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Eve Diamond Mystery #5
Prisoner of Memory
Denise Hamilton, hailed by the "Chicago Sun-Times" as "one of the brightest new stars in the mystery world," delivers a riveting new novel in her critically acclaimed series featuring her uniquely appealing heroine -- sassy, street-smart Los Angeles Times reporter Eve Diamond. Set in L.A.'s vibrant Russian immigrant community, where new money and raw power collide with hidden agendas left over from the Cold War, Prisoner of Memory confirms Hamilton's reputation as one of the most astute writers of engrossing, atmospheric crime fiction, illuminating the social realities of contemporary Los Angeles.
While investigating the sighting of a mountain lion in L.A.'s Griffith Park, Eve comes across the body of a teenage boy who has been shot to death execution-style. The son of a Russian e migre scientist, the victim was an exemplary student with no ties to gangs or drugs. Was his murder a random act of violence, the result of a teenage love triangle, or the work of the Russian Mafia? Eve, also the child of Russian immigrants, feels an instant rapport with the boy's grief-stricken father, Sasha Lukin, a cultured old-world gentleman who she senses is not telling her all he knows about his son's murder.
Forced to partner on the story with her newsroom rival, police reporter Josh Brandywine, whose interest in her turns disconcertingly personal, Eve uncovers connections between the victim's family and a fascinating, chameleon-like FBI agent and a brutal Russian mobster who warns Eve not to pry into the teenager's death. Complicating Eve's pursuit of the story is the arrival at her door of a young Russian man who claims to be her long-lost cousin. Is he truly a link to the familyshe thought she'd lost or an impostor sent by the Russian mob to spy on her?
As the violence surrounding the Lukin family escalates to encompass Eve, and as she moves closer to unraveling the motives of a brilliant, vengeful killer, "Prisoner of Memory" races to a thrilling resolution that holds surprising personal revelations about Eve herself.
While investigating the sighting of a mountain lion in L.A.'s Griffith Park, Eve comes across the body of a teenage boy who has been shot to death execution-style. The son of a Russian e migre scientist, the victim was an exemplary student with no ties to gangs or drugs. Was his murder a random act of violence, the result of a teenage love triangle, or the work of the Russian Mafia? Eve, also the child of Russian immigrants, feels an instant rapport with the boy's grief-stricken father, Sasha Lukin, a cultured old-world gentleman who she senses is not telling her all he knows about his son's murder.
Forced to partner on the story with her newsroom rival, police reporter Josh Brandywine, whose interest in her turns disconcertingly personal, Eve uncovers connections between the victim's family and a fascinating, chameleon-like FBI agent and a brutal Russian mobster who warns Eve not to pry into the teenager's death. Complicating Eve's pursuit of the story is the arrival at her door of a young Russian man who claims to be her long-lost cousin. Is he truly a link to the familyshe thought she'd lost or an impostor sent by the Russian mob to spy on her?
As the violence surrounding the Lukin family escalates to encompass Eve, and as she moves closer to unraveling the motives of a brilliant, vengeful killer, "Prisoner of Memory" races to a thrilling resolution that holds surprising personal revelations about Eve herself.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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About the author
Denise Hamilton
32 books117 followersDenise Hamilton is a Los Angeles-based writer-journalist whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Wired, Cosmopolitan, Der Spiegel, and New Times. A reporter for the L.A. Times for ten years, she covered not only L.A. stories, but also the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and burgeoning youth movements in Japan. A Fulbright scholar, she taught in the former Yugoslavia during the Bosnian War. She lives in a Los Angeles suburb with her husband and two young children. Her first novel, The Jasmine Trade, received wide acclaim and was a finalist for the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and WILLA Awards.
Series:
* Eve Diamond Mystery
Series:
* Eve Diamond Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 1, 2022
Nothing like a bit of spring cleaning in October, but that’s what this is on two levels. First, it’s the final book in the Eve Diamond series, and second, I’ve had this on a hard drive for more than 13 years. Time to red and delete for sure.
Who murdered Denny Lukin? That’s not the question Eve Diamond originally set out to answer the day her editor assigned a story about mountain lions running free in part of Los Angeles. While tracking a big cat, Eve finds the body of the teen with Russian parents. Someone executed him.
Naturally, she digs into the story. There are lots of things that aren’t right about what she saw. Not only did someone murder the kid, but a lion or some other animal tore his body in horrid ways.
Her investigation ultimately leads her to a disenchanted FBI agent and a sketchy nightclub apparently owned by a Russian mafia leader. They warn her repeatedly to stop asking questions, but she refuses to give up. Presumably because of her investigation, the older brother of the dead teen nearly dies in a pedestrian hit-and-run incident. Eve suspects blackmail when the phrase “prisoner of memory” turns up on documents she finds.
Eve, too, had a parent born of Russian emigres. She finds, while looking for her own birth certificate, a series of aged documents that tie her grandmother to living ancestors of the dead teen and his brother.
I enjoyed this, but it seemed a weird way to end the series. It appears that poor Eve, like the industry in which she worked, has sputtered out of gas or something close enough to it.
Who murdered Denny Lukin? That’s not the question Eve Diamond originally set out to answer the day her editor assigned a story about mountain lions running free in part of Los Angeles. While tracking a big cat, Eve finds the body of the teen with Russian parents. Someone executed him.
Naturally, she digs into the story. There are lots of things that aren’t right about what she saw. Not only did someone murder the kid, but a lion or some other animal tore his body in horrid ways.
Her investigation ultimately leads her to a disenchanted FBI agent and a sketchy nightclub apparently owned by a Russian mafia leader. They warn her repeatedly to stop asking questions, but she refuses to give up. Presumably because of her investigation, the older brother of the dead teen nearly dies in a pedestrian hit-and-run incident. Eve suspects blackmail when the phrase “prisoner of memory” turns up on documents she finds.
Eve, too, had a parent born of Russian emigres. She finds, while looking for her own birth certificate, a series of aged documents that tie her grandmother to living ancestors of the dead teen and his brother.
I enjoyed this, but it seemed a weird way to end the series. It appears that poor Eve, like the industry in which she worked, has sputtered out of gas or something close enough to it.
June 2, 2021
To be fair, I knew before beginning Prisoner of Memory that this book was not in my wheelhouse. I finished it because it's this month's book club selection but I doubt I would have gotten very far otherwise. Eve was a *very* frustrating protagonist and her decision-making skills are shockingly bad considering (as this is the fifth in the series) she must have been in difficult situations before. Overall, I felt that Prisoner of Memory was a disappointing cliche and I can't imagine ever returning to this series.
May 22, 2024
I like this series and was disappointed to discover that this was the last one. As with all the others in the series, this was a fast-paced and enjoyable read, with well-defined characters and a strong story line involving Russian spies and Mafia figures. Although it's been a while since this came out, I'm holding out hope that there will someday be more in the Eve Diamond series.
October 27, 2023
Just a wee bit dense to my taste.
October 10, 2007
Prisoner of the Obvious: Denise Hamilton's Prisoner of Memory
I've been so nearly beaten senseless with the most obvious, brutal, heavy-handed foreshadowing I think I have ever endured in a work of fiction.
Something kept me reading, though...what was it?...Oh, that's right: I didn't have anything else and the library was closed.
I see that the author of Prisoner of Memory, Denise Hamilton, has actually won awards. Must be who you know. Or maybe it was a lean year. I got this title off of a list of recommendations on public radio, no less.
Not only did I feel this was lacking finesse, there are loose ends that were never tied up. That's fine in real life, but a serious problem in crime fiction, as far as I'm concerned.
The "new Raymond Chandler"? I think not.
I've been so nearly beaten senseless with the most obvious, brutal, heavy-handed foreshadowing I think I have ever endured in a work of fiction.
Something kept me reading, though...what was it?...Oh, that's right: I didn't have anything else and the library was closed.
I see that the author of Prisoner of Memory, Denise Hamilton, has actually won awards. Must be who you know. Or maybe it was a lean year. I got this title off of a list of recommendations on public radio, no less.
Not only did I feel this was lacking finesse, there are loose ends that were never tied up. That's fine in real life, but a serious problem in crime fiction, as far as I'm concerned.
The "new Raymond Chandler"? I think not.
August 31, 2010
Prisoner of Memory is a solid mystery novel that combines believable plot lines with relatable characters. The pacing and logical manner in which the story progresses makes for a very enjoyable read except for the black sheep that is Chapter 22. This chapter seems wholly out of place and ruins an otherwise enjoyable read with a trashy, romance novel-like sex scene that adds nothing of value to the plot or character development. Skip over that chapter and you won't be missing much for apart from Chapter 22, this book is a compelling read that's worth reading through.
August 20, 2014
Denise Hamilton's Eve Diamond character is a reporter for the LA Times who always seems to find trouble that leads to a mystery and a story. In this installment, she has moved to the downtown office and while covering a story discovers a body in Griffith Park. This leads to a well-written story with plenty of twists and surprises. I found this to be my favorite Eve Diamond novel- more action, better character development and less romance.
October 19, 2008
As always, Denise Hamilton does a great job of describing the multi-ethnic mosaic that is modern LA. Strong sense of place, good mystery, and a sharp, very human heroine in LATimes reporter, Eve Diamond. This one was especially fun for me to read (a former student of Russian language and lit) as her ethnic group of focus this time is Russian-Americans.
August 16, 2016
The last book in the series of 4 Eve Diamond novels is a 4 star read. Diamond is a reporter and daughter of Russian immigrants. In this book, she finds the body of a young man, shot in the hills. Her investigation into this death leads to the Russian Mafia and Cold War Russian spies. An interesting read with interesting and believable characters.
October 17, 2016
Hamilton brings a humanizing element to her journalist, Eve Diamond in this story about the Cold War, spies, emigration, and the Russian Mafia. Intriquing use of espionage and counterespionage. Who is to be believed and who isn't?
September 2, 2008
Not the best one I have read since it was hard to keep the characters straight but I will definitely read more of her books.
April 22, 2010
One in a good series of mysteries with a likable lead character whose sleuthing leads to different areas and cultures in the spread-out city of LA.
February 21, 2009
It's a fun read.
July 3, 2011
Eve Diamond mystery, set in Los Angeles
August 12, 2016
The coincidences were a bit much for me-- this did not feel polished or believable. Pretty bad, actually, but I really like Denise Hamilton so I'm giving it 2 stars anyway.
March 16, 2012
Great Book! Really well written. Excellent character development and a great who done it. THis is an author i will continue reading.
August 11, 2014
Obvious and crappy
October 27, 2014
As these are Los Angeles books I love them.
March 12, 2015
Interesting story with lots of details about the USSR, but I felt it was too long. I got a little bored before the end.
June 25, 2016
Enjoyable read. It helped that I met the author. I have a signed hardback copy.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews