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Payment in Blood Audio Cassette – Audiobook, December 1, 1995

by Elizabeth George (Author), Derek Jacobi (Reader)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 5,527 ratings
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The career of playwright Joy Sinclair comes to a rather abrupt end on an isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands when someone drives an eighteen-inch dirk through her neck. Called upon to investigate the case in a country with virtually no authority, the aristocratic Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, grapple for both a motive and a murderer.

Payment In Blood

Emotions run deep in this highly charged drama, for the list of suspects soon includes Britain's foremost actress, its most successful theatrical producer, and the woman Lynley loves. He and Havers must tread carefully over the complicated terrain of human relationships, while they work to solve a case rooted in the darkest corners of the past and the unexplored regions of the human heart.
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio
  3. Publication date
    December 1, 1995
  4. Dimensions
    4.5 x 1 x 7.5 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0553473808
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0553473803
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio; Abridged edition (December 1, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553473808
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553473803
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.5 x 1 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 5,527 ratings

About the author

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Elizabeth George

Elizabeth George

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Elizabeth George was born Susan Elizabeth George in Warren, Ohio.

She is a graduate of University of California in Riverside. She also attended California State University at Fullerton, where she was awarded a master's degree in Counseling/Psychology and an honorary doctorate of humane letters

Professionally, she started out as a teacher. She was employed at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana initially, but there she gave in to her bent for organized labor and was summarily fired along with ten other teachers for union activity. She moved on to El Toro High School in El Toro, California (now called Lake Forest, California), where she remained for the rest of her career as high school English teacher. While employed there, she was selected Orange County Teacher of the Year, a tribute in part to the work she'd done with remedial students for nearly a decade. She left education after thirteen and a half years when she sold her first novel, A Great Deliverance, to her longtime publisher Bantam Books.

She has won the Anthony Award, the Agatha Award, and France's Le Grand Prix de Literature Policiere for her novel A Great Deliverance, for which she was also nominated for the Edgar and the Macavity Awards. She has also been awarded Germany's MIMI for her novel Well-Schooled in Murder.

Most of her novels have been filmed by for television by the BBC and have been broadcast in the US on PBS's MYSTERY. Visit her website at www.elizabethgeorgeonline.com

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JJ
5.0 out of 5 stars In Many Ways better than A Great Deliverance.
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2014
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I really enjoyed this second book in the series. It is compelling written, draws you in quickly and keeps your interest throughout the book. There are many twists and turns at the end so that you really don't know who is guilty. Ms George is the master of weaving together a mystery, the personal lives of many of the suspects and the personal lives of the detectives. Each person in the book has been well thought out, fully developed and interesting. I am at a loss though at how Lynley without a word of explanation has jumped from his obsession with Deborah in A Great Deliverance to Helen in this book. I almost feel like I've missed something along the way. I like the way the author lets you see how vulnerable Lynley is about his personal life and how he lets it slip over into his professional life causing him to make mistakes and be stubborn about them. That is where good old Havers comes in handy. Love that woman. I read all of these books many years ago then loaned my copies out and never got them back. I decided to read them again now since I remembered them as being superior till Ms George began to sort of lose it somewhere along about the 8th book maybe. These earlier books stand alone as wonderfully written so I'm going to reread the series till I reach the point where I think "what on earth happened to her ability to tell a story" then stop. If you want to read excellent mysteries you are perfectly safe in ordering the first half dozen in the series as I've done. If you have only read recent books by Ms George then don't give up on her but go back to the beginning of the series and read those. They are excellent. Bless her heart. She is not the only author to go off the rails after turning out several superior books.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars great but grim
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2023
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Very well written but too many characters for me to keep up with! Growing to appreciate more w each book Lt. Haver’s character
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5.0 out of 5 stars Payment in Blood
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
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Truly riveting. I have to go without s
leep in order to finish. Can't put the book down until I finish. Love it and all the characters. Great character development.
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Diana Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars It's a good book.
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2024
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The many twists and turns will keep any reader guessing. As a fan of the TV series, I enjoyed the deeper dive into the story that only a good book can give.
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Michaele L. Benedict
4.0 out of 5 stars Cops and Nobles
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2016
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British detective thrillers, whether in novels, films or on PBS Masterpiece Mystery, are sometimes mystifying to non-Brits in an odd way.

For starts, there are all those acronyms: CID, MI5 MI6, all the letters before the police officers’ names. Does everyone know that MI stands for military intelligence? Or that the CID is Crime Investigation Division? Or that the ranks of police officers ascend from PC or DC (police or detective constable) through DS (detective sergeant) to DCI (detective chief inspector)? Calling a DS a DC might cause offense.

If you are reading, as I am, Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley books, you have the additional problem of figuring out which Lord or Lady is up to whichever mischief, since sometimes the characters’ given names are used and at other times they are called by their titles. Lord Asherton, for instance, is DCI Lynley, Tommy to his friends.

Here is the cast of characters for Payment in Blood, the second work in George’s Inspector Lynley books—very helpful when, on page 300 of some 430, you can’t remember who Denton is. Of course, you might prefer just to read the book or watch the video and assume that eventually everything will be understandable.

1. DCI Thomas Lynley, Eighth Earl of Asherton.
2.DC Barbara Havers, demoted from DS, Lynley’s partner. Lives with her parents.
3.Lady Helen Clyde, daughter of the Tenth Earl of Hesfield (ongoing love interest).
4.Simon Allcourt St. James, forensic scientist.
5. Deborah Cotter St. James, photographer, his wife, daughter of his valet.
6. Francesca Gerrard, widow, owner of mansion on Loch Achiemore, Scotland.
7. Philip, her late husband, buried on an island in the Loch.
8.Stuart Rintoul, Lord Stinhurst, “Midas of the Theater”, Francesca’s brother.
9.Marguerite, Countess of Stinhurst, his wife.
10.Alec Rintoul, deceased, their son, loved by No. 12.
11.Elizabeth Rintoul, their fortyish daughter.
12.Joy Sinclair, playwright (deceased), sister of No. 13, cousin of No. 19, former lover of No. 16.
13.Irene Sinclair, former actress, previously married to No. 16.
14.Joanna Ellacourt, famous actress, married to No. 15.
15.David Sydeham, her husband and manager.
16.Robert Gabriel, famous actor, formerly married to No. 13, now sleeping with No. 12 and many others.
17.Geoffrey Rintoul (deceased), brother of No. 8, grave discovered in odd place.
18.Jeremy Vinney, journalist, drama critic for the Times.
19. Rhys Davies-Jones, theatrical director, presently lover of No. 3. Prime suspect.
20.Gowan Kilbride, handyman at the mansion of No. 6.
21. Mary Agnes Campbell, maid at No. 6.
22.Hannah Darrow, deceased, subject of a book by No. 12.
23.John Darrow, publican, her husband.
24.Teddy Darrow, their son.

English police: Chief Superintendent David Hiller; New Scotland Yard Superintendent Malcolm Webberley, Lynley’s superior; DC Raymond Plater (Mildenhall), D. C. Winston Nkata.

Scottish police: DI Ian Macaskin of the Strathclyde CID; DC Kevin Lonan.

Military Intelligence: William Vassall, Sir Kenneth Willingate, Sir Andrew Higgins.

Servants: Denton, Lynley’s valet. Caroline Shepherd, Lady Helen’s maid. Cotter, valet to St. James (No. 4) and father of Deborah St. James (No. 5).
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Dianne DiFrisco
3.0 out of 5 stars Great story, a little disjointed in the middle, but satisfying in the end
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2020
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I liked the story, it was Agatha Christie-esque. I don’t get tired of the authors clever descriptions of people and places. It was Confusing in the middle but it trudged on to a satisfying end
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L.B.P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Elizabeth George is one of the greatest mystery writer of all time!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2019
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I have read every book she has written in the Detective Lynley series. Her books are thick and long but I always hate to get to the last page. Her ability to build on the main characters and their relationships even from one book to another puts her in a unique class of novelists. Her detail to everything from location, culture, interaction between each actor in the script is amazing. I feel very inadequate trying to describe how brilliant her writing and plots are done. Interestingly, she doesn't live in Britain where these books all take place but in the Pacific Northwest of the US.
I watch some of the BBC Detective Lynley mysteries but it is impossible to fit in all the people, passion, nuances, etc. in a series. I also feel after reading her that I KNOW Detective Lord Lynley , Barbara, Helen and others that can't be squeezed in so that I wonder why he doesn't have blond hair, she's a little more pulled together...Just read her!
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Ed Baines
3.0 out of 5 stars I like the Havers/Linley developing relationship.
Reviewed in Spain on July 17, 2023
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The complications of class are something that are somewhat hard to comprehend, or identify with. I'd prefer writing with less description. They are inordinately long.
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EmiliAna
4.0 out of 5 stars Verdächtigungen
Reviewed in Germany on October 3, 2022
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Ein dringend reparaturbedürftiges Herrenhaus in den schottischen Highlands, kürzlich und wohl aus finanziellen Gründen umfunktioniert in ein Hotel, ist der Schauplatz im ersten Drittel des zweiten Krimis in der Inspector Lynley/Sergeant Havers-Reihe. Nimmt man als weiteres Requisit das trübe, düstere, eiskalte Wetter hinzu, so hat man ein Setting, das wie gemacht scheint für einen Kriminalroman, so oder ähnlich genutzt von einer ganzen Anzahl Autoren vor Elizabeth George, der Amerikanerin, deren offensichtliche Begeisterung für die große Insel in der Nordsee und die britische Lebensart sie dazu verleitete, erstaunlich authentische, „typisch britische“ Detektivromane zu schreiben – wie ihr vor allem waschechte Engländer, seien es Kritiker oder Leser, immer wieder aufs Neue bescheinigen.
Erwartet man aber einen Krimi a la Agatha Christies „And Then There Were None“, bei dem sämtliche Verdächtige sich an einem abgeschiedenen Ort eingeschlossen finden und es nur des scharfen Verstandes des ermittelnden Inspektors – Thomas Lynley nebst zynisch-verbiesterter Barbara Havers – bedarf, um den grauseligen Mord an der Drehbuchautorin Joy Sinclair im Handumdrehen und natürlich nach einigen Verwirrungen und Irreführungen des Lesers mit einem Überraschungseffekt am Ende aufzuklären, so irrt man sich! Mrs. George hat so ihre eigenen Methoden....
Nach zähen und fruchtlosen Befragungen, die mich nicht wenig irritierten, kamen sie doch selten auf den Punkt, und einem weiteren Mord – dreist verübt unter den Augen nicht nur der beiden New Scotland Yard Detektive, sondern auch einem Haufen herumwuselnder schottischer Kollegen -, löst sich die Gesellschaft auf und der achte Earl of Asherton, der sich, und der Erfolg gibt ihm Recht, zum Kriminalkommissar berufen fühlt, reist mitsamt der ihm vor etwas mehr als einem Jahr zur Seite gestellten, aus wahrhaft proletarischen Verhältnissen stammenden und daher mit einer reichlichen Portion Hass auf die britische Upper Class und das dekadente Establishment ausgestatteten, Barbara Havers wieder zurück nach London. Zum Glück, denn die in reichlich unverständlichem schottischen Dialekt geführten Dialoge – unmöglich zu lesen! - begannen an meinen Nerven zu zerren. Nun, von London aus, ihrem Hauptquartier, ermittelt das so unterschiedliche Gespann, das allerdings inzwischen gelernt hat, einander überaus wertzuschätzen, weiter – nicht gemeinsam freilich, denn die Beiden folgen jeweils anderen konträren Spuren, höchst unbefriedigt und noch dazu voller Ressentiments, als ihnen klar wird, dass sie von allerhöchster Seite manipuliert wurden...
Ihr gewöhnlich unbestechlicher Partner hat, dessen ist sich Barbara Havers sicher, sein Urteilsvermögen in Schottland verloren, hat sich von seiner Herkunft und seinem persönlichen Involviertsein verleiten lassen – eine der Verdächtigen ist die bezaubernde Lady Helen, nebenbei die Frau, die er liebt – und seine rasende Eifersucht lässt für ihn keinen Zweifel daran, dass der Mann, mit dem seine Angebetete auf dem schottischen Herrenhaus eindeutig ein Verhältnis begonnen hat, ein verkrachter Regisseur, der mit dem Theaterstück, zu dessen ersten Proben sich die Theatertruppe in der Abgeschiedenheit getroffen hatte, eine neue Chance bekommen sollte, der Mörder der leichtlebigen und anscheinend intriganten Drehbuchschreiberin ist, mit der er obendrein noch wenig freundschaftliche Familienbande teilte...
Selbst überzeugt davon, dass der Produzent des Stückes, ein untadeliger und natürlich ehrbarer Adliger, der, wie sie meint, den nur allzu willigen, weil der gleichen Schicht angehörenden Lynley geschickt für seine Zwecke einspannt, höchstselbst der Mörder ist, versucht Barbara, unterstützt von Lynleys Freund, dem renommierten Forensiker Simon St. James, Verdachtsmomente gegen den Hochwohlgeborenen zu sammeln, um nicht nur ihre eigenen Vermutungen bestätigt zu finden, sondern auch ihrem sich verrennenden Partner den Hals zu retten. Vor allem letzteres, denn, wie gesagt, sie hat ihn längst als Kollegen wie als Menschen schätzen gelernt und würde, ohne dies jemals zuzugeben, für ihn durchs Feuer gehen.
Nun ja, auch Sergeant Havers Urteilsvermögen ist natürlich beeinträchtigt! Geleitet von dem Verlangen, ihre Vorurteile bestätigt zu sehen, beißt sie sich in eben jenen Lord fest – und muss dann schließlich, ebenso wie Lynley, feststellen, wie komplex und facettenreich der Fall, mit dem sie es zu tun haben, in Wirklichkeit ist, wie tief seine Wurzeln in die Vergangenheit reichen.... - und dass sie ihn eben nur dann lösen können, wenn sie alle an einem Strick ziehen!
Ja, komplex ist auch der zweite Kriminalroman um die beiden Protagonisten samt den ihnen zugehörigen Nebenfiguren! Bestückt mit der üblichen Anzahl von handelnden Personen, deren Verbindung, wie auch im Vorgängerband, peu a peu ans Licht des Tages treten, obschon das nicht im Sinne der Betroffenen ist, denn das Licht des Tages ist gnadenlos! Es zerstört Fassaden, die ein Leben lang aufgebaut und aufrechterhalten wurden, und es lässt Beziehungen zerbrechen, die nur so lange gewahrt werden konnten, wie die Fassaden nicht beschädigt waren. Dies gilt in Elizabeth Georges Romanen grundsätzlich, nicht nur für die Gruppe der Verdächtigen in jedem einzelnen Band, sondern ebenso für die immer wiederkehrenden und sich mit jedem Buch der Serie kontinuierlich weiterentwickelnden Figuren. Auf irgendeine Weise haben die Fälle, in denen Lynley und Havers ermitteln, auch mit ihnen persönlich zu tun, bringen Risse auch in die eigenen Fassaden, konfrontieren sie mit sich selbst und bringen schmerzhafte Erkenntnisse.
Die Lösung schließlich ist, und das ist wohl das, was sich die meisten Krimileser wünschen, überraschend, wiewohl sie mich persönlich nicht so ganz zu überzeugen vermochte und Fragen offen ließ. Leider ist es nicht der stärkste Schluss, den sich die Großbritannien und all seine Eigentümlichkeiten liebende Amerikanerin, deren sämtliche Krimis ich im Laufe der 33 Jahre ihres Erscheinens gelesen habe, ausgedacht hat. Übrigens ist er auch nicht befriedigend, nein, alles andere als das, für unseren so sympathisch-menschlichen Earl, Thomas Lynley, der beschämt und in verzweifelter Einsamkeit zurückbleibt. Er hat zwar letztendlich den Fall aufgeklärt – ganz sicher mit Hilfe der wackeren, scharfzüngigen Barbara! -, sein unbesonnenes, geradezu rüdes Verhalten der tief verletzten Lady Helen gegenüber hat jedoch so viel Porzellan zerschlagen, dass man wohl kaum damit rechnen kann, dass dies jemals wieder repariert werden könnte. Aber schauen wir weiter! Elizabeth George hat ja schließlich noch weitere neunzehn Lynley/Havers-Romane in petto....
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Magpie
5.0 out of 5 stars All you could ask for in a murder mystery story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2019
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This is a great whodunnit in every sense: great characters, fast moving plot, brilliant setting and surprising ending. The only thing I would have liked was a list of the cast, as especially in the beginning I got a little confused as to who was who. Havers and Lynley make an unusual but brilliant team. An excellent read.
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Pascale Pons
5.0 out of 5 stars Subtile
Reviewed in France on July 29, 2017
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L'intrigue est menée avec finesse, on retrouve avec plaisir les personnages principaux de la première enquête. J'ai dévoré ce second roman, je me rue sur Le 3eme
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Sandra Rockwell
5.0 out of 5 stars Payment In Blood.
Reviewed in Canada on May 3, 2016
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Elizabeth George writes wonderful mysteries. Originally I felt it was because she is English/British but discovered she is an American. The English write better books and produce better television than we ever could on this continent. Payment in Blood holds your attention and her storyline isn't the same or similar to the first Inspector Lynley book. Currently I have started book six in the Inspector Lynley series. They keep you wondering and are very entertaining. I don't pretend to be a book critic, however maybe there could be fewer characters in her stories, but that isn't really a complaint. I read for pleasure only and to be entertained and she does both of that for me.
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