Well-Schooled in Murder [Mass Market Paperback]

Elizabeth George (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1991

When thirteen-year-old Matthew Whately goes missing from Bredgar Chambers, a prestigious public school in the heart of West Sussex, aristocratic Inspector Thomas Lynley receives a call for help from the lad's housemaster, who also happens to be an old school chum. Thus, the inspector, his partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, and forensic scientist Simon Allcourt-St. James find themselves once again outside their jurisdiction and deeply involved in the search for a child—and then, tragically, for a child killer. Questioning prefects, teachers, and pupils closest to the dead boy, Lynley and Havers sense that something extraordinarily evil is going on behind Bredgar Chambers's cloistered walls. But as they begin to unlock the secrets of this closed society, the investigation into Matthew's death leads them perilously close to their own emotional wounds—and blinds them to the signs of another murder in the making....

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Thomas Lynley (the earl turned policeman) and Sergeant Havers focus their prodigious talents on uncovering the murderer of a young boy from an exclusive independent school near London. While author George necessarily centers the plot on solving the case, she adroitly plumbs the emotional and psychological depths of fully fleshed characters coping with various forms of personal stress in addition to the murder. As in her previous work ( A Great Deliverance ; Payment in Blood , LJ 7/1/89), George offers refined, feeling prose, an abiding sense of humanity, and a pervasive undercurrent of mystery. A necessary purchase, exceedingly fair and full of grace. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"George is a master...an outstanding practitioner of the modern English mystery."—Chicago Tribune

"A spectacular new voice in mystery writing."—Los Angeles Times

"A compelling whodunit...a reader's delight."—Daily News, New York

"Like P.D. James, George knows the import of the smallest human gesture; Well-Schooled in Murder puts the younger author clearly in the running with the genre master."—People

"Ms. George may wind up creating one of the most popular and entertaining series in mystery fiction today."—The Sun, Baltimore

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; 1st Printing edition (June 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553287346
• ISBN-13: 978-0553287349
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.2 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #353,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elizabeth George is the New York Times bestselling author of fourteen novels of psychological suspense, one book of nonfiction, and two short-story collections. Her work has been honored with the Anthony and Agatha awards, the Grand Prix de LittÉrature PoliciÈre, and the MIMI, Germany's prestigious prize for suspense fiction. She lives in Washington State.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Original Theme, May 23, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Davenport - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Well-Schooled in Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

In this, the third installment of the Lynley-Havers series, George expands upon her literary approach and succeeds resoundingly. Set at a typical British public school, Well-Schooled in Murder deals primarily with class and the subtle, but sometimes brutal, means by which class distinctions and pecking-orders are maintained. Disappointing however was the de-emphasis upon Havers, except for some interesting insights into her private life. I felt that this book more than either of the previous could have provided Havers with an opportunity to indict the British class system, but she merely slaps it on the hand with a few salty remarks. Regarding the mystery itself, George's skill at plot development increases with each outing in this series. Fans of Simon and Deborah will be pleased to learn that their lives and histories are explored much more fully than before and that these characters have evolved to become as important (if not more) than Havers. While pleased with the ever-improving excellence that George applies toward character and plot development, I hope that she returns to the original theme which made the first novel, A Great Deliverance, shine -- the conflict/cooperation between Lynley and Havers as representative of the evolution of Britain from an aristocracy to a meritocracy.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars George shows the dark side of British education., September 16, 2000

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Well-Schooled in Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

"Well-Schooled in Murder" is an entertaining and well-written mystery by Elizabeth George. Detective Inspector Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers investigate the brutal torture and murder of a young British boarding school student named Matthew Whately. As in so many police procedurals by such skilled authors such as Ruth Rendell, George explores the hypocrisy and brutality that underlie the British veneer of politeness. With believable dialogue and careful plotting, George explores such social problems as class snobbery, abuse by older students against younger students, and the friction between parents and children. George also gives glimpses into the private lives and psyches of Havers, Lynley, Simon St. James, and his wife, Deborah, all of whom are trying to cope with serious personal problems. With compassion and insight, George's novel reveals that when people are grossly dishonest with themselves and others, they may destroy not only their relationships but one another's lives, as well. I recommend "Well-Schooled in Murder" for fans of thought-provoking British murder mysteries.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Code of Silence Destroys Lives!, May 31, 2005

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Well-Schooled in Murder (Mass Market Paperback)

Well-Schooled in Murder is a fascinating and critical look at social class, the traditions of English public schools and the problems with having a "stiff upper lip." What is more remarkable is that those themes are developed in the context of an unusually complex and rewarding murder mystery. This book barely misses becoming a classic in detective fiction and will greatly reward fans of Elizabeth George's series about Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers and those who do not know the novels.

This is the third book in the series. You can read this book as a stand-alone, but it will work better for you if you first read A Great Deliverance and Payment in Blood.

As the story opens, Lynley is still reeling from having destroyed his relationship with Lady Helen. She's gone off to Greece and sends him occasional noncommittal post cards. Lynley is burying himself in his work. That's making life hard on Barbara Havers whose parents are not doing well.

John Corntel, an old school chum from Eton, approaches Lynley for unofficial assistance in locating a missing student who was under the chum's care. The situation soon changes when the student is found in an unlikely place dead, nude and having been tortured. Lynley takes on the case to avoid having free time to mourn his lost love. A delayed autopsy means that Lynley has to develop a sense of means, motive and opportunity without knowing the facts. The various "suspects" and "witnesses" do their best to mislead him, adhering to a code of silence that protects their most delicate secrets as well.

As the case evolves, it's not a pretty picture that is revealed behind the "privileged" walls of Bredgar Chambers.

There's little to complain about with this book and much to praise. There's a powerful subplot about the marriage of Simon Allcourt-St. James that nicely develops Simon and his wife as characters. You also get a deep look into several other marriages and relationships. Elizabeth George seems to be saying that as much as we crave intimacy with others; such intimacy will probably bring us more pain than pleasure or happiness. That's a pretty downbeat message, and one that keeps the book from working quite as well as it could. The lesson is that we have to perfect ourselves with another perfected person who shares a mutual attraction before we can achieve happy intimacy. Even then, if we are not candid with one another . . . all bets are off!

Ms. George is equally suspicious of physical attraction. It only seems to lead to no good in this book.

For fans of taut, challenging plotting, this book has few peers. It's as though Ms. George wanted to move away from writing novels that contain mysteries into writing mysteries that reveal the darkest secrets of the human condition. I defy any normal reader to sense the outcome of this book in all of its dimensions until right before the end.

This book will haunt you the most if you read it on a dark and stormy night when unhappiness is poisoning your sleep.