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Au risque de se perdre
Collection Rivages/Noir
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
64 people want to read
About the author
Cathi Unsworth
15 books90 followersCathi Unsworth moved to Ladbroke Grove in 1987 and has stayed there ever since. She began a career in rock writing with Sounds and Melody Maker, before co-editing the arts journal Purr and then Bizarre magazine. Her first novel, The Not Knowing, was published by Serpent's Tail in August 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 15, 2019
I've read 4 of Cathi Unsworth's novels and really enjoyed them, but this 5th one - her first novel - was a struggle. Set in 1992, the plot centres around the death of British director, Jon Jackson after his debut, "Bent", has taken the film world by storm. The main character, Diana Kemp, is a journalist working for the the new arts magazine "Lux" alongside her colleague Barry. Both work for Neil Bambridge, editor of Lux who had taped the final ever interview with Jackson, who vanished the next day. Two weeks later, his body is found in a condemned lock-up in the arches behind the city's Camden market. The murder site resembles the bloody final scene of "Bent".
While interviewing crime writers at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts Crimewave festival, she meets a young author, Simon Everill, who intrigues her. His first novel is a disturbing story of child abuse and murder. Throughout the book we get an insight into the twisted mind of Jackson's killer as he explains his background and hatred for the successful film-maker.
I felt the constant switching between Diana's work at the magazine office, her personal history and visits to various trendy - and not so trendy - London bars, mixed in with her love of crime novels and films slowed the plot considerably. If you're a newcomer to Cathi Unsworth's books, I'd skip this one and give her later works a chance. This one, I'd rate 2.5 stars.
While interviewing crime writers at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts Crimewave festival, she meets a young author, Simon Everill, who intrigues her. His first novel is a disturbing story of child abuse and murder. Throughout the book we get an insight into the twisted mind of Jackson's killer as he explains his background and hatred for the successful film-maker.
I felt the constant switching between Diana's work at the magazine office, her personal history and visits to various trendy - and not so trendy - London bars, mixed in with her love of crime novels and films slowed the plot considerably. If you're a newcomer to Cathi Unsworth's books, I'd skip this one and give her later works a chance. This one, I'd rate 2.5 stars.
May 31, 2019
Named as one the Guardian’s ten best thrillers of 2012, this is a fast-moving thriller set in London in 1992 and centred in its crime writing, film noir and its music. The protagonist, Diane Kemp, works as a writer for the magazine Lux that the culture scene of the day. It’s my second Unsworth, and she certainly does suspense well, using the little trick that the reader is one step ahead of the narrator. She also doesn’t shy away from vividly descriptive violent scenes, of which there are two or three very graphic ones here. What sets the book apart from its many contemporaries though is the writing about the exciting, often sleazy cutting edge of film and music ‘noir’ culture.
June 4, 2022
On paper I should probably have liked this more - culture journalism, murder, London noir etc. - but it disappointed a little. I'm trying to work out why, perhaps it was the contrast between parts of the book being really rather strange and unusual, and whole sections feeling 'creative writing 101' workmanlike and formulaic. I didn't in the end connect that much with the characters. There were too many bits of description that added little of importance, and for a relatively short book, it felt like there was a lot of filler.
August 30, 2022
Enjoyed this but suspect the author may have written better since this debut. The cultural reference points remind me that I need to complete my reading of British noir!
June 8, 2021
Fairly enjoyable read. The subject matter wasn't that gripping but presented in a nice way. There was a little too much repetition in places, but overall pretty good.
July 28, 2010
A mix of Gothic, Derek Raymond, and hipness. An intriguing debut. Pokes fun at the Guy Ritchie phenomenon.
November 1, 2017
A little formulaic with odd pacing - however as a first novel it showed great promise. Evocative of the down at heel and dirty Camden Town of the 80s.
January 28, 2023
L'intrigue met un moment à commencer je me suis presque ennuyée pendant les 200 premières pages. Et puis tout s'enchaîne et je n'ai plus lâché mon livre jusqu'à atteindre le dernier mot...
May 8, 2010
PROTAGONIST: Diana Kemp, journalist
SETTING: London and Camden Town
SERIES: Debut novel
RATING: 4.0
The United Kingdom has long been the epicenter of the most current entertainment trends, whether it be the music of Sid Vicious or the movies of Guy Richie. And there's always a need for the right people to cover the latest, not just for the mass consumer news magazines or the down-and-dirty tabloids, but in publications that are just as cutting edge as the subjects covered therein. Formed on a wing and a prayer, Lux magazine fits the niche perfectly, with journalists Barry Hudson and Diana Kemp surveying and documenting the scene, and Neil Bambridge securing the money to get the magazine published.
Camden Town has always been where the throbbing, beating nightlife plays out; it's also where avant-garde film director Jon Jackson is found brutally murdered in a tableau directly out of his latest film, Bent. Both Barry and Diana knew Jon in the days before he was an industry force; however, it is Neil who conducted the last interview of Jackson's life. It is this interview that promises to lift Lux out of semi-obscurity and perhaps even result in distribution to an American audience.
After the discovery of Jackson's body, the magazine still needed to be completed. Diana attended a crime writers' festival and interviewed several of the attending authors. In preparation for the interviews, she read some of their works. She is completely taken by a book entitled WEIRDO, a newcomer's startling and creative tour de force, a portion of which is included in the narrative. She is almost as bowled over by the author himself, Simon Everill. In spite of herself, she identifies with his background and views of life, she and he damaged and defiant; and the sexual tension between them is palpable.
Of course, the police are investigating the death of Jackson. In flashback scenes, we see how he became entangled as a boy in the life of an unfortunate local child and used that as a foundation for his very successful work. When confronted by that child as an adult, he offers a way to atone for his theft of that life. As that plays itself out, there's a jaw dropping revelation that immediately ups the suspense of the book.
Unfortunately, the suspense becomes dissipated through the predictability of several of the events that follow. However, there are enough twists along the way to ensure that the conclusion does not fall prey to the inevitable, but rather, surprises.
Unsworth has built impressively on her own background and passions—music, film, crime novels, writing, Camden—and created a totally authentic setting of London in the early 1990s. The characters and their interactions with each other are very strongly portrayed. Each character has his or her own secrets, and the way that they are integrated into the story only adds to its intrigue. Although THE NOT KNOWING is a debut novel, its author writes with an assured hand. Unsworth shows all the signs of great talent; I expect that she will soon be viewed as a force to be reckoned with.
SETTING: London and Camden Town
SERIES: Debut novel
RATING: 4.0
The United Kingdom has long been the epicenter of the most current entertainment trends, whether it be the music of Sid Vicious or the movies of Guy Richie. And there's always a need for the right people to cover the latest, not just for the mass consumer news magazines or the down-and-dirty tabloids, but in publications that are just as cutting edge as the subjects covered therein. Formed on a wing and a prayer, Lux magazine fits the niche perfectly, with journalists Barry Hudson and Diana Kemp surveying and documenting the scene, and Neil Bambridge securing the money to get the magazine published.
Camden Town has always been where the throbbing, beating nightlife plays out; it's also where avant-garde film director Jon Jackson is found brutally murdered in a tableau directly out of his latest film, Bent. Both Barry and Diana knew Jon in the days before he was an industry force; however, it is Neil who conducted the last interview of Jackson's life. It is this interview that promises to lift Lux out of semi-obscurity and perhaps even result in distribution to an American audience.
After the discovery of Jackson's body, the magazine still needed to be completed. Diana attended a crime writers' festival and interviewed several of the attending authors. In preparation for the interviews, she read some of their works. She is completely taken by a book entitled WEIRDO, a newcomer's startling and creative tour de force, a portion of which is included in the narrative. She is almost as bowled over by the author himself, Simon Everill. In spite of herself, she identifies with his background and views of life, she and he damaged and defiant; and the sexual tension between them is palpable.
Of course, the police are investigating the death of Jackson. In flashback scenes, we see how he became entangled as a boy in the life of an unfortunate local child and used that as a foundation for his very successful work. When confronted by that child as an adult, he offers a way to atone for his theft of that life. As that plays itself out, there's a jaw dropping revelation that immediately ups the suspense of the book.
Unfortunately, the suspense becomes dissipated through the predictability of several of the events that follow. However, there are enough twists along the way to ensure that the conclusion does not fall prey to the inevitable, but rather, surprises.
Unsworth has built impressively on her own background and passions—music, film, crime novels, writing, Camden—and created a totally authentic setting of London in the early 1990s. The characters and their interactions with each other are very strongly portrayed. Each character has his or her own secrets, and the way that they are integrated into the story only adds to its intrigue. Although THE NOT KNOWING is a debut novel, its author writes with an assured hand. Unsworth shows all the signs of great talent; I expect that she will soon be viewed as a force to be reckoned with.
August 5, 2024
The story starts with a murder. Jon Jackson, a famed, and controversial film director is found gruesomely murdered, in a copycat fashion in his most famous film.
Film journalists Barry Hudson and Diana Kemp knew Jackson, and Diana biblically, and their interview was the last one he ever gave. The editor of their new magazine, Lux, believes that the interview is the golden ticket that will gain the magazine readers and a lot of money, but as the police and the tabloids become increasingly interested in solving the case, things start to become more and more dangerous. Diana is now also seeing an up-and-coming writer, Simon Everill, but he is not all that he seems on the surface.
This novel has strong characters, a believable narrative drive, and details that place their stories, situations and characters into a definite time and space. The weather is evoked, becoming a character in its own right, as are locations, and secondary characters who provide the gritty underbelly to a film industry that is too often seen to be glamourous.
The twists and turns in the narrative are well drawn and developed, with the reader at times being concerned for the safety of Diana and Barry who provide the humanity in this crime novel, and gave two very compelling reasons to see the story through until its somewhat gruesome conclusion.
Film journalists Barry Hudson and Diana Kemp knew Jackson, and Diana biblically, and their interview was the last one he ever gave. The editor of their new magazine, Lux, believes that the interview is the golden ticket that will gain the magazine readers and a lot of money, but as the police and the tabloids become increasingly interested in solving the case, things start to become more and more dangerous. Diana is now also seeing an up-and-coming writer, Simon Everill, but he is not all that he seems on the surface.
This novel has strong characters, a believable narrative drive, and details that place their stories, situations and characters into a definite time and space. The weather is evoked, becoming a character in its own right, as are locations, and secondary characters who provide the gritty underbelly to a film industry that is too often seen to be glamourous.
The twists and turns in the narrative are well drawn and developed, with the reader at times being concerned for the safety of Diana and Barry who provide the humanity in this crime novel, and gave two very compelling reasons to see the story through until its somewhat gruesome conclusion.
July 24, 2015
Not for me. The language is foul and crude while the plot and characters are flat and/or bland. In a mystery I require nearly the opposite. And to make it worse I was stuck on the road waiting for a fellow passenger to eat and follow up on our continuing 2 state drive during which I was caught with no Kindle or other book beyond this one in the car as he went to take his break. Shame on me.
Want to read
December 4, 200712/03 purchase from serpent's tail
November 23, 2012
Loved it. Dark, evocative, blackly funny but also truly sad and frightening. I am devouring everything this woman has written!
January 5, 2013
Very easy to read and vaguely enjoyable, but a very obvious and predictable storyline with one-dimensional characters. The first book by Cathi Unsworth I've read, and more than likely the last.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews