Believing the Lie
Authors: Elizabeth George
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Mystery & Detective
PRAISE FOR
BELIEVING THE LIE
“A multiplicity of subplots and a richness of physical detail…. The story strands are untied and retied in satisfying and often moving ways.”
—
The Wall Street Journal
“Elizabeth George is a superstar of the crime-fiction world…. Deservedly so: Her tales always provide nuanced character studies and insights into social issues along with their intricate mysteries.”
—
The Seattle Times
“Devilishly complicated.”
—
Entertainment Weekly
“A dense, twisty plot with characters who reveal the sad spectrum of human dereliction.”
—
People
“George’s…ability to continually enhance…the novel is nothing less than superlative, and her atmospheric prose, complete with lovely and detailed descriptions of her setting, combines to add literary gravitas to her work…a worthy addition to her portfolio and one that simultaneously disturbs and satisfies.”
—
Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Impossible to put down…for the Elizabeth George fan—or any fan of the well-written, intelligent, character-driven novel—I’d say, dig in.”
—AnnArbor.com
“When [the story] reaches its climax, look out. [
Believing the Lie
is] bliss for mystery lovers, capped off with a surprise ending.”
—
The Gazette
(Montreal)
“A rich, multilayered tale of the effects of secrets and lies on various characters…. George is masterful in handling a large cast and disparate story lines. Grade: A-.”
—
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
“Elizabeth George has outdone herself…. [
Believing the Lie
is] awash in scandal, secrets, and sexual indiscretions.”
—
BookPage
“Some of my favorite series characters…another weighty, complex psychological mystery.”
—
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“A good old-fashioned country-home mystery…. George stands shoulder to shoulder with P. D. James and Ruth Rendell as a grande dame of the British mystery.”
—
Booklist
(starred review)
“Elizabeth George’s novels aren’t just crime novels—they are psychological, character-driven stories reminiscent of P. D. James’s novels…. This is one of her best.”
—
Daily American
(Somerset, PA)
“Strewn with subplots, melodrama, melancholy, a wretchedly unhappy Havers, and the impossibly heroic, impossibly nice Thomas Lynley.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“A book of twists, turns, and, to be blunt, fantastic writing…. As always with Ms. George, the reader has no idea what will happen on the next page, and just when you believe you have it all figured out, a new character or story line is uncovered that throws you back to the beginning. The plotlines are abundant and only Inspector Lynley’s prowess and his very smart friends will uncover the truth under this family’s web of lies. A complete A+ for the mystery realm.”
—
Suspense Magazine
“George’s mastery of impeccable pacing and plot development mercilessly launches you into the latest episode (in this case number seventeen) in D.I. Lynley’s life…. She breathes pure Anglican fire and dialogue, not to mention geographic authenticity, into her award-winning novels.”
—Bookreporter.com
“George’s many fans…will be thrilled with this new episode in the lives of her lovable cast of characters.”
—
Library Journal
“So fascinating…thundering…I wished for at least ten more.”
—
Mystery Scene
“George’s strengths—character development, plot twists, and shocking tragedy—continue to shine…. Look for a serious cliff-hanger at the end, which will leave George’s fans panting for the next Lynley episode.”
—Shelf Awareness
“A page-turning plot.”
—
World
“Unsettling and will keep readers on edge.”
—SheKnows Book Lounge
PRAISE FOR
ELIZABETH GEORGE
“[Lynley is] one of the great character portraits in contemporary crime fiction.”
—
The Boston Globe
“Ms. George can do it all, with style to spare.”
—
The Wall Street Journal
on
Careless in Red
“As always, George’s subplots provide…engrossing moments and memorable characters.”
—
Chicago Tribune
on
A Traitor to Memory
“Crime writing at its best.”
—
The Courier-Mail
(Queensland, Australia) on
This Body of Death
ALSO BY
ELIZABETH GEORGE
A Great Deliverance
Payment in Blood
Well-Schooled in Murder
A Suitable Vengeance
For the Sake of Elena
Missing Joseph
Playing for the Ashes
In the Presence of the Enemy
Deception on His Mind
In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner
A Traitor to Memory
I, Richard
A Place of Hiding
With No One as Witness
What Came Before He Shot Her
Careless in Red
This Body of Death
NONFICTION
Write Away: One Novelist’s Approach
to Fiction and the Writing Life
ANTHOLOGY
A Moment on the Edge:
100 Years of Crime Stories by Women
Two of the Deadliest
ELIZABETH GEORGE
Believing the Lie
NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Previously published in a Dutton edition.
First New American Library Printing, January 2013
Copyright © Susan Elizabeth George, 2012
Map copyright © David Cain
Title page photo of Morecambe Bay copyright © John Sparks/Alarmy
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA
New American Library ISBN: 978-1-101-56579-7
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS CATALOGED THE HARDCOVER EDITION OF THIS TITLE AS FOLLOWS:
George, Elizabeth, 1949–
Believing the lie: an Inspector Lynley novel/Elizabeth George.
p. cm.
1. Lynley, Thomas (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Women detectives—England—Fiction.
3. Havers, Barbara (Fictitious character)—Fiction I. Title.
PS3557.E478B45 2012
813’.54—dc23 2011032904
Designed by Amy Hill
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content..
| ALWAYS LEARNING | PEARSON |
In loving memory of
Anthony Mott
brilliant raconteur
adored companion
always Antonio to me
This life’s five windows of the soul
Distorts the Heavens from pole to pole,
And leads you to believe a lie
When you see with, not thro’, the eye
…
W
ILLIAM
B
LAKE
Table of Contents
FLEET STREET
THE CITY OF LONDON
Z
ed Benjamin had never been called into the office of the editor before, and he found the experience simultaneously disconcerting and thrilling. The disconcerting half of it resulted in massive sweating of the armpits. The thrilling half of it produced a heartbeat he could actually feel, for some reason, in the pads of his thumbs. But since from the first he’d believed it essential to see Rodney Aronson as just another bloke at
The Source
, he attributed both the sweating of armpits and the pulsing of thumbs to the fact that he’d switched from his one summer suit to his one winter suit rather too early in the season. He made a mental note to change back to the summer suit in the morning and he only hoped his mother hadn’t taken it out to be cleaned once she saw he’d made the switch. That would be, Zed thought, exactly like her. His mum was helpful and earnest. She was too much of both.