Elizabeth George’s This Body of Death

I’m behind again, so will only say of Elizabeth George’s This Body of Death that it is complex and satisfying and, ultimately, quite sad. Her novels generally offer social commentary although I’ve never found this intrusive. This time, there’s a parallel narrative offered in the form of what appear to be a Social Worker’s notes about a case which gradually reveals itself as modelled after the real-life disappearance and murder of toddler, Jamie Bulger, by pre-teen boys. What this has to do with the investigation of the still-grieving Inspector Lynley is difficult to know, but we trust George that the various threads will come together and they do, compellingly — and, as I said, very sadly.

Meanwhile, I was entertained to learn about the ponies of England’s New Forest and the perhaps arcane terminology surrounding them, their keepers, and their environment. Similarly, I was fascinated by the descriptions about thatching, the centuries-old techniques of making roofs from grasses.

Short and dirty, as a review, I know, but I’ve got three more recent reads I’ve got to post about and I’ve already started another . . . Some days, retirement looks pretty good!