In the Presence of the Enemy

This book gives the very definition of a senseless crime, which makes it especially horrifying. Luckily Havers is amazing as always, the Simon/Deborah melodrama is kept to a minimum, and you learn a lot about Helen Clyde's depth of character.

Favorite passage:
"She had long resisted the qualities in Tommy that had encouraged others to label him such an outstanding catch in the marriage game. She was generally impervious to his good looks. His wealth did not interest her. His passionate nature was sometimes trying. His ardour was flattering, but she had seen it directed at enough women in the past to have doubts about its reliability. While it was true that his intelligence was appealing, she had access to other men who were equally as show more quick, as clever, and as able as Tommy. But this...Helen did not possess the armour to combat it. Surrounded by a world of stiff upper lips, she was putty in the hands of a man's vulnerability." show less

Of the eight Lynley novels I've read, I'd rank this third, after the first, A Great Deliverance and the third, Well-Schooled in Murder. Not that I felt that way through Part One, which is almost another book I'd rate much lower--for two reasons. First, that first part involves only that Tiresome Three (tm) Simon and Deborah St. James and Lady Helen Clyde. So not my favorite George characters. Second, and worse, they engage in utterly stupid behavior that's a pet peeve of mine in amateur detective fiction. Charlotte, a ten-year old girl, is kidnapped, and the mother, Eve Bowen, a Member of Parliament, a Junior Minister, and a rising star in the Tories doesn't want the police involved because she fears it would lead to publicity and the show more exposure of her daughter's paternity--the editor of a tabloid with Labour leanings. So the Tiresome Three go along with with this monstrous mother who acts like she misplaced a file, and don't call in the police. For DAYS. Oh, and when the police are called in and Lynley calls them on their behavior, he's the bad guy who dealt Deborah a "death blow" and once again puts his engagement with Helen in jeopardy. It's all the more maddening because there's no good reason for the St Jameses and Clyde to have gone along with not reporting the crime. They have no particular loyalty personal or political to the people involved who are strangers to them and given their ties and loyalties to people at Scotland Yard they should know better.

Finally, after nearly 250 pages, Detectives Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers do come into the picture, and things do pick up immensely. In fact, I'd say the last hundred pages especially of the book are the most suspenseful I've yet to read from Elizabeth George. There's also a lot more of Detective Constable Winston Nkata in this book--in the last book he has a cameo really, and books before that just mentions. This time he's a supporting player and if this presages more of a role for him from here on end in the Lynley mysteries I'll be glad of it. And Havers. Poor Havers. But she's my favorite character in this series for good reasons. And just as the Tiresome Three demonstrate in this novel why I don't care for them, Havers shows why she's enough to keep me reading this series. show less

I think this has been my favorite of the Lynley mysteries so far, at least in my rereading of them. This is the 8th book. A young girl is kidnapped; her mother is a member of Parliament with serious political ambitions. The girl will die unless her biological father, a tabloid editor, reveals that he is her father, thus destroying her mother's career because of their political differences. It gets more complicated from there. Kidnappings, murder, twisted relationships, and a totally unexpected twist in the end make for a great read. You won't want to put this one down!

Not too much to say except how much I loved this one. George focuses not on Lynley in this one, but also Havers for a good portion. We have a shocking crime and a reveal that I didn't see coming. There is some poor Deborah stuff going on, but it's not all encompassing like it has been in the last few books.

"In the Presence of the Enemy" follows a tabloid journalist (Dennis Luxford) who is told that unless he prints the truth about his first born on the front page of his newspaper, then he is going to be made to pay. What follows is a long winding road that eventually ensnares St. James, Deborah, and Lady Helen. They are asked to look into a kidnapping, but are told no police are to be told. Due to the fact that Luxford's first born is a show more ten year old girl named Charlotte Bowen who is a result of an affair he had with a conservative MP named Eve Bowen 11 years earlier. Unfortunately tragedy occurs which is how New Scotland Yard gets called in which is how Lynley and Havers become involved in the case. George deftly manages to juggle multiple POVs. I have to say that Havers POV's ended up being really great and I loved the juxtaposition between her and Lynley.

The development of Lynley and Haver's friendship and working relationship is still a highlight in this series. We still have Lynley pressing upon Lady Helen about marriage and this case throws things into a tailspin.

The writing was very good and each character's sections felt very distinct I thought. The flow was a bit uneven at first which I happen to notice in George's works. She takes a bit too long to set the stage.

The ending of the book was a huge surprise. We also have Havers showing us what's she's made of. I thought the ending was lovely though and smiled. show less

initially, this one was totally odd because close to 200 pages is taken up with what, in previous instalments of the series, is usually handled much more quickly. so while that first bit was interesting, it did feel like it dragged on a bit too long before finally getting into the thick of it. as with book #7, this one is a bit meander-y too, with tentacles going off in a few directions, but george pulls it all together in a satisfying way. george's style is so propulsive that, even while totally sick, plowing through a nearly 600-page novel in one day was possible. george is a clever and engaging writer.

Not too much to say except how much I loved this one. George focuses not on Lynley in this one, but also Havers for a good portion. We have a shocking crime and a reveal that I didn't see coming. There is some poor Deborah stuff going on, but it's not all encompassing like it has been in the last few books.

"In the Presence of the Enemy" follows a tabloid journalist (Dennis Luxford) who is told that unless he prints the truth about his first born on the front page of his newspaper, then he is going to be made to pay. What follows is a long winding road that eventually ensnares St. James, Deborah, and Lady Helen. They are asked to look into a kidnapping, but are told no police are to be told. Due to the fact that Luxford's first born is a show more ten year old girl named Charlotte Bowen who is a result of an affair he had with a conservative MP named Eve Bowen 11 years earlier. Unfortunately tragedy occurs which is how New Scotland Yard gets called in which is how Lynley and Havers become involved in the case. George deftly manages to juggle multiple POVs. I have to say that Havers POV's ended up being really great and I loved the juxtaposition between her and Lynley.

The development of Lynley and Haver's friendship and working relationship is still a highlight in this series. We still have Lynley pressing upon Lady Helen about marriage and this case throws things into a tailspin.

The writing was very good and each character's sections felt very distinct I thought. The flow was a bit uneven at first which I happen to notice in George's works. She takes a bit too long to set the stage.

The ending of the book was a huge surprise. We also have Havers showing us what's she's made of. I thought the ending was lovely though and smiled. show less

Gripping murder investigation as Inspector Lynley and Havers rush to prevent a serial child murderer of claiming a victim held for blackmail purposes. The characters are absorbing and although the book is long it is a page-turner. I'd love to read more of this series and watch the BBC miniseries in full as well.