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The Shape of Snakes
Twenty years after stumbling upon a black woman--an unpopular recluse known as "Mad Annie"--dying in the gutter, Mrs. Ranelagh continues to believe that the woman had been murdered and spends two deacdes trying to uncover the truth. By the author of The Breaker. Reprint.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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About the author
Minette Walters
68 books1,443 followersMinette Walters (born 26 September 1949) is a British mystery writer. After studying at Trevelyan College, University of Durham, she began writing in 1987 with The Ice House, which was published in 1992. She followed this with The Sculptress (1993), which received the 1994 Edgar Award for Best Novel. She has been published in 35 countries and won many awards.
The Sculptress has been adapted for television in a BBC series starring Pauline Quirke. Her novels The Ice House, The Echo, The Dark Room, and The Scold's Bridle have also been adapted by the BBC.
The Sculptress has been adapted for television in a BBC series starring Pauline Quirke. Her novels The Ice House, The Echo, The Dark Room, and The Scold's Bridle have also been adapted by the BBC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
July 3, 2023
This was a real page turner for me. A psychological thriller about racism, mental cruelty, family, class and the power of raw emotion. Mrs. Ranelagh is haunted by the dead body she found in the gutter twenty years ago, outside her house during Britain’s Winter of Discontent.
Mad Annie,as she was known, was the only black resident of her West London neighborhood and despised by the local community. The police called her death an accident, but Mrs. Ranelagh suspected it was murder. However, her pleas for an investigation were met with a vicious hate campaign that drove her and her husband from the country.
Twenty years later she returns determined to uncover the truth, where she quickly discovers a sordid trail of domestic violence, racism and adultery. The final few pages is truly very sad.
Mad Annie,as she was known, was the only black resident of her West London neighborhood and despised by the local community. The police called her death an accident, but Mrs. Ranelagh suspected it was murder. However, her pleas for an investigation were met with a vicious hate campaign that drove her and her husband from the country.
Twenty years later she returns determined to uncover the truth, where she quickly discovers a sordid trail of domestic violence, racism and adultery. The final few pages is truly very sad.
February 6, 2017
'I could never decide whether "Mad Annie" was murdered because she was mad or because she was black'
This is my first Minette Walters novel and i must say i was impressed, not only is the story well written but the use of coroners/police reports, news articles and letters added a little something with the mystery and the secrets hidden in this story. Set in the the late 70's then the late 90's, a twenty year gap between the what happened then and what was happening now. This novel tackles racism, classism , animal cruelty and mental illness in away that really opens your eyes to how cruel and nasty people can be over such trivial things, especially back then although these issues still exist today, i dont believe its to the extent it was. With secrets hidden for years, lives torn apart and a determination for justice, this novel was well beyond what i thought it would be.
Mad Annie was found in the gutter, like tossed garbage dying a slow painful death. Police quickly ruled it to be an accident due to the fact she was labeled a drunk crazy cat lady by most in the white community she lived in, she obviously walked out onto the road and got hit was what most thought, good riddance. Everyone believes this , and no one questions beyond that, except M Ranelagh, who happened to be the one to discover poor Annie and rush to call an ambulance, watching her die and the state she was in minute before her death, M doesn't believe it was an accident, she believes someone murdered Mad Annie.
Her persistence and want for justice get her labeled 'the nigger lover' and soon those in the community turn against her and persuade her husband into thinking she has gone mad as well and seeking professional help for her at the Department of Psychiatry. Threatening a divorce M and her husband decide to move away, and sort out their lives, oathing to never speak of Annie or her death again.
20 years later, M's coming back to where it all started and this time she wont make the same mistakes twice, she wants justice for both Annie and herself. To find the truth about what happened she must dig into the past of her neighbours, her husband and those she called her friends in order for justice to be made, and to deal justice to those who turned their backs on evidence poor Mad Annie was murdered.
My favourite character was Mad Annie, she was misunderstood by everyone in her community and i really felt for her having had such a hard life. Being black doesn't devalue a persons life, and it never should. Seeing the full extent of the racism really got to me at some points, because no one stood up for this poor woman who was not only mentally ill but had a kind heart and a love of cats. Awareness about mental illness is still not that great, but compared to what i read in this novel, we have improved alot from then, but still have a long way to go. The story of Mad Annie unfolded slowly, making me feel for her every time some new light was shed. I literally wanted to put my hands in the book and strangle some of these characters for how cruel and unkind they were to this woman- they even piss on her at one point.. to do that to someone.. why?..just WHY!?
In all i thought this was an amazing book, that shed alot of light on many issues from then and now, really making me think and feel (that's what a good novel is supposed to do right?)
The secrets and lies were juicy and i was as determined as M to find out what happened to this poor woman and why someone would take away her life, especially whether it was because she was 'mad' or because she was black. Well done Minette Walters, will definitely be reading some more of your novels in the future.
Recommended for: Mystery/ Thriller /Fiction
January 1, 2016
This is the 3rd of her books that I've read, and the one I've liked the least. The characters are all unpleasant, the story quite slow, and the constant hints that you can't quite trust the narrator are a bit annoying. Annie, an black woman with Tourette's syndrome who lives alone and is shunned by her racist neighbours, is found dying in the street where she lives in South London during the Winter of Discontent. M finds her and is sure she's been murdered, but no one believe her and the police investigation goes nowhere, leading to her nervous breakdown and the near end of her marriage, so she and her husband Sam move overseas and agree not to talk about it. Twenty years later, they move back to the UK with their sons and M continues her own investigation of what happened, going to alarming lengths to try and get justice for Annie, but everyone has secrets and their own agenda.
As a cat-lover I found the descriptions of animal cruelty absolutely sickening, and sort of wish I hadn't read this at all. The story is cleverly told in the first person POV but with copies of letters, emails and official reports adding to M's narrative, each one twisting the story a little more. It's well written and I will read more of her books, but suggest caution with this one.
As a cat-lover I found the descriptions of animal cruelty absolutely sickening, and sort of wish I hadn't read this at all. The story is cleverly told in the first person POV but with copies of letters, emails and official reports adding to M's narrative, each one twisting the story a little more. It's well written and I will read more of her books, but suggest caution with this one.
November 18, 2016
Not half as good as the corker I finished recently! Characters are unpleasant, but it was interesting to follow how a woman, still obsessed after 20 years, with the death of a black woman with Tourette's goes about finding the murderer, through sheer doggedness and persistence. Letters, police reports, medical findings add to the authenticity. Ghastly animal cruelty turned my stomach. I may try others by this author since her [book:The Sculptress|41325 was so good. I hope this was just a fluke and her other novels are more enjoyable.
October 3, 2016
Absolutely excellent. Minette Walters' plotting is outstanding. At the time this came out it was a response to the murder of Stephen Lawrence in the UK, for which justice was finally achieved, insomuch as that is possible - the lasting legacy being the change in the double jeopardy law 3 years after this was published that allowed his killers to be re-prosecuted - finally.
Walters addresses the issues of being different - the victim is not only black but also has Tourette's Syndrome. The police refuse to believe there is anything to suggest murder. Twenty years later this still haunts the neighbour who found her dying. Walters tells her stories with the addition of correspondence and newspaper articles (fictional) in a unique style. She never revolts her reader by including any gratuitous word imagery but writes tight psychological thrillers. It's not a genre I usually like due to the ubiquitous gratuitous word imagery many authors employ.
Walters addresses the issues of being different - the victim is not only black but also has Tourette's Syndrome. The police refuse to believe there is anything to suggest murder. Twenty years later this still haunts the neighbour who found her dying. Walters tells her stories with the addition of correspondence and newspaper articles (fictional) in a unique style. She never revolts her reader by including any gratuitous word imagery but writes tight psychological thrillers. It's not a genre I usually like due to the ubiquitous gratuitous word imagery many authors employ.
April 3, 2015
I did not find this a page turner, i found it a hard slog. It's about hatred, racism vengeance and people who can never forgive, forget or move on. I finished the book but it is quite forgettable.
January 3, 2009
Another terrific page-turner from my new favorite crime-story author. A black woman, Annie, dies under suspicious circumstances in the working class London neighborhood where she lived. The ensuing investigation resulted in the death being ruled accidental and the woman who found the dying woman labeled hysterical because of her insistence that foul play had been involved. Twenty years later, she returns to find justice for Annie, and a certain measure of revenge on the people who turned their back on a sordid state of affairs. A dark look at racial prejudice and class warfare in modern England. Ms Walters writes as fine a police procedural as anyone I have encountered. Her skill at revealing elements of the puzzle without giving away the shape of the final tableaux is nothing short of amazing. In this outing, the investigator is a woman whose sense of justice and drive to rectify past injuries is indomitable, a private citizen and not a policeman at all. Her methods and painstaking research are as good as any official investigator, and maybe better since she only has one case. She takes on all comers, including her husband, the violent and bigoted policeman who headed the investigation, the petty criminals and neighborhood bullies who made Annie's life a living hell, and the neighbors whose dirty little secrets kept them from telling the truth at the time and had held them all prisoner since. A testament to the power of one decent human being standing up for someone no longer able to stand up for herself. Definitely recommended.
July 12, 2016
Tackled racism and mental illness, quite aptly I might add.
Oddly enough, her endings are always happy ones, on a positive note. In that, her books reminds me of Pedro Almodóvar; grim stories, rainbow endings.
October 2, 2009
This psychological murder mystery is, in my opinion, one of Walters’ best. And I have read lots of her work.
The plot is about a woman determined to solve what she believes to be the murder of a neighbour and friend.
The book starts with ‘I could never decide whether ‘Mad Annie’ was murdered because she was mad or because she was black.’ And while her killing may be resolved, this question remains a source of vexation throughout.
In the telling of a really good story, this book raises issues of racism, the acceptance (or lack thereof) of the mentally ill and socially snobbery. Classism and the lack of ability of the working class (in England in this instance) to accept those they consider beneath them are central themes to this book too. In addition, the question of revenge as opposed to justice runs through the narrative too.
While the book is set in England in the 70s and in the late 90s, the issues raised are very pertinent to current day South Africa. We have a rapidly growing middle class who seem unable to get over their poor roots; we have racism hidden all over the place in all directions; we have poverty rendering people unable to get the help they need; and we a police force many of us do not trust.
But do not think this book is just about issues and deep stuff. It is also a wonderfully readable story in which a killing is unraveled and a mystery solved. The multi-format structure of the book makes it easy to read too; it moves from straight text, through emails and memos to personal letters. Various points of view are thus included, making the story rich and well rounded.
Be warned though, the last page of the book had me in tears. I sat in bed, weeping for the deep deep sadness of it all. But don’t read the last page first. It would not make you cry unless you had read the whole story. And if you read the last page and then read the story, much of the story will be wasted.
If you like mystery and well written yarn, then this book should be on your holiday reading list for this December.
Strongly recommended and worth actually buying, especially if you can pass it on to another mystery story lover.
The plot is about a woman determined to solve what she believes to be the murder of a neighbour and friend.
The book starts with ‘I could never decide whether ‘Mad Annie’ was murdered because she was mad or because she was black.’ And while her killing may be resolved, this question remains a source of vexation throughout.
In the telling of a really good story, this book raises issues of racism, the acceptance (or lack thereof) of the mentally ill and socially snobbery. Classism and the lack of ability of the working class (in England in this instance) to accept those they consider beneath them are central themes to this book too. In addition, the question of revenge as opposed to justice runs through the narrative too.
While the book is set in England in the 70s and in the late 90s, the issues raised are very pertinent to current day South Africa. We have a rapidly growing middle class who seem unable to get over their poor roots; we have racism hidden all over the place in all directions; we have poverty rendering people unable to get the help they need; and we a police force many of us do not trust.
But do not think this book is just about issues and deep stuff. It is also a wonderfully readable story in which a killing is unraveled and a mystery solved. The multi-format structure of the book makes it easy to read too; it moves from straight text, through emails and memos to personal letters. Various points of view are thus included, making the story rich and well rounded.
Be warned though, the last page of the book had me in tears. I sat in bed, weeping for the deep deep sadness of it all. But don’t read the last page first. It would not make you cry unless you had read the whole story. And if you read the last page and then read the story, much of the story will be wasted.
If you like mystery and well written yarn, then this book should be on your holiday reading list for this December.
Strongly recommended and worth actually buying, especially if you can pass it on to another mystery story lover.
August 8, 2021
2.5☆
I haven't liked a book I hated this much in a long time and it is very confusing.
This book had so many red flags for me. From the somewhat irritating white saviour complex of the main character, to the descriptions of animal abuse, rape and physical abuse. (I can normally handle quite a lot of gore etc. but in this case it just felt unnecessary to go into so much detail when the book had an overall more suburban mystery vibe)
I also normally really like unreliable narrators, but in this case it made it so incredibly hard to relate to the story or the main character. I didn't care what happened and I didn't really care about the outcome and I couldn't really understand most of the main characters decisions.
The ending was unsatisfying and yet so twisted and surprising that it honestly caught me of guard.
Overall I hate to say that I kind of enjoyed some parts of it and I can confidentially say that I will never recommend this book to anyone.
I haven't liked a book I hated this much in a long time and it is very confusing.
This book had so many red flags for me. From the somewhat irritating white saviour complex of the main character, to the descriptions of animal abuse, rape and physical abuse. (I can normally handle quite a lot of gore etc. but in this case it just felt unnecessary to go into so much detail when the book had an overall more suburban mystery vibe)
I also normally really like unreliable narrators, but in this case it made it so incredibly hard to relate to the story or the main character. I didn't care what happened and I didn't really care about the outcome and I couldn't really understand most of the main characters decisions.
The ending was unsatisfying and yet so twisted and surprising that it honestly caught me of guard.
Overall I hate to say that I kind of enjoyed some parts of it and I can confidentially say that I will never recommend this book to anyone.
April 6, 2020
Dragged on too long... tedious and despicable characters. Forced myself to finish.
September 18, 2011
Minette Walters' use of various memos, news clippings, and letters in addition to the experience of a primary character to augment our understanding of this crime is amazingly engaging and effective. I found this book devistating in its indictment of British racism and in the petty quarrels of an uneasy street of neighbors. Unexpected cruelty, rationalization, and deception make for a reading experience that will stay with you long after you close the book.
March 5, 2013
I felt this was a bit too clever for its own good. I didn't much like the smug narrator, and I nearly gave up many times because it was boring or annoying me. Still, I did finish it, though I'm beginning to realise there are not many crime novels I like. I feel that, often, the evil of the world at large is exaggerated, and all the characters are petty and spiteful. I know this is a very personal reaction though, and many people would rate it higher.
May 6, 2009
This was a great book, really captivating. Recommended to anyone who loves a mystery.
Come to think of it...I don't even like mysteries that much, and I still loved it!
About a woman who has never accepted the death of a black woman who lived in her street. Searching for answers, she uncovers more than just who murdered the poor woman. And although she never spoke to the dead woman, she grows closer to her by trying to find her killer.
Now something for you to think about- What is the main characters name?
Come to think of it...I don't even like mysteries that much, and I still loved it!
About a woman who has never accepted the death of a black woman who lived in her street. Searching for answers, she uncovers more than just who murdered the poor woman. And although she never spoke to the dead woman, she grows closer to her by trying to find her killer.
Now something for you to think about- What is the main characters name?
December 25, 2016
The truth behind the death of "Mad Annie" is incrementally revealed through correspondence and by the dogged persistence of her neighbor. Mental illness and society's general lack of understanding of it are the story behind the story in this lighter-than-expected mystery. Racism also rears its ugly head.
January 26, 2019
Well, I didn't see that coming.
November 7, 2022
Wow was this dreadful. And 425 pages of dreadful.
September 2, 2025
This book hurt my heart. The web she has managed to weave is fucking astounding, and her ability to get to the core of humanity’s basest impulses and cruelties is truly quite horrific and revolting. An absolute masterclass in revealing the darkness hidden inside the most mundane and unassuming people.
June 14, 2020
Racism and police brutality wrapped in a murder story set in '70s and '90s London. Very apt...
February 9, 2013
I have never met Minette Walters, but I wish I could. It takes a ballsy writer to tell a story where the narrator openly - almost lewdly - intimates she has more knowledge than the reader. THE SHAPE OF SNAKES is a psychological thriller about the unjust cruelty a culture of racism can hide, but it is also an artful reinvention of the relationship between reader and narrator.
Decades ago, Mad Annie, a black woman suffering of Tourette's Syndrome, died on Graham Road. The death was ruled accidental. Never mind that the coroner was a unreliable drunk who towed the police line because he wasn't sober enough to do his job; never mind that the lead policeman on the scene was routinely racist; never mind that M. Ranelagh saw Mad Annie as she died, smelling of urine and making a wordless plea for help. In late 1970's London, the death of a black woman wasn't something the police wasted much time on, especially when the woman was repeatedly paralytic and prone to wandering the streets.
As the story unfolds, the dirty laundry of Graham Road is revealed. Adultery, prostitution, child negligence, rape, and animal abuse are all variously produced by M. Ranelagh, the narrator, at the exact moment when it would cause the most damage to the doer. In a book where every character ends up carrying two labels -their name and their misdeed - M. Ranelagh remains only "M." Unnamed, yes, but without misdeed? M's cold calculation in the marshaling of information to set people one against another, while actively quelling any pains her conscience gives at misleading, using, and outright duping others to her advantage makes vote me that, no, M. is not without misdeed. Her punishment is righteous and just, but I can't help but believe the brutality of being the lone (and cruelly, intentionally silenced) voice of the unheard, warped M. into something closer to the sort of monster commonly referred to as an 'avenging angel.' M. is, in her own way, as scary as any of the 'bad guys' in THE SHAPE OF SNAKES. That she does everything in the name of justice doesn't make her likable, and I'm not even sure it makes her "good." It does make her interesting, and M's voice carries THE SHAPE OF SNAKES beyond the borders of social commentary and into the realm of narrative philosophy. For as much as M. manipulates the flow of events in the narrative, she is also manipulating you, the reader. M. doesn't ever show you everything, though, and the bits that she keeps back are maddening and every bit as realistic as the ugliness of racism, adultery, or false friendship. THE SHAPE OF SNAKES isn't the sort of book one "likes" or "dislikes." It is the sort that leaves you in awe.
PS What this Texas girl calls "wasted," the Brits call "paralytic," a lovely gem of linguistic deviation that thrills me!
Decades ago, Mad Annie, a black woman suffering of Tourette's Syndrome, died on Graham Road. The death was ruled accidental. Never mind that the coroner was a unreliable drunk who towed the police line because he wasn't sober enough to do his job; never mind that the lead policeman on the scene was routinely racist; never mind that M. Ranelagh saw Mad Annie as she died, smelling of urine and making a wordless plea for help. In late 1970's London, the death of a black woman wasn't something the police wasted much time on, especially when the woman was repeatedly paralytic and prone to wandering the streets.
As the story unfolds, the dirty laundry of Graham Road is revealed. Adultery, prostitution, child negligence, rape, and animal abuse are all variously produced by M. Ranelagh, the narrator, at the exact moment when it would cause the most damage to the doer. In a book where every character ends up carrying two labels -their name and their misdeed - M. Ranelagh remains only "M." Unnamed, yes, but without misdeed? M's cold calculation in the marshaling of information to set people one against another, while actively quelling any pains her conscience gives at misleading, using, and outright duping others to her advantage makes vote me that, no, M. is not without misdeed. Her punishment is righteous and just, but I can't help but believe the brutality of being the lone (and cruelly, intentionally silenced) voice of the unheard, warped M. into something closer to the sort of monster commonly referred to as an 'avenging angel.' M. is, in her own way, as scary as any of the 'bad guys' in THE SHAPE OF SNAKES. That she does everything in the name of justice doesn't make her likable, and I'm not even sure it makes her "good." It does make her interesting, and M's voice carries THE SHAPE OF SNAKES beyond the borders of social commentary and into the realm of narrative philosophy. For as much as M. manipulates the flow of events in the narrative, she is also manipulating you, the reader. M. doesn't ever show you everything, though, and the bits that she keeps back are maddening and every bit as realistic as the ugliness of racism, adultery, or false friendship. THE SHAPE OF SNAKES isn't the sort of book one "likes" or "dislikes." It is the sort that leaves you in awe.
PS What this Texas girl calls "wasted," the Brits call "paralytic," a lovely gem of linguistic deviation that thrills me!
October 18, 2013
This is the fifth book by Minette Walters that I have read, although not in the order that she wrote them. And, it is probably the last one of hers I'll read--at least for a while. This book wore me out. First, none of the characters, including the protagonist (first person pov, was likable at all. Second, it was so jam full of deceit and manipulation and resentment and desire for revenge that it left a bad taste in my mouth. Of course, murder isn't pleasant and I don't expect the story of "solving" a murder to be so, but the entire story was built on nothing but deceit and manipulation and no one seemed interested in really doing something because it was the right or good thing to do. Even the narrator's reason for working so hard to solve a twenty-years-ago murder, which wasn't revealed till the end of the book, didn't feel like it was for "good". It was to make herself feel better and to help her work out her revenge for past wrongs against her.
Which brings me to Walters' other books. There is a pattern of many plot twists and surprises and which I enjoyed through the first two or maybe three books I read. But they all seem so heavy on the deceit and lack of communication and overblown assumptions and lack of tolerance that it becomes like shoveling an unpleasant substance to get to the point. This probably reflects the small-minded and ugly nature of real murder and even of life in a small community to some degree but, basically, reading them too close together has been wearing and the mystery is overshadowed by the ugliness.
Which brings me to Walters' other books. There is a pattern of many plot twists and surprises and which I enjoyed through the first two or maybe three books I read. But they all seem so heavy on the deceit and lack of communication and overblown assumptions and lack of tolerance that it becomes like shoveling an unpleasant substance to get to the point. This probably reflects the small-minded and ugly nature of real murder and even of life in a small community to some degree but, basically, reading them too close together has been wearing and the mystery is overshadowed by the ugliness.
May 30, 2018
How can anyone get trough this book without forcing themselves Is the true mystery of the book.
I picked up the book because the synopsis on the back got my attention and I expected an fast paced crime/mystery novel taking place in the 80's with an political/social underlying message.
What I got was a horrible written sob story about a woman obsessed with revenge towards all the people that have ever hurt her.
The murder of Ann Butts the whole starting point of the book, the thing that was meant to be the focus point unfortunately never drew me in. And even in the end when the culprit?? was revealed it still didn't clear up anything!
The way the story is told is so confusing. The jumps in time the letters that are thrown in (Which are impossible to read sometimes!) all distract from the story and make the plot weaker.
The chronology of the story is hard to grasp we know the crime was 20 years ago but the time spent unraveling the crime is not lineair some of the letters are dated but they don't portray the same timestamp as the chapter they are shown in.
The crime is so poorly handled it could become so much more if it was just given more attention! the whole focus is just on the wrong thing the entire. And without spoiling the ending it was so unsatisfying I wasn't even surprised even fiction needs real evidence to pin a crime on someone!
I may sound harsh but I wasted my time reading all 400+ pages. A mistake I won't make again.
I picked up the book because the synopsis on the back got my attention and I expected an fast paced crime/mystery novel taking place in the 80's with an political/social underlying message.
What I got was a horrible written sob story about a woman obsessed with revenge towards all the people that have ever hurt her.
The murder of Ann Butts the whole starting point of the book, the thing that was meant to be the focus point unfortunately never drew me in. And even in the end when the culprit?? was revealed it still didn't clear up anything!
The way the story is told is so confusing. The jumps in time the letters that are thrown in (Which are impossible to read sometimes!) all distract from the story and make the plot weaker.
The chronology of the story is hard to grasp we know the crime was 20 years ago but the time spent unraveling the crime is not lineair some of the letters are dated but they don't portray the same timestamp as the chapter they are shown in.
The crime is so poorly handled it could become so much more if it was just given more attention! the whole focus is just on the wrong thing the entire. And without spoiling the ending it was so unsatisfying I wasn't even surprised even fiction needs real evidence to pin a crime on someone!
I may sound harsh but I wasted my time reading all 400+ pages. A mistake I won't make again.
October 31, 2014
Hmm...Apparently, I read this book already, back in 2009 (Thank you, goodreads for keeping track :). Anyway, I have NO RECOLLECTION of ever seeing this book before, let alone reading it. In my defence, 2009 was a very tragic year for me and most of it is a blur.
So, I decided to give this book a second read (is it a second read if I don't remember the first?) Well, my rating didn't change. It's still a 2 stars. It was on the way to being 4 stars at first, then it was down to 3 and by the time I finished it, I couldn't give it more than 2.
First of all, I really liked the format of the book: narrative mixed in with newspapapaper clippings, official memos, emails, letters, etc. I thought that it gave me different perspectives without confusing me by introducing several narrators.
In the beginning I liked main character's crusade (what the HECK is her name?!?!?!). I thought, wow, good for you!. Get the justice poor Annie was denied for so long!...As the story progressed, I started to see that it had NOTHING to do with justice, it as all a personal crusade, for revenge. By the time I finished the book I couldn't stand her (arghhh....what IS her name again?)
So, I decided to give this book a second read (is it a second read if I don't remember the first?) Well, my rating didn't change. It's still a 2 stars. It was on the way to being 4 stars at first, then it was down to 3 and by the time I finished it, I couldn't give it more than 2.
First of all, I really liked the format of the book: narrative mixed in with newspapapaper clippings, official memos, emails, letters, etc. I thought that it gave me different perspectives without confusing me by introducing several narrators.
In the beginning I liked main character's crusade (what the HECK is her name?!?!?!). I thought, wow, good for you!. Get the justice poor Annie was denied for so long!...As the story progressed, I started to see that it had NOTHING to do with justice, it as all a personal crusade, for revenge. By the time I finished the book I couldn't stand her (arghhh....what IS her name again?)
June 9, 2016
An engaging and thought provoking novel, with more than one story being told. This starts with the murder of Ann Butts, known, as Mad Annie, a murder that wasn't investigated for a variety of reasons. But for the persistence of a Mrs Ranelagh (the narrator of the story) that would have been the end of that.
However, we follow her investigations, and 20 years on she is still looking to find out how it was that the death of Ann Butts was never investigated. The story unfolds, the problem neighbours, unashamed of their role in the sad state of affairs, bullying this unfortunate woman, hoping they could get rid of her.
This is a tragic tale, complex and interesting as a detective story, there are affairs of the heart,for his own reasons, Sam Ranelagh, has not been entirely truthful, discovering the truth amongst the many deceits, is intriguing and holds the reader's interest all the way through.
I enjoyed reading this novel, and as it picked up pace and the truth was about to be uncovered, it was quite riveting. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading Minette Walters, and likes a complex murder mystery.
However, we follow her investigations, and 20 years on she is still looking to find out how it was that the death of Ann Butts was never investigated. The story unfolds, the problem neighbours, unashamed of their role in the sad state of affairs, bullying this unfortunate woman, hoping they could get rid of her.
This is a tragic tale, complex and interesting as a detective story, there are affairs of the heart,for his own reasons, Sam Ranelagh, has not been entirely truthful, discovering the truth amongst the many deceits, is intriguing and holds the reader's interest all the way through.
I enjoyed reading this novel, and as it picked up pace and the truth was about to be uncovered, it was quite riveting. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading Minette Walters, and likes a complex murder mystery.
January 4, 2020
I've been reading this 20 years after the book was first published (published in 2000, and the year 2020 has only just begun, so maybe that's a bit overly dramatic), but it's still captivating, and definitely a real page turner.
I won't discuss what the story is about much as you can look at the blurb for that, but it is touches racism, mental illness, misogyny, abuse and the worst and best of human nature.
The way the story is narrated is from the viewpoint of the protagonist (who comes across as a strong and intelligent woman), interspersed with personal correspondence and official reports from psychiatrists, police etc. It was not only clever in that I had to make up my own mind what was true, what was false, and what was assumed, but also lent itself very well to the construction of the many twists and turns.
I found myself drawn in to liking or pitying certain people in the book (I'm sure this was intentional) and disliking others only to have some of these turned on their heads by the end.
Still a magnificent beast of a book 20 years on in my opinion.
I won't discuss what the story is about much as you can look at the blurb for that, but it is touches racism, mental illness, misogyny, abuse and the worst and best of human nature.
The way the story is narrated is from the viewpoint of the protagonist (who comes across as a strong and intelligent woman), interspersed with personal correspondence and official reports from psychiatrists, police etc. It was not only clever in that I had to make up my own mind what was true, what was false, and what was assumed, but also lent itself very well to the construction of the many twists and turns.
I found myself drawn in to liking or pitying certain people in the book (I'm sure this was intentional) and disliking others only to have some of these turned on their heads by the end.
Still a magnificent beast of a book 20 years on in my opinion.
April 22, 2014
I like to think I don't view the world around me with naivety or idealized warmth but the characters in this book seem to me to be... just questionable. Everyone appears repellent or unkind in some manner or another and I came away feeling very strongly that any goodness in Walters' world is merely built upon false pleasantries and ulterior motives. Don't get me wrong, I get it, this happens and people can be horrible, but you can't build a world or a (worth-while) story out of this one idea/perception alone. Every single character cannot have the same base nastiness to their nature. It just doesn't work. As the saying goes, "It takes all kinds".
So, sure, a strong effort was made to bring each character to life but the fact that I could rarely find anything genuine or pure in any of them created a rift so strong that the story came and went without any real connection ever hoping to be made. Just bleh. That's how I feel after reading this. Bleh.
So, sure, a strong effort was made to bring each character to life but the fact that I could rarely find anything genuine or pure in any of them created a rift so strong that the story came and went without any real connection ever hoping to be made. Just bleh. That's how I feel after reading this. Bleh.
January 10, 2014
I tried to read this years ago and abandoned it because at the time I didn't appreciate the format of the narrative, which is in equal proportions straight forward prose and 'documents' (police statements, doctor's notes, affidavits etc). Basically, I was sulking about Walters' departure from her winning formula of bog standard yet beautifully crafted crime story telling. I picked it up again during this Christmas break and this time I not only finished it but came to appreciate it. It still didn't rock my crime world like other Walters I've read did but I would recommend it to someone who is into this kind of mosaic composition.
March 7, 2017
Glad I stayed with this slow-starter . It went from a two-star to a 3 , then ended up a 4-star read For anyone with the patience to hang in there , this is a good read ; one that has persuaded me to try another by the author .
September 26, 2021
Had to stop reading half way through. Great writing in parts but the plot is terrible and slow. Far too many characters and confusing chronology. If I’d known there was descriptions of cat cruelty before I started reading I wouldn’t have!! My overall response to the story is, so what?!
December 26, 2010
The teacher who tells the story is a strong intelligent woman. Some surprising twists.
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