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Bruce and Bennett Mystery #2
The Operator
NOW, THIS WON'T HURT... we all know what that means!
In the second Erica Bruce and Will Bennett mystery, a sadistic orthopaedic surgeon is bizarrely killed. Soon it appears someone’s giving doctors a taste of their own medicine - murdering surgeons and mutilating the bodies to mimic the operations they perform. The media dub the killer ‘The Operator’.
This action-packed thriller reunites Erica Bruce, small but fierce alternative health therapist and journalist, with tall, dark, athletic Detective Inspector Will Bennett, full-on sceptic. With its medical theme it is a shade darker than THE ROTTING SPOT, but with lots of witty Tyneside banter from shamelessly excess-loving Stacey Reed. The setting is the North East coast of England: historic castles and rural beauty mixing with louche seafront winebars, from the lighthouse at Wydsand to the mouth of the River Tyne itself, venue of a dramatic set piece where the mighty, hostile North Sea tests Erica to the limit.
In the second Erica Bruce and Will Bennett mystery, a sadistic orthopaedic surgeon is bizarrely killed. Soon it appears someone’s giving doctors a taste of their own medicine - murdering surgeons and mutilating the bodies to mimic the operations they perform. The media dub the killer ‘The Operator’.
This action-packed thriller reunites Erica Bruce, small but fierce alternative health therapist and journalist, with tall, dark, athletic Detective Inspector Will Bennett, full-on sceptic. With its medical theme it is a shade darker than THE ROTTING SPOT, but with lots of witty Tyneside banter from shamelessly excess-loving Stacey Reed. The setting is the North East coast of England: historic castles and rural beauty mixing with louche seafront winebars, from the lighthouse at Wydsand to the mouth of the River Tyne itself, venue of a dramatic set piece where the mighty, hostile North Sea tests Erica to the limit.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2013
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Laws
12 books8 followersValerie Laws is world-infamous for spray-painting quantum physics poetry onto live sheep in her Arts Council-funded QUANTUM SHEEP project. She is a Northumbrian poet, performer, crime & comedy novelist, playwright and sci-art installation specialist.
Her 13 published books include poetry (including 4 full collections), crime & comedy fiction, language text books, and drama.
Her new crime novel THE OPERATOR (BRUCE AND BENNETT CRIME THRILLER 2) is out on Kindle, endorsed by Ann Cleeves, Alex Marwood and Phoef Sutton.
Her first crime novel THE ROTTING SPOT is endorsed by Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid, won a Northern Writer's Award, was a New Writing North Read Regional Choice, and was shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize.
Her recent poetry book ALL THAT LIVES arises from funded Residencies at a London Pathology Museum, and at Newcastle University's Institute for Ageing and Health, working with neuroscientists creating poetry about the brain’s bizarre beauty and life cycle. It won a Northern Writer's Award and the work at an early stage secured a Wellcome Trust Arts Award.
Four of her books are available as ebooks including her comedy Austen reimagining, LYDIA BENNET'S BLOG.
Valerie has degrees in Mathematics/Theoretical Physics, also in English, and an MA(Creative Writing). She was disabled in a car crash 28 years ago but unlike the two cars, was not written off! She's an obsessive swimmer and snorkeler, a keen wildlife spotter, and loves to travel worldwide.
She has written 12 commissioned plays for stage and BBC radio. She's won many prizes and awards, eg twice a prizewinner in National Poetry competition.
Valerie devises new forms of poetry, science-themed poetry installations and commissions including the infamous Quantum Sheep. Another of her random physics haiku was commissioned by BBC2 TV for Why Poetry Matters, with Griff Rhys Jones, and live at Royal Festival Hall, London. That one was sprayed onto beach balls and activated in water.
Her poetry AV installations have featured in public exhibitions. SLICING THE BRAIN has been exhibited in London, Newcastle, and Berlin. Her WINDOW OF ART 'embedded haiku', activated electronically, was in ST Thomas Hospital, London for ten years.
She performs her work worldwide live and in the media. She has had many Writers' Residencies, including in Egypt and in scientific institutes, currently in Dilston Physic Garden which grows and studies mind-altering herbs. No free samples though!
Her 13 published books include poetry (including 4 full collections), crime & comedy fiction, language text books, and drama.
Her new crime novel THE OPERATOR (BRUCE AND BENNETT CRIME THRILLER 2) is out on Kindle, endorsed by Ann Cleeves, Alex Marwood and Phoef Sutton.
Her first crime novel THE ROTTING SPOT is endorsed by Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid, won a Northern Writer's Award, was a New Writing North Read Regional Choice, and was shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize.
Her recent poetry book ALL THAT LIVES arises from funded Residencies at a London Pathology Museum, and at Newcastle University's Institute for Ageing and Health, working with neuroscientists creating poetry about the brain’s bizarre beauty and life cycle. It won a Northern Writer's Award and the work at an early stage secured a Wellcome Trust Arts Award.
Four of her books are available as ebooks including her comedy Austen reimagining, LYDIA BENNET'S BLOG.
Valerie has degrees in Mathematics/Theoretical Physics, also in English, and an MA(Creative Writing). She was disabled in a car crash 28 years ago but unlike the two cars, was not written off! She's an obsessive swimmer and snorkeler, a keen wildlife spotter, and loves to travel worldwide.
She has written 12 commissioned plays for stage and BBC radio. She's won many prizes and awards, eg twice a prizewinner in National Poetry competition.
Valerie devises new forms of poetry, science-themed poetry installations and commissions including the infamous Quantum Sheep. Another of her random physics haiku was commissioned by BBC2 TV for Why Poetry Matters, with Griff Rhys Jones, and live at Royal Festival Hall, London. That one was sprayed onto beach balls and activated in water.
Her poetry AV installations have featured in public exhibitions. SLICING THE BRAIN has been exhibited in London, Newcastle, and Berlin. Her WINDOW OF ART 'embedded haiku', activated electronically, was in ST Thomas Hospital, London for ten years.
She performs her work worldwide live and in the media. She has had many Writers' Residencies, including in Egypt and in scientific institutes, currently in Dilston Physic Garden which grows and studies mind-altering herbs. No free samples though!
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 15, 2013
More of Valerie Laws' poetic, lyrical, witty writing. This woman is the queen of beautiful writing.
The late autumn sun cut through the atmosphere almost horizontally, rather than down onto the trees, picking out the rose hips in the hedges so they gleamed like beads of blood, and making the leaves glow like stained glass.
I really love Erica, I have a mega girl-crush on her. She is a captivating character. She's intelligent and strong and passionate and more than a little messed up. She makes me want to run as fast and as far as I can for as long as I can.
I imagine Stacey looking pretty much like Denise from Hebburn. She's blowsy and brave and knows what (and who) she wants. She's surprisingly strong, and once you understand her she is far far deeper than you'd ever realise. She's hilarious in her mannerisms and beliefs, and up-front about everything.
Sally is a bit of a bitch, aloof and always looking down her nose. But she just wants to get ahead in a world dominated by men. Of course she'd be bitter.
What I love the most is that these three unlikely ladies all have one thing in common: they are feminists. I freaking love that feminism is not shied away from in this. Feminism is not a dirty word and it's so natural they way it's presented that you don't even notice it unless it's something already on your mind.
Maybe they were afraid she'd menstruate on their furniture.
Will is just as stubborn as ever too. I wish he'd just man up and talk to Erica. The passion between them is immense and I want so badly for them to be together. They hate each other too much not to end up together one day.
The story twists and turns, slowly building up to a pretty epic, thrilling finale. I couldn't stop reading, couldn't stop thinking about it when I couldn't pick it up and read more. It's shocking and disturbing and haunting. This story is crazy good.
The Operator makes me long for Autumn and Winter, for long nights and short days, clouds and rain and frost.
Christmas was thundering closer like a herd of rabid reindeer.
And oh yes, I'l longing for Christmas too!
The late autumn sun cut through the atmosphere almost horizontally, rather than down onto the trees, picking out the rose hips in the hedges so they gleamed like beads of blood, and making the leaves glow like stained glass.
I really love Erica, I have a mega girl-crush on her. She is a captivating character. She's intelligent and strong and passionate and more than a little messed up. She makes me want to run as fast and as far as I can for as long as I can.
I imagine Stacey looking pretty much like Denise from Hebburn. She's blowsy and brave and knows what (and who) she wants. She's surprisingly strong, and once you understand her she is far far deeper than you'd ever realise. She's hilarious in her mannerisms and beliefs, and up-front about everything.
Sally is a bit of a bitch, aloof and always looking down her nose. But she just wants to get ahead in a world dominated by men. Of course she'd be bitter.
What I love the most is that these three unlikely ladies all have one thing in common: they are feminists. I freaking love that feminism is not shied away from in this. Feminism is not a dirty word and it's so natural they way it's presented that you don't even notice it unless it's something already on your mind.
Maybe they were afraid she'd menstruate on their furniture.
Will is just as stubborn as ever too. I wish he'd just man up and talk to Erica. The passion between them is immense and I want so badly for them to be together. They hate each other too much not to end up together one day.
The story twists and turns, slowly building up to a pretty epic, thrilling finale. I couldn't stop reading, couldn't stop thinking about it when I couldn't pick it up and read more. It's shocking and disturbing and haunting. This story is crazy good.
The Operator makes me long for Autumn and Winter, for long nights and short days, clouds and rain and frost.
Christmas was thundering closer like a herd of rabid reindeer.
And oh yes, I'l longing for Christmas too!
September 1, 2013
I first met amateur sleuth, Erica Bruce, and her nemesis, Inspector Will Bennett in The Rotting Spot, and I liked the story so much I was pleased to see another book by this author.
The Operator is the name given to a serial killer who is murdering surgeons in a particularly gruesome way, and Erica becomes embroiled in the investigation when she discovers the body of the first victim. It isn’t long before she is crossing swords with Inspector Will Bennett, and their love/hate relationship ensures plenty of sparks will fly.
The Geordie speaking Stacy, also reappears in this book, providing a much needed blast of humour to the proceedings. The romantic element is supplied by Erica’s burgeoning relationship with a youg, half-chinese doctor, and their increasingly sexual encounters, which displeases Will Bennett.
Needless to say, Erica pursues the investigation in her usual dogged fashion and continually gets up the nose of Will Bennett and the investigating team. There are loads of twists and turns along the way, with the final one being a complete surprise. The climax of the book is bound to set pulses racing, as it races to the end at breakneck speed.
I enjoyed this book as much as The Rotting Spot. Valerie Laws has not disappointed with this, her new crime novel, The Operator.
The Operator is the name given to a serial killer who is murdering surgeons in a particularly gruesome way, and Erica becomes embroiled in the investigation when she discovers the body of the first victim. It isn’t long before she is crossing swords with Inspector Will Bennett, and their love/hate relationship ensures plenty of sparks will fly.
The Geordie speaking Stacy, also reappears in this book, providing a much needed blast of humour to the proceedings. The romantic element is supplied by Erica’s burgeoning relationship with a youg, half-chinese doctor, and their increasingly sexual encounters, which displeases Will Bennett.
Needless to say, Erica pursues the investigation in her usual dogged fashion and continually gets up the nose of Will Bennett and the investigating team. There are loads of twists and turns along the way, with the final one being a complete surprise. The climax of the book is bound to set pulses racing, as it races to the end at breakneck speed.
I enjoyed this book as much as The Rotting Spot. Valerie Laws has not disappointed with this, her new crime novel, The Operator.
June 14, 2015
Strong and irritating characters in this one, but totally entertaining. I haven't read the first one (The Rotting Spot) but I didn't find it difficult to pick up on the back stories of the main characters. I didn't guess 'whodunnit' but guessed the location where the final confrontation would take place. I always say I don't 'do' crime thrillers but maybe I'm being converted.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews