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Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER � �Those who haven�t discovered Elizabeth George . . . should rush to read Playing for the Ashes.��Us �The story begins with my father, actually, and the fact that I�m the one who�s answerable for his death. It was not my first crime, as you will see, but it is the one my mother couldn�t forgive.� Acclaimed author Elizabeth George reveals the even darker truth behind this startling confession in Playing for the Ashes, a rich tale of passion, murder, and love in which Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers once again find themselves embroiled in a case where nothing�and no one�is really what it seems. Intense, suspenseful, and brilliantly written, Playing for the Ashes is �a treasure� (Cosmopolitan).… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
I thought this one was an improvement over Missing Joseph, the last entry in the Lynley Mysteries and my least favorite of the novels to date. That one barely featured my favorite character in the partnership of Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers--here she's
The title "Playing for the Ashes" is a cricket term, and this mystery involves the murder by arson of cricket star Kenneth Fleming who rose from working class roots to play for England. Three very different women loved him and have been loved by him. There's Miriam Whitelaw, his former teacher, old enough to be his mother, who he was living with at the time of his death. There's Jean Cooper, the wife he's been separated from for years who still hopes she can get back his love. And there's Gabrielle Patten, his lover and wife of the team sponsor. It's these women, and those connected with them--Miriam's daughter, Jean's son, Gabrielle's lovers and husband--who hold the key to his death.
In a departure from George's usual style, the third person narrative is punctuated throughout with chapters in first person from the point of view of Olivia Whitelaw, the daughter of Miriam. Like one reviewer, I found this off-putting, especially since this begins the book and I found I greatly disliked Olivia. That never changed, even if I did find myself having sympathy for her by the end. I also noted this novel in the series overindulged in crude language. I'm no prude, and I don't usually even notice the use of obscenities, but in this case I felt a bit assaulted by their use. I also felt the Olivia chapters, and other scenes not involving the two detectives, were overlong and by and large an unnecessary drag on the narrative. The first Lynley mysteries, such as the first, A Great Deliverance were not much longer than 400 pages. This one was close to 700 pages. I worry George is succumbing to the problem you see in successful, and thus unedited, authors such as Tom Clancy and Stephen King, where their novels become bloated. I did enjoy this book though, enough to read more of the series.
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back in form. And it's not just her presence per se I missed, I think Lynley is a better, more interesting character with her to play off of as well. I remember one scene--the "Kwai Tan" bluff by Barbara where I smiled widely thinking this is a lot of why I love this character. And for once both the personal subplots with Havers and Lynley were hopeful and positive. I was particularly charmed by Havers developing a friendship with Hadiyyah--a charming little girl, seven going on eight, who is her neighbor.The title "Playing for the Ashes" is a cricket term, and this mystery involves the murder by arson of cricket star Kenneth Fleming who rose from working class roots to play for England. Three very different women loved him and have been loved by him. There's Miriam Whitelaw, his former teacher, old enough to be his mother, who he was living with at the time of his death. There's Jean Cooper, the wife he's been separated from for years who still hopes she can get back his love. And there's Gabrielle Patten, his lover and wife of the team sponsor. It's these women, and those connected with them--Miriam's daughter, Jean's son, Gabrielle's lovers and husband--who hold the key to his death.
In a departure from George's usual style, the third person narrative is punctuated throughout with chapters in first person from the point of view of Olivia Whitelaw, the daughter of Miriam. Like one reviewer, I found this off-putting, especially since this begins the book and I found I greatly disliked Olivia. That never changed, even if I did find myself having sympathy for her by the end. I also noted this novel in the series overindulged in crude language. I'm no prude, and I don't usually even notice the use of obscenities, but in this case I felt a bit assaulted by their use. I also felt the Olivia chapters, and other scenes not involving the two detectives, were overlong and by and large an unnecessary drag on the narrative. The first Lynley mysteries, such as the first, A Great Deliverance were not much longer than 400 pages. This one was close to 700 pages. I worry George is succumbing to the problem you see in successful, and thus unedited, authors such as Tom Clancy and Stephen King, where their novels become bloated. I did enjoy this book though, enough to read more of the series.
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LibraryThing member patience_grayfeather
Her plots are so well-woven and she weaves a theme brilliantly thru her plots and subplots. Kenny is dead. His wife, Jeannie, has been struggling to hold onto his love. His patron, Miriam, wants his love as does his lover, Gabriella. Livie, Miriam’s estranged daughter, wants Chris’s love as he
“Love, Olivia. That’s always the beginning of things, isn’t it? What I didn’t understand is that it’s also the end.”
Looking forward to the next George novel.
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wants Amanda’s. Jimmy wants his father, Kenny, to again complete the family that he so sullenly loves. Havers is finally seeing that trashy romance novels are no substitute. And Helen demands to know why Lynley loves her and how can he put that in words?“Love, Olivia. That’s always the beginning of things, isn’t it? What I didn’t understand is that it’s also the end.”
Looking forward to the next George novel.
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LibraryThing member idiotgirl
Kindle. First time I read a novel about Lynley and Havers, have watched them on Masterpiece. Quite nice. Good juxtaposition between a first person narrative by Olivia (why does Olivia matter, why is she in the center of the book, we ask until the end). Like Lynley and Havers. Never got Helen on
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Masterpiece. She seems to be a different character in the book. But I still don't think I get her. Lynley suspects she's a mistake. I think he may be right. Fun. TGA in the middle. Took me a day to retrieve the plot so I could finish the book. I'm glad I didn't have to read it twice. Probably not worth that much. . . . . Would read George again. Accomplised fun. Double narrative was a nice plus Show Less
LibraryThing member moukayedr
A famous Cricket Player is found dead in a country cottage as a result of fire, and the circumstances point to arson and murder.
Detective inspector Lynley and his partner Barbara Havers are on the case.
The plot tries to unravel the life of Ken Fleming and the complicated relationship ultimately
His rise from the working class, his estranged wife Jean Cooper and their children Jimmy, Sharon and Stan, and his lover Gabriella Patten the resident of the cottage where he spent his last night.
There is also the former teacher Miriam Whitlaw who played a huge role in his rise to stardom, and Miriam's troubled daughter Olivia with the dirty past and troubled present.
The writing is good and gritty. A portrayal of the tired and trying life of the working class, and perhaps this what made it so depressing to me. There is no psychopathic murderer on the loose here, only troubled and fragile people with all too human motives.
Nevertheless I found the whole thing pointless, and the book itself overlong. It also felt like I walked into the middle a story where the detective and his partner are concerned, I could not relate much to the partial snapshot I saw of their lives. Although I must say that Barbara Havers' life is quite depressing: Work all day punctuated by snacks, elevenses and eating on the run. Then home alone to eat whatever can be prepared quickly and read trashy romance novels. She also has a mother with Alzheimer in a nursing facility to add to the mix.
Complex emotions and good writing did not redeem this book for me. The portrayal of pointless and tedious existence of almost all characters weighed it down considerably.
Detective inspector Lynley and his partner Barbara Havers are on the case.
The plot tries to unravel the life of Ken Fleming and the complicated relationship ultimately
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leading to his death.His rise from the working class, his estranged wife Jean Cooper and their children Jimmy, Sharon and Stan, and his lover Gabriella Patten the resident of the cottage where he spent his last night.
There is also the former teacher Miriam Whitlaw who played a huge role in his rise to stardom, and Miriam's troubled daughter Olivia with the dirty past and troubled present.
The writing is good and gritty. A portrayal of the tired and trying life of the working class, and perhaps this what made it so depressing to me. There is no psychopathic murderer on the loose here, only troubled and fragile people with all too human motives.
Nevertheless I found the whole thing pointless, and the book itself overlong. It also felt like I walked into the middle a story where the detective and his partner are concerned, I could not relate much to the partial snapshot I saw of their lives. Although I must say that Barbara Havers' life is quite depressing: Work all day punctuated by snacks, elevenses and eating on the run. Then home alone to eat whatever can be prepared quickly and read trashy romance novels. She also has a mother with Alzheimer in a nursing facility to add to the mix.
Complex emotions and good writing did not redeem this book for me. The portrayal of pointless and tedious existence of almost all characters weighed it down considerably.
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LibraryThing member bobandladyjane
Always dark!!! Always exciting!!!!! Always a great great great read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LibraryThing member annemarie246
Started out interesting, but had to force myself to finish reading.
LibraryThing member SalemAthenaeum
"The story begins with my father, actually, and the fact that I'm the one who's answerable for his death. It was not my first crime, as you will see, but it is the one my mother couldn't forgive."
In her astonishing New York Times bestseller, acclaimed author Elizabeth George reveals the even darker
Ashes will make readers "search out the sleuthing pair's first six adventures...a treasure," as Cosmopolitan predicted in their review.
In her astonishing New York Times bestseller, acclaimed author Elizabeth George reveals the even darker
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truth behind this startling confession. Playing for the Ashes is a rich tale of passion, murder and love in which Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers once again find themselves embroiled in a case where nothing—and no one—is really what it seems. Intense, suspenseful and brilliantly written, Playing for theAshes will make readers "search out the sleuthing pair's first six adventures...a treasure," as Cosmopolitan predicted in their review.
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LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
This is the 7th of the Inspector Lynley novels. A player for England's cricket team has been murdered. Who did it - the soon-to-be-ex wife who stills love him, the disappointed disreputable teenage son, the "sugar mama" who has taken him under her wing, the "sugar mama"'s daughter who has been
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disinherited, the blonde girlfriend who wants to marry him, or someone else? The mystery is solved in the end, but it's not who you might think did it. George does such a good job of telling the stories of not just the main characters but all of the characters. I really got caught up in their stories in this novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
Very disappointed with this entry. It goes on and on (and on), and in the end I simply skipped about 100 pages and read the climax. Even then the biggest question facing Lynley (what he should do about the case he's wrapping up) remained unanswered, and it didn't sit well with me. Not what I've
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come to expect with this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member MiserableLibrarian
In this seventh Lynley/Havers story, the two investigate the death of Kenneth Fleming, a popular if controversial cricket player, who is found dead in a cottage, the apparent victim of arson. A number of interesting sublots, including a subversive animal rights group, an estranged daughter with a
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dark and troubled past, and the manipulations and machinations of an elderly female social do-gooder makes for a good whodunit. Lynley pops the question to Lady Helen, and Havers settles into her new digs and finds a friend. Show Less
LibraryThing member AntT
Really liked it as I've read so many of these—but not in any proper order—and this gave me some additional backstory (as scriptwriters used to say, and now everyone says).
LibraryThing member AntT
Really liked it as I've read so many of these—but not in any proper order—and this gave me some additional backstory (as scriptwriters used to say, and now everyone says).
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
A whopping good read with a large number of possible suspects to the murder of a famous English cricket player found asphyxiated in his bed in the cottage he shared with his mistress.
As is becoming normal with George's characters, the personal relationships are featured but don't take over the
The runup to the reveal at the end is one of the best I've read this year. Again, I had read this years ago, but didn't remember how it ended, so the pleasure was there again.
As is becoming normal with George's characters, the personal relationships are featured but don't take over the
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book, there are side-plots aplenty that introduce the reader to animal rights activism, cricket leagues and culture, and now introduced Barbara Havers new neighbors...an attractive Pakistani gentleman and his 8 year old daughter ("My mother is on vacation in Canada"). Is there a future romance for Barbara? The runup to the reveal at the end is one of the best I've read this year. Again, I had read this years ago, but didn't remember how it ended, so the pleasure was there again.
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LibraryThing member kaulsu
I'm certain that many of the reviews will give you the plot in their reviews. I simply want to say that this George volume is the best so far. In this particular one, she moves Haver's from distrusting her aristocratic boss (heavens! an EARL) to being fully at his back.
Quite surprisingly, we enter
Yes, the book follows a typical path. A good person with friends, family, whatnot is murdered. A series of straw dogs are presented as suspects. The joy in this book is that it is never completely obvious--until it is.
BTW, as an American, it is always startling when the color of the Inspector's hair is mentioned!
Quite surprisingly, we enter
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into the dark world of animal experimentation in this book. From experimental research laboratories to nauseating puppy mills, George uses no euphemistic language to make it bearable. But wait! There is more. One of the prime characters suffers from a terminal disease, one from which a friend's son died.Yes, the book follows a typical path. A good person with friends, family, whatnot is murdered. A series of straw dogs are presented as suspects. The joy in this book is that it is never completely obvious--until it is.
BTW, as an American, it is always startling when the color of the Inspector's hair is mentioned!
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LibraryThing member judithrs
Playing for Ashes. Elizabeth George. 1994. Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley is asked investigate a murder of well-known cricket player. As he and stolid, boring, but intelligent Barbara Havers delve deeper into the lives of the suspects he has doubts he can ever prove who killed him. There are
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plenty of plots twists and turns and lots of character development as usual in a George novel, but that is what makes them so enjoyable. I had expected that I’d learn more about cricket than I wanted to know, but I learned more about animal experimentation and puppy farms that I ever, ever want to know. Those with a weak stomach might want to skip this one. There are scenes with Lynley’s butler and a major development in Lynley’s relationship with Helen to relive the horrors of the murder and the animal cruelty. Show Less
LibraryThing member maryreinert
I've probably overdosed on Elizabeth George mysteries, but just couldn't finish this one about a famous cricket player found dead. There were several characters who I just couldn't take any more of. Will try another later. Did not finish
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
An early book in the Inspector Lynley series. Although as long as the others it was less introspective and cracked along at a faster pace than some of the later efforts which made it much more engaging.
LibraryThing member amaraki
Quite evocative of place and time, precisely recreating both the collective social environment and the individual characters products of those environments -- and doing it well. But 672 pages for a detective story? Come on it's not War and Peace. The length was quite tiresome, and I started
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skimming later on in the book just to get on with the plot. Show Less