held my attention throughout and everyone seemed guilty until the end. I had to skip over really dull filler material. I didn't understand or care to understand the slang and the S&M seemed especially British. I'm kind of surprised what an incredible incompetent oaf she makes Lynley out to be. But what pleased me most was the characterization of Havers as a misunderstood but tremendously successful detective who solves cases others cannot...shades of Harry Bosch and Aurelio Zen etc...but as a woman she has a real woman's problems...sexist attitude from her boss, low pay, love of a child, day to day Responsibility for senile mother. It was a beautiful depiction of real woman. As opposed to the male variety who have hot sexual encounters, visit glamorous places and wear lovely suits...

ISBN 0553575104 - I'm of the opinion that you won't need to have watched a movie or television show, or have read another book to enjoy this one. The plot takes a good long while to make perfect sense - this is not one of those books where you have any hope of being a step ahead of the storyteller. Once you begin to gather the threads together, it will all seem so obvious that you might need to read it again, just to try to figure out how you missed it the first time.

Well worth the investment of your time, even if it does get to seeming a bit too long near the end. For me, all the loose ends were neatly tied up and the whole story made sense - except for a few sentences, such as "...he'll be bloody cheesed off when he twigs what you're doing." Some of them sound like a different language entirely - but that's part of the charm for American readers!

- AnnaLovesBooks

In this book, Detective Barbara Havers is facing disciplinary

action for saving her neighbor's daughter from drowning in the previous book. Her partner Lynley does not take her side (unlike the TV version, where he saves the child) until the very end which makes for tension between them.

Two bodies are found near each other in the countryside, and the detectives try to link the two together. What they find leads them to a prostitution ring, in which the daughter of Lynley's mentor may be invovled. Also in the mix is a son who is bitter over being left

Personally, I would like to see more of Barbara's interaction with her Pakistani neighbors. Compared to the rest of the characters, they are considerably more appealing than the various lowlifes that populate her novels. It's one thing to create likeable characters, it's another to create so many unlikeable ones.

I just moved to a small provincial town where the library boasts a few hundred novels max, so my choice was limited. I took home this book willing to give it a try because it seemed quite readable after a few pages, not clichéd or otherwise uninteresting. I always make it a game to see how long a book can hold my attention. Well, this one took me all the way, so it must have been quite an enjoyable read. What I found irritating was that most of the characters were, if not exactly cardboard, quite set in their ways, which is perhaps how Americans like their British characters (ever since Sir Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and all the rest of them good old trendsetters? "Get on with it", I thought more than once, "we already know". For example the way Julian and his never-to-be father-in-law Andy Maiden never seem to be able to get out of their gloominess bored me. Same goes for Julian's dad, a dirty-talking sorry old geezer I started to dislike more and more (though of course in real life a lot of old geezers are loathsome, so maybe the writer deserves some credit here). I thought a lot of characters did get way too much airtime. Same goes for Sam, whose protectiveness of Julian seemed to me unending and nauseating, and not only to Julian. Come to think of it, most characters seemed to suffer from over-description. Maybe George should use her wordcannon more sparingly: You can easily write a character or, for that matter, a plot, to death. In this light I found it remarkable that the killer was drawn so sketchily, and I found his motives not entirely plausible. Another thought: the London traffic is indeed horrendous, but it does not deserve the major role in the plot that it gets. In the end though, there was something agreeable in the narrative which at least made me finish it. Reflecting upon the title I thought that none of us is without sin, but it is no sin to write imperfectly if you do it as well as Ms George does.

this was a great mystery and, as always, exquisitely plotted and written. However, one aspect of the book was troubling. It seemed that lynley's initial reaction to havers' suspension was totally out of character. So, that reaction seemed more in the nature of a forced plot device, which is unusual fro this author. The fact is this device worked very well for purposes of this book, but, for future books, the lynley character seems somewhat tarnished. It will be interesting to see how the author handles that potential problem.

I am actually quite surprised that so many people gave this book five stars (and am positively incredulous that someone read all 600 mind-bending pages "in a weekend")! I have enjoyed each of EG's other books quite a lot and was looking forward to this one, but not only was it filled with loads of unnecessary characters (for example, the overweight little boy who found the murder weapon), but I was put off by (1)Lynley's hideous, completely out-of-character behavior (did he have brain surgery between books?) (2) Havers' continual insistence upon ignoring his orders and going her own way, with her job hanging by a thread (3) Helen/Lynley's tedious obsessiveness about their relationship (get over it already!) (4)Samantha's lust for her FIRST COUSIN (ugh!) 5)The sleazy, unpleasant S&M element that basically takes over the second half of the book. (There was a lot more information about various sex "toys" and their uses than I, for one, needed to have.)
I think a some judicious editing could have reduced this book by a couple hundred pages (or more). Even then, it would have been a healthy 400 pages. Maybe, just maybe, someone could read THAT in a weekend! (Of course, a speed-reading lesson or two couldn't hurt.)

This is my first Elizabeth George, which I REALLY enjoyed. While not having read her prior Lynley/Havers books, I was able to pick up on the threads of their previous relationship/experiences w/ no problem. The multiple plots are cleverly woven, and although some reviewers do not like the detective characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the doubting, unforgiving Lord, the croissant-devouring Havers fag-puffing (that's the British slang, there!)--sorry, folks, but that's a VERY accurate portrayal of many women, including myself on a stressful day. I also thought the more minor characters of Winston, Hanken, & Company were well done. This novel kept me guessing until the very end. Yes, the author's venture and depiction of the "underworld" of S+M sex in London was v. gritty, but, I'll postulate, quite accurate--if not, it was certainly interesting. Brought to mind the Helen Mirren "Prime Suspect" PBS series, accents and all. I've a feeling this is more England today than the tourists would like to think.

Her books are long and complex, with story threads interweaving and running all over the place -- but they pull you in so quickly that you want to read them all at one sitting. "Pursuit" is proof that George keeps getting better at devising brilliant puzzles (and two murders in this one!) while expanding the depth of the relationship between her principal detectives, Lynley and Havers. She also creates a spot-on picture of modern-day England with all of its traditions and contradictions. In short, her books have the perfect combination: a true puzzle for mystery lovers and superb writing as well.

This is my first EG novel. My attention was definitely kept throughout and I enjoyed her command of the English language. It's silly to criticize an author for using a large vocabulary .... I loved her portrayal of the English moors and her mood setting. However, I agree with some of the other readers that the plot lacked-it was just too obvious! It would have been much more interesting had someone else been the murderer. Her excessive characters were also annoying such as her neighbor, Lynley's hackneyed attitude toward women, and the foolishness of Havers. I could have certainly done without the sex scenes and general immorality rampant in the novel. Mistakes happen but let's not glorify them ....

Why have reviewers praised this book and the character Barbara Havers? I found it difficult to continue reading this long boring book - my mind kept wandering away from the book.

Havers has become insufferably stubborn and unwilling to admit to her insubordinate and un-disciplined behavior. I think that it was a mistake to separate her and Lynley because, for me, the only time that Havers can be pleasing is when she's working with Lynley.

I enjoyed previous works by this author but definitely will not read further books where Havers is let loose again!

I am hooked on Susan Elizabeth George and her wonderful writing. And yes, I too like her new hairdo. I have read all her books. I read them all during the past six months after stumbling onto a paperback edition of "Missing Joseph". I did not read them in the order published but after finishing "In Pursuit of the Proper Sinnner" the ten book chronolgy fell into place with the remarkable display of continuity in the ongoing evolution of the main characters of Linley(love "Tommy"as a nick name), Havers, Lady Helen and the entire gang. This woman writes such good prose that often I forget I'm reading a "potboiler" and find myself in the middle of a marvelous work of fiction. I can't wait to read Mrs. George's first non- mystry novel where she is able to dispense with the gratuitous sex and stay with the beautiful character insights. But, then again, this reader for one will continue to buy her first editions in hardback because I can't wait to see what kind of trouble Barbara Havers is going to get into next!

I've always enjoyed reading Elizabeth George for her superior quality of writing, however, I've noticed that none of her characters are genuinely likeable. Lynley is arrogant and self-entitled, Helen is, while nice, somewhat pretentious, Havers annoys me with her defeatist attitude, Simeon and Deborah aren't terribly interesting, and the revolving characters in her novels, whether they be good or bad, are just not simply likeable. I wonder why is that? Is it because George delves so deeply in the characters that she presents them in the full, including all their negative traits that ultimately turns us off?
Another aspect of her novels that also bugs me is George's portrayal of England. She seems to focus on only two Britains: that of the aristocratic upper classes and that of the lower class/underbelly. The rest of the British, who are nice, normal and quiet people little different from the nice, normal and quiet Americans, she seems to ignore, offering at the most a token glance. It is somewhat annoying for the country that is presented in her novels is turn-off that does little justice to the real UK. I've spent a fair amount of time in the UK and have family and friends living there, and the Britain I am familar with is not the one presented in George's novel.
Her plots are somewhat thin and relies heavily on suspicious coincedences and that, combined with characters that one really can't like, should make the novels somewhat unappetizing, but her geniunely superior quality of writing and excellent analysis of the situations ultimately saves the book at the end. Hence my awarding it four stars instead of three.

Barbara is treated badly, she needs a friend, and George should lighten up on her. Lynley is a jerk and he and Helen are sometimes the most narcissistic couple I can imagine. The plot is weak and George is over obsessed with sex. Loose ends aren't tied up---and can an Englishman marry his/her first cousin? Six hundred pages is absurd; a few hundred could be cut out easily. As I read the negative reviews today after finishing the book, I agreed with every one of them BUT.... I couldn't put the book down and read almost continually for two days until I had finished it. And I'm sorry the story is over. George is certainly doing something right for me.

Elizabeth George has done it again! Yet another wonderful experience with our favorite cast of characters. As usual, a complex mystery with engaging characters is slowly assembled with twists, turns and revelations along the way. In my mind, however, the real draw is always the recurring main characters as they continue to grow and we continue to learn more about what makes them who they are. Elizabeth George has a wonderful sense of continuity and does not shy away from the consequences of what her characters experienced in the previous installment. We are the sum of our experiences. Some of the scenes with Lynley and Havers are heart-wrenching as they each react to the other's betrayal, and as they face (or fail to face) some of the underlying issues in their partnership. Helen plays a useful role in this, without taking center stage. Nkata has become an intriguing addition to the cast -- one I hope we see more of in the future. Elizabeth George -- we can't wait for the next one!

GEORGE`s stories are complicated, circuitous and super-great reads. This is yet another fascinating mystery by George; I could not stop reading it. I like the insight we get into Lynley`s personality. And we see even more of Barbara Havers, an interesting character from my point of view. I get very tired of beautiful female characters. Havers has issues with herself that are more reality-based and interesting. I like all of George`s stories. They definitely are not quick and easy reads--they are first-rate reads.

While Ms. George continues to charm the eye and mind with her command of the language, I am heartily sick of Lynley, Helen and Havers. I would LOVE to read a whole novel about Simon and Deborah. Have they worked out their problems about the repeated miscarriages? Does his disability cause personal problems in their marriage? What's it like to have your father-in- law live in as well as be your 'serant'? Lots of areas to explore and give Lynley and Havers' angst a rest.