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DI Erica Martin #2
The Taken
There's the lost.
There's the missing.
And there's the taken.
She asked me once if we had any secrets, and I shook my head.
'No secrets between us,' she said.
'No,' I answered. 'Never ever.'
In a Durham hotel at dawn, celebrated preacher Tristan Snow is murdered as he prays. None of the other guests - not even his daughter, his wife, or her sister - saw or heard anything.
But then again, they all had a motive for murder.
Detective Inspector Erica Martin is confronted by secrets and lies, lost in a case where nothing is what it seems.
With no answers, DI Martin is consumed by questions: Is anyone in this family innocent? When the victim might have been a monster - is there such a thing as justice? And does anyone deserve to die?
Praise for Alice Clark-Platts:
'Had me on the edge of my sun lounger. Excellent plotting and a genuinely unguessable resolution to the mystery'
Sophie Hannah
'Grabbed me from the first page and wouldn't let go. A compelling read, beautifully written ... A tense, captivating tale, brilliantly told'
Rachel Abbott
'A gripping, highly charged thriller'
Ralph Fiennes
'A brilliantly plotted and utterly gripping thriller'
Emma Kavanagh
'Superb ... A very assured page-turning storm I read in one sitting'
Stav Sherez
'Intriguing and sinister with masterful plotting and tension'
Mel Sherratt
There's the missing.
And there's the taken.
She asked me once if we had any secrets, and I shook my head.
'No secrets between us,' she said.
'No,' I answered. 'Never ever.'
In a Durham hotel at dawn, celebrated preacher Tristan Snow is murdered as he prays. None of the other guests - not even his daughter, his wife, or her sister - saw or heard anything.
But then again, they all had a motive for murder.
Detective Inspector Erica Martin is confronted by secrets and lies, lost in a case where nothing is what it seems.
With no answers, DI Martin is consumed by questions: Is anyone in this family innocent? When the victim might have been a monster - is there such a thing as justice? And does anyone deserve to die?
Praise for Alice Clark-Platts:
'Had me on the edge of my sun lounger. Excellent plotting and a genuinely unguessable resolution to the mystery'
Sophie Hannah
'Grabbed me from the first page and wouldn't let go. A compelling read, beautifully written ... A tense, captivating tale, brilliantly told'
Rachel Abbott
'A gripping, highly charged thriller'
Ralph Fiennes
'A brilliantly plotted and utterly gripping thriller'
Emma Kavanagh
'Superb ... A very assured page-turning storm I read in one sitting'
Stav Sherez
'Intriguing and sinister with masterful plotting and tension'
Mel Sherratt
400 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2016
26 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Alice Clark-Platts
11 books175 followersI am a former human rights lawyer who used to work for the UK Government. As a litigator, I worked on cases involving Winnie Mandela and the rapper Snoop Dogg. I loved my job but then we re-located to the tropics and now I live in wonderful Singapore.
I also write short stories which have been published in in various anthologies. And when I’m not writing, I’m running The Singapore Writers’ Group which I founded in 2012. This is a fantastic group of both professional and amateur writers who meet monthly and attend workshops and critique sessions
Found on: http://www.aliceclarkplatts.com/
I also write short stories which have been published in in various anthologies. And when I’m not writing, I’m running The Singapore Writers’ Group which I founded in 2012. This is a fantastic group of both professional and amateur writers who meet monthly and attend workshops and critique sessions
Found on: http://www.aliceclarkplatts.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 19, 2016
I chose to read this tense police procedural because it was set in Durham, a city I once lived in. It is the 2nd in the series, but the first I have read and it has a great sense of location. It works well as a standalone. DI Erica Martin has a unsettled personal life, a divorce she had not seen coming is pending and she is currently involved with DCI Sam Butterworth, a relationship she is not sure is going anywhere. At Riverview boarding house Reverend Tristan Snow is brutally murdered and in the room with him is a pigeon with a broken neck. It is a case that is about to consume Erica and her team.
This turns out to be dark, murky and demanding murder investigation in which it is difficult to discern the wood from the trees. As Erica and her team delve into the life of Tristan Snow, it soon becomes apparent that they are opening a real can of worms. There are a host of suspects, all with a motive to kill Snow, who is a bully, an adulterer, violent and so much worse. Sera Snow is the wounded and embittered wife. Violet, the mixed up daughter, is not enamoured with her father. Sera's sister, Antonia, is having an affair with Snow. Fraser MacKenzie, Snow's business manager, has suspicious finances and even Eileen Quinn, the boarding house landlady, was once involved wih Snow. Erica encounters murders, exorcisms, assaults, tragedy, betrayal, secrets and lies. The police team find themselves facing danger and there are multiple twists.
This is a suspenseful novel that lends new meaning to the term 'dysfunctional family'! It is intricately plotted, full of intrigue and compelling reading. I particularly liked the way Erica worked with DS Emma Jones, her partner in the investigation. The characters are well drawn and engaging. The character of Sera Snow drew my attention as especially complex and multilayered. An excellent police procedural that I recommend. Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
This turns out to be dark, murky and demanding murder investigation in which it is difficult to discern the wood from the trees. As Erica and her team delve into the life of Tristan Snow, it soon becomes apparent that they are opening a real can of worms. There are a host of suspects, all with a motive to kill Snow, who is a bully, an adulterer, violent and so much worse. Sera Snow is the wounded and embittered wife. Violet, the mixed up daughter, is not enamoured with her father. Sera's sister, Antonia, is having an affair with Snow. Fraser MacKenzie, Snow's business manager, has suspicious finances and even Eileen Quinn, the boarding house landlady, was once involved wih Snow. Erica encounters murders, exorcisms, assaults, tragedy, betrayal, secrets and lies. The police team find themselves facing danger and there are multiple twists.
This is a suspenseful novel that lends new meaning to the term 'dysfunctional family'! It is intricately plotted, full of intrigue and compelling reading. I particularly liked the way Erica worked with DS Emma Jones, her partner in the investigation. The characters are well drawn and engaging. The character of Sera Snow drew my attention as especially complex and multilayered. An excellent police procedural that I recommend. Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
November 22, 2016
The Taken – A taut and pulsating thriller
The Taken is the second book in the Erica Martin series, bit could work well as a standalone thriller in its own right. Alice Clark-Platts is a brilliant talent whose prose draws you in and keeps you hooked throughout the thriller, a brilliant storyteller. Somehow Clark-Platts makes Durham sound more exciting than it really is, maybe the tourist board ought to hire her to write their advertising material.
Detective Inspector Erica Martin is just back from having some time in the sun with her new gentleman friend and she is refreshed and ready to get back to work. When she is called out to a murder that has taken place at a B&B and a rather dingy B&B at that little does she realise that she is going to be confronted by a case where nothing is what it seems, a list of possible suspects and where the truth seems to be in very short supply.
Pastor Tristan Snow has been found dead on the floor of his room and his head has been bashed in, and nobody heard a thing. To make matters worse for DI Martin, this is a celebrity pastor and the press will soon be hounding the police during the investigation, and having no witnesses but plenty of suspects with a motive for murder is not a help.
Little does Martin know where her investigation will lead at the best of times, especially when a number of accusations are levelled at the late Pastor Snow, and his wife seems not able to communicate with the investigation tea. Martin knows that she must discover what secrets Pastor Snow’s church may be hiding might be the key to her investigation or it could be completely irrelevant.
Like most murder inquiries the case takes a life of its own while at the same time Martin seems like she has hit a brick wall. Nothing is making sense, and she needs to unravel a web of deceit to find the truth, especially as every seemed to have loved Pastor Snow and his wife. Martin knows she must scrape the veneer of respectability away to get to the truth, but she is not sure she can do it.
Alice Clark-Platts has written a pulsating, taut police procedural thriller that keeps the reader hooked from the beginning to the end. The prose is clear and crisp and somehow keeps up a pace that will leave you breathless but intrigued throughout, this is a readable and exciting thriller that I can highly recommend.
The Taken is the second book in the Erica Martin series, bit could work well as a standalone thriller in its own right. Alice Clark-Platts is a brilliant talent whose prose draws you in and keeps you hooked throughout the thriller, a brilliant storyteller. Somehow Clark-Platts makes Durham sound more exciting than it really is, maybe the tourist board ought to hire her to write their advertising material.
Detective Inspector Erica Martin is just back from having some time in the sun with her new gentleman friend and she is refreshed and ready to get back to work. When she is called out to a murder that has taken place at a B&B and a rather dingy B&B at that little does she realise that she is going to be confronted by a case where nothing is what it seems, a list of possible suspects and where the truth seems to be in very short supply.
Pastor Tristan Snow has been found dead on the floor of his room and his head has been bashed in, and nobody heard a thing. To make matters worse for DI Martin, this is a celebrity pastor and the press will soon be hounding the police during the investigation, and having no witnesses but plenty of suspects with a motive for murder is not a help.
Little does Martin know where her investigation will lead at the best of times, especially when a number of accusations are levelled at the late Pastor Snow, and his wife seems not able to communicate with the investigation tea. Martin knows that she must discover what secrets Pastor Snow’s church may be hiding might be the key to her investigation or it could be completely irrelevant.
Like most murder inquiries the case takes a life of its own while at the same time Martin seems like she has hit a brick wall. Nothing is making sense, and she needs to unravel a web of deceit to find the truth, especially as every seemed to have loved Pastor Snow and his wife. Martin knows she must scrape the veneer of respectability away to get to the truth, but she is not sure she can do it.
Alice Clark-Platts has written a pulsating, taut police procedural thriller that keeps the reader hooked from the beginning to the end. The prose is clear and crisp and somehow keeps up a pace that will leave you breathless but intrigued throughout, this is a readable and exciting thriller that I can highly recommend.
December 27, 2016
Follow Detective Inspector Erica Martin as she investigates a murder in Durham of a celebrated preacher, Tristan Snow.
Although this is the second DI Erica Martin novel, it can be read as a stand-alone. There is an awful lot of content in this novel and gives the reader plenty to think about. It is not a regular police crime thriller but one that explores religion, loyalty and the whole meaning of family. I liked the plot and all the characters were likely suspects in the murder of Tristan Snow.
I liked the way the story developed including the journal written by Tristan's wife, Sera. This is not a forensic science heavy police thriller but one where the police have to listen very carefully to what people are saying. There is plenty of drama too with many shocks along the way. Each of these actions are later fully explained and everything has a knock on effect, including the pork chop!
The story was basically set in Durham, a county I lived in for the first 10 years of my life. It also features trips to nearby Peterlee and across the country to Blackpool. The local detail is very good and adds greater depth to this novel.
I found The Taken to be a GOOD read and I liked how you had suspicions about all the characters. It was great that after the murder other incidents took place, so it was not just a simple murder investigation. It was for me an engaging and entertaining read that gets 4 stars from me. I am now looking forward to hopefully the 3rd DI Erica Martin novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Penguin UK for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
Although this is the second DI Erica Martin novel, it can be read as a stand-alone. There is an awful lot of content in this novel and gives the reader plenty to think about. It is not a regular police crime thriller but one that explores religion, loyalty and the whole meaning of family. I liked the plot and all the characters were likely suspects in the murder of Tristan Snow.
I liked the way the story developed including the journal written by Tristan's wife, Sera. This is not a forensic science heavy police thriller but one where the police have to listen very carefully to what people are saying. There is plenty of drama too with many shocks along the way. Each of these actions are later fully explained and everything has a knock on effect, including the pork chop!
The story was basically set in Durham, a county I lived in for the first 10 years of my life. It also features trips to nearby Peterlee and across the country to Blackpool. The local detail is very good and adds greater depth to this novel.
I found The Taken to be a GOOD read and I liked how you had suspicions about all the characters. It was great that after the murder other incidents took place, so it was not just a simple murder investigation. It was for me an engaging and entertaining read that gets 4 stars from me. I am now looking forward to hopefully the 3rd DI Erica Martin novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Penguin UK for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
November 29, 2016
When I volunteered to read this I didn't look closely enough to realise its book 2 in the series.
I don't think it matters though as I followed it well enough.
It starts with a dramatic event where the celebrated pastor is found dead in a hotel bedroom.
His wife doesn't sleep in the same room.
His daughter has a room near.
When both Mother and daughter are taken in for questioning in separate rooms we learn that either one of them has reasons for his demise.
It's a hooker of a story that kept my attention
My thanks to the publisher via Net Galley for my copy
I don't think it matters though as I followed it well enough.
It starts with a dramatic event where the celebrated pastor is found dead in a hotel bedroom.
His wife doesn't sleep in the same room.
His daughter has a room near.
When both Mother and daughter are taken in for questioning in separate rooms we learn that either one of them has reasons for his demise.
It's a hooker of a story that kept my attention
My thanks to the publisher via Net Galley for my copy
November 8, 2016
I missed out on the first of the Erica Martin books. I hope this will not spoil this story.
There is an enticing prologue, which I found drew me into the story right away.
I liked the way that the characters were introduced and slowly developed and revealed.
As the story unfolds it becomes steadily more complex.
There are plenty of possible suspects from which to choose.
In fact most of the suspects are not really who they may seem.
Reverend Tristan Snow, is central to the story, but we only find out about his secrets through flash-backs.
Who else is in the frame:
Sera, his wife,
Violet, his daughter,
Antonia, sister-in-law
Frazer Mackenzie, friend and business partner
Eileen Quinn, the landlady of the Riverside boarding house.
I will not go further for fear of spoiling the plot. Once the story got going, it was an enjoyable novel. It certainly deals with some currently real themes.
My thanks go to Netgalley and Penguin UK-Michael Joseph for a copy in exchange for this review.
There is an enticing prologue, which I found drew me into the story right away.
I liked the way that the characters were introduced and slowly developed and revealed.
As the story unfolds it becomes steadily more complex.
There are plenty of possible suspects from which to choose.
In fact most of the suspects are not really who they may seem.
Reverend Tristan Snow, is central to the story, but we only find out about his secrets through flash-backs.
Who else is in the frame:
Sera, his wife,
Violet, his daughter,
Antonia, sister-in-law
Frazer Mackenzie, friend and business partner
Eileen Quinn, the landlady of the Riverside boarding house.
I will not go further for fear of spoiling the plot. Once the story got going, it was an enjoyable novel. It certainly deals with some currently real themes.
My thanks go to Netgalley and Penguin UK-Michael Joseph for a copy in exchange for this review.
October 10, 2016
This is slightly disappointing after Clark-Platts' debut and feels very conventional for the genre, almost a box-ticking project: child abuse, dysfunctional family relationships, identity twists (sadly very transparent), insanity, detective with messy personal life... It's readable enough but too generic to be memorable and I rushed through the second half just to get it finished. I hope she goes back to the more realistic and socially-aware plotting of Bitter Fruits.
October 28, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for an advance copy of The Taken, the second novel to feature DI Erica Martin of Durham police.
Tristan Snow, evangelical preacher, healer and self proclaimed miracle worker is found battered to death in a seedy B&B he has been staying in with his family while conducting services in Durham. Erica and her team start investigating but it isn't easy. There are too many tight lipped suspects and too many family secrets for anything to be clear cut, right up until the end.
I was expecting a straightforward police procedural but it is not. The novel is intercut with chapters in italics which are Tristan's wife's, Sera's, letter to her sister, Antonia. They are an outpouring of bile and jealousy which cast light on Sera's thoughts and actions and give the reader far more insight than the police have as she has very little to say to them. I do, however, find this approach difficult to concentrate on as the changing viewpoint whips your attention this way and that.
None of the Snow characters, Tristan, his family and entourage, is appealing. They are universally damaged and unlikeable so it is difficult to identify with them. On the other hand Ms Clark-Platts has done a sterling job of portraying the evil and results of abuse. Erica Martin is a strange character. It is hard to get a fix on her as she is so unpushy, both in her private and professional lives.
There isn't very much new in The Taken but Ms Clark-Platts puts her own spin on it and has produced a very readable novel which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Tristan Snow, evangelical preacher, healer and self proclaimed miracle worker is found battered to death in a seedy B&B he has been staying in with his family while conducting services in Durham. Erica and her team start investigating but it isn't easy. There are too many tight lipped suspects and too many family secrets for anything to be clear cut, right up until the end.
I was expecting a straightforward police procedural but it is not. The novel is intercut with chapters in italics which are Tristan's wife's, Sera's, letter to her sister, Antonia. They are an outpouring of bile and jealousy which cast light on Sera's thoughts and actions and give the reader far more insight than the police have as she has very little to say to them. I do, however, find this approach difficult to concentrate on as the changing viewpoint whips your attention this way and that.
None of the Snow characters, Tristan, his family and entourage, is appealing. They are universally damaged and unlikeable so it is difficult to identify with them. On the other hand Ms Clark-Platts has done a sterling job of portraying the evil and results of abuse. Erica Martin is a strange character. It is hard to get a fix on her as she is so unpushy, both in her private and professional lives.
There isn't very much new in The Taken but Ms Clark-Platts puts her own spin on it and has produced a very readable novel which I have no hesitation in recommending.
November 12, 2016
2nd of a crime series set in Durham. In this a faith healer/preacher is found murdered in a bed and breakfast, the suspect list begins to grow as the life of this supposed to be saintly human is looked at which changes how the world viewed him.
January 11, 2017
The second instalment of the DI Erica Martin series offers another slice of quality crime. Martin faces a "perfect storm" of a murder; so many suspects, so many motives, because the victim is even nastier than the killer. These threads are all tied up with string in a satisfying conclusion.
December 8, 2016
British policing and a dark and twisted family Thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for offering me an ARC copy of this novel that I voluntarily agreed to review.
Although this is the second novel in the DI Erica Martin’s series and I haven’t read the previous one, I did not find this detracted from my ability to enjoy the novel.
The story, set for the most part in Durham, in the North East of the UK, follows DI Erica Martin’s team as they investigate a bizarre death, that of a somewhat special preacher cum TV celebrity. The novel is narrated from a variety of points of view, mostly in the third person, although there are also parts in italics that at first, we don’t know who they belong to or whom they address (they seem to be a letter of some sort). Although Martin’s point of view dominates the action, we also have the points of view of other members of her team, and other characters, including the victim and the many suspects. In my opinion there is clear differentiation between the different points of view that helps the reader to not get confused, and each segment is clearly separated, so although I know some readers don’t appreciate head-hoping, due to the complexity of the case and the way the investigation develops, the change of points of view serves the book well.
Martin is a capable woman, also blessed (and cursed) with a strong intuition, but somewhat distracted by her impending divorce and her burgeoning relationship with her superior, Sam Butterworth. She’s a good boss, understands her team and has a good relationship with them, and is sympathetic and has her heart in the right place. Although we get to know a bit less about the other members of her team, Jones is also a reliable and likeable character (and high up in Martin’s esteem) and it’s a breath of fresh air to have a police team where everybody seems intent on doing the best job they can and there’s no corruption or shady motives. It’s true that Martin’s capacity for empathy and her reaction to the complications and the revelations of the case affect her personally, but, at least for me, that’s a bonus rather than a weakness.
The family of reverend Snow (although his church sounds more like a cult than a benign church) and those close to him hide many secrets, and the more layers that are peeled away, the worse things get. I read one of the reviewers commenting the Snows are a dysfunctional family. It’s possible there might be some more dysfunctional than this one, but it’s pretty high up on the ranking. If what we learn from the church’s functioning is bizarre and scary, in some ways this pales in comparison to the intricacies of the family relationships.
The plot is carefully crafted, with red herrings and many suspects that are highlighted and then dismissed, and although it might be possible to have some suspicions, things aren’t as clear-cut as most readers might suspect at first. I don’t think thriller and mystery readers will be disappointed with the plotting side of the story.
Although there are some violent scenes and descriptions of wounds and injuries, they are not extremely graphic. On the other hand, some of the topics of the book might be distressing for readers (as there is violence against children and women), and the bizarre behaviours and states of mind (that merit quite an in-depth psychological discussion) make it a hard book to read and one that will cause much discussion.
The writing style is easy to follow, descriptive enough to make the different characters believable, with changes in rhythm (not always frenetic, but it flows and ebbs with some contemplative and precious moments too), and very well chosen quotes from Euripides’s Medea.
A good novel for those looking for a British police procedural book, well-crafted, with a complex plot, likeable characters that also encompasses challenging topics. I for sure wouldn’t mind reading more of Erica Martin’s cases.
Although this is the second novel in the DI Erica Martin’s series and I haven’t read the previous one, I did not find this detracted from my ability to enjoy the novel.
The story, set for the most part in Durham, in the North East of the UK, follows DI Erica Martin’s team as they investigate a bizarre death, that of a somewhat special preacher cum TV celebrity. The novel is narrated from a variety of points of view, mostly in the third person, although there are also parts in italics that at first, we don’t know who they belong to or whom they address (they seem to be a letter of some sort). Although Martin’s point of view dominates the action, we also have the points of view of other members of her team, and other characters, including the victim and the many suspects. In my opinion there is clear differentiation between the different points of view that helps the reader to not get confused, and each segment is clearly separated, so although I know some readers don’t appreciate head-hoping, due to the complexity of the case and the way the investigation develops, the change of points of view serves the book well.
Martin is a capable woman, also blessed (and cursed) with a strong intuition, but somewhat distracted by her impending divorce and her burgeoning relationship with her superior, Sam Butterworth. She’s a good boss, understands her team and has a good relationship with them, and is sympathetic and has her heart in the right place. Although we get to know a bit less about the other members of her team, Jones is also a reliable and likeable character (and high up in Martin’s esteem) and it’s a breath of fresh air to have a police team where everybody seems intent on doing the best job they can and there’s no corruption or shady motives. It’s true that Martin’s capacity for empathy and her reaction to the complications and the revelations of the case affect her personally, but, at least for me, that’s a bonus rather than a weakness.
The family of reverend Snow (although his church sounds more like a cult than a benign church) and those close to him hide many secrets, and the more layers that are peeled away, the worse things get. I read one of the reviewers commenting the Snows are a dysfunctional family. It’s possible there might be some more dysfunctional than this one, but it’s pretty high up on the ranking. If what we learn from the church’s functioning is bizarre and scary, in some ways this pales in comparison to the intricacies of the family relationships.
The plot is carefully crafted, with red herrings and many suspects that are highlighted and then dismissed, and although it might be possible to have some suspicions, things aren’t as clear-cut as most readers might suspect at first. I don’t think thriller and mystery readers will be disappointed with the plotting side of the story.
Although there are some violent scenes and descriptions of wounds and injuries, they are not extremely graphic. On the other hand, some of the topics of the book might be distressing for readers (as there is violence against children and women), and the bizarre behaviours and states of mind (that merit quite an in-depth psychological discussion) make it a hard book to read and one that will cause much discussion.
The writing style is easy to follow, descriptive enough to make the different characters believable, with changes in rhythm (not always frenetic, but it flows and ebbs with some contemplative and precious moments too), and very well chosen quotes from Euripides’s Medea.
A good novel for those looking for a British police procedural book, well-crafted, with a complex plot, likeable characters that also encompasses challenging topics. I for sure wouldn’t mind reading more of Erica Martin’s cases.
October 10, 2016
Thank you Netgalley, and the author and publishers of this novel for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Taken is the second installment of DI Erica Martin. The first part passed me by in the raft of female detective novels that seem to fill the shelves these days and I find myself quite disappointed about that. Because actually DI Martin isn't your typical tortured detective with a dark past. No she's actually pretty normal. Yes she has her personal issues (who doesn't) but they're normal problems, there's no hidden away mother, or psychopath sister hidden away. Don't get me wrong, I do like those detectives but it was refreshing to have this woman who reacted to crime in a very real way. In fact I found a few times thinking I would react the same way, which might ruin the normal comments!
The story is compelling. Tristan Snow. the charismatic leader of a small cult like church has been murdered. There is no shortage of suspects and Erica finds that this one act of violence is the catalyst for an chain reaction of revelations that threaten to tear apart many lives.
The Taken is occasionally a bit slow but it's still very enjoyable, and good enough for me to be looking forward to more DI Erica Martin stories.
The Taken is the second installment of DI Erica Martin. The first part passed me by in the raft of female detective novels that seem to fill the shelves these days and I find myself quite disappointed about that. Because actually DI Martin isn't your typical tortured detective with a dark past. No she's actually pretty normal. Yes she has her personal issues (who doesn't) but they're normal problems, there's no hidden away mother, or psychopath sister hidden away. Don't get me wrong, I do like those detectives but it was refreshing to have this woman who reacted to crime in a very real way. In fact I found a few times thinking I would react the same way, which might ruin the normal comments!
The story is compelling. Tristan Snow. the charismatic leader of a small cult like church has been murdered. There is no shortage of suspects and Erica finds that this one act of violence is the catalyst for an chain reaction of revelations that threaten to tear apart many lives.
The Taken is occasionally a bit slow but it's still very enjoyable, and good enough for me to be looking forward to more DI Erica Martin stories.
November 20, 2016
In a Durham hotel at dawn, celebrated preacher Tristan Snow is murdered as he prays. None of the other guests - not even his daughter, his wife, or her sister - saw or heard anything. But then again, they all had a motive for murder. Detective Inspector Erica Martin is confronted by secrets and lies, lost in a case where nothing is what it seems. With no answers, DI Martin is consumed by questions: Is anyone in this family innocent? When the victim might have been a monster - is there such a thing as justice? And does anyone deserve to die?
This is a cleverly written, cleverly plotted novel. There are multiple suspects and multiple motives when DI Martin begins her investigation. But this is no whitewash novel. Beautifully written it evokes the location of Durham, but also she reveals, little by little, something of the characters in each chapter. I was fascinated by this novel and it was one of those that I wanted to keep reading to get to the twist at the end, but on the other hand I didn’t want it to finish it either. This is the second DI Martin novel, and I hadn’t read the first, but in no way did this detract from the story, it being a standalone novel in its own right. A great read, compulsive and compelling.
This is a cleverly written, cleverly plotted novel. There are multiple suspects and multiple motives when DI Martin begins her investigation. But this is no whitewash novel. Beautifully written it evokes the location of Durham, but also she reveals, little by little, something of the characters in each chapter. I was fascinated by this novel and it was one of those that I wanted to keep reading to get to the twist at the end, but on the other hand I didn’t want it to finish it either. This is the second DI Martin novel, and I hadn’t read the first, but in no way did this detract from the story, it being a standalone novel in its own right. A great read, compulsive and compelling.
November 26, 2016
In a run-down bed and breakfast in the city of Durham, a charismatic preacher is brutally bludgeoned to death. His daughter is initially thought to be the perpetrator as the murder weapon was found wrapped in a piece of her clothing. however as DI Erica Martin investigates the crime she discovers many secrets hidden by the church and the family - secrets around madness, death and abuse.
The theme of paedophilia related to religious groups is very topical at the moment and this book takes a number of ideas and wraps them around this idea. Unfortunately I think there are just too many ideas on the go here and it makes the book really difficult to get into. However once the story progresses to show the insanity of Sera it takes light and the final third of the book is conducted at an exciting pace and with a renewed interest in the plot which was sagging up till then. The characters of the Durham police team are developing nicely and without the overt emphasis that happened in the previous novel (Bitter Fruits). A fairly standard police procedural with a little edge.
The theme of paedophilia related to religious groups is very topical at the moment and this book takes a number of ideas and wraps them around this idea. Unfortunately I think there are just too many ideas on the go here and it makes the book really difficult to get into. However once the story progresses to show the insanity of Sera it takes light and the final third of the book is conducted at an exciting pace and with a renewed interest in the plot which was sagging up till then. The characters of the Durham police team are developing nicely and without the overt emphasis that happened in the previous novel (Bitter Fruits). A fairly standard police procedural with a little edge.
October 27, 2016
In a Durham boarding school Pastor Tristan Snow has been murdered. With so many suspects who is the killer? And why did they kill him? It is up to DI Martin to discover the truth.
This is the second book in the DI Martin series. I decided to read this book because I read the first one and really liked the writing style and characters. It was really nice to visit old friends once again.
This book however can be read as a stand alone. So you don't need to read the first book if you really don't want to.
This book has a great plot, dysfunctional families gotta love them right?!? I found it intriguing and compelling.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Alice Clark- Platts and publisher Penguin Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this book.
Happy reading everyone
This is the second book in the DI Martin series. I decided to read this book because I read the first one and really liked the writing style and characters. It was really nice to visit old friends once again.
This book however can be read as a stand alone. So you don't need to read the first book if you really don't want to.
This book has a great plot, dysfunctional families gotta love them right?!? I found it intriguing and compelling.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Alice Clark- Platts and publisher Penguin Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this book.
Happy reading everyone
December 12, 2016
Alice Clark-Platts' second novel is a gripping and taut thriller full of twists and turns, where you find yourself questioning every character's motives and wondering to the very end who the culprit was. Plenty of drama and plot narrative with lead character DI Erica Martin, who can only grow as the novels keep coming. A brilliant read as a standalone or as part of what I hope will be a long series of Erica Martin novels and a very worthy follow-up to the fantastic "Bitter Fruits". Can't wait for the next one!
November 12, 2016
Atmospheric and creepy, this book keeps you reading because you never know what is going to happen next, layers upon layers. There is a great parallel between DI Martin's personal situation and the case she has to investigate, with old issues needing to be dealt with before they explode.
April 13, 2019
Just brilliant
July 12, 2017
Dark and interesting... until it isn't. The investigating characters fall kind of flat, whereas the suspects have so much potential that just doesn't seem like it's well-fulfilled. To be fair I have not read the first DI Erica Martin novel so maybe the cross-over characters would feel well-rounded if I had. A good two-thirds of the way through the book seems to hit a climax and then drags on for a while, sending the main characters and the reader in circles until they are very quickly given an answer as to 'who done it". I'd have to say my favourite part of the book were the sections narrated by the Sarah character, as it gave great detail and actually made the reader feel something. These parts were intriguing but most importantly, haunting. I'd give this a 3.5. I liked the book, I didn't REALLY like the book, but I LOVED parts of the book.
August 4, 2017
This was a bit of a scratchy, pokey book that didn't sit very comfortably with me. Yes, I know that murder mysteries shouldn't be "comfortable" - but usually there are some characters that speak to me and I find myself liking them, and wanting to know more.
This one I found very hard to actually like any of the characters. They were all prickly and hard. The only likely likeable people were Martin and Jones, but I didn't feel that they were people I'd want to have a drink and a chat with.
However the story-line was twistingly interesting and complex. Nothing like a bit of religion to cause trouble and uproar!
This one I found very hard to actually like any of the characters. They were all prickly and hard. The only likely likeable people were Martin and Jones, but I didn't feel that they were people I'd want to have a drink and a chat with.
However the story-line was twistingly interesting and complex. Nothing like a bit of religion to cause trouble and uproar!
July 1, 2021
The Taken' is a re-working of the Greek story of Medea, wife of Jason (and the Golden fleece fame) in the context of a police procedural.
In a dingy B and B, in the middle of nowhere, a preacher from the church of Deucalian is found dead., the back of his skull caved in and a dead pigeon under his bed.
The list of suspects is long and plentiful-from his scornful daughter, his scheming manager and his oddly quiet wife.
The preacher, Tristan Snow, was about to embark on his biggest ''Miracles' tour of the UK and was a well loved celebrity, so why does wife , Sera, not seem overwrought about his death? Is cool and calm daughter Violet a candidate for murder?
How about sister in law, Antonia, who seems a little too close to Tristan for comfort?
And there, lurking in the background is the faded B and B manager Eileen , who makes the worst tea EVER.
In the midst of this comes detective Martin, a soon to be divorced woman who is dating her boss, Sam, on the QT and is thrown on at the deep end whilst looking into this genuinely creepy set up where Tristan is faith healing, creating miracles and exorcising demons.
But maybe, just maybe, he had a few demons of his own...
As revelations and further attacks come thick and fast, Martin, and team need to be one step ahead of a ruthless killer who will attack again, and again.
The way that we place people in the public eye on pedestals and allow them access to our innermost thoughts is scrutinised as this investigation takes hairpin bends around our love for fame, and the way blind eyes are turned in the hope for the miraculous to occur.
I loved how thrilling this story was, and how using Erica Martin's surname as a symbol of what we expect from a detective , reinforcing the masculine and burying the feminine in order to survive is so often used to advance , professionally speaking.
This novel goes to some very dark places and I enjoyed travelling there in the excellent company of Erica, and her team. The banter between them came across so naturally, and the northern backdrop of Durham really set the scene perfectly as a literal, and metaphorical 'end of the line'.
Highly recommended.
In a dingy B and B, in the middle of nowhere, a preacher from the church of Deucalian is found dead., the back of his skull caved in and a dead pigeon under his bed.
The list of suspects is long and plentiful-from his scornful daughter, his scheming manager and his oddly quiet wife.
The preacher, Tristan Snow, was about to embark on his biggest ''Miracles' tour of the UK and was a well loved celebrity, so why does wife , Sera, not seem overwrought about his death? Is cool and calm daughter Violet a candidate for murder?
How about sister in law, Antonia, who seems a little too close to Tristan for comfort?
And there, lurking in the background is the faded B and B manager Eileen , who makes the worst tea EVER.
In the midst of this comes detective Martin, a soon to be divorced woman who is dating her boss, Sam, on the QT and is thrown on at the deep end whilst looking into this genuinely creepy set up where Tristan is faith healing, creating miracles and exorcising demons.
But maybe, just maybe, he had a few demons of his own...
As revelations and further attacks come thick and fast, Martin, and team need to be one step ahead of a ruthless killer who will attack again, and again.
The way that we place people in the public eye on pedestals and allow them access to our innermost thoughts is scrutinised as this investigation takes hairpin bends around our love for fame, and the way blind eyes are turned in the hope for the miraculous to occur.
I loved how thrilling this story was, and how using Erica Martin's surname as a symbol of what we expect from a detective , reinforcing the masculine and burying the feminine in order to survive is so often used to advance , professionally speaking.
This novel goes to some very dark places and I enjoyed travelling there in the excellent company of Erica, and her team. The banter between them came across so naturally, and the northern backdrop of Durham really set the scene perfectly as a literal, and metaphorical 'end of the line'.
Highly recommended.
October 14, 2019
I bought The Taken by Alice Clark-Platts because it's a murder mystery set in Durham, where I've lived for 30 years, and where my own detective novels are set. Naturally as it's the competition, I wanted to hate it, but the writing was reasonably compelling.
The actual plot was fairly formulaic, but I can't claim that I guessed whodunit before the story revealed the murderer. The characters similarly were somewhat formulaic, but well drawn and fairly believable. Although, as another reviewer has suggested, the antics of the characters make Durham seem more exciting than it probably is. Maybe I just move in the wrong circles!
However, the thing that really lets the book down, and had me shouting at my kindle, is that virtually every geographical reference to places in Durham is wrong! They '... turned left out of the police station to walk to the Market Place.' NO! NO! NO! That would be a ridiculous circuitous route! "Hmm," I though to myself, the blurb that sold the book to me said that Clark-Platts had been a student in Durham and that had induced the choice of setting location. Maybe, she was here years ago when the police station was on the other side of the building? I looked to the front of the book - published in 2016, so that excuse isn't gonna fly. The boarding house which is the murder scene is on a street that has no buildings. I don't mean it has no B&Bs, it has no buildings at all, except at the very top there's the train station. Now, maybe that was a deliberate invention so that no Durham B&B felt libelled as being a crime scene. The fact that only a couple of the location references are actually correct led me more to think of this as an error rather than a fiction.
So, overall, a run of the mill, albeit fairly well written, police procedural, set in an almost entirely fictional Durham City.
The actual plot was fairly formulaic, but I can't claim that I guessed whodunit before the story revealed the murderer. The characters similarly were somewhat formulaic, but well drawn and fairly believable. Although, as another reviewer has suggested, the antics of the characters make Durham seem more exciting than it probably is. Maybe I just move in the wrong circles!
However, the thing that really lets the book down, and had me shouting at my kindle, is that virtually every geographical reference to places in Durham is wrong! They '... turned left out of the police station to walk to the Market Place.' NO! NO! NO! That would be a ridiculous circuitous route! "Hmm," I though to myself, the blurb that sold the book to me said that Clark-Platts had been a student in Durham and that had induced the choice of setting location. Maybe, she was here years ago when the police station was on the other side of the building? I looked to the front of the book - published in 2016, so that excuse isn't gonna fly. The boarding house which is the murder scene is on a street that has no buildings. I don't mean it has no B&Bs, it has no buildings at all, except at the very top there's the train station. Now, maybe that was a deliberate invention so that no Durham B&B felt libelled as being a crime scene. The fact that only a couple of the location references are actually correct led me more to think of this as an error rather than a fiction.
So, overall, a run of the mill, albeit fairly well written, police procedural, set in an almost entirely fictional Durham City.
March 5, 2023
DI Erica Martin is a new character for me. Her husband is divorcing her, and she's having an affair with her boss - a recipe for trouble...? She's a fairly hard-nosed and experienced investigator, though, so hopefully everything will be alright.
The leader of a private church group has been murdered. Apparently he was a "healer" and also an exorcist, especially of children. Hmmm. His family are a bunch of fruitcakes, perhaps due to abuse. This thread runs throughout the book. There's also a manager who looks after event bookings and church finances, treating them as his own. In short, the police start to realise that there are plenty of people with motive for this killing, and secondly, that there are links to past crimes. The police plod along with their investigation, and there's my main criticism - the book is too long at 365 pages. We are treated to pages from a diary or journal of one of the characters, which may add to the atmosphere, but are also overly long.
Inspector Martin finds herself trapped by a perpetrator, and then her sidekick gets captured and held hostage while trying to effect a rescue. This is a little cliched for me.
This is no cosy mystery, there are some gruesome crimes committed, and there is an underlying thread of child abuse and madness. There was already plenty of suspense without these cliches, and the ending could have been much better done. It was so rushed, and everything was neatly wrapped up in just a handful of pages.
I decided after much dithering to award this a 3.4. I would probably read others in this series if available.
The leader of a private church group has been murdered. Apparently he was a "healer" and also an exorcist, especially of children. Hmmm. His family are a bunch of fruitcakes, perhaps due to abuse. This thread runs throughout the book. There's also a manager who looks after event bookings and church finances, treating them as his own. In short, the police start to realise that there are plenty of people with motive for this killing, and secondly, that there are links to past crimes. The police plod along with their investigation, and there's my main criticism - the book is too long at 365 pages. We are treated to pages from a diary or journal of one of the characters, which may add to the atmosphere, but are also overly long.
Inspector Martin finds herself trapped by a perpetrator, and then her sidekick gets captured and held hostage while trying to effect a rescue. This is a little cliched for me.
This is no cosy mystery, there are some gruesome crimes committed, and there is an underlying thread of child abuse and madness. There was already plenty of suspense without these cliches, and the ending could have been much better done. It was so rushed, and everything was neatly wrapped up in just a handful of pages.
I decided after much dithering to award this a 3.4. I would probably read others in this series if available.
January 29, 2018
In a rundown Durham hotel room, former TV evangelist Tristan Snow is bludgeoned to death with a silver crucifix. None of the other guests, including his family saw or heard anything, presenting investigating officer DI Erica Martin with the problem of finding the culprit in a group where everyone seems to have had a motive for murder.
On the surface, this seems like a standard modern crime novel, one that touches all the right bases including having a central character with a messy personal life and significant workplace rivalries. Were that the case the delivery is assured enough to make it worth reading, look a little closer though and it proves to be a far more interesting book.
Around a conventional plot Clark-Plats builds up some interesting themes involving madness, faith, dependency and revenge. She has a neat facility, not dissimilar to that possessed by the late Ruth Rendell, for weaving serious issues into mundane subject matter.
Martin makes for an engaging central character, game enough to go down what passes for the mean streets of Durham, whilst at the sane time being human enough to be touched by what she finds there. The supporting cast is equally strong and she writes about mental illness in a way that leaves the scenery pleasingly free from teeth marks.
This is a thoughtful and well- crafted entry in an enjoyable series from a writer who is on track to become a major voice in the crime genre.
On the surface, this seems like a standard modern crime novel, one that touches all the right bases including having a central character with a messy personal life and significant workplace rivalries. Were that the case the delivery is assured enough to make it worth reading, look a little closer though and it proves to be a far more interesting book.
Around a conventional plot Clark-Plats builds up some interesting themes involving madness, faith, dependency and revenge. She has a neat facility, not dissimilar to that possessed by the late Ruth Rendell, for weaving serious issues into mundane subject matter.
Martin makes for an engaging central character, game enough to go down what passes for the mean streets of Durham, whilst at the sane time being human enough to be touched by what she finds there. The supporting cast is equally strong and she writes about mental illness in a way that leaves the scenery pleasingly free from teeth marks.
This is a thoughtful and well- crafted entry in an enjoyable series from a writer who is on track to become a major voice in the crime genre.
December 30, 2016
In a run down B & B in Durham a charismatic preacher is murdered. It seems that his church was not all it seems and neither are the people who are part of his retinue.
This seemed an interesting premise; and indeed there was a lot to recommend this book. It kept me guessing throughout, just as I was sure I knew what was going on, something happened to throw that idea out and lead me in another direction.
I hadn't read the previous book in the series. There were some references to previous events but not enough to spoil the narrative. What did spoil it for me and what prevented me from giving it four stars may seem a silly reason: the fact that the author referred to those in the police by their surname all the time really annoyed me- especially as the female main character had a surname that was a male christian name!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.
This seemed an interesting premise; and indeed there was a lot to recommend this book. It kept me guessing throughout, just as I was sure I knew what was going on, something happened to throw that idea out and lead me in another direction.
I hadn't read the previous book in the series. There were some references to previous events but not enough to spoil the narrative. What did spoil it for me and what prevented me from giving it four stars may seem a silly reason: the fact that the author referred to those in the police by their surname all the time really annoyed me- especially as the female main character had a surname that was a male christian name!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.
May 10, 2023
I love giving new (that I haven’t heard of) thriller authors a try. And to be honest, the story did eventually hook me… about 40% in. It was a slow build up, but not (in my opinion) for a good reason. Between the head hopping, typos, switching POV for no reason, lack of punctuation that had me reread a couple sections multiple times…. It was interesting, let’s put it that way. So yes, the bad editing (from such a big publisher, to top it off!) is a huge part of the low rating.
The other bit is honestly because while the case itself was interesting, I couldn’t care the least about either of the characters. And once the bad guy was caught, and I found out I still had 86 pages left to go in the paperback… It was a hard read, unfortunately. Just not for me.
The other bit is honestly because while the case itself was interesting, I couldn’t care the least about either of the characters. And once the bad guy was caught, and I found out I still had 86 pages left to go in the paperback… It was a hard read, unfortunately. Just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2017
I listened to the audiobook version, I felt this second book in the series was not as good as the first book. This plot based on a pastor and his family, the dubious church he ran, and the misfortune of followers did not do it for me. I found the character so dislikable, the progress was too slow and perhaps the story should have ended 100 or so pages earlier... I like the main characters we first met in the previous book, I like Alice Clark-Platts style and find her books are the kind I enjoy reading. Not sure if I recommend this one because it was ok, not great though.
December 7, 2016
I really enjoyed Alice Clark-Platts first book and was excited to read her second one "The Taken". I have to say whilst I enjoyed the book I was disappointed. This book did not flow for me and I found at times my mind wondering as the story was not that compelling. The idea of story is great and very topical but there was not enough glue to keep the story together. Hopefully her next book will be better.
June 28, 2019
This is second book in the DI Erica Martin series, but it can be read as a stand-alone (I lucked out there!) It’s a standard police procedural with a female lead detective; a celebrated pastor is found brutally murdered in the B&B he was staying in with his family and manager. Everyone has motive. Secrets are revealed. The plot twists keep coming and didn’t see the big reveal. It was ok - it kept me reading wanting to know more, but it could have been more tense.
August 11, 2019
Good sense of location but I struggled with what decade is was set in. The police were in present day but the Snow family seemed to be from the 1970s. They didn't have mobile phones or use social media. Also Violet's crime just happened with no background as to how. It was OK but seemed a bit disjointed.
January 2, 2021
I love this author so much! Write some more books please Alice Clark-Platts because I have read all of your work now 😁
This is the second book in the DI Martin series and while it didn't suck me in as much as the first one, it still had some great twists - some I saw coming and some I really didn't - and by the end I was hooked.
This is the second book in the DI Martin series and while it didn't suck me in as much as the first one, it still had some great twists - some I saw coming and some I really didn't - and by the end I was hooked.
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