This latest entry into the domestic noir/psychological suspense stable by Laura Wilson gets us straight into the action with a mysterious note threateThis latest entry into the domestic noir/psychological suspense stable by Laura Wilson gets us straight into the action with a mysterious note threatening to shatter the idyllic home life of diligent 'suburbicon' housewife and mother Sophie. Wilson lulls us into a false sense of security before delivering a sucker punch about a third of the way through, propelling Sophie into a gut-wrenching predicament. But that is nothing compared to the second major twist nearer the end of the book, one that I defy even seasoned readers of the genre to guess. (Ill eat my cricket helmet if you do.) The story fairly rattles along, the narrative driven by a sense of claustrophobia that closes around the reader like a vice, as Sophie thrashes fly-like in the web of her dilemma. Wonderfully pitched. A terrific read....more
This is a big-hearted, wildly ambitious book. Tim Baker has set out to craft a uniquely demanding crime novel that is much more than the sum of its paThis is a big-hearted, wildly ambitious book. Tim Baker has set out to craft a uniquely demanding crime novel that is much more than the sum of its parts. Baker draws us into the world of the Mexican cartels, setting out in granular detail the mechanisms by which these gangs operate, and the manner in which their influence extends to corrupt everything in a nation that has all but surrendered to their insidious power. But at the heart of this novel lies something darker still. The unsolved murders of hundreds of women, a crime so horrifying that it could only be based on true life events. Told from multiple perspectives, Baker weaves a complex, challenging narrative, of a society at war with itself, and of one man's attempt to redress the balance by taking it upon himself to solve a crime of almost inconceivable evil. This is one of the best crime novels you will read in a long, long time....more
I raced through this book in two days, mainly because of the beautiful quality of the prose. The author has a genuinely lovely turn of phrase, and conI raced through this book in two days, mainly because of the beautiful quality of the prose. The author has a genuinely lovely turn of phrase, and constructs her narrative with care. The story is hard to put into any one genre. There is the mystery of a missing woman at its heart, but it's not really a crime story. It can also be seen as a sort of historical memoir - it is set in the 1970s, a period the author recalls with a keen eye for detail. It is also a meditation on how small communities react to those who are different - a lesson for our increasingly cosmopolitan modern world, where some would seek to create division on the basis of such differences. The authors also uses her main character, a young girl, to pose seemingly innocent (but, in actuality, highly probing) questions about the nature and meaning of religion. This is one of those books that will divide people - but for me it was an excellent read. ...more
Some books you savour long after you have read them because of the way they connect with you. For me last year's breakout crime hit A Rising Man was oSome books you savour long after you have read them because of the way they connect with you. For me last year's breakout crime hit A Rising Man was one of those books. I love India-based fiction, and in this, the second in the series, Mukherjee once again evokes 1920s India in all its humid glory. This time his protagonist Captain Sam Wyndham is on the trail of the murderer of an Indian prince. Mukherjee uses the plot as a means of taking us back to the time of the nawabs, showing us the excesses, eccentricities, and hidden responsibilities of the men and women who once ruled the subcontinent. What distinguishes these books is the quality of the writing and the dry humour. A solid recommendation from me. Meanwhile, I eagerly await the third....more
Fever is Deon Meyer's epic post-apocalyptic survival novel. It bears comparison with landmarks in the genre such as The Stand, with its focus on the wFever is Deon Meyer's epic post-apocalyptic survival novel. It bears comparison with landmarks in the genre such as The Stand, with its focus on the way in which a group of shell-shocked survivors adapt to the new dystopian reality in which they find themselves. The novel explores humanity at its best and worst; the crushing loss of civilisation with everything that means for the structure of society, the unyielding belief in human ingenuity that powers some to rebuild in the face of terrible hardship, and the feral reasoning of those who adopt a 'survive at any cost' philosophy. Yet Meyer also takes the time to examine individual lives, and the way people shed their pasts in order to stake a claim in this new world order. This great book asks us to reflect on our own hidden natures - how would we react if the world we knew came to an end tomorrow?...more
Loading...
