The Various Haunts of Men

When I read a mystery, I don't want to read over 200 pages talking about various characters and victims. Simon Serrallier was mentioned very briefly in those pages when his sister stopped and visited him. Simon's sister, a doctor, was described in great detail, and, her beliefs in traditional medicine vs. alternative medicine was discussed in great detail. Plus, there were other characters: an overweight young woman who recently lost her job and spent her days depressed; a woman whose husband died and her trying to talk to him; and, a cancer patient. Chapter after short, choppy chapter. Once the police investigation began, there were two other police officers who did the investigation. Simon Serrallier didn't get really involved until near the end of the extremely long over 500 page book. Usually, I share books with my mother after finishing them. I'm not going to waste her time on this one.

It has been weeks since I finished this book and it is still in the forefront of my mind. What a find. This was the best book I have read over the past year. This is a book of literature, intelligently written with atmosphere, very real characterizations and a great story. The characters really did blow me away. Ms. Hill takes the time to fully envelope you in the locale and with the lives of all the people. The mystery also flows throughout the book and build as we know more and more about the characters. I was so sad when this book ended that I had to go and get the next one in this series immediately. I want to stress how much I loved this book and put out all its great qualities without sacrificing plot for there are some real shockers in this read. If you prefer novels that make you think and provide you with a whole other world to travel to then this book is for you. Ms. Hill is truly gifted and if the rest of this series holds up she will be my new favorite author. Believe me, even with all the deep characterization the mystery aspect is spellbinding and the payoff is more than worth it.

Susan Hill's "The Various Haunts of Men" is a powerful British police procedural in which a serial killer targets victims for twisted reasons of his own. As the novel opens, he is talking to his dead mother, telling her of the demons that torment him and the secrets that he has kept for so long. He will return time and again to continue his confession to his despised parent. The protagonist of "The Various Haunts of Men" is DCI Simon Serraillier, whose relatives are almost all physicians. Simon has always been "the odd one out"; he is an artist who draws in pencil, pen, and charcoal. Twice a year, he travels abroad to pursue his avocation and his work has been exhibited to great acclaim. Simon's sister, thirty-four year old Dr. Cat Deerborn, is closer to him than anyone. She respects his privacy and understands his need to march to his own drummer. Although he is handsome and can be very charming, Simon has never married and avoids long term romantic commitments. Hill's mystery focuses on lonely people, including a fifty-three year old woman named Angela Randall who has few friends and "no parents, siblings, aunts or cousins." She works at a care home for the elderly and owns a small house in the cathedral town of Lafferton. For the first time in her life she dares to be optimistic, for she has fallen in love. Angela allows herself to imagine that her isolation will soon give way to a shared and fulfilling life with the man she idolizes. Others whose lives are less than satisfying are seventy-one year old Iris Chater, who is brokenhearted after the death of her beloved husband, Harry; twenty-year old Debbie Parker, an overweight, acne-ridden, and unemployed young woman who suffers from depression and low self-esteem; and forty-four year old Karin McCafferty, who has an aggressive form of breast cancer that has invaded her lymph glands. Hill depicts each of these characters with extraordinary compassion and detail. The reader quickly becomes invested in each woman's destiny. When Angela Randall suddenly goes missing, her boss files a report with Detective Sergeant Freya Graffham, a bright and attractive police officer who works under Serrallier. Since Randall's body has not been found, there is little that anyone can do. However, when two more women vanish, Freya and the amiable Detective Constable Nathan Coates decide to do a bit of digging, and they begin to suspect foul play. Unfortunately, without eyewitnesses and little forensic evidence, the investigation progresses slowly. Adding to Freya's woes, she finds herself falling in love with the elusive and enigmatic Simon. Although he is attracted to her and respects her ability, Simon is reluctant to reveal his feelings. A key theme in this novel is the power of alternative medicine to attract desperate men and women. It seems that a large group of "New Age Airheads," as Cat's husbands calls them, have set up shop in a place called Starly Tor. These people make an excellent living preyi

With "The Various Haunts of Men," Susan Hill takes her place beside Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine and P.D. James as a writer of top psychological thrillers. Many of her earlier works were rooted in the supernatural ("Strange Meeting" is one of the most haunting books I've ever read) and while "Haunts" stays mostly on solid ground, be aware that you have entered a world where protagonists may be guilty, or die, or the crime may never be solved or even discovered. The unwritten contract most readers make with mysteries was never signed by Susan Hill, and thank God for it. No one should ever expect to trust certain characters or expect a resolution-not in a mystery and certainly not in one by Susan Hill. In this novel she introduces DCI Simon Serrailler, a detective from a family where everyone in the family has been doctors for generations; a gifted artist; and a handsome man who attracts women but is strangely repellent. Hill adds a number of characters connected to his twin sister Dr. Cat Deerbon, and through her, to the crime. These characters are so fully developed that each is worthy of their own book and you will become attached to them. You may figure out who the serial killer is, but you will not be able to guess what that person will do next or why he chose this small town to do it in. I'll let you discover the plot of "The Various Haunts of Men." This is an engrossing read and one that promises a terrific series. It is nice to see rules broken and stakes changed in a genre that has become rather predictable. If you like to know what's what in your mysteries, then this book will drive you crazy. If you like an edge, read on.

I finished this book in one night, it was that absorbing! The characters were well developed and Simon Serrailler is an enigmatic figure. (Can't wait to see how he pans out in the next book). The victims are introduced to us in detail and we know their fate, but it still makes for an interesting read because you wonder how the police will piece the clues together. Twists and turns were many, and I certainly didn't see that ending coming. Susan Hill has done a fantastic job with this novel. Rating: 5 stars for providing a very entertaining night!