Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "thriller"

Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another thoroughly enjoyable and engrossing forensics thriller by Patricia Cornwell.

'Depraved Heart' picks up just two months after the events of 'Flesh and Blood' and continues plot elements from the previous novel, whilst in the midst of a new investigation into a death at first not believed to be a homicide.

There were some quite nostalgic moments in the novel - for the reader, not necessarily for the characters - referencing events that took place in and around some of the earlier novels in the series. The detailed forensics is fascinating as always, taking centre stage along with the paranoia that perhaps nothing and no one can be trusted.

I've very much looking forward to reading 'Chaos' - awaiting its paperback release this summer.



View all my reviews

Chaos by Patricia Cornwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Chaos is a gripping, fast-paced forensics thriller - the twenty-fourth in Patricia Cornwell's series featuring Kay Scarpetta.

From the very beginning we know this will be a story with personal ramifications for Scarpetta - her sister, Dorothy, often mentioned, but less frequently seen, is on her way to visit; and we soon learn that Scarpetta has been receiving messages from a stalker, who we wonder, along with Scarpetta, may or may not be connected to an insidious character from previous novels.

The central crime - the unexplained death of a woman riding her bicycle - is investigated in the procedural and forensic detail that always proves the strength of Cornwell's novels, building to a climax that wraps up the case and leads Scarpetta into a confrontation of her own. The chapters at the crime scene stand out and prove in every entry of the series to be some of the most gripping elements as evidence is sifted and the crime is reconstructed.

*POTENTIAL SPOILERS*
I've always enjoyed the serialised elements running through the Kay Scarpetta series, recent novels reminding me of the superlative arcs running through earlier novels - particularly 'Cruel and Unusual' through to 'From Potter's Field', the fantastic 'Point of Origin', and 'Black Notice' through to 'Blow Fly'. In the same way that a significant character from the latter arc returned in 'The Scarpetta Factor', a significant character from the earlier arc returned in 'Flesh and Blood' and 'Depraved Heart'. and continues to have a presence in 'Chaos', which draws the current plotline to a satisfying conclusion. The final twist is a brilliant revelation, one that tells the future will not be free of the tightly-woven web of past events.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down - I hope there will be many more cases for Kay Scarpetta to come.



View all my reviews

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Ira Levin's classic horror thriller is a masterpiece in plotting and suspense.

Rosemary's Baby is one of those stories that has developed to become mythology, a story that is so well-known that people know it without having read it, as part of a culture as folklore. It's a wonder it took me so long to finally read it. I loved it and couldn't put it down.

Having seen the equally classic 1968 film (the novel was published in 1967), I knew the plot well and the twists in the tale. Rosemary and her husband Guy acquire a highly sought-after apartment and soon become friendly with eccentric, elderly couple, Minnie and Roman Castavet. Their situation appears idyllic - a young couple moving into their new home, spending time with their interesting, kindly neighbours, Guy seeking his big acting break, Rosemary hoping for a baby.

Levin expertly layers the tension as the novel progresses, hinting at the witchcraft and Satanism twisted throughout the building's history and an apparent suicide that begins the young couple's relationship with the Castavets, who develop from harmless to unsettling, to sinister, to menacing. Soon it appears all the world may be conspiring against Rosemary and she struggles to know who to trust as the novel hurtles towards its nightmarish conclusion.

With underlying themes of religion with witchcraft as its enemy, with specific references to Catholicism, it is perhaps ironic that this modern scheme for the downfall of humankind is triggered by a man's greed and ambition leading to his betrayal of a woman and allowing her to be defiled and used for her body, as opposed to the concept of Original Sin where a woman made an error in judgement when tempted into betrayal by the same forces of darkness. In this novel, we know she would never be so foolish.

After fifty years, Rosemary's Baby remains relevant, authentic, and most of all thrilling, in its telling of a story of good versus evil, and the lengths human beings may go to in pursuit of their beliefs and desires.

The story continues in Levin's final novel, 'Son of Rosemary'.



View all my reviews

Son of Rosemary by Ira Levin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An enjoyable conclusion to the horrors that began with the classic 'Rosemary's Baby'.

Ira Levin's sequel picks up over thirty years following the conclusion of the original, with Rosemary awakening from a coma which appears to have been the result of a curse cast by the coven of the original novel. She soon learns that her son, Andy, has grown up to become the new Messiah - either a bizarre twist of fate or truthfully a False Messiah of prophecy.

Taking advantage of her celebrity status as the woman who awoke unharmed after decades lying in a coma, she connects with Andy on the global stage and gets to know her son all over again as the man he has become since she last saw him as a child. Some may find what follows a little slow, but as the novel progresses you realise Levin is subtly laying the foundations for what is to come later.

The conclusion to Part Two is a clever revelation, with the paranoia of the first novel now fully returning, with Rosemary unsure who she can trust, finding Andy has more secrets than she wished to find. This is explored more fully in Part Three, as Rosemary investigates her son and his colleagues and their organisation.

*SPOILERS*The ending completely took me by surprise. It has proved controversial, but I found it quite ambiguous. The obvious interpretation is that the events of both novels are an elaborate nightmare Rosemary suffers. This would sit well with the dream-like and nightmarish sequences of both novels, and perhaps doesn't take anything away from the masterful storytelling. My first thought when Rosemary awoke with Guy was that this was her version of Hell, seeing as she had been heading there with Satan at the conclusion to the previous scene. To relive her suffering over and over, never quite sure if it's real or imagined, would be Hell indeed.

There is also the suggestion that the events of both novels are a premonition, a dream telling Rosemary of the potential dangers and horrors of the future. When Hutch mentions the puzzle to solve the anagram of 'Roast Mules' which recurred throughout the novel - something Rosemary had not heard prior to her dream - it delivers a final cold shiver that perhaps she has not escaped her fate after all, that the events of both novels are yet to come.

As Levin's seventh and final novel, 'Son of Rosemary' is a solid ending to a superb body of work and a suitably discomforting follow-up to 'Rosemary's Baby'.



View all my reviews

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!)



View all my reviews

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.



View all my reviews

Widows by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The classic heist thriller from Lynda La Plante - her first novel, a novelisation of her first TV series, 'Widows'.

Set in 1984, when gangland is ruled by men, Harry Rawlins is the mastermind behind numerous successful robberies that have left the police with no trace of the perpetrators. But their latest plan goes horribly wrong - the hijack of a security van results in the deaths of Harry and two of his team, leaving their wives - Dolly, Linda and Shirley - widows.

Dolly Rawlins is an incredible character - strong, fierce, clever and resourceful, she becomes determined to finish what Harry started when she finds detailed plans included in his infamous ledgers. She recruits Linda and Shirley and later a fourth woman, Bella, to commit the same robbery that went so disastrously wrong. But the police are tracking Dolly wherever she goes, while local criminals are searching for Harry's ledgers and the fourth man of Harry's team still remains missing.

As the women rehearse the crime, their enemies are closing in, building to the incredibly tense perpetration of the crime and its aftermath. Gripping from beginning to end, the novel explores the complexity of the relationships between the four women and finds you willing them to succeed, despite operating on the wrong side of the law.

Of course, it's impossible to talk about the novel without also talking about the TV series and the author herself. Originally shown in 1983, the first series of 'Widows' was Lynda La Plante's first TV series, developed from a plot outline entitled 'The Women' and submitted alongside others. The words of encouragement written on that outline encouraged La Plante to create the series and its characters - most notably Dolly Rawlins, brought to life in a superb performance by Ann Mitchell.

Years before Jane Tennison became the iconic first female senior detective in 'Prime Suspect' in 1991, and before Martina Cole published her first novel in 1992, Lynda La Plante put women at the centre of the gangland and heist genre. Dolly and the other widows would return in a second series two years later and Dolly would return again in 'She's Out' a decade after the second series. Both series have also been novelised.

I first saw 'Widows' on its realise on VHS in 2002, already a fan of Lynda La Plante as a result of the brilliant 'Trial & Retribution' TV series (and novelisations). At the time, the 'Widows' novels were out of print, but I was lucky enough to find second-hand copies, much to my excitement. Now, years later, the original is back in print, revised and updated, ahead of a new movie adaption later this year (the second time the series has been adapted; La Plante herself produced an American TV remake in 2002).

Thrilling, detailed, with twisting plotting and endearing yet flawed characters, 'Widows' proves - alongside all her other work - why Lynda La Plante is and always will be a crime-writing legend. As a reader, her work is gripping and powerful; as a writer, she is an inspiration and a hero.



View all my reviews

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!



View all my reviews

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


‘Into the Water’ is the second thriller by Paula Hawkins, author of ‘The Girl on the Train’, which was always going to be a hard act to follow considering its success. However, Hawkins’ second novel more than lives up to expectations – an enthralling mystery featuring an ensemble of characters which steadily submerge you in their stories.

At the heart of the novel is the Drowning Pool and the legends and mysteries that circle around it. There are the tales of alleged witches, drowned during trials determining whether they will sink or swim (an allegation of practicing witchcraft was a death sentence; surviving the test would only be held as proof they were in allegiance with the Devil); and speculation surrounding numerous suicides – a woman who murdered her husband, a mother whose son saw her jump, a teenage girl whose reason for taking her own life remains unknown. Legend says, if you go to the water at night or submerge yourself in its depths, you can almost hear its victims calling out to you...

As the novel begins, Nel Abbott is the latest whose life came to an end in the water, falling from the cliff above. But did she jump or was she pushed? Her sister, Jules, becomes convinced she must have been murdered, while her daughter, Lena, seems convinced she killed herself.

There are quite a few characters we get to know throughout the course of the book. As well as the Abbotts, we are introduced to the Whittakers, family of Katie, the teenage girl who took her own life; the Townsends, the DI investigating the case, his wife, and father; as well as several others. I particularly liked Erin, the DS who is new to the area, and all the scenes featuring Nickie, the town psychic, were incredibly entertaining. I almost immediately took a dislike to Patrick, though his obvious commitment to his family remained throughout his redeeming quality. With so many characters, every reader will take away something different from the story, which is undoubtedly one of the novel's strengths.

Told through each of the character's perspectives, the mysteries and secrets of the small town and its inhabitants, past and present, are unveiled, leading to the final revelation in the last few pages.

'Into the Water' proves to be as immersive as the Drowning Pool itself, a thriller that has you hooked to the very end and a perfect companion for a long train ride and sitting atop the cliffs beside the sea.



View all my reviews

To the Devil a Daughter (Molly Fountain, #1) by Dennis Wheatley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping occult thriller from the master of the black magic thriller.

Despite writing over sixty novels, many of them bestsellers, Dennis Wheatley is perhaps best known for his black magic novels, of which he wrote eleven (as well as a non-fiction book on the Occult). Perhaps the most famous of these was his first novel on the subject, 'The Devil Rides Out', a classic of the genre. Both 'The Devil Rides Out' and 'To the Devil a Daughter' were made into movies by Hammer Studios, the latter only loosely based on Wheatley's novel.

The novel begins in the South of France, where we meet Molly Fountain, a thriller writer awaiting a visit from her son. She becomes intrigued by the mysterious behaviour of her new neighbour, a young woman who spends her days staring out to sea, apparently doing nothing. Upon seeing her returning home in the middle of the night, Molly soon decides to introduce herself to the young woman, who introduces herself as Christina.

Christina soon breaks down and tells Molly the disturbing story of how her father has hidden her at the villa under an assumed name, seemingly to keep her safe from enemies she didn't know she had. Determined to help, Molly tells her son John the story on his arrival and they both endeavour to keep her safe. But they encounter many strange occurrences - as night falls, Christina's behaviour radically changes, leading Molly to draw the conclusion she is possessed by a demonic force.

Enlisting the help of Molly's old secret service colleague and friend Colonel Verney, John and Molly become Christina's protectors, coming up against a villainous Marquis and his son the Count leading a gang of criminals determined to kidnap Christina and smuggle her back to the UK; and the nefarious Canon Copely-Syle, Christina's godfather and, it is revealed, a Satanist with a diabolical scheme that will conclude on the evening of Christina's twenty-first birthday.

The action takes place between France and the UK as the group battle with criminals and Satanic forces to keep Christina safe until the danger has passed. With insights into the rituals and schemes of the Occult, Wheatley crafts a tale of diabolical tension that is both a gripping thriller and disturbing horror story. The final scenes in the Canon's crypt and the Cave of Bats are superbly realised, evoking strong images of the dark forces and those that dabble in them.

'To the Devil a Daughter' is a classic and a masterpiece of the horror and thriller genres and, particularly when you consider how shocking its subject matter and imagery would have been at the time of publication, proves why Wheatley's occult works have become the most famous of his legacy.



View all my reviews