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The Soul of Discretion

Simon Serrailler Book 8

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The Soul of Discretion

By: Susan Hill
Narrated by: Steven Pacey
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About this listen

The cathedral town of Lafferton seems idyllic, but in many ways it is just like any other place. As part of the same rapidly changing world, it shares the same hopes and fears, and the same kinds of crime, as any number of towns up and down the land.

When one day DC Simon Serrailler is called in by Lafferton's new Chief Constable, Kieron Bright, he is met by four plainclothes officers. He is asked to take the lead role in a complex, potentially dangerous undercover operation and must leave town immediately, without telling anyone - not even his girlfriend Rachel, who has only just moved in with him.

Meanwhile, Simon's sister Cat is facing difficult choices at work that will test her dedication to the NHS. But an urgent call about her and Simon's father, Richard, soon presents her with a far greater challenge much closer to home.To complete his special op, Simon must inhabit the mind of the worst kind of criminal. As the op unfolds, Lafferton is dragged into the sort of case every town dreads. And Simon faces the fight of his life.

©2014 Susan Hill (P)2014 Audible Studios Crime Fiction Mystery Crime Fiction Suspense Cats
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I've loved ALL the Simon Serrailler novels so far (going through them in order), but this was definitely a stand-out. One of the best. Without wanting to give anything away, I really have to praise Susan Hill's insight into the whole subject & situation (from all points of view) involving Richard Serrailler. Absolutely spot on and brilliantly written.

A brilliant nail-biter

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Sometimes I could simply shake Simon other time’s I want to give him a good piece of my mind and share a strong whisky. What a great character he is as is his sister Kat. This story had me from page one. I love the narration, the pace and complex subplots.
I want more!

Just wow

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I highly recommend this series to anybody. But make sure you start at the beginning it just make it so much more enjoyable!!
I am hooked completely! dreading when I will reach the last book of this excellent series.

Excellent

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i was gobsmacked by this. i was actually enjoying this story more than the previous one in the series. The undercover story was quite exciting (despite Serrailler making a stupid error) although i did find myself skipping bits of the dull sub plot with Kat.

But the best story was the rape of Shelley, who exists in a community of Masons that sounds like something from the 1950s. This series generally seems to foreground the violence and arrogance of upper middle class men, often enabled by wives and friends. But in a 21st century a crime novel, you'd expect public school Masons to be subject to the same justice as everyone else.

i was quite disgusted at the extent to which this odious establishment remains in tact and unassailable in this book. It's one thing to show the emotional trauma of rape and the gaslighting behaviour of certain men -- another to reinforce the impression that pillars of the community don't pay.

Infuriatingly problematic portrayal of rape.

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