3 Stars
I was recently introduced to the author’s Isles of Scilly series which I enjoyed so thought I’d listen to the first book in her other series featuring Alice Quentin. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment.
Alice is a psychologist who had a difficult childhood because of an abusive father and selfish mother. Her mentally ill brother is a drug addict living in a van. Alice is drawn into an investigation into the deaths of young women. The way they are tortured and killed resembles the pattern of an infamous couple of serial killers. Soon Alice begins to receive threatening notes and has to be given police protection. A subplot focuses on the developing relationship between Alice and Ben Alvarez, the police detective leading the case.
The book is formulaic and predictable. I guessed the identity of the murderer very early and continued listening only to confirm that I was correct. There are so many clues that anyone who regularly reads crime fiction will identify the villain. There are red herrings, but they are just such obvious distractions. What I did not know is the murderer’s motive, but when it is explained, I found it very weak; it is certainly not sufficiently strong to explain the depravity demonstrated.
A major problem is the character of the protagonist. Alice works as a clinical psychologist treating eating disorders and anxiety, but then acts like a forensic psychologist? She’s not an expert on serial killers so her involvement with the investigation is unconvincing. In the large metropolis of London, surely there would be someone more qualified. For someone who should be knowledgeable about human psychology, she is a terrible judge of character. She tends to jump to conclusions about people. And she is so judgmental. Every time DI Burns appears, she comments on his weight; whenever another man shows up, she laughs at his television watching habits. Then there’s her lack of common sense: she constantly puts herself in danger. Her constant foolish choices mean she is not someone to be admired or respected.
This is not a taxing book requiring deep concentration so it made for a good audiobook. I should probably give the series another chance and perhaps I will in the future, but right now I think I’ll move on to another author.
No comments:
Post a Comment