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A Shock to the System
What a shock indeed--who would have thought murder could replace a good education and hard work as the keys to corporate success and upward mobility?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
49 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Simon Brett
417 books524 followersSimon Brett is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 3, 2007
Story of a man who starts committing murders to improve his life. Not exactly a mystery since you know who is committing murder and why. It's more a story of wondering whether he's ever going to be caught and, if so, how. None of the characters in the story are very endearing.
April 7, 2016
The first Simon Brett novel I've read although it may not be typical as I believe his tend to be wryly humorous and although some aspects of black humour are occasionally evident, especially in the ending, this one isn't 'funny'.
The style is probably out of fashion today, as most of the story is 'told', although we are in the protagonist's view point all the way through, and it is his backstory that is laid out first, and then his ruminations and a gradual descent into detached and callous lack of emotion. He is an office assistant manager who has worked his way up to his present position, initially through the self sacrifice of his parents in sending him to a minor public school and encouraging him to pass exams and get into university. In more recent years he has worked in the Personnel department (this is written in the 1980s) of an oil company. It seems that after years of humouring his manager and impressing the right people, he is sure to get the head of Personnel's job when he shortly retires.
However, it seems that a new broom is preferred who isn't so closely associated with the old head of department, so a man who has only been at the company for 3 years and is about 10 years younger, is suddenly promoted over the protagonist's head. Years of conforming to the right way of doing things, as taught him by his father, suddenly culminate in an attack of rage in which he kills a tramp - and gets away with it. This then leads him to handle other problems that frustrate him in life with the same expedient, with fatal results for some of those around him. There is a classic element of Greek drama in that the character becomes more and more arrogant and convinced of his own immunity from detection, let alone punishment.
There is a twist ending which I won't spoil, though there were a few pointers that mean it was not a total surprise.
The style is probably out of fashion today, as most of the story is 'told', although we are in the protagonist's view point all the way through, and it is his backstory that is laid out first, and then his ruminations and a gradual descent into detached and callous lack of emotion. He is an office assistant manager who has worked his way up to his present position, initially through the self sacrifice of his parents in sending him to a minor public school and encouraging him to pass exams and get into university. In more recent years he has worked in the Personnel department (this is written in the 1980s) of an oil company. It seems that after years of humouring his manager and impressing the right people, he is sure to get the head of Personnel's job when he shortly retires.
However, it seems that a new broom is preferred who isn't so closely associated with the old head of department, so a man who has only been at the company for 3 years and is about 10 years younger, is suddenly promoted over the protagonist's head. Years of conforming to the right way of doing things, as taught him by his father, suddenly culminate in an attack of rage in which he kills a tramp - and gets away with it. This then leads him to handle other problems that frustrate him in life with the same expedient, with fatal results for some of those around him. There is a classic element of Greek drama in that the character becomes more and more arrogant and convinced of his own immunity from detection, let alone punishment.
There is a twist ending which I won't spoil, though there were a few pointers that mean it was not a total surprise.
May 22, 2025
I read this standalone while on a long travel day. It was perfect as easy to pick up and put down but kept my attention. Simon Brett paints the picture of a perfectly uncaring person who if he doesn’t get his way plots and plans and murders to make it happen. Perfectly evil will anyone be able to prove his guilt? A most surprising person stops him. Fun older novel.
June 13, 2018
Dark humour mystery.
You follow the crimes from the criminal’s viewpoint.
You follow the crimes from the criminal’s viewpoint.
January 14, 2023
Nice with a bit of a twist.
March 10, 2021
I have been a great fan of Simon Brett’s novels featuring the down at heel actor, Charles Paris, recently so well portrayed on Radio by Bill Nighy. That sequence of books, now extending to around twenty volumes, is merely one string from Brett’s capacious bow. He has also written several television and radio programmes (including After Henry which straddled both media) and two other sizable series of novels.
This is one of his rare ‘stand-alone’ books, and follows the travails of Graham Marshall as he pursues a career in the unglamorous world of personnel and human resources. All is going well, and more or less to plan, until a cataclysmic encounter with a vagrant while on his way home from work.
Graham is a finely drawn character, and his parents’ obsessive emotional investment in his success has possibly caused him to develop excessive aspirations within the ambit of work and family life. It also becomes apparent that he has developed an obsessive sense of his own worth, and his entitlement. It also becomes clear that he is prepared to take steps to fulfil that sense of entitlement.
There is little of Brett’s customary humour in this novel, but it does not suffer for that. It is a fairly straightforward tale, which leaves one in the unaccustomed position almost of rooting for the bad guy. It appears from the cover of my edition that this was made into a film, starring Michael Caine, which I would be interested to see, but it would appear to have sunk entirely without trace.
This is one of his rare ‘stand-alone’ books, and follows the travails of Graham Marshall as he pursues a career in the unglamorous world of personnel and human resources. All is going well, and more or less to plan, until a cataclysmic encounter with a vagrant while on his way home from work.
Graham is a finely drawn character, and his parents’ obsessive emotional investment in his success has possibly caused him to develop excessive aspirations within the ambit of work and family life. It also becomes apparent that he has developed an obsessive sense of his own worth, and his entitlement. It also becomes clear that he is prepared to take steps to fulfil that sense of entitlement.
There is little of Brett’s customary humour in this novel, but it does not suffer for that. It is a fairly straightforward tale, which leaves one in the unaccustomed position almost of rooting for the bad guy. It appears from the cover of my edition that this was made into a film, starring Michael Caine, which I would be interested to see, but it would appear to have sunk entirely without trace.
September 26, 2018
An early gem from Simon Brett, this psychological suspense novel is definitely not a whodunnit. We know exactly who the killer is. What keeps us reading is that we really, really want to find out what happens to him in the end. And the end is certainly not a disappointment.
Want to read
January 14, 2020Synopsis: can murder replace education and hard work as the key to corporate success? Is murder on the main road to success?
November 23, 2018
Loved the clever plot.
August 30, 2022
I don’t read many crime novels or mysteries but I do like the occasional black comedy, of which this is an excellent example. The story fairly zips along from page one. Following a serious setback in this career path Graham Marshall discovers his inner psychopath. After getting clean away with an almost accidental killing, Graham decides that murder is the ideal skill to cultivate, clearing all obstacles from his path. Great fun.
November 14, 2023
A book from Simon Brett is always a delight. This one is dark, following the career of a serial killer. The opening line sets the tone:
“The first murder was almost accidental. Indeed, if it had ever gone to court the charge would probably have been manslaughter.”
Organized, careful, meticulous even, Graham plans murders as carefully as he plans his career and does his job. There’s just one factor he never accounts for. . .
“The first murder was almost accidental. Indeed, if it had ever gone to court the charge would probably have been manslaughter.”
Organized, careful, meticulous even, Graham plans murders as carefully as he plans his career and does his job. There’s just one factor he never accounts for. . .
August 19, 2017
Całkiem przyzwoita książka o zbrodni
Chciałoby się napisać doskonałej ale to nie ta opowieść
To bardziej los sfrustrowanego człowieka który osiągnął prawie wszystko
a potem los pokrzyżował mu plany
" Byłabyś zdziwiona, pomyślał Graham. Ludzie zabijają z najrozmaitszych powodów.
Na przykład dlatego, że sprzątnięto im sprzed nosa awans."
Chciałoby się napisać doskonałej ale to nie ta opowieść
To bardziej los sfrustrowanego człowieka który osiągnął prawie wszystko
a potem los pokrzyżował mu plany
" Byłabyś zdziwiona, pomyślał Graham. Ludzie zabijają z najrozmaitszych powodów.
Na przykład dlatego, że sprzątnięto im sprzed nosa awans."
February 13, 2021
A nice, wicked little thriller about a man whose wounded pride and overinflated sense of self set him on a course of murders for gain which he commits with increasing confidence, glee, and self-congratulation. Tangoing with the random gods of chance is a dangerous pastime; will Graham Marshall's luck run out?
February 27, 2022
A much darker crime book than Brett's typical output. It's essentially an inverted mystery, which follows the perspective of a frustrated man who kills people to improve his quality of life. This is obviously a bad approach, and not one I would recommend. There's a clever twist at the end, but not one I feel the need to re-read.
September 12, 2022
The other Simon Brett book that I listened to was dramatized on BBC with Bill Nighy- A Decent Interval. That was excellent! This book was also really fun to read as Brett is an excellent writer. Very prolific and he had a long career for the BBC. In the story a man decides to get a head and his job through murder it’s gruesome but entertainingly funny.
February 15, 2023
Dark humor
I read s Bible mystery by Simon Brett and wss impressed, so I read this book. I wasn't disappointed. There's a lot of humor in the book along with some very dark deeds. Graham is ingenious, perhaps a little too ingenious and very smug and self satisfied. The ending is quite a shock.
I read s Bible mystery by Simon Brett and wss impressed, so I read this book. I wasn't disappointed. There's a lot of humor in the book along with some very dark deeds. Graham is ingenious, perhaps a little too ingenious and very smug and self satisfied. The ending is quite a shock.
August 25, 2023
Was handed this one by my MIL before my vacay and zipped through it in a couple of days. Having read a bunch of the Fethering mysteries, I did NOT expect the darkness of this one, but really enjoyed it. Graham is a sod, but I was almost rooting for him? Was like a light version of American Psycho mixed with The Talented Mr Ripley - totally not Brett's usual style.
December 20, 2020
A Macbeth story (kill your way to the top) set in the corporate world. Brett focuses on the personalities and on the ingenuity of plot. Very enjoyable.
June 19, 2021
Ha ha ha. Karma is a bitch!
August 14, 2021
A black Simon Brett book - but fascinating and clever. Lovely twists. Enjoyed this immensely.
January 24, 2023
Tedious
The premise for this book was interested but in application it just dragged on. I quit reading about half way through.
The premise for this book was interested but in application it just dragged on. I quit reading about half way through.
August 14, 2025
Great twist mother-in-law revenge
September 5, 2011
I have read Brett's Charles Paris mysteries and enjoyed them so I picked up this non-series book. It was worth it as Brett weaves a tale of a man driven by ambition who is passed over for an expected promotion which puts him off the rails. For no reason he kills a homeless man and the thrill of that murder sets him thinking about murders from which he will profit both personally and professionally. He plans carefully and his crimes go undetected until...................I won't reveal the denouement but it is ironic to say the least. A good psychological thriller for the mystery/suspense fan.
November 3, 2011
The first one was an accident. Of course it was. It wasn't Graham Marshall's fault. But they haven't come for him and it's been weeks then months... How easy it becomes to rationalize and then to begin to plan for one little accident more to happen...
A very interesting look inside the mind-set of a killer. The feelings of entitlement cancelling out what might have been warmth at one time. Humanity slowly being choked on the altar of self advancement.
At the end there is a wonderfully nasty twist. This would fit beautifully in the Hitchcockian Cannon. He never saw it coming.
A very interesting look inside the mind-set of a killer. The feelings of entitlement cancelling out what might have been warmth at one time. Humanity slowly being choked on the altar of self advancement.
At the end there is a wonderfully nasty twist. This would fit beautifully in the Hitchcockian Cannon. He never saw it coming.
March 10, 2015
This book was unscrupulous from beginning to end.
Graham Marshall is a white collar professional who accidentally kills an attacker and gets away with it. Once the initial shock and guilt has worn off he spends the rest of the book killing or plotting to kill those in his everyday life who bug him in the slightest. The book is only a little dark but completely hilarious and suspenseful.
- One of my favorites.
Graham Marshall is a white collar professional who accidentally kills an attacker and gets away with it. Once the initial shock and guilt has worn off he spends the rest of the book killing or plotting to kill those in his everyday life who bug him in the slightest. The book is only a little dark but completely hilarious and suspenseful.
- One of my favorites.
March 19, 2014
As enjoyable as most of his output. Good plot seen from an unusual viewpoint - that of a man who becomes a murderer. Bretts writing style is comfortable and easy to read, I finished it off in a couple of afternoons.As with most books in this genre, no point in keeping it once you know 'whodunnit' so it's back to the charity shop for this one
December 28, 2015
A slow, plodding self-portrayal of a very disturbed, amoral character, devoid of almost all emotion and intolerant of anyone he sees as interfering, and who murders all who are obstacles to his personal freedom and success. The plot is intriguing, but the painfully tedious way it is told seriously impedes enjoyment.
July 25, 2015
This is an excellent story. It was made into a movie starring Michael Caine, but they changed the location to New York and altered the story until it was unrecognizable. If you want a GOOD story, read the book. It's about a man plotting to kill his wife in clever ways.
May 4, 2013
Good story. Ending not a big surprise but story kept my attention to the end.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews