17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Couldn't Put This One Down!, July 8, 2006
The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!
No, his book is not about the "War", rather it's a superb mystery/thriller brilliantly written by British author Robert Goddard.
Beatrix Abberley boldly confronts an intruder in her home and is brutally murdered. What is so bizarre about this heinous crime is that the dialogue suggests that she was actually expecting the perpetrator and she knew what he was going o do and why he was going to do it. We soon find out that weeks before her murder she asked a confidant to mail four preaddressed letters to four different individuals in the event of her death. These letters will contain the reason for her murder and will reveal who the murderer is. Charlotte Ladram, Beatrix's niece, doesn't have long to mourn the murder of her elderly aunt when she is involuntarily pulled into a tangled web of betrayal and lost loyalties. As she enlists help from a most unexpected source she discovers a twisted connection between her aunt's brutal murder and a long lost secret from the Spanish Civil War.
Hand in Glove is part mystery, part thriller, part police procedural (although Goddard convincingly finds a way to tone down the necessity of the police). The characters are wonderful. They are lively, exciting and jump right off the page. They have distinct personalities. As I read each page I felt as if I were standing right there watching all the action and listening to their dialogue. Which brings me to my second point, the dialog is fresh, natural and incredibly engaging; never stiff or boring, and the author uses it expertly to shape the characters and move the story along at a good clip. The plot is well formulated. There is something here for everyone. Every nuisance is covered, every action brings new revelation. And Goddard's research is implacable. He has given us keen insight into an interesting historical period. HAND IN GLOVE is all that you expect a thriller to be and more. Goddard masterfully proves that fiction can go beyond mere entertainment and can inform and enlighten (as well as delight) readers when written well. One caveat...towards the end of the book, as the plot begins to unravel and secrets are revealed, the events and characters get a little complex. Stay with it, all will be settled in the end.
This is a superbly written novel! I am looking forward to reading Goddard's other titles.
Enjoy.
Cris Cunningham for Amazon.com
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Writing & Robert Goddard go Hand In Glove, October 3, 2006
Duplicity and intrigue run rampant through the once quiet life of Charlotte Landram. The murder of her Aunt Beatrix is only the beginning of a series of events that confronts Charlotte and places her in the "eye of a storm" that has been brewing for over 50 years.
Mr. Goddard is an expert at integrating history into this clever thriller and has produced an absorbing, plausible story that captures the imagination. He has developed a situation populated by a cast of realistic, well-defined characters so convincing they seem familiar to the reader.
Compelling from page 1, you will find this journey rewarding.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intriguing Literary Mystery, February 1, 2007
I have read quite a few books by this author lately and I am impressed by the way he tells a story. The plots are intricate and involved,with many unexpected twists and turns, yet at the end everything is explained in a way that leaves you satisfied as a reader. His books usually touch upon a deeper meaning and his characters are both flawed and likeable. I also enjoyed Into the Blue, Borrowed Time and In Pale Batallions.
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