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Anna Travis #4
Deadly Intent
Anna Travis is back in a new gripping mystery from Lynda La Plante, featuring the female detective every bit as intelligent, ambitious, and flawed as Prime Suspect's Jane Tennison.Ruthless drug trafficker Alexander Fitzpatrick is one of the most wanted men in the Western Hemisphere. But for ten years, there's been no sign of him. Is he dead, or just trying to appear that way? When an ex-colleague from the murder squad is found shot in a dank drug den, Anna Travis is pulled into the case. She's grateful for the distraction after her breakup with DCI Langton and soon finds herself involved with someone new. But as the bodies pile up and the mystery deepens, Travis and Langton must put aside their personal history and work together to track down one of the canniest criminals they've ever encountered.
641 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2008
298 people are currently reading
1442 people want to read
About the author
Lynda La Plante
123 books1,825 followersLynda La Plante, CBE (born Lynda Titchmarsh) is a British author, screenwriter, and erstwhile actress (her performances in Rentaghost and other programmes were under her stage name of Lynda Marchal), best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series.
Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a heist planned by their deceased husbands.
In 1991 ITV released Prime Suspect which has now run to seven series and stars Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. (In the United States Prime Suspect airs on PBS as part of the anthology program Mystery!) In 1993 La Plante won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for her work on the series. In 1992 she wrote at TV movie called Seekers, starring Brenda Fricker and Josette Simon, produced by Sarah Lawson.
She formed her own television production company, La Plante Productions, in 1994 and as La Plante Productions she wrote and produced the sequel to Widows, the equally gutsy She's Out (ITV, 1995). The name "La Plante" comes from her marriage to writer Richard La Plante, author of the book Mantis and Hog Fever. La Plante divorced Lynda in the early 1990s.
Her output continued with The Governor (ITV 1995-96), a series focusing on the female governor of a high security prison, and was followed by a string of ratings pulling miniseries: the psycho killer nightmare events of Trial & Retribution (ITV 1997-), the widows' revenge of the murders of their husbands & children Bella Mafia (1997) (starring Vanessa Redgrave), the undercover police unit operations of Supply and Demand (ITV 1998), videogame/internet murder mystery Killer Net (Channel 4 1998) and the female criminal profiler cases of Mind Games (ITV 2001).
Two additions to the Trial and Retribution miniseries were broadcast during 2006.
Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a heist planned by their deceased husbands.
In 1991 ITV released Prime Suspect which has now run to seven series and stars Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. (In the United States Prime Suspect airs on PBS as part of the anthology program Mystery!) In 1993 La Plante won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for her work on the series. In 1992 she wrote at TV movie called Seekers, starring Brenda Fricker and Josette Simon, produced by Sarah Lawson.
She formed her own television production company, La Plante Productions, in 1994 and as La Plante Productions she wrote and produced the sequel to Widows, the equally gutsy She's Out (ITV, 1995). The name "La Plante" comes from her marriage to writer Richard La Plante, author of the book Mantis and Hog Fever. La Plante divorced Lynda in the early 1990s.
Her output continued with The Governor (ITV 1995-96), a series focusing on the female governor of a high security prison, and was followed by a string of ratings pulling miniseries: the psycho killer nightmare events of Trial & Retribution (ITV 1997-), the widows' revenge of the murders of their husbands & children Bella Mafia (1997) (starring Vanessa Redgrave), the undercover police unit operations of Supply and Demand (ITV 1998), videogame/internet murder mystery Killer Net (Channel 4 1998) and the female criminal profiler cases of Mind Games (ITV 2001).
Two additions to the Trial and Retribution miniseries were broadcast during 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
September 20, 2017
This is the 4th book in the Anna Travis series by author Lynda La PLante.
I really enjoy Lynda La Plante's writing style and she certainly knows how to write strong career women. The only minor criticism I have of this book is that I felt it needed a good editing and did not require the 600+ pages. That said I did enjoy the book and will shortly be reading the next one in the series.
Alexander Fitzpatrick is a dangerous man whose wealth was gained through drug-trafficking but for the last ten years there have been no sightings of him. Is he dead or extremely good at hiding his true identity. When an ex-police officer from the murder squad is found shot, Anna Travis is pulled onto the case. The body count rises and the investigation becomes ever more complex with suspicion falling on Fitzpatrick. Is he still alive after all and in the UK? and could he be the killer.
Do yourself a favour read this series from book 1 for full enjoyment.
I really enjoy Lynda La Plante's writing style and she certainly knows how to write strong career women. The only minor criticism I have of this book is that I felt it needed a good editing and did not require the 600+ pages. That said I did enjoy the book and will shortly be reading the next one in the series.
Alexander Fitzpatrick is a dangerous man whose wealth was gained through drug-trafficking but for the last ten years there have been no sightings of him. Is he dead or extremely good at hiding his true identity. When an ex-police officer from the murder squad is found shot, Anna Travis is pulled onto the case. The body count rises and the investigation becomes ever more complex with suspicion falling on Fitzpatrick. Is he still alive after all and in the UK? and could he be the killer.
Do yourself a favour read this series from book 1 for full enjoyment.
November 10, 2013
Could've been at least 200 pages shorter, without losing much of the plot. Ok crime novel, nothing more, nothing less.
February 14, 2009
DEADLY INTENT is the fourth book in the Anna Travis series, made up of ABOVE SUSPICION, THE RED DAHLIA and CLEAN CUT. It's been a series which I've really enjoyed... up until this book, which I have to say disappointed.
Anna is a dogged sort of a detective character, who has had a complicated personal life - having had a short-lived but dramatic affair with her previous boss - James Langton. She is still feeling the loss of that relationship and finding dealing with Langton on a daily basis very difficult. When he steps into overall control of the investigation of the death of Brandon, she's dealing firstly with a very complicated case with no apparent leads, and secondly with her fragile personal feelings. Langton is more shadowy than ever in DEADLY INTENT as well, which is going to make it difficult for any reader new to the series to understand, for a start, what Anna could possibly have seen in him, or in his defence, why he is like he is. There are hints throughout but they just didn't seem to help that much. For such a big, hefty book there are a number of underdone major characters throughout which is disappointing. DCI Cunningham has a touch of the wonderfully acerbic, grumpy female seniors about her, but she bounces in and out of the narrative so much it's hard to get a good look at her.
The case is quite clever - the connections that slowly have to be built up to explain why Brandon was in the drug squat, what would lead to his presence being so threatening that somebody would blindly shoot him through a closed door, how the other bodies turning up are connected and onwards is actually nicely baffling and quite interesting. But it drags on for too long. There are too many connections and "coincidences" which aren't - and they obviously aren't, and it all grinds to a halt in the personal lives of all and sundry too frequently.
Another major distraction is that whilst in the earlier books there is a lot of concentration on the relationship between Travis and Langton, it's rise and ultimate fall fitted into the storylines well, not distracting from the main aim of the books which was always to solve a baffling crime. Unfortunately in this book - with the definite end of the relationship the constant soul-searching of Travis just gets in the way - there were way too many times when the reader was told all about how conflicted she is having to work with Langton, how she still loves Langton, how a new relationship will be complicated by the pain she felt when Langton left her. And she does form a new relationship in this book - and it is a bit of a highlight in the storyline for a short while.
Ultimately the biggest problem with DEADLY INTENT is that there is a a good crime and investigation buried in the middle of 641 pages - but there's not 641 pages of it. The book meanders, there's too much fill-in, too many unbelievable red herrings, and, despite being a fan of unresolved loose ends, there are too many threads in this book which are left frustratingly, unjustifiably and inexplicably dangling. It all smacked just a tiny bit of... In The Next Episode.
If you've not tried the Anna Travis series, then don't let my thoughts on DEADLY INTENT put you off the first three books - they were terrific. Perhaps don't start with this one though as there's a lot of the personal things that may not make sense, and the book could give you a slightly skewed view of Anna, who is really a very good central character.
Anna is a dogged sort of a detective character, who has had a complicated personal life - having had a short-lived but dramatic affair with her previous boss - James Langton. She is still feeling the loss of that relationship and finding dealing with Langton on a daily basis very difficult. When he steps into overall control of the investigation of the death of Brandon, she's dealing firstly with a very complicated case with no apparent leads, and secondly with her fragile personal feelings. Langton is more shadowy than ever in DEADLY INTENT as well, which is going to make it difficult for any reader new to the series to understand, for a start, what Anna could possibly have seen in him, or in his defence, why he is like he is. There are hints throughout but they just didn't seem to help that much. For such a big, hefty book there are a number of underdone major characters throughout which is disappointing. DCI Cunningham has a touch of the wonderfully acerbic, grumpy female seniors about her, but she bounces in and out of the narrative so much it's hard to get a good look at her.
The case is quite clever - the connections that slowly have to be built up to explain why Brandon was in the drug squat, what would lead to his presence being so threatening that somebody would blindly shoot him through a closed door, how the other bodies turning up are connected and onwards is actually nicely baffling and quite interesting. But it drags on for too long. There are too many connections and "coincidences" which aren't - and they obviously aren't, and it all grinds to a halt in the personal lives of all and sundry too frequently.
Another major distraction is that whilst in the earlier books there is a lot of concentration on the relationship between Travis and Langton, it's rise and ultimate fall fitted into the storylines well, not distracting from the main aim of the books which was always to solve a baffling crime. Unfortunately in this book - with the definite end of the relationship the constant soul-searching of Travis just gets in the way - there were way too many times when the reader was told all about how conflicted she is having to work with Langton, how she still loves Langton, how a new relationship will be complicated by the pain she felt when Langton left her. And she does form a new relationship in this book - and it is a bit of a highlight in the storyline for a short while.
Ultimately the biggest problem with DEADLY INTENT is that there is a a good crime and investigation buried in the middle of 641 pages - but there's not 641 pages of it. The book meanders, there's too much fill-in, too many unbelievable red herrings, and, despite being a fan of unresolved loose ends, there are too many threads in this book which are left frustratingly, unjustifiably and inexplicably dangling. It all smacked just a tiny bit of... In The Next Episode.
If you've not tried the Anna Travis series, then don't let my thoughts on DEADLY INTENT put you off the first three books - they were terrific. Perhaps don't start with this one though as there's a lot of the personal things that may not make sense, and the book could give you a slightly skewed view of Anna, who is really a very good central character.
November 4, 2008
I’ve followed DI Anna Travis’ career since she met her boss/lover, Langton. Things have changed a lot for the two of them – and it’s the investigation that keeps you reading! La Plante has an amazing skill to keep the reader turning the pages, even once you’ve reached the point where you think you’ll just throw the book over your shoulder, because it never seems to get solved!
Besides the frustration of only having the villains described to you (the police officers seem to only have incidental character traits by which to recognize them), this was one of La Plante’s longer intrigues. There were times when I became quite exasperated, and in this case finding the kingpin drug dealer, just seemed virtually impossible. This in addition to Travis’ superior when the case starts, Cunningham, appears implausible. I cannot see how a woman with so many apparently manly characteristics could be found out by Travis, weeping her eyes out in the privacy of her office. Langton loses credibility on the other side of the scale. OK, so he’s got to be the “brave guy” and (almost) know-it-all, but by the time the end comes, his character has changed so much, it’s impossible to believe he’s the one heading up all the detectives. You end up wondering what drives him, because that’s all he’s constantly looking for in the criminals they hunt down.
There were also a couple of questions which I felt remained unanswered. What, for example, happened to the two thugs that were helping Fitzpatrick? And Mai Ling? Why didn’t Travis (or Langton) keep up the search on them? Something else that really threw me, was the fact that Fitzpatrick was suddenly referred to in the past tense near the end – although he was clearly still alive! I think if I say anything more, I’m bound to give away the story and its mystery! Suffice it to say, this is a good book if you’re looking for escapism and something to tickle the brain cells.
Besides the frustration of only having the villains described to you (the police officers seem to only have incidental character traits by which to recognize them), this was one of La Plante’s longer intrigues. There were times when I became quite exasperated, and in this case finding the kingpin drug dealer, just seemed virtually impossible. This in addition to Travis’ superior when the case starts, Cunningham, appears implausible. I cannot see how a woman with so many apparently manly characteristics could be found out by Travis, weeping her eyes out in the privacy of her office. Langton loses credibility on the other side of the scale. OK, so he’s got to be the “brave guy” and (almost) know-it-all, but by the time the end comes, his character has changed so much, it’s impossible to believe he’s the one heading up all the detectives. You end up wondering what drives him, because that’s all he’s constantly looking for in the criminals they hunt down.
There were also a couple of questions which I felt remained unanswered. What, for example, happened to the two thugs that were helping Fitzpatrick? And Mai Ling? Why didn’t Travis (or Langton) keep up the search on them? Something else that really threw me, was the fact that Fitzpatrick was suddenly referred to in the past tense near the end – although he was clearly still alive! I think if I say anything more, I’m bound to give away the story and its mystery! Suffice it to say, this is a good book if you’re looking for escapism and something to tickle the brain cells.
June 11, 2018
Lynda LaPlante needs to be evaluated for a head injury. That’s the only reason I can think of that she would crank out such a stupid, repetitive, hole-ridden, illogical book.
I don’t care how many times she tells us Langton is a supercop or Travis is a genius. What she shows us is a supercop who pulls surveillance of a drug kingpin’s known safehouse after the other occupants are arrested. She shows us that Travis will repeatedly ignore orders.
The book was 30% longer than it needed to be, and was made longer because she wrote a lot of stupid behaviour upon her main characters in order to spoil out the story. I think it was supposed to make the drug kingpin look ominous. It just made the cops look stupid. And me look annoyed.
I don’t care how many times she tells us Langton is a supercop or Travis is a genius. What she shows us is a supercop who pulls surveillance of a drug kingpin’s known safehouse after the other occupants are arrested. She shows us that Travis will repeatedly ignore orders.
The book was 30% longer than it needed to be, and was made longer because she wrote a lot of stupid behaviour upon her main characters in order to spoil out the story. I think it was supposed to make the drug kingpin look ominous. It just made the cops look stupid. And me look annoyed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2018
Book four and I'm still chugging right along.
Overall, I think this is a solid series.
Like installment three, I felt the plot here was a little convoluted and La Plante lets the story get away from her. That said, I'm still enjoying the characters and their development.
This could have easily been 100 pages shorter, IMO.
On to book five for despite any shortcomings in this and the previous book, I really like La Plante's style.
Given the recurring characters and ongoing character development, best read as a series.
Overall, I think this is a solid series.
Like installment three, I felt the plot here was a little convoluted and La Plante lets the story get away from her. That said, I'm still enjoying the characters and their development.
This could have easily been 100 pages shorter, IMO.
On to book five for despite any shortcomings in this and the previous book, I really like La Plante's style.
Given the recurring characters and ongoing character development, best read as a series.
January 13, 2009
I've just finished reading this and I'm still not certain who is innocent, who's guilty and who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Like the other DI Travis novels I've read (you can read them as stand alone or together), there's a high body count, a lot of red herrings and a lot of police involved. Which adds up to a lot of names to remember in this novel- and very few are recurring characters. The author is fantastic at describing the action, but not that good at describing characters. For example, we know Pete likes a joint and drives a nice car, but very little about his looks and life beyond the lab.
Anna Travis does her usual thing in this novel, going off on dangerous tangents alone. Yes, yes, we know she will get into trouble, jeopardise the investigation etc etc, but it all turns out okay in the end, doesn't it?
Well, Deadly Intent is a little different to the rest. But you can bet that the author is already typing away at a new adventure.
I enjoyed this fast paced crime thriller, but even though I read it over a week, I found it difficult to remember the characters (something which I don't usually have a problem with). Another minor point- the pages have HUGE margins (at least 2cm), which means the book looks thicker than it need be.
Fentanyl is commonly written with a capital letter, which irritates me, because it's not necessary (drug name, not brand name). You would think an editor could realise that. And we hear the same few facts about it over and over and over again. Please, someone do some research! Read a BNF or Martindale!
Like the other DI Travis novels I've read (you can read them as stand alone or together), there's a high body count, a lot of red herrings and a lot of police involved. Which adds up to a lot of names to remember in this novel- and very few are recurring characters. The author is fantastic at describing the action, but not that good at describing characters. For example, we know Pete likes a joint and drives a nice car, but very little about his looks and life beyond the lab.
Anna Travis does her usual thing in this novel, going off on dangerous tangents alone. Yes, yes, we know she will get into trouble, jeopardise the investigation etc etc, but it all turns out okay in the end, doesn't it?
Well, Deadly Intent is a little different to the rest. But you can bet that the author is already typing away at a new adventure.
I enjoyed this fast paced crime thriller, but even though I read it over a week, I found it difficult to remember the characters (something which I don't usually have a problem with). Another minor point- the pages have HUGE margins (at least 2cm), which means the book looks thicker than it need be.
Fentanyl is commonly written with a capital letter, which irritates me, because it's not necessary (drug name, not brand name). You would think an editor could realise that. And we hear the same few facts about it over and over and over again. Please, someone do some research! Read a BNF or Martindale!
March 1, 2016
This is my least favorite of the series so far (yes, I gave them all 3 stars, but if Goodreads let us rate on a 1-10 scale, the others would have 7 and this one would just have 4).
My main issues:
1) Anna Travis is seemingly incapable of learning a lesson. She is asked no less than 412 times to not go off doing her own secret investigations on the case, but she still does it a 413th time. In the vast majority of instances, there was really no reason not to tell the rest of her team.
2) The Travis/Langton history seems to be being rewritten. In the previous book, he not only did something highly illegal and unethical, but he threatened her career if she told anyone, saying he'd make sure everyone believed she was only making these accusations because he'd broken up with her. Langton has been something of a creep in all the books, but to me this showed a level of abuse that couldn't be excused in any way. Oddly, that aspect of the story is now being completely glossed over.
It also seems like we're supposed to believe that Anna sees Langton as possibly her one-true-love, yet she appeared to be on the verge of breaking up with him in the previous book before he was injured (and long before the aforementioned abuse).
On the plus side, the book does get points for having zero rapes - the previous ones seemed to really revel in taking the already horrific crime of rape and multiplying the horror tenfold.
My main issues:
1) Anna Travis is seemingly incapable of learning a lesson. She is asked no less than 412 times to not go off doing her own secret investigations on the case, but she still does it a 413th time. In the vast majority of instances, there was really no reason not to tell the rest of her team.
2) The Travis/Langton history seems to be being rewritten. In the previous book, he not only did something highly illegal and unethical, but he threatened her career if she told anyone, saying he'd make sure everyone believed she was only making these accusations because he'd broken up with her. Langton has been something of a creep in all the books, but to me this showed a level of abuse that couldn't be excused in any way. Oddly, that aspect of the story is now being completely glossed over.
It also seems like we're supposed to believe that Anna sees Langton as possibly her one-true-love, yet she appeared to be on the verge of breaking up with him in the previous book before he was injured (and long before the aforementioned abuse).
On the plus side, the book does get points for having zero rapes - the previous ones seemed to really revel in taking the already horrific crime of rape and multiplying the horror tenfold.
August 17, 2009
This fourth Anna Travis book starts off with an incredible chapter describing the bad guy's complete body and facial transformation from a Mexican plastic surgeon. It then proceeds to the investigation of a murder of a former police detective, investigated by Anna and some new detectives we haven't met before. I would say this book is very good for about 3/4s, then peters out to a weak finish. But I am looking forward to the next one, as Anna is put on report at the end of this book.
August 18, 2018
A police procedural featuring DI Anna Travis and Chief Superintendent James Langton, previously live-in lovers, in pursuit of an international drug lord. Initially Travis investigates the shooting of an ex-detective in a drug squat, and a series of further bodies emerge in a complex plot. As I read it, I began to remember seeing a television version but with not enough recall to spoil the book.
August 16, 2020
Deadly Intent was a book that had been lurking on my shelves for the past 6 years. I bought it during a time I was reading a lot of police procedurals and I had heard the name of Lynda La Plante often so I wanted to give it a try.
It comes in over 600 pages and makes you wonder. Does a police procedural need to be thing long? The answer is probably no. I felt it could have been shortened with at least a hundred pages without losing any of the information in it.
This is the fourth book in the series, but the first one I read. Therefore I was not as connected with the characters as could have been. There was quite some tension, with the main character Anna making some stupid decisions.
As a crime novel, it was fine, but not the kind of special I had hoped for. (This is also much less my genre now than it was back when I bought it, which my account for some of it).
Find this and other reviews on my blog https://www.urlphantomhive.com
It comes in over 600 pages and makes you wonder. Does a police procedural need to be thing long? The answer is probably no. I felt it could have been shortened with at least a hundred pages without losing any of the information in it.
This is the fourth book in the series, but the first one I read. Therefore I was not as connected with the characters as could have been. There was quite some tension, with the main character Anna making some stupid decisions.
As a crime novel, it was fine, but not the kind of special I had hoped for. (This is also much less my genre now than it was back when I bought it, which my account for some of it).
Find this and other reviews on my blog https://www.urlphantomhive.com
May 14, 2019
I am a new convert to Lynda La Plante and read this Anna Travis crime thriller out of order. However, I now feel compelled to read Books 1 - 3 in the series.
Anna Travis often forgets she is part of a team as she uses her natural intuition to follow the trail of the killer of a retired police officer. Unfortunately, the dead body count increases and Anna's suspect repeatedly evades detection.
Will Anna listen to her superior officers and stay safe, or will she continue to go solo in order to catch the killer?
This a terrific crime thriller that will keep you enthralled until the last page.
Anna Travis often forgets she is part of a team as she uses her natural intuition to follow the trail of the killer of a retired police officer. Unfortunately, the dead body count increases and Anna's suspect repeatedly evades detection.
Will Anna listen to her superior officers and stay safe, or will she continue to go solo in order to catch the killer?
This a terrific crime thriller that will keep you enthralled until the last page.
July 27, 2020
Hmmmmm, I had great expectations as this was my first reading of a Lynda La Plante novel. It didn’t live up to my expectations, unfortunately. The writing is brilliant & the characters well thought out but it was just missing something!
It was way too long for starters.... 640 pages! Just too much information that could have been dwindled down by half; unnecessary & repetitive at times.
The ending was disappointing, a real let down.
Clearly she knows her stuff but this is just a pass for me.
It was way too long for starters.... 640 pages! Just too much information that could have been dwindled down by half; unnecessary & repetitive at times.
The ending was disappointing, a real let down.
Clearly she knows her stuff but this is just a pass for me.
November 24, 2019
A real page turner, I struggled to put this one down - shown by me reading it in a week!
The case was very complicated in places but I thoroughly enjoyed it and liked the character growth for Anna Travis.
The case was very complicated in places but I thoroughly enjoyed it and liked the character growth for Anna Travis.
June 25, 2018
a good story, really...but how detailed can a book be? nothing was left to your own imagination, that was a disappointment to me.
August 5, 2011
Deadly Intent is the fourth book in the police-heavy mystery-thriller Anna Travis series by British author Lynda LaPlante. Much like previous novels in the series, Deadly Intent is well-researched, carefully crafted, and explores the fascinating psyche of (and complex) title character.
This time around, Travis is confronted with another relationship from her past: Anthony Collingwood, most commonly known as Alexander Fitzpatrick, one of the most wanted drug lords in the Western hemisphere, who left Travis without warning nearly a decade ago. Travis believes Fitzpatrick to be dead, until former colleague Frank Brandon is found murdered.
While this book is an entertaining, hard-pounding mystery, it just isn't as good as the previous books in the Anna Travis series. LaPlante's skill as a writer is still apparent here -- the case is woven together in a very clever way; the connections between people and evidence slowly come together to explain the case -- but it takes far too long to bring these connections together, which severely brings the pace down. While LaPlante's descriptions are phenomenally specific and help move the reader between plot points and through the mystery, this detail becomes too much several times throughout the novel and seems to distract from the plot more than add to it.
Another pacing issue lies with Travis's constant personal drama and soul-searching -- having broken up with Chief Superintendent James Langton after a fairly melodramatic affair -- and her constant stress to still be able to deal with him every day as her superior. While this fits in with the pair's dramatic relational issues in previous novels, the tone is completely different and nearly every time that Travis really gets going on the case, she gets caught up in drama with Langton.
While there are issues with this novel, it's still a decent addition to the Anna Travis series for fans of police procedural mystery/thrillers. There is a good crime novel in Deadly Intent, but the book has too much filler, too much soul-searching drama, too much detail, and too many loose ends. If you're looking for an easy-to-read, frothy beach read, than look elsewhere.
For non-fans of the series, this will be a difficult one to get into -- it's probably best to start with one of the three previous novels (Above Suspicion, Clean Cut, and The Red Dahlia).
This time around, Travis is confronted with another relationship from her past: Anthony Collingwood, most commonly known as Alexander Fitzpatrick, one of the most wanted drug lords in the Western hemisphere, who left Travis without warning nearly a decade ago. Travis believes Fitzpatrick to be dead, until former colleague Frank Brandon is found murdered.
While this book is an entertaining, hard-pounding mystery, it just isn't as good as the previous books in the Anna Travis series. LaPlante's skill as a writer is still apparent here -- the case is woven together in a very clever way; the connections between people and evidence slowly come together to explain the case -- but it takes far too long to bring these connections together, which severely brings the pace down. While LaPlante's descriptions are phenomenally specific and help move the reader between plot points and through the mystery, this detail becomes too much several times throughout the novel and seems to distract from the plot more than add to it.
Another pacing issue lies with Travis's constant personal drama and soul-searching -- having broken up with Chief Superintendent James Langton after a fairly melodramatic affair -- and her constant stress to still be able to deal with him every day as her superior. While this fits in with the pair's dramatic relational issues in previous novels, the tone is completely different and nearly every time that Travis really gets going on the case, she gets caught up in drama with Langton.
While there are issues with this novel, it's still a decent addition to the Anna Travis series for fans of police procedural mystery/thrillers. There is a good crime novel in Deadly Intent, but the book has too much filler, too much soul-searching drama, too much detail, and too many loose ends. If you're looking for an easy-to-read, frothy beach read, than look elsewhere.
For non-fans of the series, this will be a difficult one to get into -- it's probably best to start with one of the three previous novels (Above Suspicion, Clean Cut, and The Red Dahlia).
January 23, 2012
This is the fourth book in the Anna Travis series. Anna now has experience in the field as a member of various iterations of Murder Squads and has learned much from her former lover/boss, James Langton.
We are privy to the identity, of sorts, of the villain within the first few pages, but the police don't have the information that we, the readers, have. I thought this was an interesting way to start the ball rolling. I also thought it was interesting that the drug involved in this case is a drug I first learned about through my veterinarian. I wonder if it has become a problem drug on the streets, as was indicated in this book.
I do find myself becoming impatient with her, as she continually ignores warnings from Langton and other "higher ups" to work as part of the team and not go off on her own to follow leads. Some of her transgressions definitely qualify as grounds to demote her, yet she still manages to work her way out of trouble. She did insinuate to Langton that she had something on him (from the previous book) and this angered him. Anna seems a bit too egotistical and cocky in this book.
Some reviewers complain that the story drags. I feel that it's probably more accurate than a lot of what we see on television. Lab tests, DNA tests, and other forensic work take time, often weeks, before results are obtained. A lot of detective work is a type of drudgery, and I think La Plante does a great job of developing her stories so that readers understand this.
I also liked the fact that this story didn't have a particularly happy ending. Life is like that, and I think La Plante does a good job in keeping her stories real.
I have two more books to go and then hope we have access to the current (seventh) one in the series.
I also hope Anna matures some before she really finds herself in a corner.
We are privy to the identity, of sorts, of the villain within the first few pages, but the police don't have the information that we, the readers, have. I thought this was an interesting way to start the ball rolling. I also thought it was interesting that the drug involved in this case is a drug I first learned about through my veterinarian. I wonder if it has become a problem drug on the streets, as was indicated in this book.
I do find myself becoming impatient with her, as she continually ignores warnings from Langton and other "higher ups" to work as part of the team and not go off on her own to follow leads. Some of her transgressions definitely qualify as grounds to demote her, yet she still manages to work her way out of trouble. She did insinuate to Langton that she had something on him (from the previous book) and this angered him. Anna seems a bit too egotistical and cocky in this book.
Some reviewers complain that the story drags. I feel that it's probably more accurate than a lot of what we see on television. Lab tests, DNA tests, and other forensic work take time, often weeks, before results are obtained. A lot of detective work is a type of drudgery, and I think La Plante does a great job of developing her stories so that readers understand this.
I also liked the fact that this story didn't have a particularly happy ending. Life is like that, and I think La Plante does a good job in keeping her stories real.
I have two more books to go and then hope we have access to the current (seventh) one in the series.
I also hope Anna matures some before she really finds herself in a corner.
October 23, 2009
If you enjoyed Lynda LaPlante's earlier books, either in this series or in the Prime Suspect series, you have another 470 pages to chomp through. Anna Travis, super cop in the murder room or on the street, person with relationship and money problems while at home, once again is in the middle of a series of murders. The book hurtles along so well that it is easy to ignore--it is all but impossible to think about, actually--how unlikely some of the killings are and how strange it is that the bad guy (and he is a very bad guy) always keeps at least one step ahead of the cops.
The mood is claustrophobic--the action takes place in the murder room (a specifically British, if not British crime fiction creation), in interrogation rooms with hostile witnesses, at crime scenes and, occasionally, at Anna's home or the home of a lover--all of whom are with the police and involved in one way or another with this increasingly complex case.
"Deadly Intent" is the kind of book to take on vacation or to have for a snowbound holiday weekend--it is hard to put down and if you do it demands to be picked up again.
The mood is claustrophobic--the action takes place in the murder room (a specifically British, if not British crime fiction creation), in interrogation rooms with hostile witnesses, at crime scenes and, occasionally, at Anna's home or the home of a lover--all of whom are with the police and involved in one way or another with this increasingly complex case.
"Deadly Intent" is the kind of book to take on vacation or to have for a snowbound holiday weekend--it is hard to put down and if you do it demands to be picked up again.
August 21, 2011
I have all the Travis/Langton books and a friend bought me the newest for my birthday. However, when I checked I'd not read a couple in between and being anal about things like this I bought those 2 from Amazon.
This is the first I'd not read but because I'd fallen behind it had already been on TV....I usually get to read them first. So that was a shame as it was only on this year, I think. I still greatly enjoyed it, though, and WILL get the next one read before the drama is shown !!
I really enjoy the relationship of both characters and now, thanks to the TV dramas I can picture them too !!
This one's about drug dealers and a shooting at a squat. Its very, very full of twists 'n' turns and you need to pay attention. I had to go back in the book a few times to confirm the timeline or how they discovered this about that person or whatever !!
Can't wait to get onto the next one though I make it a policy not read book after book by any author so it will be a week or so maybe till I start it !!
This is the first I'd not read but because I'd fallen behind it had already been on TV....I usually get to read them first. So that was a shame as it was only on this year, I think. I still greatly enjoyed it, though, and WILL get the next one read before the drama is shown !!
I really enjoy the relationship of both characters and now, thanks to the TV dramas I can picture them too !!
This one's about drug dealers and a shooting at a squat. Its very, very full of twists 'n' turns and you need to pay attention. I had to go back in the book a few times to confirm the timeline or how they discovered this about that person or whatever !!
Can't wait to get onto the next one though I make it a policy not read book after book by any author so it will be a week or so maybe till I start it !!
December 1, 2011
Oh, I had a lot of problems with this. The storyline was so-so and it never really put me on the edge of my seat as I had hoped. Given La Plante's history as a screenwriter I can imagine it more as a TV drama, and it was written like one with heavy emphasis on dialogue. However, it wouldn't be a show I would really want to watch. We knew all along who did it, and the only question really was whether he got caught. The side characters never interested me enough to really care and the cops were a thoroughly annoying bunch of stereotypes.
I would save my biggest criticism for the main character of Anna Travis. Cops in these kind of novels, especially ones who have risen to the ranks of detective inspector, should at least have some balls, female or not. Her relationship with Pete annoyed the hell out of me, not only because Pete was utterly loathsome IMHO, but also because she let him walk all over her and essentially rape her at one point. Don't even let me get started on the ending. If I wasn't so anal about keeping books pristine I would have thrown the thing across the room.
I would save my biggest criticism for the main character of Anna Travis. Cops in these kind of novels, especially ones who have risen to the ranks of detective inspector, should at least have some balls, female or not. Her relationship with Pete annoyed the hell out of me, not only because Pete was utterly loathsome IMHO, but also because she let him walk all over her and essentially rape her at one point. Don't even let me get started on the ending. If I wasn't so anal about keeping books pristine I would have thrown the thing across the room.
June 26, 2009
a really good, intelligent, complex, and riveting police procedural by the creator of helen mirren's inspector tennison series and one of the most revered english mystery writers. the plot follows the police work of DI anna travis, who's much nicer than tennison but also someone who's serious and passionate about her work. i am impressed by the way in which la plante manages to focus entirely on the crime while also conveying a whole lot of what goes on between the various police officers involved. the investigation dynamics are all about figuring out an extremely complex series of murders, but at the same time, subtly, they tell us much about how people work together and how they bring their frustrations, rages, hang-ups, and longings to their work. very well designed, and fast, and compelling.
December 4, 2018
DNF. I like a “realistic” police procedural with strong characters, which is why I keep returning to this series. But this one was, for lack of a better phrase, “too realistic.” Very tedious reporting of every interview, every lead explored, every piece of forensic evidence, then every re-interviewing of every witness or suspect. Pace is very slow because of this method of plotting. I imagine this IS more like what real detective work is—tiresome, repetitive, boring, grueling accumulation of details, evidence, and gut response until all the pieces fall into place. But it’s one of the jobs of good writing to sift through the details of life and prioritize/structure how, when, and whether to present them to readers. If I wanted this much tedium from a murder case, I’d join a homicide squad.
August 22, 2017
Dull, dreary, and drawn out, which is a shame because this started off quite well and had the potential to earn 3-4 stars from me. It’s far too long, and I lost the plot about two thirds of the way through because it was so boring and I just switched off. The characters aren’t very interesting either. It’s the first Lynda La Plante book I’ve read, and sadly the last. Langton said ‘Is everyone with me?’ so many times that I very nearly hurled the book across the room (glad I didn’t read it on my Kindle). It's the most boring crime/thriller I've ever read.
May 1, 2012
I enjoyed main story line, although at times I got a bit confused with how a victim tied in to the story when they hadn't been spoken about for some time. I was excited when Langton was brought back into the story but I disliked the way he treated Anna, as if she was an insolent child. Langton's ego was too big for his boots in this book. I hope his bubble is burst in the next book, and that Anna ceases to make stupid decisions, such as deciding to date a former suspect.
March 2, 2017
Overly disappointing.
The plot starts well but it goes downhill. This was the first book by this author I have read and probably the last one as well. the main character is overly defined by her relationships with men. The story is not resolved and then the final male she begins to become involved with makes all the criticisms by her superiors throughout the novel valid.
Possibly this would work much better as a TV show but as a novel too long with a frustrating main character.
The plot starts well but it goes downhill. This was the first book by this author I have read and probably the last one as well. the main character is overly defined by her relationships with men. The story is not resolved and then the final male she begins to become involved with makes all the criticisms by her superiors throughout the novel valid.
Possibly this would work much better as a TV show but as a novel too long with a frustrating main character.
October 21, 2009
I realized as I read this book that I don't like procedurals that aren't mysteries. As in the Prime Suspect series (which I only watched, didn't read) the culprit is revealed very early in the story, and the majority of the work is spent detailing the policework necessary to catch him. I'd rather not know who-dun-it until the end, thanks!
April 27, 2015
My first Lynda LaPlante book. I read a fair bit of crime fiction but I found this to be quite confusing and convoluted at times. It probably could have been a bit shorter and more succinct. I liked her style of writing, but the story was a bit all over the place at times. I am willing to read more of her work, but this was just ok - not 'a keeper'.
November 3, 2019
A speight of murders that DI Anna Travis believes to be connected to a most wanted drug dealer which goes off in that many directions but somehow manages to be repetitive. If I was supposed to admire or feel for Anna , I couldn't. Everyone seemed egotistical and on many occasions unprofessional. Overlong and despite the continued going over of police procedures, ultimately unbelievable.
January 22, 2015
Took me a while to get through this one but still the constant reminders of what just happened got very annoying. A disappointing end, like something grand was being built up, but then didn't happen.
January 30, 2009
Enjoyed this, the 4th book with Anna Travis in, although it could get a little confusing at times, with the amount of people in, it was a good read..
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