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Showing posts with label psychological. Show all posts
Showing posts with label psychological. Show all posts
17 May 2014
Title
|
Apple Tree Yard
|
Author
| Louise Doughty |
Publisher
| Faber & Faber |
Publication Date
|
06 June 2013
|
Pages
| 368 |
Genre
| Psychological Thriller |
Blurb:
Yvonne Carmichel has a high-flying career, a beautiful home and a good marriage. But when she meets a stranger she is drawn into a passionate affair. Keeping the two halves of her life separate seems easy at first. But she can't control what happens next.
I loved, loved, loved this book.
The story is narrated by Yvonne and starts with her standing trial at the Old Bailey (Court in London, usually dealing with serious murder cases). But neither her crime nor any of the circumstances are initially revealed.
Yvonne than tells us her story. She is a highly respected scientist in her 50's who is even advising the government and attends parliament, and an examiner/adviser in University in her field of genetics. Her husband is also a scientist, and I got the impression of those two, whilst not necessarily deeply unhappy in their relationship, seem to be living alongside each other rather than being a couple who is still happy. Yvonne than mets a mysterious man whilst attending an advisory session at parliament and is straight away completely drawn to him, and follows him - yes, within a few minutes of meeting him, into an empty room to have sex. Strange, weird, something missing in her life?
The two start an affair, and he remains mysterious and does not reveal to much about himself, in fact Yvonne does not even get to know his name. But he does make it clear from the beginning that he is married as well. And she doesn't question…He likes the danger of outdoor sex and the fear of being discovered adds to it for him and Yvonne seems to be swept along by this affair.
And now it is hard to continue telling you about this book without giving away the plot. A horrendous experience for Yvonne which will change all their lives forever and will end up with her being in court accused of murder.
The plot in this book is fantastic and I read it (and that is all 368 pages of it) within 48 hrs - and I'm not a fast reader. I took to Yvonne - maybe because her age / occupational status is not too far removed from mine? There is more in her past which explains why she acts the way she does which is revealed slowly throughout the story. I also like the way we know almost nothing about her lover at the beginning (a bit like Yvonne really), and his story is also unravelled. Another pleasantly surprising plus for me was that I recognised many of the places this novel plays out in London Westminster (but I have yet to find THE Apple Tree Yard)
I can honestly say that it is one of the best books in this genre I've read in a long time.
Anything I didn't like?
Well, it's not so much the ending (that is fine), but I think the book 'goes on' a bit for me after the story has finished - in a kind of 'what we all do now' fashion. But do not let this put you off, it's maybe the final 20 pages or so in my opinion.
I purchased this book.
9 April 2014
Title
|
Dolores Claiborne
|
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Hodder & Stoughton |
Publication Date
|
1992
|
Pages
| 320 |
Genre
| Psychological Thriller |
From the blurb:
Dolores Claiborne has a story to tell. But not quite what the police had expected. Dolores Claiborne has a confession to make. She will take her time. Won't be hurried. Will do it her way, sparing neither details or feelings. Hers or anyone else's.
This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Truth that takes you to the edge of darkness. Dolores Claiborne has a story to tell and you'd better pay attention - or else...
This is Stephen King but maybe not as we know him and as we imagine his books to me. He makes a little detour into the psychological genre here (but there is still of course a small supernatural element).
The story is told by Dolores, the main protagonist. Unusually so, there are no chapters or breaks, but the whole books reads like a monologue by Dolores. Dolores was a housekeeper for an elderly wealthy woman, Vera Donovan. She starts the story off by being interviewed by police and telling us that she did not murder Vera Donovan, even though her death seems to be somewhat similar to the death of Dolores' husband 30 years ago, both dying after a fall. Dolores says she did not kill Vera, however, she did murder her husband Joe 30 years ago. What follows this confession is the story of her life and how she came to murder Joe… An alcoholic, Joe beat up Dolores regularly and a tyrant. When Dolores fears that he abuses their young daughter, she can't take no more.
Dolores is a simple but energetic and witty woman, and that's how the writing is. It is indeed quite different from the usual King stories, however, any fan will recognise his unique writing style. Apart from Dolores, Joe and Vera there are not a lot of characters in this book, again something King does very well (Gerald's Game has only 2 characters I think throughout the whole book - maybe a few minor ones mentioned).This is a hard-hitting story of abuse, courage but also of wonderful friendship which Dolores found.
The unique style of this book (monologue) does get some getting used to, but you will be rewarded with a beautiful story.
8 March 2014
Title
| The Bone Collector |
Author
| Jeffery Deaver |
Publisher
| Hodder |
Publication Date
|
1997
|
Pages
| 436 |
Genre
| Crime, Psychological, detective story, forensic science |
Mini Review
A good old detective and 'whodunnit' story with a twist.
Lincoln Rhyme is a Forensic Criminalist. He also happens to be a quadriplegic. Rhyme doesn't see much purpose in life. Once the head of NYPD Forensics, he is now bed bound and can only lift as much as finger.
Enter Amelia Sachs, a young NYDP Patrol Officer who is called to attend a potential crime scene by some train tracks. Amelia is observant and intuitive and thus finds bones sticking out of the ground - a finger belonging to businessman who had taken a cab with a co-worker a few days earlier. And the co-worker is still missing.
The two homicide detectives who are investigating the murder and desperately looking for the missing person call upon Rhyme. Hearing about how the finger was found, Rhyme wants to speak to Amelia.
As the murders starts to get more odd, a great working relationship and deep friendship starts to develop between Rhyme and Amelia. And the hunt for the killer - whose setup of the killings seem to get more and more bizarre and gruesome - starts to get personal. This is not for the faint-hearted and the descriptions of the murders and the crime scenes are graphic.
Rhyme and Amelia proved so popular that Deaver started a series with those two as the main investigators.
This book has been turned into a successful movie starring Denzel Washington as Rhyme and Angelia Jolie as Amelia Sachs. What a great pair and I enjoyed the movie just as much, even though I knew the story by then.
15 January 2014
Picture taken from Goodreads
Title
|
The other Anne Fletcher
|
Author
| Susanne Jaffe |
Publisher
|
Dutton Books
|
Publication Date
|
1982
|
Pages
| 282 |
Genre
| Psychological |
Confused with Anne - Annie? Its not difficult to separate them because both characters are drawn out to be so differently, sometimes in a OTT way. Maybe not the most thrilling book I ever read, but good for the train journey home with not too much brain engaging needed.
I have read this a long time ago, but I have still would like to included the review for completeness sake and for my own benefit, as I like to make a record of every book I read.
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