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Gemma Lincoln #1
Feeding the Demons
Gemma Lincoln wakes up one morning to discover her clothes laid out as an effigy of a woman with a slashed throat and crotch. As the 30-something proprietor of a successful security and surveillance business, Gemma decides to video the effigy and compare notes with her friend, Detective Sergeant Angie MacDonald. Angie has a similar video - except the victim is a real woman.
Meanwhile, Gemma s father, psychiatrist Dr Archie Chisholm, is due to be released from prison, where he has been held for many years for the murder of Gemma s mother. Gemma has always believed her father innocent, and has assembled evidence to prove it. Her sister Kit, however, is convinced of his guilt, and the relationship between the sisters has been deeply troubled since the time of the murder. As the serial killer s violent crimes escalate, the trauma of 30 years before resurfaces, and Gemma and Kit find themselves drawn ever-deeper into a situation they never thought possible, where the horrors of past and present become increasingly entwined ...
Meanwhile, Gemma s father, psychiatrist Dr Archie Chisholm, is due to be released from prison, where he has been held for many years for the murder of Gemma s mother. Gemma has always believed her father innocent, and has assembled evidence to prove it. Her sister Kit, however, is convinced of his guilt, and the relationship between the sisters has been deeply troubled since the time of the murder. As the serial killer s violent crimes escalate, the trauma of 30 years before resurfaces, and Gemma and Kit find themselves drawn ever-deeper into a situation they never thought possible, where the horrors of past and present become increasingly entwined ...
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
7 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Gabrielle Lord
107 books238 followersGabrielle Craig Lord is an Australian writer who has been described as Australia's first lady of crime.
She survived being ‘razed’ by the nuns, acquired an education despite this, and after working in many different areas, sales, teaching, brick-cleaning, peach-picking and packing, and in the Public Service as an employment officer, started writing seriously aged 30.
Her first two manuscripts ended up composting the tomatoes at her market garden – another attempt to make a living – but the third one FORTRESS was picked up internationally and made into a feature film starring Rachel Ward. A later novel WHIPPING BOY was made into a telemovie starring Sigrid Thornton. The film rights money, coinciding with her daughter leaving school, allowed Gabrielle to resign and instead of getting up at 4.30am and writing for several hours before heading off for work, she could write full-time and lead a more ‘normal’ writer’s life – hanging around with scientists and detectives, badgering forensic anthropologists (she studied some Anatomy at Sydney university) and doing work experience with a busy private security business and of course, writing.
Research is everything, she says. ‘Out of my contacts with experts (who are always far too modest to describe themselves that way) I get not only the fine-tuning necessary for today’s savvy readers, but also wonderful incidents and images that enrich and enlarge my books.’
Gabrielle’s interests are very simple. ‘After a misspent youth, I don’t have many brain cells left so I enjoy walking, meditation, singing, gardening, chatting with close friends, being with my family and grandkids, feeding my goldfish and keeping up to date with bodywork and enlightened psychotherapy.’
Gabrielle has now written fourteen adult novels and a novel for young adults. Once the 12 books of Conspiracy 365 are completed, this tally will be a tad bigger! Following this mammoth endeavour she already has plans for another three adult novels and two more YAs.
2013
She survived being ‘razed’ by the nuns, acquired an education despite this, and after working in many different areas, sales, teaching, brick-cleaning, peach-picking and packing, and in the Public Service as an employment officer, started writing seriously aged 30.
Her first two manuscripts ended up composting the tomatoes at her market garden – another attempt to make a living – but the third one FORTRESS was picked up internationally and made into a feature film starring Rachel Ward. A later novel WHIPPING BOY was made into a telemovie starring Sigrid Thornton. The film rights money, coinciding with her daughter leaving school, allowed Gabrielle to resign and instead of getting up at 4.30am and writing for several hours before heading off for work, she could write full-time and lead a more ‘normal’ writer’s life – hanging around with scientists and detectives, badgering forensic anthropologists (she studied some Anatomy at Sydney university) and doing work experience with a busy private security business and of course, writing.
Research is everything, she says. ‘Out of my contacts with experts (who are always far too modest to describe themselves that way) I get not only the fine-tuning necessary for today’s savvy readers, but also wonderful incidents and images that enrich and enlarge my books.’
Gabrielle’s interests are very simple. ‘After a misspent youth, I don’t have many brain cells left so I enjoy walking, meditation, singing, gardening, chatting with close friends, being with my family and grandkids, feeding my goldfish and keeping up to date with bodywork and enlightened psychotherapy.’
Gabrielle has now written fourteen adult novels and a novel for young adults. Once the 12 books of Conspiracy 365 are completed, this tally will be a tad bigger! Following this mammoth endeavour she already has plans for another three adult novels and two more YAs.
2013
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 2, 2020
Really gripping. An absolutely fantastic crime writer. Want to read more.
January 30, 2023
A crime thriller set in Sydney. An ending I didn't expect. I could not put this book down.
My only gripe was with the very end where Gemma Lincoln gets attacked by the killer she is looking for, then gets attacked by her mother's killer, and then gets attacked by a Bikie her ex boyfriend Steve, who was an undercover cop, had thrown under the bus. All in the span of about 20 pages. This was a bit too much in my opinion.
My only gripe was with the very end where Gemma Lincoln gets attacked by the killer she is looking for, then gets attacked by her mother's killer, and then gets attacked by a Bikie her ex boyfriend Steve, who was an undercover cop, had thrown under the bus. All in the span of about 20 pages. This was a bit too much in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2019
Relatively easy read but with lots of misleading hints which was great. You have no idea of how it ends until it does. Will definitely read more form this author
March 3, 2021
Good read. Couldn't put it down. Read January 2021.
September 15, 2016
An enjoyable, very involved crime thriller. Gemma and Kit, scarred by their father's crime 30 years before. Gemma wanting to believe her father innocent. He's due for release from prison and she sets out to prove his innocence and unwittingly starts a succession of unfortunate events leading to her fighting for her life. At the same time a series of murders and deviant sex incidents, one of which involved Gemma, leads her to help a former colleague in the police force track down the psychopath responsible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2014
An entertaining and easy read. While sometimes predictable there were a few unexpected turns and lots of misleading hints. Worth having a look at, but not something you would want to read again and again. I didn't find myself getting emotionally invested in any of the characters, but maybe that was why it was such an easy, casual book to read.
October 23, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed it - looking forward to the others in the series :)
November 23, 2014
Strong thriller - sisters unravelling a dark family history, in Melbourne.
One is a PI, one a therapist - both are damaged by what happened in their childhood
One is a PI, one a therapist - both are damaged by what happened in their childhood
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews