Take No Farewell

An enjoyable read but would've benefited from being about a hundred pages shorter. I found it hard to understand the two main characters. Why if Geoffrey was so desperately in love with Consuela was he so easily persuaded to turn his back on her? It seemed so out of character. Why was Consuela so adamant in refusing to see him when she had urged that her daughter contact him for help? And why was she so unconcerned and uncooperative throughout the court case? Was she resigned to her fate or supremely confident that she would be acquitted? Have I missed something?

Always brilliant, and “not put downable”! I learned the phrasing “had been” and “was” why writers use this, and the difference in English. Prompted me to look it all up! I find it irritating, the use of “had been”. I find myself paraphrasing the writers’ prose if it used a lot. Robert Goddard has to be rationed by me.....I just can’t put the books down, which means all essential routines suffer! The solid substance of his research, settings of time, era, place, historical facts, interwoven into the story and characters. Consistency. Brilliant. His hard work is amazing.

Very well written. A great plot, structure, and characters. Like Past Caring, it has an emotional impact that remains with you afterwards. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Do read it! This one of his best.

Although billed as a thriller / mystery, this novel is much more than that. The highly convoluted (but generally credible) plot is, in the end, just a hook to hang a powerful tale of betrayal and redemption on. Through a tale of murder most foul within a twisted family of crooked industrialists at the turn of the century and beyond, Goddard explores the way a weak man's life-changing decision can seem to poison everything that happens to him afterwards, until finally a chance to redeem himself comes along. The story works on many levels, is thought-provoking and believable, and the writing often elegaic. Difficult to fault.

Another fantastic book from Robert Goddard. Well written, faultless research - the details are amazing. Historically so accurate, as we know anything written by this author will be.Twists & turns that mean the reader doesn't want to put the book down and strong fascinating characters. Robert Goddard never lets his readers down. Looking forward to his next publication.