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The Intruder
One by one, the women of the fashionable community of Las Cosimas begin to die, some in compromising positions. Tobias Manning, ex-cop and now community security officer, worries for beautiful, bored Caroline Cassidy, whose new lover's face looks frighteningly familiar.
249 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1985
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36 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Altman
16 books11 followersPseudonym for Campbell Armstrong. Other pseudonyms are Campbell Black and Jeffrey Campbell. He also wrote books under his real name. Campbell Armstrong was born in Glasgow. He has a degree in philosophy from the University of Sussex. He taught creative writing from 1971-74 at the State University of New York; from 1975-78 he taught at Arizona State University.
He disliked teaching immensely so, in 1978, he began to write fiction fulltime; he had already published Assassins & Victims (1968); The Punctual Rape (1969) and Death’s Head (1971). In 1979, after he quit the academic life, he published Asterisk Destiny, and the following year Brainfire.
He remained in Arizona until 1991, during which time he wrote the novelization of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Brian De Palma’s Dressed To Kill. He also wrote the novels Jig, Mambo and Mazurka, between 1986 and 1989. In 1990 he published Concert of Ghosts, and in 1991 his novel of corrupt American influence in the Philippines, Agents of Darkness.
After 20 years in the US, he longed to return to Europe. Early in 1991 he moved to Ireland, to the heart of the bog, with his wife Rebecca. He has since written Jigsaw, Heat, Silencer and Blackout. He also published a memoir called I Hope You Have A Good Life (2000).
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He has three sons and a daughter, and lives in an old house reputed to be haunted.
He disliked teaching immensely so, in 1978, he began to write fiction fulltime; he had already published Assassins & Victims (1968); The Punctual Rape (1969) and Death’s Head (1971). In 1979, after he quit the academic life, he published Asterisk Destiny, and the following year Brainfire.
He remained in Arizona until 1991, during which time he wrote the novelization of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Brian De Palma’s Dressed To Kill. He also wrote the novels Jig, Mambo and Mazurka, between 1986 and 1989. In 1990 he published Concert of Ghosts, and in 1991 his novel of corrupt American influence in the Philippines, Agents of Darkness.
After 20 years in the US, he longed to return to Europe. Early in 1991 he moved to Ireland, to the heart of the bog, with his wife Rebecca. He has since written Jigsaw, Heat, Silencer and Blackout. He also published a memoir called I Hope You Have A Good Life (2000).
***
He has three sons and a daughter, and lives in an old house reputed to be haunted.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 30, 2024
A fairly standard 80s serial killer Story. Enjoyable but nothing out of the ordinary. I did enjoy the main characters story arch and the some of the kill scenes were suspenfully done but nothing that would make it stick in my mind.
A business tycoon develops a high end resort in the desert to attract the rich and famous. When a serial killer starts to attack the wives of the stars its up to the only detective in town to find him.
A business tycoon develops a high end resort in the desert to attract the rich and famous. When a serial killer starts to attack the wives of the stars its up to the only detective in town to find him.
April 11, 2018
The last read in my Altman Trilogy (the previous two were The True Bride and Dark Places). Not quite as good as The True Bride but slightly better than Dark Places.
That cover! A very sleazy 80’s feel but this does not reflect the story told. The Intruder is about a serial killer on the loose and is well written. No sleaze to be seen, even in the sex scenes.
The town of Las Cosimas is populated by rich young men whose fortune comes in the new fast-growing computer industry. That right there took me back to the 80’s and my first computer, the ZX81.
Caroline Cassidy lives and works in Las Cosimas. She also has a relationship with a man, Daniel Romero, who likes his sex on the kinky side. After a wife of a rich executive is murdered local lawman Tobias Manning becomes increasingly concerned for Caroline. Then more murders happen and there are several suspects. Who is the serial killer?
Unlike the other two Altman reads this has a satisfying conclusion which takes place on the Fourth of July amid a firework celebration. However, like Dark Places this has less of a horror element.
Overall this was an enjoyable 80’s serial killer horror.
I have enjoyed all three books in my Altman Trilogy. They are not just pulp horror as the covers may suggest. There are two other Altman books, Black Christmas and Kiss Daddy Goodbye, which I would like to read.
That cover! A very sleazy 80’s feel but this does not reflect the story told. The Intruder is about a serial killer on the loose and is well written. No sleaze to be seen, even in the sex scenes.
The town of Las Cosimas is populated by rich young men whose fortune comes in the new fast-growing computer industry. That right there took me back to the 80’s and my first computer, the ZX81.
Caroline Cassidy lives and works in Las Cosimas. She also has a relationship with a man, Daniel Romero, who likes his sex on the kinky side. After a wife of a rich executive is murdered local lawman Tobias Manning becomes increasingly concerned for Caroline. Then more murders happen and there are several suspects. Who is the serial killer?
Unlike the other two Altman reads this has a satisfying conclusion which takes place on the Fourth of July amid a firework celebration. However, like Dark Places this has less of a horror element.
Overall this was an enjoyable 80’s serial killer horror.
I have enjoyed all three books in my Altman Trilogy. They are not just pulp horror as the covers may suggest. There are two other Altman books, Black Christmas and Kiss Daddy Goodbye, which I would like to read.
March 8, 2021
Tobias Manning is a security officer in a wealthy enclave known as Las Cosimas, built by entrepreneurs in the computer industry. The job is pretty dull - until women start turning up murdered, stabbed through the heart! The deaths coincide with the arrival of Daniel Romero, who is has thoroughly seducing Caroline Cassidy, a woman the widowed Tobias has unresolved sexual feelings for. Could it be him? Or could it be the young stud, Carlos, who serviced one of the victims? Or Dr Andrew Conturas, who treated all the victims?
Okay mystery thriller is let down by the fact that it's entirely too obvious who the killer is. We also get far too much introspection from Tobias, who is still mourning the death of both his wife and one of his sons from a heart condition. It did tend to slow things down at some points. The red herrings were too obvious. I mean, when you discover that , who is it going to be?
I enjoyed the book whenever it featured Caroline Cassidy. She's a bit bored by life. She's unashamedly sexual. Her sense of unfulfillment was well conveyed, and was quite reminiscent of a lot of the female protagonists we get in psychological thrillers today. The phone calls she receives from somebody telling her she was sick were the creepiest aspect of the book. The book was confidently written, but like other books by Altman, seems too much in a rush to wrap things up. But if he were writing today, Altman would likely be hugely popular. His books are very similar to what's on bookshelves currently.
But it was too predictable! I spotted everything that was coming. Points off too for the homophobia and racism on display. (Always a risk you take with an 80s book, I suppose.)
Okay mystery thriller is let down by the fact that it's entirely too obvious who the killer is. We also get far too much introspection from Tobias, who is still mourning the death of both his wife and one of his sons from a heart condition. It did tend to slow things down at some points. The red herrings were too obvious. I mean, when you discover that , who is it going to be?
I enjoyed the book whenever it featured Caroline Cassidy. She's a bit bored by life. She's unashamedly sexual. Her sense of unfulfillment was well conveyed, and was quite reminiscent of a lot of the female protagonists we get in psychological thrillers today. The phone calls she receives from somebody telling her she was sick were the creepiest aspect of the book. The book was confidently written, but like other books by Altman, seems too much in a rush to wrap things up. But if he were writing today, Altman would likely be hugely popular. His books are very similar to what's on bookshelves currently.
But it was too predictable! I spotted everything that was coming. Points off too for the homophobia and racism on display. (Always a risk you take with an 80s book, I suppose.)
April 14, 2016
A suspense novel that is slightly mis-sold by its glorious mid-80s cover art (though that’s not really a problem), this was written by Campbell Armstrong under his 80s genre pseudonym and works well. The new coastal town of Las Cosimas - built around an old Mexican town by the millionaire J M Dunbar - is home to the rich young executives and experts of the burgeoning computer industry, as well as a small population of Mexicans who have their own quarter. Caroline Cassidy is marketing chief for Dunbar, young and beautiful and fiesty, who is seduced by newcomer Daniel Romero, a man who enjoys his sexual kinks and might not be who he says he is. Tobias Manning is an ex-New York city cop, now pounding the beat and trying to live with the grief of losing his son to a heart condition that later killed his wife. His other son, Paul, is a medical student who is studying away but comes home to visit for the Fourth Of July weekend. When the wife of a software executive disappears, it’s the most action the town has seen in a while and when she’s later found dead on the beach, stabbed through the heart, panic ensues. Two more women die in similar circumstances, the list of suspects grows and includes local doctor Andrew Conturas who only treats patients with cardiac issues (the only link between the three deaths) - he also treated Tobias’ wife and came to the town under a cloud after an illegal medical procedure saw him temporarily struck off. Tobias makes the link and realises that if his suspicion of the pattern of victims is correct, Caroline Cassidy is next...
I enjoyed this a lot, though it took me a while (thanks to the cover) to realise it wasn’t going to be as sleazy as the artwork suggested. Tightly written and paced, the characters are well rounded - Tobias’ grief is affecting and not over-done whilst Caroline is more charismatic than you would imagine a sensual 80s young woman would be portrayed - and surrounded by a decently drawn supporting cast. Las Cosimas is nicely constructed, there’s a good sense of atmosphere (the early morning mists and cool evenings especially) and the climax, which takes place during the Fourth Of July fireworks display and the light/dark conditions that allows, is gripping and brisk. The band of red herrings aren’t overdone, the authority figures - especially the town Sheriff who is clearly out of his league - have more depth than normal and as the noose tightens and Tobias tries to save Caroline the last few pages fly by. As ever, your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance but as a mid-80s suspense novel, this was well written and enjoyable and I’d very much recommend it.
I enjoyed this a lot, though it took me a while (thanks to the cover) to realise it wasn’t going to be as sleazy as the artwork suggested. Tightly written and paced, the characters are well rounded - Tobias’ grief is affecting and not over-done whilst Caroline is more charismatic than you would imagine a sensual 80s young woman would be portrayed - and surrounded by a decently drawn supporting cast. Las Cosimas is nicely constructed, there’s a good sense of atmosphere (the early morning mists and cool evenings especially) and the climax, which takes place during the Fourth Of July fireworks display and the light/dark conditions that allows, is gripping and brisk. The band of red herrings aren’t overdone, the authority figures - especially the town Sheriff who is clearly out of his league - have more depth than normal and as the noose tightens and Tobias tries to save Caroline the last few pages fly by. As ever, your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance but as a mid-80s suspense novel, this was well written and enjoyable and I’d very much recommend it.
February 6, 2017
I liked the mood of this book, and I liked a couple of the characters. Caroline and Tobias. They were fun to read about.
But the writing was all over the place. Too many POV shifts. Inside too many heads. It was hard to keep track of things, and the mood I enjoyed in the book kept getting lost in all the shifting.
Readable, enjoyable moments...But nothing special.
But the writing was all over the place. Too many POV shifts. Inside too many heads. It was hard to keep track of things, and the mood I enjoyed in the book kept getting lost in all the shifting.
Readable, enjoyable moments...But nothing special.
October 14, 2024
As far as I can tell, Campbell Armstrong wrote five horror novels under the pseudonym Thomas Altman, and The Intruder is the fifth and final one. And when it comes to pulp storytelling, Armstrong/Altman has a knack similar to that of Fredric Brown for taking the basic elements of pulp horror–rough character sketches, pseudo-psychology, lurid sexual encounters–and elevating them into something greater.
In this particular book, which deals with women, all seeing the same doctor, who begin getting killed by a single stab to the heart, it’s the atmosphere Altman creates, one of somber moodiness, that really carries the story. It’s propped up by the deep pain many of the characters feel about their lives and losses. Many of them think thoughts like the following that are eloquent and tragic: “Sometimes, in these moods, the inside of his own mind seemed to him like a graveyard and all his thoughts nothing but epitaphs.”
Unfortunately, this particular novel falls short in too many ways. It's so sluggish that it feels like nothing happens for a good chunk of the book. The up and coming California town that is supposed to feel busy and bustling is never established beyond its limited characters. Worst of all, it’s very predictable. I’m not great at guessing who the killer is in most cases, so when it’s obvious to me halfway through, there’s a problem.
In this particular book, which deals with women, all seeing the same doctor, who begin getting killed by a single stab to the heart, it’s the atmosphere Altman creates, one of somber moodiness, that really carries the story. It’s propped up by the deep pain many of the characters feel about their lives and losses. Many of them think thoughts like the following that are eloquent and tragic: “Sometimes, in these moods, the inside of his own mind seemed to him like a graveyard and all his thoughts nothing but epitaphs.”
Unfortunately, this particular novel falls short in too many ways. It's so sluggish that it feels like nothing happens for a good chunk of the book. The up and coming California town that is supposed to feel busy and bustling is never established beyond its limited characters. Worst of all, it’s very predictable. I’m not great at guessing who the killer is in most cases, so when it’s obvious to me halfway through, there’s a problem.
May 24, 2021
Altman’s style is decent (at least better than a lot of horror novels from this era), but the plot and slow pacing make this a very “meh” novel.
August 24, 2025
Very typical crime/mystery story. A little bland and overall forgettable but the writing style was very easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews