A Question of Identity (Simon Serrailler, #7)

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A Question of Identity (Simon Serrailler #7)

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 467 ratings · 111 reviews

A particularly unpleasant murder, that of a very old woman in a housing project, rocks the town of Lafferton. The murderer has left a distinctive "sign" on the body and at the scene of crime. A couple of weeks later, a similar murder occurs, and a month or so later, so does another.

Initial investigations discover that the mysterious "sign" left on the body was the calling...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published October 25th 2012 by Overlook Press (first published October 1st 2012)

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A Niche Reader's List of Mystery Fiction for 2012

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Jun 14, 2013 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the seventh in the Simon Serrailler mystery series, quirky because Simon, who is Chief Superintendent in the British town of Lafferton, rarely makes an appearance in the books. Rather, these stories take a detailed and intimate look at the lives of those around Serrailler, whether his family members or those he is investigating.

In this novel, Serrailler is investigating a serial killer who targets elderly women. But we learn much more about the women and their daily lives and their famil...more This is the seventh in the Simon Serrailler mystery series, quirky because Simon, who is Chief Superintendent in the British town of Lafferton, rarely makes an appearance in the books. Rather, these stories take a detailed and intimate look at the lives of those around Serrailler, whether his family members or those he is investigating.

In this novel, Serrailler is investigating a serial killer who targets elderly women. But we learn much more about the women and their daily lives and their families and friends than we do about Serrailler’s case.

Also, like previous books, the central character is actually Simon’s widowed sister Cat, and her struggles to raise her three children, the eldest of whom, Sam, has taken to bullying. Who is he, she wonders? Who, indeed, is anyone in this reverie about identity and how we define who we are.

Cat is losing her job because of budget cuts, and she must figure out who she now is without her career to define her. Similarly, Simon’s love interest, Rachel, is in a very precarious position that requires her to come to terms with her self-image. Cat and Simon’s stepmother has to deal with the changes in who her husband has become, and who she must be in response. And most critically, the killer has decided that the only way to achieve a sense of identity is to go on committing murders.

As the story winds up, we learn who the killer is, but not why the killer engaged in such bizarre rituals, or chose those particular victims. Nor is there any resolution to the identity crises facing the other characters. One assumes they will be taken further in the next installment. After all, one doesn’t read Susan Hill for the mysteries, but rather the ongoing psychological analyses she performs on her characters.

Evaluation: This book is even more unusual than the previous ones in that a whole slew of plot threads are left unresolved. This series is not for those who want a fast-paced carnival ride with well-hidden criminals and life-threatening close calls. Rather, these books call for a big cozy chair, afghan, roaring fire, and glass of Laphroaig, Simon Serallier’s warmer-upper of choice.
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Mar 14, 2013 Ann Woodbury Moore rated it 2 of 5 stars

Warning--possible spoilers.
This is the latest in a detective series by British author Susan Hill, featuring Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler. Perhaps I'd have a more positive view if I'd read some of her other titles, but this is the first I picked up and it was a disappointment. Rather than a typical British mystery story, it's a family saga with occasional detective work thrown in. Serrailler's extended family plays a prominent role, and trying to figure out who's who at the beginning is...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am so picky about books! I do love Susan Hills writing. She creates interesting mysteries, her characters are believable and interesting. Intelligently written and always a good read. I do have one quibble about her books in this Simon Serraliler series. The plot of every story is new, a good thing, Simon and his friends, co-workers, and relatives are continued from book to book. This can be a wonderful thing because you get to know these characters and you feel comfortable with them. My quibb...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Nicola rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Probably the best book in the Serrailler series I've read! A brilliant crime novel where we are taken inside the mind of the killer. The book starts with some brief thoughts from the killer and then we are taken back to 2002 and a court case where a sadistic killer is found not guilty due to some fancy witness questioning on the stand. Now in the present Simon is faced with a series of murders that fit the same MO but upon discovering the previous case that man is found to have disappeared witho...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Michele Weiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am a tad picky about my police detectives. This month, I tried to like Chief Superintendent Simon Serailler, whose name I have no idea how to pronounce. It's a given that detectives are lonely people with woman issues, and Hill ticks that box, as they say. But for me, he is bland, bland, bland. He falls to the background in favor of his widowed sister and her kids. When the action starts, as he's organizing the manhunt and taking part in the capture, he's still nearly invisible, and none of th...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Susan Hill's got my number.

There is a moment in this book where really not much is happening, but an old lady is alone in her home with an electrician. Suddenly the electrician says "Gotcha!" and I nearly jumped out of my skin. At that point, I broke down, demanded my husband's undivided attention (no small request as he is currently reading the George RR Martin series), and just started telling him all about what was going on in this book. How Hill sets up this evil character then sends him und...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Luanne Ollivier rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first 'discovered' Susan Hill about this time last year when I read The Betrayal of Trust - the sixth in her Simon Serrailler Crime novels. (my review). I was really looking forward to her latest - A Question of Identity - and I wasn't disappointed!

A Question of Identity opens with an italicized paragraph that hints at a dark mind and darker things to come....deliciously creepy.

"It's like your brain's bursting. It doesn't happen all at once, it builds up. And then your brain's going to burst...more I first 'discovered' Susan Hill about this time last year when I read The Betrayal of Trust - the sixth in her Simon Serrailler Crime novels. (my review). I was really looking forward to her latest - A Question of Identity - and I wasn't disappointed!

A Question of Identity opens with an italicized paragraph that hints at a dark mind and darker things to come....deliciously creepy.

"It's like your brain's bursting. It doesn't happen all at once, it builds up. And then your brain's going to burst until you do something about it. You do it. You have to do it. Then it's all right again for a bit, 'til it starts again."

The book opens with a murder trial from 2002 - three elderly women have been horrifically murdered in their homes, strangled with a piece of electrical cord. The verdict is not what was expected.

Cut to present day and DCI Simon Serrailler, who works in Lafferton, an English town not far from London. And a new murder to investigate - an elderly woman has been killed in her home - strangled with a length of electrical cord........

What makes this series a stand out for me? Hill successfully combines a riveting and clever mystery with characters that I'm genuinely interested in. Both plot lines are done equally well. Those new to the series may have a wee bit of difficulty getting to know everyone at first, but will quickly become engrossed in their personal stories. Simon, his sister Cat and her family, the elder Serailler and his wife as well as the supporting cast from the station. Hill explores everyday life with a keen and discerning eye - sibling rivalry, depression, domestic abuse and more are all touched upon and examined realistically.

Back to the crime - at the opening of every chapter we are privy to more and more of the killer's thoughts. His violence and madness is escalating. I was able to suss out who the killer was midway, but it certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book. Instead, it really heightened the tension.

The crime is solved by the end, but the lives of Simon et al are far from settled - I can't wait to see what direction Hill takes in the next book.

I love British procedurals and this author is one of the best. Truly, if you're looking for an intelligent mystery series, pick up Susan Hill. (less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Terri Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery-suspense-thrillers

This was suggested to me by my local public librarian and now I have a writer to play catch-up with. I love nothing better than a brooding , intelligent mystery and being set in the UK is a big bonus.This book has all of that.

As the story begins, it is 10 years ago and the creepy Alan Keyes is on trial in Yorkshire for murdering three elderly ladies who lived alone by strangulation with electrical cord in front of a mirror after cutting their toenails. Because the witness was a very elderly lad...more This was suggested to me by my local public librarian and now I have a writer to play catch-up with. I love nothing better than a brooding , intelligent mystery and being set in the UK is a big bonus.This book has all of that.

As the story begins, it is 10 years ago and the creepy Alan Keyes is on trial in Yorkshire for murdering three elderly ladies who lived alone by strangulation with electrical cord in front of a mirror after cutting their toenails. Because the witness was a very elderly lady who got tripped up by a sleazy defense attorney who confused her on the stand, the jury found him not guilty. His abused wife Lynne fled in horror. The police couldn't let him leave the building because the people were outside ready to tear his sorry behind to shreds for what he did no matter what the verdict. The police coerce him into allowing them to change his identity, a rarely given offer to completely erase all records from birth to that date, legally divorce him from his wife, teach him a new trade, and create a whole new identity for him including a backstory, legal records of it, and full ID.

Fast forward 10 years to the present day. The government in Lafferton is opening up some brand new housing including bungalows for elderly people in a sheltered environment. When the first 2 women move into theirs, they are promptly murdered just as the ladies in Yorkshire had been 10 years earlier including the same details about the mirror and the toenails that police had never released. Only the killer knows these details. Apparently, he's back but the local police don't know about the other murders, their details and the killer with a new and firm ID the secret police agency is NOT going to ever share with anyone.

The case is being handled by Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler who is a hands-on no-nonsense sort of guy but not especially warm and fuzzy. He has a plate load of personal issues as well already occupying his time including a boss who is retiring and keeps after him to take her administrative job after she leaves though he prefers hands-on work, a lover who is married to a man dying of Parkinson's disease which is just WRONG and immoral (vows include in sickness as well as in health) and who is ambivalent about it, a father who is a pillar of the community and doctor who was cruel to his mom and is now beating the stepmother he loves, a widowed sister with a teenaged son who has changed so much (in a bad way) that his bullying and abuse has caused his 12 year old sister to run away, and now the families of the dead women are aiming their rage at him.

We see the killer's thoughts between some chapters in italic print (and with no chapter numbers) which adds to the story without telling you who he is. In fact, it is rather shocking to find out who he is!

Another thing I liked was seeing the ex-wife (of the killer) and the victims from their own points of view. It really personalized the story and made them characters you care about. Simon's sister too was shown in her struggles as a widow with a son acting up and a daughter in distress (plus a sweet younger son)and as a hospice doctor facing the loss of income as the hospice becomes a day facility only. The only thing I didn't like and that had nothing to do with the story was the annoying Molly who tried to commit suicide while she was supposed to be watching the children.

Good book!(less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Chris Witkowski rated it 3 of 5 stars

Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler Mysteries aren't just about solving crimes; they're about life in a small English village; they're about families and how they cope with everyday struggles of raising children, dealing with heartache, being a good son or daughter or uncle. They're about decent people trying to lead decent lives.

Of course, the main character is Serrailler and in this novel he is faced with finding a serial killer who was tried and acquitted for similar crimes a decade earlier, but w...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Fiona rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Jan 01, 2013 Damaskcat rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A man is acquitted of three murders and is given a new identity. Ten years later an elderly woman is murdered in Lafferton after she has just moved into a newly-built sheltered housing complex. Simon Serrailler is trying to deal with his increasingly important relationship with Rachel, who is married to a man with serious health problems. His sister Cat has her own problems to deal with but is gradually building a new life for herself following the death of her husband.

At first there seem to be...more A man is acquitted of three murders and is given a new identity. Ten years later an elderly woman is murdered in Lafferton after she has just moved into a newly-built sheltered housing complex. Simon Serrailler is trying to deal with his increasingly important relationship with Rachel, who is married to a man with serious health problems. His sister Cat has her own problems to deal with but is gradually building a new life for herself following the death of her husband.

At first there seem to be no clues which point to the woman’s killer as he has left no trace of his presence on the crime scene. But police work is always going to be about the painstaking piecing together of trivial bits of information to make a complete picture and this case and the following murders are no exception to the rule. The book is written in a low key unobtrusive style which is the hallmark of this impressive series. You can almost forget you’re reading a book and just absorb the story from the page. While you’re reading you are in Lafferton following the lives of the people involved.

I sometimes find Simon himself a little irritating and a little too wrapped up in his own issues and problems but in this story we see a more emotionally mature Simon who is dealing in a reasonable fashion with his niece and nephews and supporting his colleagues. I liked this new Simon who is more accepting of others and of his own faults and foibles. I thought the plot was very well drawn and there are plenty of clues and red herrings. I had worked out who the murderer was quite early on but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story.

I thought the ending was excellent and full of tension and left me with a feeling of satisfaction. It was also good to catch up with some of the characters from previous books and to find out what is happening with them. If you haven’t tried this well written series then you could do worse than start with this one though it is interesting to watch the characters develop from the start by reading them in order. I look forward to reading the next one in the series.
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Feb 05, 2013 Ginni rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: detection

I've read all the Simon Serrailler novels, having discovered them a couple of years ago, and I am now reading them as they are published. I really rate Susan Hill as a writer, both of fiction and non-fiction. However I think she may have fallen into the trap of the series writer; although I did enjoy this, my incredulity was stretched and my sympathies with Simon's family are no longer fully engaged.
The 'red herring' that is laid in the first part of the book is too obvious, given that we are o...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

I've been a huge fan of the Simon Serrailler mystery series ever since I found a copy of The Various Haunts of Men in the Chapters bookstore in Montreal. They're a little like P.D. James, in terms of the depth of the writing and the remoteness of Serrailler, with a cast of characters (and their backstories) that would do Elizabeth George proud.

In terms of the mystery, this was a 4.5: a man is declared 'not guilty' of three murders of little old women (much to the town's shock) and is given a ne...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Anita rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, police-procedural, psychological-thriller

In this new Simon Serrailler book, elderly ladies are being strangled with electrical wire before a mirror in the Duchess of Cornwall Close development which is nearing completion. Simon and his team keep some details of the murders to themselves in the hopes of tripping up the murderer, only to have a third woman killed in the same manner. Simon's former sergeant who is now with another detachment, calls Simon up to let him know the murders appear to be similar to a case he knows of where the p...more In this new Simon Serrailler book, elderly ladies are being strangled with electrical wire before a mirror in the Duchess of Cornwall Close development which is nearing completion. Simon and his team keep some details of the murders to themselves in the hopes of tripping up the murderer, only to have a third woman killed in the same manner. Simon's former sergeant who is now with another detachment, calls Simon up to let him know the murders appear to be similar to a case he knows of where the perpetrator has disappeared after being acquitted. He also tells Simon that in the previous case, the killer had taken a peculiar trophy in each case. Simon realizes they have overlooked this crucial bit of evidence, and finds the same thing is true of the more recent murders - so it must be the same perpetrator, who has disappeared.

I have a few bones to pick with this book. The first is how long it took to get Simon on the case - well after the first hundred pages which were used to introduce the characters, catch us up on what was happening with Simon's sister Cat, and to plant red herrings. Nothing was much gained by delaying Simon's entrance into the fray. The story could have started from the point where Simon was called in to look at any of the three murders. The story of Cat's life with her two children is advanced, and that is all to the good, but it took up far too much of the story. And the seedling of trouble is planted in Simon and Cat's father and stepmother's life, which adds to the characters in the story, but not the case. The idea that a police department would go to the trouble of setting up a building yard in order to catch their man is ludicrous - why not just use an existing company? It seems pretty far-fetched that they could catch their man by placing a job advertisement. Also, what about the trophies - there is no mention of how they became important to our criminal, or whether any are found. This is the first time Susan Hill has actually let us look into the mind of the killer, and to be honest, it didn't add much to the story, and irritated me by pulling me away from the main plot. Sorry, I don't believe this is among the author's best works. (less)

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Mar 30, 2013 Ellen O'brien rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't know if this series is running out of steam but I found this book to be less interesting than others in the series. It is #6 and I skipped #5 because the reviews on Amazon.com weren't so good. In this book, we know who the killer is almost from the first page. The way in which he is caught is pretty good but I doubt that the forensic evidence that is produced could really have existed. Simon Serallier finally falls in love (with a married woman whose husband is conveniently dying of Park...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Gary Burke rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was the first time I have read a book in Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler series, so I went in with no expectations - other than to read a murder mystery.

A few things bothered me about this book. One was that there was an obvious history to the characters that I was missing by not having read previous books. This is a difficult issue for authors to address when they are creating background lives for their characters at the same time as they unfold the mystery. In this case, I found I was spend...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Shelley Fearn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-suspense

I found that I had read a few of Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler mysteries before I realized it was a series. This bodes well for those of you who haven't read any of them. You can read them out of sequence and start anywhere. You'll figure out what has happened previously as Hill deftly interweaves past episodes into each novel.

Written in a traditional British mystery style, there are often brutal slayings but most action takes place off page so you see the aftermath rather than have to gird your...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Tim rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: modern-british-fiction, mystery-suspense

I've read all the Serrailler mysteries, and I read this new one eagerly and quickly--though when I think back on it, the story is weak and unsatisfying. Hill is always good at characterization, and the subplots and asides--the glimpses of day-to-day life in the fictional cathedral town of Lafferton--are pleasant, interesting, and diverting. But the mystery itself--who is killing the elderly women of a new neighborhood?--is as close to being an afterthought as you can imagine (an issue with all h...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Sammcnair rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would actually give this a 3.5. It was better than usual, but not up to Elizabeth George or Ruth Rendell. Apparently, there are others written by Susan Hill in her "Superintendent Simon Serrailler" mysteries, but this was a first for me. It was very confusing--maybe if I'd read some of the others, it would have made more sense. But she never introduced the characters, and skipped around a lot, so it was hard to figure out who was who(I also had problems converting "english" to "American"--prob...more

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Dec 27, 2012 judy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thriller

Quit while you're ahead --and so I shall. I've read the seven Simon Serrailler books. This will be the last. Susan Hill is a fine novelist, as is Elizabeth George. Both write British mysteries in which the private life of a pedigreed chief detective and his crowd takes as much or more space than the crime itself. Over time (and 17 books) I found myself becoming bored with the drama and angst of George's well bred crew. I can see that the same thing will happen with Hill. These people, and especi...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another Simon Serrailler mystery, centered entirely around Lafferton. A new planned community for senior citizens has been built, and now 2 older ladies have been killed there. There are no clues, and Simon feels frustration rising. His sister is also having trouble - her 14 yr. old son is bullying her 12 year old daughter; and there are problems between Cat and Simon's father and step-mother as well. Lots of violent emotional upheaval in this story.

The back and forth inside the mind of the kill...more

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May 08, 2013 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

What a shame - some good ideas, some good bits but overall a series of cliches. Susan Hill can be a really good writer, her re-imaginings of the Victorian ghost story are compelling and some of the novels in this series are thoughtful workings of the detective novel. But this is very empty - her sleuth's relationship with a married woman who has a terminally ill husband is only explored in a shallow way, the theme of older people as victims of crime not examined in any depth and the serial kille...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Brenda Hawley rated it 4 of 5 stars

I place Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler mysteries in a category with Elizageth George, Martha Grimes, Peter Robinson and Ian Rankin as the best of the British suspense novelists. Hill's Simon is a shrewd thinker and the cases he solves are intense but intriguing. This one in particular kept me awake last night thinking about criminals who kill for no reason other than satisfaction. A scary thought when you are alone....The characters in Hill's series are people you would love to meet for their str...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 13-april, 13-crime, 13-female, 2013, 13-5

The seventh in the Simon Seraiiler series starts slowly but provides a great basis for the story. We learn about Alan Keyes, a man who has been found not guilty of murdering elderly women in their homes. In Lafferton 12 years later someone is killing elderly women in the new street of bungalows and Serailler and his team are finding clues surprisingly difficult to come by.

This story continues developing the characters of Simon, Cat, and the rest of the family and I look forward to the next inst...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Bronwyn Mcloughlin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed the Simon Seraillier series for some time, and while I enjoyed this one, it seemed less complex in style and plot, two aspects which have always been reasons to enjoy. It was an enjoyable holiday read but devoured in one afternoon and I picked the culprit far too early for my liking. There are lots of developments to pay attention to because they are comment on society and its values, but I felt like there was something tantalisingly deep to discover, just beyond my grasp and it e...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the latest in a series of mysteries featuring Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler. The books are much like those of Elizabeth George with the issues surrounding the murder subtly commenting on the continuing characters and storylines. Simon has a life outside policing. He is an artist, a character trait reminiscent of P.D. James' poetry-writing policeman Adam Dalgleish. I don't mind the similarities to other successful mystery series because they are successful for a reason - they give...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, around-the-world, library-book, mysteries

I like the Simon Serailler series a lot. This wasn't my favorite one in the series but was still pretty good. It is about a murderer who is given a new identity. When a series of murders nearly identical to those he was acquitted for 10 years before occur, the local police have no leads. Police procedures in England are very different from the US, and the police are more limited in what they can do with suspects in terms of how long they can hold someone, and there seems to be no consideration o...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

Susan Hill's A Question of Identity is a well paced mystery which begins with the trial of an individual who has been charged with the murder of three elderly women. Fast forward 10 years and DCS Simon Serrailler is faced with an unusual murder case without any clues. The plot is deftly handled with a good balance between the crime story and Simon's family's lives.

I love British mysteries and am delighted to find a new author (to me). I look forward to starting this series from the beginning an...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense

Waited so long to get my hands on this latest installment -- and it was well worth the wait.

Many developments amongst our faithful cast: Cat & her kids struggle with growing up issues and budget cuts at work. Simon confronts a murderer of old women and pines on for Rachel. Something is amiss between Simon & Cat's dad Richard and his newish wife Judith.

Made it to page 300 without really having a firm suspect -- exceptional suspense. I enjoyed the trip down the primrose path with other p...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Mary Gilligan-Nolan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I could not wait for this book to come out, and it was almost like revisiting old friends. I love the way Susan Hill incorporates the Serrailler family and their lives into the crime/mystery series. Simon is a Chief Superintendent with the Lafferton Police Force, his sister, Cat, is a doctor at the local hospice, his father, Richard is also a doctor but now retired and then there is his step-mother Judith. Cat is widowed and her children, Sam (14), Hannah (12) and Felix (5) are growing up throug...more I could not wait for this book to come out, and it was almost like revisiting old friends. I love the way Susan Hill incorporates the Serrailler family and their lives into the crime/mystery series. Simon is a Chief Superintendent with the Lafferton Police Force, his sister, Cat, is a doctor at the local hospice, his father, Richard is also a doctor but now retired and then there is his step-mother Judith. Cat is widowed and her children, Sam (14), Hannah (12) and Felix (5) are growing up through the series. Cat also has a medical student and live-in lodger, Molly, who is suffering PTS from an incident in the last book. I always find it interesting to follow their personal stories and then, there is the added bonus of the cases Simon is working on. This one starts with a court case in 2002. Alan Keyes is on trial for the murder of three elderly women in their homes and he is found not guilty after some shaky evidence by another elderly witness. He is taken away from the court immediately for his own safety and given a new identity and a new life, because of the ill feeling towards him due to the nature of the killings, which just about everyone is convinced he should have been found guilty of. Fast forward to present day and a new sheltered housing development has just opened in Lafferton and soon afterwards, two elderly ladies are murdered in their homes, in an identical manner to the way the 2002 killings. When Nathan Coates, an ex-colleague of Simon's comes across the similarities in the cases, Simon discovers that Alan Keyes is not longer on any records and all traces of him have been wiped away. He is certain Keyes has resurfaced and is killing again, but how can he catch a killer who does not exist? I figured out who the killer was pretty early on, not that I wanted to, I love the element of surprise, but it was a little obvious. However, it was still a great story and I find with Susan Hill, the pages of the story just flow so beautifully, that I cannot seem to leave the book down for too long. They are not over the top or over dramatic and yet they are thoroughly engrossing. The downside of this one, is the waiting period for the next. Loved it.(less)

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About Susan Hill

Susan Hill was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire in 1942. Her hometown was later referred to in her novel A Change for the Better (1969) and some short stories especially "Cockles and Mussels".

She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factor...more

More about Susan Hill...

Books by Susan Hill

The Various Haunts of Men (Simon Serrailler, #1)

The Pure in Heart (Simon Serrailler, #2)

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A Question of Identity (Simon Serrailler #7)

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