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![]() | The Fields of Grief (2006) (By the Time You Read This) (The fourth book in the John Cardinal series) A novel by Giles Blunt |
Dagger Awards (nominee)
In this eagerly awaited new novel from Canada's king of crime, Detective John Cardinal faces his most personal case yet.
For years, John Cardinal's wife, Catherine, has battled severe depression. People are saddened when she finally takes her own life, but they are not really surprised. Cardinal, of course, is devastated. Despite the suicide note in Catherine's own handwriting and the coroner's finding that there is no evidence of foul play, Cardinal cannot bring himself to believe that Catherine has really killed herself.
When hateful notes about his wife's death begin to arrive in the mail, he begins to suspect murder - perhaps revenge from one of the many criminals he has put away over the years. But because the police have not opened a case, he is forced to investigate on his own. Even his longtime colleague Lise Delorme can't help
him - she's wrapped up in a nasty case of her own.
Cardinal enlists the help of Catherine's psychiatrist to help him figure out who is behind the notes. And as he investigates further, he uncovers an alarming rash of suicides in Algonquin Bay - far more than would seem natural for such a small city. Is it possible that they are, in fact, murders?
“I'm acting, Cardinal thought. I'm acting like a man having a conversation. This is how it's done: you listen, you nod, you ask a question or two, but I'm not here. I'm not even alive. I'm as gone as the World Trade Center. Catherine is dead. My heart is ground zero.”
- From By the Time You Read This
For years, John Cardinal's wife, Catherine, has battled severe depression. People are saddened when she finally takes her own life, but they are not really surprised. Cardinal, of course, is devastated. Despite the suicide note in Catherine's own handwriting and the coroner's finding that there is no evidence of foul play, Cardinal cannot bring himself to believe that Catherine has really killed herself.
When hateful notes about his wife's death begin to arrive in the mail, he begins to suspect murder - perhaps revenge from one of the many criminals he has put away over the years. But because the police have not opened a case, he is forced to investigate on his own. Even his longtime colleague Lise Delorme can't help
him - she's wrapped up in a nasty case of her own.
Cardinal enlists the help of Catherine's psychiatrist to help him figure out who is behind the notes. And as he investigates further, he uncovers an alarming rash of suicides in Algonquin Bay - far more than would seem natural for such a small city. Is it possible that they are, in fact, murders?
“I'm acting, Cardinal thought. I'm acting like a man having a conversation. This is how it's done: you listen, you nod, you ask a question or two, but I'm not here. I'm not even alive. I'm as gone as the World Trade Center. Catherine is dead. My heart is ground zero.”
- From By the Time You Read This
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Used availability for Giles Blunt's The Fields of Grief
See all available used copies of this book at: Abebooks UK or Abebooks US
Hardback Editions
August 2007 : Hardback
| Title: By the Time You Read This (Thorndike Crime Scene) Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-7862-9729-8 / 978-0-7862-9729-0 (USA edition) Publisher: Thorndike Press Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
February 2007 : Hardback
| Title: By the Time You Read This: A Novel Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-8050-8061-9 / 978-0-8050-8061-2 (USA edition) Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
October 2006 : Hardback
| Title: By the Time You Read This Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-679-31244-7 / 978-0-679-31244-4 (USA edition) Publisher: Random House Canada Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
September 2006 : Hardback
| Title: The Fields of Grief Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-00-715137-3 / 978-0-00-715137-0 (UK edition) Publisher: HarperCollins Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
Paperback Editions
October 2009 : Paperback
| Title: The Fields of Grief Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-00-734835-5 / 978-0-00-734835-0 (UK edition) Publisher: Harper Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
July 2008 : Mass Market Paperback
| Title: By the Time You Read This: A Novel Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-312-94548-5 / 978-0-312-94548-0 (USA edition) Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
October 2007 : Mass Market Paperback
| Title: By the Time You Read This Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-7704-3003-1 / 978-0-7704-3003-0 (Canada (English speaking) edition) Publisher: Seal Books Availability: Amazon Amazon CA More details... |
May 2007 : Paperback
| Title: By the Time You Read This Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-679-31500-4 / 978-0-679-31500-1 (USA edition) Publisher: Vintage Canada Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
December 2006 : Paperback
| Title: The Fields of Grief Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-00-715139-X / 978-0-00-715139-4 (UK edition) Publisher: Harper Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
December 2006 : Paperback
| Title: The Fields of Grief Author(s): Giles Blunt ISBN: 0-00-715138-1 / 978-0-00-715138-7 (UK edition) Publisher: HarperCollins Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
Other Editions
April 2010 : Kindle edition
| Title: By the Time You Read This: A Novel Author(s): Giles Blunt Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
September 2006 : Kindle edition
| Title: By the Time You Read This: A Novel Author(s): Giles Blunt Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Availability: Amazon More details... |
January 2006 : Unknown
| Title: By The Time You Read This Author(s): Giles Blunt Publisher: Vintage Canada 2006 Availability: Amazon CA More details... |
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