Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "prime-suspect"

Hidden Killers by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping sequel to 'Tennison' continuing the story of Jane's early cases as she joins CID and takes another step toward becoming the first female DCI we meet in 'Prime Suspect'.

This was a fantastic read from start to finish. Lynda La Plante has always been exceptional with her police procedurals, and this is up there with her best. We continue to see Jane's attempts to harden herself to the professional and personal dilemmas she faces, while the mix of colleagues, criminals, victims, and witnesses drive the compelling plot forward to its conclusion.

I loved this novel. I spent the last week back in work wanting to get home and get everything done which I needed to do so I could continue reading. Can't wait for Book 3 later this year!

('Good Friday' - book 3 in the series - is out now, which I'm currently reading, and it's brilliant!)



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Good Friday by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A breath-taking thriller that grips you in a stranglehold from beginning to end as Jane finds herself caught in the middle of an investigation into an IRA cell.

Lynda La Plante's third novel in the 'Tennison' series sees Jane now a fully fledged detective constable, following completion of her CID course. Her desire to progress her career and investigate crime rather than being left the menial tasks leads to her temporary transfer to the Dip Squad, which she hopes will lead her to bigger and better things. She is unwittingly caught in an explosion at Covent Garden Underground station, the result of a bomb it is suspected was planted by the IRA.

Gripping and fast-faced, the novel follows the investigation in procedural and forensic detail. It's fascinating to follow as the detectives and scientists piece together the evidence, particularly as you can determine the differences and similarities between the 1970's and today. The tension builds to a dramatic climax with Jane at the centre of the developing danger. It was a perfect ending and throughout the book I was gripped - I wanted to keep going, just one more chapter.

Throughout each novel, Jane's character is developing toward the DCI Tennison we met in 'Prime Suspect' - making the highs and lows of Jane's personal life as fascinating as the criminal investigations. La Plante has always been superlative at portraying both real human characters and accurate, detailed investigations - 'Prime Suspect', 'Trial & Retribution', the Anna Travis novels - and the 'Tennison' series is proving to continue her trademark brilliance.

I can't wait to read the fourth in the series, 'Murder Mile', next year. It sounds like another gripping investigation.



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Murder Mile by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fast-faced, gripping thriller about a murder investigation in the midst of the Winter of Discontent.

‘Murder Mile’ is the fourth book in Lynda La Plante’s ‘Tennison’ series (following ‘Tennison’, ‘Hidden Killers’ and ‘Good Friday’), the story of the early career of Jane Tennison before she becomes the senior detective we meet in ‘Prime Suspect’, so flawlessly brought to life with a performance by Helen Mirren and scripts by Lynda La Plante.

Now promoted to Detective Sergeant and working on the Murder Squad, we meet up with Jane again in 1979, nearing the end of a night shift and looking forward to shortly taking a few days off. But then she and her partner receive a call – a young woman has been found, beaten and unconscious. On arrival at the scene, Jane finds that the young woman is dead.

The twists and turns of the murder investigation lead to more victims, revelations and the pursuit of a prime suspect that Jane’s DCI is convinced is their killer. But Jane is unconvinced the case is as clear-cut as it first seems. Following the evidence and her own gut feeling, she ultimately uncovers revelations that turn the case on its head.

The details of the forensics are fascinating, most notably because of the time period in which the novel is set. This was before DNA fingerprinting/profiling (developed in 1984/85 and first used in a criminal investigation in 1986-87, resulting in a conviction in 1988), but many other forensic techniques are used by the team – significantly analysis of blood, fibres, and fingerprints.

Another notable theme of the series is prejudice, both in wider society and within the police force itself. The sexism has been evident since Jane first joined the police and will continue through her police career. Homophobia plays a significant role in ‘Murder Mile’ and we witness the effect this has on several characters.

Jane continues to develop as a character; her confidence has grown and she is proving herself as a detective, while her independence is more evident than before. A character remarks at one point that, “at this rate, she’ll be the first plonk (a derogatory term for a female police officer) in the Met to make DCI and run a murder squad,” a comment met with scorn by a senior detective, but which cannot fail to raise a smile. The interactions between the team always come across as authentic and human, with the occasional snatches of humour helping them deal with the horrors of the crime scenes and the emotions of the victims’ families.

Building to an intense and brilliant finale, ‘Murder Mile’ is an enthralling read from the first page to the last, concluding the investigation and leaving you anxious to learn what will come next for Jane. It proves to be pure escapism, as the three previous novels were, and I cannot wait to read Book 5!



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The Dirty Dozen by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Another riveting case for Jane Tennison in Lynda La Plante’s latest thriller in her ‘Prime Suspect’ prequel series.

Following the ending of Murder Mile, Jane has been transferred, finding herself part of the infamous Flying Squad, known colloquially as the Sweeney (the focus of the 1970s TV series of the same name starring John Thaw and Dennis Waterman, in which La Plante made a guest appearance during her days as an actress).

Arriving for her first day, Jane is quickly pulled into the investigation of the armed robbery of a bank, colliding with the team on the stairs as they are galvanised into action, the robbery still in progress. But by the time they arrive, the armed men have succeeded in evading capture, having opened fire at uniformed police officers who were in pursuit. Jane investigates the scene, uncovering key evidence, but soon finds that it will take far more than her skills as a detective to win the approval of the team. She clashes with her senior officer and learns she has been transferred to the squad as part of an experiment – using female officers in an attempt to ‘soften’ the image of the squad and overcome some of the more negative aspects of its reputation.

Determined to prove herself worthy, Jane works diligently to gather evidence and intelligence that will lead to the gang. The account of a key witness leads them to believe that another robbery is being planned. But Jane’s tenacity threatens to lead her not only directly into conflict with her superiors, but also into danger in the midst of the armed robbers.

I was hooked from the first page to the last, finishing the book in only a few days, having kept it to enjoy when I had a few days off work. Incorporating detailed police procedure and forensics, with an insight into the workings of the Flying Squad, this proves to be another engrossing chapter in Jane’s career and life. She has by now proven herself a competent and confident investigator, while at times still betraying a naivety she hasn’t quite shaken off. At times she is reactive, particularly when it comes to unfair treatment by her superiors, which threatens to lead her into trouble – a trait that we know will continue, occasionally, in her later career.

With references to events of earlier novels in the series (though without significant spoilers, for any that haven’t read them chronologically), I had a true sense of the journey we have been on with Jane from her beginnings in ‘Tennison’ to her experiences in ‘The Dirty Dozen’. She has come a long way from the young probationer finding her feet, now far closer to the Jane we meet in ‘Prime Suspect’.

Throughout the novel, I found myself racing through the pages, fully immersed in the story and the characters and wanting to know what happens next. The sign of any great book are the simultaneous feelings of wanting to finish it and not wanting it to end. The case culminates in an action-packed climax, along with some emotional conflicts for Jane.

I cannot wait for more in the series and to find out what Lynda has planned for Jane next!

While it’s not been confirmed if the sixth book will be published next year, in the meantime we will be revisiting ‘She’s Out’ (reprinted later this month to follow Widows and Widows’ Revenge) and a brand new novel (and spin-off from ‘Widows’) next Spring - ‘Buried’ - both of which I’m very excited about.



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Blunt Force by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Another compelling case for Jane Tennison in the sixth novel in the 'Prime Suspect' prequel series.

Following her departure from the Flying Squad following the events of ‘The Dirty Dozen’, Jane is now working on petty crimes and tedious cases that leave her feeling she has hit a dead end in her career. Reunited with her friend and colleague Spencer Gibbs, with whom she first worked back when she was a probationer at Hackney, he is as frustrated as she is at their station in the heart of Belgravia.

Yet their frustrations prove to be short-lived. The brutal murder of theatrical agent Charles Foxley launches a murder investigation that will test the team's skills to the limit, dealing with a group of suspects whose daily lives and careers require them to be excellent performers and the police are never quite sure whom or what can be trusted. As they delve deeper, Jane, Spencer and the team discover that beneath the veneer of glitz and glamour lies a dark underbelly that breeds abuse, crime and corruption.

Featuring quirky characters, with compelling sub-plots weaved around the central investigation, Lynda has once again delivered a superb chapter in Jane’s life and career that grips from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the final moments, leaving you anxious for the next installment in the series. An exposé on the darker side of the world of show-business is particularly topical in recent times, the novel touching on themes of abuse and prejudice, all delicately and respectfully handled. Having worked as an actress before turning to writing, Lynda brings her trademark authenticity to the characters of the agents, actors and others that inhabit this world whom the police encounter whilst investigating the case. Dark and thought-provoking, but also packed with moments of humour, ‘Blunt Force’ is a fantastic novel; I sped through it, desperate to find out what happened next and how it would conclude, but saddened to reach the end, wanting to delve back in – the conflicting emotions conjured by a great book.

I have been a huge fan of Lynda La Plante’s work since I was a teenager – first on TV with ‘Widows’ and ‘Trial and Retribution’, the novelisations of which also being the first of Lynda’s books that I read, followed by the exceptional novels ‘Bella Mafia’ and ‘Entwined’ and many more. The Anna Travis series would soon become an annual treat, saved for a holiday to savour in relaxation. Amongst both TV and books, ‘Prime Suspect’ and the character of Jane Tennison are iconic in the world of crime fiction, and I eagerly await each new novel in the ‘Tennison’ series every year. In ‘Blunt Force’, Jane celebrates her thirtieth birthday (something I have also done this year), so we still have over a decade before we reach ‘Prime Suspect’. With the advances in forensic science that came in the 1980s, particularly DNA fingerprinting, there are doubtless many interesting cases to come, while we will also come to learn how Jane fights through the patriarchal bureaucracy to earn her promotion to DI and, eventually, to the newly-promoted DCI we meet when Helen Mirren first arrives on screen.

By this stage in the series, the sub-plots are becoming gently serialised, so I would always recommend starting with ‘Tennison’ to experience Jane’s story from the beginning. One key sub-plot that carries over from ‘The Dirty Dozen’ is that of police corruption – I have a feeling this won’t be the last we see of this storyline throughout the series. It was also great to see Spencer Gibbs again – I find him hilarious and he has a great friendship with Jane. The development of Jane’s character moves forward in each novel in the series – DS Tennison is now far from the naïve probationary WPC we meet in the first novel. The character development is always a highlight of an ongoing series.

Tightly plotted and richly detailed, ‘Blunt Force’ continues this exceptional police procedural series; I am now eagerly awaiting book seven!



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Unholy Murder by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A chilling case for Jane Tennison as she investigates a long-buried and brutal murder.

During excavation of deconsecrated church land, the construction crew unearth a coffin and immediately alert the police. Inside is discovered the body of a nun. On closer inspection, the inside of the coffin lid displays signs of scratches, as if the buried young woman was desperately trying to claw her way out, indicating she may have been buried alive.

DS Jane Tennison is determined to identify the victim and bring her killer to justice. Her superiors are initially reluctant to dedicate resources to such a case, believing it an impossible task after potentially so long. But when Jane uncovers evidence that the murder took place only two decades before and that the victim’s disappearance was covered up, the police are compelled to act.

Coming up against obstruction from the Catholic Church, Jane and the team doggedly pursue the case; the suspects discovering that, even twenty years later, they cannot outrun the truth and that everything that’s buried will eventually rise to the surface.

This is the seventh novel in the Jane Tennison series, prequel to the TV series ‘Prime Suspect’ starring Helen Mirren, which ran for seven series and charted Jane’s career from her first case as a DCI through to her retirement (La Plante has also released novelisations of the first three series). ‘Prime Suspect’ this year celebrates its thirtieth anniversary, and what better way to mark the celebration than with this superb novel.

In ‘Unholy Murder’, we find Jane now working at Bromley CID, having committed herself to studying for the inspectors’ exam she plans to take the following year. It is 1982, nine years into her police career. Called to the scene of the coffin’s disinterment, Jane is plunged headlong into what may be the most disturbing and challenging case of her career to date.

The Roman Catholic Church is renowned for dealing with sin locked behind closed doors, and the Metropolitan Police for its political concerns – such approaches from both organisations enabling corruption to poison their ranks and allow abuse and discrimination to flourish unimpeded and without punishment. But Jane is unafraid to stand up against both, though the might of such powerful establishments is rarely able to be dented.

Full of twists and revelations that evolve through a gripping and fast-paced plot, including fascinating insights into forensic science, authentic police procedure, themes of religion and spirituality, a well-developed cast of characters, and a dash of romance for Jane, all centred around an horrifically brutal crime, this has all the ingredients you could want in a mystery thriller. Once again, Lynda has delivered an intense and immersive read which I did not want to end. ‘Unholy Murder’ may just be my favourite of the series since ‘Tennison’ – though the entire series is of such high quality, it is always difficult to make such a distinction as to pick a favourite; I absolutely love this series and highly anticipate every new entry. I cannot wait for book eight!

A dark and compelling thriller, ‘Unholy Murder’ is a chilling police procedural that will keep you turning the pages; another enthralling chapter in the life and career of Jane Tennison.



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Dark Rooms by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A harrowing and complex investigation for Jane Tennison.

The body of a young woman is found chained in the basement of a property during demolition.

DI Jane Tennison is part of the team investigating the crime. On visiting the crime scene, Jane discovers the house has more horrors to reveal - in the form of a mummified baby who was buried alive.

Relentless in her pursuit of the truth, Jane finds herself ostracised, but remains determined to solve the mystery of the baby’s death.

'Dark Rooms' is the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series, prequel to the 'Prime Suspect' TV series (and the novelisations of the first three seasons). Lynda La Plante presents an intricate case for the recently promoted Jane Tennison, her first investigation as a Detective Inspector following her required time spent in uniform. It is now the mid-80s, and we meet up with Jane as she's moved into her new home and is having it renovated. Jane continues to be somewhat a lone wolf, something that continues to cause her problems amongst the team. Yet her clashes with her DCI set the scene for her determination to resolve this case, even if it means working alone.

Laced with gothic undertones in the centrepiece of the decaying Victorian mansion and the horrors hiding within, once home to an eccentric family with a long history of tragedy, this is a tightly plotted police procedural featuring realistic forensic science of the time period, and even a touch of romance for Jane, as well as trips to the coast and as far as Australia, exploring some dark and disturbing themes and complex characters through every navigation of the twisting plot. Throughout the series, discrimination - and specifically misogyny - within the police has been a running theme, once more explored in this novel alongside other abuses of power and the elusiveness of long-buried secrets.

I always devour books by Lynda La Plante and 'Dark Rooms' was no exception. As well as the core investigation per novel, this series is as much about Jane's life and career. Lynda has teased both ninth and tenth books, which may bring the series full circle as we approach 'Prime Suspect'. I love this series and always enjoy the evolution of Jane's character - it was very exciting to see her once again take a step forward in career with her promotion. I cannot wait to see what is next in store for DI Tennison.

Absorbing and fast-paced, 'Dark Rooms' presents a challenging investigation for a skilled and dedicated detective, working against the odds to achieve justice in yet another superb entry in the series.



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Taste of Blood by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A mysterious case for DI Jane Tennison.

Starting work at a new station, Jane is tasked with investigating a dispute between neighbours that has left one of them hospitalised.

Initially appearing a tedious case of neighbourhood bickering gone out of control, the investigation takes a more complex turn the more Jane digs.

A chance encounter with a psychic leads Jane to believe there is far more beneath the surface of this dispute, uncovering a case of murder.

'Taste of Blood' is the ninth and penultimate novel in the Jane Tennison prequel series, which has followed Jane from her joining the police and leads us up to her first murder inquiry as DCI in the first 'Prime Suspect'. Lynda La Plante delivers another brilliant, riveting thriller – a character-driven drama entwined with multiple twists and turns, a classic whodunnit buried beneath the surface of neighbourhood quarrels - with a select set of suspects within a confined locale giving it that vintage mystery quality. A major theme of the novel is psychic phenomena, several lines of enquiry presented through Jane's interaction with a psychic medium. Mediums and clairvoyants assisting in police investigations has always been a fascinating subject, one Lynda has impeccably researched. These scenes were superb, atmospheric and moving, perfectly balancing belief and scepticism, and an aura of the gothic and supernatural.

Transporting us back to the 80s, before our age of technological advancement, both in our personal lives and specifically relating to police practice and procedure, La Plante once again portrays this era vividly. Something that always strikes me about the early seasons of 'Prime Suspect' is how it depicts so brilliantly life and policing in the early 90s - as with many classics, simultaneously a glimpse of its time and a timeless narrative – something that each entry in this series has also captured, progressing from 1973 onwards. Forensic science always plays a key role in La Plante's work - this investigation taking place immediately following the breakthrough of DNA profiling and the successful arrest of Colin Pitchfork for multiple sexual assaults and murders in 1987, a case that significantly changed forensic science and police procedure (and, by extension, crime fiction) forevermore.

The series has focussed on the significant milestones of Jane’s life and career, exploring her impactful cases as we witness the development of her character. This chapter is an emotional rollercoaster for Jane; so much in this novel feels like the final formation of that tough outer shell she wears when we first meet her in 'Prime Suspect', as we experience perhaps one of the most tragic periods of Jane's life since the events of the very first novel in the series, with several deeply emotional moments that also shine a new perspective on what we know is to come in Jane’s future. As the case concludes and Jane embarks on the months of trial preparation, we are left tantalised for the next stage of her career, the final step towards her promotion and 'Prime Suspect'. I cannot wait for the next (and final) book!

Intense, absorbing, and fraught with emotion, ‘Taste of Blood’ is another fantastic book in a beloved series.



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Whole Life Sentence by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An engrossing final chapter in the ‘Prime Suspect’ prequel series.

Jane Tennison has achieved her goal of promotion to DCI and transfer to an elite new major investigations team.

But from her first day, her colleagues are intent on making her work and life difficult. Assigned a cold case her superior believes is a dead end, Jane is determined to prove everyone wrong.

But as her hard work continues to be undermined and credit taken away from her, Jane begins to question if her ambition and dedication has been worth it, or if she is simply fighting battles she cannot win.

‘Whole Life Sentence’ is the tenth and final novel in the Jane Tennison series by Lynda La Plante, and the direct prequel to ‘Prime Suspect’, following the previous nine novels exploring Jane’s life and career since joining the police in 1973 and her climb from naive WPC to a skilled and experienced detective and AMIT's first female DCI. We pick up Jane’s story following the events of 'Taste of Blood', with the murder trial finally reaching its conclusion and Jane preparing to face the promotion board. Having been filling the role of Acting DCI at her previous station, Jane secures her promotion and requests her transfer be to AMIT – newly set up for investigation of major and serious crime.

It is now 1991, only months before we originally met Jane in ‘Prime Suspect’, when she finally has the opportunity to lead her first major murder inquiry. The novel focuses on two cases that Jane finds herself investigating – a heartbreaking cold case concerning the disappearance of a teenage girl five years earlier, which her superior officer believes is unsolvable and only requests Jane investigate to waste her time; and the apparent suicide of a married woman, discovered by her husband when he arrived home from work, something about which strikes Jane as suspicious when she is asked to initially assist by a fellow DCI.

La Plante’s attention to detail is always superb – her thrilling plotting revolving on the intricacies of police procedure and forensic science, while creating a true sense of the time at which the story is set. We witness the misogyny Jane experiences from her male colleagues, exposing the systemic and institutional prejudice of the police force, as her superior officer and colleagues undertake a malicious campaign in the hopes she will quit, leading Jane to fear her entire career has been for nothing. But, against the odds, Jane is determined to fight for justice for the missing teenager and find closure for her mother, even if she will ultimately decide this is the final case she investigates.

With references to events of the previous nine novels and foreshadowing of events to come in the TV series, this is a perfectly poised final prequel novel, also introducing Jane to several characters whom we met in the first season of the series, including DS Bill Otley, WPC Maureen Havers, Detective Superintendent Kernan, and Peter Rawlins. Compelling and character-driven, ‘Whole Life Sentence’ is the culmination of a journey and final piece of the story – a captivating addition to the legacy of La Plante’s iconic and groundbreaking series, working brilliantly as both a conclusion to the prequel series and an immediate prequel to ‘Prime Suspect’ (it feels seamless, as if this was always the first part of that original story), and, of course, as its own standalone entry amongst the overall series of thirteen novels and the ongoing story of Jane’s life we witnessed in seasons four to seven of the TV series.

Throughout each novel, we have followed Jane’s development, unearthing her history and the many tragedies, trials and tribulations that led her to become the highly skilled and formidable senior police officer portrayed by Helen Mirren – full of passion and drive, an unwavering commitment to justice, and a burgeoning emotional attachment to each case that lies beneath the layers of her tough exterior and her learned need to survive in a man's world.

'Prime Suspect' was always ahead of its time, immediately striking and significant for being led by a senior female detective, in its first three seasons exploring institutional and societal sexism, racism, and homophobia and transphobia. The prequel series has honoured that tradition through its return to the 70s and 80s and now into 1991, exploring subject matter that remains as critical and timely over thirty years after the TV series began.

I still remember my excitement when ‘Tennison’ was announced and how I devoured it over a Christmas break. To have gone on to read a series of ten novels following Jane’s journey to ‘Prime Suspect’ has been a dream; it has been an absolute joy and I have loved every novel in this stellar series of gripping police procedurals. It’s a series I hope to revisit in the future (as I’ve done with several of Lynda’s other series), and in the meantime I now want to revisit the entire ‘Prime Suspect’ series to once again experience Jane’s story continuing from the conclusion of this novel.

Thank you, Lynda, for this fantastic series and such an incredible character!



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