This book was an okay read all in all, but at times I found it confusing and a tidbit boring as well.
The end was not like I expected (based on the complete story), but it did fit in well. ( )

Really enjoyable suspense thriller built around the murder of Chris Napier's great uncle, suicide of his previous best friend and battles over inheritance. A lot of the action takes place in Cornwall (especially Truro). ( )

The mystery begins when Chris Napier finds his childhood friend, Nicky Lanyon, lurking - and later hanged - in the bushes at a family event. Nicky’s father, Michael, was hanged for conspiracy to commit murder after Chris’ grandfather was found stabbed to death. The motive was always a bit unclear since it was assumed that Michael – despite being no blood relation to Chris’ grandfather - would inherit the fortune rather than the Napier family.

Goddard does a masterful job of interweaving the past with the present. There are 3 separate timelines being read at once with no disruption to any of the storylines. The characters are a good mix of the likable, the detestable and the enigmatic. The reader is taken along on a complex journey as Chris attempts to unravel a decades-old family mystery.

Rating: 4 Stars ( )

I don't think Robert Goddard knows how to write a bad book. He is the supremo when it comes to writing a ripping yarn! This has all the hallmarks of a great story from Robert Goddard, weaving backwards and forwards (seamlessly) through time to try find out what happened 34 years ago when Chris's uncle was murdered. This story took quite a bit of piecing together but absolutely loved everything about the book, even when one unexpected twist fooled me! You haven't read Robert Goddard? Why? You certainly need to remedy that if you love great 'all-involving' mystery books. He is most definitely one of my favourite authors and he has NEVER let me down. Go on, you know you want to! ( )

Beyond Recall by Robert Goddard
5★'s

From The Book:
On a bright autumn afternoon in Truro, the Napier family celebrates one couple’s golden wedding anniversary and another’s marriage. But for one member of the clan, the day turns dark. Chris Napier, prodigal son, suddenly spots the ragged specter of a former friend, Nicky Lanyon—a man whose own family was ruined by the same twist of fate with which the Napiers were blessed. And the next morning, Chris is horrified to find Nicky dead, hanging from a tree where the boys once played.

For Chris, the suicide opens a floodgate of doubt and suspicion. How did his family’s wealth slip out of the hands of a great-uncle, brutally murdered before he could change his will? Were the men convicted of the crime truly guilty? And who is the mysterious, seductive woman who claims to know the Napiers’ darkest secrets? As the crimes of two families are exposed, a series of violent acts shadows him and suddenly Chris knows he’s in uncharted waters…until a killer drops one last disguise—for the ultimate act of revenge.

My Thoughts:
The story is incredibly complex, and absolutely believable. The family history leading up to the present events is brilliantly depicted in each chapter and each witness that Chris uncovers adds a piece of information to the building blocks making up the final chapter. I did find it a challenge to keep who, what and why straight at times...but the end result was so well worth it. I would highly recommend this to anyone that loves a tangled mystery with lots of "I never saw it coming" plots. ( )