Elizabeth George writes of self-destructive people, conscienceless people, people out for themselves, or hapless folk caught up in inexorably awful circumstances. The main plot of this book is around standard for George, compelling as a car accident where you drive past the twisted metal and stare.The secondary plot - the private lives of Lynley, Deborah and Barbara continue apace.I still mostly dislike Lynley, who starts the book out in a sex-driven affair as a kind of bandage of coping. I loathed the Deborah story - her relationship with her almost always right logical husband who spends his time "handling" her (the emotional, illogical one) just ticks me off - as it does Deborah.Again, I mainly read this series for Barbara Havers, who never catches a break. Argh to the final chapter.
