A Banquet of Consequences
A Banquet of Consequences is a crime novel by Elizabeth George. It is the author's 20th novel featuring Inspector Lynley and Detective Barbara Havers of Scotland Yard.
Plot
Lynley and Havers are called to investigate the poisoning of Clare Abbott, a feminist writer, and thereby uncover a series of human connections, including links to the suicide of a troubled young man three years previously. Meanwhile, Havers, under pressure to redeem her professional reputation, struggles to reinvent herself after heading to Dorset to pursue a lead, while Lynley remains in London to pursue another avenue of investigation, whilst attempting to further his relationship with Daidre, a vet who works at London Zoo.Themes
Some of the novel's themes include: guilt, loss, "motherhood gone wrong" and "what it means to be a modern woman".Reception
The novel reached number 19 on the 2015 best sellers list of the New York Times.Reviews were generally good: some reviewers commented negatively on the length of the novel, whilst praising the satisfying nature of the read. Kirkus Reviews described George's books in their review of A Banquet of Consequences as "a shade too long, but... always satisfying," while The Washington Times called it: "one of Ms. George’s best mysteries, original in concept and fascinating in the breadth of its characters."