Elizabeth George is an acclaimed American author, best known for her mystery novels that are set in Great Britain. She is the creator of the Inspector Lynley character and series, which have gained significant popularity and critical acclaim. George's books are primarily in the detective and mystery genres, and her meticulous attention to detail and characterization has earned her a legion of dedicated readers.
Born in Warren, Ohio, George moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when she was just eighteen months old. She received her teaching certificate from the University of California and went on to complete an advanced degree in psychology. Initially, she worked as a teacher in the public school system, but her passion for organized labor led to her being fired from her job. She then moved on to El Toro High School in El Toro, California, where she remained for the rest of her teaching career. During her time as a teacher, she was recognized as Orange County Teacher of the Year, a testament to her dedication and commitment to her students.
George's first published novel, A Great Deliverance, was released in 1988 and introduced readers to Thomas Lynley, a Scotland Yard inspector of noble birth, and Barbara Havers, his assistant from a working-class background. The novel was a critical and commercial success, earning George several award nominations and wins, including the Anthony Award, Agatha Award, and France's Le Grand Prix de Literature Policiere. She has also been awarded Germany's MIMI for her novel Well-Schooled in Murder.
In addition to her successful writing career, George's novels have been adapted for television by the BBC as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, which aired for six years and delighted fans of the books while also creating a new generation of television fans. George's work is a shining example of the power of mystery novels to captivate readers and transport them to new worlds. Her ability to create complex and memorable characters, combined with her meticulous attention to detail, has earned her a place among the great mystery writers of our time.
Inspector Lynley Books (with Elizabeth George)
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
A Great Deliverance
1988
2
Payment in Blood
1989
3
Well-Schooled in Murder
1989
4
A Suitable Vengeance
1991
5
For the Sake of Elena
1992
6
Missing Joseph
1992
7
Playing for the Ashes
1994
8
In the Presence of the Enemy
1996
9
Deception on His Mind
1997
10
In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner
1999
11
A Traitor to Memory
2001
12
A Place of Hiding
2003
13
With No One as Witness
2005
14
What Came Before He Shot Her
2006
15
Careless in Red
2008
16
This Body of Death
2010
17
Believing the Lie
2012
18
Just One Evil Act
2013
19
A Banquet of Consequences
2015
20
The Punishment She Deserves
2018
21
Something to Hide
2022
Inspector Lynley Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
A Great Deliverance
1988
2
Payment in Blood
1989
3
Well-Schooled in Murder
1989
4
A Suitable Vengeance
1991
5
For the Sake of Elena
1992
6
Missing Joseph
1992
7
Playing for the Ashes
1994
8
In the Presence of the Enemy
1996
9
Deception on His Mind
1997
10
In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner
1999
11
A Traitor to Memory
2001
12
A Place of Hiding
2003
13
With No One as Witness
2005
14
What Came Before He Shot Her
2006
15
Careless in Red
2008
16
This Body of Death
2010
17
Believing the Lie
2012
18
Just One Evil Act
2013
19
A Banquet of Consequences
2015
20
The Punishment She Deserves
2018
21
Something to Hide
2022
22
A Slowly Dying Cause
2025
Saratoga Woods Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Edge of Nowhere
2011
2
The Edge of the Water
2014
3
The Edge of the Shadows
2014
4
The Edge of the Light
2016
The Abandonment of Hannah Armstrong Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Saratoga Woods
2024
2
Possession Point
2024
3
Maxwelton Beach
2024
4
Deception Pass
2024
5
Fisherman's Alibi
2024
Short Story Collections
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Evidence Exposed
1999
2
I, Richard
2001
Non-Fiction Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Write Away: One Novelist's Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life
2004
2
Mastering the Process
2020
Death Sentences: Stories To Die For Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Mysterious Disappearance of the Reluctant Book Fairy
2014
Elizabeth George Anthologies
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Murder in the Dark
1983
2
Sisters in Crime 2
1990
3
Crime from the Mind of a Woman
2001
4
A Moment on the Edge: 100 Years of Crime Stories by Women