Unlucky for Some

Lloyd & Hill #13

by Jill McGown

Selected by The Times (London) as one of the twentieth century’s “100 Masters of Crime,” Jill McGown writes mystery-suspense novels with plots that defy second-guessing. In Unlucky for Some, her thirteenth book featuring Detective Chief Inspectors Lloyd and Hill, the quiet life of an English town scarcely conceals the deadly menace lurking around dark corners and within the human mind.

Michael Waterman is a self-made millionaire. His casinos and nightclubs ensure a constant flow of cash, and Waterman knows what he needs to do to keep it that way. So far, it seems, he has stayed on the right side of the law. Certainly, no one seriously suspects him of murdering bingo player Wilma Fenton, who was struck down while walking home with a purse crammed full of winnings. Her murder looks like an ordinary mugging except for one oddity: The killer had left Wilma’s money neatly fanned out across her body.

The motive behind the bafflingly violent act dogs Lloyd and Hill– now married and the harried parents of a two-year-old daughter. The stakes are raised with a second murder, modeled on the first . . . and then a third. A cold-blooded killer is challenging not only the police but the one witness to the first slaying: England’s premier expert on serial crime, well-known journalist and TV personality, Tony Baker. It has now become a twisted game of madness and logic–in which failure to outwit the murderer means more senseless deaths.

In this astonishing Lloyd and Hill novel, Jill McGown’s storytelling genius will captivate longtime fans as well as first-time readers. Unlucky for Some is lucky for all admirers of virtuoso suspense writing.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Procedural, British Literature, Crime

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Jill McGown (9 August 1947, Campbeltown, Scotland – 6 April 2007 in Kettering, Northamptonshire) was a British writer of mystery novels. She was best known for her mystery series featuring Inspector Lloyd and Judy Hill, one of which (A Shred of Evidence) was made into a television series. McGown wrote her first mystery novel after being laid off from the British Steel Corporation in 1980. She is sometimes credited as Elizabeth Chaplin.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this may be the last one from this author. I will really miss this series, there's not a bad one in the bunch. I'll miss Lloyd and Judy for a while.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m still trying to figure out why I feel so indifferent about this book. I usually love British mysteries. I think it may be because I read so many outstanding series (Susan Hill, Louise Penny, Tana French, Arnaldur Indridason). And I’ve never read any of Jill McGown’s books and this was the 13th in her Lloyd and Hill mystery series. There were several references to a past that I was not familiar with. There was a wide cast of characters and a complicated plot that I kept losing interest in. I think I’m going to give up on Jill McGown and read the next Chief Inspector Gamache novel by Louise Penny.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The joint winner of a Bingo prize is found dead in an alleyway not far from the Bingo club shortly after she left to walk home. Tony Baker, a journalist and broadcaster witnesses the murder. He had a huge success investigating a case of a serial killer which had the police stumped some years before and has made a name for himself making programmes about various aspects of crime.

Immediately after the murder Baker starts receiving anonymous letter apparently from the killer which provide information about his next attack. DCI Lloyd and DCI Judy Hill are baffled by the murder as it seems motiveless as even the lady's winnings are still with the body. Can they find the killer before there is another death? Will Tony Baker, carrying out his own investigation get there before them?

This is a complex story with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I did work out who was responsible quite early on but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of this well plotted and well written mystery. This is the thirteenth and last volume in this series and it is a pity, in my opinion, that there won't be any more because the author died in 2007.

I recommend this series to anyone who prefers their crime novels without on the page graphic violence and bad language. The characters are always well drawn and the dialogue realistic. I have enjoyed reading them all and I'm sure I shall be re-reading them all at some point in the not too distant future.

[Jill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good entry into the Lloyd/Hill series.....but not one of the best. The story concerns the seemingly unconnected murders which began as a suspected mugging for the bingo winnings of a local woman. Two more murders follow and there seems to be a connection to the gambling halls owned by one of the characters. Enter an insufferable television journalist whose claim to fame is the capture of a serial killer several years previous. He stirs up the proceedings and attempts to convince Lloyd and Hill that he should be consulted as an expert. Then the letters begin to arrive and nothing is as it appears.
The motive for the murders is a bit convoluted although you might be able to spot the killer. There are many strands to this murder mystery which tend to muddle the narrative...........but it is a tidy tale in this excellent series.

[Ana Menendez-tuckman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first third of the book could only be described as plodding. Characters were a but one-dimensional. The action picked up a bit to it's complicated and unlikely end. Although not a stellar book I would consider reading another of the series, maybe earlier books were more dynamic.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This last book in the excellent Lloyd and Hill series is not one of the best - it's kind of draggy in the middle - but I'm sorry my re-read of all 13 has come to an end. I highly recommend the series to fans of British police procedurals.

[Miki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate it when a book is so forgettable that I read it again...even though I didnt't like it the first time! Still don't.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

my first Jill Mcgown. It was an ok read but I can't say it was the most compelling read ever.

[LaurenD · Rating 5 out of 5]

New author, for me

Tried out a new author and glad I did. Great mystery writer.
Amazon wants eight more words but I'm done.

[Nicky Warwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadly I’ve come to the last in the series of 13 Lloyd & Hill mysteries.
This is a well written book which focuses less on Lloyds little puzzles than in the last 2 or 3 & benefits from better plotting for it.
We sign off with Judy Hill at last overtaking Lloyd in rank having successfully caught a serial killer.
I wish there were more…

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story. I haven't read any others in the series but the mystery was fun and the characters were good. A fun read

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was great, loved it!!!

[Karen Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ending but slow read!

[Squeak2017 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best in the series and a shame such a poor example turned out to be the last.
Lloyd was mercifully less patronising and chauvinistic than usual.

[Nancy]

3.74 · Rating Details · 211 Ratings · 20 Reviews
February 13th: what seemed like Wilma Fenton's lucky night, when she scooped her biggest-ever win at bingo, turned out to be the night she died at the hands of someone lurking in the dimly-lit alleyway leading to her flat.

And what seems to be a lucky break - there was an eyewitness to the whole incident - turns out to be a complication, for the man who saw the murder committed is Tony Baker, a well-known journalist and TV personality who, almost twenty years ago, single-handedly tracked down a serial killer who had eluded the police. Did Baker see more than he claims? Does he want to beat the police to the punch again?

What seems like a minor complication turns out to be the trigger for a deadly chain of events, as the man the media will come to call the Anonymous Assassin publicly announces he will kill again, and challenges Baker to catch him before he does. In the full glare of the national media, Bartonshire police are to mount a dangerous, force-wide hunt for the killer, with Detective Chief Inspectors Lloyd and Hill and their hastily constituted team spearheading the investigation. (less)

Don't think I finished it.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the thirteenth and final book in the author's police procedural series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Lloyd and Detective Chief Inspector Hill as sadly the author fell ill and died before she could write any more. I first came across this series in the early 1990s and have read all the previous books three times.

I was a bit diffident about reading this one again as I recall that I was a bit disappointed when I first read it in 2004. However having just re-read the previous twelve books I decided to give this one another go. Second time around I enjoyed reading this so I am not sure why I was disappointed the first time. I did not remember much of the story as it is almost twenty one years since I last read it though I did remember why one of the killer's murder attempts failed.

Lloyd and Hill's daughter, Charlotte, is now two years old and being looked after by Judy's mother so Judy is working full time again. A woman is found dead after leaving a bingo club with her winnings but it does not appear to be a robbery as her money has not been stolen. The attack was witnessed by a writer who had identified a serial killer twenty years ago when the police had arrested the wrong man so the story gets a lot of publicity. There are more deaths and because the murders happened in different areas both Lloyd and Hill are involved. When it becomes apparent that a serial killer is on the loose they both become part of a small team with Judy being promoted to Acting Detective Superintendent.

As ever it's a complicated plot with various suspects and perhaps the motive is a bit implausible but the author writes well and the police officers come across as real people. Some nice touches of humour too.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is the thirteenth and sadly the last Lloyd and Hill book as the author passed away at the age of 59 in 2007. It is a shame that the series ends here as the personal and professional relationship of Lloyd and Hill had become more interesting in the last few books than it was through most of the early part of the series.

This book does share a common flaw with many of the books. There are many non-police characters and the author sometimes refers to them by their first names and other times by their last names which makes the story harder to follow than it could be.

[Kirsty Darbyshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thirteenth in the Lloyd and Hill series, and another good one. A devilishly complicated plot where I was convinced I knew exactly who the murderer was at all times, I just had a different suspect every ten pages. I don't think McGown's published the next book in the series yet, but I'll be watching out for the hardback.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read this series, but it's a good one, especially the interplay between husband and wife, detectives Lloyd and Hill. Although it seemed obvious from the beginning who the perpetrator was, there was enough doubt to keep you interested and the ending was not quite as expected.

[Deane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book in the Lloyd and Hill series....as usual a great story except I found the repetitive discussions between the detectives and the suspects rather drawn out....as if these conversations were "fillers" so the story bogged down a bit for me. Wonder if Judy did become the superintendent.....

[FM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't going to add my British mysteries to Shelfari, but decided I should just so I would remember which ones I had read. I enjoy McGown's novels and they're hard to find in the library. I've enjoyed seeing how the characters have changed over the years. This particular one was good but not as memorable as some of her others . . .

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy Masterpiece Theatre's Mystery series, you'll like this. It reads like a script of one of those movies. Good characters, enough red herrings and twists to keep you guessing, and Simon Baker (The Mentalist) would be perfect in the role of Tony Baker. Highly enjoyable read.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming murder mystery with Lloyd and Hill that contains full-blown compelling characters, lots of regional detail and keeps you guessing until the end. The satisfying solution is as complicated as the series of seemingly unrelated murders.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as much Judy and Lloyd, but a nice mystery, and here we leave them, baby a genius, and mother-in-law permanantly installed, not in a granny flat, but watching old movies with Lloyd.

[Andrea Sachs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like her mysteries, and this was a good puzzler.

[Bevjirwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it. just a well written british police procedural.what could be better?

[Elizabeth F Mathewson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story

This is a decent mystery, very British, nicely told with too much reliance on passive voice. The book is a pleasant way to spend time by the fire. Read it.

[Joanne Nugent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of Britain

As usual McGown's book was a pleasure to read. T was full of suspense and twists. It was also warm and friendly with humor and characters you felt you knew.