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No Cure for Love
“Terrific . . . that rare book that entertains, enthralls, and also teaches. [No Cure for Love] has something to say about right now.”—MICHAEL CONNELLY, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Sarah Broughton has come a long way. She’s the star of a hit cop show on TV. She lives in a beautiful California beach house. And—most important—she’s put her dark past behind her. . . as well as her old name, Sally Bolton. No need for anyone to know about that.
When Sarah begins receiving letters mysteriously signed with the letter “M,” she thinks they’re from a harmless admirer. . . until her real name appears in the third letter. And then she finds that name inscribed in the sand near her home—next to a body.
The message is clear: Someone is watching Sarah’s every move. Someone so obsessed with her that he won’t stop at just one murder in order to prove his love.
Panicked, Sarah turns to Detective Arvo Hughes of the LAPD, a man who specializes in hunting down the most dangerous stalkers. But nothing in Hughes’s experience has prepared him for the mastermind he’s up against. For the killer, there’s no cure for love. And for Sarah and Hughes, there’s no way out.
Sarah Broughton has come a long way. She’s the star of a hit cop show on TV. She lives in a beautiful California beach house. And—most important—she’s put her dark past behind her. . . as well as her old name, Sally Bolton. No need for anyone to know about that.
When Sarah begins receiving letters mysteriously signed with the letter “M,” she thinks they’re from a harmless admirer. . . until her real name appears in the third letter. And then she finds that name inscribed in the sand near her home—next to a body.
The message is clear: Someone is watching Sarah’s every move. Someone so obsessed with her that he won’t stop at just one murder in order to prove his love.
Panicked, Sarah turns to Detective Arvo Hughes of the LAPD, a man who specializes in hunting down the most dangerous stalkers. But nothing in Hughes’s experience has prepared him for the mastermind he’s up against. For the killer, there’s no cure for love. And for Sarah and Hughes, there’s no way out.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1995
159 people are currently reading
1516 people want to read
About the author
Peter Robinson
276 books2,272 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Peter Robinson was born in Yorkshire. After getting his BA Honours Degree in English Literature at the University of Leeds, he came to Canada and took his MA in English and Creative Writing at the University of Windsor, with Joyce Carol Oates as his tutor, then a PhD in English at York University. He has taught at a number of Toronto community colleges and universities and served as Writer-in-Residence at the University of Windsor, 1992-93.
Series:
* Inspector Banks
Awards:
* Winner of the 1992 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 1997 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Anthony Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Barry Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2001 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
Peter Robinson was born in Yorkshire. After getting his BA Honours Degree in English Literature at the University of Leeds, he came to Canada and took his MA in English and Creative Writing at the University of Windsor, with Joyce Carol Oates as his tutor, then a PhD in English at York University. He has taught at a number of Toronto community colleges and universities and served as Writer-in-Residence at the University of Windsor, 1992-93.
Series:
* Inspector Banks
Awards:
* Winner of the 1992 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 1997 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Anthony Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2000 Barry Award for Best Novel.
* Winner of the 2001 Ellis Award for Best Novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
December 13, 2015
I have only recently just discovered Peter Robinson when I read the first novel in the Detective Banks series. I really enjoyed that book and decided to read this stand alone novel next. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed.
It started off ok and a creepy atmosphere was created as the novel begins with a letter written to Sarah Broughton, a TV celebrity, by a stalker. Throughout the book the reader gets glimpses into what the stalker is up to and what he is thinking, and his behaviour is slowly escalating. I liked this aspect of the book as it created a bit of suspense and mystery. The stalker was actually probably my favourite character in the whole book. I didn't really develop any sympathy or fondness for the victim (Sarah) or the main detective, Arvo. In fact, some of the actions of the victim really frustrated me. In general, the storyline was ok but I felt there was a lot of detail written that didn't really add anything to the story and I found the ending was a bit of a let down.
Overall the story was ok, though I'm not sure I would recommend it. I am looking forward to getting back to reading more in the Detective Banks series.
It started off ok and a creepy atmosphere was created as the novel begins with a letter written to Sarah Broughton, a TV celebrity, by a stalker. Throughout the book the reader gets glimpses into what the stalker is up to and what he is thinking, and his behaviour is slowly escalating. I liked this aspect of the book as it created a bit of suspense and mystery. The stalker was actually probably my favourite character in the whole book. I didn't really develop any sympathy or fondness for the victim (Sarah) or the main detective, Arvo. In fact, some of the actions of the victim really frustrated me. In general, the storyline was ok but I felt there was a lot of detail written that didn't really add anything to the story and I found the ending was a bit of a let down.
Overall the story was ok, though I'm not sure I would recommend it. I am looking forward to getting back to reading more in the Detective Banks series.
May 6, 2017
NO CURE FOR LOVE (Standalone)
Written by Peter Robinson
(listened to on Audio)
2.5 Stars
(Review Not on Blog)
Right off the bat, this is not an Inspector Banks novel. This book takes place in the States (LA) primarily. The book is divided into two point of views -Sarah (aka Sally), the actress and victim of stalking; and Detective Arvo - in charge of the case. I love Robinson's Banks series so thought this would be another great mystery. Right off the bat, I could not feel anything for Sarah so found it hard to sympathize with her completely. Sarah as Sally, is even more of an unsympathetic character, in my opinion. While I liked Arvo, like Sarah he is not very fleshed out character. I finished this book, because Peterson does mystery well. I kept reading just to see what would happen.
Written by Peter Robinson
(listened to on Audio)
2.5 Stars
(Review Not on Blog)
Right off the bat, this is not an Inspector Banks novel. This book takes place in the States (LA) primarily. The book is divided into two point of views -Sarah (aka Sally), the actress and victim of stalking; and Detective Arvo - in charge of the case. I love Robinson's Banks series so thought this would be another great mystery. Right off the bat, I could not feel anything for Sarah so found it hard to sympathize with her completely. Sarah as Sally, is even more of an unsympathetic character, in my opinion. While I liked Arvo, like Sarah he is not very fleshed out character. I finished this book, because Peterson does mystery well. I kept reading just to see what would happen.
September 20, 2020
This book was first published in Canada in 1995 before the Inspector Banks series became one of the best series written. I liked the main character, Arvo Hughes, and would like to have seen some more books with him, but the overall feel of the tale does not reach the level of the Banks' books. Sometimes it feels almost like a routine romance novel and then it segues into horrific violence. The girl being stalked does not seem like a real person and this detracts from the story. A good chance to see how Robinson has evolved over the years.
August 17, 2015
My View:
I must confess I have never come across the author Peter Robinson or the DCI Banks mysteries, so for me this was my first experience of reading this author; I had no expectations. Now I have had taste of his writing I have nothing but praise for Robinson’s writing and a desire for the author to continue to write about the protagonists in this novel in a new series and to read the DCI Banks novels. My Wish List has just jumped an enormous twenty odd books! What have you done Peter Robinson? (But let me share a secret with you – nothing gives me greater reading pleasure than discovering a new author who is already successful and highly regarded and who has already written many many books (and Police Procedurals are one of my favourite genres). I love to collect an entire series and then read one after the other – what a gift I am sometimes lucky enough to indulge in.
This book – well written, great characters, twists and turns you won’t see coming and locations that are written like an image on a 3D map – real and visual. The narrative talks to a time that most have some awareness of the 1990’s – a heady time of excesses, fame, drugs and wealth… and the words of the master, Leonard Cohen, echo in my mind, “There aint no cure for love…”
I must confess I have never come across the author Peter Robinson or the DCI Banks mysteries, so for me this was my first experience of reading this author; I had no expectations. Now I have had taste of his writing I have nothing but praise for Robinson’s writing and a desire for the author to continue to write about the protagonists in this novel in a new series and to read the DCI Banks novels. My Wish List has just jumped an enormous twenty odd books! What have you done Peter Robinson? (But let me share a secret with you – nothing gives me greater reading pleasure than discovering a new author who is already successful and highly regarded and who has already written many many books (and Police Procedurals are one of my favourite genres). I love to collect an entire series and then read one after the other – what a gift I am sometimes lucky enough to indulge in.
This book – well written, great characters, twists and turns you won’t see coming and locations that are written like an image on a 3D map – real and visual. The narrative talks to a time that most have some awareness of the 1990’s – a heady time of excesses, fame, drugs and wealth… and the words of the master, Leonard Cohen, echo in my mind, “There aint no cure for love…”
December 1, 2016
This is another one of those books in which the author spends so much time describing local geography and the roads that characters travel down that you begin to wonder whether he collected all his taxi and bus receipts during his travels so he could claim them on tax. It keeps bringing the narrative to a complete halt! I hate this!
If I'm telling somebody an interesting story, I don't describe every single road I drove along! Who needs to know that? Nobody, that's who! IT'S NOT RELEVANT!!!
There are some good suspenseful bits here and there, but the endless description just kept taking me out of the story.
If I'm telling somebody an interesting story, I don't describe every single road I drove along! Who needs to know that? Nobody, that's who! IT'S NOT RELEVANT!!!
There are some good suspenseful bits here and there, but the endless description just kept taking me out of the story.
May 30, 2016
It's always a delight to find a new novel by Peter Robinson, even if it's one that was first published 20 years ago. There's no Alan Banks in this one, and it's not quite as polished as those excellent books, but I did enjoy it. It's set mostly in Los Angeles. The story involves a British actress co-starring in an American TV series called Good Cop, Bad Cop, who is being threatened by a stalker who also may be a serial killer.
I knew there had to be a final twist at the end, but it took me totally by surprise (though, looking back, I can see that there were clues).
Though Mr. Robinson, a native Englishman who lives in Canada, has only visited Southern California, he gets just about everything right in his portrayal of the Los Angeles area. Even though the music aficionado Banks isn't in the story, there are still plenty of music references, ranging from Kiri Te Kanawa to Led Zeppelin and other rock groups.
I'm eagerly awaiting the next Alan Banks mystery, but I'm happy to have found this stand-alone at the library to tide me over until it arrives.
I knew there had to be a final twist at the end, but it took me totally by surprise (though, looking back, I can see that there were clues).
Though Mr. Robinson, a native Englishman who lives in Canada, has only visited Southern California, he gets just about everything right in his portrayal of the Los Angeles area. Even though the music aficionado Banks isn't in the story, there are still plenty of music references, ranging from Kiri Te Kanawa to Led Zeppelin and other rock groups.
I'm eagerly awaiting the next Alan Banks mystery, but I'm happy to have found this stand-alone at the library to tide me over until it arrives.
June 8, 2016
Although it was only published in the U.K. this year, this book was actually written 20 years earlier; before the author's excellent DCI Banks series took off. With a laudatory foreward by Michael Connelly, high praise from other crimewriting giants, such as Robert Crais and Jeffery Deaver, and, of course, a title taken from a Leonard Cohen song, I began reading this with high expectations.
Alas, at the end, I felt more than a little disappointed. Set in the contrasting coastal locations of Santa Monica, California and Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire, it turned out to be a run-of-the-mill tale of a "celebrity stalker". Experienced readers would, no doubt, spot who the real culprit was well before the end.
The best parts of this book were, for me, the contrasts of the Hollywood lifestyle and the humble Northern beginnings of the central character Sarah/Sally.
Alas, at the end, I felt more than a little disappointed. Set in the contrasting coastal locations of Santa Monica, California and Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire, it turned out to be a run-of-the-mill tale of a "celebrity stalker". Experienced readers would, no doubt, spot who the real culprit was well before the end.
The best parts of this book were, for me, the contrasts of the Hollywood lifestyle and the humble Northern beginnings of the central character Sarah/Sally.
March 18, 2016
There is no cure for this too sad, too long and too depressing story. 2 of 10 stars
June 12, 2017
This was a standalone by the author of the Inspector Banks series that is set in California rather than in England and concerns an English actress in a popular TV Cop show who is being stalked an threatened by an unknown person. Detectives Arvo Hughes and Maria Hernandez of the LAPD Threat Management squad set out to find the stalker, who is slowly escalating his threats. The actress has a history with a drugged out Rocker and his band before cleaning up and new life with the show and the stalker seems to come from that time period in her life, but she remembers so little that she is of little help to the Detectives. Good Peter Robinson story telling with twist at the end and he handles the total change of scene from England to California quite well.
October 31, 2017
Book Description:
Detectives Avro Hughes and Maria Hernandex of the LAPD Threat Management Unit pursue a dangerous stalker, whose obsession with TV star Sarah Broughton has escalated from quaint love letters to maniacal messages threatening her and those she loves. The detectives find themselves pitted against a twisted mind and forced into a desperate race against time to save Sarah's life, in this suspenseful psychological thriller.
My Review:
This was a standalone published from 1996. It's a decent read but I like his Inspector Banks' books better. The book does start off slow but turns into a "cannot put down book." It has strong character development and interesting plotting. It is a good, engaging mystery but a little predictable. I look forward to finishing the Inspector Banks series and highly recommend this book to lovers of psychological thrillers.
Detectives Avro Hughes and Maria Hernandex of the LAPD Threat Management Unit pursue a dangerous stalker, whose obsession with TV star Sarah Broughton has escalated from quaint love letters to maniacal messages threatening her and those she loves. The detectives find themselves pitted against a twisted mind and forced into a desperate race against time to save Sarah's life, in this suspenseful psychological thriller.
My Review:
This was a standalone published from 1996. It's a decent read but I like his Inspector Banks' books better. The book does start off slow but turns into a "cannot put down book." It has strong character development and interesting plotting. It is a good, engaging mystery but a little predictable. I look forward to finishing the Inspector Banks series and highly recommend this book to lovers of psychological thrillers.
August 30, 2021
The first Peter Robinson book I have read and I really enjoyed it . It won't be my last I will be looking out for more by this author
July 19, 2016
This book disappointed me. I gather from Michael Connelly's introduction that it was written twenty years ago, and it shows. There were too many cliches to feel any connection to the plot. I know Peter Robinson is a much better writer than that, I guess time has improved his skills.
It's not a bad book, in fact it's quite exciting at times, but it just felt a little trite to me.
It's not a bad book, in fact it's quite exciting at times, but it just felt a little trite to me.
July 20, 2017
Cartea a fost plina de suspans si intorsaturi de situatie. Mi-a captat atentia de la inceput pana la sfarsit. Mai multe curand pe blog.
October 13, 2017
No Cure For Love. Peter Robinson. Standalone. 2015 LAPD thriller. 4/5 ibook. 11/10/17 ✅
Good read if a little descriptive and wordy. UK writer does LA cop drama pretty well.
Good read if a little descriptive and wordy. UK writer does LA cop drama pretty well.
August 1, 2018
As I always enjoy Peter Robinson - decided a good holiday read. Enjoyed a good character in the making plenty of twists and turns.
dnf
June 1, 2024Read three chapters & guessed who it was as soon as they appeared. Moving on.
October 12, 2024
Very slow. But I finished it
October 12, 2017
I've enjoyed several of the Inspector Banks books written by Robinson but this is the first stand alone of his I've tried. It is very different to the series which is set in England. Although there is a brief visit to England in this book the setting is mainly around Hollywood and the film/music industry with a quick trip to San Francisco.
The story started off a little slow but slowly but surely it developed into a great page turner. A British actor in an American cop show starts to receive creepy fan mail. Her agent is concerned enough to contact an officier who deals with this type of harrassment. Things take a sinister turn when a young man turns up dead outside the star's beach house and it seems her seedier past before she made it is coming back to haunt her.
Great read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
The story started off a little slow but slowly but surely it developed into a great page turner. A British actor in an American cop show starts to receive creepy fan mail. Her agent is concerned enough to contact an officier who deals with this type of harrassment. Things take a sinister turn when a young man turns up dead outside the star's beach house and it seems her seedier past before she made it is coming back to haunt her.
Great read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 1, 2015
Again I requested a book for review which I hadn't realised was a re-issue. Although in this case I'm very glad I did.
I'm a regular (though not religious) reader of Robinson's Inspector Banks series (and was surprised to discover they were translated onto the small screen recently) but appreciated the opportunity to indulge in something a bit different.
Sarah Broughton's been cast in a popular TV show her star is on the rise when she starts getting letters from an admirer. They quickly turn creepy and LAPD Threat Management Unit detective (Arvo Hughes) gets involved.
As an aside: I do wonder if there really is a stalker type unit attached to police services in Hollywood (etc) and am reminded of the relatively short-lived TV show Stalker, which (I guess) had to be based on something.
Anyhoo... When a body shows up on Sarah's doorstep it becomes obvious her admirer's behaviour is escalating and when he starts targetting those near her she knows it's only a matter of time before he comes for her.
I enjoyed this book, but felt it reflected Robinson's (lack of) experience at the time. Of course I have the benefit of hindsight and know this was published 20years ago. So... I may be projecting or something... but it felt odd that Arvo didn't really work with a partner (though he's part of a team) or report to a supervisor. He seemed to be able to catch flights without permission and travel approvals etc. I'm so used to police procedurals where budgets and hierarchy are issues it felt weird they didn't play a role here.
That said, I liked (the somewhat prickly) Sarah and (affable) Arvo as well as the support crew. Robinson introduces other team members and hints at romance between Arvo and another detective in addition to Sarah, so if I wasn't so lazy I'd check to make sure it wasn't part of a short series or something. But... meh.
I guessed the twist to the whodunnit part and felt the eventual climax was a bit under-done, but... I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to lovers of crime fiction and suspense.
I'm a regular (though not religious) reader of Robinson's Inspector Banks series (and was surprised to discover they were translated onto the small screen recently) but appreciated the opportunity to indulge in something a bit different.
Sarah Broughton's been cast in a popular TV show her star is on the rise when she starts getting letters from an admirer. They quickly turn creepy and LAPD Threat Management Unit detective (Arvo Hughes) gets involved.
As an aside: I do wonder if there really is a stalker type unit attached to police services in Hollywood (etc) and am reminded of the relatively short-lived TV show Stalker, which (I guess) had to be based on something.
Anyhoo... When a body shows up on Sarah's doorstep it becomes obvious her admirer's behaviour is escalating and when he starts targetting those near her she knows it's only a matter of time before he comes for her.
I enjoyed this book, but felt it reflected Robinson's (lack of) experience at the time. Of course I have the benefit of hindsight and know this was published 20years ago. So... I may be projecting or something... but it felt odd that Arvo didn't really work with a partner (though he's part of a team) or report to a supervisor. He seemed to be able to catch flights without permission and travel approvals etc. I'm so used to police procedurals where budgets and hierarchy are issues it felt weird they didn't play a role here.
That said, I liked (the somewhat prickly) Sarah and (affable) Arvo as well as the support crew. Robinson introduces other team members and hints at romance between Arvo and another detective in addition to Sarah, so if I wasn't so lazy I'd check to make sure it wasn't part of a short series or something. But... meh.
I guessed the twist to the whodunnit part and felt the eventual climax was a bit under-done, but... I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to lovers of crime fiction and suspense.
February 4, 2016
This was a super mystery. Is written by a British author living in Canada And writing a novel taking place in California. Is centered in L.A. with an actress from England who has a horrific past in L.A. with a rock band and escaping said band to rehab is now being stalked by an unknown man in love with her. The characters are interesting due to the paths they have walked and are now intertwined in murder and Psychosis. Love my British authors and their writing but not so much taking place in our country. Was a good read and am interested in exploring more of Mr. Robinson's books. Thanx to Goodreads.
April 4, 2016
I have always enjoyed Peter Robinson books and read most. This one I finished and a good twist at the end but some of it was unbelievable. I don't want to take away the end but the police did some things that were unbelievable and so did the main character Sally or Sal or Sarah. It was set in L.A. so maybe that was the problem although there was a forward by Michael Connelly who I like a lot and read all of his books. I don't know if I want to read any more of Peter's recent books, I didn't like his short stories either. His earlier works were the best especially Inspector Banks. I'll just stick with Inspector Banks mysteries if there are any left!
October 21, 2015
Originally published in 1995 and now published for first time in UK. A standalone book. Good story and not dated by the twenty years since it was written.
February 10, 2017
I know this a stand alone novel. but it does show the incredible gift of PETER ROBINSON
April 19, 2025
Peter Robinson, a British ex-pat currently living in Canada, is well known for his long running and successful Inspector Banks series, but this novel was written earlier in his career and published in 1995. It has only recently been published in the United States with a forward by Michael Connelly, one of the most respected writers in the crime story field and the author of the popular Harry Bosch books which have recently appeared as a television series. Connelly explains why he appreciates Robinson’s work which he calls authentic, because it entertains, enthralls and also teaches. Connelly speaks to how this story written long ago still has something to say about the world we live in today, one which remains fascinated with celebrity, fame and all that comes with it. In this novel, Robinson takes a step back from all the fame, glory, public adoration and money to look at the darker side of it all, keeping the story still relevant today.
Readers are introduced to Sarah Broughton, a British actress working in California and the up-and-coming star of a popular new television show “Good Cop, Bad Cop”, in which she plays homicide detective Anita O’Rourke. When Sarah begins receiving strange letters at her beach house, she ignores them as a frequent unwanted aspect of celebrity that many stars must tolerate. But they are bizarre and passionate, signed only with the initial “M”. What worries her is they are addressed to “Sally” her real name and they keep coming, getting deeper, darker and more detailed, making her tense and uneasy. She shares the information with Stuart Kleigman, the head of casting at the studio, but also her agent and friend. He tells her such letters are just one of the occupational hazards of being in the business. Everyone gets them and he has seen dozens. He suggests they are from some crazy guy who has seen her on TV and decided he is in love with her. But after she receives a third letter, Stuart decides to show it to a friend he has worked with in the past and deals with issues like this to get his opinion and hopefully put Sarah more at ease.
Stuart checks in with Avro Hughes at the LAPD Threat Management Unit to get his view on whether this is something to worry about. Initially Avro believes the letter is much like the hundreds of others celebrities get and nothing to get anxious about, but there was always an exception and it was smart not to just ignore them. He meets Sarah, talks with her but does not find her very forthcoming. He feels she is holding something back, that she knows more than she is sharing with him and he is puzzled, wondering why she would do that.
Meanwhile readers know Sarah is being stalked, her every move watched from a distance by an unidentified man hidden in the distance with powerful binoculars. He has declared his love for her, calls her his soulmate, wants to be with her and is prepared to do whatever it takes to do so. Now he is worshiping her from a distance but he knows he must make a move soon to get her to realize that she loves him.
Sarah has not been completely honest with Avro about the meaning of some of the references in the letters. She finds some parts of her past life blurry and hard to remember. Especially those years she lost when she ran wild on the chaotic roller coaster ride of drugs, sex and rock and roll. Those times came to an abrupt halt when something happened to hurt and humiliate her, driving her over the edge and giving her the courage to walk out and salvage what little self-respect she had left. She does not want to remember those dark days, wants no one to know about them, has packed them away and done her best to forget them.
When Sarah starts out for her morning run, she discovers a dismembered body half buried in the sand just outside her gate to the beach. As she approaches, she also sees an image drawn in the sand with a stick, one that shocks and terrifies her. Avro knows the body has been placed in a specific place for someone to find and believing it is connected to Sarah and the letters, he checks in with Joe Westinghouse, a detective in the Robbery Homicide Division. Later after another body appears, he joins the investigation into the crime.
This is a solid police procedural with a well described California setting. It begins slowly but gradually builds up the tension, holding readers in suspense as the violence escalates. It is an intense page turner that includes a crazy car chase, a great plot twist and the the exploration of a violent sick mind. Readers who enjoy Robinson’s work will see a different novel from the man who penned the Inspector Banks Series. He places his story in a very different setting but readers will recognize his strong writing, expertly crafted plot and his finely drawn characters which are all there.
Readers are introduced to Sarah Broughton, a British actress working in California and the up-and-coming star of a popular new television show “Good Cop, Bad Cop”, in which she plays homicide detective Anita O’Rourke. When Sarah begins receiving strange letters at her beach house, she ignores them as a frequent unwanted aspect of celebrity that many stars must tolerate. But they are bizarre and passionate, signed only with the initial “M”. What worries her is they are addressed to “Sally” her real name and they keep coming, getting deeper, darker and more detailed, making her tense and uneasy. She shares the information with Stuart Kleigman, the head of casting at the studio, but also her agent and friend. He tells her such letters are just one of the occupational hazards of being in the business. Everyone gets them and he has seen dozens. He suggests they are from some crazy guy who has seen her on TV and decided he is in love with her. But after she receives a third letter, Stuart decides to show it to a friend he has worked with in the past and deals with issues like this to get his opinion and hopefully put Sarah more at ease.
Stuart checks in with Avro Hughes at the LAPD Threat Management Unit to get his view on whether this is something to worry about. Initially Avro believes the letter is much like the hundreds of others celebrities get and nothing to get anxious about, but there was always an exception and it was smart not to just ignore them. He meets Sarah, talks with her but does not find her very forthcoming. He feels she is holding something back, that she knows more than she is sharing with him and he is puzzled, wondering why she would do that.
Meanwhile readers know Sarah is being stalked, her every move watched from a distance by an unidentified man hidden in the distance with powerful binoculars. He has declared his love for her, calls her his soulmate, wants to be with her and is prepared to do whatever it takes to do so. Now he is worshiping her from a distance but he knows he must make a move soon to get her to realize that she loves him.
Sarah has not been completely honest with Avro about the meaning of some of the references in the letters. She finds some parts of her past life blurry and hard to remember. Especially those years she lost when she ran wild on the chaotic roller coaster ride of drugs, sex and rock and roll. Those times came to an abrupt halt when something happened to hurt and humiliate her, driving her over the edge and giving her the courage to walk out and salvage what little self-respect she had left. She does not want to remember those dark days, wants no one to know about them, has packed them away and done her best to forget them.
When Sarah starts out for her morning run, she discovers a dismembered body half buried in the sand just outside her gate to the beach. As she approaches, she also sees an image drawn in the sand with a stick, one that shocks and terrifies her. Avro knows the body has been placed in a specific place for someone to find and believing it is connected to Sarah and the letters, he checks in with Joe Westinghouse, a detective in the Robbery Homicide Division. Later after another body appears, he joins the investigation into the crime.
This is a solid police procedural with a well described California setting. It begins slowly but gradually builds up the tension, holding readers in suspense as the violence escalates. It is an intense page turner that includes a crazy car chase, a great plot twist and the the exploration of a violent sick mind. Readers who enjoy Robinson’s work will see a different novel from the man who penned the Inspector Banks Series. He places his story in a very different setting but readers will recognize his strong writing, expertly crafted plot and his finely drawn characters which are all there.
February 20, 2020
Reads like a bad Hollywood movie or tv series where everyone is beautiful and psychotic. The characters are flat and the main protagonist very unlikeable. I’m generous with the stars, more like 1.5.
Sarah aka Sally from Yorkshire is now an actor on a police tv show in Los Angeles. Her background is sketchy but she was the girlfriend of a drug crazed singer, now deceased, until she saw the light. Someone is stalking her and murdering in her name.
I don’t like that Robinson makes digs wherever he can about the British and Americans and fills his stories with unnecessary details - plodding lengthy writing style. Yes he knows his geography but do we have to know every bend and twist in every road? As in Inspector Banks novels he makes use of music as part of his narrative and even calls his main detective, probably the only likeable character in the entire book, Arvo after an Estonian musician. For some reason I sense arrogance on the part of the author.
I did read to the end and correctly had worked out who the stalker and murderer was about 2/3 way through. It was too obvious to be the groupie, Mitch. I am ambivalent also about Inspector Banks series.
Sarah aka Sally from Yorkshire is now an actor on a police tv show in Los Angeles. Her background is sketchy but she was the girlfriend of a drug crazed singer, now deceased, until she saw the light. Someone is stalking her and murdering in her name.
I don’t like that Robinson makes digs wherever he can about the British and Americans and fills his stories with unnecessary details - plodding lengthy writing style. Yes he knows his geography but do we have to know every bend and twist in every road? As in Inspector Banks novels he makes use of music as part of his narrative and even calls his main detective, probably the only likeable character in the entire book, Arvo after an Estonian musician. For some reason I sense arrogance on the part of the author.
I did read to the end and correctly had worked out who the stalker and murderer was about 2/3 way through. It was too obvious to be the groupie, Mitch. I am ambivalent also about Inspector Banks series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2018
I'm usually not a fan of "thrillers" because most of them seem to feature a serial killer or stalker who is revealed somewhere toward the end after a few tantalizing clues or even revealed early, and tend to be trite and all the same. However, I had high hopes because the author because Peter Robinson is one of my favorites. It didn't disappoint. First of all, the book is set in California. He's got the American vibe down pat. Robinson is a Canadian born in Britain. His novels take place in Yorkshire and feature Inspector Alan Banks.
This book features an LA detective and transplant from Detroit with the unlikely name of Arvo Hughes. He works in a special unit that handles threats and other problems for celebrities.
However, the main character is Sarah Broughton, an English actor starring in a detective tv show. She is getting threatening letters that at first seem to be just weird but get worse. Then her stalker ups the ante by killing someone. This was excellent - very creepy, with a surprising twist, Peter Robinson's trademark
This book features an LA detective and transplant from Detroit with the unlikely name of Arvo Hughes. He works in a special unit that handles threats and other problems for celebrities.
However, the main character is Sarah Broughton, an English actor starring in a detective tv show. She is getting threatening letters that at first seem to be just weird but get worse. Then her stalker ups the ante by killing someone. This was excellent - very creepy, with a surprising twist, Peter Robinson's trademark
January 13, 2020
Ugh, my first non-Inspector Banks book and to quote an old friend Ken, this one was a real "clunker". Or, he may have said "clunky"....it has been a long time old friend!
Though it got a rave review for "authenticity" from Michael Connelly, (a great author, most of the time, and resident LA, CA writer-of,) I was OK with the specifics of geography and Hollywood, but there were a few mis-steps with dialogue. Robinson is an English author, and though I do love the British vernacular, to have an American character using British sayings screams inauthentic to me. I only found a few, but Connelly should have corrected them, as no one here says, "I have done" as a sentence. Nor do we say, "tuck in" (to a meal).
That being said, I can live with all that, but this storyline was really silly and not convincing at all. Hence my clunky reference above. Maybe a 2/5 is harsh, but had I read this book first of all Robinson's works, I would not have made it to any second book of his. Let's hope he stays back in England, and with Inspector Banks, and not Arvo in Hollywood PD!
Though it got a rave review for "authenticity" from Michael Connelly, (a great author, most of the time, and resident LA, CA writer-of,) I was OK with the specifics of geography and Hollywood, but there were a few mis-steps with dialogue. Robinson is an English author, and though I do love the British vernacular, to have an American character using British sayings screams inauthentic to me. I only found a few, but Connelly should have corrected them, as no one here says, "I have done" as a sentence. Nor do we say, "tuck in" (to a meal).
That being said, I can live with all that, but this storyline was really silly and not convincing at all. Hence my clunky reference above. Maybe a 2/5 is harsh, but had I read this book first of all Robinson's works, I would not have made it to any second book of his. Let's hope he stays back in England, and with Inspector Banks, and not Arvo in Hollywood PD!
April 6, 2023
I'm a fan of Peter Robinson's Detective Alan Banks, and looked forward to something a bit different. I'll stick with Detective Banks.
The overall premise was good, I did enjoy the plot, but was relieved when it was finally all over. And why does an author feel the need to give detailed descriptions of absolutely everything, especially the food at every meal. Just tell us they stopped for lunch, or discussed the case over coffee. I don't need to know that Stuart had a Coke and a cheeseburger that dripped from the corners of his mouth. And the author seemed to have had a lot of trouble settling on the personality of the celebrity being stalked; sometimes inappropriately flippant, sometimes unnecessarily vulnerable, and sometimes foolishly careless. And after discovering a dismembered body, finding out that her close friend and co-star was murdered in his bed, and finally stabbing her stalker in the stomach, she recovered enough to flirt with the detective.
So in short, can't recommend.
The overall premise was good, I did enjoy the plot, but was relieved when it was finally all over. And why does an author feel the need to give detailed descriptions of absolutely everything, especially the food at every meal. Just tell us they stopped for lunch, or discussed the case over coffee. I don't need to know that Stuart had a Coke and a cheeseburger that dripped from the corners of his mouth. And the author seemed to have had a lot of trouble settling on the personality of the celebrity being stalked; sometimes inappropriately flippant, sometimes unnecessarily vulnerable, and sometimes foolishly careless. And after discovering a dismembered body, finding out that her close friend and co-star was murdered in his bed, and finally stabbing her stalker in the stomach, she recovered enough to flirt with the detective.
So in short, can't recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2017
Absolutely superb. I'm an avid Robinson fan and have read all of the Banks series.
For a stand alone story (first written 20 years ago), I thought this was a cracking read. The basic narrative was interesting, albeit not as broad and wide ranging with fewer subplots as some of the later Banks novels.
The main thing that got me, was the use of language. For an early novel, his descriptive writing was excellent. As Michael Connelly says in his foreword, to write a novel completely out of your native comfort zone, and be convincing in a different location with use of language, dialect and idiom, takes real courage. I'm no LA expert by any means, but it just felt 'right'.
If I was recommending Robinson to people, obviously Banks is the place to start (I guess from the start, although they really started to get going after the first half-dozen books) but definitely read this ahead of the other stand-alones, Caedmon's song and Beyond the Poison.
For a stand alone story (first written 20 years ago), I thought this was a cracking read. The basic narrative was interesting, albeit not as broad and wide ranging with fewer subplots as some of the later Banks novels.
The main thing that got me, was the use of language. For an early novel, his descriptive writing was excellent. As Michael Connelly says in his foreword, to write a novel completely out of your native comfort zone, and be convincing in a different location with use of language, dialect and idiom, takes real courage. I'm no LA expert by any means, but it just felt 'right'.
If I was recommending Robinson to people, obviously Banks is the place to start (I guess from the start, although they really started to get going after the first half-dozen books) but definitely read this ahead of the other stand-alones, Caedmon's song and Beyond the Poison.
February 10, 2018
For the 'low' reviews in Goodreads - I was pleasantly surprised! My first time reading Peter Robinson, but I must say - I truly do like his style of writing. It kept my interest all the way through the mystery novel. I enjoyed the characters and the quirkiness and sassiness of some of their language. There were many times that a smirk crossed my face with my thoughts of "Guess - she told you!!!!" lol......
Our main character, Sarah hasn't always lived a 'clean' life....has her past come back to haunt her? She is now appearing as actress in a Cop Series and so very much out into the front and centre of the screen - - until of course she starts receiving these anonymous letters. Then people around her become 'dead' - - what is the theme? Is it all because of her. I loved the exciting ride ........Peter Robinson I definitely will be reading more of your writing......
Our main character, Sarah hasn't always lived a 'clean' life....has her past come back to haunt her? She is now appearing as actress in a Cop Series and so very much out into the front and centre of the screen - - until of course she starts receiving these anonymous letters. Then people around her become 'dead' - - what is the theme? Is it all because of her. I loved the exciting ride ........Peter Robinson I definitely will be reading more of your writing......
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