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doreeny 's review for:
The Good Liar
by Denise Mina
This is a dual-timeline suspense novel.
Claudia Atkins O’Sheil, a highly respected forensic examiner, created a method of blood-splatter analysis that has established her reputation and that of her mentor and boss, Lord Philip Ardmore. From the opening the reader learns that she intends to reveal a secret that will ruin her reputation and career and destroy those of others too. Then the novel flashes back to a year earlier when she and Philip are called to a double homicide. The victims are Jonty Stewart, a close friend of Philip’s, and Jonty’s much younger fiancée. Jonty’s ne’er-do-well son William is suspected, but Claudia is not convinced and keeps investigating. Placing herself and her family in danger, she uncovers a web of deceit, financial misconduct, and several murders.
The dual timeline works well to create suspense. Most of the narrative focuses on the past and what Claudia slowly uncovers not only about the double murders but also about the death of her husband James and that of another man. Periodically the narrative switches briefly to the present as she vacillates between revealing what she has learned or keeping the secret and maintaining the status quo. Will she choose truth, justice, and duty or self-preservation and family security?
Claudia is an interesting and complex character. She’s obviously intelligent. Her love for her family is unwavering. She has a lot of stress in her life: she is grieving her husband who died suddenly in an unexplained accident; she is raising her two teenage sons by herself; and her sister is addicted to drugs. Others comment that she is a social climber and she admits that “she was seduced by power”; when an opportunity arises to go to a luxury hotel for lunch, she justifies her decision to accept the invitation though she knows that it’s not appropriate for a number of reasons. This desire for a life amongst the privileged makes her an easy target for manipulation.
I guessed early on the identity of the person behind the crimes, though I certainly didn’t know the details. This didn’t affect my enjoyment because I wanted to have my suspicions confirmed. In fact, the author may have wanted readers to guess the truth and not be blinded as Claudia seems to be.
The novel examines the relationship between expert testimony and justice. The novel asks whether expert testimony helps or hinders the pursuit of justice. The book also emphasizes how the wealthy can easily hide their crimes and use their power to manipulate others.
The novel is fast-paced and a quick read. There is tension throughout so interest is maintained from beginning to end. The ending is satisfying though there are unanswered questions that may irk some readers.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.