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Spilling CID #2
Ранима близост
Странностите в психотрилъра започват още с професията на главната героиня Наоми – дизайнер на слънчеви часовници. Продължават с енигматичната личност на Робърт – шофьор на камион, нещастно женен. Двамата имат връзка и я консумират всеки четвъртък. Следващия четвъртък Робърт не се появява и Наоми е убедена, че му се е случило нещо ужасно. Съобщава в полицията, но съпругата твърди, че всичко е наред и случаят е закрит. Отчаяна, Наоми обвинява Робърт в изнасилване, за да вдигне полицията на крак. Следва умело заплетен сюжет с множество обрати. Дори изключително внимателно да следите нишката, постоянно ще се чудите накъде ще ви отведе и до края не знаете какво ще се случи. Действието и героите непрекъснато ви държат в напрежение, обсебени от манията за миналото и страха от настоящето
408 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2007
256 people are currently reading
4181 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Hannah
106 books4,504 followersSophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling writer of psychological crime fiction, published in 27 countries. In 2013, her latest novel, The Carrier, won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. Two of Sophie’s crime novels, The Point of Rescue and The Other Half Lives, have been adapted for television and appeared on ITV1 under the series title Case Sensitive in 2011 and 2012. In 2004, Sophie won first prize in the Daphne Du Maurier Festival Short Story Competition for her suspense story The Octopus Nest, which is now published in her first collection of short stories, The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets.
Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective.
Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 659 reviews
September 15, 2013
I picked up this book on spec a couple of years ago and somehow it got shelved before getting read. I am not familiar with this author, but will be adding her books after finishing this review. This one was a British psychological thriller that I found riveting. Suspenseful? Definitely. Intricately plotted? You betcha. Dark? Oh, yeah.
What begins as a missing person case soon transitions into attempted murder and a hunt for a serial rapist. Full of serpentine turns and subtle twists, it kept me guessing until deep into the story. The characters were well-defined with flaws aplenty. The clues came together quite nicely, each one making sense as to how it came about. Loved the ending.
As always, the Brit words and phrases provide endless enjoyment for me. I do hope that someday I will have the opportunity (and the nerve!) to exclaim 'You nutter!' to some well-deserving individual. To the folks who don't give a toss, who can be found knackering in a corner pub, who faff around endlessly, and declare a thing to be 'bollocks', I applaud you. So much fun!
I recommend this book for anyone who likes to dip his or her toes into the waters of the dark side, always reserving the right to pull them back quickly, of course.
What begins as a missing person case soon transitions into attempted murder and a hunt for a serial rapist. Full of serpentine turns and subtle twists, it kept me guessing until deep into the story. The characters were well-defined with flaws aplenty. The clues came together quite nicely, each one making sense as to how it came about. Loved the ending.
As always, the Brit words and phrases provide endless enjoyment for me. I do hope that someday I will have the opportunity (and the nerve!) to exclaim 'You nutter!' to some well-deserving individual. To the folks who don't give a toss, who can be found knackering in a corner pub, who faff around endlessly, and declare a thing to be 'bollocks', I applaud you. So much fun!
I recommend this book for anyone who likes to dip his or her toes into the waters of the dark side, always reserving the right to pull them back quickly, of course.
October 30, 2018
Η Ναόμι, έχει παράνομη σχέση με τον Ρόμπερτ που είναι παντρεμένος. Όταν εκείνος δεν εμφανίζεται στο προκαθορισμένο ραντεβού τους, εκείνη για να κινητοποιήσει την αστυνομία, τον καταγγέλει για βιασμό. Αυτή της η καταγγελία προκαλεί μια χιονοστιβάδα.
Η ανάγνωση του βιβλίου κυλάει γρήγορα κι υπάρχουν αρκετά καλά σημεία κατα τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης που με κάνουν να το κατατάξω στα καλά ψυχολογικά θρίλερ.
Η ανάγνωση του βιβλίου κυλάει γρήγορα κι υπάρχουν αρκετά καλά σημεία κατα τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης που με κάνουν να το κατατάξω στα καλά ψυχολογικά θρίλερ.
July 4, 2023
Where do I begin with this one?
This is marketed as a psychological thriller.
The line between criminal and victim (or those in the right and those in the wrong) is so blurred it is hard to know which label to assign to each of the principal characters.
Let me begin here…
Premise: Naomi Jenkins survived rape, but she never told anyone, not even the police, about her brutal attack.
It took her a long time to become comfortable being with a man again. Now she has fallen in love with Robert Haworth, a married one.
She meets with him every Thursday evening from 4-7 p.m. at a less-than desirable motel.
When he fails to show up at their chosen time, and she doesn’t hear from him for 3 days, she panics, and is sure his wife has done something to him.
So, she reports him missing to the police. But the police really aren’t anxious to do anything about it.
So, she tells the police about the long-ago rape, and that Robert was her rapist. Now they won’t be searching for a missing man, they will be searching for a rapist.
This lie leads Detective Sergeant Charlie Zailer and her team on a crazy trail hunt, where many truths will be revealed and many lies will be told.
So, reader, what is the truth? And what is a lie?
The plot is overshadowed by how the story is told. Naomi makes us feel as if someone else is around – although she is alone – or is she?
Will Robert be found alive?
Was Robert murdered by his wife?
What about Naomi’s rapist? Will that case be resolved?
Trigger warning: Rape is a vicious, dark and horrible crime and the author handles it sensitively, covering the stages of humiliation, pain, fear and ultimate recovery, but never forgetting how it impacts those affected by it.
Still…
The convoluted direction the narrative often veers makes this story a far more difficult, and sometimes less enjoyable read than it could of, or should have been.
This is marketed as a psychological thriller.
The line between criminal and victim (or those in the right and those in the wrong) is so blurred it is hard to know which label to assign to each of the principal characters.
Let me begin here…
Premise: Naomi Jenkins survived rape, but she never told anyone, not even the police, about her brutal attack.
It took her a long time to become comfortable being with a man again. Now she has fallen in love with Robert Haworth, a married one.
She meets with him every Thursday evening from 4-7 p.m. at a less-than desirable motel.
When he fails to show up at their chosen time, and she doesn’t hear from him for 3 days, she panics, and is sure his wife has done something to him.
So, she reports him missing to the police. But the police really aren’t anxious to do anything about it.
So, she tells the police about the long-ago rape, and that Robert was her rapist. Now they won’t be searching for a missing man, they will be searching for a rapist.
This lie leads Detective Sergeant Charlie Zailer and her team on a crazy trail hunt, where many truths will be revealed and many lies will be told.
So, reader, what is the truth? And what is a lie?
The plot is overshadowed by how the story is told. Naomi makes us feel as if someone else is around – although she is alone – or is she?
Will Robert be found alive?
Was Robert murdered by his wife?
What about Naomi’s rapist? Will that case be resolved?
Trigger warning: Rape is a vicious, dark and horrible crime and the author handles it sensitively, covering the stages of humiliation, pain, fear and ultimate recovery, but never forgetting how it impacts those affected by it.
Still…
The convoluted direction the narrative often veers makes this story a far more difficult, and sometimes less enjoyable read than it could of, or should have been.
June 23, 2016
Please remind me to never read this author again.
March 21, 2012
Spoilers in the below:
Individually, each of Sophie Hannah's books holds up well enough. They're not amazing, but they are entertaining. After reading three of her novels, though (including Little Face and the Wrong Mother), I'm frustrated with the pattern that's emerged. Hannah seems to think that all women are emotional idiots, unable to choose a boyfriend, husband, or even one night stand who won't ruin their lives. Women in her books are punished for sex routinely. Perhaps Sophie Hannah is a socially conservative male writing under a pseudonym trying to scare us all?
Individually, each of Sophie Hannah's books holds up well enough. They're not amazing, but they are entertaining. After reading three of her novels, though (including Little Face and the Wrong Mother), I'm frustrated with the pattern that's emerged. Hannah seems to think that all women are emotional idiots, unable to choose a boyfriend, husband, or even one night stand who won't ruin their lives. Women in her books are punished for sex routinely. Perhaps Sophie Hannah is a socially conservative male writing under a pseudonym trying to scare us all?
January 20, 2011
Number two from this author. That's not only a fact but also a fairly apt description.
Sophie Hannah comes with great reviews - not only from all the periodicals at the start of the book that seem to be falling over themselves but also the landlord himself, Al Murray, who name checked her in the Observer or times as a favorite last year.
This book follows along the lines of the first - alternating perspectives from 1st to 3rd - even the same set of police characters - not that I realised at the time - only by checking out my old review.
Naomi Jenkins is having an affair with a married man - Rober Hawforth. When he goes missing, the police dont take her seriously so she claims that not only is he missing, he also raped her (in fairly elaborate circumstances) three years previous. The rape was real but she told the Police it was Hawforth so they would start looking for him. Which they did, and they found him dying in the house, head caved in by his wife - one of the least believable characters in fiction that I have ever read.
None of these "fills you with dread until the last page / Psychological Page Turner reviews" actually point out that the story is the biggest load of old hokum that you will ever have the misfortune to read.
I'm not going to give too much away here but does anyone think a pair of brothers would market and sell real time rapes for the pleasure of men on their stag do's and serve a three course meal with salmon as a starter? I mean jesus christ, men would much prefer Ribs or Black Pudding for their entree.
It gets worse - the rapists go on to form relationships with their victims - the wife is in on it - the police are somehow linked in with romantically with one of them - it just defies logic, reason or credibility.
How does this ever get published? I feel embarassed writing it down that I actually read it until the end.
The structure and feel of this book is a carbon copy of Little Face, which obviously doesnt show much progress after a promising starter.
I will give the next book in the series a go and if there is no improvement - she will join the Biliingham section of my bookshelf.
Sophie Hannah comes with great reviews - not only from all the periodicals at the start of the book that seem to be falling over themselves but also the landlord himself, Al Murray, who name checked her in the Observer or times as a favorite last year.
This book follows along the lines of the first - alternating perspectives from 1st to 3rd - even the same set of police characters - not that I realised at the time - only by checking out my old review.
Naomi Jenkins is having an affair with a married man - Rober Hawforth. When he goes missing, the police dont take her seriously so she claims that not only is he missing, he also raped her (in fairly elaborate circumstances) three years previous. The rape was real but she told the Police it was Hawforth so they would start looking for him. Which they did, and they found him dying in the house, head caved in by his wife - one of the least believable characters in fiction that I have ever read.
None of these "fills you with dread until the last page / Psychological Page Turner reviews" actually point out that the story is the biggest load of old hokum that you will ever have the misfortune to read.
I'm not going to give too much away here but does anyone think a pair of brothers would market and sell real time rapes for the pleasure of men on their stag do's and serve a three course meal with salmon as a starter? I mean jesus christ, men would much prefer Ribs or Black Pudding for their entree.
It gets worse - the rapists go on to form relationships with their victims - the wife is in on it - the police are somehow linked in with romantically with one of them - it just defies logic, reason or credibility.
How does this ever get published? I feel embarassed writing it down that I actually read it until the end.
The structure and feel of this book is a carbon copy of Little Face, which obviously doesnt show much progress after a promising starter.
I will give the next book in the series a go and if there is no improvement - she will join the Biliingham section of my bookshelf.
April 10, 2016
What on earth is Sophie Hannah's problem with her own species? A more misogynistic read you will struggle to find ... Our main protagonist is a feeble minded imbecile with the IQ of a five year old and the libido of a horny teen! Not only does she spend half her time drooling after Simon, a member of her own team, she also let's the rest of the male's talk to her like a piece of shit! Jane Tennison would have had their ball's for breakfast from page 1 never mind by page 286. She screw's her own sister over by bedding a questionable male at a resort who's detail's she got from a main suspect .. WTF!! A more wet woman would be hard to meet .. Convoluted plot lines, unlikeable character's, weak, lazy & sterotypical writing. I'm morally insulted for my own gender by a member of my own gender! In fact, the whole book can be summed up by some of it's own passages ... Naomi on Charlie .. 'I can't believe she hasn't got there yet, she's supposed to be a detective' .. Yup! You & me both kid! ... 'Charlie wasn't interested in hearing about how she ought to be behaving' .. No shit sherlock! And, finally, this classic .. 'what sort of stupid bitch would believe a man like Graham Angilley' .. !! Erm .. You would!!
Woeful, sexist, and inane ... Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Woeful, sexist, and inane ... Avoid, avoid, avoid.
November 12, 2017
I wasn't that fond of the first Spilling CD book, Little Face, but I'm glad I stuck with this series, because Hurting Distance was great! I can see now how the fractured relationship between Detective Waterhouse and Sergeant Zailer, annoying but necessary in the first book, leads to the great and spawling drama in this one. And what a mystery!
November 18, 2018
Over and done with this author!
May 12, 2020
Μετά το «Μωρό στην κούνια», η Sophie Hannah επιστρέφει με την «Εμμονή», ένα ακόμα συναρπαστικό θρίλερ.
Όλα ξεκινούν όταν η Ναόμι Τζένκινς καταγγέλλει στην αστυνομία την εξαφάνιση του -παντρεμένου- εραστή της, σίγουρη πως κάτι κακό του έχει συμβεί. Όμως δεν βρίσκει την ανταπόκριση που περιμένει μιας και οι ντετέκτιβ, νομίζοντας πως ο άντρας απλά προσπαθεί να ξεκόψει, δεν την παίρνουν πολύ στα σοβαρά. Τότε εκείνη αποφασίζει να καταθέσει πως ο εραστής της την είχε βιάσει στο παρελθόν, ελπίζοντας πως αυτό θα παρακινήσει την αστυνομία να αρχίσει να τον αναζητεί άμεσα – όχι σαν θύμα πλέον, αλλά σαν θύτη.
Η Ναόμι δεν μπορούσε να φανταστεί πως αυτή η παρανοϊκή ιδέα της θα άνοιγε τους ασκούς του Αιόλου. Οι Τσάρλι Ζάιλερ και Σάιμον Γουότερχαουζ, οι ντετέκτιβ που ξανασυναντούμε εδώ μετά το «Μωρό στην κούνια» και τη «Γυναίκα με το μυστικό», και οι συνάδελφοί τους όντως ξεκινούν έρευνες για τον εντοπισμό του άντρα.
Όσο η έρευνα προχωρά και νέα στοιχεία έρχονται στο φως, τόσο η υπόθεση περιπλέκεται. Μπορεί η Ναόμι να ισχυρίστηκε ψευδώς ότι τη βίασε ο συγκεκριμένος άντρας, όμως δεν είπε ψέματα σχετικά με τον βιασμό της· πράγματι, είχε πέσει θύμα βιασμού πριν λίγα χρόνια, γεγονός που ακόμα τη στοιχειώνει. Κι όχι μόνο αυτό, αλλά δεν ήταν η μοναδική. Πώς θα αντιδράσει, τόσο εκείνη όσο και η αστυνομία, μπροστά σ’ αυτή την αποκάλυψη, αλλά και στην πιθανότητα ο άντρας με τον οποίο είναι ερωτευμένη να σχετίζεται κατά κάποιον τρόπο με αυτούς τους βιασμούς; Κρυμμένες αλήθειες και παλιά μυστικά αρχίζουν να έρχονται στο φως με καταιγιστικούς ρυθμούς και όλοι οι ήρωες πρέπει να αντιμετωπίσουν τον κυκεώνα των αποκαλύψεων που θα τους φέρει στα όριά τους, σωματικά αλλά και ψυχικά...
Η «Εμμονή» είναι ένα εξαιρετικά καλογραμμένο ψυχολογικό θρίλερ, που κλιμακώνεται σταδιακά και τυλίγει τον αναγνώστη στον ιστό του με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο, μην αφήνοντάς του άλλη επιλογή από το να ενδώσει. Αρχικά, η υπόθεση δεν φανερώνει με τίποτα τη δυναμική της και απαιτείται υπομονή και προσήλωση, ώσπου να αρχίσει να σχηματίζεται το νόημα. Φαινομενικά, μια εμμονική με τον εραστή της γυναίκα φαίνεται να μην μπορεί να αποδεχτεί το τέλος της σχέσης τους· όμως τελικά αποδεικνύεται πως πρόκειται για κάτι πολύ πιο περίπλοκο και σοβαρό.
Οι χαρακτήρες είναι καλοδουλεμένοι, πολύπλοκοι κι ενδιαφέροντες. Οι αντιδράσεις τους, η συμπεριφορά τους, οι κινήσεις και τα λόγια τους δείχνουν πως όλοι έχουν κάτι να κρύψουν. Κάτι που τους φοβίζει, τους πονάει ή απλά το θεωρούν πολύ προσωπικό ώστε να το αποκαλύψουν σε τρίτους. Όμως τίποτε δεν μένει κρυφό για πάντα και όλοι τους, αργά ή γρήγορα, θα πρέπει να το φανερώσουν – είτε με τη θέλησή τους, είτε επειδή θα αναγκαστούν να το κάνουν.
Η εξαφάνιση του Ρόμπερτ και η εξωσυζυγική σχέση του με τη Ναόμι περνά σχετικά γρήγορα σε δεύτερη μοίρα, όταν έρχεται στο προσκήνιο το θέμα των βιασμών. Πρόκειται, ούτως ή άλλως, για ένα θέμα εξαιρετικά ευαίσθητο, που πρέπει να το διαχειριστεί κανείς με προσοχή. Η Hannah έχει επιλέξει να δώσει λόγο ως προς αυτό σε όλους τους ήρωές της. Βέβαια, ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον έχει το πώς αισθάνονται οι γυναίκες-θύματα, αλλά και το πώς βλέπουν το συγκεκριμένο ζήτημα οι δράστες που εμπλέκονται σ’ αυτό, όταν τελικά αποκαλυφθούν οι ταυτότητές τους. Κάθε πτυχή του συγκεκριμένου ζητήματος -από την αρχική πράξη μέχρι και την τελική τιμωρία- ξεδιπλώνεται από τη συγγραφέα με τρόπο που ικανοποιεί τη δίψα του αναγνώστη για δράση και αποκαλύψεις, αλλά και με πολλή φροντίδα ως προς τα θύματα και τα δικά τους συναισθήματα.
Ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει και η προσωπική ζωή των ηρώων που ξαναβρίσκουμε εδώ. Η Τσάρλι προσπαθεί να φέρεται όσο πιο επαγγελματικά μπορεί απέναντι στον Σάιμον, όμως η κατάσταση ανάμεσά τους είναι συνεχώς τεταμένη, ενώ ούτε οι συνεργάτες τους διανύουν την πιο χαλαρή τους περίοδο. Οι μεταξύ τους σχέσεις, που καταλαμβάνουν μοιραία ένα μεγάλο μέρος της πλοκής, είναι εκείνες που της δίνουν ένα εξίσου ξεχωριστό ενδιαφέρον, ανεξαρτήτως της κύριας υπόθεσης. Οι αναγνώστες που έχουν διαβάσει τα προηγούμενα βιβλία της Hannah χαίρονται που συναντούν ξανά γνώριμα πρόσωπα και ενδιαφέρονται για το πώς έχει εξελιχθεί η ζωή τους στο μεταξύ, ενώ οι καινούριοι έρχονται σε επαφή με μια ομάδα ανθρώπων που συνεργάζονται και συμβιώνουν καθημερινά, έχουν τους προσωπικούς τους κώδικες επικοινωνίας, τις καλές και τις κακές στιγμές τους, αλλά και τα σκαμπανεβάσματα στις σχέσεις τους.
Το τέλος του βιβλίου δικαιώνει απόλυτα όσους αναμένουν μια συναρπαστική κορύφωση, αλλά και την επιβολή δικαιοσύνης. Αυτή, με τον έναν ή τον άλλον τρόπο, αποδίδεται τελικά. Η «Εμμονή» καταπιάνεται με μια αληθινά σκοτεινή υπόθεση, που καταδεικνύει με γλαφυρό και αποστομωτικό τρόπο τα σκοτάδια της ανθρώπινης ψυχής, όμως στο τέλος φανερώνει τη δύναμη που κρύβουν ορισμένοι άνθρωποι μέσα τους, μια δύναμη που ίσως δεν ήξεραν πως διαθέτουν ούτε καν οι ίδιοι. Κι αυτός είναι ένας μόνο από τους λόγους που αξίζει να διαβάσει κανείς το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο.
Όλα ξεκινούν όταν η Ναόμι Τζένκινς καταγγέλλει στην αστυνομία την εξαφάνιση του -παντρεμένου- εραστή της, σίγουρη πως κάτι κακό του έχει συμβεί. Όμως δεν βρίσκει την ανταπόκριση που περιμένει μιας και οι ντετέκτιβ, νομίζοντας πως ο άντρας απλά προσπαθεί να ξεκόψει, δεν την παίρνουν πολύ στα σοβαρά. Τότε εκείνη αποφασίζει να καταθέσει πως ο εραστής της την είχε βιάσει στο παρελθόν, ελπίζοντας πως αυτό θα παρακινήσει την αστυνομία να αρχίσει να τον αναζητεί άμεσα – όχι σαν θύμα πλέον, αλλά σαν θύτη.
Η Ναόμι δεν μπορούσε να φανταστεί πως αυτή η παρανοϊκή ιδέα της θα άνοιγε τους ασκούς του Αιόλου. Οι Τσάρλι Ζάιλερ και Σάιμον Γουότερχαουζ, οι ντετέκτιβ που ξανασυναντούμε εδώ μετά το «Μωρό στην κούνια» και τη «Γυναίκα με το μυστικό», και οι συνάδελφοί τους όντως ξεκινούν έρευνες για τον εντοπισμό του άντρα.
Όσο η έρευνα προχωρά και νέα στοιχεία έρχονται στο φως, τόσο η υπόθεση περιπλέκεται. Μπορεί η Ναόμι να ισχυρίστηκε ψευδώς ότι τη βίασε ο συγκεκριμένος άντρας, όμως δεν είπε ψέματα σχετικά με τον βιασμό της· πράγματι, είχε πέσει θύμα βιασμού πριν λίγα χρόνια, γεγονός που ακόμα τη στοιχειώνει. Κι όχι μόνο αυτό, αλλά δεν ήταν η μοναδική. Πώς θα αντιδράσει, τόσο εκείνη όσο και η αστυνομία, μπροστά σ’ αυτή την αποκάλυψη, αλλά και στην πιθανότητα ο άντρας με τον οποίο είναι ερωτευμένη να σχετίζεται κατά κάποιον τρόπο με αυτούς τους βιασμούς; Κρυμμένες αλήθειες και παλιά μυστικά αρχίζουν να έρχονται στο φως με καταιγιστικούς ρυθμούς και όλοι οι ήρωες πρέπει να αντιμετωπίσουν τον κυκεώνα των αποκαλύψεων που θα τους φέρει στα όριά τους, σωματικά αλλά και ψυχικά...
Η «Εμμονή» είναι ένα εξαιρετικά καλογραμμένο ψυχολογικό θρίλερ, που κλιμακώνεται σταδιακά και τυλίγει τον αναγνώστη στον ιστό του με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο, μην αφήνοντάς του άλλη επιλογή από το να ενδώσει. Αρχικά, η υπόθεση δεν φανερώνει με τίποτα τη δυναμική της και απαιτείται υπομονή και προσήλωση, ώσπου να αρχίσει να σχηματίζεται το νόημα. Φαινομενικά, μια εμμονική με τον εραστή της γυναίκα φαίνεται να μην μπορεί να αποδεχτεί το τέλος της σχέσης τους· όμως τελικά αποδεικνύεται πως πρόκειται για κάτι πολύ πιο περίπλοκο και σοβαρό.
Οι χαρακτήρες είναι καλοδουλεμένοι, πολύπλοκοι κι ενδιαφέροντες. Οι αντιδράσεις τους, η συμπεριφορά τους, οι κινήσεις και τα λόγια τους δείχνουν πως όλοι έχουν κάτι να κρύψουν. Κάτι που τους φοβίζει, τους πονάει ή απλά το θεωρούν πολύ προσωπικό ώστε να το αποκαλύψουν σε τρίτους. Όμως τίποτε δεν μένει κρυφό για πάντα και όλοι τους, αργά ή γρήγορα, θα πρέπει να το φανερώσουν – είτε με τη θέλησή τους, είτε επειδή θα αναγκαστούν να το κάνουν.
Η εξαφάνιση του Ρόμπερτ και η εξωσυζυγική σχέση του με τη Ναόμι περνά σχετικά γρήγορα σε δεύτερη μοίρα, όταν έρχεται στο προσκήνιο το θέμα των βιασμών. Πρόκειται, ούτως ή άλλως, για ένα θέμα εξαιρετικά ευαίσθητο, που πρέπει να το διαχειριστεί κανείς με προσοχή. Η Hannah έχει επιλέξει να δώσει λόγο ως προς αυτό σε όλους τους ήρωές της. Βέβαια, ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον έχει το πώς αισθάνονται οι γυναίκες-θύματα, αλλά και το πώς βλέπουν το συγκεκριμένο ζήτημα οι δράστες που εμπλέκονται σ’ αυτό, όταν τελικά αποκαλυφθούν οι ταυτότητές τους. Κάθε πτυχή του συγκεκριμένου ζητήματος -από την αρχική πράξη μέχρι και την τελική τιμωρία- ξεδιπλώνεται από τη συγγραφέα με τρόπο που ικανοποιεί τη δίψα του αναγνώστη για δράση και αποκαλύψεις, αλλά και με πολλή φροντίδα ως προς τα θύματα και τα δικά τους συναισθήματα.
Ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει και η προσωπική ζωή των ηρώων που ξαναβρίσκουμε εδώ. Η Τσάρλι προσπαθεί να φέρεται όσο πιο επαγγελματικά μπορεί απέναντι στον Σάιμον, όμως η κατάσταση ανάμεσά τους είναι συνεχώς τεταμένη, ενώ ούτε οι συνεργάτες τους διανύουν την πιο χαλαρή τους περίοδο. Οι μεταξύ τους σχέσεις, που καταλαμβάνουν μοιραία ένα μεγάλο μέρος της πλοκής, είναι εκείνες που της δίνουν ένα εξίσου ξεχωριστό ενδιαφέρον, ανεξαρτήτως της κύριας υπόθεσης. Οι αναγνώστες που έχουν διαβάσει τα προηγούμενα βιβλία της Hannah χαίρονται που συναντούν ξανά γνώριμα πρόσωπα και ενδιαφέρονται για το πώς έχει εξελιχθεί η ζωή τους στο μεταξύ, ενώ οι καινούριοι έρχονται σε επαφή με μια ομάδα ανθρώπων που συνεργάζονται και συμβιώνουν καθημερινά, έχουν τους προσωπικούς τους κώδικες επικοινωνίας, τις καλές και τις κακές στιγμές τους, αλλά και τα σκαμπανεβάσματα στις σχέσεις τους.
Το τέλος του βιβλίου δικαιώνει απόλυτα όσους αναμένουν μια συναρπαστική κορύφωση, αλλά και την επιβολή δικαιοσύνης. Αυτή, με τον έναν ή τον άλλον τρόπο, αποδίδεται τελικά. Η «Εμμονή» καταπιάνεται με μια αληθινά σκοτεινή υπόθεση, που καταδεικνύει με γλαφυρό και αποστομωτικό τρόπο τα σκοτάδια της ανθρώπινης ψυχής, όμως στο τέλος φανερώνει τη δύναμη που κρύβουν ορισμένοι άνθρωποι μέσα τους, μια δύναμη που ίσως δεν ήξεραν πως διαθέτουν ούτε καν οι ίδιοι. Κι αυτός είναι ένας μόνο από τους λόγους που αξίζει να διαβάσει κανείς το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο.
September 19, 2016
Not recommended. Oh my heavens. Improbable situations, ridiculous dialogue (real people don't speak in literary similes and metaphors), and unsympathetic characters - a real witch's brew, and very disappointing. I skimmed through to the end only to confirm the solution that I had figured out far too early. This is a book for laying down and avoiding.
March 11, 2022
Summary: A woman's married lover disappears, but his wife insists he's fine. The truth is darker than anyone can realize.
Solid mystery, but not my favorite Sophie Hannah book. Be sure to look up TWs.
Characters:7/10 I struggled to understand the motivation for several characters. I enjoyed that Naomi had a unique profession. Her communication style of telling the story to Robert was also unique.
Uniqueness: 10/10
Plot: 7/10 Some of the police interviews dragged for me.
Cover: 7/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Knowledge: 8/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Solid mystery, but not my favorite Sophie Hannah book. Be sure to look up TWs.
Characters:7/10 I struggled to understand the motivation for several characters. I enjoyed that Naomi had a unique profession. Her communication style of telling the story to Robert was also unique.
Uniqueness: 10/10
Plot: 7/10 Some of the police interviews dragged for me.
Cover: 7/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Knowledge: 8/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
November 16, 2020
Επιτέλους τελείωσε! Ανόητο, κουτό και βαρετό θα χαρακτήριζα το εν λόγω βιβλίο. Ούτε ενδιαφέρον είχε, ούτε συμπαθητικους ήρωες, ούτε πλοκή που να συναρπάζει. Ίσως το αρχικό concept να ήταν ενδιαφέρον αν εκτυλισσοταν διαφορετικά γιατί όταν διάβασα την περίληψη στο πίσω μέρος του βιβλιου, ομολογώ πως με κέντρισε. Σαν ιδέα ήταν καλή, η εκτέλεση μας τα χάλασε.
Δύο υστερικες πρωταγωνιστριας, από τη μια η Ναόμι Τζενκινς, μια κατά τα άλλα επιτυχημένη ελεύθερη επαγγελματίας και μια αστυνομικός, η Τσάρλι Ζαιλερ, που συμπεριφεροταν χειρότερα και από 15χρονη έφηβη. Δύο ηρωίδες "θύματα" της ανασφάλειας τους και απολύτως εξαρτημένες από τις αντρικές παρουσίες δίπλα τους. Ως προσωπικότητες δεν λένε απολύτως τίποτα. Εμμονικες και οι δύο μέχρι υστερίας. Άσε δε η πλοκή από όπου και να την πιάσεις μπάζει από παντού. Προχειροφτιαγμενοι ήρωες σε μια υπόθεση που κάνει νερά από όλες τις πλευρές. Οι αστυνομικοί όλοι έχουν φάει πετρια στο κεφαλι, δεν είδα κανέναν να αντιμετωπίζει με σοβαρότητα μια τόσο λεπτή υπόθεση όσο αυτή που έχει να κάνει με βιασμούς γυναικών, συνεχώς σαχλαμαριζαν για προσωπικά τους θέματα, χωρίς να ασχολούνται με την υπηρεσία τους. Η υπόθεση λύθηκε, εντελώς τυχαία, περισσότερο χάρη στην επιμονή της Ναόμι, παρά στις έρευνες της αστυνομίας. Η Ζαιλερ απλώς φλέρταρε και περνούσε τον καιρό της στην αγκαλιά του Γκράχαμ Αντζιλει, βασικού πρωταγωνιστή της ιστορίας. Ούτε ψυχολογικό θρίλερ θα το χαρακτήριζα, ούτε αστυνομικό, μάλλον wannabe αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα με προεκτάσεις ψυχολογικου θρίλερ, αλλά ούτε καν, πέρασε και δεν ακούμπησε. Αδιάφορο! 2 αστεράκια μετά βίας!
Δύο υστερικες πρωταγωνιστριας, από τη μια η Ναόμι Τζενκινς, μια κατά τα άλλα επιτυχημένη ελεύθερη επαγγελματίας και μια αστυνομικός, η Τσάρλι Ζαιλερ, που συμπεριφεροταν χειρότερα και από 15χρονη έφηβη. Δύο ηρωίδες "θύματα" της ανασφάλειας τους και απολύτως εξαρτημένες από τις αντρικές παρουσίες δίπλα τους. Ως προσωπικότητες δεν λένε απολύτως τίποτα. Εμμονικες και οι δύο μέχρι υστερίας. Άσε δε η πλοκή από όπου και να την πιάσεις μπάζει από παντού. Προχειροφτιαγμενοι ήρωες σε μια υπόθεση που κάνει νερά από όλες τις πλευρές. Οι αστυνομικοί όλοι έχουν φάει πετρια στο κεφαλι, δεν είδα κανέναν να αντιμετωπίζει με σοβαρότητα μια τόσο λεπτή υπόθεση όσο αυτή που έχει να κάνει με βιασμούς γυναικών, συνεχώς σαχλαμαριζαν για προσωπικά τους θέματα, χωρίς να ασχολούνται με την υπηρεσία τους. Η υπόθεση λύθηκε, εντελώς τυχαία, περισσότερο χάρη στην επιμονή της Ναόμι, παρά στις έρευνες της αστυνομίας. Η Ζαιλερ απλώς φλέρταρε και περνούσε τον καιρό της στην αγκαλιά του Γκράχαμ Αντζιλει, βασικού πρωταγωνιστή της ιστορίας. Ούτε ψυχολογικό θρίλερ θα το χαρακτήριζα, ούτε αστυνομικό, μάλλον wannabe αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα με προεκτάσεις ψυχολογικου θρίλερ, αλλά ούτε καν, πέρασε και δεν ακούμπησε. Αδιάφορο! 2 αστεράκια μετά βίας!
April 8, 2011
The Truth-Teller's Lie: A Novel previously published as Hurting Distance by Sophie Hannah
Naomi Jenkins is having an affair with Robert Haworth. After he misses a scheduled tryst night, she assumes something bad has happened to him. After an unsuccessful attempt to find him at home, she involves the police.
At first, I found Naomi to be an annoying nut bag. Her character is unlikeable and irritating and I was actually put off the story for the first several chapters. But, as the story progressed, all of that changed for me. Naomi's best friend is Yvon. Luckily, Yvon said what I was thinking; she voiced what I wanted to say to Naomi. Yvon makes sense and tries to put Naomi's fears into perspective.
The detectives on the case are competent and well rounded although a little slow with doing things. Some parts of the story are told from Naomi's point of view, but she also talks to Robert in first person which is distracting because it is every other paragraph. It did allow more background information as to what was going on, but for me it wasn't a seamless transition. I can't disclose more of the story because the impact of what is going on needs to unfold as you read it.
I really enjoyed the unraveling of this story and there is a lot more to this plot then I had initially thought. Hannah's writing is well done, enthralling and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. This is definitely a mystery/suspense novel at its best. This is my first book that I have read by Sophie Hannah and luckily I already have several of her other books on my TBR list.
If you are interested in reading a sophisticated, well written suspenseful mystery, Sophie Hannah is an author to invest your time in.
Naomi Jenkins is having an affair with Robert Haworth. After he misses a scheduled tryst night, she assumes something bad has happened to him. After an unsuccessful attempt to find him at home, she involves the police.
At first, I found Naomi to be an annoying nut bag. Her character is unlikeable and irritating and I was actually put off the story for the first several chapters. But, as the story progressed, all of that changed for me. Naomi's best friend is Yvon. Luckily, Yvon said what I was thinking; she voiced what I wanted to say to Naomi. Yvon makes sense and tries to put Naomi's fears into perspective.
The detectives on the case are competent and well rounded although a little slow with doing things. Some parts of the story are told from Naomi's point of view, but she also talks to Robert in first person which is distracting because it is every other paragraph. It did allow more background information as to what was going on, but for me it wasn't a seamless transition. I can't disclose more of the story because the impact of what is going on needs to unfold as you read it.
I really enjoyed the unraveling of this story and there is a lot more to this plot then I had initially thought. Hannah's writing is well done, enthralling and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. This is definitely a mystery/suspense novel at its best. This is my first book that I have read by Sophie Hannah and luckily I already have several of her other books on my TBR list.
If you are interested in reading a sophisticated, well written suspenseful mystery, Sophie Hannah is an author to invest your time in.
March 6, 2012
Why would a woman be desperate to report missing a man she claims raped her?
Much of the book is written from her first-person perspective, as though she's addressing the aforementioned man. I have a weakness for books that use "you" casually and provocatively: "I could explain, if you were here to listen." And Hannah does explain, but I didn't feel satisfied by the explanation at all, even though it tucks in quite neatly and every detail and coincidence is accounted for. I had a sour taste in my mouth despite this competence, which I'm going to chalk up to a persistently dark world -- no, not dark (that sounds too intriguingly mysterious), maybe just too harshly lit with fluorescent lights, unrelentingly so, with people playing mind games with each other out in the open.
I'm officially calling it quits on Sophie Hannah's works despite blurbs that catch my interest and glowing reviews for her psychological thrillers. Her plots contort a little too painfully, riding on the premise that people are well and truly screwed up in the head, and I have no patience with her supposedly sympathetic characters. Perhaps they seem realistically human to other readers, with their fumbling mistakes and self-recrimination and dysfunctional relationships. But they seemed less alive and more annoying to me.
Much of the book is written from her first-person perspective, as though she's addressing the aforementioned man. I have a weakness for books that use "you" casually and provocatively: "I could explain, if you were here to listen." And Hannah does explain, but I didn't feel satisfied by the explanation at all, even though it tucks in quite neatly and every detail and coincidence is accounted for. I had a sour taste in my mouth despite this competence, which I'm going to chalk up to a persistently dark world -- no, not dark (that sounds too intriguingly mysterious), maybe just too harshly lit with fluorescent lights, unrelentingly so, with people playing mind games with each other out in the open.
I'm officially calling it quits on Sophie Hannah's works despite blurbs that catch my interest and glowing reviews for her psychological thrillers. Her plots contort a little too painfully, riding on the premise that people are well and truly screwed up in the head, and I have no patience with her supposedly sympathetic characters. Perhaps they seem realistically human to other readers, with their fumbling mistakes and self-recrimination and dysfunctional relationships. But they seemed less alive and more annoying to me.
February 8, 2015
I’ve always enjoyed reading novels by good female authors and now I can add another one; this time, a thriller writer. My daughter has sent me a book by Sophie Hannah ‘Hurting Distance’; a thoughtful, disturbing, complex psychological crime novel. It is Sophie Hannah’s second book. Am I now a Sophie Hannah fan? You bet I am, can’t wait to get my hands on some more!
I was completely hooked from the first page, couldn’t put it down! I particularly liked Detective Sergeant Charlie (Charlotte) Zailer and her team of detectives. I got the impression that they might be a feature of the stories; I hope so. I like the familiarity of continuing characters; a bit like Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse, or Ian Rankin’s Rebus. Charlie’s love life and relationship with her sister I found interesting; hope there’s more. The central story of abused women and obsessive love and hate was intriguing and gripping, although I thought some of it was a little implausible. Never-the-less, a thoroughly enjoyable read. Any criticism is minor compared with the quality of the writing and my total enjoyment of the book. I rate this novel five (5) stars.
I was completely hooked from the first page, couldn’t put it down! I particularly liked Detective Sergeant Charlie (Charlotte) Zailer and her team of detectives. I got the impression that they might be a feature of the stories; I hope so. I like the familiarity of continuing characters; a bit like Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse, or Ian Rankin’s Rebus. Charlie’s love life and relationship with her sister I found interesting; hope there’s more. The central story of abused women and obsessive love and hate was intriguing and gripping, although I thought some of it was a little implausible. Never-the-less, a thoroughly enjoyable read. Any criticism is minor compared with the quality of the writing and my total enjoyment of the book. I rate this novel five (5) stars.
February 24, 2016
I don't know whether to give this one or two stars. I did finish it, but did not like it at all. Didn't like the characters, the police characters were a little hard to follow. At first I couldn't tell if Naomi was a complete nut job or just stupid- but then she started being described as "very intelligent" so I think the author just wanted you to believe she was so love sick. Once I decided I did not like this book at all, the violence was completely senseless, and it was extremely violent. It was not even a good thriller or who done it, just the violence for the sake of shock. This was my second Sophie Hannah book, and it will be my last. I have met this author twice, she is a fantastic speaker and a fun person, so I gave this book another shot after reading "The Wrong Mother". Now I will just enjoy her company, but give up on her books. 1.5 stars.
November 29, 2022
**spoiler at the end**
I read this book on Kindle but the cover is that of a Soho press ebook.
Anyway....
Very well-written book that I recommend particularly for those who like English settings for their mysteries and thrillers.
Two complaints: one of the sub-villains is-natch-a big right-winger, so fits that all-too-frequent fiction trope. However, he doesn't have a major role.
A bigger problem was the rather poor editing in this edition. Don't know why it happened--surely the print editions are better--but in far too many places, dialogue for one character was in the same paragraph as dialogue for another, making it hard to know who was talking. I guess we are lucky this is rare in most commercial books.
Finally, unfortunately, it happens that a very current news story (from Los Angeles, not Epstein) suggests this book is all too close to reality. https://www.thedailybeast.com/los-ang...
I read this book on Kindle but the cover is that of a Soho press ebook.
Anyway....
Very well-written book that I recommend particularly for those who like English settings for their mysteries and thrillers.
Two complaints: one of the sub-villains is-natch-a big right-winger, so fits that all-too-frequent fiction trope. However, he doesn't have a major role.
A bigger problem was the rather poor editing in this edition. Don't know why it happened--surely the print editions are better--but in far too many places, dialogue for one character was in the same paragraph as dialogue for another, making it hard to know who was talking. I guess we are lucky this is rare in most commercial books.
Finally, unfortunately, it happens that a very current news story (from Los Angeles, not Epstein) suggests this book is all too close to reality. https://www.thedailybeast.com/los-ang...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2012
Is there a genre for literary weird? Let's see what the police said: "Circles within circles, that's what it is. We're chasing our tails! Look at that big, black blob....it now resembled a morbidly obese spider--a huge black mass of lines, arrows, circles, loops. The shape of chaos." (p. 319)
If you wants twists and turns and surprises in your psychological suspense novels, it is safe to say, you will thoroughly enjoy Hannah's latest mystery.
I was happily reading the author's superb writing that made you even feel "on the edge" as you followed first the story provided by Naomi Jenkins, who is having an affair with Robert Haworth. She is a professional artist, who creates sundials.
Other than messages, she is able to see her lover only once a week for a few hours--but she has been doing so for a year. So when he doesn't show up, she goes to the police. Well, she does that, afterwards--after she had gone to his house, looked into a first-floor window, saw something, and then started to run away. She is stopped, however, by Robert's wife, who looks very professional and not a bit like how her lover described his wife.
Robert's wife is also an artist, but has not worked for a long time. She used to create miniature houses that duplicated her clients home. That was before she had a breakdown, some say due to overwork...
The investigation into the disappearance and later attempted murder case is told by Detective Sergeant Charlie Zailer. Zailer is in love with her partner who at one point hurt her badly, so in order to maintain her image around the men with whom she worked and supervised, she had been casually mentioning she was dating Graham and that the relationship was going quite well. Of course, she admitted to her sister than she had made up the story--actually it was good that she had told her, given the later situation...
Naomi Jenkins was a driven woman; she knew something had happened to Robert, but the police didn't seem to take her seriously, or were not acting fast enough for her. Either way, she decided to make it harder for the police to ignore her, by going back to tell them a different story. No, Robert was not her lover, he had raped her and when she recently saw and met him, she found out who he was and was now reporting him as her rapist. To prove that she was now telling the truth, she referred the police to a web site for rape survivors and directed them to her letter. Now, it won't give anything away to explain that she was indeed raped years ago, only just not by Robert. She felt her lie was justified and she would explain later.
The problem was, that when Charlie had been reading the letters on the rape survivor site, she accidentally found another individual who told the same story as Naomi...and then another one, and another one...
If you figure out how this book ends, please write to me and tell me how you arrived at it! This ending floored me. I don't think I've ever read such a successfully created psychological suspense novel--in many ways, the coincidental circles were almost too much to accept, yet once you got past the personal reaction, you could see how logically, the entire web could be created. The Amazing thing?
I didn't like the ending but that cannot distract from the fantastically plotted suspense! I think you really would have to read this to understand. You decide; it's easily a 5+ for so many reasons...
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GABixlerReviews
If you wants twists and turns and surprises in your psychological suspense novels, it is safe to say, you will thoroughly enjoy Hannah's latest mystery.
I was happily reading the author's superb writing that made you even feel "on the edge" as you followed first the story provided by Naomi Jenkins, who is having an affair with Robert Haworth. She is a professional artist, who creates sundials.
Other than messages, she is able to see her lover only once a week for a few hours--but she has been doing so for a year. So when he doesn't show up, she goes to the police. Well, she does that, afterwards--after she had gone to his house, looked into a first-floor window, saw something, and then started to run away. She is stopped, however, by Robert's wife, who looks very professional and not a bit like how her lover described his wife.
Robert's wife is also an artist, but has not worked for a long time. She used to create miniature houses that duplicated her clients home. That was before she had a breakdown, some say due to overwork...
The investigation into the disappearance and later attempted murder case is told by Detective Sergeant Charlie Zailer. Zailer is in love with her partner who at one point hurt her badly, so in order to maintain her image around the men with whom she worked and supervised, she had been casually mentioning she was dating Graham and that the relationship was going quite well. Of course, she admitted to her sister than she had made up the story--actually it was good that she had told her, given the later situation...
Naomi Jenkins was a driven woman; she knew something had happened to Robert, but the police didn't seem to take her seriously, or were not acting fast enough for her. Either way, she decided to make it harder for the police to ignore her, by going back to tell them a different story. No, Robert was not her lover, he had raped her and when she recently saw and met him, she found out who he was and was now reporting him as her rapist. To prove that she was now telling the truth, she referred the police to a web site for rape survivors and directed them to her letter. Now, it won't give anything away to explain that she was indeed raped years ago, only just not by Robert. She felt her lie was justified and she would explain later.
The problem was, that when Charlie had been reading the letters on the rape survivor site, she accidentally found another individual who told the same story as Naomi...and then another one, and another one...
If you figure out how this book ends, please write to me and tell me how you arrived at it! This ending floored me. I don't think I've ever read such a successfully created psychological suspense novel--in many ways, the coincidental circles were almost too much to accept, yet once you got past the personal reaction, you could see how logically, the entire web could be created. The Amazing thing?
I didn't like the ending but that cannot distract from the fantastically plotted suspense! I think you really would have to read this to understand. You decide; it's easily a 5+ for so many reasons...
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GABixlerReviews
May 10, 2016
I only read less than a quarter of it, and that was because I forced myself until I could bear it no longer. I'm not one to abandon a book and usually see it to the end but this was an exception, along with the other Sophie Hannah I ordered (little face) which I managed even less of and I angrily threw them in the charity shop pile.
My main issue is that her writing is so confused- I feel like she's trying to be poetic, whilst building suspense which could be great. However she then decides to add in ridiculous over exaggerated cartoon like police officers which I could have ignored but unfortunately they were in every other chapter. At other times I felt I was reading some crappy chick-lit book and not a thriller with the laughable descriptions involving manalo blahnik sandals and some other designers handbag.
I'm unsure as to why her books get such high praise and why on earth they are allowed to be under the thriller category. I also wonder why they're even published in the first place. I've read better books by lesser known authors which are free on kindle.
My main issue is that her writing is so confused- I feel like she's trying to be poetic, whilst building suspense which could be great. However she then decides to add in ridiculous over exaggerated cartoon like police officers which I could have ignored but unfortunately they were in every other chapter. At other times I felt I was reading some crappy chick-lit book and not a thriller with the laughable descriptions involving manalo blahnik sandals and some other designers handbag.
I'm unsure as to why her books get such high praise and why on earth they are allowed to be under the thriller category. I also wonder why they're even published in the first place. I've read better books by lesser known authors which are free on kindle.
September 11, 2012
HORRIBLE. Really wishing I hadn't wasted my time on this book. Now I know why I couldn't find it in ANY library.
May 23, 2010
RATING: 4.25
There's a very fine line between infatuation, deep and abiding love, and obsession. Most people would agree that each share some common characteristics: a constancy of emotion, placing the loved one as a central focus in one's life and a sense of a world that belongs only to the two intimates. It's a short jump from those very normal feelings to what could be characterized as obsessive love, wherein the need for the other becomes almost pathological.
That's where Naomi Jenkins finds herself in her relationship with Robert Haworth. She's not a woman given to flights of fancy; the way that she became involved with Robert was extremely romantic and overcame her normal reservations about sharing herself with another. As it is, Robert is unhappily married. He and Naomi have a standing meeting every Thursday at a local hotel. When he doesn't show up one week, Naomi knows that there is something terribly wrong, as she is completely certain about his love and his need for her.
When the police don't seem inclined to treat his disappearance with any urgency, Naomi lies and tells them that he raped her horribly years earlier. That does get the attention of the authorities. The lead investigator, Detective Sergeant Charlie Zailer, doesn't quite believe Naomi; however, she begins to think that the rape did occur when she finds some alarmingly similar situations during the course of the investigation. The specifics of the rapes seemed a bit preposterous to me, but there was no denying that the women involved were deeply humiliated.
The book alternates chapters between Naomi's narration and the police investigation. At first, I found Naomi's sections to be extremely annoying; she often spoke to Robert as if he were there, when he wasn't. Her obsession with him was very cloying, and her sense of reality skewed. However, once the book got underway, I was able to adjust to the style and it flowed well. I came to admire Naomi and her ability to look at the truth with an unflinching eye.
Hannah succeeds at building an increasing sense of menace as the book proceeds, concluding with a resolution that gave me the psychological shivers. Excellent writing, plotting and characterization made my initial doubts about the book disappear quickly. HURTING DISTANCE is truly original and chilling. It's a book that I won't forget any time soon.
There's a very fine line between infatuation, deep and abiding love, and obsession. Most people would agree that each share some common characteristics: a constancy of emotion, placing the loved one as a central focus in one's life and a sense of a world that belongs only to the two intimates. It's a short jump from those very normal feelings to what could be characterized as obsessive love, wherein the need for the other becomes almost pathological.
That's where Naomi Jenkins finds herself in her relationship with Robert Haworth. She's not a woman given to flights of fancy; the way that she became involved with Robert was extremely romantic and overcame her normal reservations about sharing herself with another. As it is, Robert is unhappily married. He and Naomi have a standing meeting every Thursday at a local hotel. When he doesn't show up one week, Naomi knows that there is something terribly wrong, as she is completely certain about his love and his need for her.
When the police don't seem inclined to treat his disappearance with any urgency, Naomi lies and tells them that he raped her horribly years earlier. That does get the attention of the authorities. The lead investigator, Detective Sergeant Charlie Zailer, doesn't quite believe Naomi; however, she begins to think that the rape did occur when she finds some alarmingly similar situations during the course of the investigation. The specifics of the rapes seemed a bit preposterous to me, but there was no denying that the women involved were deeply humiliated.
The book alternates chapters between Naomi's narration and the police investigation. At first, I found Naomi's sections to be extremely annoying; she often spoke to Robert as if he were there, when he wasn't. Her obsession with him was very cloying, and her sense of reality skewed. However, once the book got underway, I was able to adjust to the style and it flowed well. I came to admire Naomi and her ability to look at the truth with an unflinching eye.
Hannah succeeds at building an increasing sense of menace as the book proceeds, concluding with a resolution that gave me the psychological shivers. Excellent writing, plotting and characterization made my initial doubts about the book disappear quickly. HURTING DISTANCE is truly original and chilling. It's a book that I won't forget any time soon.
November 23, 2010
Another very good dark, twisty psychological novel by Hannah.
August 10, 2016
What an engrossing novel! The complexities of the psyche were very well done. I take my hat off to you Sophie Hannah, this was superb! I can't wait to read more of your novels!
February 5, 2019
Vile. I probably mis-quote John Wyndham describing a series of nasty sadistic thrillers in Random Quest, 'one has a choice of subject material'. And I'm judging Sophie Hannah for hers. Nasty.
August 2, 2018
Η Sophie Hannah είναι μία συγγραφέας που παρά το μεγάλο της έργο, δεν έχει καταφέρει, αν όχι να με πείσει, να με κερδίσει φανατικά. Πάντα, με κάθε νέο της βιβλίο, με αφήνει με μία αίσθηση ότι κάτι λείπει προκειμένου να μπορέσει να φτάσει σε αυτό που λέμε κορύφωση. Άλλοτε υστερεί σε επίπεδο έντασης, άλλοτε σε ανάπτυξη και δόμηση της πλοκής. Ωστόσο, αυτό που δεν μπορώ σε καμία περίπτωση ν' αρνηθώ, είναι πως τα βιβλία της είναι διασκεδαστικά. Ξέρω, ακούγεται κάπως παράδοξο το να χαρακτηρίζει κανείς ένα ψυχολογικό θρίλερ ως "διασκεδαστικό", αλλά πέραν του να σε κάνει να καρδιοχτυπάς και ν' αγωνιάς, ένας βιβλίο πρέπει να σε κάνει και να περνάς καλά, με την ανάγνωσή του να είναι εύκολη, αβίαστη και ιδανικά, μη κουραστική.
Σε αυτό εδώ το βιβλίο της, το δεύτερο της σειράς "Spilling CID", η Hannah μάς παρουσιάζει τη ζωή μιας νεαρής γυναίκας, της Ναόμι Τζέκινς, η οποία και διατηρεί παράνομο δεσμό με τον Ρόμπερτ ο οποίος είναι παντρεμένος. Οι συναντήσεις τους συγκεκριμένες, προκαθορισμένες, εξού και όταν ο Ρόμπερ δεν εμφανίζεται στο ραντεβού τους, η Ναόμι ανησυχεί πως κάτι κακό του έχει συμβεί. Η ανησυχία της αυτή την οδηγεί στο να μιλήσει στην αστυνομία, όμως η σύζυγός του διαβεβαιώνει πως ο άντρας της δεν έχει εξαφανιστεί και πως είναι μια χαρά. Η Ναόμι, ωστόσο, αρνείται να το δεχτεί, και προκειμένου ν' ανακαλύψει την αλήθεια, οδηγείται σε μια ακραία απόφαση που δεν είναι άλλη απ' το να καταγγείλει τον Ρόμπερτ για βιασμό, κάτι που θ' αναγκάσει την αστυνομία να ψάξει και να τον εντοπίσει. Άθελά της, όμως, η Ναόμι ανοίγει τον ασκό του Αιόλου και κανείς δεν θα μπορούσε να προβλέψει όλα όσα θ' ακολουθήσουν.
Θεωρώ δεδομένο πως η Hannah έχει κάποιο θέμα με τις γυναίκες. Δε νομίζω πως είναι τυχαίο το γεγονός πως οι πρωταγωνίστριές της διαλέγουν τους πλέον ακατάλληλους άντρες, όχι μόνο γι' αυτές, αλλά για σχέση γενικότερα, γεγονός το οποίο οφείλεται στο ότι εί��αι συναισθηματικά ανώριμες και ανίκανες να δώσουν προτεραιότητα στα πραγματικά σημαντικά "θέλω" της ζωής τους. Αυτό δημιουργεί ένα αρκετά κακό στερεότυπο, που ως γυναίκα με ενοχλεί σε αρκετά μεγάλο βαθμό. Από την άλλη, η ιδέα αυτή βασίζεται σε ένα σημαντικό φαινόμενο των καιρών μας. Στην εσωτερική μοναξιά που βιώνει ο άνθρωπος μέσα σε μία κοινωνία που ενώ περιτριγυριζόμαστε από δεκάδες ή και εκατοντάδες ανθρώπους, στην πραγματικότητα είμαστε μόνοι μας, επειδή δεν υπάρχει κανείς που να μπορεί να κατανοήσει στην πραγματικότητα το ποιοι είμαστε, το πως σκεφτόμαστε και το τι αισθανόμαστε.
Από 'κει κι έπειτα, η πλοκή παρουσιάζει ορισμένα κενά ως προς την εξέλιξή της, αλλά έχει αρκετό νεύρο ώστε να διατηρήσει το ενδιαφέρον μας. Από την άλλη, θα μπορούσα να πω πως έχει "πλάκα", εντός κι εκτός εισαγωγικών, το να βλέπεις πως αντιδρούν δύο εξίσου προβληματικές γυναίκες -έστω κι αν η προβληματικότητά τους δεν έχει ακριβώς τον ίδιο πυρήνα, παρά τον ενιαίο άξονά της-, μα και πως επιλέγουν να χειριστούν την διεκδίκηση ενός άντρα που σαφέστατα δεν κάνει γι' αυτές, που στην πραγματικότητα δεν αποτελεί το ιδανικό τους, αλλά που έχουν πάθει μια εγωιστική εμμονή μαζί του, τόσο για ν' αποδείξουν ποια είναι πιο σημαντική γι' αυτόν, όσο και πιο υπερτερεί της άλλης. Όταν, όμως, παίζεις παιχνίδια γάτας-ποντικιού, το να βρεθείς από το έναν ρόλο στον άλλο είναι πολύ εύκολο. Δεν χρειάζεται να κάνεις λάθος, απλά ένα στραβοπάτημα, και τότε όλα θα καταρρεύσουν ή θα σε φέρουν αντιμέτωπο με αλήθειες και σενάρια που δεν είχες καν φανταστεί.
Αυτό που πραγματικά θα ήθελα να δω από την Hannah, στο μέλλον, είναι να ξεκολλάει από το κακέκτυπο της προβληματικής και με συναισθηματικά κενά πρωταγωνίστριας. Η ανθρωποκεντρική και ψυχολογική προσέγγιση ενός δράματος έχει πάντα ενδιαφέρον, αλλά καμιά φορά πρέπει να κάνεις την υπέρβαση και να πας το όλο εγχείρημα ένα βήμα παραπέρα, ενώ δεν πρέπει, την ίδια στιγμή, να κολλάς σε στερεοτυπικές ταυτότητες και ταμπέλες. Από τους ανθρώπους με προβληματικούς χαρακτήρες, μεγαλύτερο ενδιαφέρον έχουν αυτοί που διαθέτουν προσωπικότητα. Και από μια συγγραφέα όπως η Hannah, που ποτέ δεν θα γίνει το νούμερο ένα, αλλά που πάντα μας κάνει να περνάμε "ευχάριστα", θα ήθελα να δω κάτι τέτοιο.
Σε αυτό εδώ το βιβλίο της, το δεύτερο της σειράς "Spilling CID", η Hannah μάς παρουσιάζει τη ζωή μιας νεαρής γυναίκας, της Ναόμι Τζέκινς, η οποία και διατηρεί παράνομο δεσμό με τον Ρόμπερτ ο οποίος είναι παντρεμένος. Οι συναντήσεις τους συγκεκριμένες, προκαθορισμένες, εξού και όταν ο Ρόμπερ δεν εμφανίζεται στο ραντεβού τους, η Ναόμι ανησυχεί πως κάτι κακό του έχει συμβεί. Η ανησυχία της αυτή την οδηγεί στο να μιλήσει στην αστυνομία, όμως η σύζυγός του διαβεβαιώνει πως ο άντρας της δεν έχει εξαφανιστεί και πως είναι μια χαρά. Η Ναόμι, ωστόσο, αρνείται να το δεχτεί, και προκειμένου ν' ανακαλύψει την αλήθεια, οδηγείται σε μια ακραία απόφαση που δεν είναι άλλη απ' το να καταγγείλει τον Ρόμπερτ για βιασμό, κάτι που θ' αναγκάσει την αστυνομία να ψάξει και να τον εντοπίσει. Άθελά της, όμως, η Ναόμι ανοίγει τον ασκό του Αιόλου και κανείς δεν θα μπορούσε να προβλέψει όλα όσα θ' ακολουθήσουν.
Θεωρώ δεδομένο πως η Hannah έχει κάποιο θέμα με τις γυναίκες. Δε νομίζω πως είναι τυχαίο το γεγονός πως οι πρωταγωνίστριές της διαλέγουν τους πλέον ακατάλληλους άντρες, όχι μόνο γι' αυτές, αλλά για σχέση γενικότερα, γεγονός το οποίο οφείλεται στο ότι εί��αι συναισθηματικά ανώριμες και ανίκανες να δώσουν προτεραιότητα στα πραγματικά σημαντικά "θέλω" της ζωής τους. Αυτό δημιουργεί ένα αρκετά κακό στερεότυπο, που ως γυναίκα με ενοχλεί σε αρκετά μεγάλο βαθμό. Από την άλλη, η ιδέα αυτή βασίζεται σε ένα σημαντικό φαινόμενο των καιρών μας. Στην εσωτερική μοναξιά που βιώνει ο άνθρωπος μέσα σε μία κοινωνία που ενώ περιτριγυριζόμαστε από δεκάδες ή και εκατοντάδες ανθρώπους, στην πραγματικότητα είμαστε μόνοι μας, επειδή δεν υπάρχει κανείς που να μπορεί να κατανοήσει στην πραγματικότητα το ποιοι είμαστε, το πως σκεφτόμαστε και το τι αισθανόμαστε.
Από 'κει κι έπειτα, η πλοκή παρουσιάζει ορισμένα κενά ως προς την εξέλιξή της, αλλά έχει αρκετό νεύρο ώστε να διατηρήσει το ενδιαφέρον μας. Από την άλλη, θα μπορούσα να πω πως έχει "πλάκα", εντός κι εκτός εισαγωγικών, το να βλέπεις πως αντιδρούν δύο εξίσου προβληματικές γυναίκες -έστω κι αν η προβληματικότητά τους δεν έχει ακριβώς τον ίδιο πυρήνα, παρά τον ενιαίο άξονά της-, μα και πως επιλέγουν να χειριστούν την διεκδίκηση ενός άντρα που σαφέστατα δεν κάνει γι' αυτές, που στην πραγματικότητα δεν αποτελεί το ιδανικό τους, αλλά που έχουν πάθει μια εγωιστική εμμονή μαζί του, τόσο για ν' αποδείξουν ποια είναι πιο σημαντική γι' αυτόν, όσο και πιο υπερτερεί της άλλης. Όταν, όμως, παίζεις παιχνίδια γάτας-ποντικιού, το να βρεθείς από το έναν ρόλο στον άλλο είναι πολύ εύκολο. Δεν χρειάζεται να κάνεις λάθος, απλά ένα στραβοπάτημα, και τότε όλα θα καταρρεύσουν ή θα σε φέρουν αντιμέτωπο με αλήθειες και σενάρια που δεν είχες καν φανταστεί.
Αυτό που πραγματικά θα ήθελα να δω από την Hannah, στο μέλλον, είναι να ξεκολλάει από το κακέκτυπο της προβληματικής και με συναισθηματικά κενά πρωταγωνίστριας. Η ανθρωποκεντρική και ψυχολογική προσέγγιση ενός δράματος έχει πάντα ενδιαφέρον, αλλά καμιά φορά πρέπει να κάνεις την υπέρβαση και να πας το όλο εγχείρημα ένα βήμα παραπέρα, ενώ δεν πρέπει, την ίδια στιγμή, να κολλάς σε στερεοτυπικές ταυτότητες και ταμπέλες. Από τους ανθρώπους με προβληματικούς χαρακτήρες, μεγαλύτερο ενδιαφέρον έχουν αυτοί που διαθέτουν προσωπικότητα. Και από μια συγγραφέα όπως η Hannah, που ποτέ δεν θα γίνει το νούμερο ένα, αλλά που πάντα μας κάνει να περνάμε "ευχάριστα", θα ήθελα να δω κάτι τέτοιο.
June 26, 2022
OK, this book made me sick to my stomach and gave me some images I'd really rather not have. It really is TOO MUCH. However, it would not be fair to ''trash'' this book or whatever. I went into it with a fair warning of triggers and I knew what to expect more or less. I found the story very hard to read, yes, but I did want to keep going to find out what really happened. It is a truly awful, but interesting and well-researched plot with some very good writing. If I could be totally objective, I'd give it 5 stars, but I can't because it truly affected me in a bad way so I'll stick to 4.
September 30, 2024
En himla bra grundidé och twist.
Men tyvärr känns det som en bok skriven av dig eller mig.
Språket är enkelt men försöker för mycket så det blir jobbigt.
Personer och beskrivningar broderas ut och väldigt mycket som är totalt ointressant för storyn beskrivs och tas med. Blir en hel del lösa trådar i slutet.
Men tyvärr känns det som en bok skriven av dig eller mig.
Språket är enkelt men försöker för mycket så det blir jobbigt.
Personer och beskrivningar broderas ut och väldigt mycket som är totalt ointressant för storyn beskrivs och tas med. Blir en hel del lösa trådar i slutet.
January 16, 2017
An excellent psychological suspense novel with such twists and turns but with everything blending and becoming one coherent story in the end! At first I was surprised and bored with the first person narrative (it is one of my pet-peeves, this, first person narrative) but as the story progressed I overlooked it as the storytelling became more and more clear. Sime readers are caustic about the choices of the people in the book but we all make mistakes in various parts of our lives and nobody said of the book that it describes everyday lives, it is a work of fiction that tells a story of personal tragedy, wrong choices and facing up to them!
July 12, 2016
4.5
This one kept me totally reading and engaged. The content was pretty tough at times but the thrill aspect of it was high. I'm hooked on this series. Looking forward to #3.
This one kept me totally reading and engaged. The content was pretty tough at times but the thrill aspect of it was high. I'm hooked on this series. Looking forward to #3.
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