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Cold Shoulder
(Lorraine Page #1)
by
Lorraine Page is a down-on-her-luck ex-LAPD cop, recruited against her will to hunt for a serial killer. Cold Shoulder is the story of a young woman who has everything: a devoted husband, two beautiful daughters, and a successful career as a lieutenant with the Pasadena Homicide Squad. But when her partner is shot and dies in her arms, Lorraine's life starts to unravel. Th
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Hardcover, 415 pages
Published
October 20th 1998
by Random House
(first published 1994)
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Start your review of Cold Shoulder (Lorraine Page, #1)
The saddest aspect of this novel is the fact it is based on a true story.
I love Lynda La Plante and have read almost all her work, so at times I found myself struggling to identify her style in this novel. It is very different to her well-known and much loved Prime Suspect/Jane Tennison series. From setting the (USA) to the main character (alcoholic, disgraced, unfathomably callous Lorraine Paige).
The similarities are only in the quality of writing. La Plante is masterful in creating an all con ...more
I love Lynda La Plante and have read almost all her work, so at times I found myself struggling to identify her style in this novel. It is very different to her well-known and much loved Prime Suspect/Jane Tennison series. From setting the (USA) to the main character (alcoholic, disgraced, unfathomably callous Lorraine Paige).
The similarities are only in the quality of writing. La Plante is masterful in creating an all con ...more
I found this book difficult to get through. It was well-written, and absorbing, but the content was quite confronting. I thought the main character had hit bottom, and then went even further. The book built up nicely, with a bunch of twists, some expected, some unexpected. The climax was a little disappointing, but it turns out it wasn't the major climax, which snuck up on me. The resolution was a little rushed, but I suspect it leads into the next book in the series. I am not certain if I will
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Absolutely brilliant, never read this author before, this was a holiday buy.
Was so enjoyable i want to collect the rest of her work.
A well crafted storyline with so many unexpected twists and turns it kept me guessing right up until the last page.
Well worth reading if you like fast paced thrillers and serial killers.
Was so enjoyable i want to collect the rest of her work.
A well crafted storyline with so many unexpected twists and turns it kept me guessing right up until the last page.
Well worth reading if you like fast paced thrillers and serial killers.
On my way to a vacation in a remote place, I realized that I'd forgotten to pack any books. My only option was a resale shop, selling used books for $1 each. I grabbed this one, and I suffered.
Where to begin?
Sloppy and lazy writing.
Absurd coincidences.
Unlikeable protagonist. She's a truly terrible person who makes inexplicable choices and constantly screws other people over. She's supposedly this crack detective but she does stupid, reckless things constantly and she makes no sense.
Terrible, ter ...more
Where to begin?
Sloppy and lazy writing.
Absurd coincidences.
Unlikeable protagonist. She's a truly terrible person who makes inexplicable choices and constantly screws other people over. She's supposedly this crack detective but she does stupid, reckless things constantly and she makes no sense.
Terrible, ter ...more
The first Linda La Plante book I have read based in the U.S. and for the most part I enjoyed it. It was a little slow at times and some of the situations I found a bit implausible but overall good.
I found the first part difficult to read and get into and then I couldn’t put it down.
Author..
Lynda La Plante..
Characters..
Lorraine Page, Rosie Hurst, Bill Rooney, Brad Thorburn, Steven Janklow, Art Matthews, Norman Hastings, Didi, Holly, Nula ..
location ..
Los Angeles..
Genre..
Suspense..
PLOT..
Eight Girls, all prostitutes from different areas and a male named Norman Hastings were killed by a nightmare serial killer. All had been killed by hammer blows to the back of the head and suffered severe facial injuries. Their bodies left in a trunk of a stolen vehicle. No witnesses. Ea ...more
Lynda La Plante..
Characters..
Lorraine Page, Rosie Hurst, Bill Rooney, Brad Thorburn, Steven Janklow, Art Matthews, Norman Hastings, Didi, Holly, Nula ..
location ..
Los Angeles..
Genre..
Suspense..
PLOT..
Eight Girls, all prostitutes from different areas and a male named Norman Hastings were killed by a nightmare serial killer. All had been killed by hammer blows to the back of the head and suffered severe facial injuries. Their bodies left in a trunk of a stolen vehicle. No witnesses. Ea ...more
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This one did not excite, thrill or interest the reader as much as many of her other books do. I am a big fan of La Plante, some of her books have been superbly written crime thrillers that keeps you holding on for more....not so with this one. The plot just seemed to take forever to even begin to have the slightest bit of momentum, then just when you think it's picking up it drops back a gear or two.
The female protagonist is the saving grace of the book, Lorraine Page - her character was gritty ...more
The female protagonist is the saving grace of the book, Lorraine Page - her character was gritty ...more
Reading LaPlante, you have to know right off that the book will be a bit dark and gritty. First off, she’s a contemporary Brit, and next she wrote the Tennison series starring Helen Mirren. Her protagonists are women, often alcoholic, and as such, tend to be self-destructive. Already dark. In this one we clearly see Lorraine’s struggle to climb from the abyss into which she has fallen. Once you know what to expect, it’s easier to simply go with the storyline, and not to be swamped by the darknes
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Good read, although if she had not gotten off the alcohol when she did I would have stopped reading. The mail character, Lorraine Page was a Police Officer, a lieutenant actually, and she kills a young boy who is running away from her and he was not armed, she was drunk at the time. She was a hard character to get to like, but Lynda LaPlante gets the job done. Lorraine gets involved in a series of murders, and proceeds to "investigate" on her own. Lots of twists and turns and interesting charact
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To be honest I lost interest simply because of how long it took for this book to start. And it doesn't matter how good an ending is, a unnecessary slow start to a novel dilutes any greatness the novel could have had.
I would like to try another from this author simply because she knows what she's doing she just didn't do it right. ...more
I would like to try another from this author simply because she knows what she's doing she just didn't do it right. ...more
This book wasn't as good as her other but still enjoyable all the same
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Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days
Pages - 415
Publisher - Random House
Source - Bought
Blurb from Goodreads
Lorraine Page is a down-on-her-luck ex-LAPD cop, recruited against her will to hunt for a serial killer. Cold Shoulder is the story of a young woman who has everything: a devoted husband, two beautiful daughters, and a successful career as a lieutenant with the Pasadena Homicide Squad. But when her partner is shot and dies in her arms, Lorraine's life starts to unravel. The after-ho ...more
Pages - 415
Publisher - Random House
Source - Bought
Blurb from Goodreads
Lorraine Page is a down-on-her-luck ex-LAPD cop, recruited against her will to hunt for a serial killer. Cold Shoulder is the story of a young woman who has everything: a devoted husband, two beautiful daughters, and a successful career as a lieutenant with the Pasadena Homicide Squad. But when her partner is shot and dies in her arms, Lorraine's life starts to unravel. The after-ho ...more
Very well written and excellent storytelling in this novel. The problem for me was I just couldn't warm up to any of the characters.
Lorraine Paige is an ex-cop - alcoholism and depression sends her spiraling down a rabbit hole where she's turning tricks to get enough money to drink herself into another stupor. When Rosie, another alcoholic, meets her at a treatment center, Rosie is driven to offer Lorraine a place to stay once she leaves the center. In a search for a job, Lorraine manages to me ...more
Lorraine Paige is an ex-cop - alcoholism and depression sends her spiraling down a rabbit hole where she's turning tricks to get enough money to drink herself into another stupor. When Rosie, another alcoholic, meets her at a treatment center, Rosie is driven to offer Lorraine a place to stay once she leaves the center. In a search for a job, Lorraine manages to me ...more
I picked this book up at one of the library sales because it had an interesting title. The book itself was interesting, but somehow not riveting. I found it slow to start, and not exactly captivating as it moved along. It was, however, and interesting book. I enjoyed the mystery, and the redemption of the main character. My three star rating, signifies that it was good, not great.
This book features Lorraine Page. Once a decorated Los Angeles police officer, wife, and mother, Lorraine takes up d ...more
This book features Lorraine Page. Once a decorated Los Angeles police officer, wife, and mother, Lorraine takes up d ...more
Reading is like inviting a complete stranger to invade your body; it's a thrilling thing to allow. Like people, books can be well intentioned but a little boring, some are crass and offensive, some make you smile and believe again. This book was none of those.
This book was sometimes shocking, a bit moody and often confrontational. It was in your face and unapologetic about it. But underneath that was a spark of humanity and a glimer of truth. It's characters, and Lorraine in particular, made me ...more
This book was sometimes shocking, a bit moody and often confrontational. It was in your face and unapologetic about it. But underneath that was a spark of humanity and a glimer of truth. It's characters, and Lorraine in particular, made me ...more
I am a little torn in my opinion of this book. It certainly has a compelling plot and I got through it quickly - being on a long haul flight in economy helped there, although given the content of the book it probably messed with my head a little due to sleep deprivation. On the other hand, there were bits I skipped through as they were repeats of previous parts of the story. There seemed to be an unneccasry need to explain all of the details, but as narration rather than character driven discove
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Lorraine Page was a police officer until she shot an innocent boy while drunk on duty. She is plunged into a 6 year drinking binge because she is also an alcoholic. This is the background to this story and being the first in a series it spends a lot of time introducing the character. I think too much time as it dragged the story out. This story is really the story of her getting sober and at the same time getting involved in the investigation of a serial killer. Some of it was totally unbelievab
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It's 1989. Lorraine Page is an LAPD police lieutenant. One night she shoots a fourteen-year-old boy, thinking his Walkman is a gun. She's drunk. Later on in the evening, they find her passed out drunk in the locker room at the station. She is drummed out, losing her job and her pension. She falls into the bottle, losing her family and herself. Six years later she is arrested on a drunk and disorderly. She is so combative that they put her in a mental ward. While there she goes through alcohol wi
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While the plot had an interesting premise, the book relied a bit too heavily on coincidences to keep the protagonist going and seemed to drag on in certain places. Towards the end during the final wrap up of the mystery I felt kind of cheated out on a good twist and while that was kind of fulfilled a bit later on, the initial fake out left me feeling a little unsatisfied at the end. Overall, what kept me reading was the author's writing and how my perception of the protagonist was so easily sway
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I have been a fan of this genre for a long time, the best compliment I can give a book in this space is that it was tight. This book was, tight and logical, it made sense, it surprised as well. The reason for the 4 stars not 5 was, I am not into what I call American slickness where everything is pat and falls into place, the book was written for that market. Good read though, my first Lynda, it won't be the last.
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The first of the Lorraine Page series. A revealing insight into her past and how she became a private investigator. Not my favourite crime fighter...the books tend to drag on and can be a little predictable. It's a little annoying to read the same formula. Crime, then investigation but always "something doesn't feel right, a missing piece"....then within the last 30 pages a twist develops to neatly tie up all the loose ends.
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Good read, good plot
I enjoyed the story, although it got a little Ott at times, but hey, it's pretend right? I quite like the main character, but wish she would quit smoking, along with the drink, as it makes me a little nauseous. I do hate typos though, and there are quite a few, so I think a few quid invested in someone to go through it thoroughly wouldn't go amiss. I'm reading the sequel now, so that is a recommendation in itself.
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I enjoyed the story, although it got a little Ott at times, but hey, it's pretend right? I quite like the main character, but wish she would quit smoking, along with the drink, as it makes me a little nauseous. I do hate typos though, and there are quite a few, so I think a few quid invested in someone to go through it thoroughly wouldn't go amiss. I'm reading the sequel now, so that is a recommendation in itself.
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Lorraine Paige's life spins out of control due to drinking on the job. She hits rock bottom, losing her job, her husband, her home, her memory. As she tries to rebuild her life, she LAPD solve what appears to be a serial murder case involving transvestites and prostitutes. Mixed in amongst the detective work are references to AA meetings that just felt contrived to me. Actually, much of the book felt contrived.
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I have read many books by this author and enjoyed them but had not read this series. The story was to me average and at the edges of credibility some of the time. The main fault I would say is the endless padding which really put the skids on the plot. It would have been so much better if alot of that was removed. I would recommend it as the start of the series although I wonder if this book was edited atall considered what was left in.
Lorraine Page #1: Lorraine Page is a police officer who loses everything because of her alcoholism; and this is the story of how she drags herself back up by becoming involved in a serial murder case in her old precinct. A masterclass in characterisations and plotting by La Plante! It's always nice to see mega bestselling writers turning out decent stories. 7 out of 12.
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Dec 13, 2016
Michelle Wiles
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
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I absolutely LOVED this book. Lynda La Plante took us into the seedy world of alcoholism and prostitution and it was certainly a real eye opener. The story was fantastic and I can't wait to read more.
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This is a two and a half star for me. The characters are interesting and well drawn but the crime narrative takes too long to get going. It wrestles with the recovering alcoholic narrative and loses. The book needed, I thought, a good edit and simplification.
I read a lot of books in the genre and this one was not in the usual mold. Lorraine made quite the heroine after a rather unexpected start. There is a dark underbelly and lots of twists and turns as the plot unfolds.
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Lynda La Plante (born Lynda Titchmarsh) is a British author, screenwriter, and erstwhile actress (her performances in Rentaghost and other programmes were under her stage name of Lynda Marchal), best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series.
Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a ...more
Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a ...more
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Lorraine Page
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