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Dr. Anya Crichton #5
Death Mask
When the victim of a violent gang rape accuses five premier sportsmen of being her attackers, she has no idea that her suffering has only just begun. It's a scandal that rocks a nation of sports fans. But, in spite of a huge amount of evidence, no one seems to believe the girl.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2011
20 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Fox
16 books275 followersKathryn Fox is a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine who currently lives in Sydney, Australia.Her debut novel, MALICIOUS INTENT, received international acclaim, won the 2005 Davitt award for adult fiction and was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly best debut novel award. In addition, it toppled The Da Vinci Code to become the no. 1 crime book on Amazon in the UK and Germany. Fox is also the author of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling WITHOUT CONSENT, SKIN AND BONE, BLOOD BORN, DEATH MASK, COLD GRAVE AND FATAL IMPACT. In her spare time, Kathryn indulges in her favourite pastimes - reading and playing the harp (very badly).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
September 28, 2014
This fifth book in the Anya Chrichton series tackles the difficult issue of gang rape and sport. In her job as a forensic pathologist, Anya becomes involved in a case involving a local football star and his new wife and following on from that she becomes involved in a study of the code of conduct in sport.
Anya is then invited to New York to a pre-season education and training session for American footballers, where she gives some talks on sexual health and conduct and is shocked to discover that many of the players don't understand what constitutes consent in sex. While she is there an alleged gang rape takes place involving a group of top players and a young woman sent by the fashion company she works for to sign up a football star. As always, proving rape is difficult, even though some of the players have criminal records or past allegations of similar crimes. It doesn't help that the media is on the side of the sportsmen, with one particularly nasty journalist writing vitriolic comments about the victim.
Weaving through the story, the author takes a good look at professional team sport and doesn't like what she sees. As well as the issues with players behaviour off-field, often being covered up by their managers and minders, she examines the pressures the players are under to stay at the top of the game. The ethos of the game is such that many players continue to play with injuries that may cause life long problems, encouraged to do so by their coaches and managers. Apart from physical problems, multiple minor concussions can result in permanent scarring in susceptible players, leading to problems with aggression and depression in later life.
This was a thoughtful novel, addressing the problems of professional or elite sport while at the same time delivering a murder mystery with a surprising ending.
Anya is then invited to New York to a pre-season education and training session for American footballers, where she gives some talks on sexual health and conduct and is shocked to discover that many of the players don't understand what constitutes consent in sex. While she is there an alleged gang rape takes place involving a group of top players and a young woman sent by the fashion company she works for to sign up a football star. As always, proving rape is difficult, even though some of the players have criminal records or past allegations of similar crimes. It doesn't help that the media is on the side of the sportsmen, with one particularly nasty journalist writing vitriolic comments about the victim.
Weaving through the story, the author takes a good look at professional team sport and doesn't like what she sees. As well as the issues with players behaviour off-field, often being covered up by their managers and minders, she examines the pressures the players are under to stay at the top of the game. The ethos of the game is such that many players continue to play with injuries that may cause life long problems, encouraged to do so by their coaches and managers. Apart from physical problems, multiple minor concussions can result in permanent scarring in susceptible players, leading to problems with aggression and depression in later life.
This was a thoughtful novel, addressing the problems of professional or elite sport while at the same time delivering a murder mystery with a surprising ending.
December 20, 2018
Number 5 in the Anya Crichton series.
I found this book to be both entertaining and informative.
The subject matter, gang rape, is very confronting. As in her other book Kathryn Fox isn’t frightened to cover the more sordid aspects of life. In this case it’s the team mentality of football players. Australian football players get a mention but most the story takes place in New York and revolves around American Football players.
A young woman is brutally rape by 5 highly paid and idolised players. When the story breaks all the players, to a man, swear that the sex was consensual. But the physical evidence, as in the injuries the young woman received, screams rape. The team’s PR machine gets into gear to protect the players and the young woman is left being the villain instead of the victim.
As it happens, Dr. Crichton is in New York, at the request of the team who’s player are the accused, as an expert in the field of sexual abuse against women.
The point is to educate the young players of the cause and effects of sexual abuse.
When Anya see what has happened to the young woman she is resolved to get to the truth.
There is a lot written here concerning head trauma that some players are subjected to as part of the game. There was so much information that I felt, at times, that I was reading a text book instead of a novel.
The book is well written and as I said earlier I was both entertaining and educated.
The book does not lack of herons and villains to love and hate.
The pace is not frantic but it’s intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages.
Highly recommended.
I found this book to be both entertaining and informative.
The subject matter, gang rape, is very confronting. As in her other book Kathryn Fox isn’t frightened to cover the more sordid aspects of life. In this case it’s the team mentality of football players. Australian football players get a mention but most the story takes place in New York and revolves around American Football players.
A young woman is brutally rape by 5 highly paid and idolised players. When the story breaks all the players, to a man, swear that the sex was consensual. But the physical evidence, as in the injuries the young woman received, screams rape. The team’s PR machine gets into gear to protect the players and the young woman is left being the villain instead of the victim.
As it happens, Dr. Crichton is in New York, at the request of the team who’s player are the accused, as an expert in the field of sexual abuse against women.
The point is to educate the young players of the cause and effects of sexual abuse.
When Anya see what has happened to the young woman she is resolved to get to the truth.
There is a lot written here concerning head trauma that some players are subjected to as part of the game. There was so much information that I felt, at times, that I was reading a text book instead of a novel.
The book is well written and as I said earlier I was both entertaining and educated.
The book does not lack of herons and villains to love and hate.
The pace is not frantic but it’s intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages.
Highly recommended.
September 21, 2018
Dr Anya Crichton receives two invitations.
One is to testify at an Australian Senate committee inquiry into establishing a code of conduct in sport.
The other is to travel to the USA to give talks to premier league football players on sex, sexual health and issues of consent.
For followers of the Anya Crichton series, the themes of sexual assault and violence towards women are familiar, as her medical practice has specialised in these areas for a considerable time. The author is adept at creating scenarios in her novels for these issues to be examined, explored and critiqued while enjoying the fictional characters and the mystery to be solved. In this, the fifth Anya Crichton book, Fox has taken on the fraught area of prominent public figures who abuse women and get away with it because they are sporting heroes.
Early in the book we read of a young wife who is gang-raped by her new husband's NSW Rugby League team mates. They see no wrong in "sharing" the woman, nor do they show any understanding of when "no means no." On the other side of the world, the US football players demonstrate a similar lack of comprehension around consent.
An acknowledged world leader in her field, Anya delivers her lectures and encounters a concerted unwillingness on the part of players, managers and media to hold sporting stars accountable for appalling behaviour. She gets her third invitation - to assist the management of a (fictional) football team, the New Jersey Bombers, to address sexual misconduct and violence among its leading players. Anya's key contact is the somewhat enigmatic Ethan 'Catcher' Rye, and it is through his connections that she gets involved in the case of a young female publicist who is raped by a group of high profile players. She gains many insights into the male culture of sporting organisations and the pressures of public image and commercial interests.
As her work with the US players progresses, she becomes aware of the intense pressure on footballers to continue playing while injured, due to a combination of public expectation and financial considerations. Thus the author is able to open up an elaborate plot line relating to, exposing and exploring problems of brain damage to players in contact sports who receive heavy knocks to the head.
I think the story went a step too far by opening up another area of controversy, which is the issue of rampant homophobia among male sports organisations. It is indeed an important topic, but perhaps just too much to take in, given the number of causes that Fox already put into the narrative.
At its core this novel is an exposition and a cautionary story about the ways in which elite sports people behave and the sometimes unhealthy participation of the media. I have no doubt Fox had a clear agenda to open up the issues to readers' scrutiny. Using a USA setting is clever, thus removing the action from "home", where Australians are becoming increasingly aware of outrages perpetrated by rugby and Australian Rules players.
I admired Fox's efforts, and think her cause is both important and highly relevant as a current controversy in Australian society. However, this book didn't really grab me as a crime novel. The style is too preachy, too didactic for the creation of a gripping narrative. Many of the characters are blatant cliches, such as the hot gospelling team owner Masterton and the acid-tongued journalist Annabelle Reichmann.
For me, the story simply didn't gel well, while I did enjoy some aspects of it. Despite its shortcomings the book held my attention, though I did skim some paragraphs when the author was expounding excessively on her causes. There were too many disparate elements thrown together, such as characters that make brief appearances then fade away. I believe this is due to the author's overarching agenda to make a major point about disrespect for women and sexual violence in sporting culture, and that the action and characters were designed around that priority.
Another thing that really bugged me and strained my credibility was Anya's easy ability to play detective in the absence of any law enforcement. Sure, Ethan is a lawyer for the football team and is tasked with cleaning up the team's image. But he is not a licensed operator or a police officer, and in reality neither he nor Anya would be empowered to act as a detective.
Despite the niggles that diminished my enjoyment of the book, Death Mask is a substantial piece of fiction with its roots anchored in present-day reality. The novel highlights the hypocrisy that surrounds sporting heroes when it relates to the Law. Right now, on free-to-air Australian TV you can watch former footballers who are convicted wife-beaters commentating on the play and pontificating in the post-mortems. It disgusts me and I turn off my TV any time those offensive men appear on my screen. So thank you, Kathryn Fox, for your exposition of this double standard in our community discourse.
One is to testify at an Australian Senate committee inquiry into establishing a code of conduct in sport.
The other is to travel to the USA to give talks to premier league football players on sex, sexual health and issues of consent.
For followers of the Anya Crichton series, the themes of sexual assault and violence towards women are familiar, as her medical practice has specialised in these areas for a considerable time. The author is adept at creating scenarios in her novels for these issues to be examined, explored and critiqued while enjoying the fictional characters and the mystery to be solved. In this, the fifth Anya Crichton book, Fox has taken on the fraught area of prominent public figures who abuse women and get away with it because they are sporting heroes.
Early in the book we read of a young wife who is gang-raped by her new husband's NSW Rugby League team mates. They see no wrong in "sharing" the woman, nor do they show any understanding of when "no means no." On the other side of the world, the US football players demonstrate a similar lack of comprehension around consent.
An acknowledged world leader in her field, Anya delivers her lectures and encounters a concerted unwillingness on the part of players, managers and media to hold sporting stars accountable for appalling behaviour. She gets her third invitation - to assist the management of a (fictional) football team, the New Jersey Bombers, to address sexual misconduct and violence among its leading players. Anya's key contact is the somewhat enigmatic Ethan 'Catcher' Rye, and it is through his connections that she gets involved in the case of a young female publicist who is raped by a group of high profile players. She gains many insights into the male culture of sporting organisations and the pressures of public image and commercial interests.
As her work with the US players progresses, she becomes aware of the intense pressure on footballers to continue playing while injured, due to a combination of public expectation and financial considerations. Thus the author is able to open up an elaborate plot line relating to, exposing and exploring problems of brain damage to players in contact sports who receive heavy knocks to the head.
I think the story went a step too far by opening up another area of controversy, which is the issue of rampant homophobia among male sports organisations. It is indeed an important topic, but perhaps just too much to take in, given the number of causes that Fox already put into the narrative.
At its core this novel is an exposition and a cautionary story about the ways in which elite sports people behave and the sometimes unhealthy participation of the media. I have no doubt Fox had a clear agenda to open up the issues to readers' scrutiny. Using a USA setting is clever, thus removing the action from "home", where Australians are becoming increasingly aware of outrages perpetrated by rugby and Australian Rules players.
I admired Fox's efforts, and think her cause is both important and highly relevant as a current controversy in Australian society. However, this book didn't really grab me as a crime novel. The style is too preachy, too didactic for the creation of a gripping narrative. Many of the characters are blatant cliches, such as the hot gospelling team owner Masterton and the acid-tongued journalist Annabelle Reichmann.
For me, the story simply didn't gel well, while I did enjoy some aspects of it. Despite its shortcomings the book held my attention, though I did skim some paragraphs when the author was expounding excessively on her causes. There were too many disparate elements thrown together, such as characters that make brief appearances then fade away. I believe this is due to the author's overarching agenda to make a major point about disrespect for women and sexual violence in sporting culture, and that the action and characters were designed around that priority.
Another thing that really bugged me and strained my credibility was Anya's easy ability to play detective in the absence of any law enforcement. Sure, Ethan is a lawyer for the football team and is tasked with cleaning up the team's image. But he is not a licensed operator or a police officer, and in reality neither he nor Anya would be empowered to act as a detective.
Despite the niggles that diminished my enjoyment of the book, Death Mask is a substantial piece of fiction with its roots anchored in present-day reality. The novel highlights the hypocrisy that surrounds sporting heroes when it relates to the Law. Right now, on free-to-air Australian TV you can watch former footballers who are convicted wife-beaters commentating on the play and pontificating in the post-mortems. It disgusts me and I turn off my TV any time those offensive men appear on my screen. So thank you, Kathryn Fox, for your exposition of this double standard in our community discourse.
May 12, 2015
death Mask by Kathryn Fox is the 5th book featuring forensic physician Dr. Anya Crichton. When a newlywed presents with multiple sexually transmitted diseases which have not come from her husband and she denies any other partners, Anya uncovers a football team behaviour of group rape. With her work in this area becoming internationally known, Anya is invited to lecture to football players in the US and becomes involved in investigating accusations of group/gang rape amongst several prominant players. Fast paced and difficult to put down, this book had plenty of action and twists which kept me up and interested to the end. I thought that it showed up well some of the problems that are encountered when people strive for fame and fortune and the sense of entitlement in elite team sports.
October 3, 2016
A bit too much football in this one - and American football, at that! - but it was certainly interesting (albeit shocking) to get an insight into what some men think constitutes sexual consent. I love Anya Crichton - she is a quietly confident forensic physician who is not afraid to stand her ground and speak up for the victims even in the face of significant opposition.
I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
December 3, 2019
Death Mask is book five in the Dr Anya Crichton series by Kathryn Fox. Dr Anya Crichton forensic medicine specialistic in sexual assault cases was offered to present at a workshop to help sportspeople to understand the importance of safe sex. However, the night Dr Anya Crichton arrived in New York, a young girl was raped by five high profile sportsmen. At first, no one believed the young girl. However, Anya did and with the help of Ethan started to investigate. The readers of Death Mask will continue to follow Anya and Ethan Rye to find out what happens.
Death Mask is the first book I have read of Kathryn Fox, and as always I have started at the end of the series. Death Mask is well written and researched by Kathryn Fox. I do love Kathryn Fox portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Kathryn Fox excellently does the description of the settings of Death Mask.
The readers of Death Mask will learn about the role of private detective in screening candidates for sports teams. Also, the readers of Death Mask will learn about forensic medicine and the role they have in criminal investigations.
I recommend this book.
Death Mask is the first book I have read of Kathryn Fox, and as always I have started at the end of the series. Death Mask is well written and researched by Kathryn Fox. I do love Kathryn Fox portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Kathryn Fox excellently does the description of the settings of Death Mask.
The readers of Death Mask will learn about the role of private detective in screening candidates for sports teams. Also, the readers of Death Mask will learn about forensic medicine and the role they have in criminal investigations.
I recommend this book.
September 16, 2018
I found this hard to read, not due to the style of writing, or the characters, but the content. I do enjoy this series, as well as the main character, but as I said, the content makes it hard. The story picked up quickly, and then seemed to end just as quickly, but then took a sharp left turn and picked up even more speed. The plot twists kept me turning the page, building up to a delicious climax. I would have much rather seen much more of a resolution than the one written.
March 25, 2011
Although I was fully aware of the sensitive theme behind Kathryn Fox’s “Death Mask” it hadn’t prepared me for the jaw dropping impact it would have on me within 10 pages. Despite it’s despicability I hadn’t truly grasped the brutality of gang rape – were you aware that rape remains one of the most under reported violent crimes today?
The beginning left me breathless in its evocative delivery - a blushing new bride is brutally and savagely attacked while on her honeymoon. She returns, unaware of what’s happened and discovers she has contracted multiple sexually transmitted diseases. A virgin, Hannah had saved herself for her husband and the discovery of the diseases has left her in shock and uncertainty. It sets the tone for the rest of the book and to be honest, it doesn’t let up from beginning to end.
This scenario lays down a solid foundation that is, to be frank, unshakable. The narrative is fluid and incredibly powerful and left me reeling and breathless on numerous occasions. Despite “Death Mask” being a work of fiction, there is no doubt that scenes similar to the ones found in the book are very real to hundreds and thousands of innocent victims in today’s society. Kathryn Fox, a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine, gives voice to these acts of cowardice, selfishness and dare I say weakness.
“When the victim of a violent gang rape accuses five premier sportsmen of being her attackers, she has no idea that her suffering has only just begun.
It's a scandal that rocks a nation of sports fans.
But, in spite of a huge amount of evidence, no one seems to believe the girl.
So when Dr Anya Crichton, with her forensic and sexual assault expertise, is asked to get involved - albeit on behalf of the team managers - she knows she can't say no.
But as she investigates further, she realises that the scandals, violence and abuses run much deeper, and much further into the past than she could ever have imagined.”
Full review on my blog:-http://www.milorambles.com/2011/03/25...
The beginning left me breathless in its evocative delivery - a blushing new bride is brutally and savagely attacked while on her honeymoon. She returns, unaware of what’s happened and discovers she has contracted multiple sexually transmitted diseases. A virgin, Hannah had saved herself for her husband and the discovery of the diseases has left her in shock and uncertainty. It sets the tone for the rest of the book and to be honest, it doesn’t let up from beginning to end.
This scenario lays down a solid foundation that is, to be frank, unshakable. The narrative is fluid and incredibly powerful and left me reeling and breathless on numerous occasions. Despite “Death Mask” being a work of fiction, there is no doubt that scenes similar to the ones found in the book are very real to hundreds and thousands of innocent victims in today’s society. Kathryn Fox, a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine, gives voice to these acts of cowardice, selfishness and dare I say weakness.
“When the victim of a violent gang rape accuses five premier sportsmen of being her attackers, she has no idea that her suffering has only just begun.
It's a scandal that rocks a nation of sports fans.
But, in spite of a huge amount of evidence, no one seems to believe the girl.
So when Dr Anya Crichton, with her forensic and sexual assault expertise, is asked to get involved - albeit on behalf of the team managers - she knows she can't say no.
But as she investigates further, she realises that the scandals, violence and abuses run much deeper, and much further into the past than she could ever have imagined.”
Full review on my blog:-http://www.milorambles.com/2011/03/25...
December 27, 2011
It took me much longer than usual to read this book. It may have been because it was Christmas week and I was busier than usual, or maybe, it just was not enough to keep me hooked, I'm not sure. I enjoyed Kathryn Fox's previous books, but I feel I could have lived without this one. Anya Crichton becomes involved with the case of a victim of gang rape, the victim being the wife of a Sports team player, the gang being her husbands team-mates and it happened on their wedding night, with his consent. Shortly afterwards, Anya is invited to New York, to lecture a team of American Football players on the dangers of group sex/all kinds of unprotected sex really, and then allegations are made about 5 members of the team being involved in another gang rape. It seems it is rife in certain team sports and this team have previous form, but people are bought off or scared off, when it comes to court cases. There is good research obviously in this area being brought to the fore in the story and causes for the "pack" type of behaviour are examined. Kathryn Fox has a background in medicine, so she certainly knows her stuff in this regard. I just can't seem to get to grips with the character of Anya however, I feel I have never got to really know her and don't really care one way or the other. Not good when you are following a series. The story seems disjointed, I can't really put my finger on what is wrong with it, but I saw it through to the end, knowing I had other better reads waiting. Maybe I was not in the right mood for this and if I read it at another time, I might see a more positive side to it. I hate writing an otherwise good author off on one bad review. It wasn't awful by any means, but just not great.
July 14, 2011
Kathryn Fox's crime series follows Dr Anya Crichton, who specialises in dealing with victims of sexual assaults. Malicious Intent and Without Consent were both excellent reads but her novels have gone slowly downhill since and I think Death Mask might be the end for me.
For some reason she decided to transplant Anya to America to cover the seedy side of American football even though she tars Aussie rules and soccer with the same brush. I find it very hard to believe that 90% of football players are rapists or the awful attitude of fans and the media towards victims that is portrayed here. Surely I'm not completely ignorant of the culture surrounding the game?
Whilst Anya is an established character I found the characters to be a bit flat and there was no real chemistry between the leading couple. The plot seemed to be wavering between legal drama (we know from the start who was involved in the rapes) and crime mystery but not hitting the mark with either. Whilst the crimes that occur are horrific, I did feel Anya felt a bit high and mighty and would have worked a bit better if she came across as flawed herself. It all seemed a bit too black and white for me. The players that were supposedly good got very little page space and I was left at the end not really understanding the reporter's actions.
For some reason she decided to transplant Anya to America to cover the seedy side of American football even though she tars Aussie rules and soccer with the same brush. I find it very hard to believe that 90% of football players are rapists or the awful attitude of fans and the media towards victims that is portrayed here. Surely I'm not completely ignorant of the culture surrounding the game?
Whilst Anya is an established character I found the characters to be a bit flat and there was no real chemistry between the leading couple. The plot seemed to be wavering between legal drama (we know from the start who was involved in the rapes) and crime mystery but not hitting the mark with either. Whilst the crimes that occur are horrific, I did feel Anya felt a bit high and mighty and would have worked a bit better if she came across as flawed herself. It all seemed a bit too black and white for me. The players that were supposedly good got very little page space and I was left at the end not really understanding the reporter's actions.
July 23, 2013
Sadly this book didn't keep me as captivated as the previous books in the series.
Although the subject matter of gang rape in team sports (and the subsequent treatment of women in general by these sportsmen), along with the research into head injuries within high contact sports such as American football were interesting, the story line didn't captivate me enough to stop me from putting it down.
The book was full of factual content and quite graphic at times, however I felt that I could have been sitting in a lecture room and it became a bit tedious. On the plus side, by the end of the book I felt I was well educated on the subject matter.
Although the subject matter of gang rape in team sports (and the subsequent treatment of women in general by these sportsmen), along with the research into head injuries within high contact sports such as American football were interesting, the story line didn't captivate me enough to stop me from putting it down.
The book was full of factual content and quite graphic at times, however I felt that I could have been sitting in a lecture room and it became a bit tedious. On the plus side, by the end of the book I felt I was well educated on the subject matter.
June 25, 2016
A great page turner that had me gripped from the very first page. The sensitive subject of gang rape was handled professionally and informatively and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Hope there is a sequel to see if anything happens between Anya and Ethan. Would recommend.
June 26, 2017
Another interesting tale of sex crimes, this time in the US. I have to admit to missing the Australian setting in this one, although Dr Anya Crichton is still a formidable woman wherever she may be. Not being a fan of sport I was aghast at the "we are untouchable" mentality of the footballers. Happily justice is served in the end and I remain a fan of Kathryn Fox's characters.
August 25, 2012
Where to start with this little gem.
Plot: In theory I really liked the plotline for this novel. The rape of a young woman leads to the invesitigation of American Football players who have an unhealthy (understatement) opinion of women and sex. It is discovered that Football Stars are raping women in groups and getting away with it.
Also, I really didn't see the point of the beginning chapters about Hannah. What a weird way to start it, only to NEVER mention it again? I know that it was the start of Anya's investigation into rape among sports teams but really. Couldn't it have started with the conference and just briefly explained how Anya had dealt with Hannah?
I thought that this would be a traditional police procedural with Anya, a forensice physician, consulting. It was not. Though I cannot for the life of me describe what it was! There were elements of law and order but no real in depth invesitgation as part of a police investigation. Neither, however, was Anya's forensic skill REALLY drawn upon. Therefore the whole novel floated in a giant genre limbo.
Characters: Anya was our heroine and I gather already established as part of the on-going series, she was well-developed with a history, opinions and a personality. Despite this I could not warm to her as a character. I felt as though she was preaching to me the whole time, whether this was about sex, men or the celebrity attached to sports stars. She was shocked at EVERYTHING. I'm surprised she could even see the football players from her high horse. In the end I found that I was skipping any large chunks of her dialogue because I knew I was about to have ten-gazillion facts about rape shoved down my throat.
Ethan Rye I could see was going to be forced onto Anya as a prospective lover and at the beginning I was open to it. NOT NOW. He was hot one moment, cold the next and actually we learnt very little about him beyond the necessary. To me this did not allow me to relate to him or to warm to him. More importantly there was little spark between them, all of a sudden Anya was like, Ooh. Yummy man! Therefore I think the whole romance was a bit forced and didn't really hit the mark.
I would have liked for there to have been some 'good' football players to offset the multitude of idiots, rapists and all-round cocky gits. As for me there were FAR too many names to remember. Footballers, coaches, doctors, owners, reporters, victims, invesitgators, Anya's friends and colleagues, waiters, waitresses.... I kept losing track and in the end I wasn't even bothering to go back and find out who they all were.
Ending: The 'big twist' was actually not surprising as the killer had been a brilliant, flashing sign throughout the whole book just shouting, "IT'S ME!". Added to the fact that Anya discovered who it was and confronted them, AND had them arrested in less than a chapter you can see why I thought it was rushed.
Overall I really wanted to like both Anya AND the plot, but there were far too many holes etc for me to really enjoy it.
P.S. Can't work out why it was called Death Mask??
Plot: In theory I really liked the plotline for this novel. The rape of a young woman leads to the invesitigation of American Football players who have an unhealthy (understatement) opinion of women and sex. It is discovered that Football Stars are raping women in groups and getting away with it.
Also, I really didn't see the point of the beginning chapters about Hannah. What a weird way to start it, only to NEVER mention it again? I know that it was the start of Anya's investigation into rape among sports teams but really. Couldn't it have started with the conference and just briefly explained how Anya had dealt with Hannah?
I thought that this would be a traditional police procedural with Anya, a forensice physician, consulting. It was not. Though I cannot for the life of me describe what it was! There were elements of law and order but no real in depth invesitgation as part of a police investigation. Neither, however, was Anya's forensic skill REALLY drawn upon. Therefore the whole novel floated in a giant genre limbo.
Characters: Anya was our heroine and I gather already established as part of the on-going series, she was well-developed with a history, opinions and a personality. Despite this I could not warm to her as a character. I felt as though she was preaching to me the whole time, whether this was about sex, men or the celebrity attached to sports stars. She was shocked at EVERYTHING. I'm surprised she could even see the football players from her high horse. In the end I found that I was skipping any large chunks of her dialogue because I knew I was about to have ten-gazillion facts about rape shoved down my throat.
Ethan Rye I could see was going to be forced onto Anya as a prospective lover and at the beginning I was open to it. NOT NOW. He was hot one moment, cold the next and actually we learnt very little about him beyond the necessary. To me this did not allow me to relate to him or to warm to him. More importantly there was little spark between them, all of a sudden Anya was like, Ooh. Yummy man! Therefore I think the whole romance was a bit forced and didn't really hit the mark.
I would have liked for there to have been some 'good' football players to offset the multitude of idiots, rapists and all-round cocky gits. As for me there were FAR too many names to remember. Footballers, coaches, doctors, owners, reporters, victims, invesitgators, Anya's friends and colleagues, waiters, waitresses.... I kept losing track and in the end I wasn't even bothering to go back and find out who they all were.
Ending: The 'big twist' was actually not surprising as the killer had been a brilliant, flashing sign throughout the whole book just shouting, "IT'S ME!". Added to the fact that Anya discovered who it was and confronted them, AND had them arrested in less than a chapter you can see why I thought it was rushed.
Overall I really wanted to like both Anya AND the plot, but there were far too many holes etc for me to really enjoy it.
P.S. Can't work out why it was called Death Mask??
February 11, 2011
A definite page-turner, and an unusual crime novel, as the reader knows who has committed (most of) the crimes from the beginning, but that just gives us more opportunity to enjoy the journey and uncover different types of intrigue. This novel gets to the heart of a lot of the problems regarding football and sexual assault, and I particularly liked the way she shows how a legitimate rape case can be made to look suspect. While this is of course a work of fiction, Fox has obviously researched the subject thoroughly (I believe recognise most of her source material, having spent the last five years researching the subject myself!), and her work is based on fact. So whether you're after a good read, are interested in the issue (or both!) I am sure this book will enlighten and entertain. My only quibbles are a slight moment of implying that there's an inherent difference between 'groupie' women, who will put up with almost anything to have sex with footballers, and 'other women' who might get raped, although this is explicitly refuted later on, and a line on the last page (which I won't give away!). My favourite line: 'Sir, with all due respect, it's not a few apples that are rotten here, it's the barrel itself'
August 14, 2013
Very disappointing:
Whilst the subject matter could have made for a thrilling story it has been presented in an uninspiring way.
The characters are bland, two dimensional and devoid of humanity.
The narrative lacks any cohesion and seems to consist of a series of facts or statements that have to be taken as face value because the characters fail to come to life and carry the story line in any meaningful, emotive way.
The only surprise is that this is the fifth book in a series.
Whilst the subject matter could have made for a thrilling story it has been presented in an uninspiring way.
The characters are bland, two dimensional and devoid of humanity.
The narrative lacks any cohesion and seems to consist of a series of facts or statements that have to be taken as face value because the characters fail to come to life and carry the story line in any meaningful, emotive way.
The only surprise is that this is the fifth book in a series.
September 5, 2012
"All About Rape" would have been a more appropriate title. Fox essentially uses the novel as a pedestal to dictate the horrors of sexual assault, specifically in the context of post-football match gang-rape by the athletes. The premise is interesting for a while, but gets stale quickly.
November 14, 2011
Interesting look at the world of aggressive team sports but not very well written and a fairly forgettable mystery element.
February 24, 2019
Death Mask
(Dr Anya Crichton Series #5)
by
Kathryn Fox
Death Mask was my fifth Kathryn Fox book according to Goodreads, and won’t be my last.
Death Mask commences with Dr Anya Crichton having a bride (Hannah) and groom of six weeks being referred to her to try and figure out why the bride has, not one but two, sexually transmitted diseases while her husband is clean. One of Hannah’s aims in life was not to have sexual intercourse with her boyfriend/fiancé until their wedding night. Now six weeks later and no other males in her life she as two different sexually transmitted diseases!
Anya is the third medical professional to have consulted with Hannah and it is not until Hannah’s husband is coerced into leaving the room that the truth begins to unfold. From there it doesn’t take Anya long for figure out the ‘how’ and ‘why’, disgusting as both may be.
Fast forward a week or two, and we find Anya in New York where she has been employed by the National Football League to investigate some players, their off field behaviour and particularly their behaviour with, or towards, women.
Anymore and there will be spoilers left, right and centre, so I will continue with kudos for the narrator, Jennifer Vuletic. Although I only have television and movies for accent comparisons, I believe Jennifer Vuletic has narrated this novel extremely well. And if, to New Yorkers, these accents are way off the mark, Ms Vuletic at least provided this listener with what I felt were clear character voices which makes an audiobook so much more enjoyable.
As usual I enjoyed this Anya Crichton novel and rated it a three star read plus one more for the topic.
At the time of writing my review, Goodreads readers have award Death Mask an average of 3.80 stars, form 478 ratings and 59 reviews.
(Dr Anya Crichton Series #5)
by
Kathryn Fox
Death Mask was my fifth Kathryn Fox book according to Goodreads, and won’t be my last.
Death Mask commences with Dr Anya Crichton having a bride (Hannah) and groom of six weeks being referred to her to try and figure out why the bride has, not one but two, sexually transmitted diseases while her husband is clean. One of Hannah’s aims in life was not to have sexual intercourse with her boyfriend/fiancé until their wedding night. Now six weeks later and no other males in her life she as two different sexually transmitted diseases!
Anya is the third medical professional to have consulted with Hannah and it is not until Hannah’s husband is coerced into leaving the room that the truth begins to unfold. From there it doesn’t take Anya long for figure out the ‘how’ and ‘why’, disgusting as both may be.
Fast forward a week or two, and we find Anya in New York where she has been employed by the National Football League to investigate some players, their off field behaviour and particularly their behaviour with, or towards, women.
Anymore and there will be spoilers left, right and centre, so I will continue with kudos for the narrator, Jennifer Vuletic. Although I only have television and movies for accent comparisons, I believe Jennifer Vuletic has narrated this novel extremely well. And if, to New Yorkers, these accents are way off the mark, Ms Vuletic at least provided this listener with what I felt were clear character voices which makes an audiobook so much more enjoyable.
As usual I enjoyed this Anya Crichton novel and rated it a three star read plus one more for the topic.
At the time of writing my review, Goodreads readers have award Death Mask an average of 3.80 stars, form 478 ratings and 59 reviews.
November 11, 2019
Forensic physician Dr Anya Crichton is presented with a patient who has returned from her honeymoon with multiple sexually transmitted infections. Her husband has none of them. She tearfully denies having had any other partners and Anya believes her. Is this a medical phenomenon or has something more sinister taken place.
Anya's investigation into the case results in a ground-breaking study that attracts international attention. Her expertise leads to an investigation to New York to address over three hundred football players in the US Professional League.
The enigmatic private investigator Ethan 'Catcher' Rye is assigned to assist Anya during the summit. When an alleged rape involving five football players takes place, Anya is commissioned to investigate.
She is immediately thrust into a subculture of violence, sexual assault and drug abuse. No one is what he or she seems.
Anya soon discovers a devastating truth about the players that threatens to shut down the eight billion dollar football industry.
Now lives, including her own are in danger......
Anya's investigation into the case results in a ground-breaking study that attracts international attention. Her expertise leads to an investigation to New York to address over three hundred football players in the US Professional League.
The enigmatic private investigator Ethan 'Catcher' Rye is assigned to assist Anya during the summit. When an alleged rape involving five football players takes place, Anya is commissioned to investigate.
She is immediately thrust into a subculture of violence, sexual assault and drug abuse. No one is what he or she seems.
Anya soon discovers a devastating truth about the players that threatens to shut down the eight billion dollar football industry.
Now lives, including her own are in danger......
January 6, 2022
This was fine.
Death Mask is number five in the Anya Crichton series, and sees the forensic pathologist pulled into an investigation into a gang rape committed by NFL players.
For crime fiction, it ticks all the usual boxes although it probably wasn't the greatest purveyor of intrigue. Naturally the final connections came in the denouement, but it wasn't terribly difficult to work out generally what happened and where it was going.
For that reason, it's an easy read however there are references to Crichton's backstory/earlier novels that would not make total sense to a new reader, although they're not a dealbreaker.
There was also a small hint of potential romance between the protagonist and her male sidekick which was so unnecessary. Firstly, it is possible for a man and woman to work together without wanting to root and secondly, it took up so little of the novel the inclusion was just an absolute waste of time.
Anywho, you won't hate this but don't go rushing to pick it up either.
Death Mask is number five in the Anya Crichton series, and sees the forensic pathologist pulled into an investigation into a gang rape committed by NFL players.
For crime fiction, it ticks all the usual boxes although it probably wasn't the greatest purveyor of intrigue. Naturally the final connections came in the denouement, but it wasn't terribly difficult to work out generally what happened and where it was going.
For that reason, it's an easy read however there are references to Crichton's backstory/earlier novels that would not make total sense to a new reader, although they're not a dealbreaker.
There was also a small hint of potential romance between the protagonist and her male sidekick which was so unnecessary. Firstly, it is possible for a man and woman to work together without wanting to root and secondly, it took up so little of the novel the inclusion was just an absolute waste of time.
Anywho, you won't hate this but don't go rushing to pick it up either.
September 4, 2020
3 1/2 stars really!
I realised once I began reading "Death Mask" that I had read it before. I kept reading because one part of the story line has been in the news in Australia for the past few years. This was the reference to chronic traumatic encephalopathy which is seen in boxers and other people who engage in contact sports where head injuries occur. Apparently people with a certain gene are more at risk of CTE and there's debate as to whether people involved in contact sports should be tested to assess their risk.
I've hung onto this information for years so obviously the book made an impression.
I rarely read a book twice and I think it's wise - I already knew the end result so couldn't enjoy the suspense.
I realised once I began reading "Death Mask" that I had read it before. I kept reading because one part of the story line has been in the news in Australia for the past few years. This was the reference to chronic traumatic encephalopathy which is seen in boxers and other people who engage in contact sports where head injuries occur. Apparently people with a certain gene are more at risk of CTE and there's debate as to whether people involved in contact sports should be tested to assess their risk.
I've hung onto this information for years so obviously the book made an impression.
I rarely read a book twice and I think it's wise - I already knew the end result so couldn't enjoy the suspense.
October 8, 2017
Really enjoyed this book.. a good crime story but set in a slightly different environment from my normal..as it set within the world of American football and although it is about American sports stars it makes you think about the issues surrounding sexual violence and harassment, as I think a lot of it may have at least an element of truth. Really gripping plot and loved the characters
March 15, 2018
Anya Crichton provides forensic pathology advice on a series of sports-related rapes in Australia and New York. The story was gripping and it was shocking to see behind the scenes of the lucrative industry of American football. Who knew teams employ doctors to assess opposing players’ injuries during matches so that the team can more effectively injure them during tackles?
October 1, 2019
Excellent forensic mystery. I prefer this series to either Patricia Cornwall or Kathy Reichs, as there is no sinister undercurrent.
The topics dealt with this time include gang rape and footballers’ head injuries. They are dealt with sensitively, but openly, despite some of the characters trying to hide reality.
The topics dealt with this time include gang rape and footballers’ head injuries. They are dealt with sensitively, but openly, despite some of the characters trying to hide reality.
November 10, 2021
Another brilliant book
I have now read four of this series of books and have not been disappointed in any of them .Each has a good storyline and excellent characters and each one one left me wanting to start the next one,which I am about to do
I have now read four of this series of books and have not been disappointed in any of them .Each has a good storyline and excellent characters and each one one left me wanting to start the next one,which I am about to do
May 19, 2017
Enjoyed this book - an eye opener at times!
October 3, 2018
not bad
very topical given state of Victorian football atm
very topical given state of Victorian football atm
October 12, 2018
Worth every minute!
If you like forensic medicine and detective in one - this one is worth the time! Time spent well! Great!
If you like forensic medicine and detective in one - this one is worth the time! Time spent well! Great!
November 12, 2018
Interesting but lacking drive ?
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