disappointing
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I'm a fan of Mrs. McDermid and A place of Execution and A distant Echo are my favorites, but here too much is happening in different places at the same time and all this layering ends up confusing or at least not holding your interest in all of the different situations.
I thought the characters were pretty much one-dimensional and I didn't really care much what happened to them. All in all, the diversions didn't work as such but made me lose interest in the story.
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Unfulfilled promise
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I am a big fan of Val McDermid's works. No sooner have I finished one novel I find myself reaching for the next. I have read all the Tony Hill books and now all the stand-alone thrillers, the latest being Killing the Shadows. I'm sad to say it was my least favourite.
I ploughed through the first two-hundred-odd pages with growing excitement at the story's multi-layered action and the possibilities that lay ahead. Crime writers being picked off one by one, ritualistic murder in Spain, a good honest cop's efforts to put right a previously-botched murder investigation, and, playing quietly in the background, the unsolved murder of the central character's sister. Great stuff! I ploughed on.
My mistake, and the reason for my disappointment, was in thinking that all the events would remain relevant. Looking back it does seem unlikely that so much content could. How could so much believeably tie together in the end?
The second half of the story was a let down. I can see the faint relevance of the Spanish murder investigation to the story, but did it warrant so much attention early on in the book? The revealing of the crime-writer murder was surprising, but in a flat and disappointing way, and the motive for murder is far from convincing. The final confrontation scene is a little too unbelievable and the 500-page build up deserved better.
Val McDermid is a great writer - The Distant Echo in particular stands out as a truly rollercoaster of a ride right to the last page - but if you reading her for the first time I'd skip Killing the Shadows and start elsewhere to avoid disappointment. She has done much better.
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Killing the Shadows
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Even for the most ardent McDermid fan, I'm sure this book came as something of a disappointment. An extremely contrived storyline, rushed and disappointing ending and an endless stream of pretentious references didn't make this a totally enjoyable read. On paper I guess the plot idea looked quite interesting and it certainly would seem to be full of intrigue and originality. Not only have we got another serial killer on the loose, this is a serial killer who is killing the writers of novels that feature serial killers in them. And if that wasn't enough, we also have a sub-plot featuring a serial killer and another sub plot featuring another murderer. Mind you, you don't pick up a McDermid novel and not expect a great amount of blood and gore do you! Just to add another twist to the tale the main serial killer (the one that's killing the writers of serial killer novels) is killing the novelists in a fashion as described in one of their books. Confused? To be honest the novel reads quite straight forwardly so this convoluted mess does sort itself out somewhat. But such a complex and manufactured story is going to take some sever writing skill to carry it off and I'm afraid that this time Ms McDermid just doesn't do the job. The characters are either carbon copies of previous ones or cartoon cut-outs with no real personality traits. The sub plots are at the best pointless diversion, why have the Spanish serial killer of tourists? How did this tie in with the main plot? Finally the technical accuracy of some of the tools and methods used are suspect to say the least. The final disappointment is the rushed and almost incomplete ending, after slogging through 500+ pages of story I do expect something a little better than sneaking up behind the killer and then happy ever after. I must admit, contrary to some of the other reviews here, I didn't spot the killer, but there again I wouldn't have expected this character to have done it, in such a wild and fantastic plot development. The book is very readable and any fan to thrillers will churn through it in a matter of days, but don't blame me if you're left with a slightly stale taste in you mouth when finished.
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A Step Too Far?
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This book was just TOO contrived! I have only recent discovered Val McDermid and have thoroughly enjoyed many of her other books - especially the Tony Hill Series. But this plot was just TOO unbeliveable! Why would a wrongly convicted killer pursue writers of crime books and get away with three murders leaving so few clues yet with no previous record? The book also had too many layers - too many insertions of what turned out to be extracts from murder stories which just got in the way! The book just changed direction too much! I hope this is a one off poor performance from Val - I shall have just have to try some of her others - any recommendations?!
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Surprisingly good
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I really enjoyed this book. I'd previously read 4 of Val McDermid's novels, but wasn't particularly inspired by the blurb on the back cover of this: a serial killer targetting thriller writers - surely a bit too contrived? My scepticism was, however, unfounded; this is McDermid at her very best. Parallel plots, complex character relationships, fast paced, tense and dramatic - this is a really good read. The central character is Dr Fiona Cameron, a criminal pschycologist, who has a complex history that affects her relationships with individuals and the police throughout the book. Numerous other significant characters are also present: Kit Martin, her lover and a thriller writer, Steve Preston from the Met, several other police officers and people from Fiona's past. This book explores family/friend relationships, bereavament, and the crossover between academic and personal interests. Several seemingly unconnected strands (a murder in London, the kiling of thriller writers, wrongful arrests and a case in Spain) all intertwine and produce a thrilling climax. A real page-turner - read it.
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