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Read Missing Joseph (1993)

Missing Joseph (1993)

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Rating
3.94 of 5 Votes: 3
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ISBN
0340831383 (ISBN13: 9780340831380)
Language
English
Publisher
bantam

Missing Joseph (1993) - Plot & Excerpts

Kurzbeschreibung:Weg aus London, weg von ihrem offenbar unerfüllbaren Wunsch nach einem gemeinsamen Kind und dieser Belastung für ihre Beziehung. Simon St. James, Inspector Lynleys bester Freund, und seine Frau Deborah wollen in dem winzigen Dorf Winslow eigentlich nur zur Ruhe kommen. Doch der Pfarrer, vom dem gerade Deborah sich Trost erhofft hatte, wurde vergiftet. Vermeintlich versehentlich, aber der Verdacht von vorsätzlichem Mord haftet hartnäckig an der kräuterkundigen Juliet Spence und auch St. James ist misstrauisch. Nur hätte er sich im Traum nicht ausmalen können, in was er sich, Deborah und den zu Hilfe gerufenen Lynley da hineinzieht. Aus einem verhängnisvollen Labyrinth aus zerstörten Träumen, fehlgeleiteten Gefühlen und alten Schulden scheint es für die beteiligten Dorfbewohner kein Entkommen zu geben...Meine Meinung:Elizabeth Georges neuere Romane mögen inhaltlich streitbar sein, aber gleichbleibend genial vom ersten bis zum letzten Band der Reihe ist für mich ihr Schreibstil. Amerikanerin hin oder her, aber ich kenne keinen anderen Autor, der Krimis so englisch schreibt, wie die Meisterin persönlich. Was das für mich heißt? Diskret, zurückhaltend, stimmungsvoll. Keine Effekthascherei, aber Atmosphäre zum Anfassen! Mühelos schafft es die Autorin, dass der Leser wie gebannt an ihren Worten hängt. Es geht meistens ruhig zu und sie beschreibt auch gerne mal ausführlichst, anspruchsvolles Vokabular inklusive. Aber eben nicht nur Blumen, Büsche und Tauben, sondern am liebsten auf psychologischer Ebene. Zwischen den Zeilen und auf den Zeilen, es gibt immer etwas zu entdecken! Alles hat Bedeutung und ist stiltechnisch meistens so edel verpackt, dass ich das Lesen wirklich genossen habe. Was der Stil eines George R.R. Martins für Fans epischer Fantasy ist, das ist der von Frau George für Freunde stilvoller Krimis.Inspector Lynley spielt zwar eine Hauptrolle, aber auf Barbara Havers und Co. muss der Leser – leider – größtenteils verzichten. Dafür sind Simon und Deborah mit von der Partie und bringen neben einer Leiche auch jede Menge Beziehungsprobleme mit. Als ob Lynley davon nicht selbst gerade schon genug hätte... Aber auch wenn Deborah nicht nur Simons Nerven arg strapaziert, haben mir die Szenen aus dem Leben der Charaktere wie immer sehr gut gefallen. Die Charaktere sind einfach wahnsinnig toll gezeichnet und ich lese über ihre Beziehungen, deren Höhen und Tiefen mindestens genau so gerne, wie über ihre sonstigen Freuden und Leiden, ihr humorvolles Miteinander und alles andere. Meine Gier nach mehr ist stärker, als in meinen extremsten Soap-Zeiten. Umso schlimmer also, dass das Hauptaugenmerk auf den (Un-)Beteiligten am vermeintlichen Unfall des Pfarrers liegt? Keinesfalls. Es fällt mir schwer, das spoilerfrei in Worte zu fassen. Aber wie gewohnt deckt Frau George auch hier Schicht um Schicht hinter den Fassaden der Charaktere auf und ich sage es mal so, sauberer wird es selten. Gibt es eine Krimi-Autorin, die Menschen und ihre Abgründe tiefgründiger und glaubwürdiger gestalten kann? Die Grenzen zwischen Täter und Opfer besser verschwimmen lässt? Ich kenne keine.Die Handlung beginnt gemächlich. Ein Streit unter Liebenden hier, ein unglücklich ungekommener Pfarrer dort. Der hinzugezogene Lynley trifft zwar auf einige Ungereimtheiten, viele Spekulationen und noch mehr Gerüchte, aber konkrete Beweise findet er zunächst nicht. Dass der zuständige Polizist ein Verhältnis mit der „Mörderin aus Versehen“ hat, das beschleunigt seine inoffiziellen Ermittlungen auch nicht gerade. So wie Lynley versucht, sich ein Bild von der Geschichte zu machen, so taucht auch der Leser zunächst einmal ins Leben der Beteiligten ein. Es gibt keine Mordserie, kein Gefühl von Bedrohung, keine akute Dringlichkeit. Es ist mehr das Aufrollen einer Geschichte, wie sie verwobener und tragischer nicht sein könnte. Einigen dürfte das vielleicht zu wenig Spannung sein. Mir aber hat es sehr gut gefallen und vor der Auflösung kann ich nur den Hut ziehen. Ich hatte – wie immer – viele Vermutungen, lag aber – wie meistens - komplett falsch. Nur eine bestimmte Szene und unabhängig davon der Wunsch einer Person, sowie in beiden Fällen der Umgang der Beteiligten damit, hatten für mich einen sehr, sehr faden Beigeschmack. Wäre das nicht gewesen und hätte Havers den einen oder anderen Auftritt mehr gehabt, dann wäre es wieder einmal die Höchstwertung geworden.Fazit: Schlingen aus Irrungen und vergangenen Sünden ziehen sich in der Gegenwart zunehmend zu und schnüren nicht nur den Charakteren die Luft ab.

There are lots of failures to communicate going on in the picturesque village of Winslough. Photographer Deborah St. James can’t talk about adopting a child with scientist Simon, her husband, because she continues to have miscarriages, and it’s tearing them apart. Having a little vacation in Winslough is not helping. Deborah is pissed that Simon wants to adopt, so of course Simon becomes interested in the details of a local accidental death which he soon realizes was handled in the manner of a coverup. Simon calls in Inspector Thomas Lynley, who is in the middle of an ongoing one-sided argument with Helen. Lynley can’t talk to Lady Helen Clyde about marriage because she refuses to consider it. So, Lynley goes to talk to Sergeant Dick Hawkins, who was in charge of the Winslough death. Hawkins can’t talk about the possibility of a murder instead of an accidental poisoning because he has too many friends he is protecting. Hawkins’ best friend, Detective Chief inspector, retired, Kenneth Shepherd can’t talk to Colin, his son, about his love life or his blind stupidity, although he can’t quit trying, since his son Colin is now the town’s law enforcer. Colin Shepard refuses to talk to Lynley because it was Colin’s girlfriend, Juliet Spence, who accidentally poisoned the dead man.But that isn’t all. Who knew Ben Wragg’s little Winslough country inn with a convenient in-house pub and restaurant could be such a good place for a couple of investigators to pick up clues?Lawyer Brendan Power can’t talk to Polly Yarkin about his loveless marriage to Rebecca Townley-Young because Polly dislikes him intensely. St. John Andrew Townley-Young can't talk about how much he hates Brendan Power generally, but right now it’s because Brendan ‘knocked up’ his daughter Rebecca, forcing her to marry Power. However, now that his daughter and Power are married, the vacant Winslough mansion has to be repaired for their new home. Someone keeps vandalizing the old house, so Townley-Young hires Juliet Spence to housesit. When Colin and Juliet meet, it’s love at first sight. The Vicar’s housekeeper Polly Yarkin can’t talk about how much she loves Town Constable Colin Shepard because he refuses her attentions since he only has eyes for Juliet, causing Polly to resort to witchcraft with an unintended dark soul. Colin Shepard can’t talk about the cancer death of his wife Anne Alice Shepherd or his true love for Juliet Spence because Juliet is ten years older than Colin and people do not approve. Housesitter Juliet Spence can’t talk to her daughter, 13-year-old Maggie, about who Maggie’s father was, despite Maggie’s pleading. Maggie can’t talk to anyone about why she loves sex with 15-year-old Nick Ware, because she doesn’t understand it either, and not knowing who her father was is messing her up, which her mother refuses to see.Oh, the unrequited and unacceptable heartbreak! Lovesick, one and all! The sweaty overheated burning of unrelieved desire is destroying most of the people who matter in Winslough, in spite of the seasonal cold and snow of Winter throwing a lovely white duvet over the unquiet beds of bestial longings! The passions are boiling over! Can this go on without an explosion? Vicar Robin Sage can’t talk to anyone without people thinking him a one-dimensional tool, because he thinks in biblical platitudes. However, Vicar Sage is soothed through the joy of his relationship with his god. He makes a herculean effort to explain to his new flock in Winslough that their misery can be alleviated through Christianity. He has had his crosses to bear. He understands that loving fathers are the key to a happy marriage, that children are necessary for completion and purpose. But he also knows religion makes it right when it all goes wrong.Unfortunately, someone probably thought Sage was annoying. His body is found, twisted with convulsions caused by food poisoning. Was it as accidental as it was officially decided? No one in town thinks it was an accident. I don't think so, either.

What do You think about Missing Joseph (1993)?

I am just so into this series right now. I anticipate and look forward to the next book as I am reading the current one. Whether placing a hold in the online library or an actual hardcover at the library, it doesn’t matter. I order the next as I am completing the one I’m reading.I am just so investing in the leading characters. Inspector Lynley is really the main character, but there are four other supporting characters – actually more than just supporting characters – that contribute to this rich series. I am so invested in all their lives, almost more so than the actual mystery itself. There’s his love interest, Lady Helen. Even though I admire her independence and need to be seen and appreciated as a person, in her own right, and not devalued and seen as a sex object; I hate to say it by she does seem very arbitrary and quixotic and leading Lynley on a merry dance in his quest for her hand in marriage. She seems to seek any slight to get angry at him and distance herself. There are hints that she is having commitment issues and not just trying to educate and bring Lynley to task, but actually, I’m getting a bit tired of her behavior. She’s starting to resemble a very spoiled, demanding and young child. Then there’s his best friend, Simon St. James and his wife Deborah, who Lynley was once involved with himself. But that’s okay, I guess. In the past, Simon was apparently Lady Helen’s lover at one time. Kind of incestuous in a way, is it not? I realize they are not related, but is has a soap opera quality, but not quite so cheesy.Finally there is his partner, Sargent Barbara Havers, a working class girl that has a chip on her shoulder as big a s the Mississippi when it comes to the aristocracy of the British Kingdom. I forgot to mention that Lynley is a member of the aristocracy. While she has learned to admire and work with him, her hackles are still arised when encountering others of the “upper” class. Such a rich series. I really look forward to the next.
—Barbara

Wederom een leuk boek over Scotland Yard-inspector Lynley. Dit keer draait het om de mysterieuze dood van een pastoor. Het fijne van een serie is dat de hoofdpersonen na een paar boeken vertrouwd worden en je ongeveer weet wat je kunt verwachten. Het is niet een heel spannend boek. Het is niet zo dat je op het puntje van je stoel zit of niet kunt stoppen met lezen. Toch is het een interessant verhaal en wordt het mysterie langzaam ontrafeld. Het verhaal wordt vanuit verschillende personages verteld. Daardoor leer je hen ook beter kennen. Ook zijn er nog een aantal extra verhaallijnen, waardoor het boek niet alleen draait om het mysterie, al hebben ze zijdelings wel met het verhaal te maken. Leuk om gelezen te hebben.
—Hannie

Elizabeth George is one of the premier “English-mystery” writers. As it happens, she lives and writes in California, but she apparently studied in England and does locale-specific research before each new novel. She’s very good at capturing the local dialect and geographic description, but, my goodness, I suspect she must have a peculiar love life because the characters of the two novels I’ve read have such bizarre, intertwined lives. Her main character is Inspector Thomas Lynley, a certifiable Earl, who is in love with Lady Helen, who at one time had an affair with Lynley’s best friend and colleague, forensic pathologist Simon St. James, who is married to Deborah, who had an earlier affair with Lynley and lost his baby. Deborah is quite a few years younger than St. James and was apparently his ward — it’s not completely spelled out in this one, but my wife, who is a great fan of George assures me that reading them in order will straighten things out. Whew!Lynley’s acerbic partner is Sergeant Barbara Havers. I think I like her character the best because she is so good at putting Lynley in his place. Anyway, in this novel, the local vicar, Mr. Sage, has been killed by accidentally ingesting water hemlock (a nasty, poisonous plant) inadvertently provided to him for dinner by Mrs. Juliet Spence, who is in love with the local constable, Colin Shepherd. Shepherd’s investigation clears Mrs. Spence, whose daughter Maggie is sleeping with Nick, who wants to be a vet. In the meantime, Polly, daughter of the local 20 stone (English measure of weight) witch, is in love with Colin (who later rapes her), but she in turn is being lusted after by Brendon, who was forced to marry—after he got her pregnant— Rebecca, whom he utterly loathes but was reluctant to retreat from because he is a lawyer in the firm owned by her father. Whew, again! In any case, Lynley becomes involved because St. James and Deborah have gone on holiday to this little town, and St. James realizes that something is fishy about the death of the vicar. The inquest and coroner had ruled the death an accident, following a rather clumsy investigation by Colin who, as I mentioned, is having an affair with the lady who administered the poisonous herbs mistakenly thinking they were parsnips. Apparently, New Scotland Yard CID inspectors can run around investigating closed cases in other jurisdictions willy-nilly. Actually, this is a riveting novel with very interesting characters, but I do worry about Ms. George’s love life.
—Eric_W

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