This is another tale of a disappeared child. A 4 year old boy, Justin Manning, disappears whilst under the care of his 7 year old sister, Janet, in the local play park. His body is found weeks later, in a shallow grave in a copse next to the park. 25 years later the protagonists have not recovered from the tragedy.
The first part of the story is full of questions. Why is a 7 year old looking after a 4 year old in a public park? Why is the convicted killer still protesting his innocence? Why did Janet's best friend, from their school days, drift away and then come home in secret? What secrets are being kept by so many people, and why?
The detective who investigated the case 25 years before begins to doubt that justice was done, Janet's daughter is determined that she will find the answers that her mother needs so desperately, and a reporter begins to ask questions that weren't asked at the time of Justin's death. But was the body Justin's? A stranger appears claiming to be him, grown to manhood. Janet, her daughter and the detective set out to settle the mystery once and for all.
There are threads within threads in this story, which takes us on a roller-coaster ride where almost every character falls under some sort of suspicion. I was eager to turn every page to find out what would be revealed on the next page and bereft when I'd finished the last page as there was no more! Disturbing in places but mostly just riveting. If you like mysteries with a thriller edge, you'll enjoy this one.
The Hiding Place in published by Penguin, ISBN 978-1-405-910583
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Light Shining in the Forest by Paul Torday
Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe that they can happen today, in the 21stC? This author asks us to believe in this story of stolen children and the ordinary people who wouldn't give up searching for them.
Theo Constantine is missing. After the initial flurry of activity that comes after such disappearances, the only ones left to grieve are his mother and step-father. Until 2 more children go missing in the same area.
Norman Stokoe is a career civil servant, used to dealing with committees, reports and action plans, but not with real situations. Willy Craig is a reporter on the local rag, but he has ambitions of working on a national daily. Pippa Everbury is Norman's secretary. Slowly they all become involved in the mystery of the children's disappearance and form an unlikely alliance to find them. Theo, the first child to disappear, appears to be the key. A photograph of the boy, taken by a local doctor, seems to show that he has the signs of the stigmata on his body. Everyone says how they felt different, better, when they were with Theo and what a special child he is. Or was. No-one believes he is still alive.
Norman is told to back-off by the police and his own department head. Willie is threatened with the sack if he continues with his investigation. Pippa puts her considerable intellect behind the project and urges them on. Eventually part of the mystery is solved, but who is Theo and why is he different? Why does his influence seem to spread beyond his short life to touch those who looked for him and whom he protected?
Light Shining in the Forest is a mystery within a mystery from the writer of "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen". Paul Torbay spins a story about which he asks us to suspend our disbelief - and succeeds. It's beautifully written, well constructed and with entirely believable characters. I loved it.
Theo Constantine is missing. After the initial flurry of activity that comes after such disappearances, the only ones left to grieve are his mother and step-father. Until 2 more children go missing in the same area.
Norman Stokoe is a career civil servant, used to dealing with committees, reports and action plans, but not with real situations. Willy Craig is a reporter on the local rag, but he has ambitions of working on a national daily. Pippa Everbury is Norman's secretary. Slowly they all become involved in the mystery of the children's disappearance and form an unlikely alliance to find them. Theo, the first child to disappear, appears to be the key. A photograph of the boy, taken by a local doctor, seems to show that he has the signs of the stigmata on his body. Everyone says how they felt different, better, when they were with Theo and what a special child he is. Or was. No-one believes he is still alive.
Norman is told to back-off by the police and his own department head. Willie is threatened with the sack if he continues with his investigation. Pippa puts her considerable intellect behind the project and urges them on. Eventually part of the mystery is solved, but who is Theo and why is he different? Why does his influence seem to spread beyond his short life to touch those who looked for him and whom he protected?
Light Shining in the Forest is a mystery within a mystery from the writer of "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen". Paul Torbay spins a story about which he asks us to suspend our disbelief - and succeeds. It's beautifully written, well constructed and with entirely believable characters. I loved it.
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Justice by Karen Robards
It didn't take me long to realise that this book is a sequel. The backstory is that Jessica Ford witnessed the murder (disguised as an accident) of the First Lady. She's been in hiding since then, although in this case the hiding has been in plain sight. Jessica works at a top legal firm in Washington. Not what you'd call discrete but then this is a novel, not life.
However, a twist of fate (inevitable, one might deduce) means that her picture is printed in the Washington newspapers and the chase is on! At this point, enter the man who can save her but whom she, apparently, detests. Or not. Having been her saviour in the previous story, he pops up again as her officially sanctioned (by the secret services) protector. Mind you, we don't know whether it's a rogue element in the secret services that wants to bump her off. With me so far?
Considering that Jessica is at risk of being assassinated she keeps on taking silly risks. She also keeps telling her hero that he isn't her hero and she wishes he'd just ....... go away. Gradually the tale unfolds and we do learn, eventually, who the culprit is although the ending is a bit of a let down.
All in all this story is a bit of a mixed up romp but it's entertaining enough, in its way. Just don't expect literary genius.
"Justice" is published by Hodder, ISBN 978 1 444 72932 0
However, a twist of fate (inevitable, one might deduce) means that her picture is printed in the Washington newspapers and the chase is on! At this point, enter the man who can save her but whom she, apparently, detests. Or not. Having been her saviour in the previous story, he pops up again as her officially sanctioned (by the secret services) protector. Mind you, we don't know whether it's a rogue element in the secret services that wants to bump her off. With me so far?
Considering that Jessica is at risk of being assassinated she keeps on taking silly risks. She also keeps telling her hero that he isn't her hero and she wishes he'd just ....... go away. Gradually the tale unfolds and we do learn, eventually, who the culprit is although the ending is a bit of a let down.
All in all this story is a bit of a mixed up romp but it's entertaining enough, in its way. Just don't expect literary genius.
"Justice" is published by Hodder, ISBN 978 1 444 72932 0
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
The Good Father by Noah Hawley
Have you ever wondered how you'd react if you found out that one of your children had committed a most heinous crime? Would you proclaim their innocence, even in the face of the most damning evidence?
Dr Paul Allen is a respected rheumatologist at a hospital in Manhattan. He is married with 2 small boys, and an older son by a previous marriage. Daniel appears to be an average American boy, shuffling between his mother, on the west coast of the USA and his father on the east. He shows no signs of being adversely affected by his parent's divorce, or his mother's flakiness. But then he drops out of college for a year and, effectively, disappears.
His travels and experiences are reconstructed later, by his father and lawyer, and by the police and CIA. Because Daniel turns up at a political rally, a year after leaving college, an shoots dead a prmoising candidate for the American Presidency.
Dr Allen is distraught and, as his life spirals out of control and at the risk of losing his family, becomes obsessed with proving that Daniel is innocent. But is he? He is seen, on film, in the auditorium, with a gun in his hand and he refuses to proclaim his innocence. Putting together Daniel's journey across the country, between college and the killing, Dr Allen begins to see that Daniel has a troubled soul and is not the son he thought he was. But what is he?
Not so much a thriller, but more of a mystery novel, this story is a wonderful exercise in examining some of the worst dilemma's of modern parenthood. Can we ever know our children as we would wish too? Compassionate, heartbreaking, emotional, this book deserves to be read with close attention and an open mind. Recommended.
The Good Father is published by Hodder and Stoughton, ISBN978-1-444-73039-5 and 6
Dr Paul Allen is a respected rheumatologist at a hospital in Manhattan. He is married with 2 small boys, and an older son by a previous marriage. Daniel appears to be an average American boy, shuffling between his mother, on the west coast of the USA and his father on the east. He shows no signs of being adversely affected by his parent's divorce, or his mother's flakiness. But then he drops out of college for a year and, effectively, disappears.
His travels and experiences are reconstructed later, by his father and lawyer, and by the police and CIA. Because Daniel turns up at a political rally, a year after leaving college, an shoots dead a prmoising candidate for the American Presidency.
Dr Allen is distraught and, as his life spirals out of control and at the risk of losing his family, becomes obsessed with proving that Daniel is innocent. But is he? He is seen, on film, in the auditorium, with a gun in his hand and he refuses to proclaim his innocence. Putting together Daniel's journey across the country, between college and the killing, Dr Allen begins to see that Daniel has a troubled soul and is not the son he thought he was. But what is he?
Not so much a thriller, but more of a mystery novel, this story is a wonderful exercise in examining some of the worst dilemma's of modern parenthood. Can we ever know our children as we would wish too? Compassionate, heartbreaking, emotional, this book deserves to be read with close attention and an open mind. Recommended.
The Good Father is published by Hodder and Stoughton, ISBN978-1-444-73039-5 and 6
A Kind Man by Susan Hill
Do miracles happen today? There are those who say 'yes' and those who say 'no' and there are those that have experienced a miracle who are absolutely convinced. I began this novella with my breakfast and had completed it by tea time, that's how fascinating I found it to be.
Susan Hill has written another mystery about things we don't understand and this time it's a miracle. The 'kind man' of the title is Tommy Carr and the story is set sometime between the two world wars, probably in the late '20s or early 30s'. Tommy and his wife live a quiet life in an industrial town. They have a daughter and are quietly happy in their uneventful lives. Until, that is, their beloved daughter dies at a tender age. Months later, with his grief locked inside him, Tommy begins to sicken. At death's door, a miracle happens and Tommy is restored to health.
As time goes by it appears that Tommy has been granted another gift along with his health and strength and the couple's quiet life is turned upside down as people beat a path to their door. Can Tommy work miracles, like the one he was granted? Will this gift last or will it go away as quickly as it arrived? How does his wife, Eve, handle all this?
Susan Hill has such economy with words and uses it to good effect; her spare language imbues a finely balanced atmosphere of suspense, anxiety and tension in this novella.
Whether you believe in miracles or not, this is a tale that deserves to read by everyone. I recommend it.
A Kind Man is published by Random House, ISBN 978-07011-8-5916
Susan Hill has written another mystery about things we don't understand and this time it's a miracle. The 'kind man' of the title is Tommy Carr and the story is set sometime between the two world wars, probably in the late '20s or early 30s'. Tommy and his wife live a quiet life in an industrial town. They have a daughter and are quietly happy in their uneventful lives. Until, that is, their beloved daughter dies at a tender age. Months later, with his grief locked inside him, Tommy begins to sicken. At death's door, a miracle happens and Tommy is restored to health.
As time goes by it appears that Tommy has been granted another gift along with his health and strength and the couple's quiet life is turned upside down as people beat a path to their door. Can Tommy work miracles, like the one he was granted? Will this gift last or will it go away as quickly as it arrived? How does his wife, Eve, handle all this?
Susan Hill has such economy with words and uses it to good effect; her spare language imbues a finely balanced atmosphere of suspense, anxiety and tension in this novella.
Whether you believe in miracles or not, this is a tale that deserves to read by everyone. I recommend it.
A Kind Man is published by Random House, ISBN 978-07011-8-5916
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)