A Place of Hiding
(Libby/OverDrive eAudiobook)

Deborah St. James is shocked when Cherokee River, the brother of the woman she lived with during her difficult student days in America, shows up on the doorstep of her London home. China River, she is told, is in a musty Guernsey jail, accused of murdering wealthy Guy Brouard during her stay at his Channel Isles estate. Stunned Deborah and her analytical husband, Simon, are soon on their way to Guernsey, and as usual in George's multilayered thrillers, it takes keen insight and hard work to disentangle the intricately woven snarl of secrets and lies that awaits them-the first of which surrounds Brouard himself. A familiar setup? You bet, but as the celebrated mystery writer's fans know, there's nothing predictable about the way George works things out. Once again, her nuanced characterizations drive the novel; the troubling private problems of Brouard's family and acquaintances must be fully limned before the murderer comes to light. That's true, as well, of the St. Jameses, perhaps the least vigorous of George's customary cast, whose investigations force them to confront difficulties in their own May-December marriage. Like the author's previous books, this commands attention. It's dense, complex, and riveting. --Stephanie Zvirin

Fans disappointed by George's atypical story collection, I, Richard (2002), will be relieved to find the bestselling transatlantic author back at the top of her form. This exquisitely plotted mystery bursts with well-developed characters, notably forensic scientist Simon St. James and his photographer wife, Deborah. Lured by the free airline tickets and the $5,000 fee, China River, an old friend of Deborah's, and her half-brother, Cherokee (their mother was into the hippie counterculture), agree to fly from sunny California to rainy England to deliver a package containing architectural drawings to Guy Brouard, a rich landholder on the Channel island of Guernsey. The drawings are for a museum Brouard plans to build on the island honoring those who resisted the WWII German occupation. When the philandering philanthropist gets murdered and the police arrest China, Cherokee turns to Simon and Deborah for help. Curiously, for all the victim's wealth, no one seems to benefit from his death. The theme of hiding-of hopes, of the past, of secret places-underpins this intricate story about friendship, anger, loyalty and betrayal. Comic touches provide some relief as the suspense builds to an unexpected and explosive climax. With her flair for language, George reinforces her reputation as one of today's finest mystery writers. (July 29) Forecast: The broadcast this summer of four new mystery episodes on PBS featuring George's Inspector Lynley, who makes a cameo appearance in A Place of Hiding, may help lengthen the novel's run on bestseller lists. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

George's novel suffers from too much detail, too many characters, and an excruciatingly slow pace. As a departure from her well-sustained Thomas Lynley series, this mystery is probed by Thomas's friends Simon St. James, a forensic scientist, and his wife, Deborah. Their own back story is entwined in the present as they try to prove Deborah's old friend China River did not kill the wealthy benefactor of the Island of Guernsey, Guy Brouard. The plot generally stays intriguing as there are many other viable suspects with a variety of secrets, but the pacing of the story and the major players' weaknesses probably are too distracting for a wide audience. The program might appeal to World War II history buffs because of the subplot about the island's occupation by the Nazis. Reader Donada Peters is masterful in multiple languages and accents. Recommended only for libraries with mystery lovers very dedicated to extremely long audiobooks. An abridged version may be a better investment.-Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Who'd want to murder Jewish WWII survivor Guy Brouard, a man devoted to his cancer-stricken sister Ruth, and the wealthiest resident on the isle of Guernsey? Well, let's see. Several ex-wives and discarded mistresses; a father whose nubile daughter he debauched; his disagreeable middle-aged son Adrian; an architect he promised work and then shunned; a war hero and his son who planned a war museum in partnership with him but were actually his gulls. The person the police have put in jail, Californian China River, visiting the island with her brother Cherokee, who'd been hired to deliver a package to Brouard, is the only suspect with no apparent motive. But eyewitnesses insist they saw her follow Brouard to the beach. Was it really China inside that hooded cloak? When Cherokee rushes to London to ask China's old friend Deborah St. James for help, Deborah, convinced that China could never commit murder, insists on returning to Guernsey with him, accompanied by Simon, her forensic scientist husband, who's not nearly as convinced. And now what began as a simple whodunit turns into an anatomy of lies stretching from a WWII quisling and the provenance of an Old Master painting to teenage hormones and the desperate longing for a surfboard. George (I, Richard, 2002, etc.) never met a sentence she didn't want to expand or an ending she didn't want to douse in melodrama. But her latest extravaganza may make you think twice about telling even a little white lie. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Deborah St. James is shocked when Cherokee River, the brother of the woman she lived with during her difficult student days in America, shows up on the doorstep of her London home. China River, she is told, is in a musty Guernsey jail, accused of murdering wealthy Guy Brouard during her stay at his Channel Isles estate. Stunned Deborah and her analytical husband, Simon, are soon on their way to Guernsey, and as usual in George's multilayered thrillers, it takes keen insight and hard work to disentangle the intricately woven snarl of secrets and lies that awaits them--the first of which surrounds Brouard himself. A familiar setup? You bet, but as the celebrated mystery writer's fans know, there's nothing predictable about the way George works things out. Once again, her nuanced characterizations drive the novel; the troubling private problems of Brouard's family and acquaintances must be fully limned before the murderer comes to light. That's true, as well, of the St. Jameses, perhaps the least vigorous of George's customary cast, whose investigations force them to confront difficulties in their own May-December marriage. Like the author's previous books, this commands attention. It's dense, complex, and riveting. ((Reviewed May 15, 2003)) Copyright 2003 Booklist Reviews

Although this is the 12th title in George's "Thomas Lynley" series, Scotland Yard detective Lynley and his partner, Barbara Havers, play very small roles here as forensic scientist Simon St. James and his wife, Deborah, step into the spotlight. China River and her brother, Cherokee, are hired to deliver blueprints for a museum that millionaire Guy Brouard plans to build on the island of Guernsey, in the English Channel. When Guy is found dead, and China is accused of killing him, Cherokee goes to London to seek the assistance of China's old friend, Deborah. Soon Simon and Deborah are investigating the murder, discovering that several other people, including Guy's children, have motives. While plenty of plot twists and turns will keep readers glued to the page until the climactic end, there are almost too many distracting subplots, including a second murder that is never investigated or mentioned again after it happens. George also devotes a lot of space to analyzing Simon and Deborah's relationship, and, unfortunately, Deborah comes off as too childlike, while Simon is very domineering. Nevertheless, George's latest is an enjoyable read and is recommended for most public libraries, especially those with a George following.-Carrie A. Herrmann, Boone Cty. P.L., Union, KY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Fans disappointed by George's atypical story collection, I, Richard (2002), will be relieved to find the bestselling transatlantic author back at the top of her form. This exquisitely plotted mystery bursts with well-developed characters, notably forensic scientist Simon St. James and his photographer wife, Deborah. Lured by the free airline tickets and the $5,000 fee, China River, an old friend of Deborah's, and her half-brother, Cherokee (their mother was into the hippie counterculture), agree to fly from sunny California to rainy England to deliver a package containing architectural drawings to Guy Brouard, a rich landholder on the Channel island of Guernsey. The drawings are for a museum Brouard plans to build on the island honoring those who resisted the WWII German occupation. When the philandering philanthropist gets murdered and the police arrest China, Cherokee turns to Simon and Deborah for help. Curiously, for all the victim's wealth, no one seems to benefit from his death. The theme of hiding-of hopes, of the past, of secret places-underpins this intricate story about friendship, anger, loyalty and betrayal. Comic touches provide some relief as the suspense builds to an unexpected and explosive climax. With her flair for language, George reinforces her reputation as one of today's finest mystery writers. (July 29) Forecast: The broadcast this summer of four new mystery episodes on PBS featuring George's Inspector Lynley, who makes a cameo appearance in A Place of Hiding, may help lengthen the novel's run on bestseller lists. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.