Sangran las piedras

by Frances Fyfield

Después de conseguir la absolución de un cliente –un peligroso embaucador y maltratador de mujeres–, la brillante abogada Marianne Shearer se arroja al vacío desde la sexta planta de un hotel, vestida con una deslumbrante falda de alta costura. Detrás de ella no deja nada: ni archivos personales, ni una nota de suicidio, ni siquiera un móvil. Sólo ha nombrado un albacea y un joven ayudante para que rastreen el misterio y el motivo de su muerte.

La investigación desvelará un mundo de glamour privado y de crueldad pública. Una historia de secretos y deslealtades. No sólo los abogados quieren saber qué escondía Marianne Shearer. También su último cliente, un sórdido criminal experto en escapar de la justicia.

Sangran las piedras es la última novela de la celebrada autora inglesa Frances Fyfield y mereció en 2008 el prestigioso premio Duncan Lawrie Dagger de la Asociación de Escritores de Literatura Criminal.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, British Literature, Mystery Thriller

472 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Aka Frances Hegarty.

Frances Fyfield is a criminal lawyer, who lives in London and in Deal, by the sea which is her passion. She has won several awards, including the CWA Silver Dagger.

She grew up in rural Derbyshire, but spent most of her adult life in London, with long intervals in Norfolk and Deal, all inspiring places. She was educated mostly in convent schools; then studied English at Newcastle University and went on to qualify as a solicitor, working for what is now the Crown Prosecution Service, thus learning a bit about murder at second hand. She also worked for the Metropolitan Police.

Years later, writing became her real vocation. She also writes short stories for magazines and radio and is occasionally a contributor to Radio 4, (Front Row, Quote Unquote, Night Waves,) and presenter of Tales from the Stave.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

BLOOD FROM STONE was recently announced as the winner of the 2008 Duncan Lawrie Dagger, presented by the Crime Writers' Association in the UK. Reading a prize-winning novel for review always presents a slightly different set of questions to answer - the obvious one being why did it win? Frances Fyfield is the author of around 17 previous novels incidentally.

BLOOD FROM STONE is essentially the story of Marianne Shearer; successful criminal barrister and defence counsel; wealthy and supposedly extremely self-assured - Marianne is not a conventionally attractive woman, but she dresses extremely, and formally well. Why did she jump from a sixth-floor window? Especially as she had just won a very high profile case - her client might have been guilty, he may have been an extremely nasty piece of work - but her defence slowly wore down the prosecution case - probably killed a chief witness. But vigorous defence was the normal part of her daily life. After her death her own lawyer and probably one of the few people able to call himself a friend - Thomas Noble - finds that there is a lot to Marianne's private life that's looking increasingly abnormal. When he hires humble lawyer, and Junior to Marianne, Peter Friel to help track down all her missing possessions it is Peter that finally manages to pinpoint what was really odd about her death - her clothes.

The entire of this book swirls around Marianne's life and the final case she defended before throwing herself to her death. There are some co-incidences drawn upon to bring a number of the elements of the story together - the connections between Peter and Thomas, the connections between them both and Marianne. The connection between her clothes and the last case that she defended. The connections between the accused in that case and Marianne. It's all those connections and all those coincidences that give the reader pause for concern as they are revealed - pretty rapidly in the early stages of the book. But stay with it. The point of the connections is that life is often more about co-incidences and weird occurrences that logically - make no sense - but they happen and the impact of them is often long-term and incredibly far reaching.

Part of what really works in BLOOD FROM STONE is that sense that one more thing can't possibly happen - but it does. One more co-incidence couldn't possibly be explained - but it can. One more element to this story can't possibly be connected - but it is. Ultimately what really works is that Fyfield writes a cast of characters that are accessible, and believable. In a deft touch even the dead are accessible, if not ever so slightly just on the fringe of reach - you learn only so much about the dead - enough to make you understand some of what they did / went through - but not so much that it's unrealistic or even - disconcerting. It's definitely an unusual setting, and it's an unusual story insomuch as the deaths of most concern are not murders, but it is a really engaging and fascinating book. Definitely would have won a prize if I gave one.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm surprised that this was a prize winning crime novel, as it really didn't feel like a terribly good book to me. I think, perhaps, the author's style was just not to my liking, as certainly plenty of people here seem to have really enjoyed it. I personally felt that a lot of the writing was stilted, with sentences that didn't go anywhere and remained rather bland statements, and characters who often, I felt, had the same voices. The heroine could have been an intriguing character and, actually, sometimes she was - but generally I felt emotionally detached from everyone in the story. The barrister who kills herself, the victim, the victim's sister, the parents, the lover...as horrible as the kidnap and abuse sounded, I felt like I didn't really care. Which isn't like me at all!

The whole thing was detached. When I saw on the back cover that Frances Fyfield is a criminal lawyer I'm afraid I did think 'ah, right, now I understand!' having worked with lawyers myself previously. There was a lot of 'telling' in the story, rather than showing, and I'm afraid it didn't sit very well with me.

I guessed the twist, fairly soon in the book, so that didn't help either, and I felt the execution of the end of the story was rushed and far-fetched.

Disappointing.

[Keryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good psychological thriller beautifully written, and especially captivating to anyone who has loved the art of dressmaking, the history of fashion and the use of colour,texture and design in tailor made clothing. Clever twists and a ruthless protagonist layered with family drama, courtroom clips and romance, make this a memorable read for me.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood From Stone is a riveting crime thriller set in London that follows the unraveling of an intricate web of secrets and search for the truth behind ruthless criminal defense attorney Marianne Shearer's apparent suicide. After successfully defending a man accused of the kidnap, rape and torture of women in a high profile case, Marianne leaps to her death from a sixth floor balcony of a Kensington hotel. What would cause this cold-hearted and ruthlessly successful attorney to kill herself? This was the question that prompts her colleague Peter Friel to search for the answer with his own investigation into Marianne's private life, an investigation that will uncover coincidences and clever clues that will connect the threads in the intricate web that would eventually lead to her death.

Blood From Stone is an multi-layered intricate psychological crime tale that takes the reader on a thrilling roller coaster ride. Author Frances Fyfield weaves a chilling tale that easily draws the reader into the story as an amateur sleuth trying to figure out why Marianne would end her life.

This compelling story has a large cast of characters whose lives intertwine and connects with enough coincidences and secrets that keeps the readers on their toes. There is a lot of suspenseful twists and turns interwoven with cleverly placed clues throughout the story that makes the many coincidences the primary essence behind the mystery of Marianne's death. The investigation into Marianne's private life will reveal a troubled woman's inability to deal with her conscience from the ruthless choices she made in her professional life, while also uncovering the truth from her last case.

Blood From Stone is a riveting crime thriller that is simply hard to put down.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frances Fyfield is a lawyer and so we have to accept that the court room scenes have some veracity in what is a bit of a mixed bag of a book. The whole plot hangs on the death of a woman lawyer who uses very objectionable tactics to defend very unsavoury characters. I have to say that I found it hard to believe that a lawyer would be allowed to get away in court with what this one did, but Ms Fyfield would certainly know far more about that than me so maybe totally obnoxious behaviour, abusing witnesses and dominating judges is what lawyers actually do.

Having said that, there are some good, strongly drawn characters in the story although many behave in a totally irrational way. However that does happen in real life and anyway, how many books would get written if the characters in them had to behave rationally all the time? Suspension of disbelief does not preclude enjoyment and, while this book does require quite a lot of that, it does not make it a bad book.

The plot moves along well and there are a number of good scenes and some interesting dialogue although some of it goes on too long. The main villain is indeed very nasty and his ability to manipulate others by using their own weaknesses is believable and well presented, even if it seems to happen a bit quickly. The heroine is well drawn and has an interesting back story and various subsidiary characters are believable.

The twist at the end is relatively easy to spot and more than a bit unlikely. The denouement is not a great surprise either and is somewhat far fetched – but as I said earlier this is fiction, not real life.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Blood From Stone. I would not necessarily rush to read another Frances Fyfield book, but equally would not be loathe to pick another one from the library shelves. This is certainly better than a lot of the tosh that finds it way onto the shelves.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henrietta Joyce and her family are still recovering from her sister's trial as a victim of kidnap and abuse which led to her suicide. Marianne Shearer, the defending attorney, of the assailant, Rick Boyd, has apparently just committed suicide. Fellow attorneys, Thomas and Peter investigate the death.

Multiple mysteries and intrigues are layered into the narrative surrounding both the trial and attorney suicide, yet the author does a remarkable job of bringing a sense of closure and tying up major loose ends.

There is some graphically described violence that may not be suitable for all readers, but it is no more, and in some cases less, than certain graphic novels/comics. It is also not done for the sake of gore but for the sake of the story and portrayal of the plot/characters.

Intense descriptions of items, scenery, thoughts, etc go into much of the narrative allowing for an understanding of the character whose point of view the story is currently being told from. The story is told from multiple points of view, yet there are no awkward shifts between characters or places. The narrative is free flowing, expressive, with drama, action, much emotion, and heart.

Overall, a compelling read.

[Electra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lu en une matinée. Je ne connaissais pas l'autrice. Si j'ai trouvé le synopsis intéressant, l'intrigue n'a pas suivi. Comme le personnage du frère par exemple. J'ai aussi trouvé les échanges au tribunal totalement ridicules (et pourtant l'autrice est une avocate je crois), le ouï-dire et surtout les jugements personnels sur les témoins, aucun juge ne laisserait passer ça .. Et jamais, même avec son attitude, je ne comprends la décision d'acquittement.. Oui, une avocate peut être très ferme et agressive mais là c'était pas réaliste. J'y repense et je me dis que rien n'était logique dans l'histoire. Dès que j'ai su un élement sur son passé, j'ai deviné la suite ...
J'hésite même à repasser à une étoile. Mais bon, je ne l'ai pas abandonné (lu en 1h30) et j'ai voulu connaître la fin et puis fort heureusement deux personnages sortaient du lot. Mais on ne me reprendra pas à lire cette autrice ! Un emprunt sur un coup de tête à la BM, pas une bonne idée ...

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book read by this author. Very good construction. Writer a lawyer writing from inside but also with good knowledge of collectors clothing preservation and repair, storage facilities and a controlling sick mind of a man who delights using and destroying vulnerable females rather than support himself. Hen and Peter develop as interesting characters. Actually, her characters come away very well formed with sparse description, which I admire. The deaths have amazing twist! Very good read.......

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending was not a surprise & was a little weak. It wasn't a terrible book, but the characters seemed a tad too simplified, and you were waiting for them to catch up with what was going on.

[Jodell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange book about a woman named Marianne who never had much but fancy clothing that she adored and not just fancy but custom tailored and hard to find clothing from yesteryear. . The other thing she had going for herself was a career as a cut throat lawyer who specializes in people who are guilty as sin and proving them innocent with no remorse for doing so. It thus made her rich. Her only friend is a gay man named Thomas and co-worker and a secret lover. Who enjoys giving her clothing to wear and escaping from reality once a week with her in a secret place.

One day Marianne commit's suicide. No one can figure out why Mirianne who is wealthy and has everything would do herself in . Her brother Frank just wants all her money now that she is gone. Her lover is despondent. Her gay friend Henry enlist the help of a man named Peter to figure it out for him.

All the information lies in the hands of her last case she tried. Angel was a victim of a vicious sociopath who tortured and raped her and her sister Henrietta who protects and supports her throughout the trial. But Mirianne is vicious in her pursuit of making Angel look bad and proving her client innocent. Two sister's one perpetrator. They know all the answers by the end of the book.

[Lizp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I missed this book when it came out and picked it up in Elizabeth’s second hand bookshop recently. I used to read Frances Fyfield years ago and always enjoyed her books despite their darkness and gruesomeness.

The characters in this book are great. Feckless Angel takes her own life after a brutal rape trial. Her sister, Hen, has her own issues, but would like to see Angel’s rapist and torturer, Boyd, be punished as he escaped retribution. Then there’s Marianne, Boyd’s Defence Lawyer, who put both Angel and Hen through a gruelling time during the trial. She also commits suicide shortly after the trial by jumping from a hotel balcony wearing unusual clothes. Her friend fellow lawyer (and egocentric) Thomas Noble is looking after her affairs and would like to know what drove her to suicide. He has Peter Friel, Marianne’s former pupil, look into the matter. Peter befriends Hen to get information. There’s Hen and Angel’s adoptive parents, seemingly soft as marshmallow types, but we later discover that they have quite a steel inner core.

This was an engrossing read. I read it in one sitting.

[Katie Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vibes: 2.5⭐
Plot: 3.5⭐
Characters: 3.5⭐
Spice: n/a

I really struggled reading this. Mostly, because I struggled with the writing style. Some chapters were painfully slow and tedious and others had me hooked. 

The characters were interesting, but the multiple POV's throughout the book often shifted within a paragraph and it was all told as if it was a stream of thoughts which I often found hard to follow. The characters themselves were interesting, very human but rarely likeable. The only two I did like, were Peter and Hen. 

Plot wise, I had worked it out by 50% and I found the ending not terribly satisfying and it jumped about a bit. Honestly, I just found it hard to read! But I liked the concept of a lot of it. 

[Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark book that covers suicide, sadism, domestic violence and murder, and there are not many likeable characters here. The things that balance out this darkness are the depth of coverage about clothes and the warmth of Hen and Peter's relationship. It is fairly obvious who the villains are and the investigations into the suicides of Angel and Marianne are beside the point. It is more interesting to watch Boyd and Frank and worry who they were going to damage next. I loved the twists at the end and I applaud any author who can turn a story inside out with the absolute last sentence.

[Iblena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frances Fyfield, no solamente es una gran narradora, también es muy hábil para manejar el suspense y mantener al lector en vilo. Es posible que a medida que avanza la lectura, se tenga una leve idea del motivo por el cual Marianne Shearer decidió acabar con su vida; pero la curiosidad por conocer el destino del resto de los personajes es enorme. Una historia excelente donde se mezcla la belleza, el glamour de los diseños de alta costura y la delicadeza de la restauración de la ropa vintage con lo sórdido y rastrero que puede llegar a ser la profesión de abogado penalista. Personajes maravillosos como Henrrietta Joyce y abosutamente perversos como Rick Boyd.

[Len Knighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a who-done-it but certainly a book that holds your attention. Fyfield is skilled in creating and developing characters who stir the emotions, positive and negative. Rich Boyd is as evil a character as I’ve encountered in the pages of fiction.
The element of fashion was intriguing to me and I came to understand how one could so embrace a career in designing and creating clothes.
A well-written thriller.

Four stars waxing.

[Tommy Maker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed plot. Never spotted the twist towards the end. Would have preferred the coroner's verdict at end too be a very different conclusion. Liked the transcripts too, gave the storyline very authentic meaning. I was gripped from the start, it kept my attention. The author has a true understanding of life, and how it could have an impact on not just one person, but those surrounding that person too.

[Nancy Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frances Fyfield's writing is clever and original, both in plot and expression, as in:
"The waves, almost too lazy to be as cross as they looked, approached the shingled shore with fake aggression, and then when they broke into foam, nibbled at the shingle, withdrew as if sated or defeated and then came back, starved and curious, looking for somewhere to go."

I love the way she gets into the criminal mind and the legal milieu in an unusual way; her characters are fascinating, hovering on the edge of feckless and unhinged, always surprising, but in the end sympathetic.

I've been on a Fyfield binge lately, and this is one of her best.

[Anothis · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book's premise held promise, aiming to shed light on the cold and unyielding nature of courtroom judges and lawyering. However, the narrative lost its focus on the central case, veering instead towards themes of fashion, clothing, and nuanced homosexual allusions.

The core idea remained mostly underexplored and suffered from subpar execution. The author consistently incorporated subtle homosexual undertones, which, for some readers, might have overshadowed other elements.

I wouldn't even put this book up for donation.

[Sofie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deze thriller werd in 2008 bekroond met de Gold Dagger Award. Hoge verwachtingen die niet werden ingelost. Ik 'geloofde' het gewoon niet, vooral de beweegredenen van de 'slechterik' leken me uit de lucht geplukt. Wel goed geschreven met knappe karkatertekeningen.

[Sarah Jane Trillow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the story very slow at the beginning. There was a part of the story line that did not match to the rest of the feel of the book and therefore I don't think I needed to be added. Due to this I am unsure if I want to read another book by this author.

[Joe Shoenfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done psycho mystery.

[Ariel Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good pacing. Completely unrelated to my work, which was a joy.

[Alan C Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful twisting intrigue

Excellent twisted the am, beautifully written and a real flare for descriptive writing. Easy to read and a real page Turner.

[SuzAnne King · Rating 4 out of 5]

This suspenseful novel had me on the edge. Finished it in 2 days. Will be looking for more of Fyfield.

[Jean Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked her unusual characters and the immersion in her subject of clothing. Must read more of hers.

[Maya Morikawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

Started a bit slow ,then went racing forward.Dragging assorted characters with it,where is it going,who will die?
Twisted and convulted,a good end.

[hugo van der wildt · Rating 3 out of 5]

De kaft past zeer goed bij het verhaal.
Een advocate pleegt zelfmoord(?) na een proces dat ze heeft gewonnen.
De grote vraag: Waarom?
Spannend tot het einde.

[Chaudry C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un thriller destul de bun

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Fyfield that wasn't a Helen West or Sarah Fortune. It didn't disappoint and seemingly others agree, as it won the silver dagger awards in the year of its publication.
Well written.

[Lelia Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would make a woman take her own life, especially one who seems to be at the top of her game, one of the most feared, admired and respected barristers in England? Could it be that having a brilliant career was not enough for Marianne Shearer? Perhaps her reasons—her motivations, so to speak—go much deeper than anyone really suspects because, in fact, no one truly knew Marianne at all. Getting to the truth behind her seemingly inexplicable action will lead more than one person down a twisted path and secrets will be revealed that will have lasting effects. In the end, truths will come out that no one could possibly have foretold.

During the first third or so of this book, I occasionally put it down, finding it more than a bit slow, almost dense. I began to realize that was because there are so many diverse characters who need to be properly introduced to the reader. All of them have an important part to play so we do need to understand them as much as possible although no “normal” person could ever truly understand a monster like Rick Boyd. I liked a few of these players, especially Peter, and either disliked or had no real feeling for others but Hen is the centerpiece. By turns, she is frustrating and appealing, seeming to be vengeful and sorrowful at the same time and she has every right to be both. In the early stages, I thought she was rather dull but then she began to come to life in my mind and, in the end, she became something of a heroine, albeit with flaws.

The answers that finally come to light and the consequences of Marianne’s death are quite simply mindbending considering the coincidences that have brought all these people together, people who, in any other circumstances, would never have had any connections. Coincidence is, in fact, the cornerstone of a mystery that, when solved, brings a sense of satisfaction even though the results are not what one would normally expect in a law-abiding world. I’m very glad I stuck with the book through those early slow pages and recommend Blood From Stone to any reader who enjoys psychological as well as criminal perplexity.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, December 2013.