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From Publishers Weekly
Weaving together a variety of subtly interrelated narratives, British author Hill (Air and Angels) embeds a thoughtful reflection on alternative medicine into a taut and suspenseful mystery, the first of a new crime series featuring Chief Insp. Simon Serrailler. Having transferred to the small cathedral town of Lafferton from London's "Met," police detective Freya Graffham explores her new community and becomes fascinated by Serrailler, her enigmatic superior. Though she fits well within the local police force, she finds herself unable to let go what seems like a routine missing persons report on a middle-aged spinster. When yet more townspeople turn up missing, her hunch is verified and a serious police search begins, bringing her into closer proximity with Serrailler at the same time it exposes her to danger. A dark but entirely convincing ending may startle some readers, but Hill's fine writing and nuanced insight into human nature should appeal to fans of such masters of the psychological thriller as P.D. James, Elizabeth George and Ruth Rendell, who provides a blurb. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
'Susan Hill has always been able to tell a good story... and we should be delighted that she has turned her formidable talent to crime writing. This is the first of what promises to be a splendid series.' Daily Mail 20050617 This book must be judged as a potential successor to the great sequences of detective writing by PD James and Ruth Rendell...excellent Daily Telegraph The novel is not only a gripping whodunit but a subtle study of the mind of a psychopath Daily Mail She has the priceless ability to construct a solidly-researched narrative that keeps the reader turning the pages Independent
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.9 out of 5 stars (38 customer reviews)
56 of 57 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quality Chills, Sep 9 2005
By Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Various Haunts of Men (Paperback)
With "The Various Haunts of Men," Susan Hill takes her place beside Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine and P.D. James as a writer of top psychological thrillers. Many of her earlier works were rooted in the supernatural ("Strange Meeting" is one of the most haunting books I've ever read) and while "Haunts" stays mostly on solid ground, be aware that you have entered a world where protagonists may be guilty, or die, or the crime may never be solved or even discovered. The unwritten contract most readers make with mysteries was never signed by Susan Hill, and thank God for it. No one should ever expect to trust certain characters or expect a resolution-not in a mystery and certainly not in one by Susan Hill.In this novel she introduces DCI Simon Serrailler, a detective from a family where everyone in the family has been doctors for generations; a gifted artist; and a handsome man who attracts women but is strangely repellent. Hill adds a number of characters connected to his twin sister Dr. Cat Deerbon, and through her, to the crime. These characters are so fully developed that each is worthy of their own book and you will become attached to them. You may figure out who the serial killer is, but you will not be able to guess what that person will do next or why he chose this small town to do it in.
I'll let you discover the plot of "The Various Haunts of Men." This is an engrossing read and one that promises a terrific series. It is nice to see rules broken and stakes changed in a genre that has become rather predictable. If you like to know what's what in your mysteries, then this book will drive you crazy. If you like an edge, read on.
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
First In A Series of Literate Mysteries By Skilled British Author Susan Hill, Oct 27 2007
By Susan K. Schoonover "Sue Yingling" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Various Haunts of Men (Simon Serrailler Crime Novels)[ (Hardcover)
Susan Hill is a well regarded British author and several of her books including the ghost story THE WOMAN IN BLACK have become modern classics. Hill's ability to create memorable characters and atmospheric settings are highly evident in her mystery THE VARIOUS HAUNTS OF MEN. The story is set in the small cathedral city of "Lafferton" and the surrounding villages. Police detective Freya Graffham is new to this city after choosing to leave London following a divorce and we see many of the characters through her observations. The mystery centers on several people who have suddenly disappeared in the community and the victims as well as their friends and other witnesses are all well developed characters. Freya becomes involved in the case and also develops an immediate crush on the intriguing Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler and his triplet sister (the other of this sibling trio is offstage in Australia) and parents play supporting parts in the story. The sensitive Serrailler (not the typical policeman as he loves sketching and has some resemblance to P. D. James' poetic detective Adam Dalgliesh)remains a bit of a mystery. However THE VARIOUS HAUNTS OF MEN is subtitled "A Simon Serrailler mystery" and two other books featuring him have been published in Great Britain and will be published in the US so readers can learn more about this attractive policeman soon.At 438 pages this is not a quick read but a literate and worthy one. The characters' personalities and struggles as well as the portrayal of average British life are of more interest than the actual mystery itself since most will spot the villain long before the book's climax. In fact in short chapters throughout the book we actually hear from the kidnapper/murderer as he addresses someone (apparently his hated mother) via tape recorder and explains his motives and the background that led to the criminal activity. Alternative healers, traditional religion and spiritualists all have a place in this novel's plot and Susan Hill has done her research to convey these elements in such a realistic manner. This is an all around well rendered book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series as the books becomes available.
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fine introduction, Aug 29 2004
By Beverley Strong - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Various Haunts of Men (Paperback)
This novel is the first of a series to be written, featuring DCI Simon Serrailler, and promises to be a success. M/s Hill has introduced her characters well and focused just briefly on DCI Serrailler to show him to be an intriguing character, distant and rather mysterious but with enough warmth to make the reader want to know more about him.DS Freya Graffham, recently divorced and having transferred from the Met.to Bevham CID, begins a new life in the small town of Lafferton. She joins the cathedral choir and befriends Mereil Serrailler, mother of her DCI and also Dr.Cat Deerbon, local GP and sister to Simon. Several people are reported missing..people highly unlikely to just leave their homes, so the local police are reluctantly forced to consider that a serial killer might be in their quiet neighbourhood. We are informed early in the piece of the fate of these victims, but the events leading up to the crimes being solved are well told and the pace is maintained to the end. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
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