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A review by billd
Twilight by Peter James
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Peter James is best known to me for his DS Roy Grace mystery series set in Brighton, England. I've read a couple of books in that series so far and my wife and I have been enjoying watching the TV series based on the books. But James has written many other books, some short series and a large group of standalones. Twilight, originally published in 1991, is one of his standalones.
The story follows American reporter, trying to settle into a new job in Brighton, as she investigates a story about the exhumation of the grave of a young woman. It turns out that various people, neighbors to the cemetery (who wants to live next door to a cemetery??) and some employees of the church have heard noises from the newly dug grave.
After a few days, the local coroner, at the behest of the grieving husband, agrees to exhume the coffin. Reporter Kate Hemingway is sent by her paper to report. She manages to get into the site where the body is being exhumed (sorry for the repetition of exhumed) and when the coffin is open, everyone is shocked to see scratch marks on the lid of the coffin, broken fingernails on the young woman and most shockingly, that she has born a baby (neither have survived of course.)
The story moves from Kate Hemingway into the past and also follows one Harvey Swire, who will play a 'big' role in this present story. Living with his doctor father, as his mother has passed away, Harvey is unloved and on his own. Harvey has an accident and while in unconscious at the hospital, his spirit leaves his body seemingly and he sees himself from above, his body undergoing surgery.
This sets a course for Harvey as he tries to investigate what happens to the body's 'soul' after death. He becomes an anastheologist and will play a large role in what happens in the present. Kate continues her investigation, somehow managing to sneak into places that I would imagine no reporter should be able to sneak into. But she is intrepid. Pulled off the exhumation case after trouble by the hospital administration, she still manages to keep investigating, while getting help reporting on other articles by a potential beau.
The investigation will take a nasty turn for Kate and I'll let you read it to discover what happens and how it all resolves. Suffice it to say it's quite intense and thrilling.
James has crafted an excellent thriller here. You can see elements of the Roy Grace series; the locale of course, the paranormal aspects. Kate is assigned to investigate a medium, Dora Runcorn, who plays a deeper role later in the book, but she manages to catch Kate's attention by seeming to contact her dead brother, who may or may not (see what I'm doing here?) play a role as well in this story. As I said earlier, it's an intense thriller that builds nicely. It can be a bit graphic at times, but not drastically. The paranormal aspect adds an interesting sideline as well. Most enjoyable. (4.0 stars)
The story follows American reporter, trying to settle into a new job in Brighton, as she investigates a story about the exhumation of the grave of a young woman. It turns out that various people, neighbors to the cemetery (who wants to live next door to a cemetery??) and some employees of the church have heard noises from the newly dug grave.
After a few days, the local coroner, at the behest of the grieving husband, agrees to exhume the coffin. Reporter Kate Hemingway is sent by her paper to report. She manages to get into the site where the body is being exhumed (sorry for the repetition of exhumed) and when the coffin is open, everyone is shocked to see scratch marks on the lid of the coffin, broken fingernails on the young woman and most shockingly, that she has born a baby (neither have survived of course.)
The story moves from Kate Hemingway into the past and also follows one Harvey Swire, who will play a 'big' role in this present story. Living with his doctor father, as his mother has passed away, Harvey is unloved and on his own. Harvey has an accident and while in unconscious at the hospital, his spirit leaves his body seemingly and he sees himself from above, his body undergoing surgery.
This sets a course for Harvey as he tries to investigate what happens to the body's 'soul' after death. He becomes an anastheologist and will play a large role in what happens in the present. Kate continues her investigation, somehow managing to sneak into places that I would imagine no reporter should be able to sneak into. But she is intrepid. Pulled off the exhumation case after trouble by the hospital administration, she still manages to keep investigating, while getting help reporting on other articles by a potential beau.
The investigation will take a nasty turn for Kate and I'll let you read it to discover what happens and how it all resolves. Suffice it to say it's quite intense and thrilling.
James has crafted an excellent thriller here. You can see elements of the Roy Grace series; the locale of course, the paranormal aspects. Kate is assigned to investigate a medium, Dora Runcorn, who plays a deeper role later in the book, but she manages to catch Kate's attention by seeming to contact her dead brother, who may or may not (see what I'm doing here?) play a role as well in this story. As I said earlier, it's an intense thriller that builds nicely. It can be a bit graphic at times, but not drastically. The paranormal aspect adds an interesting sideline as well. Most enjoyable. (4.0 stars)