With No One as Witness (Inspector Lynley Series #12) »

The reigning queen of the British mystery, it turns out, is an Ohio native living in Washington State. Best known for her Inspector Lynley series, Elizabeth George says that what drives her books is the psychological goings-on of her characters. She doesn't even mind, she says, if readers figure out the killer before the end -- the motive will always be a surprise.

The police never suspected a serial killer was at large until they found the fourth murdered boy — the first white victim — his body draped over a tomb in a London graveyard. Suddenly a series of crimes and a potential public relations disaster have Scotland Yard on the defensive, scrambling to apprehend a maniac while avoiding accusations of racism.

Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley, distracted by concerns for his pregnant wife, has been assigned to the investigation, along with his disgraced partner, Barbara Havers, who's fighting for her professional future. Winston Nkata — deservedly, if hastily, promoted to detective sergeant — is the black face who will speak to the media. But none of them can imagine the tenacity and ingenuity of the killer they seek . . . and no one is prepared for the savage, shocking instant when everything will change forever.

Publishers Weekly

Acting Supt. Thomas Lynley and Det. Constable Barbara Havers face their most challenging and perilous case yet-the linked murders of four youths, three of black or mixed parentage-in bestseller George's absorbing 13th British police procedural (after 2003's A Place of Hiding). Crime fans will find plenty of forensic minutiae and details of police bureaucracy and politics, but it's characterization at which George really excels. The up-and-down career of Havers is at low ebb following her demotion from sergeant to constable, and her rocky personal life doesn't make that easier to bear. Lynley's professional life has become more difficult due to the continued absence of Supt. Malcolm Webberly and the need to deal directly with Asst. Commissioner David Hillier. The tension builds as the brutal serial killings continue and the pressure to solve them mounts. George expertly uses every device in the book from red herrings to blind alleys, from subtle twists to swift shocks. This is an outstanding and explosive addition to a popular series. Agent, Robert Gottlieb. 9-city author tour. (Mar. 15) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.