A Banquet of Consequences

An Inspector Lynley Novel, Book 19

By: Elizabeth George

Narrated by: Julie Teal

The suicide of William Goldacre is devastating to those left behind. But what was the cause of his tragedy and how far might the consequences reach? Is there a link between the young man's leap from a Dorset cliff and a horrific poisoning in Cambridge?

Following various career-threatening misdemeanours, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers is desperate to redeem herself. So when a past encounter with bestselling feminist writer Clare Abbott and her pushy personal assistant Caroline Goldacre gives her a connection to the Cambridge murder, Barbara begs DI Thomas Lynley to let her pursue the crime.

Soon, Lynley finds himself investigating the London end of an ever more darkly disturbing case, while Havers and DS Winston Nkata look behind the peaceful façade of country life to discover a twisted world of desire and deceit.

Full of shocks, intensity and suspense from first page to last, A Banquet of Consequences reveals both Lynley and Havers under pressure, and author Elizabeth George writing at the very height of her exceptional powers.

(P)2015 Hodder & Stoughton©2015 Susan Elizabeth George

Critic reviews

Praise for Elizabeth George:
Her crime novels combine Victorian craftsmanship, psychological observation and ingenious plotting. George's celebrated attention to detail keeps the reader totally immersed. Bliss. (Kate Saunders)

She's a designer of fastidious mosaics that never fail to intrigue

Presses all the buttons to make us hoover her stuff up

The best plotter in the mystery game, [her] elegant literate flow puts many Brits to shame

She writes extremely well, plots brilliantly and reaches an emotional level deeper than most

Her treatment of the Mediterranean settings (along with a raft of intriguing new characters) shows a new exuberance . . . George aficionados will consider that Just One Evil Act possesses (as Schumann said of Schubert's Great C Major symphony) "heavenly length". (Barry Forshaw)

Yippee! Barbara Havers is back!

Everyone knows the BEST thing in the Elizabeth George books is Barbara Havers, and in this book she back in her full glory. Of course, so is Isabel--whom we all hate--and Deirdre, Thomas Lynley's new love interest--what's with her? I haven't figured her out yet.

The first death doesn't occur until 6 hours into the book. But that was OK because there was enough Barbara in those first 6 hours to keep me interested.

Anyway, if you love the Thomas Lynley mysteries, you will be happy to know this one is back to the old formula, with Barbara getting herself into all kinds of trouble, but then redeeming herself at the end. And might she really start taking tap dancing lessons????

Next to One Evil Act (one of her best), this one might be my new favorite.

Less exciting than other titels

What did you like best about A Banquet of Consequences? What did you like least?

I liked the narrator, Julie Teal, but I didn't like the book itself, the way the story develops. Too much so-called psychological insights that didn't add anything extra to the characters.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It was a typical case of "I thought so".

Could you see A Banquet of Consequences being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It probably will be made into one or two episodes of the Inspector Linley series by the BBC. Then it will be much more exciting because of the great acting.

Amazing

From the opening paragraph to the end this books holds you in its intrigue. The narrator is wonderful and very easy to listen to. She makes the story come alive.