(2018) Pretty good, but she does need an editor. Lynley & Havers try to suss out a suicide that is suspicious. Turns out that the lover of the local police chief had been caught by the vicar that died and killed him to keep quiet his rapes and attacks in the area. Then the police officer kills herself as she was pressured to keep it quiet.More mayhem most British from practiced mysterian George (A Blanket of Consequences, 2015, etc.): the 20th Inspector Lynley novel.The ?she? of the title is a floating pronoun: It could refer to a victim or to DS Barbara Havers, who has been sent up to A.E. Housman country from New Scotland Yard to investigate a murder most foul. Or is it a suicide most foul? In any event, the unfortunate demise while in police custody of Ian Druitt, a respected deacon of the Church of England lately suspected of pedophilia, turns out to be grounded in plenty of motive, whether deserved or a smoke screen for another crime. Enter Detective Chief Superintendent Isabelle Ardery, a woman hardened by a horrid divorce and too-liberal application of alcohol to her many problems, for when it turns out that Druitt is well-connected and an MP has come calling for favors, Assistant Commissioner Sir David Hillier, a Yard honcho with a nose for sniffing out political and personal opportunity, sends not Inspector Lynley but Ardery to help Havers with the case, thus putting another ?she? in line for punishment. George is an ascended master of the artfully tangled plot, elaborate without being overly busy; everyone who enters into the picture plays a part. Lynley is rather far afield at first, as Havers takes the lead¥and given that Lynley was first introduced in 1988, 30 years ago, he's coming up on retirement age anyway. But once Ardery turns out to be trouble, enticing Havers to chug down ?some kind of vodka in a glass the size of my mum's Easter bonnet? and neglecting some key evidence in the ugly case, Lynley is back on the scene, and not a minute too soon. George, though American, is at home in the all mod cons world of suburban England, and she weaves many topics into her pages, from alcoholism and binge drinking to immigration, rave culture, nationalism, town versus gown, and police politics. Oh, and there's no shortage of suspects, either.Long but rewarding: trademark George, with elements of the classic procedural nicely joined to today's headlines. Fans won't be disappointed.Pub Date: March 20, 2018ISBN: 978-0-525-95434-7Page Count: 704Publisher: VikingReview Posted Online: Feb. 20, 2018Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2018

This was the first book I have read by this author and I realize it is very far into the series, but my god why does the author think everything needs to be described and explained. The book is so detailed but many if not most of the details and descriptions are completely unneeded and unnecessary. This version was the Trade Paperback and it was 690 pages! 350 pages could have easily been removed and the reader would miss nothing.
I kept expecting something to happen.
The author is clearly very talented but within the first 50 pages you know everything, including who the criminal is. Then it is another nearly 600 pages waiting for the main characters to figure it out.
Way way way too long winded! ( )

Listen to audiobook and read simultaneously.
I really enjoyed this book. It is somewhat long and not fast paced but it kept me intrigued they whole time.
Often a book will have side plots that I am annoyed with because I want to get back to the main story but completely pulled in to each of the stories and the characters. ( )

will keep reading her but feel they are getting rather tedious ( )

George's best yet! ( )