Rating: 
Summary: Another Strong Entry
Review: Elizabeth George gives Simon and Deborah lots of room to explore both the mystery which is the central plot, and their own relationship,while benching Lynley and Havers. I thought this might be disappointing but in fact it was not. Instead we get to look more closely at Deborah and Simon, and how their past in particular affects their present, their marriage, and tests the strength of their relationship. Readers should be aware that it is imperative to have read the earlier books in the series to fully appreciate this element of the story. The murder mystery was fairly typical of the series, with George slowly revealing the cast of characters, peeling layers of the plot back slowly but surly, and eventually having all the myriad pieces fit snuggly together in the climax. The characterizations as usual were terrific, with a number of quirky personalities dotting the landscape -- a particularly nasty harridan was a remarkable character, as was a 92 year old WW2 veteran. My only quibble is that, typical of most of the books in the series, it takes about 150 to 200 pages to become fully engaged -- introducing all the elements takes time, and without making a lot of linkages early on, the book can go rather slowly at times. But the wait is always worth it, and once the plot starts rolling, it is hard to put the book down. A very enjoyable addition to the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Devotion and Betrayal
Review: I've just returned from a trip to the island of Guernsey in the English Channel, and I'm still lost in the world I found there. I was in the company of a couple that has remained fascinating through most of the books this author has written: Deborah and Simon St. James. They introduced me to a new set of acquaintances that proved challenging. The author gave me the human condition --- the lies we live; the masks we wear; the sorrows, triumphs, accomplishments and disasters we humans encounter. This trip into the pages of "A Place of Hiding" was less about a police investigation, less about a murder, and more about the "why" of murder. This story is not a techno-thriller, no police procedural, nor a non-stop, page-turning chase. It is about what people do and why they do it......
It's a great book. I loved it....
Rating:
Summary: Mystery at its finest!
Review: This is the tale of the life and death Guy Bourard, benefactor to many, bain to more, who escaped the Nazis in Paris in his youth and is about to build a memorial to the locals who fought the German Occupation of the island of Guernsey during World War II. And that is how the story unfolds. No one paints characters to tell a story like Elizabeth George and what an excellent one this is. A thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish that you won't be able to put down. "A Place of Hiding," differs slightly from her others in its focus on Deborah and Simon Allcourt-St.James, proving that all of George's characters are so strong anyone of them could take the lead. After a brief journey to Southern California, the island of Guernsey is the setting, and I can still smell the sea air and see the inhabitants in my head. What a wonderful treat!
Rating: 
Summary: a disappointing 2 1/2 star read
Review: I have to confess I was rather disappointed with "A Place of Hiding." Perhaps it was because Barbara Havers (my favourite character in the series that Elizabeth George has created) did not make even one appearance in this installment; or perhaps it was because the novel seem to completely lack any kind of suspense (esp in comparison to Ms George's first Lynely/Havers outing, "A Great Deliverance" -- a truly superb mystery novel, that); or because it took forever for the novel to unwind and move forward. For whatever reason, "A Place of Hiding" just did not live up to my expectations. When an old friend (Cherokee Rivers) from Deborah St. James's past turns up at the St. James' doorstep begging for help, Deborah (and Simon, her husband and a forensic scientist) can hardly turn the poor man away. It turns out that Cherokee's sister, China, has been accused of murdering Guy Brouard on an isolated beach at Guersey (an island in the English Channel). Deborah is sure that her old friend is incapable of murder and is all for rushing off to prove her friend's innocence. But Simon is not so sure about the Rivers siblings, or about just what he and Deborah can really accomplish. And when it turns out that there are actually witnesses who saw China following Guy that fateful morning, both Simon and Deborah realize that its not going to be all that easy a task proving China's innocence. Finding a motive for this seemingly motiveless murder would be the first obvious step. And when the St. Jameses discover that Guy was not that well liked and that he had his fair share of enemies (two ex-wives, three estranged children, and a host of people he seems to have let down in one way or another), it looks as if the first steps have been taken to establishing that there may have been other suspects besides China. But Simon cannot let go of the notion that either one or both the Rivers siblings were involved in the murder, and his suspicions are beginning to take a toll on his relationship with Deborah. Will Simon be able to deal with his suspicions about the Rivers siblings (as well as his jealousy about Deborah's bond with them)? Or will his feelings get in the way of the investigation? The main problem with "A Place of Hiding" (for me anyway) was that it took too long to unwind. The actual motive for the murder was not revealed until a little less than three quarters way through the novel (true there were a few other probable motives strewn about, but the authour, in my opinion, failed to focus on them concretely enough that it was hard to take these 'motives' seriously). And then there was the fact that the book seemed to be absolutely full of characters, whose every action was observed, dissected, picked through and presented for the readers pleasure. And some of these characters weren't even all that essential to the plot! After a while I just started skimming in order to get to the 'meat' of the mystery!! So, if you like your mystery novels dense, where every shift in shadow and where every shade of a particular character's motivation is described, then "A Place of Hiding" should indeed satisfy. But is you're looking for a clever and suspenseful mystery novel, then you might want to give this latest Elizabeth George offering a miss.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best Elizabeth George, but not so bad
Review: This isn't five-star Elizabeth George, but it's much better than the reviews here led me to believe. I agree that Havers and Lynley are more fun than Deborah and St James, but the writing here is still good and the story absorbing.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I loved every one of her prior books, so much so that I couldn't wait for the next one. Maybe if you remove all the interplay, soul searching and second guessing that goes on between Simon and Deborah the book would have been close to her usual storytelling. I felt like I was being prepared for these two characters to get a divorce. Certainly, if they bored each other as much as they bored me, divorce is where they are headed.
Rating:
Summary: Elizabeth George Continues Going Strong!
Review: I bought A Place of Hiding in paperback and didn't read for a while as the reviews I had read weren't encouraging. I finally started reading it and am I ever glad. I enjoyed reading a story from the prospective of Simon St. James and Deborah and I became totally involved in the story and its twists and turns. Maybe it is a slightly different style than some of Ms. George's other books, but I admire an author who dares to try something even slightly different. I look forward to Ms. George's next book.
Rating:
Summary: truly dissapointed and bored!
Review: I read elizabeth george's In the presence of the enemy, and it was a very good developed story, i liked the characters also, that got me interested in reading another novel of george, but i must say that has been so difficult for me to keep on reading this one, because theres is too much wondering, the crime investigation goes sooooo slow that you get bored, to the point of not being interested in knowing who murdered Guy. I have been trying for the last 2 weeks to finish the book and i find it so dificult, im not a fan of george's novels, she is actually new to me, but, i expected more in this novel from what i've read so far. Truly dissapointed and bored. Not to mention the annoying blabbering, too wordy, and also i found the french sentences included, i dont speak french!, i mean What's the point? to keep the reader interested or to have a longer story?? I kept on passing pages, reading shallow to get to the meaty part of the story but i just can't overcome how wordy, slow and boring this book is. I finally put down the book, and dont think i will be able to finish it anytime soon or ever. What a HUGE dissapointment!
Rating:
Summary: Elizabeth George jumped the shark on this one..
Review: This book was disappointing, in a big way. Elizabeth George has picked her weaker characters, Simon and Deborah, and turns them into detectives to solve a peculiar murder. Unfortunately, the book focuses way too much on the fairly one-dimensional relationship between Simon and Deborah and not nearly enough on solving a mystery. Too much whiny soap opera and not nearly enough plot development. Although there's an explosive ending, the final resolution is way too gimmicky, and I feel that solving the case played second banana to Elizabeth George's attempt to show a really boring relationship from two sides.
It's too bad, because Elizabeth George is ususally pretty good at throwing some plot twists and red herrings in. She also usually has a more interesting set of peripheral characters and suspects, who are quirky and fun, but here she just falls flat.
Rating:
Summary: A big George fan found this book disappointing
Review: I agree with the other critiques I've read in this space (not all loose ends tied up, not her best book, very little suspense, lack of Barbara Havers is disappointing). I would also add that the writing -- good as it is -- is simply not up to her standard. For example, a young boy who is very simple -- might even be developmentally disabled although this is never explicitly stated -- but his "head dialog" is as erudite as Simon's. All the characters' voices are identical when they were thinking. George is very good at differentiating her characters in dialog and she was up to her usual standards here.
My other overall criticism -- which I think factors into all criticisms that have been made of this book -- is that the thing is just too darn long. If 200 pages minimum had been cut out, the book and its readers would have been done a big service. There were times when I realized I was basically re-reading something I'd read earlier, which, in a 779 page book, is pretty annoying.
I was impressed to read that anyone who didn't know how wonderful George is at her best would have finished this book and be willing to read another. But those readers will be happy to know that other books of George's are much, much better. "Playing for the Ashes" is an amazing achievement and so are many others.
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