Helpful Score: 3
I've been a fan of Peter Robinson's Chief Inspector Alan Banks series for a long time, so I was sure this stand-alone novel would be well-crafted. I'm not disappointed; he handles the back-and-forth of two time periods quite effectively.
The protagonist is an Englishman who worked successfully in California for decades before returning to the Yorkshire dales to buy the unusual estate where the story unfolds. Robinson is especially adept at setting scenes, which is a huge asset to this atmospheric novel. I also enjoyed the details about current days in England compared to the post-war time period that is evoked.
While this book might be lumped with Robinson's police procedurals, it's not an action-packed thriller or a traditional detective novel. No serial killers, just a puzzle related to a mysterious death that the lead character is compelled to unravel with the help of interesting people he meets along his journey.
The protagonist is an Englishman who worked successfully in California for decades before returning to the Yorkshire dales to buy the unusual estate where the story unfolds. Robinson is especially adept at setting scenes, which is a huge asset to this atmospheric novel. I also enjoyed the details about current days in England compared to the post-war time period that is evoked.
While this book might be lumped with Robinson's police procedurals, it's not an action-packed thriller or a traditional detective novel. No serial killers, just a puzzle related to a mysterious death that the lead character is compelled to unravel with the help of interesting people he meets along his journey.
A solid, enjoyable mystery. The main character is a film composer, so lots of references to classic films and music. Nothing particularly groundbreaking here, but a satisfying read for a lazy weekend.
This book juggles and combines two perspectives - a present-day composer for Hollywood films who has returned to his native England and bought a house once lived in by a supposed murderess, and that of the supposed murderess during WWII and the 1950s.
The pace of the book is sometimes ponderous, and you may well wonder what the heck the woman's experiences in Singapore and other parts of Asia during the War of the Pacific have to do with the rest of the story. However, at the end everything comes together in a surprising yet very satisfying way.
Recommended, as long as you can be a patient and appreciative reader.
The pace of the book is sometimes ponderous, and you may well wonder what the heck the woman's experiences in Singapore and other parts of Asia during the War of the Pacific have to do with the rest of the story. However, at the end everything comes together in a surprising yet very satisfying way.
Recommended, as long as you can be a patient and appreciative reader.
My husband, the In-House Thriller Expert, enjoyed this well enough, although he warned me that this stand-alone novel (not one of Robinson's Inspector Banks series) seemed a little, shall we say, aimless and self-indulgent. I didn't like it, and abandoned it about about 100 pages, convinced that it doesn't get any better. My main problem with Robinson (something I have noticed in the Banks books, too) is padding: TMI. If I have to read one more pointless description of what he ate, where he stayed, where he parked ...
Splitting the difference between his 3-stars and my 1 star ...
Splitting the difference between his 3-stars and my 1 star ...
Book Description:The Number One bestseller and winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Besy NovelAfter years of Hollywood success composer Chris Lowndes wanted only one thing: to take his beloved wife home to the Yorkshire Dales.But Laura is gone, and Chris is on his own.He welcomes the isolation of Kilnsgate House, and the beauty of the dale. And it doesn't surprise him that a man died there, sixty years ago.That his wife was convicted of murder.That something is pulling him deeper and deeper into the story of Grace Elizabeth Fox, who was hanged by the neck until she was dead . . .
My Review:
Peter Robinson is well noted for his Inspector Banks procedurals but this book is a standalone that is totally different and has a ghostly feeling to it. The book starts off slow but then takes off and becomes a real page-turner to the end. The flashbacks to the past and back to the present are handled masterfully. The plot is interesting and the characters are fascinating. I loved his descriptions of the atmospheric Yorkshire dales countryside. I would highly recommend this book to those who love World War II time period with a bit of mystery and great dialogue.
My Review:
Peter Robinson is well noted for his Inspector Banks procedurals but this book is a standalone that is totally different and has a ghostly feeling to it. The book starts off slow but then takes off and becomes a real page-turner to the end. The flashbacks to the past and back to the present are handled masterfully. The plot is interesting and the characters are fascinating. I loved his descriptions of the atmospheric Yorkshire dales countryside. I would highly recommend this book to those who love World War II time period with a bit of mystery and great dialogue.
