''A Suitable Vengeance'' is a

crime novel Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a profession ...

Elizabeth George Susan Elizabeth George (born February 26, 1949) is an American writer of mystery novels. She is best known for a series of novels featuring Inspector Thomas Lynley. The 21st book in the series was published in January 2022. The first 11 were ...

. Published by Bantam Books in 1991, it is the author's fourth novel to feature

Inspector Lynley ''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries'' is a British crime drama television series that aired on BBC One from 12 March 2001 to 1 June 2008, consisting of six series and 24 episodes. The protagonist, Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, 8th Earl ...

. It also exists as an audiobook, narrated by Donada Peters.

Plot

''A Suitable Vengeance'' is set a few years before the first Inspector Lynley novel, and offers some insights into his later relationships. The story starts with Lynley escorting his fiancée Deborah to meet his family at their Cornwall estate. Also present are his old friends Simon and Lady Helen, along with his addict brother Peter; Simon's younger sister Sidney and her partner, biochemist Justin Brooke; and Deborah's father, who serves as valet to Simon. The reunion is somewhat fraught: Sidney is being brutalized by Justin; Lynley and his mother have been estranged for over a decade; Simon is secretly in love with Deborah; and Lynley has to engage awkwardly with his mother's lover, Dr. Roderick Trenarrow. To add to this, two murders are committed; a newsman, and Sidney's lover, Brooke, who has been researching a new drug, Incomet. There are several possible suspects, including Lynley's brother Peter, Dr. Trenarrow, and the Lynley estate manager, and Lynley is obliged to investigate, even as suspicion falls on members of his own family and friendship group.

Reception

The novel was generally well-received, with some caveats: ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' commented on the psychological insights into the characters; ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'' praised its depiction of emotional relationships but also criticized it as "overwrought", while ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' called it a "darkly vibrant modern English mystery."

References

1991 American novels American mystery novels Bantam Books books {{1990s-mystery-novel-stub