When he is sent on a secret mission to investigate the death of a business magnate's nephew, he asks for help from the people he trusts most.
What he uncovers is a family with so many secrets he doesn't know who or what to believe.
I asked George some questions about her latest novel.
How did Inspector Lynley and his team come about?
I wanted to write a crime novel as I'd been teaching a course in crime and mystery novels for several years as a high-school teacher.
My initial thought was I would do a "formula" detective story, as was created by Edgar Allan Poe with his C. Auguste Dupin stories.
Thus my "detective" was going to be my forensic scientist Simon St James. He needed someone from "The Yard" to come to him with crucial problems needing his expertise, and that was Thomas Lynley who became an earl for purposes having to do with nothing more than my own amusement.
Since I was writing for my own entertainment, I created characters whom I liked and wished to write about. I'm certainly glad I did so, since I've now been writing about them for 28 years.
Did you write the first book with the intention of it being a series?
Definitely.
When the television series was first aired did the characters on the screen match those in your head?
Not in the least. My guess is they did not match the image held in the heads of my readers, either.
Tim's character is so sad. How do you research things like self-harm and child pornography?
I create all my characters in advance of writing the novel. This allows me to project myself into the heart and soul of a character when writing in that character's point of view.
Thus, no real research is needed into self-harm if the character is fully developed before he steps on to the page. Self-harm is, instead, a logical part of who that character is and of what his psychopathology is.
As for the child pornography, a long time ago I realised that no matter how outrageous I allowed my imagination to be, someone was already out there doing it. Hence, the film that they are making is the product of my imagination.
What is your secret to believable characters?
Creating them in advance, giving them a core need, developing a pathological manoeuvre for them when under stress, and allowing them to step on to the pages as individuals who have had a life before the book and will have a life when the book is over.
What's the best thing about being an international bestselling author? And the worst?
There really is no best or worst. I'm always focused on the writing itself. I guess that sounds sort of Pollyanna-ish, but for me the writing is all. It's who I am as much as it's what I do. As long as my life allows me to do it, the rest of what occurs as a result is momentarily gratifying (such as learning one's book is on the NY Times list) but that's all it is.
What's next for you?
I have a young adult series that will begin with the publication of The Edge of Nowhere in September. I'm working on the next Lynley novel as well.
WIN!
We have a copy of Elizabeth George's new book Believing the Lie to give away.
Send in your name and contact details to regionalfeatures@apn.co.nz by April 4 to be in with a chance to win.
