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Dr. Anya Crichton #1
Malicious Intent
'Malicious Intent will keep you gripped from start to finish. Author Fox displays the deft hand of a natural writer, whether she's weaving her break-neck plots, imparting fascinating medical and police procedural details or breathing life into her characters-both good and bad. What a compelling new talent!' - JEFFERY DEAVER, author of Twisted: Collected Stories and The Vanished ManDr Anya Crichton, a pathologist and forensic physician, finds work is sparse for the only female freelancer in the field. Between paying child support, a mortgage and struggling to get her business off the ground, Anya can't yet afford to fight her ex-husband for custody of their three-year-old son, Ben.
After her expert evidence helps win a high-profile court case, Anya is asked by lawyer Dan Brody to look into the seemingly innocent death of a teenage girl from a local Lebanese family. While investigating, Anya notices similarities between this girl's death and several other cases she is working on with friend and colleague, Detective Sergeant Kate Farrer. All the victims went missing for a period of time, only to be found dead of apparent suicide in most unusual circumstances. As Anya delves deeper, the pathological findings point to the frightening possibility that the deaths are not only linked, but part of a sinister plot. Nothing can prepare her for the breathtaking truth...
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
98 people are currently reading
1808 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Fox
16 books275 followersKathryn Fox is a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine who currently lives in Sydney, Australia.Her debut novel, MALICIOUS INTENT, received international acclaim, won the 2005 Davitt award for adult fiction and was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly best debut novel award. In addition, it toppled The Da Vinci Code to become the no. 1 crime book on Amazon in the UK and Germany. Fox is also the author of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling WITHOUT CONSENT, SKIN AND BONE, BLOOD BORN, DEATH MASK, COLD GRAVE AND FATAL IMPACT. In her spare time, Kathryn indulges in her favourite pastimes - reading and playing the harp (very badly).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
August 6, 2019
Riveting and Unputdownable! Dr. Anya Crichton is the real deal! What a brilliant start to a new Series!
‘Any idea what sort of fibers are found in lungs?’ Anya remembered one of her old tutors at university saying that 75 percent of what a doctor learned was through humiliation in front of colleagues. She had sworn never to humiliate a student, believing that problem solving and understanding were the best ways to learn.
‘Well, it’s rather obvious. Asbestos!’ Zara declared.
Anya considered making an exception to her rule. ‘You’re close. They resemble asbestos, but are a little unusual. Asbestos fibers are usually dumbbell shaped, skinny with round bits on each end. These are more hourglass shaped.’
‘But wouldn’t you expect to see fibers in older people who’ve had a long history of dust exposure through their jobs, like brake mechanics and asbestos workers?’
Anya glanced at Peter and said, ‘Normally, yes. It’s extremely unusual to see them in such a young woman.’
‘I agree,’ Peter said, replacing the slide with another. ‘Fibers are normally very difficult to see, even under a microscope. Luckily for us, the body coats the fibers with iron protein. What you are looking at is the hemosiderin deposit.’ He propelled his chair back to a pile of books on a shelf.
‘Is it like the body mounting an immune response to an infection?’ Zara asked.
‘Not really,’ Anya responded. ‘More like a primitive chemical reaction.’
‘Does this mean the nun was dying of asbestosis?’ Zara looked up, thirsty for a new diagnosis.
Peter handed her a textbook open at a page displaying a color photograph of asbestos fibers. ‘You see, these are a little different. The woman died of the injuries she sustained in the fall, and the fibers are merely an incidental finding to note.’ He returned the slides to their folder. ‘Besides, it could be any of a number of fibers used in buildings over the years.’
‘Shouldn’t we try to find out what it is?’ Zara glanced at the two pathologists. ‘I mean, won’t the police want to know?’
Anya watched her old mentor rub his eyes. ‘Our job is to identify the cause of death, which we have done in this woman’s case. Chasing red herrings is not our role.’ He scratched his collar-length gray hair. ‘The coroner and the police wanted to know what killed this woman. The fall off the Gap did that.’
‘Peter’s right. The institute has to limit itself to investigating only what’s necessary. There are one to two suicides from the Gap every week in addition to all the other coronial cases. Concurrent illness in a multitrauma isn’t really relevant and doesn’t help the coroner.’
********
Book one in the Dr. Anya Crichton series, Malicious Intent by Kathryn Fox is thrilling, riveting, terrifying, and absolutely unputdownable! I was glued to the pages from beginning to end! Full of unexpected twists, rich and vibrant characters, and a plausible, convincing storyline this book is a must read! I'm extremely excited about this series and can't wait to read book two, Without Consent!
‘Any idea what sort of fibers are found in lungs?’ Anya remembered one of her old tutors at university saying that 75 percent of what a doctor learned was through humiliation in front of colleagues. She had sworn never to humiliate a student, believing that problem solving and understanding were the best ways to learn.
‘Well, it’s rather obvious. Asbestos!’ Zara declared.
Anya considered making an exception to her rule. ‘You’re close. They resemble asbestos, but are a little unusual. Asbestos fibers are usually dumbbell shaped, skinny with round bits on each end. These are more hourglass shaped.’
‘But wouldn’t you expect to see fibers in older people who’ve had a long history of dust exposure through their jobs, like brake mechanics and asbestos workers?’
Anya glanced at Peter and said, ‘Normally, yes. It’s extremely unusual to see them in such a young woman.’
‘I agree,’ Peter said, replacing the slide with another. ‘Fibers are normally very difficult to see, even under a microscope. Luckily for us, the body coats the fibers with iron protein. What you are looking at is the hemosiderin deposit.’ He propelled his chair back to a pile of books on a shelf.
‘Is it like the body mounting an immune response to an infection?’ Zara asked.
‘Not really,’ Anya responded. ‘More like a primitive chemical reaction.’
‘Does this mean the nun was dying of asbestosis?’ Zara looked up, thirsty for a new diagnosis.
Peter handed her a textbook open at a page displaying a color photograph of asbestos fibers. ‘You see, these are a little different. The woman died of the injuries she sustained in the fall, and the fibers are merely an incidental finding to note.’ He returned the slides to their folder. ‘Besides, it could be any of a number of fibers used in buildings over the years.’
‘Shouldn’t we try to find out what it is?’ Zara glanced at the two pathologists. ‘I mean, won’t the police want to know?’
Anya watched her old mentor rub his eyes. ‘Our job is to identify the cause of death, which we have done in this woman’s case. Chasing red herrings is not our role.’ He scratched his collar-length gray hair. ‘The coroner and the police wanted to know what killed this woman. The fall off the Gap did that.’
‘Peter’s right. The institute has to limit itself to investigating only what’s necessary. There are one to two suicides from the Gap every week in addition to all the other coronial cases. Concurrent illness in a multitrauma isn’t really relevant and doesn’t help the coroner.’
********
Book one in the Dr. Anya Crichton series, Malicious Intent by Kathryn Fox is thrilling, riveting, terrifying, and absolutely unputdownable! I was glued to the pages from beginning to end! Full of unexpected twists, rich and vibrant characters, and a plausible, convincing storyline this book is a must read! I'm extremely excited about this series and can't wait to read book two, Without Consent!
June 7, 2014
This debut novel by Kathryn Fox is the first in her series featuring Dr Anya Crichton, a pathologist and forensic physician. Anya has recently set up as a freelance specialist and is struggling to get her practice going when she is asked by the family of a young girl who recently died from a drug overdose to review the autopsy reports and confirm the cause of her death and notices some unusual features in samples of her lung tissue. When these same features turn up in the lungs of other young women whose deaths have been attributed to accidents or suicides she investigates further and finds other links between the seemingly unrelated cases. Unable to convince the police that the deaths are suspicious, she begins to chase the evidence herself.
The story is well structured and interesting and moves along at a good pace. Anya is a single mother of a young son recently separated from her husband, an ex-nurse who currently has custody of their son, Ben. She struggles to balance work and time with her son, making her seem human and vulnerable, and perhaps a little too trusting in good looking men. Her friend Kate is a police officer and I would have liked a bit more development of her character, but I'm guessing this will come in future instalments.
The author is a doctor herself with an interest in forensic medicine but keeps the medical jargon to a minimum and the explanations of forensic procedures are clear. I thought the plot got a little strained at the climax with the revelation of how the women acquired the unusual findings in their lungs but the ending was nevertheless quite gripping and I thought pretty good for a debut novel.3.5★
The story is well structured and interesting and moves along at a good pace. Anya is a single mother of a young son recently separated from her husband, an ex-nurse who currently has custody of their son, Ben. She struggles to balance work and time with her son, making her seem human and vulnerable, and perhaps a little too trusting in good looking men. Her friend Kate is a police officer and I would have liked a bit more development of her character, but I'm guessing this will come in future instalments.
The author is a doctor herself with an interest in forensic medicine but keeps the medical jargon to a minimum and the explanations of forensic procedures are clear. I thought the plot got a little strained at the climax with the revelation of how the women acquired the unusual findings in their lungs but the ending was nevertheless quite gripping and I thought pretty good for a debut novel.3.5★
August 5, 2015
A new to me author! As always, it takes a bit to get use to a new author's style and in this case, some of the lingo. The story is based in Australia and moves along at a good pace. The big question is how are all these victims connected. Forensics does play a major role in solving this, but so does instinct. I had an inkling as to who the "bad guy" was, but I was never very sure about it. Some red herrings, and a few obnoxious cops are thrown in the mix. Good read, can't wait to tackle the rest of the series!
2 thumbs up and 4.5 stars(because of a couple of TSTL moments).
2 thumbs up and 4.5 stars(because of a couple of TSTL moments).
April 10, 2017
This is another flavor Doctor of Forensics who-dun-it procedural genre. Not only because it is Australian either. But for me it was quite apart in style and voice than most of the English or American fare.
Anya has her own tragedies and the current situation of being able to see her son every two weeks for the weekend hours only, not having custody- doubles the ante, IMHO. Her ex's employment and economics is also negatively affected by her own role in certain cases (that Media gossip mongering invective judgment playing a large part). And they do not agree and don't get along on sticking to the rules either.
But in the case/plotting the female associate in her job is not a friend in the sense of a Rizzoli and Isles. Quite different. Anya for her help and mentoring gets paid back in betrayals that rather kill the case at one point. And also are pivotal in the demise of the one living witness.
It's redundant in a way that these seldom are. All of the victims seem to have these odd fibers shaped like tiny dumbbells in their lungs. They seemed to have all committed suicide. Their previous weeks or days too- missing or left on their own volition. I nearly quit the book because of the description and long explanations for these "shapes" to/for every other character in the book. Repeated and repeated. No one would believe that Anya surmised that these shared "shapes" connected the various open cases. But come on, too much repetition is a big downer in this genre, IMHO.
It's too long. And what lost an entire star for me was the verbose nature of explanations for under characters or hear say. And especially the reveal- which I found nearly impossible to believe.
Ironically I just this past week read a book about a 27 year hermit, and hermit norm behavior in general. And one of the premises of this case and behavior explanation re the perp is that humans cannot be left alone in solitary for any length of time without it being a torture to the point that they will do anything to relieve it. And that's just not true. Real hermits, and some not even in that category do not interpret any aspect of solitary confinement as torture. Or in some cases, even an unacceptable unpleasantness.
Maybe because this was #1 in an eventual series there needed to be extra abundant domestic and under character "explanation"- but that paled. So I would give another a try to see if that was the case here. Anya herself is not at all perfect, and at times not particularly likable either, IMHO.
Australian law varies from other locations more heavily on the market in this genre presently. So that is rather interesting to the not exposed to this style and distances of characters' movements.
It is not a cozy. There is very little foul language but the grit factor for results in all cases is deep.
Anya has her own tragedies and the current situation of being able to see her son every two weeks for the weekend hours only, not having custody- doubles the ante, IMHO. Her ex's employment and economics is also negatively affected by her own role in certain cases (that Media gossip mongering invective judgment playing a large part). And they do not agree and don't get along on sticking to the rules either.
But in the case/plotting the female associate in her job is not a friend in the sense of a Rizzoli and Isles. Quite different. Anya for her help and mentoring gets paid back in betrayals that rather kill the case at one point. And also are pivotal in the demise of the one living witness.
It's redundant in a way that these seldom are. All of the victims seem to have these odd fibers shaped like tiny dumbbells in their lungs. They seemed to have all committed suicide. Their previous weeks or days too- missing or left on their own volition. I nearly quit the book because of the description and long explanations for these "shapes" to/for every other character in the book. Repeated and repeated. No one would believe that Anya surmised that these shared "shapes" connected the various open cases. But come on, too much repetition is a big downer in this genre, IMHO.
It's too long. And what lost an entire star for me was the verbose nature of explanations for under characters or hear say. And especially the reveal- which I found nearly impossible to believe.
Ironically I just this past week read a book about a 27 year hermit, and hermit norm behavior in general. And one of the premises of this case and behavior explanation re the perp is that humans cannot be left alone in solitary for any length of time without it being a torture to the point that they will do anything to relieve it. And that's just not true. Real hermits, and some not even in that category do not interpret any aspect of solitary confinement as torture. Or in some cases, even an unacceptable unpleasantness.
Maybe because this was #1 in an eventual series there needed to be extra abundant domestic and under character "explanation"- but that paled. So I would give another a try to see if that was the case here. Anya herself is not at all perfect, and at times not particularly likable either, IMHO.
Australian law varies from other locations more heavily on the market in this genre presently. So that is rather interesting to the not exposed to this style and distances of characters' movements.
It is not a cozy. There is very little foul language but the grit factor for results in all cases is deep.
July 21, 2017
3.5***
From the book jacket: (Sydney’s) only female freelancer in the male-dominated field, pathologist Dr. Anya Crichton will take any work she can find to pay child support and her mortgage, get her new business of the ground, and battle her ex-husband for custody of their three-year-old son. When her expert forensic evidence is instrumental in winning a high-profile case, new work offers start pouring in. But Anya’s investigation into the drug overdose of a young Lebanese girl is raising troubling questions. Startling coincidences between this death and a series of seemingly unrelated suicides that Anya is also examining, suggest that there’s a [serial killer] at work.
My reactions
Great debut in a crowded field. Fox writes a tense, compelling mystery thriller with a (mostly) strong female lead. Anya is intelligent, resourceful, and tenacious. But she is also prone to self-doubt when it comes to certain aspects of her life. As a free-lancer, and female to boot, she’s fighting an uphill battle convincing the police that her findings point to a crime, so she forced to pursue the investigation on her own. Her best friend, Kate, is a detective and begins to become an ally, but then betrays Anya’s trust when dealing with the lone survivor.
Because this is number one in a series, there’s a lot of personal background that has to be covered, and in this case Anya’s own back story is instrumental in shaping the current plot. It helps to explain why she’s such a loner, and her personal troubles with her ex-husband make her emotionally vulnerable.
I had identified the culprit pretty quickly, certainly by half-way through the novel, but enjoyed watching the characters figure it out for themselves. I recognized that Fox gave the reader clues that Anya and the police did not have. The ending somewhat sets the reader up for future installments. I would hope that her relationships with Kate, Martin and Brody are continued and developed further as the series progresses.
From the book jacket: (Sydney’s) only female freelancer in the male-dominated field, pathologist Dr. Anya Crichton will take any work she can find to pay child support and her mortgage, get her new business of the ground, and battle her ex-husband for custody of their three-year-old son. When her expert forensic evidence is instrumental in winning a high-profile case, new work offers start pouring in. But Anya’s investigation into the drug overdose of a young Lebanese girl is raising troubling questions. Startling coincidences between this death and a series of seemingly unrelated suicides that Anya is also examining, suggest that there’s a [serial killer] at work.
My reactions
Great debut in a crowded field. Fox writes a tense, compelling mystery thriller with a (mostly) strong female lead. Anya is intelligent, resourceful, and tenacious. But she is also prone to self-doubt when it comes to certain aspects of her life. As a free-lancer, and female to boot, she’s fighting an uphill battle convincing the police that her findings point to a crime, so she forced to pursue the investigation on her own. Her best friend, Kate, is a detective and begins to become an ally, but then betrays Anya’s trust when dealing with the lone survivor.
Because this is number one in a series, there’s a lot of personal background that has to be covered, and in this case Anya’s own back story is instrumental in shaping the current plot. It helps to explain why she’s such a loner, and her personal troubles with her ex-husband make her emotionally vulnerable.
I had identified the culprit pretty quickly, certainly by half-way through the novel, but enjoyed watching the characters figure it out for themselves. I recognized that Fox gave the reader clues that Anya and the police did not have. The ending somewhat sets the reader up for future installments. I would hope that her relationships with Kate, Martin and Brody are continued and developed further as the series progresses.
December 6, 2017
First up, thanks to who ever nominated this book for reading this December. Not only have I not read any of Kathryn Fox's work ,I had never even heard of Kathryn Fox, but now I do. She has joined my TBR list of authors.
Really enjoyed Malicious Intent, there is nothing linear about this book. Great plot and a couple of strong sub plots.
Main plot. The most unlikely girls start turning up dead by suicide. They all have full Brazilians and weird fibres in there lungs. Dr Anya Crichton, a free lance Pathologist, is hired by the bother of one of the dead girls to look further into what the police have. The more Anya looks the more confused she becomes. But with her own persistence and the help from some friends Anya starts to see beyond the mist. The ending is very tight and leaves thing pretty open ended, just begging for Dr, Anya Crichton's next case.
There is also a, light, look into Middle Eastern family culture. A family dominated by a patriarchal father who's word is law.
On top of all that there are the problems that Anya is having in her private life. She is divorced and her ex has guardianship of their son.
The only fault I have is, at the start of the book there is a lot of very Scientific terminology. It took me ten minutes to get my tongue around some of the words only to be forgotten ten seconds later.
This is a great read and come highly recommended.
Really enjoyed Malicious Intent, there is nothing linear about this book. Great plot and a couple of strong sub plots.
Main plot. The most unlikely girls start turning up dead by suicide. They all have full Brazilians and weird fibres in there lungs. Dr Anya Crichton, a free lance Pathologist, is hired by the bother of one of the dead girls to look further into what the police have. The more Anya looks the more confused she becomes. But with her own persistence and the help from some friends Anya starts to see beyond the mist. The ending is very tight and leaves thing pretty open ended, just begging for Dr, Anya Crichton's next case.
There is also a, light, look into Middle Eastern family culture. A family dominated by a patriarchal father who's word is law.
On top of all that there are the problems that Anya is having in her private life. She is divorced and her ex has guardianship of their son.
The only fault I have is, at the start of the book there is a lot of very Scientific terminology. It took me ten minutes to get my tongue around some of the words only to be forgotten ten seconds later.
This is a great read and come highly recommended.
June 27, 2022
An interesting story with great lead character, fast paced and well-written, it's a really good start to a new series. I'll definitely be reading more.
June 4, 2014
I did enjoy this book a lot, although I thought it got a bit lame in some areas involving descriptions of complicated apparatus used by the main bad guy, but this was a minor glitch and didn't put me off too much. I also thought the lead character Anya a little bit gullible at times....though, again not enough to spoil it.
I was aware that this is the authors first novel and made allowances for that, and have to give credit for a strong story which has the potential to grow into a really good series.
I will read the next book in the series, but I do hope the lead character Anya shows a bit more strength than she did here. Otherwise I'm not sure I will continue on with the series.
To be fair, I think I was expecting her to be a bit more kickass, though I'm not sure why?...although it does occur to me now that she's a Doctor and not a cop, so I suppose she wouldn't be as streetwise as her friend Kate, who is a cop..detective actually.
I don't know why but I kept expecting her to be a bit more feisty, perhaps she came across that way to begin with and then fell short...as it turned out though, she was...compared to Kate.
Still, I was surprised at how she [Anya] showed such poor judgement at various times.
Hopefully her experiences in this book will make her character stronger in the future books.
All in all, I thought it was pretty good for her first novel...I gave it 3.5★s
June 9, 2010
3.0 out of 5 stars Good start!, August 21, 2008
This review is from: Malicious Intent: A Novel (Paperback)
This was a pretty good first novel. It got a little bogged down with TMI sometimes, lots of detail and then all of a sudden, lots of action. I had already figured out who "done it" midway through the book, probably because so many thrillers are so formulaic and you know it's someone you have `met' or who is close to the character or on the periphery so you just mentally start detecting them out. Interesting story of these all tied together but the culprit was just your basic ordinary psychopathic sadist. I will try #2 -- I rated this one 3.5 stars. The protag Anya is more interesting and more human than Kay Scarpetta or Tempe Brennan and I liked her a lot more. Like the Australian setting and her lifestyle.
This review is from: Malicious Intent: A Novel (Paperback)
This was a pretty good first novel. It got a little bogged down with TMI sometimes, lots of detail and then all of a sudden, lots of action. I had already figured out who "done it" midway through the book, probably because so many thrillers are so formulaic and you know it's someone you have `met' or who is close to the character or on the periphery so you just mentally start detecting them out. Interesting story of these all tied together but the culprit was just your basic ordinary psychopathic sadist. I will try #2 -- I rated this one 3.5 stars. The protag Anya is more interesting and more human than Kay Scarpetta or Tempe Brennan and I liked her a lot more. Like the Australian setting and her lifestyle.
August 1, 2015
This is the first in the Dr Anya Crichton series and I really enjoyed it. I actually guessed “whodunnit” at about half to two-thirds of the way through, which is unusual for me. I listened to this as an audiobook, and enjoyed Jennifer Vuletic’s narrative voice.
It isn’t as graphic as the couple of Patricia Cornwell books that I read many years ago, or as spine-chilling, but it is still compelling reading. And in fact the Patricia Cornwell's I read went a little too far, and I have no desire to read more. But I will definitely be continuing with this series.
It isn’t as graphic as the couple of Patricia Cornwell books that I read many years ago, or as spine-chilling, but it is still compelling reading. And in fact the Patricia Cornwell's I read went a little too far, and I have no desire to read more. But I will definitely be continuing with this series.
June 8, 2018
Malicious Intent introduces Sydney-based Dr Anya Crichton, a forensic physician who is often called in assist with sexual assault cases. Anya has a gifted three-year old son, Ben but her ex- a dropkick called Martin - has custody and plays mind games. Her best friend DS Kate Farrer has an attitude which gets people offside, colleagues and the general public alike. Attorney Dan Brody is a slick and a womaniser, Vaughn Hunter is a psychologist with a sympathetic ear and an obsessive tidiness no woman could stand.
The main story here is a number of women who suicide, who share drug-resistant herpes and strange fibres in the lungs. One, a Lebanese girl promised in an arranged marriage, who is deemed to have disgraced her family, is found in a toilet block with drug paraphernalia. Her father beats her alleged boyfriend, leaving him in induced coma. Other victims include a nun, a female doctor and a nurse.
The strength here lies in the medical and forensic details, less so the survivor guilt from a family tragedy from Anya’s childhood and problems with her ex - the backstory at times threatening to overwhelm the plot. I guessed early in the piece who the villain was (too many visual clues), but the lesser characters were well-played and the climax nail-biting.
The main story here is a number of women who suicide, who share drug-resistant herpes and strange fibres in the lungs. One, a Lebanese girl promised in an arranged marriage, who is deemed to have disgraced her family, is found in a toilet block with drug paraphernalia. Her father beats her alleged boyfriend, leaving him in induced coma. Other victims include a nun, a female doctor and a nurse.
The strength here lies in the medical and forensic details, less so the survivor guilt from a family tragedy from Anya’s childhood and problems with her ex - the backstory at times threatening to overwhelm the plot. I guessed early in the piece who the villain was (too many visual clues), but the lesser characters were well-played and the climax nail-biting.
August 5, 2015
3.5
Kathryn Fox's books have been on my TBR for a while and I immediately moved Malicious Intent to the top when I found out that she was the co-author of James Patterson's Private Sydney. I have been searching for crime fiction set in Australia for a while but only recently have I started to read some of the books that I found. Malicious Intent is an enjoyable read and a great introduction into what I hope will prove to be a series worth reading through to the end.
Dr. Anya Crichton is a pathologist and forensic physician and she is one of the only female freelancers in the field. The fact that she works freelance kind of makes her role in the book make more sense given that she becomes almost like an investigator as the case progresses. The story carries great authenticity because Kathryn Fox is a doctor herself and so the whole story is believable and written in a knowledgeable way. Anya is asked to look into the suicide of a teenage girl and she soon notices similarities between the girl's death and a number of others that she is working on with friend and colleague DS Kate Farrer. The police are reluctant to pursue the links that Anya believes she has unearthed and so she is forced to investigate alone to uncover the full, sinister truth.
I was expecting Malicious Intent to be a little bit more gory than it was, but given the nature of the cases involved that wouldn't have been necessary. This is something I hope to see in future novels though as readers of my blog will know that I am a fan of the gore. The characterisation in Malicious Intent is brilliant, especially Anya who I liked from the word go. Her home life plays a role in the story and influences how she thinks and acts. She is in the midst of a custody battle with her ex-husband and it was different to read a story where it's the mother fighting for custody of her child. The fact that money is sparse is a deciding factor in the kind of work that Anya accepts. There's enough going on in the story to keep readers guessing but I think seasoned crime fiction readers will work things out far sooner than they are revealed in the story. That said the finale of the book is a thrilling one and has left me eager to read more from Kathryn Fox.
Kathryn Fox's books have been on my TBR for a while and I immediately moved Malicious Intent to the top when I found out that she was the co-author of James Patterson's Private Sydney. I have been searching for crime fiction set in Australia for a while but only recently have I started to read some of the books that I found. Malicious Intent is an enjoyable read and a great introduction into what I hope will prove to be a series worth reading through to the end.
Dr. Anya Crichton is a pathologist and forensic physician and she is one of the only female freelancers in the field. The fact that she works freelance kind of makes her role in the book make more sense given that she becomes almost like an investigator as the case progresses. The story carries great authenticity because Kathryn Fox is a doctor herself and so the whole story is believable and written in a knowledgeable way. Anya is asked to look into the suicide of a teenage girl and she soon notices similarities between the girl's death and a number of others that she is working on with friend and colleague DS Kate Farrer. The police are reluctant to pursue the links that Anya believes she has unearthed and so she is forced to investigate alone to uncover the full, sinister truth.
I was expecting Malicious Intent to be a little bit more gory than it was, but given the nature of the cases involved that wouldn't have been necessary. This is something I hope to see in future novels though as readers of my blog will know that I am a fan of the gore. The characterisation in Malicious Intent is brilliant, especially Anya who I liked from the word go. Her home life plays a role in the story and influences how she thinks and acts. She is in the midst of a custody battle with her ex-husband and it was different to read a story where it's the mother fighting for custody of her child. The fact that money is sparse is a deciding factor in the kind of work that Anya accepts. There's enough going on in the story to keep readers guessing but I think seasoned crime fiction readers will work things out far sooner than they are revealed in the story. That said the finale of the book is a thrilling one and has left me eager to read more from Kathryn Fox.
May 13, 2012
Dr Anya Chrichton has just started freelancing in the male dominated field of forensic pathology, but work is sparse - until she is asked to look into the seemingly non-suspicious death of a teenage girl from a Lebanese background. A few minor details from the case are disturbingly similar to another case she is working on....then another and another. Too bizarre to be a conincidence, Anya realises she has uncovered some kind of sinister plot and more frighteningly, that a serial killer is on the loose.
I was a big fan of Patricia Cornwell's early work and this book reminded me a lot of that. With the strong female lead character working in the same male dominated field and the gory (yet fascinating) details of forensic pathology as the theme, I was hooked right from the beginning.
You really get a sense of Anya right from early on in the story and can sympathise with her as she struggles to cope not only with career challenges, but also personal ones, including having lost custody of her only child. I thought she was a well-developed character and can see the potential for growth as the series continues.
There is a fair amount of forensic/medical jargon within the storyline, but I didn't find it too bogged down in it. If you have read in this genre before, you would be familiar with most of it and if not, you do start to learn as you read. I enjoyed the Sydney setting and the realistic portrayal of the "boys club" when it comes to working with police and other related agencies.
The book has got a good pace to it and the suspense builds nicely as the story moves to its conclusion.
A great debut novel and I look forward to reading the other titles in the series.
I was a big fan of Patricia Cornwell's early work and this book reminded me a lot of that. With the strong female lead character working in the same male dominated field and the gory (yet fascinating) details of forensic pathology as the theme, I was hooked right from the beginning.
You really get a sense of Anya right from early on in the story and can sympathise with her as she struggles to cope not only with career challenges, but also personal ones, including having lost custody of her only child. I thought she was a well-developed character and can see the potential for growth as the series continues.
There is a fair amount of forensic/medical jargon within the storyline, but I didn't find it too bogged down in it. If you have read in this genre before, you would be familiar with most of it and if not, you do start to learn as you read. I enjoyed the Sydney setting and the realistic portrayal of the "boys club" when it comes to working with police and other related agencies.
The book has got a good pace to it and the suspense builds nicely as the story moves to its conclusion.
A great debut novel and I look forward to reading the other titles in the series.
December 16, 2017
I greatly enjoyed this book. It is a cross between a forensic investigation and a psychological thriller, and as such it satisfied my intellect.
My main reservation about this novel was its plot development. At the start there was a lot of information-dense writing, to establish the characters and to set up the rationale for the crime investigation. I thought it was too detailed and I was desperate for more forward momentum. I remember thinking, at page 227, when are we going to get to see the real perpetrator? It did come, eventually, and perhaps the author chose to spring this on the reader suddenly. Speaking personally, I was getting a bit frustrated to be so far into the book without a single inkling of the baddy. I thought the ending, with its rapid rise in pace and tension, felt a little rushed.
A solid 4 star read, and an impressive debut novel from a talented Australian author.
My main reservation about this novel was its plot development. At the start there was a lot of information-dense writing, to establish the characters and to set up the rationale for the crime investigation. I thought it was too detailed and I was desperate for more forward momentum. I remember thinking, at page 227, when are we going to get to see the real perpetrator? It did come, eventually, and perhaps the author chose to spring this on the reader suddenly. Speaking personally, I was getting a bit frustrated to be so far into the book without a single inkling of the baddy. I thought the ending, with its rapid rise in pace and tension, felt a little rushed.
A solid 4 star read, and an impressive debut novel from a talented Australian author.
December 19, 2017
I did not enjoy this book much, though it started well. Halfway through though I got bored with the forensic details which - to me at least- came across as the author wanting to show off her knowledge. What really irked me though was reading a book set in Australia, by an Australian author using American spelling. So every time the word 'fiber' came up - and that was often - I was annoyed. I lost it completely when Dr Crichton called the ambulance towards the end of the book, dialling 911. 911 will not get you an ambulance in Australia. It's triple 0.
November 16, 2019
Interesting forensics. I'd be interested to see where this series goes with the Heroine's background. A good, well plotted mystery.
December 29, 2014
I was prepared to give this book only 4 stars, until I realized that I could not put it down. The first book in a series is always hard, since you have to introduce the character, as well as set the scene, and then build up the story, which the author accomplished very well. It was rather difficult to read in parts, sometimes due to an overload of medical jargon, and other times due to graphic content. The climax was rather delicious, full of suspense, and kept me turning pages, but the resolution didn't really happen. I can not wait to read the next one.
January 17, 2019
3.5 estrelas
Gostei do início desta série, protagonizada por uma médica e antropóloga forense, passada na Austrália, ou seja, 2 elementos que muito prezo em livros. Gostei da forma como a autora envolveu a protagonista, a Dr.ª Anya, em algumas situações, relacionadas ou não, com o caso policial em investigação, dando a conhecer mais do meio em que Anya trabalha. Estes assuntos relacionados com investigação médica fascinam-me.
Sobre a investigação à morte, aparentemente overdose, de Fatima, bem, quem diria as voltas que aquilo ia dar? Nem quis acreditar quando foi revelada a mente por trás de tudo...
Achei que o final podia ser mais arranjado, com mais informação,
Gostei do início desta série, protagonizada por uma médica e antropóloga forense, passada na Austrália, ou seja, 2 elementos que muito prezo em livros. Gostei da forma como a autora envolveu a protagonista, a Dr.ª Anya, em algumas situações, relacionadas ou não, com o caso policial em investigação, dando a conhecer mais do meio em que Anya trabalha. Estes assuntos relacionados com investigação médica fascinam-me.
Sobre a investigação à morte, aparentemente overdose, de Fatima, bem, quem diria as voltas que aquilo ia dar? Nem quis acreditar quando foi revelada a mente por trás de tudo...
Achei que o final podia ser mais arranjado, com mais informação,
August 5, 2023
64/ 2023
EL SILENCIO DEL MIEDO
En la vida hay dos formas de ver la vida: disfrutando del viaje, del recorrido en sí, o del destino. Si me salgo de la metáfora, yo soy de las que me teletransportaría al lugar sin tener que pasar por el viaje. Pero me he liao, volvamos a esta alegoría prechiocha...
En la literatura estoy en la posición contraria: yo quiero disfrutar durante el viaje. Si este se me hace pesado o sufrido, cierro el libro y a otra cosa, que pa sufrir ya está la vida real.
¿Qué pasa con este libro? Que he disfrutado mucho en el viaje (a pesar de las erratas y algunas conversaciones repetitivas), así que , cuando el sitio al que he llegado me ha precido un poco meehhhh, bueno, no me queda más que darle las gracias por el buen paseo. Lo dejaría en una lectura de notable, no el sobresaliente que esperaba encontrar, porque el desenlace me ha parecido tan peliculero, reotrcido y maniqueo que no lo compro.
EL SILENCIO DEL MIEDO
En la vida hay dos formas de ver la vida: disfrutando del viaje, del recorrido en sí, o del destino. Si me salgo de la metáfora, yo soy de las que me teletransportaría al lugar sin tener que pasar por el viaje. Pero me he liao, volvamos a esta alegoría prechiocha...
En la literatura estoy en la posición contraria: yo quiero disfrutar durante el viaje. Si este se me hace pesado o sufrido, cierro el libro y a otra cosa, que pa sufrir ya está la vida real.
¿Qué pasa con este libro? Que he disfrutado mucho en el viaje (a pesar de las erratas y algunas conversaciones repetitivas), así que , cuando el sitio al que he llegado me ha precido un poco meehhhh, bueno, no me queda más que darle las gracias por el buen paseo. Lo dejaría en una lectura de notable, no el sobresaliente que esperaba encontrar, porque el desenlace me ha parecido tan peliculero, reotrcido y maniqueo que no lo compro.
October 27, 2020
Excellent mystery about a forensic pathologist (Anya Chrichton) who becomes intrigued by a number of suicides that don't make sense to her. The science was interesting, but I am not a fan of reading about marriage/custody issues (unless they are relevant to the mystery), and I thought the pathologist and her police detective friend suddenly took stupid pills near the end. I like the author's writing enough to check out more of her mysteries, though.
April 30, 2021
Cannot say the ending was unpredictable, but it still had a lot to be interested in. This book shows how unfortunate and hard it is for a woman to work in an environment full of men. It is so close to reality, so closeto the way it really works in real life, it makes me sad and frustrated. Although the book was very nicely written and easy to read, since I am quite invested in this topic, there were not enough aspects for me, to make the book outstanding.
June 13, 2024
This was phenomenal. Genuinely couldn’t put it down. Clearly an incredibly intelligent author, who also has the unique ability to keep a story super captivating while also being really detailed. Loved the twists, and the language around some “taboo” topics was really progressive, when it easily could have crossed into shame-y territory. 5 stars easyyyyy
May 30, 2024
No 1 in this exciting crime fiction series by a very talented Australian author. From the start to the very end it’s nail biting, edge of the set story has you quickly turning the pages to the next hair raising segment of nifty twists and turns. Forensic physician lovers will eat up this one. Easily 5 plus stars.
April 3, 2025
(4.5) Really interesting, well thought trough and well told Story. Loved all the twisted layers and i think it perfectly portrayed how manipulation and abuse can get people to do basically anything, no matter if it differs from their usual morals. Killing for example.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2018
A great intro to a series. I mostly listened to this is my car in 30 minute segments and it worked well for me. Dr Anya Crichton is a character with her share of troubles and I rather liked her. It was a bit of a change to have a doctor rather than a detective.as the main character in an investigation. I formed a theory early on as to who was responsible and then spent the remainder of the book hoping that I was wrong. The narrator was very good, easy to listen to and I’m about to start book 2.
April 19, 2025
Dug this out my TBR pile thinking time I tackled it. It was a brilliant read.
June 5, 2020
Good story. The main character Anya Crichton is a well rounded person
November 27, 2020
When forensic physician Dr. Anya Crichton accepts a private job to uncover the circumstances behind the drug overdose death of a young Muslim woman, she is shocked to find similarities between that death and several other women's deaths. They all went missing for a period of time before their bodies were found, and the autopsies reveals a strange fibre in their lungs. Anya works with her friend Det. Kate Farrer to determine whether a cunning killer is at work.
I enjoy a good forensic thriller (it's why I read Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell), and I was interested in reading an Australian version! I have actually read Skin And Bone by this author, which was part of this series, but didn't feature Anya Crichton at all! It features Kate Farrer, and was a pretty standard police procedural. This forensic thriller had the germ of a good idea, and the crimes were disturbing...but it was mostly dull. The focus here is on Anya trying to find out exactly what those fibres in the lungs of the victims were. I mean, zzzzz....
The book gets bogged down with too much extraneous material. Anya provides expert witness testimony at a court case. She attends a conference on how to be a good expert witness. She's in a messy divorce where she only has infrequent custody of her son. She's haunted by her past, in which she blames herself for the disappearance of her three-year-old sister many years ago, a crime that was never solved. All this only serves to dilute the potentially scary and disturbing central premise.
I wasn't fully convinced by Anya's custody situation. The courts granted full-time access to her unemployed husband? It didn't ring true. They would be more likely to grant access to the parent with a paying job and able to afford childcare if necessary. And the newspaper hatchet job committed against Anya later in the book frustrated the hell out of me. I hate vindictive journalist subplots in books like this! Plus, the said article would never be published! It's just asking for a lawsuit!
This had the beginnings of a decent forensic thriller, but got bogged down with too much extraneous detail that kept dragging me out of the plot. The killer's identity was extremely obvious too. I picked them from the moment they were introduced!
I enjoy a good forensic thriller (it's why I read Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell), and I was interested in reading an Australian version! I have actually read Skin And Bone by this author, which was part of this series, but didn't feature Anya Crichton at all! It features Kate Farrer, and was a pretty standard police procedural. This forensic thriller had the germ of a good idea, and the crimes were disturbing...but it was mostly dull. The focus here is on Anya trying to find out exactly what those fibres in the lungs of the victims were. I mean, zzzzz....
The book gets bogged down with too much extraneous material. Anya provides expert witness testimony at a court case. She attends a conference on how to be a good expert witness. She's in a messy divorce where she only has infrequent custody of her son. She's haunted by her past, in which she blames herself for the disappearance of her three-year-old sister many years ago, a crime that was never solved. All this only serves to dilute the potentially scary and disturbing central premise.
I wasn't fully convinced by Anya's custody situation. The courts granted full-time access to her unemployed husband? It didn't ring true. They would be more likely to grant access to the parent with a paying job and able to afford childcare if necessary. And the newspaper hatchet job committed against Anya later in the book frustrated the hell out of me. I hate vindictive journalist subplots in books like this! Plus, the said article would never be published! It's just asking for a lawsuit!
This had the beginnings of a decent forensic thriller, but got bogged down with too much extraneous detail that kept dragging me out of the plot. The killer's identity was extremely obvious too. I picked them from the moment they were introduced!
November 24, 2008
The first of Fox's three mysteries and what a debut novel.Again it is set in my local area...I always thought Seven Hills station carpark was a creepy place and now I have verification.
When three girls from vastly different backgrounds are found dead from apparent suicide after being missing for a period of time the links between their deaths ssem tenuous at best. But the tenacity of Dr Anya Chrichton in uncovering forensic clues soon links the deaths. The mystery is sustained well and she leaves subtle clues for the assiduous reader to unmask the killer. I will never walk my local streets with quite the same ease as I once did and that's the excuse I will use every morning when I wish to stay in bed a bit longer.
When three girls from vastly different backgrounds are found dead from apparent suicide after being missing for a period of time the links between their deaths ssem tenuous at best. But the tenacity of Dr Anya Chrichton in uncovering forensic clues soon links the deaths. The mystery is sustained well and she leaves subtle clues for the assiduous reader to unmask the killer. I will never walk my local streets with quite the same ease as I once did and that's the excuse I will use every morning when I wish to stay in bed a bit longer.
May 24, 2024
This book started out well, the story was interesting and being set in Australia it was great to hear places I knew well. However it sort of deteriorated in the second half and the ending was ver disappointing .
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