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Jump to navigationJump to searchResponsibilities (Greg Mason mysteries) by Ann Macarthur (view source)
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|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Crime
|summary=An engaging mystery spanning the 1940s to the 1990s. Clever plotting and good characterisation make for a surprisingly quick read for such a substantial book.|rating=4|buy=Yes|borrow=Yes
|pages=452
|publisher=Independently published
|aznus=B0CK3MYJ56
}}
In May 1941, Hans Jurgen Schmidt was the pilot in a top-secret mission. Rudolph Hess was flying to Scotland to meet up with the Duke of Hamilton with the intention of persuading the British to change sides. There would be advantages for the British and Hitler would have support in his war against the Russians - 'the real foe to the east'. Hess bails out but Scmidt's plane is downed soon afterwards when he encounters a flock of large birds on the return flight. In the 1950s Alan and Annie Glenn farm in Scotland. They have two sons, Fergus and Archie. Archie is a gentle, kindly soul, bullied by his elder brother who is neither gentle nor kindly. What will happen when Archie meets the woman he comes to love? On the face of it, there would seem to be little to link these vignettes but this book is cleverly plotted. You 're going to have a lot of light-bulb moments as you realise how everything ties together. The three storylines are all engaging in their own right but the way they link up is particularly satisfying. The locations - Scotland and the east of England - are all brought to life well. It's the characters you want to know about, though, isn't it? Greg Mason is a clever construct: at the beginning, I thought he was immature and that his ambition to be a private investigator should perhaps be shelved until he had a few more years on his back. But - he learns from his mistakes, he takes advice and he's braver than I would have been. Over the course of the story, he blossoms and I look forward to reading more of his exploits. On the other hand, Fergus is a baddie you can really dislike. He's well done. The men come off the page a little better than the women - but that's me being very picky. ''Responsibilities'' was a good and remarkably quick read more about Ann Macarthur for such a substantial book and I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag. If you've read ''Responsibilities'' and Keith Redfern you're looking for your next book, we can recommend [[Frank Merlin:Category:Ann Macarthur and Keith Redfern|herePrinces Gate by Mark Ellis]].
{{amazontext|amazon=B0CK3MYJ56}}
