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Luther: The Calling (Luther #1)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 569 ratings · 156 reviews

Meet DCI John Luther.
He's brilliant. He's intense. He's obsessional.
HE'S DANGEROUS.
DCI John Luther has an extraordinary clearance rate. He commands outstanding loyalty from friends and colleagues. Nobody who ever stood at his side has a bad word to say about him. But Luther seethes with a hidden fury that at times he can barely control. Sometimes it sends him to the brink...more

Hardcover, 362 pages

Published August 1st 2011 by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd.

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Oct 03, 2012 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, 3-stars, read-in-2012, read-in-teenties, london, reviewed

John Luther, as Idris Elba, star of his own TV serial, Luther, gets his prequel in the form of this novel – Luther: The Calling – written by the same author, Neil Cross. Coming out in 2011, around the same time as the second Luther serial, this novel describes the case immediately prior to the TV serial. In fact, it runs up almost completely to the start of the first episode – covering everything that leads up to the suspension that Luther returns from. This is a dark introduction, not for the...more John Luther, as Idris Elba, star of his own TV serial, Luther, gets his prequel in the form of this novel – Luther: The Calling – written by the same author, Neil Cross. Coming out in 2011, around the same time as the second Luther serial, this novel describes the case immediately prior to the TV serial. In fact, it runs up almost completely to the start of the first episode – covering everything that leads up to the suspension that Luther returns from. This is a dark introduction, not for the faint of heart, dealing with a number of quite brutal and bloody child abductions. The story feels right though, like the TV serial itself, Luther is a dark character who needs dark crimes to pit himself against.

Several other characters from the TV serial are introduced (again). Some of them make perfect sense to exist in this novel: Zoe, his wife, is still the complex cross of selfish and trapped in a relationship that does her no good; and Rose Teller, his boss, is still the same acidic cop first human second character – the two women in Luther's life. Through to characters that didn't absolutely need to be here, but we like the continuity: Ian Reed, the dogged side-kick, who is injured throughout a lot of this story, but Cross begins to foreshadow some of the storyline that Reed presents once the TV serial kicks off. At the other end of the scale, the character that is so blatantly included just so those people who watched the TV serial can go "ah-hah" is Justin Ripley, there's no valid reason for him to be in the novel, he doesn't interact with Luther at all, just briefly collects a statement half way through the story. Totally unnecessary foreshadowing.

Over used nods to the TV seems to be the failing of the novel. Ripley's appearance aside, the characterisation of Luther especially, but also some other characters, seems to rely entirely on you having seen the TV serial. Taking the text on it's own, he seems shallow and two-dimensional, once you picture him as Idris Elba and fill in the voice and the odd tics – in fact fill in a lot yourself, because it isn't written here – only then does the character feel fully formed. While Cross has written other novels, this feels more like an adapted screenplay, it's dialogue heavy but description light. The dialogue never feels wrong, it just feels like the novel needs more non-dialogue.(less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Stefanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

Full disclaimer: I'm really not into crime novels at all. My mother loves mysteries and thrillers, and insists on buying them for me when she decides to get me books I haven't asked for, and I never enjoy them. They're generally sort of prosaic- not so terribly written that I can't stay on track and finish the book, but not so great that I'm totally captivated. I just never got into the genre.

With that in mind, reviewing Luther: The Calling as a stand alone novel, it's not any better or worse th...more Full disclaimer: I'm really not into crime novels at all. My mother loves mysteries and thrillers, and insists on buying them for me when she decides to get me books I haven't asked for, and I never enjoy them. They're generally sort of prosaic- not so terribly written that I can't stay on track and finish the book, but not so great that I'm totally captivated. I just never got into the genre.

With that in mind, reviewing Luther: The Calling as a stand alone novel, it's not any better or worse than any other generic crime drama. It's definitely uncomfortably violent in some parts, has decent writing in some parts, has weak writing in others. The story it tells is captivating but not particularly original. I loathe third person present narrative, so that was something I had to work past- it seems like a contrived way to make something feel dramatic. The characters didn't feel particularly fleshed out, though more on that in a mo. As far as crime novels go, though I haven't read a bunch, I would still put it above average, but only slightly, and with the caveat that I feel like 99.99999% of crime books are all average, so it, on its own, isn't really remarkable so much.

What saved it for me is the fact that I've seen the show, and the show is AMAZING. Like. Fucking stellar. I tried to entice no fewer than three people to watch it over break. The thing about it is, whenever I tried to explain Luther to people, I can't really do it? Is it a crime procedural? Well, not really. So it's a thriller? Yes, to an extent, but that doesn't exactly sound right either. Is it a psychological drama? That definitely plays into it, but there's more at work. It's so hard to explain. And what really sells it- what makes it so noteworthy- is the acting. In terms of plot or basic character archetypes, Luther isn't anything too new. Oh, it's a bit edgy and examines some interesting points, and is definitely executed well enough that as long as decent actors were in the roles, it would be tolerable. But they didn't get decent actors. They got the best fucking perfect actors for each role. Luther IS Idris Elba. Everyone else is perfect, too. But fucking christ, Idris Elba.

Problem is, books aren't acted out. Sure, I can picture the actors as their roles in the book, but the acting and scenes are so nuanced in the show, and they simply do not come across as such in the book. Is it a good story to lead into the BBC show? Yes. But watch the show first. Go back and read the prequel- it won't give you any more information about the characters/events (even though it stops literally at the opening scene of the programme). In fact, I think it suffered because it informed almost nothing on the characters. The actors do that themselves well enough in the show that this whole thing felt sort of superfluous. It's not bad, but it's also not great.(less)

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Dec 30, 2012 Starr Reina added it · review of another edition

DCI John Luther is a tough cop. Sure, it takes toughness and courage and grit to be as successful as Detective Chief Inspector Luther is in solving London’s murders, but could he possibly be…too tough? Could his solve rate be a result of tactics that don’t bear close scrutiny?

These questions dog at Luther’s heels as a gruesome murder suddenly changes to a search for an infant stolen in a horrific manner. All of London is searching for the baby that may or may not be alive when the killer calls i...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Monica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british, crime-and-or-evil

Not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach, but anyone who is a fan of the BBC series Luther will find this book really hard to put down. The story takes place immediately before the events which open Season One of the TV series. It introduces DCI John Luther, his boss Teller, his partner Ian Reed, and his desperately unhappy wife Zoe.

The crimes they are dealing with begin with the intimidation of elderly veteran of DDay, but move quickly to brutal murders and the disappearances of child...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Tom Wruble rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It got to the point yesterday where I couldn't put it down.

I found Bill Turner, an 85 year old character especially likeable, honorable and adaptable. Just because things were a certain way when he was young doesn't mean that it was right. Here's the passage that I found the goodness of man in:

Bill bets a few quid, watches a few races, doesn't make a penny
but enjoys himself anyway.
Then he goes out. Poor little Paddy's tied to a lamp post. His
little legs are shaking with cold and the terror of...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Hana Howard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Luther: The Calling is a prequel novel that enlightens the reader and those who are familiar with the TV series to the events leading to DCI John Luther’s fall from grace.

This is a gritty on the edge detective novel with intense characters. Cross’s skillful writing eggs the reader on to turn pages despite the grizzly scenarios. His plotting has a few twists that surprise and startle.

We meet DCI John Luther embarking on the investigation of a bizarre homicide of a pregnant women and her husband w...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Melissa Prange rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, mystery

The Calling is Neil Cross' prequel to the British TV show, Luther. Those familiar with the show will remember the riveting first five minutes of the series. This novel features the case that led up to Luther's actions at the beginning of the series and his eventual meltdown..
The narrative is punchy--the sort of writing you'd expect from a scriptwriter--and the dialogue is decent although not as philosophizing as the show's. Neil Cross moves the plot along, jumping from character to character...more The Calling is Neil Cross' prequel to the British TV show, Luther. Those familiar with the show will remember the riveting first five minutes of the series. This novel features the case that led up to Luther's actions at the beginning of the series and his eventual meltdown..
The narrative is punchy--the sort of writing you'd expect from a scriptwriter--and the dialogue is decent although not as philosophizing as the show's. Neil Cross moves the plot along, jumping from character to character with relative ease. For those unfamiliar with the show, however, his occasional attempts at foreshadowing might cause confusion. That's okay, because as a fan of the show, I was still confused and a bit annoyed at the unnecessary introduction of Justin Ripley and the weird premonition about the golden retriever. These were unnecessary additions in an otherwise tightly plotted novel. In spite of knowing the ending, I was never bored while reading The Calling. Neil Cross kept me guessing even until the final pages.
While the plot was well done, the characters were another story. Luther, unfortunately, is far flatter on the page than on the screen. I had to pull myself out of the novel and actively put Idris Elba's voice to the dialogue to even get a hint of him as a character. I had hoped the novel might provide more insight into Luther's past, but I have remained unenlightened. Luther's dark genius is nowhere to be found in The Calling. He's more of a shade--intangible and mysterious. If a reader was introduced to him through this book, they would probably find him incomprehensible and unlikable. I did not like the Luther in this book, because he didn't feel like the Luther of the show. I find John Luther to be a fascinating character, but he does not translate well on the page.
Rose Teller and Zoe, however, are portrayed very well in The Calling. I almost felt like this was Rose Teller's book rather than Luther's. I learned more about her as a character than any of the others, and I could actually picture her as I was reading. This wasn't the case for any of the other characters. Rose Teller was still Rose Teller while Ian Reed, Luther, and Schenk seemed completely different. Zoe also had more depth than the rest of the cast. We were able to see the beginning of her affair with Mark, and that helped me understand her better. I liked Zoe in the book and felt compassion for her. You could see what lead to her separation from Luther and were better able to understand her side of things. I wish that the other characters had been served as well, but perhaps, in future novels, they might be.
On the whole, I liked The Calling, but I was disappointed that Luther's character was overwhelmed by the plot. This was Neil Cross' opportunity to make us further understand Luther, but in the end, John became more of an enigma than before. (less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

LUTHER : The Calling
Neil Cross
No one does police procedurals or murder mysteries like the BBC and turning the series into a book, instead of the other way around, introduces a whole other audience to this haunting character.
Luther is a police detective, battling his own private devils which are only hinted at to the reader. His lovely wife is tired of his lack of communication and withdrawal from every one and every thing except the case he is involved with at the moment.
In the beginning pages...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Jesse rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: detective-mystery

So you should know from the start that I'm a huge fan of the "Luther" BBC series this is a prequel too. So when I saw this book on a shelf I nearly jumped for joy. I was a little hesitant when I discovered it was a prequel, but that was a different me...a stupider me. Neil Cross has now joined the very small list of Detective/Crime fiction gods (as chosen by yours truly) that prior to reading this book was Walter Mosley and Joe R. Lansdale. Now they are a Trinity, dark and grand in their savage...more So you should know from the start that I'm a huge fan of the "Luther" BBC series this is a prequel too. So when I saw this book on a shelf I nearly jumped for joy. I was a little hesitant when I discovered it was a prequel, but that was a different me...a stupider me. Neil Cross has now joined the very small list of Detective/Crime fiction gods (as chosen by yours truly) that prior to reading this book was Walter Mosley and Joe R. Lansdale. Now they are a Trinity, dark and grand in their savage beauty. So ends my fanboy gushing, now on to more serious review.

I read this book in about 3 days. Now while its not a huge book at 224 pages, that's still quite fast for me. This book will suck you in with its shadowed grit and obsessive pace. So ya know, its got that going for it.

John Luther is a tortured man. This is evident from the beginning of the book. He cares too much, and is far to good at his job. Tragedy was always walking side by side with him. Those around him are caught up in his intensity and largeness (both of body and purpose). Go with it or fight it, your chances are about the same as we witness with our secondary and tertiary characters. Most notable of which are Zoe Luther(his wife), DCI Ian Reed(friend and police comrade), and DS Rose Teller (his boss). Neil Cross does a brilliant job bringing these characters to life, and he completely honors the life that all the actors from the show brought to them as well.

Now let me say a little bit about subject and tone. This book is not for the faint of heart. I've read some emotionally draining things in my day, and this book is up there. We are dealing with brutal murder, kidnapping, abuse (both of people and animals), and in a few cases Luther is forced to converse with pedophiles. The contents of this book are amazing but dark things. So be forewarned.

So that's about it. I thought this book was amazing. Great and intense pacing, detailed and real characters, in a setting that will haunt you (I know its haunted me a bit) for a while after you read it. Sounds like a good book to me, so go read it.(less)

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Jun 03, 2012 Karen Brooks rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have never read a Neil Cross book before, but I have seen the brilliant television series, Luther, written by Cross and played by Idris Elba. It was fitting then that I read this book first as it’s the prequel to the TV series and was written with Idris’ characterisation of Luther firmly in Cross’ mind.

This story tells of the events that lead up to Luther’s suspension, break down and the dissolution of his relationship with his wife. Related in sparse, powerful prose, we watch Luther unravel...more
I have never read a Neil Cross book before, but I have seen the brilliant television series, Luther, written by Cross and played by Idris Elba. It was fitting then that I read this book first as it’s the prequel to the TV series and was written with Idris’ characterisation of Luther firmly in Cross’ mind.

This story tells of the events that lead up to Luther’s suspension, break down and the dissolution of his relationship with his wife. Related in sparse, powerful prose, we watch Luther unravel as, caught up in a crime-spree terrorising London, which begins when a couple are brutally slain in their homes, he becomes obsessive about catching the sadistic killer.

Unable to sleep, tell his wife how he feels about her or even ask his boss, Teller, for a holiday, Luther determines to catch the man who calls himself Peter Black before he can offend again.
Each step Luther takes, each decision he makes, the intensity of his mood and reactions, are captured there on the page, as is the viciousness of the crimes. While they’re not laboriously detailed, the murders and kidnappings are graphically described. The human deaths and injuries are hard enough to deal with, but there’s one against a dog that I simply could not read. My eyes skipped the page, I physically reacted to what I knew was happening and had a visceral response.

Cross is adept at exploring, in pared back language, the mind of not only killers but the brutes who roam our streets and demonstrating what it’s like to lack a conscience or, worse, to be convinced that what you’re doing isn’t wrong. Giving us insight into these people’s heads means we are given insight into what motivates them, glean an understanding of what constitutes evil – either through action or because they don’t know how to do or be anything else. It’s a difficult journey Cross takes us on, but one worth taking. We vacillate between being appalled and more appalled, much like Luther. By the end of the book, you feel as if you’ve participated in an emotional and psychological marathon. It’s exhausting but in that strange way that even dark books can be, so worthwhile.

Though I knew the ending (fans of the TV series will, as the season one begins where this book leaves off), it didn’t spoil the tale. On the contrary it enriched the reading experience as there’s something gratifying and enormously interesting about discovering how a writer reaches a certain point, how she or she arcs the story, plots it out and develops the characters in order to reach that specific place – the intersection between the familiar and the unfamiliar.

Cross is a master. Luther a masterpiece. A brilliant book but not for the feint-hearted.
(less)

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Mar 07, 2012 switterbug (Betsey) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Neil Cross, sole writer of the BBC TV series, Luther, wrote this psychological crime drama prequel, subsequent to writing the TV show. I have never read a book based on a screenplay that was any good, until now. Not just good, but unputdownable. Was it as riveting as the series? Absolutely. I wasn’t distracted by segueing from film to print, or going back in time, or the sizzling reminders of Idris Elba, who consummately personifies DCI John Luther.

“Luther is a big man with a big walk,” is Cross...more Neil Cross, sole writer of the BBC TV series, Luther, wrote this psychological crime drama prequel, subsequent to writing the TV show. I have never read a book based on a screenplay that was any good, until now. Not just good, but unputdownable. Was it as riveting as the series? Absolutely. I wasn’t distracted by segueing from film to print, or going back in time, or the sizzling reminders of Idris Elba, who consummately personifies DCI John Luther.

“Luther is a big man with a big walk,” is Cross’s understated way of describing this very complex and conflicted London detective of the Serious Crime Unit. He was once a post-grad English literature major, who met his wife, Zoe, when they took a comparative religion course together about twenty years ago. She is now a human rights attorney, and Luther fights crime on the London streets.

John loves his wife, frequently despises his job, but compromises his marriage for the dedication and long hours that keep him away from home, physically and emotionally. He’s hypomanic, which is, euphemistically, bipolar-lite. His mood is elevated and sleep is elusive. He doesn’t drink. Now, there’s an original and refreshing trait. Too many crime novels portray the alcoholic genius detective. Luther is a genius, but a sober one.

Luther has a temper. Violent criminals, especially psychopaths who harm children, provoke his rage. He periodically goes rogue in his tactics, creating hair-raising moments with his boss, Rose Teller. His partner and best friend, Ian Reed, is on the same page, but other colleagues frown when he disregards policy. They officially complain, complicating the plot and putting the squeeze on Luther’s advantage against the clock.

Graphic violence is central to the plot, so beware the beast. However, it is not gratuitous. Cross is brilliant at combining Tarantino and Rumi. Luther is the thinking man's combatant, a scholar/warrior, a David Bowie enthusiast and moral strategist, with a hint of the mystical. Instead of a patched-elbow tweedy elite, which he could have been, he is fighting crime. Luther is a conundrum. On the one hand, he is deeply virtuous and applies his principles or morality to outwitting the criminal. On the other hand, his tempestuous means to an end approach often violates departmental ethics, creating considerable problems for himself, his colleagues, and his superiors.

With a poetic economy of words, Cross keeps a sublime vise grip on the reader. Oh, those pages will fly and burn your fingers in the process. The pace is crucial to the mood and plot, and Cross maintains a fierce but restrained tempo, as incomparable as the series. You will be installed in the story by the first page; it is so exquisitely brazen, you will screech and howl before it is over. The next book in the series can’t come soon enough!(less)

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Sep 04, 2011 Suzi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Anything to do with Idris Elba I love so unsurprisingly a book about his best acting performance to date got me gripped. I think it's brilliant that Neil Cross having created this character has decided to keep him alive in book form (it certainly seems the TV series is over). I've never read a book quite like this before, as an avid viewer of Luther all the characters in this book are firmly cemented in my head, I know what they look and sound like, it's a bit like reading a book after you've se...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 110-books-in-2012-and-do-it-again, abduction, advanced-copy-review, author-s-first-book, family-relationships, free-book-for-honest-review, hardboiled, mystery, own-it, police-procedural, read-in-2012, reviewed, series, thriller

"Luther: The Calling" is the first book in a series that stars no nonsense Deputy Inspector John Luther.

The story opens when one of Luther's friends on the police department gets roughed up by two thugs hired by a man who is trying to get a senior citizen to sell his home so the criminal can develop the land.

The central part of the story involves a serial killer who murders a young husband and wife and steals their infant.

Luther is a workaholic who puts himslf so much into the investigation that...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Kari Ramirez rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod

Seriously.

*breathe*

One day I was trolling around the interwebs looking at stuff about when my favorite BBC shows were coming back on and I discovered that there was a book written about Luther. Now, if you have never seen the show I urge you to go out right now and watch it. It streams on Netflix. If you don't have a Netflix subscription get one and watch Luther. You won't regret it.

I checked my library and lo & behold they actually had the book. I figured I might...more ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod

Seriously.

*breathe*

One day I was trolling around the interwebs looking at stuff about when my favorite BBC shows were coming back on and I discovered that there was a book written about Luther. Now, if you have never seen the show I urge you to go out right now and watch it. It streams on Netflix. If you don't have a Netflix subscription get one and watch Luther. You won't regret it.

I checked my library and lo & behold they actually had the book. I figured I might as well. After all, I read the Nikki Heat book 'written' by Richard Castle and that one sucked butt so this couldn't be any worse. To my utter excitement I found out that the book is written by Neil Cross, creator & sole writer for the TV show. Score!

And boy did I score.

Luther: The Calling takes place during the events just before the series begins. It explains everything that has driven John Luther to become the person he now is on the show. We get to find out exactly what happened just before the opening scene in the first episode of one of the best shows on TV. And it's so good.

I bit all my nails and then some. I was immersed and completely lost in this book. It's suspense, it's a thriller and it's part horror. It's frightening, grisly, depraved and utterly fantastic. Neil Cross already speaks Luther. He made Luther. Going from television to paper is seamless AND IT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING!!! If you have watched the show you will read through this book and have those 'holy shit' moments where everything begins to come together. Things that happen in the second season of the show are given their first breaths of life on these pages.

It's magnificent. The dust cover promises that this is the first book in a planned series. I'm not sure if that's still the plan, but if it is I'm all in. This was an amazing piece of work and I think I would have been blown away even if I'd never seen the show. This is the first time that I can remember reading a book by an Edgar award winner and being in complete agreement. Go forth and read this book and then watch the show. Or watch the show and get the book. It doesn't matter which way you decide to do it, just do it. (less)

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Oct 25, 2012 Paul Pessolano rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Luther The Calling” by Neil Cross, published by Touchstone Books.

Category – Mystery/Thriller

Detective Chief Inspector, (this is an English mystery); John Luther is a brilliant detective but has some serious problems. He not only has personal problems at home but is somewhat of a maverick at work. He is known for not following the rules and has questionable interrogation techniques. He is a driven man who once he is on a case cannot let it go, in fact, he becomes so involved he gives up home and...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Jenniferdavis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed the story very much, but I did have a few problems with the book overall. The story is a prequel to the series and takes you up to the first 5 minutes of the first episode. As a big fan of the series, I really enjoyed being able to get some 'fresh' Luther (since they haven't even started filming season 3 yet). And since Neil Cross is the creator of the show (and writer of all 10 episodes), the book was really true to the characters and the series (not like some tv books, which can be r...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Gerald rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: london

Definitely not the sort of thing I normally read. A dark, dark, dark story (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was like a disney comic compared to this) and I don't normally like that.

But this is Luther. Reading this is just as good as watching an entire 6 part series of Luther. And seeing as there isn't one out for a while, this'll do just fine.

Despite the darkness, Neil Cross has somehow created an incredible set of characters. Setting this book before the first series was a good idea, because there...more Definitely not the sort of thing I normally read. A dark, dark, dark story (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was like a disney comic compared to this) and I don't normally like that.

But this is Luther. Reading this is just as good as watching an entire 6 part series of Luther. And seeing as there isn't one out for a while, this'll do just fine.

Despite the darkness, Neil Cross has somehow created an incredible set of characters. Setting this book before the first series was a good idea, because there were elements of that series, Ian Reed, Rose Teller, Luther's splintering marriage... that I definitely wanted more of, but they all came to an end (without giving away why).

I couldn't describe in words what makes Luther on TV so good. It would just sound like any such cop show. There are two things that make it amazing: Idris Elba and London. Neil Cross writes the stories, but the character is all made by Idris Elba.

And the immense privilege about reading this tv spin-off novel, is that it is a genuinely good novel featuring EXACTLY the same genuinely good characters as the tv series, because the same fellow (who's brilliant at both forms of writing) is responsible for it.

I can picture all the main characters perfectly, all of Luther's tics and baffling irrationality with respect to his wife and friends, and his total-wiredness.

And Neil Cross writes such amazing London stories. This is the very same London I live in (scarily close to the scene of the final denouement) and its people by the very same Londoners. All the more remarkable because Neil Cross actually lives on the other side of the world (in the town I was brought up in)! After being away for a few months, I find I lose track of all the tiny little cultural details that so define us... Neil Cross doesn't. Everything is spot on perfect.

There's definitely room for another Luther novel, although to be honest, what I want now is to go back and watch it all again, in order and then wait for a new series and the much promised film.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Vince Hale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First, I have to say that it was a no-brainer for me to buy this book. I love the TV show and really had no doubt that I’d love the book too.

Some other reviewers have commented on the violence towards children and animals in this book, and yes, it is very disturbing for those very reasons. I read this book in hour-long spurts over five or six days and I had nightmares every night. Not necessarily about the subject matter; but just upsetting dreams that are a result of a mind that’s not at ease....more

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May 30, 2012 Tana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, giveaway, mystery, psychological, tragedy-angst, thriller

I have gotten Luther: The Calling from a goodreads first-reads giveaway, and I really like it!

According to the author, Neil Cross, Luther was a TV show before it become a book; and truthfully, since I haven't actually watched television for a long time, I have never heard of the show Luther until I starting reading this book.

It does show that Cross has more experience in writing screenplay though. Unlike a vast majority of novels, all the paragraphs are very short, and most of them consists of o...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Tyler rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This book is a very tightly placed crime thriller set in London, and it is considered a prequel to the TV show Luther, and is obviously about the same characters. Its easy to tell at Mr. Cross writes for television because it was very tightly paced and his use of viewpoint is tailor made to fit visual 'shots' for the screen. The main character is very intense and interesting and I read this book in just two sittings, it was intense and I was simply pulled through it.

This book is well written, an...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Bill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, thriller

Hard-boiled. That's what they used to call this sort of thing. I guess they still do. In any event, this is hard-boiled, even brutal, detective fiction. Sparse, hard-hitting prose. Gritty, realistic characters and settings. Bad, bad, bad guys. Basically decent, but driven cops that sometimes cross the line in order to get the bad guys and protect the innocent. Classic hard-boiled.

DCI (that's Detective Chief Inspector - this is a British novel, through and through) John Luther first came to life...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Hobart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

Wow. Just...wow. The same disturbed depravity, intensity, dedication, drive that are displayed in each episode of Cross' show are in full force here. You've got one very, very sick murderer (and I mean that in every possible way) being hunted by Det. Luther across London. And even tho' most people who pick up this book know exactly how it ends (the opening scene of episode 1), you're still on the edge of your seat, white-knucklin' the book, breathing only when you remember.

The visuals are straig...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Pamela Detlor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I couldn't put this one down. While the content was dark and at times violent, I found it very well plotted. Neil Cross' introduction of characters at all stages of the book was seamless. I did wince several times during the book and had to skim at one scene in particular (in the alley with the elderly man), yet, this is a piece of "Crime Fiction," and darkness was expected.

I was not familiar with Cross or his TV writing, as I'm in Canada, and his program doesn't air here (to my knowledge). His...more

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Nov 04, 2012 LiteraryMarie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Luther: The Calling is the prequel to BBC series by the television show's creator and writer Neil Cross. Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) John Luther is obsessed with solving murders for the Serious Crime Unit in London. He has an intensity that borders bad cop with bipolar disorder tendencies. He acts under extenuating circumstances that the law does not recognize. But whatever Luther does is for a reason only he understands at that moment.

Luther: The Calling is told in third person. The view is...more Luther: The Calling is the prequel to BBC series by the television show's creator and writer Neil Cross. Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) John Luther is obsessed with solving murders for the Serious Crime Unit in London. He has an intensity that borders bad cop with bipolar disorder tendencies. He acts under extenuating circumstances that the law does not recognize. But whatever Luther does is for a reason only he understands at that moment.

Luther: The Calling is told in third person. The view is from the killer, who cut a baby from a mother's womb, and from DCI Luther. Readers learn how Luther met his wife Zoe and how their relationship fell off track. We also see how Zoe's affair with Mark blossomed. In the British TV crime series, we knew that somewhere along the line, their marriage started drifting. This book tells how it all started. This is the extraordinary case that pushed DCI Luther over the edge, personally and professionally. This prequel also ends EXACTLY where the first TV episode begins.

My major gripe with Luther: The Calling is that it reads like a script. For example, "Howie stops off for Luther to pick up a burger. He eats it upside down in waxed paper. He's wiping his mouth on one hand as they walk into the station at the corner of Hobb Lane and Abbadon Street." Might as well add that the camera pans to a street sign. It was very distracting. However, it highlighted small mannerisms of Luther's that we are used to seeing, such as him shoving his hands deep in his coat pockets to prevent himself from touching things in a crime scene. The author states that "Idris made Luther." Tis is true. I imagined Idris Elba as I read page after page. But it didn't help that the "big man with a big walk" was described in screenplay fashion.

This is one of the few examples where I prefer the TV adaptation to the crime novel. It's much more entertaining on screen. Sorry, Neil Cross. I rather watch what you've written than read what you've written.

Literary Marie of Precision Reviews(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 T. Edmund rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Luther the Calling brings the brutal character Luther into novel format with a prequel to the TV series. Written by Neil Cross the original creator of the series, this book stays very true the characters and compliments the series well.

In the same breath, a completely new fan without seeing the Luther series prior to reading this will still enjoy this novel. The prose is tight as, the world the characters in harsh and dark. The mystery, the relationships, and Luther's mental health are all as a...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime

I loved the TV show, so picked up the book, which is a prequel that leads directly into the first few minutes of episode one.

The characters are brilliantly evoked, and it adds a lot off emotional heft and tragic backstory to the first season, especially to the character of Ian Reed.

My only problem is that Cross clearly felt, with some justification, that a criminal who would drive Luther to the extremes we saw at the start of the first episode, would have to be especially heinous. I mean, really...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The quickest way to get me to skip over a book, movie, or tv show is to mention the phrase, "Serial Killer". I feel that they are over done and in general, the most of the time, the author tries to glorify them. I also dislike police procedural type stories.
But I gave the Luther tv show a shot on Netflix, and despite it having those elements in it, I found myself hooked. Then I found out there was a book that worked as a prequel to the show. Most of the time, spin-off or tie-in books are not ver...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Roslyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Luther: The Calling
By Neil Cross

Luther: The Calling is a prequel novel that enlightens the reader and those who are familiar with the TV series to the events leading to DCI John Luther’s fall from grace.

This is a gritty on the edge detective novel with intense characters. Cross’s skillful writing eggs the reader on to turn pages despite the grizzly scenarios. His plotting has a few twists that surprise and startle.

We meet DCI John Luther embarking on the investigation of a bizarre homicide of a...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: finishedreviewcopy

Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably already know that mysteries just aren't really my thing. They can be good, but they're all so similar in their plot arc, and I just don't feel compelled to read many. As such, I usually reject review requests for mysteries. However, I made an exception for this one, because it's based on a BBC series, one I haven't seen actually, but still! The allure of British programming is irresistable to me!

The C...more Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably already know that mysteries just aren't really my thing. They can be good, but they're all so similar in their plot arc, and I just don't feel compelled to read many. As such, I usually reject review requests for mysteries. However, I made an exception for this one, because it's based on a BBC series, one I haven't seen actually, but still! The allure of British programming is irresistable to me!

The Calling is a prequel to the the British Series, which is supposedly wonderful. Though I know nothing about it, I can see this book setting up Luther as he must be in the show. His married life falls apart, so that he can be the typical single, gruff detective and free, presumably, for hookups and romantic entanglements later on in the show. Happy husbands are not generally assumed to make compelling television. In The Calling, he also steps outside the bounds of what is allowable for police work, possibly for the first time, another thing that I assume sets up the plot of the show.

My favorite aspects of the novel, though, were those that do not fit into the detective stereotype. While Luther's marriage breaks up in the typical way, through her frustration over his workaholic nature, he cares more than most of the hard-boiled detective types. John Luther is a romantic; he loves his wife wholly and completely, and neglects her during cases, because he simply cannot rest (literally) until the case is solved. His need to resolve cases seems almost pathological. On top of his deep love and respect for his wife, Luther also loves to read and is a rather quiet, nerdy guy outside of the office.

Of course, when he's working, Luther is, without a doubt, a freaking badass that you really do not want to be messing with. He will stop at nothing to catch the bad guy and save a life. I had the most trouble with these aspects because I really cannot imagine him getting away with most of the things that he does. Of course, vigilante justice is much more entertaining than the way 'justice' would really work, with trials and evil men going free, but it just didn't seem believable to me at times.

This book is pretty graphic, so the faint of heart, those who like their mysteries to be of the cozy variety, should pass this one buy with a quickness. Also, even if you like graphic violence in your books, I want to warn that there are brutal scenes of animal violence (even worse than Origin) and crimes perpetrated against children. If you have young children, you might not want to read this, unless you're really good at not imagining fictional circumstances happening to your own kids.

All in all, The Calling did follow along with pretty standard mystery tropes, but I did enjoy it a bit more than usual. If you like dark, gritty mysteries, this should please you. (less)

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Sep 14, 2012 Gatorman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nook-lendme-books

A very good thriller from Cross which serves as a prequel to his Luther series on the BBC (which I have never seen). The writing is top notch and the story moves along with a very dark undercurrent involving kidnapped children and babies that will probably make some people a bit squeamish. The biggest problem I had was the failure of Cross to give sufficient background on Luther to explain why he is so intense and violent at this stage in his career. It felt as if I came into the series about 3...more

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The Mystery, Crim...: Neil Cross wins 2012 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel	4	19	Sep 02, 2012 06:51pm
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About Neil Cross

Neil was born in Bristol in 1969. He lived in Edinburgh, Brighton, Leeds and London before settling down. He is the author of several novels including Always the Sun, Burial and Captured as well as the bestselling memoir Heartland. He was lead scriptwriter for the acclaimed series 6 and series 7 of the BBC spy drama series Spooks and is the creator of the forthcoming BBC crime thriller Luther, whi...more

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