British actor Vance does a strikingly effective job as narrator of the 20th book in George's series about highborn Scotland Yard Det. Insp. Thomas Lynley, in which he and his partner, Det. Sgt. Barbara Havers, investigate a questionable suicide in the rural town of Ludlow. The early chapters find Lynley deskbound while Havers and their autocratic supervisor, Det. Chief Isabelle Ardery, look into the suicide. Ardery ignores Havers's suspicions of murder and authenticates the suicide ruling. Circumventing an apoplectic Ardery, Lynley gets the case reopened, and he and Havers return to Ludlow, where their police work is interspersed by dramatic vignettes involving the local community. Vance's vocal interpretations never falter. His Lynley is definitely aristocratic, but tempered by charm and empathy. Havers runs an emotional gamut from bristling pugnaciousness to bouts of inferiority. Vance voices Ardery-who with her job on the line and her personal life in disarray grows increasingly dependent on vodka-with slurring, furious anger, and self-contempt. With its artfully described small-town atmosphere, meticulous plotting, and well-drawn characters, this is one of the author's finer novels, with series newcomer Vance delivering a flawless, nuanced performance. A Viking hardcover. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The plot of the latest Havers and Lynley novel takes place directly after the events of A Banquet of Consequences. DS Barbara Havers is fighting to hold on to her current position within London's Metropolitan Police and her partner Thomas Lynley is doing his best to assist her. While Havers is keeping her nose clean with the boss and taking tap dance lessons, a delicate internal probe has been sent to their department. She and the department's commander Isabelle Ardery are sent to investigate an apparent suicide of a suspect in custody in Shropshire. The local police have staffing issues, which may have contributed to this suspicious death. But Havers finds that the evidence does not support this theory and wants to dig further. Ardery disagrees, threatening Havers to keep her in line. When new details emerge, Havers returns to Shropshire with Lynley to find the truth. Verdict The continuing story of beloved series characters and an engrossing plot make for a blockbuster combination that will reward longtime George fans and readers who appreciate serious mysteries. [See Prepub Alert, 9/25/17.]-Kristen Stewart, Pearland Lib., Brazoria Cty. Lib. Syst., TX © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.