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Death Mask (Dr Anya Crichton #5)

by Kathryn Fox (Goodreads Author)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 141 ratings · 27 reviews

When the victim of a violent gang rape accuses five premier sportsmen of being her attackers, she has no idea that her suffering has only just begun . . .

It's a scandal that rock a nation of sports fans. But, in spite of a huge amount of evidence, no one seems to believe her.

So when Dr Anya Crichton, a forensic expert in sexual assault, is asked to become involved by the t...more

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published March 1st 2011 by Hodder & Stoughton

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Oct 02, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a facinating book in terms of being a bit of an eye opener on the awful subculture/ignorance of American Football players. Also thought provoking with the delving into of the brain injuries that occur and the effects they sustain long term.

Forensic physician Dr Anya Crichton is presented with a patient who has returned from her honeymoon with multiple sexually transmitted infections.

Her husband has none of them. She tearfully denies having had any other partners and Anya believes her. I...more

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Aug 14, 2011 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the 5th Anya Crichton novel by Australian author Kathryn Fox, and is a captivating crime fiction novel set against the backdrop of sexual assault and drug abuse in professional sport. Forensic physician Dr. Anya Crichton is the likeable, but sometimes aloof main character who finds herself lecturing American footballers in New York and ultimately investigating the sex, drugs and rap and roll culture of the sport.
The plotline is slick and the American location no doubt lends itself to fu...more This is the 5th Anya Crichton novel by Australian author Kathryn Fox, and is a captivating crime fiction novel set against the backdrop of sexual assault and drug abuse in professional sport. Forensic physician Dr. Anya Crichton is the likeable, but sometimes aloof main character who finds herself lecturing American footballers in New York and ultimately investigating the sex, drugs and rap and roll culture of the sport.
The plotline is slick and the American location no doubt lends itself to future big screen possibilities, not to mention expanding Kathryn Fox's global appeal. To this end however, I was a little disappointed with the American setting. While I understand the foibles of professional sport are universal, the Australian angle is what I believe sets Kathryn Fox apart from the Cornwell and Reichs type forensic thrillers. I have no doubt that an equally enthralling storyline could have been based around an Australian Rugby League, Union, AFL or soccer club scenario. I also feel, based on past books, that Anya Crichton is a more interesting and rounded character in her own environment, where she is surrounded by her son, ex-husband and the routines of life at home.
Putting sportsmen on a pedestal and having their shortcomings and misdemeanours ignored by the media and the public is another interwoven and topical theme throughout the novel. Herein lies my only other criticism of the novel. Particularly early in the novel I felt a little badgered by Crichton as she expressed her somewhat moralistic views. At some point I though the line was crossed between a crime fiction novel and a social commentary on professional sport subculture.
Thankfully the lecturing didn't last long and once past the sexual health discussions, the book becomes unputdownable. The cast of characters ties together on a number of levels and Anya loses her blandness with the romantic tension between herself and American investigator Ethan Rye bubbling away in the background. Some surprising twists along the way build the tension and suspense until eventually all becomes clear. And you just can't stop reading until you get there.
Overall a very enjoyable crime thriller with a tight, topical and captivating plot that builds throughout the book. It is not necessary to have read the earlier Anya Crichton novels and I would recommend Death Mask to all devotees of crime fiction, particularly those that enjoy the forensics angle and/or exposing the dark side of professional sports. Kathryn Fox is a shining light in Australian fiction and I can't wait to read the future Dr Anya Crichton novels (hopefully set in Australia) of which I hope there are many, many more.(less)

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Jul 14, 2011 Ellie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime

Kathryn Fox's crime series follows Dr Anya Crichton, who specialises in dealing with victims of sexual assaults. Malicious Intent and Without Consent were both excellent reads but her novels have gone slowly downhill since and I think Death Mask might be the end for me.

For some reason she decided to transplant Anya to America to cover the seedy side of American football even though she tars Aussie rules and soccer with the same brush. I find it very hard to believe that 90% of football players a...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Deb Waterhouse-watson rated it 5 of 5 stars

A definite page-turner, and an unusual crime novel, as the reader knows who has committed (most of) the crimes from the beginning, but that just gives us more opportunity to enjoy the journey and uncover different types of intrigue. This novel gets to the heart of a lot of the problems regarding football and sexual assault, and I particularly liked the way she shows how a legitimate rape case can be made to look suspect. While this is of course a work of fiction, Fox has obviously researched the...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Miles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Although I was fully aware of the sensitive theme behind Kathryn Fox’s “Death Mask” it hadn’t prepared me for the jaw dropping impact it would have on me within 10 pages. Despite it’s despicability I hadn’t truly grasped the brutality of gang rape – were you aware that rape remains one of the most under reported violent crimes today?

The beginning left me breathless in its evocative delivery - a blushing new bride is brutally and savagely attacked while on her honeymoon. She returns, unaware of...more Although I was fully aware of the sensitive theme behind Kathryn Fox’s “Death Mask” it hadn’t prepared me for the jaw dropping impact it would have on me within 10 pages. Despite it’s despicability I hadn’t truly grasped the brutality of gang rape – were you aware that rape remains one of the most under reported violent crimes today?

The beginning left me breathless in its evocative delivery - a blushing new bride is brutally and savagely attacked while on her honeymoon. She returns, unaware of what’s happened and discovers she has contracted multiple sexually transmitted diseases. A virgin, Hannah had saved herself for her husband and the discovery of the diseases has left her in shock and uncertainty. It sets the tone for the rest of the book and to be honest, it doesn’t let up from beginning to end.

This scenario lays down a solid foundation that is, to be frank, unshakable. The narrative is fluid and incredibly powerful and left me reeling and breathless on numerous occasions. Despite “Death Mask” being a work of fiction, there is no doubt that scenes similar to the ones found in the book are very real to hundreds and thousands of innocent victims in today’s society. Kathryn Fox, a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine, gives voice to these acts of cowardice, selfishness and dare I say weakness.

“When the victim of a violent gang rape accuses five premier sportsmen of being her attackers, she has no idea that her suffering has only just begun.

It's a scandal that rocks a nation of sports fans.

But, in spite of a huge amount of evidence, no one seems to believe the girl.

So when Dr Anya Crichton, with her forensic and sexual assault expertise, is asked to get involved - albeit on behalf of the team managers - she knows she can't say no.

But as she investigates further, she realises that the scandals, violence and abuses run much deeper, and much further into the past than she could ever have imagined.”
Full review on my blog:-http://www.milorambles.com/2011...
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Jul 23, 2011 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reading-list, owns

Well! Kathryn Fox does it again. Her fifth novel for Dr Anya Crichton does not disappoint. Some of the content can be a little graphic and as is often with Kathryn Fox's books the subject matter is dealing with a confronting issue in society today. The book deals with pack mentality in professional sports and how their bad behavior is often protected.

The book is set in America where Anya has been asked to present a series of seminars to footballers on sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Mary Gilligan-Nolan rated it 3 of 5 stars

It took me much longer than usual to read this book. It may have been because it was Christmas week and I was busier than usual, or maybe, it just was not enough to keep me hooked, I'm not sure. I enjoyed Kathryn Fox's previous books, but I feel I could have lived without this one. Anya Crichton becomes involved with the case of a victim of gang rape, the victim being the wife of a Sports team player, the gang being her husbands team-mates and it happened on their wedding night, with his consent...more

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Nov 22, 2010 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, crime, review-books

The fifth Dr Anya Crichton book from Kathryn Fox, DEATH MASK combines Anya's forensic physician role with an exploration of professional sport and sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct is too mild a description really - this book explores the very murky world of mob-behaviour, gang rape, drug abuse, violence and professional sport. Set mostly in America, the behaviour is something that Australian's are also more than aware of, the poor behaviour of many professional sports people hitting the head...more The fifth Dr Anya Crichton book from Kathryn Fox, DEATH MASK combines Anya's forensic physician role with an exploration of professional sport and sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct is too mild a description really - this book explores the very murky world of mob-behaviour, gang rape, drug abuse, violence and professional sport. Set mostly in America, the behaviour is something that Australian's are also more than aware of, the poor behaviour of many professional sports people hitting the headlines here with distressing regularity.

Nobody is going to be all that surprised to find out that whilst I have all the books in this series, I'm behind in reading them. I was, therefore, interested to see how this book would work for somebody who isn't as up to date with Anya as avid followers of the books. It did work, there's enough of the back story to not have a new reader feeling lost, but I doubt there's too much for those seasoned series followers. The book takes place mostly in America, but the world of professional sports seems somehow universal. Whilst there is some sprinkling of a sense of place, the book doesn't rely on this as a central theme. What it does concentrate on is Anya's physician role. Firstly as a counsellor within the difficult area of sexual crime and investigation, then as she is called in as a consultant expert in New York to address professional football players about the difference between right and wrong sexual behaviour.

It seemed to me that this is a worthwhile, and somewhat overdue subject area for crime fiction to tackle, hopefully providing some insight into the whys and wherefores of these men's pack behaviour. The incidence of misbehaving sportsmen is an ongoing scandal, and the issues around it - both from the victim's point of view, as well as the perpetrator's are covered in DEATH MASK. There are moments where I did feel that the book slipped a little too much into lecture mode, something that probably only affects somebody as tutorial adverse as me. But that tone and the fact that it takes a while for the main plot points to settle into position, did mean that it was a little difficult to stay with the early part of the book. Once the plot got moving, and we got into more of the "show don't tell" phase of the book, things definitely improved, and I was surprised to find that even a hefty dose of romantic tension between the two main characters didn't annoy quite as much as it normally would.

Ultimately the use of crime fiction to look hard at the ills of society is well served in DEATH MASK. The nature of those in privileged positions indulging in sexual misconduct, seemingly untouched by personal responsibility, or understanding of the sheer brutality of their conduct, is something that deserves a lot more light being shone into some particularly dark corners of the human condition.
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Jul 28, 2011 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

When Sydney-based forensic physician Anya Crichton is asked to consult a patient who has returned from her honeymoon with sexually transmitted infections she believes she's being unnecessarily involved in a simple case of infidelity. Given the woman's husband has tested negative for the infections, Anya assumes that Hannah Dengate is lying when she claims to have had no sexual partners other than her husband. However the case soon turns into something all together more unsavoury and leads Anya i...more When Sydney-based forensic physician Anya Crichton is asked to consult a patient who has returned from her honeymoon with sexually transmitted infections she believes she's being unnecessarily involved in a simple case of infidelity. Given the woman's husband has tested negative for the infections, Anya assumes that Hannah Dengate is lying when she claims to have had no sexual partners other than her husband. However the case soon turns into something all together more unsavoury and leads Anya into a new field of research: the psychology of male team sports players and their attitudes to sexual assault. She is then asked to go to the US to discuss her research and provide information about what constitutes sexual assault to elite footballers but soon becomes embroiled in another case of possible sexual assault by a group of sports stars.

I have but two small issues witrh the book. The first, its opening. I have read a few other reviews that echo that the opening scene (read 30-40 pages) does not closely relate to the main story, though the theme is the same. The honeymoon rape could best be addressed in flashbacks. The second issue (small, but it may help the paperback version in the US/Canada), is language used. New Yorkers do not say 'pram', 'nappy' or some of the other linguistic differences that I noticed. Sure, a minute thing, but it did pop out at me. Linguistic reflection does add integrity to a character and story.

Once the book does get going it flows very smoothly and quickly and almost always manages to avoid being preachy. There were a couple of sections where this was not so but with such sensitive material it would have been difficult to avoid all together. The book not only explores the attitudes to women by some sports stars (and their fans) but also looks at the exploitation of the players themselves by team owners and others whose aims conflict with the best interests of the players' health and wellbeing. This is one of those instances where fiction has examined complex social issues in more depth and with more acuity and balance than I've ever seen in the talk-radio fueled hype of mainstream media when similar events happen in the real world.

After its first 50 pages Death Mask has one of the most compelling and creative storylines I've encountered. . In many ways is a much broader book than pure crime fiction as it examines the psychology of team sports from all angles in a thought-provoking way that is far-removed from the way we normally the subject addressed in the media. It is balanced not only in the way it looks at these issues but also in the mixture of fiction and fact that are incorporated into the story. I'd recommend this novel to anyone, especially those with any kind of involvement in or fascination with professional team sports though, sadly, the people who most need to read something like this will probably never do so. A final point in the book's favour is that it could easily be read independently of the previous novels in the series.

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Jan 24, 2011 Sally rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kathryn Fox is doctor who works in pathology and therefore has a wonderful insight into the world of her main character, Anya. Each of her books have been page turners and not only exciting but also really interesting.

Death Mask goes even further with it's insights into the sexual and moral character of many players of team sports. Whether all of the scenarios mentioned in this book exist or not, pack rape of unwilling women is a scary thing to be drawn into and Fox draws her characters and us i...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Jade rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book, apparently the 5th in the series, oddly enough runs parallel to book 3 in fact this one logically starts before book 3 and concludes just before the start of book 4. It centres mainly around American football...can't say that's a topic I've ever really cared much about however there was enough stuff in it to keep my interest. Like all Fox's other books this made me think about things that I normally wouldn't even look twice at and she really deserves a gold star for maintaining my int...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Where to start with this little gem.

Plot: In theory I really liked the plotline for this novel. The rape of a young woman leads to the invesitigation of American Football players who have an unhealthy (understatement) opinion of women and sex. It is discovered that Football Stars are raping women in groups and getting away with it.
Also, I really didn't see the point of the beginning chapters about Hannah. What a weird way to start it, only to NEVER mention it again? I know that it was the start...more Where to start with this little gem.

Plot: In theory I really liked the plotline for this novel. The rape of a young woman leads to the invesitigation of American Football players who have an unhealthy (understatement) opinion of women and sex. It is discovered that Football Stars are raping women in groups and getting away with it.
Also, I really didn't see the point of the beginning chapters about Hannah. What a weird way to start it, only to NEVER mention it again? I know that it was the start of Anya's investigation into rape among sports teams but really. Couldn't it have started with the conference and just briefly explained how Anya had dealt with Hannah?

I thought that this would be a traditional police procedural with Anya, a forensice physician, consulting. It was not. Though I cannot for the life of me describe what it was! There were elements of law and order but no real in depth invesitgation as part of a police investigation. Neither, however, was Anya's forensic skill REALLY drawn upon. Therefore the whole novel floated in a giant genre limbo.

Characters: Anya was our heroine and I gather already established as part of the on-going series, she was well-developed with a history, opinions and a personality. Despite this I could not warm to her as a character. I felt as though she was preaching to me the whole time, whether this was about sex, men or the celebrity attached to sports stars. She was shocked at EVERYTHING. I'm surprised she could even see the football players from her high horse. In the end I found that I was skipping any large chunks of her dialogue because I knew I was about to have ten-gazillion facts about rape shoved down my throat.

Ethan Rye I could see was going to be forced onto Anya as a prospective lover and at the beginning I was open to it. NOT NOW. He was hot one moment, cold the next and actually we learnt very little about him beyond the necessary. To me this did not allow me to relate to him or to warm to him. More importantly there was little spark between them, all of a sudden Anya was like, Ooh. Yummy man! Therefore I think the whole romance was a bit forced and didn't really hit the mark.
I would have liked for there to have been some 'good' football players to offset the multitude of idiots, rapists and all-round cocky gits. As for me there were FAR too many names to remember. Footballers, coaches, doctors, owners, reporters, victims, invesitgators, Anya's friends and colleagues, waiters, waitresses.... I kept losing track and in the end I wasn't even bothering to go back and find out who they all were.

Ending: The 'big twist' was actually not surprising as the killer had been a brilliant, flashing sign throughout the whole book just shouting, "IT'S ME!". Added to the fact that Anya discovered who it was and confronted them, AND had them arrested in less than a chapter you can see why I thought it was rushed.

Overall I really wanted to like both Anya AND the plot, but there were far too many holes etc for me to really enjoy it.

P.S. Can't work out why it was called Death Mask??

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Feb 29, 2012 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kathryn Fox writes a mean thriller. This one was a bit more tame than her others, but still very much enjoyable. Through every novel we learn more about Dr. Anya Crichton. This time in New York, she falls for a private investigator working for the football team. She tries to deny the attraction, as long-distance romance is not high on her list of things to accomplish. She's fallen for Chaser, who seems to be a little cracked himself. I'm still very curious as to why he seemed to be constantly ea...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Jacquie Rodgers rated it 4 of 5 stars

The subject of sexual behavior of sportsmen and the team bonding culture is covered in this book. Another good read and at times quite shocking reading. All Kathryn Fox's books are well worth reading.

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

"All About Rape" would have been a more appropriate title. Fox essentially uses the novel as a pedestal to dictate the horrors of sexual assault, specifically in the context of post-football match gang-rape by the athletes. The premise is interesting for a while, but gets stale quickly.

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Apr 09, 2011 Tamara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Favourite Fox book to date, again the attention to detail of all things medical (and the fact that it's all correct) won me over. Great storyline and characters, great read.

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Nov 12, 2011 Lorraine Kehoe added it

This book never really went anywhere.... the story was long and drawn out. No start middle or end, total not worth reading

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Mar 13, 2013 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

I didn't find this book as interesting and gripping as the other four of her books that I've read, but it was still a good book.

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Mar 02, 2012 David rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very deep and the concept of the pack behaviour is all too real. Very good.

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Mar 22, 2013 Trena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brilliant as always

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Mar 01, 2013 Lynn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Far too bloodthirsty.

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Sep 30, 2012 Pauline rated it 4 of 5 stars

A good read and very true on the power of the pack.

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Feb 16, 2013 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the fifth in the Anya Crichton series and is set in New York instead of Australia. I don't feel that it is quite as strong as the previous books because the usual supporting cast are missing. However it did cover some very current topics such as sexual assault by celebrities in this instance American football players and phone hacking by the press. All in all worth reading.

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Nov 14, 2011 Tara Russell rated it 2 of 5 stars

Interesting look at the world of aggressive team sports but not very well written and a fairly forgettable mystery element.

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May 02, 2013 Midwifetobe rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gave-up-on

Persevered until just over half way then couldn't face picking it up again as it bored me so much!
I've no time in my life for boring books and although hate giving up on one it had to be done!
Just no suspense involved.....

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Feb 03, 2012 Terrie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read the UK English edition; since it is set in New York, you end up with a few odd usages of language, e.g., an American would never call an NFL player a "footballer".

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Jan 14, 2012 * Booksessed * Bec rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dr-anna-critchten

I enjoyed this one. I was hoping she would end up with Ethan though.. maybe in the next one??

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May 17, 2013 Sandra marked it as to-read

May 16, 2013 June marked it as to-read

May 12, 2013 Katherine marked it as to-read

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About Kathryn Fox

Kathryn Fox is a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine who currently lives in Sydney, Australia.

She has worked as a freelance medical journalist and written regularly for publications including Australian Doctor, The Sun Herald and CLEO magazine. Her debut novel, MALICIOUS INTENT, received international acclaim and won the 2005 Davitt award for adult fiction.

It also t

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Death Mask (Dr Anya Crichton #5)

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