#1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George delivers an explosive, “absolutely riveting” novel (Entertainment Weekly) that delves into the events leading up to the shocking murder of Inspector Lynley’s wife. The brutal, inexplicable death of Inspector Thomas Lynley’s wife, Helen, has left Scotland Yard shocked and searching for answers. Even more horrifying is that the trigger was … for answers. Even more horrifying is that the trigger was apparently pulled by a twelve-year-old boy.
That story begins on the other side of London in rough North Kensington, where the three, mixed-race, virtually orphaned Campbell children are bounced first from their grandmother to their aunt. The oldest, fifteen-year-old Ness, is headed for trouble as fast as her high-heeled boots will take her. That leaves the middle child, Joel, to care for the youngest, Toby. No one wants to put it into words, but something clearly isn’t right with Toby.
Before long, there are signs that Joel himself has problems. A local gang starts harassing him and threatening his brother. To protect his family, Joel ends up making a pact with the devil—a move that leads straight to the front doorstep of Thomas Lynley.
The anatomy of a murder, the story of a family in crisis, What Came Before He Shot Her is a powerful and emotional novel, full of deep psychological insights, that only the incomparable Elizabeth George could write.
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This was the worst book I have read by Elizabeth George. I got through about 1/3rd of the book and had to quit.
AWFUL. DIDN’T FINISH.
I was ready for an Inspector Lynley book. This is definitely not one. It chronicles the difficult life of poor kids in a rough neighborhood in London. Included is some graphic sex and language. Not what I want to read. There is a link to Inspector Lynley near the of the story.
I bought this because I’ve loved the Inspector Lynsey books but this was a different animal. I tried to wade through it but it was boring and I just didn’t care about the characters and plot and I couldn’t read on.
This was a hard book to read. It goes from happy, happy to sad, sad and stays there. Linley has been dealt a crushing blow, and the next book presents his beginnings of recovery.
No, I don’t recommend this book at all.
I love Elizabeth George! This was not my favorite but a must read.
Dragged on. Not up to her other books. Important points but by the time I got to them I was so sick of the dialect I did not finish the book.
Waste of time
I hated this book. The book was such a punch in the stomach that I felt the despair carried on in the background, so to speak, in the next book or two. Ordinarily I have always enjoyed these books so I actually gave up on this author for awhile,
I highly DON’t recommend this book unless you are drawn to tragedy.
Hard book to read knowing it summarizes a horrible event for LYNLEY and company.
Elizabeth George never disappoints and this was a sequel that served to answer lots of questions the readers would have had from the previous installment.
One of the best books I’ve read in the last decade. I love this look at what shapes a person and their actions.
Too depressing