With No One as Witness

Oh my, I had forgotten how compelling Elizabeth George's books can be. Although this book is long (627 pages) I plowed through it, often reading far into the night. George's main characters, DI Thomas Lynley, DC Barbara Havers and DS Winston Nkata, felt real to me. I agonized with them through their problems and exulted when they had some success.

In this book, Lynley is heading up a serial killer investigation. Adolescent boys are being killed but it isn't until the fourth boy that the police twig to the fact there is a serial killer at work. That's when New Scotland Yard is called in and Lynley and his team start to do their thing. It is Barb Havers (recently demoted to the rank of Detective Constable) who discovers the connection show more between the boys and an organization called Colossus. This organization is devoted to turning boys and girls from a life of crime but it appears that someone is determined to kill them instead. Even while the situation at Colossus is being investigated two more boys are killed. Assistant Commissioner Hillier is feeling the pressure from the press and he agrees to have a journalist imbedded in the investigation. Lynley and Hillier, already at odds, argue about this but Hillier is adamant and the journalist wants to start with an article about Lynley. The Inspector agrees to this in order to keep the journalist from hindering the investigation but when the killer calls him after the article is printed and mentions his wife Helen, Lynley wonders if that was a wise strategy. As Havers and Nkata continue to investigate and the head of Colossus is doing her part to determine if the killer is someone inside the organization, Lynley has his hands full with the journalist and the profiler Hillier insisted upon. Slowly, slowly the pieces start to come together but Lynley has a personal tragedy to deal with and can't help. The ending is worthy of a movie but not an American thriller with Bruce Willis, more of an English movie with Sean Connery. show less

I've struggled with the last few Lynley/Havers stories, but somehow Elizabeth George is right back on track with this one.  The characters are actually working together, the mystery actually starts right at the beginning, and I actually never had to force myself to keep on reading.  It's not the very traditional mystery structure of most of her other novels, as in this case Lynley is put in charge of a big Scotland Yard effort to stop a serial killer at work in London.  But it works despite that; indeed, the parts of the novel that work least well are the most traditional, as Havers talks to person after person in a youth outreach program.  It takes a better writer than most to make the internal politics of a youth outreach program show more interesting.  But the rest-- the methodical, slow hunt for evidence, often grasping at straws, as the killer operates with impunity-- makes for good reading.  It's horrifying at times, but that's George at her best for you.  Havers gets a chance to shine here, more than she has in any of these novels for what feel like a long time.

I still wonder why she hates Havers so much.  I mean, Lynley has his faults, but they're the kind of faults that aren't really faults: he's too forthright, he cares too much, he's too responsible.  Oh, how dreadful for him.  On the other hand, Havers's inability to dress herself reaches new heights of absurdity in this installment.  Cut the poor woman a break and let her wear a nice pair of pants without a ketchup stain on them, okay?

There's a big "shock" at the end, or rather there would be if I cared about any of the characters who weren't Lynley, Havers, Taymullah, Hadiyyah, and Nkata.  Okay, that's more than I thought, but why is the rest of the supporting cast so... insipid? show less

One of the most intense of the Inspector Lynley novels, you'll have a hard time putting this one down. The pair are on a mission to catch a serial killer, one who likes young boys and sacrificial rites. The killer is caught in the end, but not before there is a lot of tension at Scotland Yard. I wanted to strangle Hillier! He's just impossible! There is a huge unexpected twist near the end of the novel that leads into the next novel. The ending is unexpected, and I don't mean the identity of the killer.

Brilliant writing, fascinating characters, and a challenging mystery, as usual--this time with the added "bonus" of a shocking and unexpected tragedy.

Helen Clyde/Lynley is such an awesome character. She is lighthearted but never flippant, emotional but never histrionic, introspective but never self absorbed.

good — Lynley, St. Jam, Deb + Helen — 3 killers — good plot — surprise twist.
Barb Havers — into her own

The police never suspected a serial killer was at large until they found the third murdered boy, the first white victim, his body draped over a tomb in a London graveyard. Suddenly a series of crimes and a potential public relations disaster have Scotland Yard on the defensive, scrambling to apprehend a maniac while avoiding accusations of racism.

Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley, distracted by concerns for his pregnant wife, has been assigned to the investigation, along with his disgraced partner, Barbara Havers, who's fighting for her professional future. Winston Nkata, deservedly, if hastily, promoted to detective show more sergeant, is the black face who will speak to the media. But none of them can imagine the tenacity and ingenuity of the killer they seek . . . and no one is prepared for the savage, shocking instant when everything will change forever. show less

The body of an adolescent is found arranged in an almost ritualistic manner. A sign left in blood on his forehead indicates that the murderer may be a serial killer. And indeed, once the death is looked into, several other similarly arranged bodies have been found - and no connection has been made because of the boys' race.

The investigation is assigned to aristocratic Superintendent Thomas Lynley and his team (including the newly demoted Constable Barbara Havers). To ward off allegations of institutional racism, Winston Nkata has been hastily promoted to Sergeant and must now attempt to fend off the press who want to make the most of his tragic background and the allegations that he is just the administration's golden boy.

I haven't show more read any of the other books in this series, but I felt like I got a good feeling for the characters and their motivations despite not having been around to experience their backgrounds. I enjoyed reading about the investigation, especially the fact that the detectives followed dead ends or leads that led to crimes not really related to the serial killings. I also liked the glimpses into the characters' personal lives apart from the investigation.

However, I found the parts from the point of view of the serial killer didn't really add much to the narrative. Unlike in similar books (Silence of the Lambs, for instance) these sections didn't really build up the tension or give a sort of twisted insight into the character. He just didn't feel...real to me. And I felt that the end was pretty rushed and not terribly satisfying.

Nonetheless I'm definitely interested in reading other books in this series. Not a new must-buy author, but just the sort of procedural that I've been looking for recently. show less

With No One as Witness. Elizabeth George. Each time I think George has written the best Inspector Lynley book ever, she surprises me with an even better one. Everyone is here. Lynley is put in charge of a serial murder case with racial overtones, by the obnoxious,Assistant Commissioner Hillier. Hillier promotes Winston and drags him into the spotlight just because of his race. and includes Havers only because Lynley insists. And St. James is called in as a consultant. Hillier makes mistake after mistake and he and Lynley are always at odds. In addition to managing the investigation, trying to keep Hillier from ruining it, keeping Havers in line and protecting Winston and Havers from Hillier, Helen, Lynley’s wife is pregnant, and he is show more concerned about her. And the murders continue. Suspenseful and poignant. Do read this series in order to get the full flavor. show less