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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I picked up this book as I have enjoyed other books by this author and it didn't disappoint. Really enjoyed and look forward to reading more in this series.
I’m just going to go on record here as someone who opposes defunding police departments. After I read this book, I would be a major fan of defunding Jane Tennison’s salary. I’ve rarely read a character for whom I developed a more visceral dislike almost instantly. I mean, this went from zero to a thousand in about a millisecond. And while she got her guy at the end, and did so based on her talent and merits, I couldn’t bring myself to congratulate her. I’ve downloaded additional books in this series, but I suspect they may go unread—we’ll see.
The dead prostitute is Della Mornay, and she’s well known as an informant in the precinct where Jane works. But now she’s dead, and they’ve identified her body, and they’ve caught the guy they believe to be guilty, and it’s time to move on. But not so fast. It is Jane Tennison who realizes that the shoe size listed on the report isn’t the same as the actual shoe size of the victim. It turns out that the victim is a woman named Karen Howard.
This is essentially a scream fest temper tantrum thing for poor Jane whose superiors keep passing her over for various assignments. The other cops in her area despise Jane. When a heart attack kills the guy who had been handling the dead prostitute case, Jane gets the nod against the better judgment of her superiors, and she’s off to find a killer and alienate everyone she can in the process.
This just felt like La Plante overdid the lonely feminist who sacrifices her relationship, nearly her family, referring to her dad as an old sod because he failed to operate a video recorder so vain Jane could see what she looked like on a true crime show, and her humanity. Poor, poor little Jane! To the author’s credit, you see how Tennison’s colleagues rally around her when she succeeds, but the not-so-hidden agenda soured me on the series. The author relegates Jane’s happily married pregnant sister, Pam, to the ho-hum heap. I suspect pregnant Pam on her worst day would be a far better person to know than the ever-shrill ever-victimized Tennison.
All my whining aside, know that this is well written, and you'll stay with it if you start it to the back page. I understand why this series went from the page to the digital movie. The author displays real talent here. It's not her inability so much as it's just my lack of desire to reread this.
The dead prostitute is Della Mornay, and she’s well known as an informant in the precinct where Jane works. But now she’s dead, and they’ve identified her body, and they’ve caught the guy they believe to be guilty, and it’s time to move on. But not so fast. It is Jane Tennison who realizes that the shoe size listed on the report isn’t the same as the actual shoe size of the victim. It turns out that the victim is a woman named Karen Howard.
This is essentially a scream fest temper tantrum thing for poor Jane whose superiors keep passing her over for various assignments. The other cops in her area despise Jane. When a heart attack kills the guy who had been handling the dead prostitute case, Jane gets the nod against the better judgment of her superiors, and she’s off to find a killer and alienate everyone she can in the process.
This just felt like La Plante overdid the lonely feminist who sacrifices her relationship, nearly her family, referring to her dad as an old sod because he failed to operate a video recorder so vain Jane could see what she looked like on a true crime show, and her humanity. Poor, poor little Jane! To the author’s credit, you see how Tennison’s colleagues rally around her when she succeeds, but the not-so-hidden agenda soured me on the series. The author relegates Jane’s happily married pregnant sister, Pam, to the ho-hum heap. I suspect pregnant Pam on her worst day would be a far better person to know than the ever-shrill ever-victimized Tennison.
All my whining aside, know that this is well written, and you'll stay with it if you start it to the back page. I understand why this series went from the page to the digital movie. The author displays real talent here. It's not her inability so much as it's just my lack of desire to reread this.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual harassment
I've not read any La Plante novels before. I borrowed the audiobook from the library and while the story was OK but uncomfortable not just because of the crimes, but also the outdated sexist attitudes but I hated the shrill narrator. In fact I increased the speed just so I would be done with it.
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
2022
"Not guilty, sir"
I've always been wondering if Marlow really is the killer... Let's just say I've had another suspect in mind from the start of the book.
Not sure why it took me 3 year to continue this series... But I'm back; and intending to finish all the books this time.
2019
This being my first [a:La Plante|7929|Lynda La Plante|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1303216596p2/7929.jpg] read, and only ever hearing that Prime Suspect is an excellent TV series, I thought why not, and got the three books at a great price.
While entertaining enough, the adaptation from TV series is very prominent; is more like the description of a picture than painting a picture with words.
A bit of a let-down, but I will read the other books at a later stage.
"Not guilty, sir"
I've always been wondering if Marlow really is the killer... Let's just say I've had another suspect in mind from the start of the book.
Not sure why it took me 3 year to continue this series... But I'm back; and intending to finish all the books this time.
2019
This being my first [a:La Plante|7929|Lynda La Plante|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1303216596p2/7929.jpg] read, and only ever hearing that Prime Suspect is an excellent TV series, I thought why not, and got the three books at a great price.
While entertaining enough, the adaptation from TV series is very prominent; is more like the description of a picture than painting a picture with words.
A bit of a let-down, but I will read the other books at a later stage.
I didn't know until after I finished this that the book itself was a re-written teleplay from the show. Had I known that, I probably would have held off on reading it for awhile because you can see the proverbial glue and scotch tape that held this together and it's not pretty.
I appreciated the female detective navigating layers of patriarchy to try and solve the case. I thought that was done well (and I look forward to seeing it done well on screen some day by the great Helen Mirren) but the plotting is clunky and the mood never really settles. The mystery is interesting enough but the whole time, I was kind of wondering what this would look like on the big screen. Now I know why I felt that way. Not bad but not what I expected.
I appreciated the female detective navigating layers of patriarchy to try and solve the case. I thought that was done well (and I look forward to seeing it done well on screen some day by the great Helen Mirren) but the plotting is clunky and the mood never really settles. The mystery is interesting enough but the whole time, I was kind of wondering what this would look like on the big screen. Now I know why I felt that way. Not bad but not what I expected.
A satisfying read. Good characters - there were bits that I thought were irrelevant to the plot but they didn't detract from the story. Ending was not a let down either.
I had a really hard time with this book I have started it and stopped it at least 4 or 5 times. It just never really grabbed me.
I am glad I finished it finally cause I really was wondering who did it.
I am glad I finished it finally cause I really was wondering who did it.