|
| Name to a Face | 
| Author: Robert Goddard
Publisher: Corgi
Category: Book
Buy New: $7.99
New (15) from $7.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 395539
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 400
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.6
ISBN: 0552152129
EAN: 9780552152129
ASIN: 0552152129
Publication Date: August 12, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New. Expected US delivery in 7-10 business days
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
A centuries old mystery is about to unravel…
When Tim Harding is sent by his employer to buy an antique ring at auction, little does he realize that he is about to restart a chain of events which began many years before. The ring was first lost in a sinking off the isles of Scilly in 1707. When centuries later it is rediscovered in 1999, once again its appearance coincides with a terrible tragedy.
But before it can be sold, the ring is stolen and looks set to disappear forever. Until a shocking murder draws attention to a sequence of events designed to conceal crucial facts about its origins. At the heart of the mystery is a young woman whom Harding is certain he recognizes, even though they have never met before. As he goes in search of her identity, his life begins to unravel around him. Somewhere, a perilous truth about the ring awaits him, coupled with a dreadful realization: those who uncover the truth are not allowed to live…
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Not as good as almost any other mystery he has written. . . October 27, 2008
Like some of the other reviewers, I would strong recommend Goddard to any new mystery enthusiast, but DO NOT start with this book. At some points, I even wondered if Goddard wrote the dialogue I was reading, it was so stilted and contrived.
Still, someone who has written so much that is good has to have a weak novel somewhere along the line.
 Awesome mystery September 13, 2008
A must read - easy to follow with an engaging story line about a century old mystery and intrigue. The characters are solid and have depth which is a great match to the story line that spans centuries. Must read!
 first half is decent, then it tails off badly October 30, 2007
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
(from my amazon UK review)
Robert Goddard has written some truly outstanding novels. The best are Past Caring, In Pale Battalions, and Painting the Darkness. I reread those books every couple of years, I've sent numerous copies to friends via Amazon, and I keep 3-4 copies around myself just in case I lose one or loan a copy and at that moment have an urge to read the book again. Goddard's books usually center on the unearthing (sometimes literally) of secrets and events from 20 to 40 years back. He's a master of this genre, with the genre's prototypical example being Du Maurier's Rebecca. The only other master who comes to mind is Ross MacDonald--if you havent't read any of his Lew Archer mysteries and enjoy Goddard's novels, give them a try.
Name to a Face features secrets from 10, 270, 300, and 650 years back. The book starts off in a promising fashion, with the protagonist Tim Harding finding himself in the middle of a swirl of strange events which almost everyone else seems to know more about than he does: this kind of situation is usually a Goddard signature--reminiscent of Kafka's The Trial, but not so ubiquitous. But as Harding learns more, the pace seems to slow rather than to accelerate, unlike in Goddard's best works. The last part of the book almost seems to create more loose ends than to tie them up--it feels as if Goddard has put together parts from different books. I felt myself pausing and saying "What on earth is going on here?". One of the major themes of the early part of the book, if you want a bad and mixed metaphor, turns out to be kind of a red herring in the stargazy pie (popular in Penzance--for US readers google stargazy pie and see the cornishlight entry--you'll see what I mean here!)
So if you enjoy Goddard's novels, this is not bad--but it also is not one of his best works--read the book. If you haven't read any of Goddard's novels, don't start with this, you might not read any of the others. Start with Past Caring, and continue on to Pale Battalions and Painting the Darkness--all three are truly deserving of a 5-star rating.
|
|
|
Wildlife, nature and the Environment
Sponsored Links
Learn how to get your own Amazon Book shop | |
