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Theodore Tate #1
Cemetery Lake
Some secrets won't stay buried...
A standard exhumation becomes anything but for private investigator Theodore Tate, when bodies begin bubbling to the surface of the cemetery lake. Tate knows he has to let it go and let his former colleagues in the police deal with it. But when the coffin is opened and its occupant is not the old man supposed to be inside, he knows he cannot walk away. He can't let the police keep digging either, because they are getting dangerously close to digging up the real truth: the truth about him. With the evidence mounting against him, Tate must stay ahead of the police and out of jail in order to find a killer. A killer who could turn Tate into the very man he despises.
A standard exhumation becomes anything but for private investigator Theodore Tate, when bodies begin bubbling to the surface of the cemetery lake. Tate knows he has to let it go and let his former colleagues in the police deal with it. But when the coffin is opened and its occupant is not the old man supposed to be inside, he knows he cannot walk away. He can't let the police keep digging either, because they are getting dangerously close to digging up the real truth: the truth about him. With the evidence mounting against him, Tate must stay ahead of the police and out of jail in order to find a killer. A killer who could turn Tate into the very man he despises.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
138 people are currently reading
2205 people want to read
About the author
Paul Cleave
44 books858 followersPaul Cleave is an internationally bestselling author who is currently dividing his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his novels are set, and Europe, where none of his novels are set. His work has been translated into fifteen languages. He has won the Ngaio Marsh award for best crime novel in New Zealand, he won the Saint-Maur book festival's crime novel of the year in France, has been shortlisted for the Edgar Award and the Barry Award in the US, and shortlisted for the Ned Kelly award in Australia. When he's not writing, he spends his time swearing on a golf course, swearing on a tennis court, or trying to add to his list of 25 countries where he's thrown his Frisbee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
June 6, 2016
I just loved this book. This was my first Paul Cleave book and its the first book in the Theodore Tate series! I think Theodore Tate is going to be one of my favorite series. There are lots of twists and turns. I could not stop listening to this audiobook! The narration is done very well. Not once did the narrator get on my nerves, which means a lot to me.
The suspense keeps going throughout the whole book. Not once did I have a boring moment. This is a fantastic mystery and thriller.
Theodore Tate is a P.I. who gets in a lot of trouble and becomes a suspect. He is on a chase to find the murderer before he ends up in jail and loses his license. There is so much that goes on in this book that I could not even go farther into this short review to give the justice
that this author deserves! So hold onto your seat and plunge into a thrill ride that just doesn't stop until the end. I think next month I am going to binge read the rest of the series because this one was so enjoyable, and the others have to be just as good!
The suspense keeps going throughout the whole book. Not once did I have a boring moment. This is a fantastic mystery and thriller.
Theodore Tate is a P.I. who gets in a lot of trouble and becomes a suspect. He is on a chase to find the murderer before he ends up in jail and loses his license. There is so much that goes on in this book that I could not even go farther into this short review to give the justice
that this author deserves! So hold onto your seat and plunge into a thrill ride that just doesn't stop until the end. I think next month I am going to binge read the rest of the series because this one was so enjoyable, and the others have to be just as good!
November 27, 2015
4 1/2 stars and I just can't get enough of Paul Cleave's writing!
I have never before read one book after another by the same author, but that is what I am now doing.
Paul Cleave is the master of the sucker-punch. You are reading along, all nice and comfy, having the odd laugh (he really is a humorous writer - despite the subject matter!), thinking this is a good read, then out of no-where you are suddenly at OMG! You think I would be accustomed to it, expecting it even, But no, he gets me every time.
Cemetery Lake begins in a cold and rainy graveyard, where ex-cop and now Private Detective Theodore Tate is overseeing an exhumation. But when doubts are raised about the identity of the body found in the coffin, the case takes a sinister turn. And then there are the bodies floating in the lake....if they are not resting in their coffins, who is?
Strongly recommended...now please excuse me, I am off to get the next of his books Collecting Cooper
.
I have never before read one book after another by the same author, but that is what I am now doing.
Paul Cleave is the master of the sucker-punch. You are reading along, all nice and comfy, having the odd laugh (he really is a humorous writer - despite the subject matter!), thinking this is a good read, then out of no-where you are suddenly at OMG! You think I would be accustomed to it, expecting it even, But no, he gets me every time.
Cemetery Lake begins in a cold and rainy graveyard, where ex-cop and now Private Detective Theodore Tate is overseeing an exhumation. But when doubts are raised about the identity of the body found in the coffin, the case takes a sinister turn. And then there are the bodies floating in the lake....if they are not resting in their coffins, who is?
Strongly recommended...now please excuse me, I am off to get the next of his books Collecting Cooper
.
July 15, 2016
Paul Cleave has developed a great character in Theodore Tate. His wife and daughter were walking on a sidewalk when they were struck by a chronic drunk driver who left the scene. His wife is in a nursing home, she doesn't speak or respond in any way, and she just stares out the window. Theo brings her flowers every day. His daughter was killed and he visits the cemetery every day. Theo did what all of us would want to do if we were in that situation, and though he is now a private investigator, he will always be a cop. He is also sad, lonely, and depressed. He's headed down a path that's a one way trip, and by the end of Part One, he's in freefall. Then Theo gets a wake up jolt, and things start improving for him.
I was completely entranced by this book! Cleave has an easy storytelling style that I like. With Theo telling the story, the reader is privy to his thoughts and reasoning and doubts. The murder case was very interesting and unique. Theo is dogged and determined. Most of the cops don't like Theo, but there are some that grudgingly respect him. Casey Horwell is a despicable reporter (check out her last name). I loved the cameo appearance of Joe the janitor!
I am eager to read more of Cleave's books and happy that I have them all at hand.
I was completely entranced by this book! Cleave has an easy storytelling style that I like. With Theo telling the story, the reader is privy to his thoughts and reasoning and doubts. The murder case was very interesting and unique. Theo is dogged and determined. Most of the cops don't like Theo, but there are some that grudgingly respect him. Casey Horwell is a despicable reporter (check out her last name). I loved the cameo appearance of Joe the janitor!
I am eager to read more of Cleave's books and happy that I have them all at hand.
October 2, 2022
I am not sure how I came across Paul Cleave but I am so glad I did. My first book was Trust No One which I just loved (5 stars) and I followed that up with a two book series of his called The Cleaner and Joe Victim which I also loved. Right after the three I knew that this author had strong possibilities and man oh man am I glad that hunch is proving right. He is right up there now among my favourites.
So Cleave is a New Zealander whose stories are all based in Christchurch which is a city of about 380,000. For those big city folks let me assure you that I worked in a city of 250,000 and though I can admit there isn't the same volume of calls as a big city lets just say that the saying "all the worlds a stage" applies. We had the same disgusting crimes any big city would have but clearly on a lesser volume. So though I know very little of NZ or Christchurch adapting to Cleave's stories is so easy.
As I researched Cleave I came upon this series but getting this book proved a task. I wanted a physical copy as I do with all authors I really like and had to settle on a used copy - oh god forbid - used - who knows where its been, lmao, but it was in great condition and that's how much I wanted to read this!
We learn quickly that Theo Tate is an ex Christchurch detective who left the force under suspicious circumstances. He is now a private detective and the book opens up with him having a warrant to exhume a coffin which related to his case two years prior when he was looking into a murder or more correctly Tate's refusal to believe it may have been murder. When the coffin is exhumed bodies arise from the nearby lake which belong to women and oh yeah the body that is supposed to be in the coffin has been replaced with an unknow persons. So now the big boys the true detectives of Christchurch get involved but that doesn't mean Tate is finished with this case - remember it was his baby originally.
I love the way Cleave writes. It is big league to me and I don't know how you explain that but I am sure we can all identify with authors who can really write versus some that simply tell a story though success can be had both ways.
As we learn more and more about Tate we come to understand what his demons are. At one level you can sympathize with him and I do not want to get into much as it will spoil things but damn this guy is one bad ass dude who does a lot of bad stuff and still I agree with everything he did and wish I would have the balls to do it too ( ps I know I would). Tate's hunches are solid from the get go and he is always a step ahead of his former detective friends who now think that Tate is one bad person. Tate continues to spiral out of control feeling guilty about not doing his job when he should have, that he could have prevented at least four murders in his mind. He starts to derail and consumes alcohol in a big way. This is my second book in a row where alcohol abuse is played up in a big way (as it should be). Black Mouth by Malfi was the prior with help lines provided at the end of his book for the US/UK. No help lines provided here but everyone pretty well knows where to seek help.
There are numerous twists and turns here. Most tend to catch you by surprise. Tate is battling with a priest, the very priest who came to his rescue when Tate was in despair. Tate is convinced the killer confessed to the priest and wants to know what was said. Most believe that a priest is protected by law from revealing this but when I liaised with the Crowns office as an investigator we had such a matter come up and if the priest would not answer the related questions put to him then contempt of court it would be. It never came to be an issue in our case as the Crown was able to prosecute without using the priest in the end. The Crown's office wants to uphold the sanctity of confession but are not obliged too.
So does Tate pull himself together? Does he become a hero in the end? Well one part of me wonders how I can pull for a guy like this especially as you see him doing more and more extremely bad things. I mean he just keeps piling bad things upon bad things. Yet like I said there are strong reasons that many of us would pull for him though there will be those who don't like him (the minority I believe). So the ending is unique and catches you off guard and man I can't wait to read the second in this series and yeah my second book is a brand new issue from Amazon :)
I just wanted to include a quote from the book as I tend to believe it wholeheartedly. "There is a natural progression to things. An evolution. First there is fantasy. The fantasy belongs to some sadistic loser, a guy who eats and breathes and dreams with the sole desire to kill. Then comes the reality. A victim falls into his web, she is used, and the fantasy often doesn't live up to the reality. So there are more victims. The desire escalates. It starts with one a year, becomes two or three a year, then it's happening every other month". In my mind so spot on save for the reality fulfilling the fantasy which yields the same results, more kills.
An easy four star rating and if Tate wasn't so twisted I could have easily justified a five star review. Great start to a series by an author I am liking more and more and who has numerous stand alones too which is a big plus by my thinking :) I apologize for the vagueness of this review but it's a tough review sans spoilers..............
So Cleave is a New Zealander whose stories are all based in Christchurch which is a city of about 380,000. For those big city folks let me assure you that I worked in a city of 250,000 and though I can admit there isn't the same volume of calls as a big city lets just say that the saying "all the worlds a stage" applies. We had the same disgusting crimes any big city would have but clearly on a lesser volume. So though I know very little of NZ or Christchurch adapting to Cleave's stories is so easy.
As I researched Cleave I came upon this series but getting this book proved a task. I wanted a physical copy as I do with all authors I really like and had to settle on a used copy - oh god forbid - used - who knows where its been, lmao, but it was in great condition and that's how much I wanted to read this!
We learn quickly that Theo Tate is an ex Christchurch detective who left the force under suspicious circumstances. He is now a private detective and the book opens up with him having a warrant to exhume a coffin which related to his case two years prior when he was looking into a murder or more correctly Tate's refusal to believe it may have been murder. When the coffin is exhumed bodies arise from the nearby lake which belong to women and oh yeah the body that is supposed to be in the coffin has been replaced with an unknow persons. So now the big boys the true detectives of Christchurch get involved but that doesn't mean Tate is finished with this case - remember it was his baby originally.
I love the way Cleave writes. It is big league to me and I don't know how you explain that but I am sure we can all identify with authors who can really write versus some that simply tell a story though success can be had both ways.
As we learn more and more about Tate we come to understand what his demons are. At one level you can sympathize with him and I do not want to get into much as it will spoil things but damn this guy is one bad ass dude who does a lot of bad stuff and still I agree with everything he did and wish I would have the balls to do it too ( ps I know I would). Tate's hunches are solid from the get go and he is always a step ahead of his former detective friends who now think that Tate is one bad person. Tate continues to spiral out of control feeling guilty about not doing his job when he should have, that he could have prevented at least four murders in his mind. He starts to derail and consumes alcohol in a big way. This is my second book in a row where alcohol abuse is played up in a big way (as it should be). Black Mouth by Malfi was the prior with help lines provided at the end of his book for the US/UK. No help lines provided here but everyone pretty well knows where to seek help.
There are numerous twists and turns here. Most tend to catch you by surprise. Tate is battling with a priest, the very priest who came to his rescue when Tate was in despair. Tate is convinced the killer confessed to the priest and wants to know what was said. Most believe that a priest is protected by law from revealing this but when I liaised with the Crowns office as an investigator we had such a matter come up and if the priest would not answer the related questions put to him then contempt of court it would be. It never came to be an issue in our case as the Crown was able to prosecute without using the priest in the end. The Crown's office wants to uphold the sanctity of confession but are not obliged too.
So does Tate pull himself together? Does he become a hero in the end? Well one part of me wonders how I can pull for a guy like this especially as you see him doing more and more extremely bad things. I mean he just keeps piling bad things upon bad things. Yet like I said there are strong reasons that many of us would pull for him though there will be those who don't like him (the minority I believe). So the ending is unique and catches you off guard and man I can't wait to read the second in this series and yeah my second book is a brand new issue from Amazon :)
I just wanted to include a quote from the book as I tend to believe it wholeheartedly. "There is a natural progression to things. An evolution. First there is fantasy. The fantasy belongs to some sadistic loser, a guy who eats and breathes and dreams with the sole desire to kill. Then comes the reality. A victim falls into his web, she is used, and the fantasy often doesn't live up to the reality. So there are more victims. The desire escalates. It starts with one a year, becomes two or three a year, then it's happening every other month". In my mind so spot on save for the reality fulfilling the fantasy which yields the same results, more kills.
An easy four star rating and if Tate wasn't so twisted I could have easily justified a five star review. Great start to a series by an author I am liking more and more and who has numerous stand alones too which is a big plus by my thinking :) I apologize for the vagueness of this review but it's a tough review sans spoilers..............
August 10, 2019
A very dark PI novel from New Zealand.
I did not like the overall depressiveness and the ubiquitous and excessive violence.
The plot was full of suspense, but too densly packed with an abundance of all imaginable abominations.
Therefore: 1 star, because I didn't like the book, a second star for the suspense.
--------------------------
Ein neuseeländischer Krimi Noir mit einem hartgesottenen, versoffenen und vom Leben gezeichneten Privatdetektiv als Protagonisten.
Es beginnt damit, dass die Leichen von 4 jungen Frauen auftauchen, die auf einnem Friedhof versteckt wurden. Es wird also ein Serienmörder gesucht.
Unser Protagonist ist seit 2 Jahren nicht mehr bei der Polizei und mit den ehemaligen Kollegen mehr oder weniger auf Kriegsfuss.
Dennoch schafft er es so ziemlich im Alleingang, diese Mordserie aufzuklären, obwohl er die meiste Zeit besoffen ist, mehrere Leute dabei umbringt und auch ansonsten vielleicht ein höchst bedauernswerter, aber sicherlich kein angenehmer Mensch ist.
Ich mochte das Buch nicht besonders und vergebe daher nur 1 Stern. Da das Buch aber trotz aller an den Haaren herbeigezogenen Plottwists vor allem gegen Ende ziemlich spannend war, lege ich noch einen zweiten Stern drauf.
I did not like the overall depressiveness and the ubiquitous and excessive violence.
The plot was full of suspense, but too densly packed with an abundance of all imaginable abominations.
Therefore: 1 star, because I didn't like the book, a second star for the suspense.
--------------------------
Ein neuseeländischer Krimi Noir mit einem hartgesottenen, versoffenen und vom Leben gezeichneten Privatdetektiv als Protagonisten.
Es beginnt damit, dass die Leichen von 4 jungen Frauen auftauchen, die auf einnem Friedhof versteckt wurden. Es wird also ein Serienmörder gesucht.
Unser Protagonist ist seit 2 Jahren nicht mehr bei der Polizei und mit den ehemaligen Kollegen mehr oder weniger auf Kriegsfuss.
Dennoch schafft er es so ziemlich im Alleingang, diese Mordserie aufzuklären, obwohl er die meiste Zeit besoffen ist, mehrere Leute dabei umbringt und auch ansonsten vielleicht ein höchst bedauernswerter, aber sicherlich kein angenehmer Mensch ist.
Ich mochte das Buch nicht besonders und vergebe daher nur 1 Stern. Da das Buch aber trotz aller an den Haaren herbeigezogenen Plottwists vor allem gegen Ende ziemlich spannend war, lege ich noch einen zweiten Stern drauf.
July 14, 2015
Theo Tate is a sad man. Once a police officer, he resigned when his young daughter was killed and his wife became permanently catatonic after a drunk driver hit them. Now a Private Investigator, he does just enough business to keep a roof over his head.
When one of his clients thinks her father was murdered, Theo pushes for an exhumation. What they find there pushes everything in a different direction .. one that leads to a serial killer.
This is the first book I've read by Paul Cleave .. it won't be the last. The more I read, the more I was hooked. Theo carries a lot of guilt on his shoulders. Theo is a damaged man, but at heart he's a good man. There are choices he's made and continues to make that weigh heavily on him. He's done things he's not proud of, but he also has no regrets. He only hopes he can find the killer before the police come looking for him.
It's non-stop anticipation from the very beginning ... and the ending was nothing I had considered. I like being surprised at the who-dun-it.
Told in first person, I highly recommend this one to anyone who likes a good mystery.
October 17, 2021
3,5 / 5
March 8, 2016
My original Cemetery Lake audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
In a lake on a cemetery, bodies are rising to the surface, while during an exhumation the body of a girl is recovered from a coffin which was meant to hold a male corpse. That’s the situation which starts off Theodore Tate’s search for a fanatic serial killer.
Tate is your typical anti-hero: an ex-cop turned private investigator after an accident in which his young daughter died and which left his wife in a catatonic state. He’s full of guilt, regularly turns to alcohol to get through the day and has few friends left. His methods are pretty unconventional, to say the least, and won’t sit well with some listeners. If you need a likable protagonist, then you’ll probably won’t enjoy this quite as much as I did.
Cemetery Lake is a dark psychological thriller and full of the uncompromising twists that blind-side you and are characteristic of Paul Cleave’s writing. Like his other thrillers, this kept me attached to my headphones for far longer than I had planned because I just didn’t want to stop listening until the mystery was solved. By the end of this, the case was solved, but questions remained about Tate’s future. Guess I need to get hold of the next book. Cemetery Lake is the first in the Theodore Tate series, which consists of four books at present. Only the first two are available on Audible.com at the moment, but I’m hoping all will be released eventually.
The narration by Paul Ansdell is once again excellent. He takes on the first person narrative and becomes Theodore Tate, grief-stricken, torn between good and evil, but also always with a touch of wit. There were no issues with the production.
Highly recommended for fans of dark psychological thrillers featuring a conflicted anti-hero.
Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com
In a lake on a cemetery, bodies are rising to the surface, while during an exhumation the body of a girl is recovered from a coffin which was meant to hold a male corpse. That’s the situation which starts off Theodore Tate’s search for a fanatic serial killer.
Tate is your typical anti-hero: an ex-cop turned private investigator after an accident in which his young daughter died and which left his wife in a catatonic state. He’s full of guilt, regularly turns to alcohol to get through the day and has few friends left. His methods are pretty unconventional, to say the least, and won’t sit well with some listeners. If you need a likable protagonist, then you’ll probably won’t enjoy this quite as much as I did.
Cemetery Lake is a dark psychological thriller and full of the uncompromising twists that blind-side you and are characteristic of Paul Cleave’s writing. Like his other thrillers, this kept me attached to my headphones for far longer than I had planned because I just didn’t want to stop listening until the mystery was solved. By the end of this, the case was solved, but questions remained about Tate’s future. Guess I need to get hold of the next book. Cemetery Lake is the first in the Theodore Tate series, which consists of four books at present. Only the first two are available on Audible.com at the moment, but I’m hoping all will be released eventually.
The narration by Paul Ansdell is once again excellent. He takes on the first person narrative and becomes Theodore Tate, grief-stricken, torn between good and evil, but also always with a touch of wit. There were no issues with the production.
Highly recommended for fans of dark psychological thrillers featuring a conflicted anti-hero.
Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com
May 21, 2013
I received this book as a First Reads winner on Goodreads. Wow! This brilliant, dark, disturbing thriller that Paul Cleave has written! I HAVE to read his other books! I could not put this one down---I would tell myself that I would read a chapter and then stop, but when I got to the end of the chapter, I would read "just one more"...The main character, Theodore Tate, is not a man who behaves in ways that I would agree with, but that made the story more unpredictable and fun to read. Cemetery Lake starts out with Tate, a private investigator who used to be a cop, overseeing the exhumation of a body, when suddenly bodies float to the surface of the cemetery lake. Tate has a complicated past that is emotionally charged and leads him to investigate these bodies, despite the police being hostile towards any involvement from him. So well written, I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come!
July 14, 2014
This mystery totally engrossed me. I had just read it's successor, FIVE MINUTES ALONE, and very much enjoyed it. FIVE MINUTES ALONE, I found to be more of a character study, an examination of the ways in which different individuals ( and society) react to events and principles. Exactly where will a "moral" person draw her or his line? Make no.mistake: there was plenty of action (especially the events at and subsequent to.the abandoned institution) but I found CEMETERY LAKE to be much more action-oriented, in fact to be a "thriller," and I couldn't put it aside. The denouement will undoubtedly quease some stomachs, but in the context, it's tres powerful.
May 2, 2019
Bodies floating to the surface of a lake in a graveyard.
Bodies laid to rest in coffins not their own.
For ex-cop turned P.I. Theo Tate, it's a case he must solve....one that began when his life was torn apart by tragedy, and pushed him over an edge no policeman should cross.
An edge he may be crossing again.
A masterfully written noirish thriller that delivers in spades, Cleave takes the story right to the razor's edge at points, but keeps things on track with a deft hand, and creating a uniquely human character in Theo Tate.....one with real depth who I look forward to reading more about.
Highly recommended.
Bodies laid to rest in coffins not their own.
For ex-cop turned P.I. Theo Tate, it's a case he must solve....one that began when his life was torn apart by tragedy, and pushed him over an edge no policeman should cross.
An edge he may be crossing again.
A masterfully written noirish thriller that delivers in spades, Cleave takes the story right to the razor's edge at points, but keeps things on track with a deft hand, and creating a uniquely human character in Theo Tate.....one with real depth who I look forward to reading more about.
Highly recommended.
July 1, 2013
Another terrific thriller from Cleave featuring Theo Tate. This one involves floating bodies in a lake, corpse switching and 4 dead girls which Tate feels responsible for because of a lack of action on his part two years ago. The story is well-written, never boring and gives real substance to the lead via backstory, something not always seen in books like this. A bit over-the-top at times but you come to expect this from Cleave and the story never suffers for it. Cleave should be more popular here in the States. Highly recommended.
October 7, 2009
I was a bit disappointed by this. It's not so much about the murders, it's about this broken character called Theodore Tate. Ex-cop, now private investigator. His daughter died, his wife lives in her own little world. He turns to alcohol, makes stupid decisions and I didn't find him very likeable. Yes, I get some of it, like the pain about his family but I caught myself thinking "DON'T DO IT, IDIOT!" lots of times.
August 10, 2013
One of the things I love about winning books through the giveaways at Goodreads.com is the ability to find authors that I may never have known about otherwise. I'll be honest. I wasn't familiar with any of Paul Cleave's work but that will definitely change. Cemetery Lake is one of those books that pulls the rug out from under you time and time again. As you read and feel you have things figured out, there goes the rug and everything you thought you knew with it.
The main goal of any author is to suck you into a book so deeply that you find it hard to leave. I'd have to say that Cemetery Lake is very effective in this department. The descriptions, the actions and the characters all provide the reader with plenty of reasons to become lost within the covers. Being set in Christchurch also allows the reader to experience an unknown, yet familiar land and brings its own flavor to the story. Also, I liked how the weather played a key role in the story as well. It was as if the weather was a main character alongside Tate.
I think Theodore Tate has to be one of the most messed up characters that I have read in a long time. The fact that he has any luck at all despite the number of times he screwed up makes him all the more believable to me. I can't believe some of the things he gets himself into all because he's too stubborn to let things alone. The other characters' interactions with Tate are pretty realistic and the number of those believing in him dwindles as the novel progresses akin to how life works in reality.
The pacing of the story is constant from the first chapter. Though there are a few time jumps to move the story along, the action taking places does a great job of keeping the reader invested. At different times, I thought the action had peaked, only to see it climbing once again as another series of events leads to another bombshell. One thing after another happens until you think that there couldn't possibly be anything else. Then the twist gets you.
Overall, I really liked this book. My emotions were all over the place as I read it. From being disgusted to sympathizing to wanting to give the guy a Gibbs smack, I was strapped in and willing to go along for the ride. I look forward to picking up some of Paul Cleave's other books as soon as I can. If you're looking for a suspenseful, crime-filled book that will keep you guessing until that last chapter, you need to take a chance on this book.
The main goal of any author is to suck you into a book so deeply that you find it hard to leave. I'd have to say that Cemetery Lake is very effective in this department. The descriptions, the actions and the characters all provide the reader with plenty of reasons to become lost within the covers. Being set in Christchurch also allows the reader to experience an unknown, yet familiar land and brings its own flavor to the story. Also, I liked how the weather played a key role in the story as well. It was as if the weather was a main character alongside Tate.
I think Theodore Tate has to be one of the most messed up characters that I have read in a long time. The fact that he has any luck at all despite the number of times he screwed up makes him all the more believable to me. I can't believe some of the things he gets himself into all because he's too stubborn to let things alone. The other characters' interactions with Tate are pretty realistic and the number of those believing in him dwindles as the novel progresses akin to how life works in reality.
The pacing of the story is constant from the first chapter. Though there are a few time jumps to move the story along, the action taking places does a great job of keeping the reader invested. At different times, I thought the action had peaked, only to see it climbing once again as another series of events leads to another bombshell. One thing after another happens until you think that there couldn't possibly be anything else. Then the twist gets you.
Overall, I really liked this book. My emotions were all over the place as I read it. From being disgusted to sympathizing to wanting to give the guy a Gibbs smack, I was strapped in and willing to go along for the ride. I look forward to picking up some of Paul Cleave's other books as soon as I can. If you're looking for a suspenseful, crime-filled book that will keep you guessing until that last chapter, you need to take a chance on this book.
June 25, 2013
Cemetery Lake is the second book I've read by Paul Cleave and it's the first in a series featuring the anti-hero Theo Tate. While overseeing an exhumation, questions are raised about the identity of the person's body they find in the coffin. Before long, bodies begin to surface in the nearby lake that is neighboring this cemetary. The corpse found suggests that Tate is to blame because of his failure in the past two years earlier when his whole world fell apart. Tate convinces his self that if he'd had his head on straight, the bodies would not be there so he goes on the hunt and hopes his past doesn't resurface as the dead have.
This first person narrative Cemetery Lake is one wild roller coaster after another. Theo Tate is a severely damaged guy who harbors many secrets and so much guilt. After a freak accident that leaves his wife as a shell of her former self and his 9 year old daughter dead, he is no longer the man he once was when working on the force. Now as a private investigator he has less rules to follow, but the constant struggle between right and wrong weigh heavily on him. As the novel progresses, we see him through many lows with few highs. I liked him most of the novel because he's determined to bring justice to the world, but his method of delivery may not be for the masses.
The first novel I read by Cleave, The Killing Hour, was average to me. It was amusing but nothing substantial enough to break away from the pack. Thankfully, Cemetery Lake has completely renewed my interest in this author. Cemetery Lake jumps from one situation to another without so much as a pause between. I don't remember a moment I wasn't completely sucked into the story or wishing I could read faster. This novel is definitely what makes me love crime thrillers. Although the ending was slightly abrupt, I couldn't take anymore jaw dropping twists, so I was grateful for this to finally come to a strong conclusion.
Overall, I can't wait to read the followup novels Collecting Cooper and The Laughterhouse featuring Theo Tate. Although Cemetery Lake was originally published in 2008, this US re-release will hopefully bring more fans into Paul Cleave's wake. Crime thriller lovers won't want to miss Cemetery Lake. I highly recommend this being added to the short list of what to read next.
This first person narrative Cemetery Lake is one wild roller coaster after another. Theo Tate is a severely damaged guy who harbors many secrets and so much guilt. After a freak accident that leaves his wife as a shell of her former self and his 9 year old daughter dead, he is no longer the man he once was when working on the force. Now as a private investigator he has less rules to follow, but the constant struggle between right and wrong weigh heavily on him. As the novel progresses, we see him through many lows with few highs. I liked him most of the novel because he's determined to bring justice to the world, but his method of delivery may not be for the masses.
The first novel I read by Cleave, The Killing Hour, was average to me. It was amusing but nothing substantial enough to break away from the pack. Thankfully, Cemetery Lake has completely renewed my interest in this author. Cemetery Lake jumps from one situation to another without so much as a pause between. I don't remember a moment I wasn't completely sucked into the story or wishing I could read faster. This novel is definitely what makes me love crime thrillers. Although the ending was slightly abrupt, I couldn't take anymore jaw dropping twists, so I was grateful for this to finally come to a strong conclusion.
Overall, I can't wait to read the followup novels Collecting Cooper and The Laughterhouse featuring Theo Tate. Although Cemetery Lake was originally published in 2008, this US re-release will hopefully bring more fans into Paul Cleave's wake. Crime thriller lovers won't want to miss Cemetery Lake. I highly recommend this being added to the short list of what to read next.
February 6, 2017
Extremely hard review for me to write. The story line is unique and interesting. Written in a conversational style I found myself thinking (as I would in conversation with someone that prattled on and on to the point of impatience), "Get to the point, will you?" Skimmed many pages and didn't miss anything important. By the end of the book I wondered at the great number of people the main character actually killed. The first in cold-blood and the next two in person, sort-of by accident. But the fact that he was investigating something he had no business investigating also led to the deaths of other people, one murder, and one suicide. Then there is the main character spiraling out-of-control in the middle of the book, which takes him down the same path as the man that killed his daughter and brings him to a place he almost kills another man's daughter. That felt/seemed unreasonable to me. If you hate a man enough to kill him because he DUI'd and killed your child, why would you ever put yourself in that same situation?
So, with what I just wrote, you would think wanting to read the next book in the series out-of-the-question. But no, I am quit jazzed to read it and don't even know why. Something about Cleave's writing is addictive and makes you want to know more. To continue on in the life of (PD) Theodore Tate and find out what happens to him.
So, with what I just wrote, you would think wanting to read the next book in the series out-of-the-question. But no, I am quit jazzed to read it and don't even know why. Something about Cleave's writing is addictive and makes you want to know more. To continue on in the life of (PD) Theodore Tate and find out what happens to him.
February 1, 2019
El libro era un obsequio al comprar 2 libros de bolsillo en una librería en Francia donde me encontraba de viaje. Curiosamente, al regresar a casa fue el primero que quise leer (y no los 2 que había elegido comprar). ¡Me encantó!: tanto descubrir al autor como al atormentado Detective Privado que eligió como protagonista. El personaje está tan bien dibujado que su eterno dilema moral - hacer el mal para conseguir un bien - traspasa al lector.
Me quedé con ganas de continuar la historia... y también con la obligación, ya que al final (al menos a mí me pareció así) la historia más que terminar, se detiene, y leyendo la reseña de la siguiente entrega pude intuir que sería ahí donde encontraría las respuestas que faltaron en este libro. Tras mucho dudar entre las 4 y 5 estrellas, y sumado a algunos pequeños "actos de fe" que uno debe hacer para asimilar algunas "coincidencias", finalmente opté por las 4 pero con la ilusión de seguir de cerca a este nuevo Detective que ha entrado por mi puerta.
Me quedé con ganas de continuar la historia... y también con la obligación, ya que al final (al menos a mí me pareció así) la historia más que terminar, se detiene, y leyendo la reseña de la siguiente entrega pude intuir que sería ahí donde encontraría las respuestas que faltaron en este libro. Tras mucho dudar entre las 4 y 5 estrellas, y sumado a algunos pequeños "actos de fe" que uno debe hacer para asimilar algunas "coincidencias", finalmente opté por las 4 pero con la ilusión de seguir de cerca a este nuevo Detective que ha entrado por mi puerta.
September 12, 2019
Ich weiß gar nicht mehr, wie das Buch überhaupt in meinem Regal gelandet ist. Es war auf alle Fälle ein Mängelexemplar-Wühltisch-Angebot, aber selbst da hätte mich - aus heutiger Sicht - weder Cover noch Kurzbeschreibung übermäßig begeistert. Aber immerhin: mal ein Krimi, der in Neuseeland spielt. Der kommt einem ja auch nicht so oft unter. Und als es dann die Anfrage für einen 'Buddy Read' zu diesem Buch gab, war das die perfekte Gelegenheit, das Buch endlich mal anzugehen.
Der Einstieg in die Geschichte fiel mir etwas schwer, denn die einzelnen Personen und auch Ereignisse werden vom Autor nicht wirklich vorgestellt bzw. erklärt. Manches mal dachte ich, es handelt sich vielleicht auch schon um einen weiteren Teil in einer Reihe (und der Leser kennt einzelne Personen und ihre Beziehungen zueinander bereits). Aber nein, das hier ist tatsächlich der Auftakt einer Reihe um Privatdetektiv Tate.
Mit der Zeit kommt man aber rein, und dann entspinnt sich auch eine recht interessante Story um die Leichen verschwundener Mädchen, die in 'fremden' Särgen bestattet wurden. Doch von wem? Und wieso überhaupt? Und ist derjenige auch der Mörder? All diesen Fragen geht Tate nach, und gerät immer mehr in einen regelrechten 'Sumpf'.
Trotz der spannenden Krimi-Handlung war ich in der 2. Hälfte des Buches nur noch halbherzig dabei. Denn meine Sympathien für unseren Protagonisten haben da schon etwas gelitten. Andererseits wurde der Fall, den Tate auflösen wollte, immer verzwickter und hielt mich bei der Stange. Die kreative Auflösung der Geschichte brachte dann auch wieder ein paar Pluspunkte. Das Motiv des Mörders war mir dennoch viel zu dürftig und nicht nachvollziehbar!
Der Einstieg in die Geschichte fiel mir etwas schwer, denn die einzelnen Personen und auch Ereignisse werden vom Autor nicht wirklich vorgestellt bzw. erklärt. Manches mal dachte ich, es handelt sich vielleicht auch schon um einen weiteren Teil in einer Reihe (und der Leser kennt einzelne Personen und ihre Beziehungen zueinander bereits). Aber nein, das hier ist tatsächlich der Auftakt einer Reihe um Privatdetektiv Tate.
Mit der Zeit kommt man aber rein, und dann entspinnt sich auch eine recht interessante Story um die Leichen verschwundener Mädchen, die in 'fremden' Särgen bestattet wurden. Doch von wem? Und wieso überhaupt? Und ist derjenige auch der Mörder? All diesen Fragen geht Tate nach, und gerät immer mehr in einen regelrechten 'Sumpf'.
Trotz der spannenden Krimi-Handlung war ich in der 2. Hälfte des Buches nur noch halbherzig dabei. Denn meine Sympathien für unseren Protagonisten haben da schon etwas gelitten. Andererseits wurde der Fall, den Tate auflösen wollte, immer verzwickter und hielt mich bei der Stange. Die kreative Auflösung der Geschichte brachte dann auch wieder ein paar Pluspunkte. Das Motiv des Mörders war mir dennoch viel zu dürftig und nicht nachvollziehbar!
May 23, 2013
I received this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review... which follows!
RECAP: Former cop (turned Private Investigator) Theo Tate, struggling to overcome his rough past few years, has just been handed the biggest can of worms he'll ever experience, and he's about to open that can. He's having the body of a man exhumed to check and see if he didn't actually die of natural causes, but instead of poisoning (in light of new evidence in a related case that begs the question). Here's the rub: the coffin doesn't hold an older man. It's not empty though... there's a young girl in there. Ummm, strange, right? Yeah, well, not quite as strange as the lake a few meters away from the grave being dug up. Why, you ask? Perhaps the bodies rushing to the surface and bobbing like fishing tackle!
From this point, Theo sets out to put a name to the nameless girl, and it snowballs into a massive case with multiple deaths -- and one ruthless evil.
REVIEW: While it took a bit for me to adjust to present tense from the first person perspective, I really enjoyed this book. It was full of twists and turns, and some pretty shocking moments. The plot was grand and risky, but I think Cleave pulled it off. With a flawed anti-hero who makes poor decisions, a terribly evil villain, and a cast of morally questionable characters, Cleave has turned his hometown of Christchurch into a gritty noir world, ripe for more stories.
I'll definitely be reading more Paul Cleave.
RECAP: Former cop (turned Private Investigator) Theo Tate, struggling to overcome his rough past few years, has just been handed the biggest can of worms he'll ever experience, and he's about to open that can. He's having the body of a man exhumed to check and see if he didn't actually die of natural causes, but instead of poisoning (in light of new evidence in a related case that begs the question). Here's the rub: the coffin doesn't hold an older man. It's not empty though... there's a young girl in there. Ummm, strange, right? Yeah, well, not quite as strange as the lake a few meters away from the grave being dug up. Why, you ask? Perhaps the bodies rushing to the surface and bobbing like fishing tackle!
From this point, Theo sets out to put a name to the nameless girl, and it snowballs into a massive case with multiple deaths -- and one ruthless evil.
REVIEW: While it took a bit for me to adjust to present tense from the first person perspective, I really enjoyed this book. It was full of twists and turns, and some pretty shocking moments. The plot was grand and risky, but I think Cleave pulled it off. With a flawed anti-hero who makes poor decisions, a terribly evil villain, and a cast of morally questionable characters, Cleave has turned his hometown of Christchurch into a gritty noir world, ripe for more stories.
I'll definitely be reading more Paul Cleave.
July 4, 2022
Full review at - The Limit of Books Does Not Exist
I think I have a new favourite rouge ex-detective (sorry Bosch)! Enter Theo Tate who is still recovering from a horrible accident that turned his life upside down two years ago. He lost his job at the police department and now works as a private detective. Tate lives by his own rules and isn’t going to listen to anyone, especially anyone in the police department.
I was a fan of Tate for the most part, but there were definitely some moves that he did that I questioned and didn’t agree with. Cleave did a great job making him so flawed, but the reader was still able to draw sympathy for him and you were rooting for him the whole time.
The mystery, the investigation and the conclusion was done perfectly. I loved how there were little shockers thrown throughout the novel that had me wanting more! I was surprised how everything tied together in the end and was shocked by the murderer and the reason why!
Don’t let this book fall off your radar! I’m so excited that there are 3 more Tate novels in this series!
I think I have a new favourite rouge ex-detective (sorry Bosch)! Enter Theo Tate who is still recovering from a horrible accident that turned his life upside down two years ago. He lost his job at the police department and now works as a private detective. Tate lives by his own rules and isn’t going to listen to anyone, especially anyone in the police department.
I was a fan of Tate for the most part, but there were definitely some moves that he did that I questioned and didn’t agree with. Cleave did a great job making him so flawed, but the reader was still able to draw sympathy for him and you were rooting for him the whole time.
The mystery, the investigation and the conclusion was done perfectly. I loved how there were little shockers thrown throughout the novel that had me wanting more! I was surprised how everything tied together in the end and was shocked by the murderer and the reason why!
Don’t let this book fall off your radar! I’m so excited that there are 3 more Tate novels in this series!
August 7, 2014
Theodore Tate is described as flawed character going from police detective to private detective when his daughter is killed and his wife left brain-damaged in a hit and run. He spends this book making a career of bad choices that land him in deeper and hotter water than he was in before. The Christchurch, NZ that the author portrays is one no tourist in their right mind would book a trip to and the Keystone cops would be more efficient then Tate's former colleagues at enforcing the law. There is flawed and there is self-destructive and I think the latter sums up Theodore Tate.
December 30, 2015
I did not like this book at all. I almost gave up on it early on because I was kind of bored. The narration is all 1st person stream-of-consciousness-like and very plodding. I suppose the purpose is to set up the state of mind of the narrator. Anyway, I struggled on and then things went from boring to bad, then bad to worse. I started skimming because the total melt-down of the main character was just too depressing. I can see there being a lively book club discussion on the topics of revenge, karma and faith. Maybe. If the book club members can finish the book...
June 11, 2022
I have a big soft spot for Christchurch. I think it is a lovely city which, like my own here in Aus, gets knocked more than it should. So that this was set there, and the fact that I've been trying to keep my eye out for more Kiwi authors, I was excited to read this one.
And I was unfortunately disappointed. Firstly, I seem to have got my hands on an American version of the book. So there were sidewalks, vacations, cell phones, etc all through the book. And no self respecting New Zealander would talk about those things that way. I was pulled out of the setting every time the wrong word was used. I also, as an aside, still cannot fathom why Americans need translated texts. But that is a rant for another day.
Theo is deeply flawed, particularly impulsive, arrogant, reactive, and short sighted. These traits, along with his others made him incredibly hard to sympathise with or to care about him. The story was very waffley in places, and I found out at the end that the American edition I had had added in an extra 7000 words to the text from the original version. I am not sure if the problem was those extra 20 pages inserted in, or just generally, but when you just want to be done and there is waffling, it just makes you more fed up.
Finally, grave robbing is not fun. It's exceedingly gross. I am not meaning morally, again that's a debate for elsewhere. Decomposition is messy, smelly, confronting, and disgusting. And apparently it is where my line is (good to know I have one) because all the playing around and moving multiple corpses who weren't just a little dead, but very long time dead and decomposing, did not appeal to me. So yes, just disappointing.
And I was unfortunately disappointed. Firstly, I seem to have got my hands on an American version of the book. So there were sidewalks, vacations, cell phones, etc all through the book. And no self respecting New Zealander would talk about those things that way. I was pulled out of the setting every time the wrong word was used. I also, as an aside, still cannot fathom why Americans need translated texts. But that is a rant for another day.
Theo is deeply flawed, particularly impulsive, arrogant, reactive, and short sighted. These traits, along with his others made him incredibly hard to sympathise with or to care about him. The story was very waffley in places, and I found out at the end that the American edition I had had added in an extra 7000 words to the text from the original version. I am not sure if the problem was those extra 20 pages inserted in, or just generally, but when you just want to be done and there is waffling, it just makes you more fed up.
Finally, grave robbing is not fun. It's exceedingly gross. I am not meaning morally, again that's a debate for elsewhere. Decomposition is messy, smelly, confronting, and disgusting. And apparently it is where my line is (good to know I have one) because all the playing around and moving multiple corpses who weren't just a little dead, but very long time dead and decomposing, did not appeal to me. So yes, just disappointing.
January 30, 2024
Me han gustado más otros libros que he leído de Paul Cleave.
En este primer libro con el investigados privado Theodore Tate como protagonista creo que no ha estado muy acertado. Se me ha hecho pesado tanto el libro como el protagonista.
3 estrellas justitas y por lo que me ha hecho disfrutar en otras ocasiones.
En todo caso, creo que a partir de ahora, si sigue con la serie, es fácil que solo pueda mejorar.
En este primer libro con el investigados privado Theodore Tate como protagonista creo que no ha estado muy acertado. Se me ha hecho pesado tanto el libro como el protagonista.
3 estrellas justitas y por lo que me ha hecho disfrutar en otras ocasiones.
En todo caso, creo que a partir de ahora, si sigue con la serie, es fácil que solo pueda mejorar.
August 9, 2016
CEMETERY LAKE is the third book by Paul Cleave, THE CLEANER and THE KILLING HOUR being the first two. None of these books are connected, so you can pick them up in any order, although, being lucky enough to read them in order, you can see a certain style developing in the writing.
CEMETERY LAKE tells the story of Theodore Tate. One time police officer, his life has gone seriously off the rails. His young daughter was killed and his wife severely injured by a drunk driver. Bridget - his wife - is in a sort of semi-vegetative state and whilst Theodore visits her daily, she never responds / never acknowledges. His daughter is buried at Cemetery Lake, and it's around this cemetery and the brooding, dark, threatening church at its centre that the story of this book swirls. Theodore is present when the body of man is exhumed - his wife's second husband has died in suspicious circumstances so everyone is assuming they'll find evidence of poisoning. Whilst waiting for the coffin to be raised, quietly, with no warning, there is a slight bubble on the surface of the Cemetery Lake and multiple bodies bob into view. Needless to say, all hell breaks loose. When attention returns to the original coffin - the body isn't that of an elderly man and the cemetery curator has fled the scene.
When his family was torn apart by a drunk driver, Theodore fell apart. Slowly it's revealed that the drunk driver - a constant recidivist, let loose time and time again by the court system - has disappeared and everyone, absolutely everyone, is sure that Theodore had something to do with that. Aside from the fact that there's some feeling of sympathy for Theodore and if he has done the unthinkable ... well blind eyes and lack of evidence is one thing, but a spate of missing young women in Christchurch have his former colleagues more occupied. The problem is that Theodore is more than just a bit lost, more than just a bit rudderless and even though he knows the body in the coffin (and the ones in the lake) aren't his concern - he can't stop himself from getting involved. When it gets personal he gets frantic.
CEMETERY LAKE is going to require some willing suspension of disbelief for a reader to really get into it, but after letting some questions roll (the obvious one being how many old graves can you really dig up with absolutely nobody noticing....) there are some incredibly powerful elements to this book. There are also some complicated and frenetic things happening, with Theodore getting hammered from all sides - lawyers with agendas; reporters with scores to settle; old colleagues who don't really know what to do; family priests and two generations of cemetery curators. There's definitely a serial killer at work here, and there is some bizarre connection between this killer and this cemetery, but it's hard to work out what until the story starts to draw the various threads together at the end.
This book has a bit of everything - a frustrating and out of control central protagonist that makes you sniff back a few tears at points, only to go annoyingly feral at others. There are shades of THE KILLING HOUR in the general ambiance of the book - everything seems to happen in the damp fog of night, and that Gothic feel is certainly assisted by setting the action mostly in a graveyard. There is some beautifully, descriptive writing at points through the book, although there is a stage - in the middle - where things get a little muddled and so slow down, but then along comes a ripper of an ending, with a poignant touch and out come the tissues again.
So I still don't really know who Paul Cleave is, and I'm really worried about where he's going to take me next. (But I'm definitely going there).
CEMETERY LAKE tells the story of Theodore Tate. One time police officer, his life has gone seriously off the rails. His young daughter was killed and his wife severely injured by a drunk driver. Bridget - his wife - is in a sort of semi-vegetative state and whilst Theodore visits her daily, she never responds / never acknowledges. His daughter is buried at Cemetery Lake, and it's around this cemetery and the brooding, dark, threatening church at its centre that the story of this book swirls. Theodore is present when the body of man is exhumed - his wife's second husband has died in suspicious circumstances so everyone is assuming they'll find evidence of poisoning. Whilst waiting for the coffin to be raised, quietly, with no warning, there is a slight bubble on the surface of the Cemetery Lake and multiple bodies bob into view. Needless to say, all hell breaks loose. When attention returns to the original coffin - the body isn't that of an elderly man and the cemetery curator has fled the scene.
When his family was torn apart by a drunk driver, Theodore fell apart. Slowly it's revealed that the drunk driver - a constant recidivist, let loose time and time again by the court system - has disappeared and everyone, absolutely everyone, is sure that Theodore had something to do with that. Aside from the fact that there's some feeling of sympathy for Theodore and if he has done the unthinkable ... well blind eyes and lack of evidence is one thing, but a spate of missing young women in Christchurch have his former colleagues more occupied. The problem is that Theodore is more than just a bit lost, more than just a bit rudderless and even though he knows the body in the coffin (and the ones in the lake) aren't his concern - he can't stop himself from getting involved. When it gets personal he gets frantic.
CEMETERY LAKE is going to require some willing suspension of disbelief for a reader to really get into it, but after letting some questions roll (the obvious one being how many old graves can you really dig up with absolutely nobody noticing....) there are some incredibly powerful elements to this book. There are also some complicated and frenetic things happening, with Theodore getting hammered from all sides - lawyers with agendas; reporters with scores to settle; old colleagues who don't really know what to do; family priests and two generations of cemetery curators. There's definitely a serial killer at work here, and there is some bizarre connection between this killer and this cemetery, but it's hard to work out what until the story starts to draw the various threads together at the end.
This book has a bit of everything - a frustrating and out of control central protagonist that makes you sniff back a few tears at points, only to go annoyingly feral at others. There are shades of THE KILLING HOUR in the general ambiance of the book - everything seems to happen in the damp fog of night, and that Gothic feel is certainly assisted by setting the action mostly in a graveyard. There is some beautifully, descriptive writing at points through the book, although there is a stage - in the middle - where things get a little muddled and so slow down, but then along comes a ripper of an ending, with a poignant touch and out come the tissues again.
So I still don't really know who Paul Cleave is, and I'm really worried about where he's going to take me next. (But I'm definitely going there).
June 12, 2013
”Cemetery Lake” by Paul Cleave, published by Atria.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date - June 18, 2013
Paul Cleave has written six books and they are now being reprinted in paperback by Atria. His novels all take place in Christchurch, New Zealand and just from his novels I have no desire to live there.
“Cemetery Lake” is the first novel with ousted Detective and now P.I., Theo Tate. Theo is fighting his own personal problems, the murder of his child and his unresponding wife; both were run over by a drunk driver.
Theo has taken on a job of watching an exhumation so that the police can attend to more pressing matters. While the body is being exhumed, three bodies pop out of Cemetery Lake. Theo discovers that one of the bodies belonged in the exhumed coffin and a young girl’s body is in its place. The bodies all point back to a time when Theo was on the police force and had he followed his instincts may have exhumed the body two years earlier and may well have prevented the murder of three of maybe four young people. Theo now must track down the murderer before he or she commits another murder. This leads Theo to consult with a Catholic priest who helped him over his personal problems. It is while talking with the priest that Theo discovers that the priest may well know who the murderer is but cannot reveal his identity due to the privacy of the confessional. Theo is well aware of this as he has confessed to a crime he committed.
A great series for those interested in mystery/thrillers taking place in a different part of the world and contain a little blood, and a lot of incidents that are outside the boundaries of legality.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date - June 18, 2013
Paul Cleave has written six books and they are now being reprinted in paperback by Atria. His novels all take place in Christchurch, New Zealand and just from his novels I have no desire to live there.
“Cemetery Lake” is the first novel with ousted Detective and now P.I., Theo Tate. Theo is fighting his own personal problems, the murder of his child and his unresponding wife; both were run over by a drunk driver.
Theo has taken on a job of watching an exhumation so that the police can attend to more pressing matters. While the body is being exhumed, three bodies pop out of Cemetery Lake. Theo discovers that one of the bodies belonged in the exhumed coffin and a young girl’s body is in its place. The bodies all point back to a time when Theo was on the police force and had he followed his instincts may have exhumed the body two years earlier and may well have prevented the murder of three of maybe four young people. Theo now must track down the murderer before he or she commits another murder. This leads Theo to consult with a Catholic priest who helped him over his personal problems. It is while talking with the priest that Theo discovers that the priest may well know who the murderer is but cannot reveal his identity due to the privacy of the confessional. Theo is well aware of this as he has confessed to a crime he committed.
A great series for those interested in mystery/thrillers taking place in a different part of the world and contain a little blood, and a lot of incidents that are outside the boundaries of legality.
October 11, 2013
Cemetery Lake was an enjoyable, fast read that built suspense nicely and kept me thoroughly engaged. It was the type of book that had me looking forward to the next time that I would pick it up and find out what happened next. Several of the characters were nicely developed and the plot was clever, winding and had a few interesting twists.
This is not a spoiler as you find out these things very early on. Theo Tate, the main character, is an ex-cop whose life has really gone off the rails. His wife is in a vegetative state from the accident that also killed his only child. He has lost his job on the police force and, to some degree, his will to live.
He then finds himself, quite unexpectedly, in the middle of a very complicated mystery. When exhuming a body, an unexpected corpse shows up and that drives him into action to determine who this corpse was, whether there are other corpses laying around, etc. He, of course, can't just leave this tempting mystery to his ex-colleagues at the Christchurch Police Department, so he plunges in.
At various times he is or is about to be the investigator, the victim and the suspect.
Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave was far better than The Killing Hour, the last of his books that I read, I would recommend it heartily to anyone who likes a good, grisly, murder mystery.
This is not a spoiler as you find out these things very early on. Theo Tate, the main character, is an ex-cop whose life has really gone off the rails. His wife is in a vegetative state from the accident that also killed his only child. He has lost his job on the police force and, to some degree, his will to live.
He then finds himself, quite unexpectedly, in the middle of a very complicated mystery. When exhuming a body, an unexpected corpse shows up and that drives him into action to determine who this corpse was, whether there are other corpses laying around, etc. He, of course, can't just leave this tempting mystery to his ex-colleagues at the Christchurch Police Department, so he plunges in.
At various times he is or is about to be the investigator, the victim and the suspect.
Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave was far better than The Killing Hour, the last of his books that I read, I would recommend it heartily to anyone who likes a good, grisly, murder mystery.
April 26, 2013
Cleave sure likes to end his books abruptly.
I didn't enjoy this one as much i did Blood Men, but it was still quite the roller coaster ride.
I love the character of Theo Tate, even though he is an anti-hero if ever there was one. That's one of the main things I enjoy about Cleave's novels...the fact that all of his characters are pretty damn twisted and no one is ever really innocent or truly heroic in a traditional sense.
I didn't enjoy this one as much i did Blood Men, but it was still quite the roller coaster ride.
I love the character of Theo Tate, even though he is an anti-hero if ever there was one. That's one of the main things I enjoy about Cleave's novels...the fact that all of his characters are pretty damn twisted and no one is ever really innocent or truly heroic in a traditional sense.
January 8, 2016
Quite an engaging story but, please, if you are writing about Christchurch, NZ, don't pretend you are in the USA! And the theme of an (ex-) policeman with alcohol problems is a little overdone, don't you think?
September 6, 2013
I don't think I've read a book where the PI gets himself in so much trouble! This book is a wild page-turner down to the last page. Already have the next book in the series on order!
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