Plots and Errors

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOU NEED TO READ THIS SERIES FROM THE FIRST TO THE LAST. EACH BOOK IS A MASTER PIECE IN PLOT AND DEVELOPMENT. HER CHARACTERS NEVER STRAY FROM THE PERSONALITY SHE HAS PRESENTED THROUGH OUT THE SERIES. IT'S A PAGE TURNER THAT KEEPS YOU GUESING TO THE LAST CHAPTER! THE BUILDING RELATIONSHIP OF HILL AND LOYD IS WORTH THE PRICE OF THE BOOKS!

I consider myself to be a serious devotee of the British mystery and I thought that I had read every plot scenario every devised for that genre until I read the latest devised by Jill McGown for Lloyd and Hill. Although the relationship between them is given very little attention, the dysfunctional Esterbrook family makes up for that shortcoming. Just when you think you have it figured out, she throws you another curve. I read continuously for seven hours and can honestly say that I haven't read a mystery I have enjoyed this much in a long time. Don't miss it!

I liked the twists in this one, although she almost lost me with the plot, within a plot, within a plot, within . . . Jill McGown just keeps getting better! My one complaint is that she did not further develop the Lloyd/Judy Hill affair, overtly anyway. But the subtle developments leaves me holding my breath for more. Soon, please!

Jill McGown is on the top ten list of my favorite authors and one of five whose books I'll pay full price for just to get my sweaty little palms on it that much faster. I've read reviews of Plots and Errors that critisize Ms. McGown for the fact that there is so little of the wonderful Lloyd and Hill relationship in this book and that the plot was too 'convoluted'. There is a part of me that agrees, but I think it is a problem more in the reader than in the book. I have been so looking forward to the possiblities inherent in the fact that there is a baby on the way, and all that Ms. McGown could do with this, that I was disappointed that this side plot had not moved very far forward. I believe, therefore, that any disappointment I felt with the book is based on that alone and will not be present the next time I read it. The author is a truly gifted storyteller and I highly recommed all of her works. A relationship in books, movies, and TV like that between Lloyd and Hill is rare indeed and would make me want to read about them even if there was not also a first class puzzler of a mystery included at no extra charge. I have always been particularly good at answering the question of 'who done it' and take a certain amount of pride in that fact, but I have yet to latch on to the killer in one of Ms. Mcgown books before she reveals him or her (or them) herself. I can't even claim that she cheats and doesn't let the reader in on all the clues, because she just flat out tells her readers 'who done it' and I still don't know until the end. If Ms. Mcgown should happen to read this review, I what to say thank you for many hours of pleasure and that I am looking forward to the next installment.

The Forensic Medical Examiner calls for Deputy Chief Inspector Lloyd to visit the scene of an apparent double suicide because he once worked with the dead woman. Lloyd arrives to see the deceased Kathy Cope holding the hand of her dead spouse in a so-called loving gesture. He rejects the evidence because the Kathy he knew was a fighter and survivor even if that happened to be two decades ago. Other discrepancies soon appear. The groceries were placed on the wrong shelves. Though the Copes were broke, they just purchased office equipment for Kathy's new detective agency. Kathy's first client, the wealthy widow Angela Esterbrook is found dead too. Lloyd and his colleague (and lover) Judy Hill think the coincidence is too far out, leaving the two police officers to dig deep in excavating for a devious killer. British author Jill McGown cleverly uses a chronological series of murders and subsequent investigations to relate most of the story line of PLOTS AND ERRORS. Abruptly, Ms McGown uses a flashback to detail the murders and motives. Surprisingly, this plot device works due to the ability of the writer to pull her audience into the error free, chilling, but exhilarating plot.Harriet Klausner