Rated of 5
by Juliet F. (clarendon hills, IL) a little uneven, but a very pleasurable read
This book was very pleasurable reading. The plot was interesting, and I enjoyed the historical plot being interwoven with the contemporary story. The weakest part of the story was Heather's character and her relationship with the protagonist, which was silly and poorly done. However, that did little to dampen what was otherwise a fun read. Not as good as the Inspector Banks series, but not a waste of time by any stretch.
Rated of 5
by MN book lover obsessing over an old crime
A composer of Hollywood music scores, mourning the death of his wife, returns to Yorkshire where he grew up. He moves into an isolated mansion and becomes interested in the former owner who was hanged for the murder of her husband. His curiosity becomes an obsession as he tries to prove her innocence. A good premise for a novel, but it is quite slow-moving, not very realistic, and not all that interesting. The conclusion makes one wonder why one had to spend so much time getting there. Average at best.
Rated of 5
by Corinne S. (Paoli, PA) Kilnsgate where my future will begin.
Chris Lowndes builds suspense and curiosity which makes you read with passion as he digs in the past to reveal the truth behind a murder committed fifty years ago in his present home "Kilnsgate", in Yorkshire, England. Peter Robinson's award-winning writing talents keep you glued to the story with each piece of the puzzle he uncovers about Grace Elizabeth Fox's murder of her husband. During the research, we learn of the work done during WWII by military nurses. The horrors of war, the compassion and skill needed to survive your surroundings. It is not until the end that you fully understand what happened and why.
Rated of 5
by Cindy C. (Owen, WI) Before the Posion
I read the book in two days and would recommend it to others. The story definitely draws you in and you want to know how it ends and the ending is definitely unexpected. I have never read this author before and in same ways liked his attention to detail but sometimes felt he got a little bogged down in location names. I did however like the historical detail from World War II and the way the book flowed from the past to the present.
Rated of 5
by Priscilla M. (Houston, TX) A solid read
I have read the Inspector Banks series written by Peter Robinson, so I already have a healthy respect for his writing. This book was a slight departure from his usual mysteries. It takes place in the Yorkshire area as do his other stories, but it is a gentler tale- part ghost story, part love story, and part mystery on several levels. The story moves slowly at first, and I couldn't really tell where it was headed. For that reason, I began to wonder how long it was going to take to gain some momentum. The plot unfolds in several voices. The narrator is Chris Lowndes, returning to England after the death of his wife in California, where they had lived for many years. Chris buys a house, sight unseen, and once he moves in, he discovers that the wife of the original owner was hanged for the murder of her husband. Partly because of his need to distract himself from the grief he still feels for the death of his wife, and partly because he feels and sees something in the house, he starts investigating the circumstances of the murder and subsequent trial. At this point , the narration is interspersed with accounts of the trial. At another point, Grace's journal becomes another voice heard. Grace was the woman hanged for the murder of her husband, Dr. Ernest Fox. This is when I became hooked and couldn't stop reading. The author has done an excellent job of carrying the story back and forth from England during WWII to the present time as he weaves the different threads necessary to the solving of the mystery of who Grace Fox was and if she truly murdered her husband. The various characters are believable and interesting, and I think many readers will find this to be a first rate read.
Rated of 5
by Nan G. (Mazomanie, WI) Perfect winter afternoon reading!
First let me say I am a huge Peter Robinson fan. His Inspector Banks series is one of my favorites so I started this stand alone novel with high hopes and was not completely disappointed. Robinson's talent for transporting his readers to the scene of his novels is in high gear in Beore the Poison, as is his love of music and knack for adding a soundtrack to the pages. With one exception, the characters feel fully thought out and the protagonist, Chris Lowndes, is charming. The exception, Heather, comes across as shallow and one dimensional compared to others even less important than she is to the plot.
The mystery at the heart of the novel kept me engaged until the last page- well researched, full of historical detail about the experiences of nurses during WWII, Robinson delivers a novel that I will recommend to others.
Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today's globalized world.
The story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. But that exception is the beating heart of this extraordinary novel.
The best book I've read in a very long time and the first ever Bo Caldwell novel for me. I'd never before read anything about missionaries to China,...
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With a poetic voice, Ratner plunges us into this personal trial of a royal family wrenched from their home in Phnon Penh, Cambodia, during the late...
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Amazon cuts off 5200 affiliates in Minnesota(Jun 19 2013) With Minnesota's online sales tax law due to take effect July 1, Amazon has played a familiar card by cutting ties with 5,200 members of its Associates...
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of 5
by Juliet F. (clarendon hills, IL) 
of 5
by MN book lover 
