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The Beauty of Murder
Stephen Killigan has been cold since the day he came to Cambridge as a junior lecturer. Something about the seven hundred years of history staining the stones of the university has given him a chill he can't shake. When he stumbles across the body of a missing beauty queen, he thinks he's found the reason. But when the police go to retrieve the body and find no trace, Killigan has found a problem - and a killer - that is the very opposite of reason.
Killigan's unwitting entry into Jackamore Grass's sinister world will lead him on a trail of tattooists, philosophers, cadavers and scholars of a deadly beauty. As Killigan traces a path between our age and seventeenth century Cambridge, he must work out how a corpse can be found before someone goes missing, and whether he's at the edge of madness or an astonishing discovery.
A fast-paced page-turner THE BEAUTY OF MURDER is a speculative crime thriller that travels to the heart of gruesome series of crime by way of a city and a person that have far too many secrets written in blood.
Killigan's unwitting entry into Jackamore Grass's sinister world will lead him on a trail of tattooists, philosophers, cadavers and scholars of a deadly beauty. As Killigan traces a path between our age and seventeenth century Cambridge, he must work out how a corpse can be found before someone goes missing, and whether he's at the edge of madness or an astonishing discovery.
A fast-paced page-turner THE BEAUTY OF MURDER is a speculative crime thriller that travels to the heart of gruesome series of crime by way of a city and a person that have far too many secrets written in blood.
394 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
25 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
About the author
A.K. Benedict
29 books95 followersA.K. Benedict read English at Cambridge and Creative Writing at the University of Sussex. She lives in Hastings and writes in a room filled with teapots and the severed head of a ventriloquist’s dummy. She did have a blow-up pirate but punctured it.
Alexandra was the front-person of an underground indie band, has composed music for film and television and is currently writing her second novel. Her short stories and poems have appeared in journals and anthologies including The Best British Short Stories 2012. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was published by Orion in 2013.
Alexandra was the front-person of an underground indie band, has composed music for film and television and is currently writing her second novel. Her short stories and poems have appeared in journals and anthologies including The Best British Short Stories 2012. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was published by Orion in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
October 24, 2022
Complete rubbish.
Poorly written, confusing and convoluted with no payoff, and not a single likeable character amongst the lot.
The plot follows new professor to Cambridge, Stephen Killigan, as his life unravels following the discovery of a dead beauty queen, whose corpse has vanished by the time cops arrive.
What follows is an increasingly confusing narrative that involves random acts of murder, ridiculous musings on 'the beauty of murder' (I still don't get it), symbolic masks, instant world-shattering love, and time travel.
None of this is clever, though you can tell its desperately trying to be.
I mean ... what?
A huge part of the narrative is a love story that we know next to nothing about and we're somehow supposed to believe in its magnitude? Meanwhile the best friend is almost forgotten and there's some drama going on with the lead cop that I think is supposed to be part of the commentary on 'beauty' but honestly it just seemed really out of place. There are blocks of blathering about 'reality' and determinism and philosophy and I think these moments were supposed to allow us a glimpse into the cleverness of the story but, as mentioned, there's absolutely nothing intelligent here at all.
What a mess.
Add in the time travel with zero logic to it and zero attempts to even think into the time travelling box and this is just pure nonsense.
The English terms, too, were a nightmare - particularly at the beginning. I had no idea what he was saying half the time. Guv.
A hot mess from start to finish, and even the conclusion wasn't payoff enough to have made it through the whole thing. What a disaster.
Poorly written, confusing and convoluted with no payoff, and not a single likeable character amongst the lot.
The plot follows new professor to Cambridge, Stephen Killigan, as his life unravels following the discovery of a dead beauty queen, whose corpse has vanished by the time cops arrive.
What follows is an increasingly confusing narrative that involves random acts of murder, ridiculous musings on 'the beauty of murder' (I still don't get it), symbolic masks, instant world-shattering love, and time travel.
None of this is clever, though you can tell its desperately trying to be.
'...the atoms mix with the atoms in my leg until there is no separation and as me I am water and the sky is reaching into the water and flooding me and all is me and the squawk is me and the flying is me.'
I mean ... what?
A huge part of the narrative is a love story that we know next to nothing about and we're somehow supposed to believe in its magnitude? Meanwhile the best friend is almost forgotten and there's some drama going on with the lead cop that I think is supposed to be part of the commentary on 'beauty' but honestly it just seemed really out of place. There are blocks of blathering about 'reality' and determinism and philosophy and I think these moments were supposed to allow us a glimpse into the cleverness of the story but, as mentioned, there's absolutely nothing intelligent here at all.
What a mess.
Add in the time travel with zero logic to it and zero attempts to even think into the time travelling box and this is just pure nonsense.
The English terms, too, were a nightmare - particularly at the beginning. I had no idea what he was saying half the time. Guv.
A hot mess from start to finish, and even the conclusion wasn't payoff enough to have made it through the whole thing. What a disaster.
December 2, 2017
Ugh...so much potential. YA gets a bad rap for insta-love, but the relationship in this book, around which much of the plot revolves, is some serous unearned insta-love. So much so that it rendered the rest of the plot completely unbelievable. Which sucks, because murder + philosophy + time travel = a very happy Shaun. Unless, of course, it's a total mess, which this book was. I'd give this book an A for effort but an F for execution.
October 24, 2018
1,5
Gute Grundidee, komische Charaktere und merkwürdig unklare Plotline. #Lammballerina
Gute Grundidee, komische Charaktere und merkwürdig unklare Plotline. #Lammballerina
November 30, 2016
Honestly, I chose to read this book because it is set in Cambridge. The author admits in the acknowledgements that it isn’t quite the real Cambridge, but close. The primary protagonist, Stephen Killigan, has just become a lecturer and is living in Sepulchre College. From the hints in the text, I think it might be located next to Trinity Hall. I liked the name, anyhow. It was also fun to visualise the various locations. This gave the whole thing plenty of atmosphere; I don’t know how effectively it would be conveyed to people who haven’t lived here, though.
Although it seems somewhat churlish to say so, there is something about this book that does make it read like a first novel (which it is). The use of first person for much of the narrative may have contributed to this impression. Moreover, although it was pretty enjoyable and easy to read, it perhaps went on for a little longer than it needed to. Given how incredibly vague the blurb is, I am wary of even vaguely describing the plot for fear of spoilers. I will say, though, that it isn’t actually a murder mystery as such, more of a thriller with a large dose of the fantastic. Indeed, it could have been badged as sci-fi with merely a change of cover art and re-written blurb.
As the above probably already shows, I’m fairly ambivalent about the novel overall. I was not gripped, but I was diverted. I found the first person narrator really rather tedious, but I really liked Jane, the short-tempered police chief, and Iris, the elderly enigma. Other female characters seemed rather hard done by, although so did some male characters. I found the degree of fraternisation between students and lecturers a little unsettling. I loved Gingerbread the cat. Some of the imagery was evocative, some of it fell flat. There were several very neat ideas, some of which worked better than others. All in all, a mixed bag that is also a promising start.
Although it seems somewhat churlish to say so, there is something about this book that does make it read like a first novel (which it is). The use of first person for much of the narrative may have contributed to this impression. Moreover, although it was pretty enjoyable and easy to read, it perhaps went on for a little longer than it needed to. Given how incredibly vague the blurb is, I am wary of even vaguely describing the plot for fear of spoilers. I will say, though, that it isn’t actually a murder mystery as such, more of a thriller with a large dose of the fantastic. Indeed, it could have been badged as sci-fi with merely a change of cover art and re-written blurb.
As the above probably already shows, I’m fairly ambivalent about the novel overall. I was not gripped, but I was diverted. I found the first person narrator really rather tedious, but I really liked Jane, the short-tempered police chief, and Iris, the elderly enigma. Other female characters seemed rather hard done by, although so did some male characters. I found the degree of fraternisation between students and lecturers a little unsettling. I loved Gingerbread the cat. Some of the imagery was evocative, some of it fell flat. There were several very neat ideas, some of which worked better than others. All in all, a mixed bag that is also a promising start.
November 4, 2013
Stephen Killigan has been cold since the day he came to Cambridge as a junior lecturer. Something about the seven hundred years of history staining the stones of the university has given him a chill he can’t shake. When he stumbles across the body of a missing beauty queen, he thinks he’s found the reason. But when the police go to retrieve the body and find no trace, Killigan has found a problem – and a killer – that is the very opposite of reason.
Oh what to say about this one. It was one of those books you just did not want to finish because it was utterly captivating. I’m not sure what it is about novels that are set in either Oxford or Cambridge but something about those cities sure does capture the imagination of writers to the utter benefit of readers like me. This was no exception..
Imaginative and completely absorbing, this is a twisted mystical tale with some terrific characters, a strange and wonderful premise and some mesmerising writing. In a lot of ways a classic good versus evil story, we have two intelligent protagonists, one on the side of light, one with a dark heart, each trying to outsmart the other, all set against the backdrop of a city I love – Perfect.
Extremely strong characterisation, all with their own alluring foibles, I fell in love with Satnam, Stephen’s friend and often wanted to shout at Robert Sachs who finds such beauty in death. Iris Burton quickly became one of my favourite characters ever in fiction and Stephen himself is the perfect flawed hero to travel the road with. As for the villain…well.
I’m not going to say much more – grab yourself a copy and let the mesmerising Jackamore Grass take you to a world you cannot yet imagine..
Sublime and unconventional, do not let this one pass you by.
Happy Reading Folks!
Oh what to say about this one. It was one of those books you just did not want to finish because it was utterly captivating. I’m not sure what it is about novels that are set in either Oxford or Cambridge but something about those cities sure does capture the imagination of writers to the utter benefit of readers like me. This was no exception..
Imaginative and completely absorbing, this is a twisted mystical tale with some terrific characters, a strange and wonderful premise and some mesmerising writing. In a lot of ways a classic good versus evil story, we have two intelligent protagonists, one on the side of light, one with a dark heart, each trying to outsmart the other, all set against the backdrop of a city I love – Perfect.
Extremely strong characterisation, all with their own alluring foibles, I fell in love with Satnam, Stephen’s friend and often wanted to shout at Robert Sachs who finds such beauty in death. Iris Burton quickly became one of my favourite characters ever in fiction and Stephen himself is the perfect flawed hero to travel the road with. As for the villain…well.
I’m not going to say much more – grab yourself a copy and let the mesmerising Jackamore Grass take you to a world you cannot yet imagine..
Sublime and unconventional, do not let this one pass you by.
Happy Reading Folks!
May 29, 2016
Murder mysteries are my favourite genre to read. I love the complex investigations and the thrill of trying to figure out who the killer is before the end. Sadly, The Beauty of Murder's intriguing story line didn't deliver for me. There were too many characters, many who didn't really have a place in the book and had pointless story lines. The main character, Stephen, was weedy and a completely unrealistic portrayal of a university professor. I just didn't believe him or the story line overall. Maybe it was the time lapsing but I wasn't into it.
August 25, 2022
It's layered.
It's multi-viewpoint.
It's daring.
It's diverse.
It's a first novel nightmare!
In the hands of a seasoned professional this could have been simplified and had its moment in the sun. As it is, Both the scope and execution fail to find the right note, and I'm left wondering what it is I've just read.
But it's not all the author's fault. This is a crime novel which uses the anti-rational (something known to publishes as a gamble, and one I feel naive to give so early in one's career)
That being said, it was still worth ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It's multi-viewpoint.
It's daring.
It's diverse.
It's a first novel nightmare!
In the hands of a seasoned professional this could have been simplified and had its moment in the sun. As it is, Both the scope and execution fail to find the right note, and I'm left wondering what it is I've just read.
But it's not all the author's fault. This is a crime novel which uses the anti-rational (something known to publishes as a gamble, and one I feel naive to give so early in one's career)
That being said, it was still worth ⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 8, 2018
This was an odd one for me. In it’s entirety, I liked every aspect of it. There were just a couple of things that jarred me from it that prevent me from giving this a fifth star.
The Beauty of Murder has an amazing concept; how do you track down and capture a time travelling murderer? Someone who can dump a body centuries before they committed the crime? Or even in the future? Stephen Killigan is a newly arrived Cambridge lecturer who stumbles upon the body of a missing beauty queen and finds himself caught up in the web of Jackamore Grass, a man with the ability to time travel and a fascination with the apparent beauty of death.
The book itself is great. I’m not a massive fan of crime mysteries, but the concept of this one gave it a twist that added a wonderfully fantastical element that other books of this genre often miss. The writing itself it great, and for the most part the characters are interesting and believable.
The only one who put me off a bit was, unfortunately, the protagonist himself. I didn’t go to Cambridge so I might not know the place or the culture there, but Stephen Killigan just didn’t quite fit for me. He was a little too cool, and little too instantly popular. The scenes of him teaching didn’t really feel believable for someone starting a prestigious new job. And he seemed to have a habit of getting tattoos on a whim while just chatting to people. Most of the time I had no problem with him, especially once the story got going and I was able to settle into him. It just be a little while to get comfortable.
The other issue I had was the timeframe. About halfway through there has to have been a massive time jump which didn’t seem to be addressed. Without wanting to give too much away, one of the main characters goes through a serious operation that would have required several weeks of recovery. But this jump isn’t addressed, and I was left with the feeling that the plot just paused for a few months until this character had recovered. I just feel that there needed to be something more here to address this.
But other than these two gripes I really enjoyed The Beauty of Murder. It took a few chapters for me to get into it, and the middle had this jarring point where timeframes didn’t match up, but the rest of it was great. A brilliant concept, intriguing ideas and a murderer with methods I hadn’t read anywhere else.
I have the author’s next book already waiting on my reading pile.
The Beauty of Murder has an amazing concept; how do you track down and capture a time travelling murderer? Someone who can dump a body centuries before they committed the crime? Or even in the future? Stephen Killigan is a newly arrived Cambridge lecturer who stumbles upon the body of a missing beauty queen and finds himself caught up in the web of Jackamore Grass, a man with the ability to time travel and a fascination with the apparent beauty of death.
The book itself is great. I’m not a massive fan of crime mysteries, but the concept of this one gave it a twist that added a wonderfully fantastical element that other books of this genre often miss. The writing itself it great, and for the most part the characters are interesting and believable.
The only one who put me off a bit was, unfortunately, the protagonist himself. I didn’t go to Cambridge so I might not know the place or the culture there, but Stephen Killigan just didn’t quite fit for me. He was a little too cool, and little too instantly popular. The scenes of him teaching didn’t really feel believable for someone starting a prestigious new job. And he seemed to have a habit of getting tattoos on a whim while just chatting to people. Most of the time I had no problem with him, especially once the story got going and I was able to settle into him. It just be a little while to get comfortable.
The other issue I had was the timeframe. About halfway through there has to have been a massive time jump which didn’t seem to be addressed. Without wanting to give too much away, one of the main characters goes through a serious operation that would have required several weeks of recovery. But this jump isn’t addressed, and I was left with the feeling that the plot just paused for a few months until this character had recovered. I just feel that there needed to be something more here to address this.
But other than these two gripes I really enjoyed The Beauty of Murder. It took a few chapters for me to get into it, and the middle had this jarring point where timeframes didn’t match up, but the rest of it was great. A brilliant concept, intriguing ideas and a murderer with methods I hadn’t read anywhere else.
I have the author’s next book already waiting on my reading pile.
July 27, 2020
Great read.
Interesting tale. Fun concept. Peculiar characters. A few twists. Nice short, approachable, chapters. A few quirky British thing thrown in.
I like the longer wind down at the end, but also felt like the conclusion could have resolved the tension between the protagonist and the antagonist in a more satisfying way - anything else i could say would be a spoiler.
Interesting tale. Fun concept. Peculiar characters. A few twists. Nice short, approachable, chapters. A few quirky British thing thrown in.
I like the longer wind down at the end, but also felt like the conclusion could have resolved the tension between the protagonist and the antagonist in a more satisfying way - anything else i could say would be a spoiler.
January 11, 2022
loved the concept of this book but... didn't like the main character and it just confused me a lot.
Like the concept was too good to live up to the story. I don't know. I'm still confused as you can tell hahahaha
Like the concept was too good to live up to the story. I don't know. I'm still confused as you can tell hahahaha
October 19, 2013
Wow. Wow. Wow. They are the first three words (or one word repeated) that comes into my mind on finishing The Beauty of Murder.
This is a literary crime thriller which ticks all the boxes with a flourish: intriguing characters, fascinating storylines, gorgeous settings, beautiful prose and a sprinting pace. And it's A K Benedict's debut novel.
Stephen Killigan is a likable guy - he's smart, likes a beer (or two, or more), and is looking for love. He also wants to do the right thing when he discovers the body of a missing woman. But being a good citizen soon turns out to be the start of a journey that threatens to destroy all he holds dear. When the police find no trace of the body, Stephen is determined to find out what happened to her. But as he finds clues to the mystery, each one makes less sense than that before it. Is he losing his mind as so many suggest? As the body count rises, and the links of the modern-day murders with those in 1635 become clearer to him, Stephen becomes the prime suspect. Yet he finds an unlikely friend in Inspector Jane Horne, who is trying to solve the series of seemingly unsolvable cases whilst keeping her own private health battles secret from those at work.
The Beauty of Murder is filled with unusual, memorable supporting characters like Stephen's friend, Satnam, who likes a few beers and loves the girl in the library, and Robert Sachs, the "poncey philosopher who loves himself" who muses over the beauty of the dead. I think my favorite of these is Iris Burton, the eccentric academic who takes it upon herself to teach Stephen Killigan about time travel including what to carry in your kit bag and how to avoid paradoxes (in my mind she was played by Helena Bonham Carter!).
The relationship between Stephen Killigan and Jackamore Grass has real Sherlock/Moriarty feel to it: two highly intelligent men pitting their wits (and their lives) against each other to solve the mystery (in Stephen's case) and win the game (in Jackamore's case). Jackamore, who finds getting away with murder tiresomely easy, is pleased to at last have a worthy opponent, but as Stephen hones his skills and closes in on the truth, Jackamore starts to pick his victims from those close to Stephen.
Quirky, mind (and time) bending, and compulsively addictive, this is an outstanding literary crime thriller. I can't wait to see more from this author.
This is a literary crime thriller which ticks all the boxes with a flourish: intriguing characters, fascinating storylines, gorgeous settings, beautiful prose and a sprinting pace. And it's A K Benedict's debut novel.
Stephen Killigan is a likable guy - he's smart, likes a beer (or two, or more), and is looking for love. He also wants to do the right thing when he discovers the body of a missing woman. But being a good citizen soon turns out to be the start of a journey that threatens to destroy all he holds dear. When the police find no trace of the body, Stephen is determined to find out what happened to her. But as he finds clues to the mystery, each one makes less sense than that before it. Is he losing his mind as so many suggest? As the body count rises, and the links of the modern-day murders with those in 1635 become clearer to him, Stephen becomes the prime suspect. Yet he finds an unlikely friend in Inspector Jane Horne, who is trying to solve the series of seemingly unsolvable cases whilst keeping her own private health battles secret from those at work.
The Beauty of Murder is filled with unusual, memorable supporting characters like Stephen's friend, Satnam, who likes a few beers and loves the girl in the library, and Robert Sachs, the "poncey philosopher who loves himself" who muses over the beauty of the dead. I think my favorite of these is Iris Burton, the eccentric academic who takes it upon herself to teach Stephen Killigan about time travel including what to carry in your kit bag and how to avoid paradoxes (in my mind she was played by Helena Bonham Carter!).
The relationship between Stephen Killigan and Jackamore Grass has real Sherlock/Moriarty feel to it: two highly intelligent men pitting their wits (and their lives) against each other to solve the mystery (in Stephen's case) and win the game (in Jackamore's case). Jackamore, who finds getting away with murder tiresomely easy, is pleased to at last have a worthy opponent, but as Stephen hones his skills and closes in on the truth, Jackamore starts to pick his victims from those close to Stephen.
Quirky, mind (and time) bending, and compulsively addictive, this is an outstanding literary crime thriller. I can't wait to see more from this author.
February 12, 2013
Stephen Killigan has recently started a new job as a lecturer in Philosophy at Cambridge. He is finding it difficult to settle there and he always feels cold. One evening he goes out to get a kebab for himself and his friend, Satnam, and stumbles across the body of missing beauty queen, Miranda.
Naturally he tells the police but when they go to recover the body it is no longer there and doubt is cast by the police and the media on Stephen’s story and he finds himself under suspicion. But he saw what he saw and he cannot get it out of his head. He keeps seeing in his mind’s eye the mask the body was wearing and the words scored into the flesh of her arm ‘This is Your Fault’.
Virtually from the first page this elegant, quirky mystery had me hooked and I had to keep reading just to try and figure out what was really happening. Crime, metaphysics, philosophy, time travel and seventeenth century history feature largely as well as Stephen’s life in present day Cambridge and the life of the DI who is in charge of the missing beauty queen case. Stephen is likeable character as is Jane Horne, the DI who doesn’t know whether or not to believe Stephen’s fantastic story.
The book is well written and I liked the witty one-liners and amusing descriptions but some may find them intrusive. I liked the way the story was told from several different points of view and in the first and third person depending on whose story was being told. I thought the characters were very well drawn and some were delightfully eccentric. I particularly liked Iris – the elderly lady with the air of mystery who is hugely knowledgeable about everything.
If you want something in the crime/mystery genre which combines several other genres as well then give this a try. A K Benedict is definitely an author I shall be looking out for in the future.
Naturally he tells the police but when they go to recover the body it is no longer there and doubt is cast by the police and the media on Stephen’s story and he finds himself under suspicion. But he saw what he saw and he cannot get it out of his head. He keeps seeing in his mind’s eye the mask the body was wearing and the words scored into the flesh of her arm ‘This is Your Fault’.
Virtually from the first page this elegant, quirky mystery had me hooked and I had to keep reading just to try and figure out what was really happening. Crime, metaphysics, philosophy, time travel and seventeenth century history feature largely as well as Stephen’s life in present day Cambridge and the life of the DI who is in charge of the missing beauty queen case. Stephen is likeable character as is Jane Horne, the DI who doesn’t know whether or not to believe Stephen’s fantastic story.
The book is well written and I liked the witty one-liners and amusing descriptions but some may find them intrusive. I liked the way the story was told from several different points of view and in the first and third person depending on whose story was being told. I thought the characters were very well drawn and some were delightfully eccentric. I particularly liked Iris – the elderly lady with the air of mystery who is hugely knowledgeable about everything.
If you want something in the crime/mystery genre which combines several other genres as well then give this a try. A K Benedict is definitely an author I shall be looking out for in the future.
November 3, 2020
I don't want to be too sniffy about this one, because I think its flaws stem from its ambition, and ambition in a novel is a fine thing. I'd rather, all things being equal, read something where the author has overreached herself than something dull and generic, even when it's less than dazzling. Nevertheless, The Beauty of Murder's lack of focus and slightly over-clever use of language disappointed and irritated me. That's partly because I had hopes of it.
The book is a sort of policey-murdery-time-travelly thing, and I've read that kind of set-up before. It can work; a couple of good examples being Hawksmoor (sordid, depressing, atmospheric) or The Shining Girls (quite Stephen King, but in a good way - King is too prolific to be consistent). The Beauty of Murder falls down the crack between the two. It wants to be atmospheric and psychological. It wants to be a bit faster-paced and thrilling. It wants, actually, to be a bit of a Rebus-like police drama; and there are the ghosts, shadows and suggestions of all these things fighting to get out. It doesn't quite manage any of them, but the intention is there, and I think the potential. It happens with first novels, doesn't it? The author can't bear to get rid of any ideas, so you end up with all of them.
That clever-clever language, though -I find that more of a problem. I just don't like little internal rhymes wedged into sentences, and I'm too literal-minded to cope well with ill-considered imagery. I understand what she mean by "row away and don't look back" but it's not physically possible. I get the gist of "Bookshelves are the ribs of a room... and books the lungs." but, again, physiologically wrong, isn't it?
Still - if I spot another published novel by her, I might give it a go.
The book is a sort of policey-murdery-time-travelly thing, and I've read that kind of set-up before. It can work; a couple of good examples being Hawksmoor (sordid, depressing, atmospheric) or The Shining Girls (quite Stephen King, but in a good way - King is too prolific to be consistent). The Beauty of Murder falls down the crack between the two. It wants to be atmospheric and psychological. It wants to be a bit faster-paced and thrilling. It wants, actually, to be a bit of a Rebus-like police drama; and there are the ghosts, shadows and suggestions of all these things fighting to get out. It doesn't quite manage any of them, but the intention is there, and I think the potential. It happens with first novels, doesn't it? The author can't bear to get rid of any ideas, so you end up with all of them.
That clever-clever language, though -I find that more of a problem. I just don't like little internal rhymes wedged into sentences, and I'm too literal-minded to cope well with ill-considered imagery. I understand what she mean by "row away and don't look back" but it's not physically possible. I get the gist of "Bookshelves are the ribs of a room... and books the lungs." but, again, physiologically wrong, isn't it?
Still - if I spot another published novel by her, I might give it a go.
December 21, 2012
Collage lecturer Stephen Killigan comes across the body of a missing beauty queen but when he calls the cops they arrive and the body appears to have gone.That is a great start to the book!!
The story is about a serial killer and those who were determined to take him down,unfortunately all the ways that the police would normally use to take down a murderer does not apply to this one,this one is a real mystery.
We go back and forth in time getting glimpses of how the murder happened and why the bodies of the victims are not what the pathologist would normally expect.
This was a fascinating read about what if the way we think of time is not how it really is.What if it was completely different?
Reading through the night to see how the police and the main character was going to capture the killer was a real page turner. Great book!
The story is about a serial killer and those who were determined to take him down,unfortunately all the ways that the police would normally use to take down a murderer does not apply to this one,this one is a real mystery.
We go back and forth in time getting glimpses of how the murder happened and why the bodies of the victims are not what the pathologist would normally expect.
This was a fascinating read about what if the way we think of time is not how it really is.What if it was completely different?
Reading through the night to see how the police and the main character was going to capture the killer was a real page turner. Great book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
June 5, 2013Quit 25% in. Read the end. Glad I quit.
February 7, 2018
I first heard of A. K. Benedict when she appeared on Joanna Penn’s podcast. Her books sounded interesting so I decided to borrow this and give it a go. Basically, it was an interesting but confusing read which was also weakened by the insta-love.
The protagonist of The Beauty of Murder is Stephen Killigan, a new professor at a fictionalised version of Cambridge. One day, he stumbles onto the body of a missing beauty queen, but the body disappears without a trace before the police arrive. And because most people try to find a reason for why a body would appear, Stephen investigates and very quickly realises that this is no ordinary murder and the one responsible is a very dangerous killer.
For the most part, I found this book to be interesting and quite original. [POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT] The book manages to combine murder and time travel in a very atmospheric setting and has a seriously creepy villain. But, it’s let down by two aspects: The first is the instalove, which you probably know is my pet peeve. Stephen quickly falls in love with a girl called Lana, and apart from being a bit of a jerk because he knew his (only) friend liked her, the timeline was simply too rushed. I mean, Stephen meets her just before he finds the body and things move very fast after that. I don’t feel that there’s enough time for them to fall in love because he’s alone for most major events throughout the first half of the book, plus I didn’t see much chemistry either. It was described, definitely, but I wasn’t convinced.
The second thing is that the book is pretty hard to understand. Time travel is a fairly complicated subject on its own, and I think the book does a good job incorporating that into the novel, but I was left confused quite a few times. Some of it may be because I’m just not smart enough to process it because there are 2 time periods and 3 point of view characters (although oddly enough, I don't have this problem with Sarah Rayne's books and she uses more time periods and POV characters), but the book does feel like it’s trying to be clever and I think that added to the confusion. I did try to reread certain chapters several times, but I never understood how they led to the following chapters.
Despite my fairly long complaints about the book, It is, on the whole, a decent read. The pacing is quick, the tension rises steadily, and the setting is sufficiently dark and befitting of the crime. If you like dark crime and England, you might want to check this out.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
The protagonist of The Beauty of Murder is Stephen Killigan, a new professor at a fictionalised version of Cambridge. One day, he stumbles onto the body of a missing beauty queen, but the body disappears without a trace before the police arrive. And because most people try to find a reason for why a body would appear, Stephen investigates and very quickly realises that this is no ordinary murder and the one responsible is a very dangerous killer.
For the most part, I found this book to be interesting and quite original. [POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT] The book manages to combine murder and time travel in a very atmospheric setting and has a seriously creepy villain. But, it’s let down by two aspects: The first is the instalove, which you probably know is my pet peeve. Stephen quickly falls in love with a girl called Lana, and apart from being a bit of a jerk because he knew his (only) friend liked her, the timeline was simply too rushed. I mean, Stephen meets her just before he finds the body and things move very fast after that. I don’t feel that there’s enough time for them to fall in love because he’s alone for most major events throughout the first half of the book, plus I didn’t see much chemistry either. It was described, definitely, but I wasn’t convinced.
The second thing is that the book is pretty hard to understand. Time travel is a fairly complicated subject on its own, and I think the book does a good job incorporating that into the novel, but I was left confused quite a few times. Some of it may be because I’m just not smart enough to process it because there are 2 time periods and 3 point of view characters (although oddly enough, I don't have this problem with Sarah Rayne's books and she uses more time periods and POV characters), but the book does feel like it’s trying to be clever and I think that added to the confusion. I did try to reread certain chapters several times, but I never understood how they led to the following chapters.
Despite my fairly long complaints about the book, It is, on the whole, a decent read. The pacing is quick, the tension rises steadily, and the setting is sufficiently dark and befitting of the crime. If you like dark crime and England, you might want to check this out.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
February 25, 2021
Proof copy originally reviewed for Love Reading. The Beauty of Murder is a superb first novel. I will certainly be looking for more books from this author in the future. In essence it is a thriller about a serial killer and the people who try to solve several unusual murders. However it crosses other genres which encouraged me to read on. Some of the main characters time travel. The images of Cambridge throughout history are vivid in their sights and smells via the description of the travellers. As a reader of more “cosy” murder mysteries I was unsure if this novel would be for me, but found that I wasn’t focusing on the macabre but enjoying the unfolding mystery, learning more about the secrets of the city, university and the people in it.
Each chapter is written in the first person. The first chapter is written by our “hero”, a young lecturer in Metaphysics at Cambridge. It is followed by a chapter by the villain (history and appearance unknown). These are interspersed with a third person narrative about the Police detective involved in the case. Initially, I found this style of writing confusing, but as I continued through, the book the style helped me to feel closer to the action and get to know the characters.
The clever characterisations made me believe that I liked the lecturer and wanted him to be the hero. That he would win both in love and solve the murders, whilst I occasionally doubted his sanity and innocence. His past is a mystery which is slowly revealed, intertwining with the narrative. The identity and thoughts of the “villain” are shrouded in mysteries, some of which are still unclear near the end of the book but warm you to the other characters in his stead.
Each chapter is written in the first person. The first chapter is written by our “hero”, a young lecturer in Metaphysics at Cambridge. It is followed by a chapter by the villain (history and appearance unknown). These are interspersed with a third person narrative about the Police detective involved in the case. Initially, I found this style of writing confusing, but as I continued through, the book the style helped me to feel closer to the action and get to know the characters.
The clever characterisations made me believe that I liked the lecturer and wanted him to be the hero. That he would win both in love and solve the murders, whilst I occasionally doubted his sanity and innocence. His past is a mystery which is slowly revealed, intertwining with the narrative. The identity and thoughts of the “villain” are shrouded in mysteries, some of which are still unclear near the end of the book but warm you to the other characters in his stead.
June 3, 2023
Wow. This novel was interesting and complicated, full of intriguing and slightly unreliable characters, and I loved it.
Stumbling home with food to line the beer-soaked interiors of himself and his best friend, Stephen Killigan wanders into a dead body...
Or does he? It's not there minutes later, after he has called the police.
Another body shows up, showing signs of decomposition that don't make sense as eyewitnesses saw the victim just the day before.
What exactly has Dr. Killigan stumbled into? How many bodies are involved?
Weaving a story with elements of time travel, metaphysics, academia, and murder, Benedict creates an interesting story that I had trouble putting down. I almost can't believe this is a debut novel. Highly recommend!
Stumbling home with food to line the beer-soaked interiors of himself and his best friend, Stephen Killigan wanders into a dead body...
Or does he? It's not there minutes later, after he has called the police.
Another body shows up, showing signs of decomposition that don't make sense as eyewitnesses saw the victim just the day before.
What exactly has Dr. Killigan stumbled into? How many bodies are involved?
Weaving a story with elements of time travel, metaphysics, academia, and murder, Benedict creates an interesting story that I had trouble putting down. I almost can't believe this is a debut novel. Highly recommend!
July 15, 2018
Great idea (time travel used to cover up serial killer's murders), less great execution. Characterisation doesn't quite click, plotting feels arbitrary in places. The central character isn't really believable as a lecturer, to me - and I've studied at Oxbridge and elsewhere. Lectures are portrayed as a kind of theatre with audience participation, and (with the exception of a couple of Stephen Hawking talks as a visiting lecturer I attended, which were more book promotions than teaching) they never were.
November 9, 2017
Cool story
I must write I was a bit confused at times in this story. Time travel does that to me, I guess. However, I did like the story and recommend reading it as it has a cool approach to murder and time travel.
I must write I was a bit confused at times in this story. Time travel does that to me, I guess. However, I did like the story and recommend reading it as it has a cool approach to murder and time travel.
June 4, 2018
The Beauty of Murder has a fantastically twisty plot. It's a murder mystery with the added complication of time travel. What if someone really amoral had the ability to travel in time? And if you were such a person, who would you murder? The main characters are all really well drawn - particularly the hapless Stephen Killigan who gets drawn into the unbelievable and sinister world of Jackamore Grass and Inspector Jane Horne - the officer investigating the case. Atmospheric and unsettling - I really enjoyed this one.
April 23, 2019
A murder story with a difference. Set in Cambridge in modern times, it also involves time travel and centuries old crimes. Quite a different read for me, and one I didn’t think I would enjoy, but it turned out to be a good read.
February 7, 2018
'I feel more alive standing next to something dead. Don't you?' [p. 57]
Stephen Killigan, newly arrived philosophy lecturer at a Cambridge college, stumbles home one drunken evening via the kebab van on Market Hill, and discovers a corpse. Unfortunately, when he leads the police to it, it's no longer there.
This does not do his career any good. Nor does it endear him to Inspector Jane Horne -- even before another impossible corpse (this one recently disinterred) turns up in the Fellows' Garden of Killigan's college. Killigan, who is aware that this all looks highly suspicious, turns for help to his friend Satnam, and to librarian Lana Carver. He also gets to know Robert Sachs, an academic with an interest in the aesthetics of death, and meets the eccentric Iris Burton
The Beauty of Murder captures Cambridge's ambience: the way the stone walls sometimes seem to emanate cold, the dankness of the fens, the plague pit underneath the bus station, the bohemian roughness of Mill Road. (I am not altogether convinced that 'a lecturer from the University of East Anglia' inscribed the words Reality Checkpoint on the lamppost at the centre of Parker's Piece, given that UEA is 65 miles away in Norwich. Perhaps Benedict means Anglia Ruskin?)
Killigan is a charismatic and witty narrator: a former goth, tattooed, prone to melancholy memories of his drowning mother. He becomes less likeable later in the novel, but I think that's simply that the plot ensnares him -- both in terms of the character becoming mired in unpredictable and acausal events, and of the author focussing more on those events, and on the other characters, than on Killigan's interior life.
I also liked Jane Horne a great deal: indomitable, prickly, secretive, and unwilling to tolerate stupidity.
Benedict's writing is gorgeous, full of lovely turns of phrase and surprising metaphors. Even when Killigan's being a tad pretentious ('a library is a sanctuary, a paper city where the emotionally homeless can find haven between the pages') his part of the narrative is interesting, and when he's less epigrammatic his turn of phrase is a delight.
January 7, 2013
He is the most dangerous man I have ever met. He can turn his hand to any skill and charm the pages from a book, the fur from a cat, the life from a man without once feeling remorse.’
Stephen Killigan is a newly arrived lecturer at Sepulchre College, Cambridge. One evening he finds the body of a young woman who has been missing, and informs the police, but when they go and look for the body it has vanished. This is the start of Stephen’s life-changing involvement with a most unusual serial killer, Jackamore Grass, which will see him time travelling between the present day and the seventeenth century in pursuit of the truth.
The narrative moves between distinctive voices; first person accounts from Stephen and from the enigmatic Jackamore, and the investigation into the murders by the hassled police Inspector Jane Horne. This helps keep a good pace and maintains the reader’s interest in all aspects of the events and the seemingly inexplicable crimes. The investigation is made particularly intriguing as the usual methods of detection are not always helpful in this case, when dealing with a criminal who can slip away through time.
I was struck by the author’s wonderful use of figurative language in this novel; phrases such as ‘the wind has a knife to my throat and is pick-pocketing my bones’, ‘close up, his teeth are yellow and lean against each other like drunks’.
The setting of Cambridge and the surrounding Fens landscape provides much history and atmosphere, and many secrets, all of which the author draws on and incorporates to good effect in her tale.
There is much to admire and intrigue in this debut novel. It crosses over several genres to offer us a speculative thriller, complete with murder-mystery, police investigation, philosophy, the aesthetics of murder, time-travel and magic. It’s inventive, haunting and compelling.
Reviewed for lovereading website.
Stephen Killigan is a newly arrived lecturer at Sepulchre College, Cambridge. One evening he finds the body of a young woman who has been missing, and informs the police, but when they go and look for the body it has vanished. This is the start of Stephen’s life-changing involvement with a most unusual serial killer, Jackamore Grass, which will see him time travelling between the present day and the seventeenth century in pursuit of the truth.
The narrative moves between distinctive voices; first person accounts from Stephen and from the enigmatic Jackamore, and the investigation into the murders by the hassled police Inspector Jane Horne. This helps keep a good pace and maintains the reader’s interest in all aspects of the events and the seemingly inexplicable crimes. The investigation is made particularly intriguing as the usual methods of detection are not always helpful in this case, when dealing with a criminal who can slip away through time.
I was struck by the author’s wonderful use of figurative language in this novel; phrases such as ‘the wind has a knife to my throat and is pick-pocketing my bones’, ‘close up, his teeth are yellow and lean against each other like drunks’.
The setting of Cambridge and the surrounding Fens landscape provides much history and atmosphere, and many secrets, all of which the author draws on and incorporates to good effect in her tale.
There is much to admire and intrigue in this debut novel. It crosses over several genres to offer us a speculative thriller, complete with murder-mystery, police investigation, philosophy, the aesthetics of murder, time-travel and magic. It’s inventive, haunting and compelling.
Reviewed for lovereading website.
February 8, 2013
This distinctive debut novel delicately interweaves classic contemporary crime, with a thrilling time-travelling twist.
Containing intense multi-layered meaning and profoundly affecting narrative, this darkly sinister spinechilling read is simply stunning. Beautifully blending genres as to create a refreshingly original outlook, I was deeply entranced with the hypnotic plot and inspired vision. Cutting to the heart of gruesome, bloodthirsty inner-city crimes of the modern-age, ‘The Beauty of Murder’ is literature that ensnares the senses and unhinges the mind. The exquisite blend of bloodcurdling horror, in-depth character-study amid detailed historical elements is dazzling. Beguiling and ambitious I was astonished by the breathtaking complexity of the cleverly crafted narrative, told with a distinctive voice that professes the author’s unique, identifiable style. Impressive scope on a par with Arthur Conan Doyle and as gritty as Camilla Lackberg or Stuart MacBride, and yet which has an instinctive flair and singular edge to the sharp writing. The characters empathetic qualities draw you into the story, by adding such realism to the dynamic, heart pounding plot wherein I gripped the pages as to turn my knuckles white.
Instantly connecting with Stephen Killigan who is swept into the midst of a deadly murder within the ghostly archaic backdrop of Cambridge, one is propelled along a hidden trail of deception. Shrouded within an impenetrable veil are enigmatic philosophers and secretive scholars spanning past ages, with the missing links between the seventeenth-century and an unearthed corpse being either astutely linked or mere folly.
A striking speculative thriller that is provocative, enriching and substantially multi-layered.
*I was sent a copy from Orion Publishers to read and review, in connection with ‘New Books Magazine’.*
Containing intense multi-layered meaning and profoundly affecting narrative, this darkly sinister spinechilling read is simply stunning. Beautifully blending genres as to create a refreshingly original outlook, I was deeply entranced with the hypnotic plot and inspired vision. Cutting to the heart of gruesome, bloodthirsty inner-city crimes of the modern-age, ‘The Beauty of Murder’ is literature that ensnares the senses and unhinges the mind. The exquisite blend of bloodcurdling horror, in-depth character-study amid detailed historical elements is dazzling. Beguiling and ambitious I was astonished by the breathtaking complexity of the cleverly crafted narrative, told with a distinctive voice that professes the author’s unique, identifiable style. Impressive scope on a par with Arthur Conan Doyle and as gritty as Camilla Lackberg or Stuart MacBride, and yet which has an instinctive flair and singular edge to the sharp writing. The characters empathetic qualities draw you into the story, by adding such realism to the dynamic, heart pounding plot wherein I gripped the pages as to turn my knuckles white.
Instantly connecting with Stephen Killigan who is swept into the midst of a deadly murder within the ghostly archaic backdrop of Cambridge, one is propelled along a hidden trail of deception. Shrouded within an impenetrable veil are enigmatic philosophers and secretive scholars spanning past ages, with the missing links between the seventeenth-century and an unearthed corpse being either astutely linked or mere folly.
A striking speculative thriller that is provocative, enriching and substantially multi-layered.
*I was sent a copy from Orion Publishers to read and review, in connection with ‘New Books Magazine’.*
November 8, 2015
This debut novel by A.K. Benedict involves time-travel, serial killers and some academic musings, especially in philosophy. It is reasonably successful but I have some reservations about it.
The plot is bizarre but interesting. I don't want to give anything away, so I will say only that a Cambridge academic becomes embroiled in a weird series of murders which turn out to involve time-travel. Benedict generally handles this well and, to her credit, makes the silly-sounding idea work. The plot swings into life early on and I enjoyed the first 100 pages or so very much, but I thought that things got tangled and messy and hence dragged rather in the middle of the book, and it could have done with some firm editing.
There are, as seems almost compulsory these days, multiple narrators. They all speak in the present tense which in a time-travel novel is probably just as well for clarity but did feel a little mannered to me. The prose is readable and the book is generally well written, but particularly the often mildly ironic tone of the central character, the philosophy don Stephen Killigan, did get a bit much at times. I could certainly have done without things like the description of a dawn outing beginning, "The sun is barely breaking wind under the duvet of clouds when we climb into the boat," the like of which crop up fairly regularly. I also found some anachronisms rather spoiled the atmosphere for me - saying "It's okay" in 1635, for example, or talk of banknotes in the same year (they weren't in use until much later) and so on. I don't want to nit-pick, but there was enough of this sort of thing to interfere somewhat with my enjoyment.
Good editing and some serious tightening up could have made this a very good book. As it is, I can offer only a somewhat qualified recommendation.
The plot is bizarre but interesting. I don't want to give anything away, so I will say only that a Cambridge academic becomes embroiled in a weird series of murders which turn out to involve time-travel. Benedict generally handles this well and, to her credit, makes the silly-sounding idea work. The plot swings into life early on and I enjoyed the first 100 pages or so very much, but I thought that things got tangled and messy and hence dragged rather in the middle of the book, and it could have done with some firm editing.
There are, as seems almost compulsory these days, multiple narrators. They all speak in the present tense which in a time-travel novel is probably just as well for clarity but did feel a little mannered to me. The prose is readable and the book is generally well written, but particularly the often mildly ironic tone of the central character, the philosophy don Stephen Killigan, did get a bit much at times. I could certainly have done without things like the description of a dawn outing beginning, "The sun is barely breaking wind under the duvet of clouds when we climb into the boat," the like of which crop up fairly regularly. I also found some anachronisms rather spoiled the atmosphere for me - saying "It's okay" in 1635, for example, or talk of banknotes in the same year (they weren't in use until much later) and so on. I don't want to nit-pick, but there was enough of this sort of thing to interfere somewhat with my enjoyment.
Good editing and some serious tightening up could have made this a very good book. As it is, I can offer only a somewhat qualified recommendation.
September 17, 2014
It was the great premise of a time travelling serial killer that appealed to me the most, with this book. I discovered it in our local library, which is not something I do very often as I often plan with lists of the novels I want to read. However it's always refreshing to discover a new author. It just seemed like a brilliant idea, murder mystery meets H.G. Wells. Thankfully I wasn't disappointed as A. K. Benedict made a valiant attempt of fully utilising these ideas to their full potential, with mostly successful results.
I was left with a feeling that it was more akin to a beginning of a series and some aspects were not as comprehensively explored as they could have been. This was due mainly to the fact, at certain points in the narrative, such a great deal of effort was made for you to sympathise and relate to the main protagonist's confusion, that sometimes it fell into the trap of the story losing its thread and being genuinely hard to follow. I understood the reasons why this was needed, and it certainly was needed, but a little less sometimes goes further.
The open ending suggests there may be more books to come. Without giving too much away, the murderer and the main protagonist escaped unscathed at the end, although a little less so for the good guy. Some of the elements were not fully explained so this too would suggest there is more to come.
Benedict is an author with great potential and obviously well-educated and intelligent, considering the subject matter and the philosophical elements of the story. I could sense obvious influences from the likes of Michael Moorcock, China Mieville and Lauren Beukes. If Benedict's career is as successful as that little list, then this is a potential great writer in the making.
I was left with a feeling that it was more akin to a beginning of a series and some aspects were not as comprehensively explored as they could have been. This was due mainly to the fact, at certain points in the narrative, such a great deal of effort was made for you to sympathise and relate to the main protagonist's confusion, that sometimes it fell into the trap of the story losing its thread and being genuinely hard to follow. I understood the reasons why this was needed, and it certainly was needed, but a little less sometimes goes further.
The open ending suggests there may be more books to come. Without giving too much away, the murderer and the main protagonist escaped unscathed at the end, although a little less so for the good guy. Some of the elements were not fully explained so this too would suggest there is more to come.
Benedict is an author with great potential and obviously well-educated and intelligent, considering the subject matter and the philosophical elements of the story. I could sense obvious influences from the likes of Michael Moorcock, China Mieville and Lauren Beukes. If Benedict's career is as successful as that little list, then this is a potential great writer in the making.
April 15, 2016
AK Benedict is purported to be the next Ben Aaronovitch and the publishers seem to be encouraging this (obviously) with a book cover rather similar to the Rivers of London books (the audiobook cover anyway - not pictured here). I can definitely see the similarity (beyond the book covers), although actually I think The Beauty of Murder is actually a bit deeper. The Beauty of Murder is about a newly arrived Cambridge academic, Stephen Killigan, who discovers a body which then disappears. Killigan studies metaphysics, so in the chapters from his viewpoint expect lots of deep thinking but his character does have a rather nice way with words. The villain of the piece though is much less well rounded and he veers very close to pantomime villain territory. The villain's sidekick is not much better. I did like the policewoman character, Jane, though and she goes through an interesting side story.
I really liked the premise behind the story (it's one of those fantastical ideas you'd really wish was actually true) and the ending was written in a way that you could definitely imagine some more stories with these characters, so I hope there will be. It's a little worrying that Benedict's next book (which I'll definitely be reading soon), seems to feature completely different characters, so more Killigan please!
I really liked the premise behind the story (it's one of those fantastical ideas you'd really wish was actually true) and the ending was written in a way that you could definitely imagine some more stories with these characters, so I hope there will be. It's a little worrying that Benedict's next book (which I'll definitely be reading soon), seems to feature completely different characters, so more Killigan please!
April 24, 2013
The Beauty of Murder is an intriguing read, mixing together murder, mystery and time travel in an entertaining first novel. The central character is Stephen Killigan, a new Philosophy lecturer in an imaginary college at Cambridge University. He pops out one night after a few beers and stumbles across the body of a beauty queen, who had gone missing over a year previously. She is wearing the clothes that she went missing in and looks recently dead. However, when this find is reported to the police, they return to find that there is no sign of the body ever having been there.
And here begins a game of cat and mouse with a time travelling murderer, Jackamore Grass, which leaves Stephen under suspicion for a number of other unexplained deaths, both in the current day, and in the seventeenth century as he travels back in time trying to track down his nemesis.
The story is told in the first person, changing between Stephen, Jackamore and the police who are trying to solve the murders, which keeps it moving along at a good pace.I couldn't put it down, and I really enjoyed her descriptive style of writing. I was veering between 4 & 5 stars - I'd probably sit on the fence and give it a 4.5, simply because it was such an original, refreshing read.
And here begins a game of cat and mouse with a time travelling murderer, Jackamore Grass, which leaves Stephen under suspicion for a number of other unexplained deaths, both in the current day, and in the seventeenth century as he travels back in time trying to track down his nemesis.
The story is told in the first person, changing between Stephen, Jackamore and the police who are trying to solve the murders, which keeps it moving along at a good pace.I couldn't put it down, and I really enjoyed her descriptive style of writing. I was veering between 4 & 5 stars - I'd probably sit on the fence and give it a 4.5, simply because it was such an original, refreshing read.
April 15, 2015
Intriguing premise, but sadly a sloppy execution. Many ends left untied at the end of the book, and questions left unanswered. And not in the good way, the enigmatic way that leaves you wondering, but in the slapdash way of writers who have left hints, and then forgotten to build on them. SPOILERS AHEAD (Inter alia: Was the mother trying to time travel in the sea, or was she simply suicidal? How did Iris and Jackamore meet and fall in love? What is their backstory? Why even bring that into the book at all when it had no purpose, as Jackamore still managed to escape from the trap? If Lana and Dawn had exactly the same amount of time to live, why did the one Stephen get to FIRST die, while the other one survived? What was the significance of the constant hints to Stephen to look in the mirror? The list just goes on.) Moreover, in terms of style the writing smacks of a certain chaotic pretentiousness which is a touch overbearing at times. And the main character felt very two-dimensional, particularly when his "working class northerner" persona was being sketched out with gratuitous references to chip butties and out-of-the-blue "northern" terms such as "aye" or "lass" thrown haphazardly into sentences. There is nothing less conducive to character development than trying too hard.
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