The Point of Rescue by Sophie Hannah

A quick rundown… Sally’s secret week away turns into a nightmare when she sees a man on TV calling himself the same person as the man she met while away. What’s going on?

Strengths: Taut and tense thriller

Weaknesses: Found it somewhat difficult to believe the murderer’s motive.

Why I read it: Loved Hurting Distance; bought in the Borders final sale.

Pages: 464

Published: 2008

Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton

Setting: England

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Hurting Distance by the same author

I really enjoyed the first Sophie Hannah book I read (Hurting Distance), so I was surprised to see so many of her books on Borders’ shelves during the last days of their closing down sale. Perhaps she isn’t as well known in Australia? (Perhaps that might explain why I bought another of her books for $5 at the $5 bookstall). I think she is really underrated here – she’s a first class thriller writer. Mystery, police, psychological drama and murders – she has it in one. Fans of Minette Walters or The Hand that Rocked the Cradle would enjoy her books.

Don’t be put off that the police characters (namely Charlie and Simon) are recurring. I’m reading the books completely out of order and it doesn’t matter at all. There was ‘something’ between them in the past (possibly even before the series started) and now we have missed opportunities and sexual tension. While you may be beginning to think ‘oh no here we go again’, that really isn’t the case. What makes Hannah’s books stand out is that the main characters of the books are victims or near victims. The police are secondary and are there so you know both sides of the story.

The majority of this story is told by Sally Thorning. Sally’s a harried mum with a job, a lovely husband and a messy house. The previous year, she was meant to attend a conference which was cancelled. So, instead of telling her family, she went to a hotel for a week of peace. There, she met Mark Bretherwick and had a dalliance with him. So when Mark’s wife and daughter are murdered, Sally is upset. But the man on the television report isn’t the man Sally knows. The only thing is, she can’t tell anyone what she knows without jeopardising her marriage…

The novel presents a very different view of motherhood from what is commonly portrayed in the media – we have the perfect mother, the busy mother and the uncaring mother all portrayed. It explores as much the psychological aspect of raising a child as it does the murders. Some may be offended at having to confront their own feelings about being a parent. (Perhaps this is why some have ranked this book poorly?) You certainly won’t guess the murderer beforehand! Hannah weaves red herrings, blind alleys and chance clues together skilfully so that you’ll stay up all night reading this. I’m looking forward to reading more of her books!

(Note that this book was also published under the title of The Wrong Mother).

The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

A quick rundown… The death of Erica’s childhood friend is not as it seems. Will she and Patrik the local detective find out the truth?

Strengths: The crime narrative runs very well alongside the blossoming of Erica and Patrik’s relationship.

Weaknesses: Took me a little while to get into (about 50 pages).

Why I read it: Christmas present; always looking for the next hot Swedish crime series.

Pages: 400

Published: 2002 (original version)

Publisher: Harper Collins

Setting: Sweden

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Stieg Larsson’s trilogy or Henning Mankell

I, like many others, have been searching for the perfect Swedish crime book to follow on from the immensely popular The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. I’ve had a go at Henning Mankell and others have tried Jo Nesbo. While both are good, they didn’t create the tension and gripping story that Stieg Larsson did. So now I’ve tried Camilla Lackberg. How does she rate in comparison?

For starters, the storyline is good. Very good. Not cracking pace crazy twist and turns good but a twist on the old formula. We open the book with Erica, a writer trying to write a biography in the small town of Fjallbacka while grieving for her parents and gritting her teeth against her sister’s controlling husband. Alex, Erica’s school friend, is found naked with slashed wrists in the bath by a neighbour, who takes Erica to the scene. Did Alex kill herself? Or was it something more sinister? Erica is asked to write an obituary for Alex and so gets entangled in the mystery. Enter Patrik, local frustrated detective. There are interesting twists and turns in the case- some that you can see coming, others that are a shock as well a subplot as Erica and Patrik get together. This is done rather well, not nauseatingly sweet nor does it detract from the murder case. Having a writer as the central character with assistance from a policeman was a nice change to the usual procedural format. It also allowed for Erica’s perspective to be a lot closer to what the everyday person would experience if put in that situation. It is interesting that violence against women is also a theme of this book, like Stieg Larsson’s books.

Others have described the translation of this book as stilted with ‘fake’ dialogue. I didn’t find that at all. I thought the dialogue was completely natural (although perhaps lacking in English slang, but this is set in Sweden after all) and the translation clear and cohesive. It is not beautiful literature, but a read that certainly gets the reader intimately involved after the first 50 pages. (Bear with the book while it sets everything up, you won’t be disappointed). The characters’ names are also easier to remember in my case- I have sometimes found it difficult to get names straight in Henning Mankell books. There’s only one mention of IKEA!

The Ice Princess is the first in a series starring Erica and Patrik; five of which are currently published in English. The copy of the book I read also had a sampler of the second book, The Preacher. This looks to be another page-turner – I haven’t been this excited about a crime series for some time. Lackberg’s books certainly stand up to the scrutiny of readers who have enjoyed Stieg Larsson’s books – go out and read one now!

1Q84 Book 3 by Haruki Murakami

A quick rundown… Continues where Book 2 concluded, with Aomame and Tengo looking for each other in 1Q84.

Strengths: The beautiful writing and the need to for the pair to reunite.

Weaknesses: Too short! Open for a further sequel.

Why I read it: Absolutely loved Books 1 & 2.

Pages: 377 (ebook), also available in Australia combined with Books 1 & 2

Published: 2011

Publisher: Random House

Setting: Japan

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Other Haruki Murakami books, such as The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.

Thanks to Random House Australia who kindly offered me the opportunity to continue on with Book 3 of 1Q84 (Readings Books let me read their ARC of Books 1 & 2). Book 3 continues where Book 2 left off, with Aomame and Tengo determined to find each other in this crazy world of 1Q84. Leader is dead and Sakigake and Ushikawa are trying to find Aomame. Tengo is in the cat town, as his father lies unconscious. Aomame is waiting for Tengo in her apartment, but the NHK fee man keeps pounding on her door. Fuka-Eri too, is disturbed by an abusive NHK collector. Is it a coincidence that Tengo’s father wants to be buried in his NHK uniform?

If you haven’t read Books 1 & 2, you’ll think that I’ve invented the above or gone mad. But no, this is all logical to those who inhabit the possibly parallel world of 1Q84. The main aim of the book is to reunite Aomame and Tengo. (Isn’t it odd that Aomame is always referred to by her surname and Tengo by his first name? We also find out Aomame’s first name, thanks to Ushikawa). I did feel that this book wasn’t as detailed as the other two, but perhaps this is because of several reasons: a) realistically, it’s a continuation of the same story and doesn’t need the same background; b) Book 3 is translated by Phillip Gabriel in contrast to Jay Rubin, hence a little bit of bumpy ground initially; and c) I believe this book was written later by Murakami after he’d had time away from 1Q84. Maybe I feel this way because I had a break of several weeks before continuing the story, rather than just turning the page to another section. But really, Book 3 is there to make an attempt to tie up the loose ends that Book 2 made you so frustrated about, isn’t it?

Well, kind of. This is Murakami after all, where there are often more questions than answers. Fuka-Eri disappointingly drifts off into the background, as does Komatsu and the dowager. The Little People reappear and new characters are introduced. But essentially, Book 3 is about three people we already know: Aomame, Tengo and Ushikawa. The chaser and the chased.

It wouldn’t be Murakami if there weren’t some weird and seemly unexplainable twists. Book 3 doesn’t disappoint in that sense, and twists make events in the previous two books seem clearer. The ending however, no matter how much you wished it to happen, is a little linear and predictable – unusual for Murakami. It does leave you with a sense of fulfilment though. Does the pedestrian ending means there are more events to unfold in a Book 4? Let’s hope so. I’d love to hear more about this world.

This is definitely not a standalone book – in fact, as very little backstory is summarised; it needs to be read after Books 1 & 2. If you read it all together, 1Q84 will not disappoint.

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

A quick rundown… A woman murders her ex-husband and her neighbour helps to cover it up. How will the police work out what happened?

Strengths: Quirkily Japanese, an interesting way of telling a murder mystery.

Weaknesses: Focuses on the action, rather than the nuances of the characters and their motivation.

Why I read it: Very much hyped overseas, I was eagerly anticipating its release in Australia.

Pages: 384

Published: 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown

Setting: Japan

Rating: 7 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Villain by Shuichi Yoshida; Out by Natsuo Kirino

I was really looking forward to this book – completely caught up in the hype, I was stalking bookstore and ebook websites waiting to pounce. Once I finally got my hands on a copy, I began reading straight away. Perhaps my expectation of Japanese fiction has been influenced by Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 and Yoshida’s Villain, but I was hoping for beautiful prose, an analysis of the human psyche and amazing twists and turns in the plot. Sadly, I didn’t find this in The Devotion of Suspect X.

The plot sounds promising: a woman kills her ex-husband almost by accident with an electrical cord and her neighbour (who has a bit of a crush on her) helps her to cover everything up – from disposing of the body to inventing alibis for her and her daughter. Then things start to become too controlling… We also read of the murder from the point of view of the police, and a detective’s university lecturer friend.

While The Devotion of Suspect X has elements of Japanese quirkiness (the protagonist working in a bento shop, the murder weapon being a komatsu cord) it is effectively a murder story that focuses ultimately on the solving abilities of the police rather than the minds of those involved. It could be set anywhere in the world and Japan is not used as a unique backdrop. To put it frankly, this book is overhyped.

The language is nothing special either – whether that is true of Higashino’s writing or whether there is some loss in translation, I don’t know. There’s not enough description to paint a clear scene in my mind. Instead, the narrative focuses on the action but the impact of the police solving the murder is somewhat diminished as the reader saw the majority of it in the first place. The tying up of the ‘why’ the neighbour Ishigami assisted isn’t as interesting. It all seems kind of awkward.

Would I read anymore of Higashino’s translations? Probably, as I enjoy my Japanese fiction. But I certainly won’t be rushing out to purchase them hot off the press!

The Craigslist Murders by Brenda Cullerton

In summary… A successful interior designer is murdering New York’s trophy wives.

Strengths: A different premise, it evokes vague Sex and the City moments.

Weaknesses: It’s hard to dislike the murderer, but it’s also difficult to like her.

Why I read it: Sent for review by the publisher.

Setting: New York City

Pages: 224

Published: 2011

Publisher: Melville House Publishing

Rating: 7 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

This was another galley given to me by the kind folks of Melville House Publishing. This book was different, as it was written in English (in comparison to Death and the Penguin and One Man, One Murder) and was written recently. The Craigslist Murders is murder straightup – we have Charlotte, the murderer by night and interior decorator by day. In between tracking down antiques for her incredibly wealthy clients, she’s hunting Craigslist (like EBay) for young, society wives selling things and then kills them. (Why rich society wives are selling things on the internet I’m not sure, but I guess we can blame the recession).

Rather than being a portrait of a cold blooded killer, this book is witty and draws parallels with Sex in the City at times. Set in New York with another Charlotte (albeit with a different personality than the other one) and a lot of designer items are mentioned by name, it has that guilty but good feeling. However, it’s hard to link interior designer Charlotte with murderer Charlotte. It seems quite disjointed at times and I wondered if this was intentionally so to expose a personality disorder in Charlotte or if the author wanted the reader to like Charlotte and feel sympathy for her. Although we find out Charlotte’s backstory in pieces, I don’t think it was strong enough to justify her murders. There was a certain glamour aspect to this book though – whether from the brand names or the style, I’m not sure – as well as a bit of a Hitchcock feel.

The ending of this book is excellent and somewhat unexpected. It was the last thing I was thinking of to happen! If you’re squeamish, this is a better crime fiction book for you as it’s not graphic in its descriptions.

A quick and easy read – an interesting topic with a twist, as the story is told by the murderer herself. A good debut by Brenda Cullerton.

 

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

In a nutshell… Bea’s sister is missing and Bea sets out to find the truth.

Strengths: very emotive, tense and gripping.

Weaknesses: Possibly too much of an emotional rollercoaster at times.

Why I read it: Cheap on Amazon.co.uk

Pages: 358

Published: 2010

Publisher: Piatkus Books

Setting: London, England

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult; Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

Sister is one of those books that deserves to be read in big, greedy gulps. It takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotions – from worry to shock to horror and back again. Although I found this a harrowing and moving read, the emotion was beautifully raw and honest. This is a great book and an excellent debut from Rosamund Lupton. A little bit Gothic and a little bit thriller, this was a page turner for me.

Sister is the story of Beatrice (Bee), who returns home to London from New York when her sister, Tess goes missing. Tess is about to give birth, so where could she be? Exactly what was going on in Tess’ life before her disappearance? Who is the boy following her around college? What is the nature of the relationship with her teacher? When Tess is later found dead in a lonely ablutions block, Bee wants these questions and more answered. The police don’t seem to be terribly interested and Bee herself is getting into more and more trouble. But Tess is her sister and she’ll do anything to protect her…

The story is told in the first person from Bee’s point of view as a letter to her sister, moving back in time to when Tess disappeared and then forward to Bee giving her statement. This is an interesting plot device, as you know that something will be resolved by the end of the block. The real twist however, is how the past joins up with the present – certainly original and something I did not expect in the slightest. Very well done. The only confusion I had with the jumping back and forth in time was that it was occasionally difficult to put the scene into context – possibly another font could have been used for the present, but I think this may have detracted away from the Gothic eeriness that envelopes Sister. Some of the medicine used is too futuristic for today, but thankfully this is explained in the author’s notes at the end.

The love between the two sisters is clearly evident in this book. Bee does everything out of love for Tess, even when she knows she is dead. The feelings are portrayed beautifully and I admire Bee’s fierce determination to seek the truth about Tess’ death through her grief, even if nobody believes her. You may think I’m giving too much away about the plot, but I’m not. This book is more about the search for justice for Tess’ death and how it came about rather than if she is murdered or missing. The characterisation is also very well done – Bee is certainly not without her faults (although her clear love for Tess redeems her somewhat) and the supporting characters are alternately charming or the right side of nasty.

A great book and gripping read. Can’t wait to read Afterwards (the author’s new book).

Villain by Shuichi Yoshida

In a nutshell… The discovery of who murdered a young woman in Japan.

Strengths: Characters, how the characters interact

Weaknesses: Some may find it difficult to keep up with the names

Why I read it: Bought with gift voucher

Pages: 304

Published: 2010 

Publisher: Harvill Secker

Setting: Japan

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Real World by Natsuo Kirino

Villain was one of the books I bought with a Christmas gift voucher. I am interested in Japanese fiction translated into English, enjoying Natsuo Kirino and Haruki Murakami to name a few. So when I saw another Japanese translated work on the shelf, I jumped on it immediately.

Villain does not disappoint. It is a tightly woven thriller, linking together many disparate characters who are all somehow involved in the murder of a young lady on the creepy Mitsue Pass. It involves her friends, her (imagined) boyfriend, a boy she met on a dating website and various family members. One of these people is her murderer – but which one? Why was she killed?

As I’ve found with other Japanese thrillers, this is exquisitely detailed. We have background into the characters and their settings, which are translated very well into English by Philip Gabriel. We know of Yuichi’s past, his grandmother’s problems and the girls he’s been seeing. We also know about his car and what he’s eaten for snacks. This may sound superfluous, but it’s not. We warm to Yuichi and the other characters, simply because we know so much about them. Yoshida paints a very clear picture of each scene – so much so that you can picture the characters and the setting in detail. The blurb on the inside cover of the book states that it’s part police procedural, but in my opinion it’s definitely not! There is little police involvement, and it is all from the characters’ viewpoint.

The identity of the murderer also creeps up slowly on the reader. It’s very subtle, and I wondered how I could have missed the signs of who did it. Even more interesting, is the reasons why the murder was committed. One thing I won’t be doing is using any online dating sites any time soon! (A lot of the young characters use a particular online dating site, to try for romance in between work and family life. Is this a comment on the pressures of the Japanese youth of today, especially with the frequent use of love hotels in the narrative?) As is often the case with Japanese books, not everything is resolved but you can make a fairly educated guess as to what happens to some of the characters whose threads are left hanging.

I really enjoyed this book as it had all the elements of a great thriller – taut and exciting. The insight into the young Japanese was an added bonus. I’ll be looking forward to reading more of Shuichi Yomada’s work.

 I read this book as part of the Japanese Literature Challenge 5, which I am taking part in for the second year running.

Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell

Everyone is reading Scandinavian thrillers at the moment and the question to be asked is, what do you read after reading Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy? My mother is reading Jo Nesbo (and thoroughly enjoying it), so I decided to try Henning Mankell.

Faceless Killersis the first of the Inspector Kurt Wallander mysteries, set in the quiet Ystad area of Sweden (my Swedish geography is not the best, but that’s away from Stockholm). In a quiet, rural area, an elderly man is brutally murdered and his wife is beaten and tortured to death. All the police have to go on is the word ‘foreigner’. Cue attacks on refugee camps and other baffling issues and the police have very little to work on. (This book is set in the early 1990s, before mobile phones and internet so the detective work appears much more time consuming).

Of course, with many detective fiction books there comes problems in the detective’s personal life and Wallander is no exception. Recently divorced with a daughter that wants little to do with him and a father heading towards dementia, Wallander has many problems. Not to mention drinking and driving and then being caught by his colleagues…

The writing is sparse but effective, the plot tight and clever. A short read, but a very good one that left me thinking after what a great storyteller Mankell is. It’s certainly different to Stieg Larsson in that there’s less detail and no mention of Ikea, but the twists and turns are just as good.

Read it if: you enjoy well-written detective novels with good twists.

8 out of 10.