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patchworkbunny's review against another edition
2.0
Kathryn Fox's crime series follows Dr Anya Crichton, who specialises in dealing with victims of sexual assaults. Malicious Intent and Without Consent were both excellent reads but her novels have gone slowly downhill since and I think Death Mask might be the end for me.
For some reason she decided to transplant Anya to America to cover the seedy side of American football even though she tars Aussie rules and soccer with the same brush. I find it very hard to believe that 90% of football players are rapists or the awful attitude of fans and the media towards victims that is portrayed here. Surely I'm not completely ignorant of the culture surrounding the game?
Whilst Anya is an established character I found the characters to be a bit flat and there was no real chemistry between the leading couple. The plot seemed to be wavering between legal drama (we know from the start who was involved in the rapes) and crime mystery but not hitting the mark with either. Whilst the crimes that occur are horrific, I did feel Anya felt a bit high and mighty and would have worked a bit better if she came across as flawed herself. It all seemed a bit too black and white for me. The players that were supposedly good got very little page space and I was left at the end not really understanding the reporter's actions.
For some reason she decided to transplant Anya to America to cover the seedy side of American football even though she tars Aussie rules and soccer with the same brush. I find it very hard to believe that 90% of football players are rapists or the awful attitude of fans and the media towards victims that is portrayed here. Surely I'm not completely ignorant of the culture surrounding the game?
Whilst Anya is an established character I found the characters to be a bit flat and there was no real chemistry between the leading couple. The plot seemed to be wavering between legal drama (we know from the start who was involved in the rapes) and crime mystery but not hitting the mark with either. Whilst the crimes that occur are horrific, I did feel Anya felt a bit high and mighty and would have worked a bit better if she came across as flawed herself. It all seemed a bit too black and white for me. The players that were supposedly good got very little page space and I was left at the end not really understanding the reporter's actions.
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
3.0
The fifth Dr Anya Crichton book from Kathryn Fox, DEATH MASK combines Anya's forensic physician role with an exploration of professional sport and sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct is too mild a description really - this book explores the very murky world of mob-behaviour, gang rape, drug abuse, violence and professional sport. Set mostly in America, the behaviour is something that Australian's are also more than aware of, the poor behaviour of many professional sports people hitting the headlines here with distressing regularity.
Nobody is going to be all that surprised to find out that whilst I have all the books in this series, I'm behind in reading them. I was, therefore, interested to see how this book would work for somebody who isn't as up to date with Anya as avid followers of the books. It did work, there's enough of the back story to not have a new reader feeling lost, but I doubt there's too much for those seasoned series followers. The book takes place mostly in America, but the world of professional sports seems somehow universal. Whilst there is some sprinkling of a sense of place, the book doesn't rely on this as a central theme. What it does concentrate on is Anya's physician role. Firstly as a counsellor within the difficult area of sexual crime and investigation, then as she is called in as a consultant expert in New York to address professional football players about the difference between right and wrong sexual behaviour.
It seemed to me that this is a worthwhile, and somewhat overdue subject area for crime fiction to tackle, hopefully providing some insight into the whys and wherefores of these men's pack behaviour. The incidence of misbehaving sportsmen is an ongoing scandal, and the issues around it - both from the victim's point of view, as well as the perpetrator's are covered in DEATH MASK. There are moments where I did feel that the book slipped a little too much into lecture mode, something that probably only affects somebody as tutorial adverse as me. But that tone and the fact that it takes a while for the main plot points to settle into position, did mean that it was a little difficult to stay with the early part of the book. Once the plot got moving, and we got into more of the "show don't tell" phase of the book, things definitely improved, and I was surprised to find that even a hefty dose of romantic tension between the two main characters didn't annoy quite as much as it normally would.
Ultimately the use of crime fiction to look hard at the ills of society is well served in DEATH MASK. The nature of those in privileged positions indulging in sexual misconduct, seemingly untouched by personal responsibility, or understanding of the sheer brutality of their conduct, is something that deserves a lot more light being shone into some particularly dark corners of the human condition.
Nobody is going to be all that surprised to find out that whilst I have all the books in this series, I'm behind in reading them. I was, therefore, interested to see how this book would work for somebody who isn't as up to date with Anya as avid followers of the books. It did work, there's enough of the back story to not have a new reader feeling lost, but I doubt there's too much for those seasoned series followers. The book takes place mostly in America, but the world of professional sports seems somehow universal. Whilst there is some sprinkling of a sense of place, the book doesn't rely on this as a central theme. What it does concentrate on is Anya's physician role. Firstly as a counsellor within the difficult area of sexual crime and investigation, then as she is called in as a consultant expert in New York to address professional football players about the difference between right and wrong sexual behaviour.
It seemed to me that this is a worthwhile, and somewhat overdue subject area for crime fiction to tackle, hopefully providing some insight into the whys and wherefores of these men's pack behaviour. The incidence of misbehaving sportsmen is an ongoing scandal, and the issues around it - both from the victim's point of view, as well as the perpetrator's are covered in DEATH MASK. There are moments where I did feel that the book slipped a little too much into lecture mode, something that probably only affects somebody as tutorial adverse as me. But that tone and the fact that it takes a while for the main plot points to settle into position, did mean that it was a little difficult to stay with the early part of the book. Once the plot got moving, and we got into more of the "show don't tell" phase of the book, things definitely improved, and I was surprised to find that even a hefty dose of romantic tension between the two main characters didn't annoy quite as much as it normally would.
Ultimately the use of crime fiction to look hard at the ills of society is well served in DEATH MASK. The nature of those in privileged positions indulging in sexual misconduct, seemingly untouched by personal responsibility, or understanding of the sheer brutality of their conduct, is something that deserves a lot more light being shone into some particularly dark corners of the human condition.
sewmi's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
trusselltales's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting look at the world of aggressive team sports but not very well written and a fairly forgettable mystery element.
mrsbooknerd's review against another edition
2.0
Where to start with this little gem.
Plot: In theory I really liked the plotline for this novel. The rape of a young woman leads to the invesitigation of American Football players who have an unhealthy (understatement) opinion of women and sex. It is discovered that Football Stars are raping women in groups and getting away with it.
Also, I really didn't see the point of the beginning chapters about Hannah. What a weird way to start it, only to NEVER mention it again? I know that it was the start of Anya's investigation into rape among sports teams but really. Couldn't it have started with the conference and just briefly explained how Anya had dealt with Hannah?
I thought that this would be a traditional police procedural with Anya, a forensice physician, consulting. It was not. Though I cannot for the life of me describe what it was! There were elements of law and order but no real in depth invesitgation as part of a police investigation. Neither, however, was Anya's forensic skill REALLY drawn upon. Therefore the whole novel floated in a giant genre limbo.
Characters: Anya was our heroine and I gather already established as part of the on-going series, she was well-developed with a history, opinions and a personality. Despite this I could not warm to her as a character. I felt as though she was preaching to me the whole time, whether this was about sex, men or the celebrity attached to sports stars. She was shocked at EVERYTHING. I'm surprised she could even see the football players from her high horse. In the end I found that I was skipping any large chunks of her dialogue because I knew I was about to have ten-gazillion facts about rape shoved down my throat.
Ethan Rye I could see was going to be forced onto Anya as a prospective lover and at the beginning I was open to it. NOT NOW. He was hot one moment, cold the next and actually we learnt very little about him beyond the necessary. To me this did not allow me to relate to him or to warm to him. More importantly there was little spark between them, all of a sudden Anya was like, Ooh. Yummy man! Therefore I think the whole romance was a bit forced and didn't really hit the mark.
I would have liked for there to have been some 'good' football players to offset the multitude of idiots, rapists and all-round cocky gits. As for me there were FAR too many names to remember. Footballers, coaches, doctors, owners, reporters, victims, invesitgators, Anya's friends and colleagues, waiters, waitresses.... I kept losing track and in the end I wasn't even bothering to go back and find out who they all were.
Ending: The 'big twist' was actually not surprising as the killer had been a brilliant, flashing sign throughout the whole book just shouting, "IT'S ME!". Added to the fact that Anya discovered who it was and confronted them, AND had them arrested in less than a chapter you can see why I thought it was rushed.
Overall I really wanted to like both Anya AND the plot, but there were far too many holes etc for me to really enjoy it.
P.S. Can't work out why it was called Death Mask??
Plot: In theory I really liked the plotline for this novel. The rape of a young woman leads to the invesitigation of American Football players who have an unhealthy (understatement) opinion of women and sex. It is discovered that Football Stars are raping women in groups and getting away with it.
Also, I really didn't see the point of the beginning chapters about Hannah. What a weird way to start it, only to NEVER mention it again? I know that it was the start of Anya's investigation into rape among sports teams but really. Couldn't it have started with the conference and just briefly explained how Anya had dealt with Hannah?
I thought that this would be a traditional police procedural with Anya, a forensice physician, consulting. It was not. Though I cannot for the life of me describe what it was! There were elements of law and order but no real in depth invesitgation as part of a police investigation. Neither, however, was Anya's forensic skill REALLY drawn upon. Therefore the whole novel floated in a giant genre limbo.
Characters: Anya was our heroine and I gather already established as part of the on-going series, she was well-developed with a history, opinions and a personality. Despite this I could not warm to her as a character. I felt as though she was preaching to me the whole time, whether this was about sex, men or the celebrity attached to sports stars. She was shocked at EVERYTHING. I'm surprised she could even see the football players from her high horse. In the end I found that I was skipping any large chunks of her dialogue because I knew I was about to have ten-gazillion facts about rape shoved down my throat.
Ethan Rye I could see was going to be forced onto Anya as a prospective lover and at the beginning I was open to it. NOT NOW. He was hot one moment, cold the next and actually we learnt very little about him beyond the necessary. To me this did not allow me to relate to him or to warm to him. More importantly there was little spark between them, all of a sudden Anya was like, Ooh. Yummy man! Therefore I think the whole romance was a bit forced and didn't really hit the mark.
I would have liked for there to have been some 'good' football players to offset the multitude of idiots, rapists and all-round cocky gits. As for me there were FAR too many names to remember. Footballers, coaches, doctors, owners, reporters, victims, invesitgators, Anya's friends and colleagues, waiters, waitresses.... I kept losing track and in the end I wasn't even bothering to go back and find out who they all were.
Ending: The 'big twist' was actually not surprising as the killer had been a brilliant, flashing sign throughout the whole book just shouting, "IT'S ME!". Added to the fact that Anya discovered who it was and confronted them, AND had them arrested in less than a chapter you can see why I thought it was rushed.
Overall I really wanted to like both Anya AND the plot, but there were far too many holes etc for me to really enjoy it.
P.S. Can't work out why it was called Death Mask??
amothersmusings1's review against another edition
5.0
A great page turner that had me gripped from the very first page. The sensitive subject of gang rape was handled professionally and informatively and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Hope there is a sequel to see if anything happens between Anya and Ethan. Would recommend.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
When Sydney-based forensic physician Anya Crichton is asked to consult a patient who has returned from her honeymoon with sexually transmitted infections she believes she's being unnecessarily involved in a simple case of infidelity. Given the woman's husband has tested negative for the infections, Anya assumes that Hannah Dengate is lying when she claims to have had no sexual partners other than her husband. However the case soon turns into something all together more unsavoury and leads Anya into a new field of research: the psychology of male team sports players and their attitudes to sexual assault. She is then asked to go to the US to discuss her research and provide information about what constitutes sexual assault to elite footballers but soon becomes embroiled in another case of possible sexual assault by a group of sports stars.
I have but two small issues witrh the book. The first, its opening. I have read a few other reviews that echo that the opening scene (read 30-40 pages) does not closely relate to the main story, though the theme is the same. The honeymoon rape could best be addressed in flashbacks. The second issue (small, but it may help the paperback version in the US/Canada), is language used. New Yorkers do not say 'pram', 'nappy' or some of the other linguistic differences that I noticed. Sure, a minute thing, but it did pop out at me. Linguistic reflection does add integrity to a character and story.
Once the book does get going it flows very smoothly and quickly and almost always manages to avoid being preachy. There were a couple of sections where this was not so but with such sensitive material it would have been difficult to avoid all together. The book not only explores the attitudes to women by some sports stars (and their fans) but also looks at the exploitation of the players themselves by team owners and others whose aims conflict with the best interests of the players' health and wellbeing. This is one of those instances where fiction has examined complex social issues in more depth and with more acuity and balance than I've ever seen in the talk-radio fueled hype of mainstream media when similar events happen in the real world.
After its first 50 pages Death Mask has one of the most compelling and creative storylines I've encountered. . In many ways is a much broader book than pure crime fiction as it examines the psychology of team sports from all angles in a thought-provoking way that is far-removed from the way we normally the subject addressed in the media. It is balanced not only in the way it looks at these issues but also in the mixture of fiction and fact that are incorporated into the story. I'd recommend this novel to anyone, especially those with any kind of involvement in or fascination with professional team sports though, sadly, the people who most need to read something like this will probably never do so. A final point in the book's favour is that it could easily be read independently of the previous novels in the series.
I have but two small issues witrh the book. The first, its opening. I have read a few other reviews that echo that the opening scene (read 30-40 pages) does not closely relate to the main story, though the theme is the same. The honeymoon rape could best be addressed in flashbacks. The second issue (small, but it may help the paperback version in the US/Canada), is language used. New Yorkers do not say 'pram', 'nappy' or some of the other linguistic differences that I noticed. Sure, a minute thing, but it did pop out at me. Linguistic reflection does add integrity to a character and story.
Once the book does get going it flows very smoothly and quickly and almost always manages to avoid being preachy. There were a couple of sections where this was not so but with such sensitive material it would have been difficult to avoid all together. The book not only explores the attitudes to women by some sports stars (and their fans) but also looks at the exploitation of the players themselves by team owners and others whose aims conflict with the best interests of the players' health and wellbeing. This is one of those instances where fiction has examined complex social issues in more depth and with more acuity and balance than I've ever seen in the talk-radio fueled hype of mainstream media when similar events happen in the real world.
After its first 50 pages Death Mask has one of the most compelling and creative storylines I've encountered. . In many ways is a much broader book than pure crime fiction as it examines the psychology of team sports from all angles in a thought-provoking way that is far-removed from the way we normally the subject addressed in the media. It is balanced not only in the way it looks at these issues but also in the mixture of fiction and fact that are incorporated into the story. I'd recommend this novel to anyone, especially those with any kind of involvement in or fascination with professional team sports though, sadly, the people who most need to read something like this will probably never do so. A final point in the book's favour is that it could easily be read independently of the previous novels in the series.
kathryn08's review against another edition
4.0
A bit too much football in this one - and American football, at that! - but it was certainly interesting (albeit shocking) to get an insight into what some men think constitutes sexual consent. I love Anya Crichton - she is a quietly confident forensic physician who is not afraid to stand her ground and speak up for the victims even in the face of significant opposition.
I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
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