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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
A murder and its investigation; some racial violence in the backstory and threats throughout
Language
Some
Some strong language; racial slurs are used by characters in their period context
Sexual Content
Barely any
Adult romantic content in Havers's personal storyline
Substance Use
Barely any
Moderate drinking
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The mechanics of racism and scapegoating; how a community closes against outsiders; Havers's particular brand of stubborn, unauthorized justice
What this book is about
Barbara Havers goes to the Essex seaside town of Balford-le-Nez on a personal errand and finds herself drawn into a murder investigation — a Pakistani man has been found dead, and the Muslim community is certain the killer is one of the local racists who has been threatening them for months. Barbara, working without Lynley and without official sanction, investigates through the community itself. Elizabeth George's ninth Lynley novel is the only one centered entirely on Havers, and it is explicitly about race, immigration, and the specific hostility faced by South Asian communities in 1990s England. Rich in character and in the texture of cultural conflict.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
racism and racial violence as central themes
ninth of the Lynley series; Havers-focused
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