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Natalie King, Forensic Psychiatrist #1
Medea's Curse
Shortlisted for two Davitt Awards - Best Adult and Best Debut
Forensic psychiatrist Natalie King works with victims and perpetrators of violent crime. She rides a Ducati a size too big and wears a tank top a size too small. Likes men but doesn't want to keep one. And really needs to stay on her medication.
Now she's being stalked. Could it be a hostile former patient? Or someone connected with a current case?
Natalie doesn't know. And with another missing child case on her desk, the time for answers is running out.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2015
48 people are currently reading
881 people want to read
About the author
Anne Buist
17 books158 followersAnne Buist is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and has over 25 years clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry. She works with Protective Services and the legal system in cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. Medea’s Curse is her first mainstream psychological thriller.
Professor Buist is married to novelist Graeme Simsion and has two children.
Professor Buist is married to novelist Graeme Simsion and has two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
June 27, 2016
I would like to thank Net Galley, Text Publishing and Australian author Anne Buist for an advanced copy of Media’s Curse in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is a tough book for me to critique. I believe there may potentially be 5 stars in this excellent debut suspense novel, but the manner in which I read it influenced my opinion to such a degree that I can only award 4 stars.
Let me attempt to explain. I normally read a novel in about 4-5 days. I read this one over 15 days, very long for me. It wasn’t the fault of the book; it was primarily because of other things going on in my life at the time and my need to cut back on reading time. This really affected the flow of the story and made it difficult to just pick up and carry on without the need for backtracking and refreshing myself on who was who, who was related to who, who thought what, what happened to who. There are a lot of characters in this book—a lot. Not only that, the protagonist, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Natalie King, had 3 different clients who were all suspected of killing their children and another young woman who was being abused, and all of these patients had significant others, siblings, parents and step-relatives to keep up with. They all had major psychiatric issues and I had a hard time staying on top of who had what issue, etc. I finally kind of gave up thinking in the last 80% and just went with the story, not bothering to try to figure anything out, which is usually a lot of fun for me. I just couldn’t keep the facts of all these characters straight with other things on my mind. I should have taken notes.
Other than the above, which was my own fault, I really liked the book. Professor Buist is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and has 25 years of clinical and research experience in psychiatry. She also works in protective services and the legal system in cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. She therefore couldn’t be more qualified to write about a forensic psychiatrist. I was very impressed with how she addressed the psychiatric/psychological issues in the story. She clearly knows her stuff; I was fascinated by the discussions between Dr. King and her supervisor/mentor Declan and between Dr. King and her patients. I really liked Dr. King—she actually struggles with mental issues herself, she often skips her meds (which adds excitement), she rides a gigantic Ducati bike, she sings with a rock band, she is ballsy and not afraid to take chances. She also does a good job of protecting herself. I wasn’t too keen on her “friend with benefits”, the very married Liam O’Shea, Crown Prosecutor, but that’s a minor point. I did like her parrot Bob and her mentor Declan. I would have enjoyed knowing more about how Dr. King has become so damaged, but I imagine that will play out in future books as Medea’s Curse is first in the Dr. Natalie King series. The plot is engrossing and the story actually moves along at a nice clip though again I had too many breaks in my reading to totally appreciate this. There were some nice twists and I was totally surprised how things all fell into place at the end.
If I had to succinctly sum things up (which if you read my reviews regularly you can tell I’m generally not good at), I would say the novel’s top credits include an edgy kickass woman protagonist, captivating intricate plotting, and unusually good psychiatric insight into multiple characters. I highly recommend it to all fans of psychological suspense. But to maintain flow, you can’t take forever to get through it like I did. Will I read book 2? I sure will.
Great job on your debut, Professor Buist!
This is a tough book for me to critique. I believe there may potentially be 5 stars in this excellent debut suspense novel, but the manner in which I read it influenced my opinion to such a degree that I can only award 4 stars.
Let me attempt to explain. I normally read a novel in about 4-5 days. I read this one over 15 days, very long for me. It wasn’t the fault of the book; it was primarily because of other things going on in my life at the time and my need to cut back on reading time. This really affected the flow of the story and made it difficult to just pick up and carry on without the need for backtracking and refreshing myself on who was who, who was related to who, who thought what, what happened to who. There are a lot of characters in this book—a lot. Not only that, the protagonist, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Natalie King, had 3 different clients who were all suspected of killing their children and another young woman who was being abused, and all of these patients had significant others, siblings, parents and step-relatives to keep up with. They all had major psychiatric issues and I had a hard time staying on top of who had what issue, etc. I finally kind of gave up thinking in the last 80% and just went with the story, not bothering to try to figure anything out, which is usually a lot of fun for me. I just couldn’t keep the facts of all these characters straight with other things on my mind. I should have taken notes.
Other than the above, which was my own fault, I really liked the book. Professor Buist is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and has 25 years of clinical and research experience in psychiatry. She also works in protective services and the legal system in cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. She therefore couldn’t be more qualified to write about a forensic psychiatrist. I was very impressed with how she addressed the psychiatric/psychological issues in the story. She clearly knows her stuff; I was fascinated by the discussions between Dr. King and her supervisor/mentor Declan and between Dr. King and her patients. I really liked Dr. King—she actually struggles with mental issues herself, she often skips her meds (which adds excitement), she rides a gigantic Ducati bike, she sings with a rock band, she is ballsy and not afraid to take chances. She also does a good job of protecting herself. I wasn’t too keen on her “friend with benefits”, the very married Liam O’Shea, Crown Prosecutor, but that’s a minor point. I did like her parrot Bob and her mentor Declan. I would have enjoyed knowing more about how Dr. King has become so damaged, but I imagine that will play out in future books as Medea’s Curse is first in the Dr. Natalie King series. The plot is engrossing and the story actually moves along at a nice clip though again I had too many breaks in my reading to totally appreciate this. There were some nice twists and I was totally surprised how things all fell into place at the end.
If I had to succinctly sum things up (which if you read my reviews regularly you can tell I’m generally not good at), I would say the novel’s top credits include an edgy kickass woman protagonist, captivating intricate plotting, and unusually good psychiatric insight into multiple characters. I highly recommend it to all fans of psychological suspense. But to maintain flow, you can’t take forever to get through it like I did. Will I read book 2? I sure will.
Great job on your debut, Professor Buist!
June 19, 2016
Knowing the story of Medea meant that I approached this thriller with trepidation at what was likely to occur. Natalie King, forensic psychiatrist, is one hell of a independent woman. She rides a motorbike that is too big for her, fronts a band, has tattoos and owns Bob, a nutcase of a parrot. She is an edgy personality with her own demons, she sees a psychiatrist and is haphazard about taking her own meds. She is having great sex with Liam O'Shea, a prosecutor that she once shoved down the steps of a courthouse in front of the media. Not the wisest of decisions as he is married with two children.
Liam has asked Natalie to see Tiphanie, a woman whose child has disappeared. There are similarities with Amber, who was convicted of killing her child and is currently in prison. Natalie feels guilt that she was unable to do more to help Amber as she felt Travis, the partner, was more responsible for the death than was revealed. Tiphanie's partner is Travis, and the police and the prosecutor are now suspicious of Travis. We get in depth insights on the role of a forensic psychiatrist and the interviews they conduct.
In addition, Natalie has a client, Georgia, who it appears has killed her children and Natalie is charged to write a report for court. Jessie has come to see Natalie as someone who was abused but cannot remember much of it and is likely protecting her abuser. There is also a hunt by the prosecutor for a paedophile ring which has a bunny rabbit logo. This hunt seems to extend to clients of Natalie and she is unable to stop herself investigating. In the meantime, Natalie is getting strange notes, messages and menacing videos on usb sticks. Natalie's cases seem to have strange connections between them, what exactly is going on?
This is a story of twists, deceptions, and messed up people. Natalie plays fast and loose with boundaries and allows justice to be achieved through unorthodox means. The author is clearly well acquainted with the work of forensic psychiatrists as she was one. The story is well plotted with a view to raising suspense and tension. I thought the story was compelling and gripping, whilst giving us a wide array of well developed characters. A recommended read. Thanks to Text Publishing for an ARC.
Liam has asked Natalie to see Tiphanie, a woman whose child has disappeared. There are similarities with Amber, who was convicted of killing her child and is currently in prison. Natalie feels guilt that she was unable to do more to help Amber as she felt Travis, the partner, was more responsible for the death than was revealed. Tiphanie's partner is Travis, and the police and the prosecutor are now suspicious of Travis. We get in depth insights on the role of a forensic psychiatrist and the interviews they conduct.
In addition, Natalie has a client, Georgia, who it appears has killed her children and Natalie is charged to write a report for court. Jessie has come to see Natalie as someone who was abused but cannot remember much of it and is likely protecting her abuser. There is also a hunt by the prosecutor for a paedophile ring which has a bunny rabbit logo. This hunt seems to extend to clients of Natalie and she is unable to stop herself investigating. In the meantime, Natalie is getting strange notes, messages and menacing videos on usb sticks. Natalie's cases seem to have strange connections between them, what exactly is going on?
This is a story of twists, deceptions, and messed up people. Natalie plays fast and loose with boundaries and allows justice to be achieved through unorthodox means. The author is clearly well acquainted with the work of forensic psychiatrists as she was one. The story is well plotted with a view to raising suspense and tension. I thought the story was compelling and gripping, whilst giving us a wide array of well developed characters. A recommended read. Thanks to Text Publishing for an ARC.
October 20, 2022
This will be a review about the title character, more than the plot. Dr Natalie King, medicated forensic psychiatrist, is written extremely well. This is because the author has the same occupation, and her knowledge is clear at every step of the way.
Every character is damaged and flawed, and every character has lies and stories they want hidden.
I was bogged down with all the happenings, I will certainly say that from the outset, but Natalie was fantastic to listen to. The audio was a good choice for me, Natalies’s story was interesting and entertaining to listen to; everything she does is on the edge. Her Melbourne converted warehouse with super security suits her, nothing conventional here.
Riding a Ducati, wearing hot clothes, seeing a hot married Irish prosecutor having a lot of hot sex, (who of course is involved in this entire messy case) and singing in a pub band, she is one hot mess. She made headlines for pushing said prosecutor down the steps outside of court.
She’s brilliant, but flawed, and of course, frequently chooses to skip her meds. She needs her mood stabilisers – but as we see through her rule breaking nature, this adds to the vibe. It’s exciting to be inappropriate and outspoken – but entirely inappropriate when one is consulting mentally damaged and physically abused patients and becoming stalked herself!
Natalie requires supervision, although highly functional, she needs a close eye on her. The conversations between her and supervisor Declan are interesting, she assures him she’s not skipping meds, and skips out one evening with a kiss on the cheek.
As the case becomes messier and her stalking is ramped up, fractured patients and even colleagues are under suspicion.
All consults are talked through like we are a fly on the wall, with the A-Z of the DSM5 listed. Not sure what readers who know nothing of meds and personalities will make of a lot of the jargon, and there really was so much going on, but Natalie sure was a pocket rocket. Pushing all boundaries to get what she needed, with the added perk of dose skipping to add to the high. She saught the mania, which she knows to be true!
Recommended, but for me, I loved the character of this flawed woman, the story was hectic!
Every character is damaged and flawed, and every character has lies and stories they want hidden.
I was bogged down with all the happenings, I will certainly say that from the outset, but Natalie was fantastic to listen to. The audio was a good choice for me, Natalies’s story was interesting and entertaining to listen to; everything she does is on the edge. Her Melbourne converted warehouse with super security suits her, nothing conventional here.
Riding a Ducati, wearing hot clothes, seeing a hot married Irish prosecutor having a lot of hot sex, (who of course is involved in this entire messy case) and singing in a pub band, she is one hot mess. She made headlines for pushing said prosecutor down the steps outside of court.
She’s brilliant, but flawed, and of course, frequently chooses to skip her meds. She needs her mood stabilisers – but as we see through her rule breaking nature, this adds to the vibe. It’s exciting to be inappropriate and outspoken – but entirely inappropriate when one is consulting mentally damaged and physically abused patients and becoming stalked herself!
Natalie requires supervision, although highly functional, she needs a close eye on her. The conversations between her and supervisor Declan are interesting, she assures him she’s not skipping meds, and skips out one evening with a kiss on the cheek.
As the case becomes messier and her stalking is ramped up, fractured patients and even colleagues are under suspicion.
All consults are talked through like we are a fly on the wall, with the A-Z of the DSM5 listed. Not sure what readers who know nothing of meds and personalities will make of a lot of the jargon, and there really was so much going on, but Natalie sure was a pocket rocket. Pushing all boundaries to get what she needed, with the added perk of dose skipping to add to the high. She saught the mania, which she knows to be true!
Recommended, but for me, I loved the character of this flawed woman, the story was hectic!
August 31, 2016
3.5 stars
There were points in this novel when I wasn't sure the author was going to be able to pull it all together, but the ending was all that I wanted it to be. Perhaps the narrative could have been a bit tidier, that's what lost some of the stars for me on this read.
What moves this book is the characters, from Dr. Natalie King- the endlessly interesting and complex protagonist, to women and men with all manner of psychological pathology. Given her background, it's not a surprise to say that Buist nailed this part. Im glad it says 'Natalie King 1' in the title- there's so much more to be done with this woman and there's no chance I'll miss it. Of all the people in the book, she's the one that holds the most fascination. She both reveals and hides her real self to the reader. Very cleverly done.
Sophocles' Medea is one of my favourite three Greek Tragedies, so I was constantly looking for parallels and connections. At one point, Sophocles has Medea go to a King for help and a promise of an escape route once the infanticide had been accomplished (that he unwittingly gives her) so I kept trying to work out how Natalie might be playing that role for one of her patients within the book... There's a lot here for those who enjoy tragedy, but even more important is the ongoing question of why women and men hurt their children, and each other. It is clear from both the play and this book, that the question remains pertinent and is far from being resolved.
As a last aside, Dr King notes that most serial killers have read The Collector. Not sure of the factual basis for this but I ordered it straight away... What this says about me, I don't know. If you already own it, however...
Many thanks to Anne Buist, Legend Press, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
There were points in this novel when I wasn't sure the author was going to be able to pull it all together, but the ending was all that I wanted it to be. Perhaps the narrative could have been a bit tidier, that's what lost some of the stars for me on this read.
What moves this book is the characters, from Dr. Natalie King- the endlessly interesting and complex protagonist, to women and men with all manner of psychological pathology. Given her background, it's not a surprise to say that Buist nailed this part. Im glad it says 'Natalie King 1' in the title- there's so much more to be done with this woman and there's no chance I'll miss it. Of all the people in the book, she's the one that holds the most fascination. She both reveals and hides her real self to the reader. Very cleverly done.
Sophocles' Medea is one of my favourite three Greek Tragedies, so I was constantly looking for parallels and connections. At one point, Sophocles has Medea go to a King for help and a promise of an escape route once the infanticide had been accomplished (that he unwittingly gives her) so I kept trying to work out how Natalie might be playing that role for one of her patients within the book... There's a lot here for those who enjoy tragedy, but even more important is the ongoing question of why women and men hurt their children, and each other. It is clear from both the play and this book, that the question remains pertinent and is far from being resolved.
As a last aside, Dr King notes that most serial killers have read The Collector. Not sure of the factual basis for this but I ordered it straight away... What this says about me, I don't know. If you already own it, however...
Many thanks to Anne Buist, Legend Press, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 23, 2022
Book Blog | Bookstagram
"'Let it never be said that I have left my children for my foes to trample on.'...Medea killed her children to punish her husband."
This is a mystery but has a lot of erotic elements. Usually, that doesn't work for me, but in the context of the main character, it was kind of necessary to develop a clear picture of her personality and life outside of her career.
Dr. Natalie King isn't what you might expect a forensic psychiatrist to be. She's outspoken, emotionally dysfunctional and has no problem pushing a prosecutor down courthouse steps. She's bipolar and irresponsible with her meds. She rides a motorcycle, fronts an amateur band and has a pet parrot. She lives in a warehouse and has affairs with married men. She's a badass in her field - dedicated to her patients and to finding the truth.
And I basically fell in love with her as an MC.
Natalie has four different patients who she is seeing primarily and each has a story that is important to the overall plot. But it was a lot for me to keep track of. I found myself getting lost in the details of everyone's lives.
There is a subplot where Natalie is being stalked. Someone is leaving her letters, USBs with videos, breaking into her home, leaving dead rabbits at her door. I found it all to be pretty tame and I was more engaged with the patients and how they connected.
My only real complaint about this book is the writing style. It's very sparse. It focuses so much on dialogue and the psychological/medical aspect that I was missing a sense of setting, atmosphere and secondary characters.
But, I'm such a sucker for this kind of in-depth psychology vibe in a novel.
⭐⭐⭐½ | 3.5 stars rounded up
book source: Legend Press via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
"'Let it never be said that I have left my children for my foes to trample on.'...Medea killed her children to punish her husband."
This is a mystery but has a lot of erotic elements. Usually, that doesn't work for me, but in the context of the main character, it was kind of necessary to develop a clear picture of her personality and life outside of her career.
Dr. Natalie King isn't what you might expect a forensic psychiatrist to be. She's outspoken, emotionally dysfunctional and has no problem pushing a prosecutor down courthouse steps. She's bipolar and irresponsible with her meds. She rides a motorcycle, fronts an amateur band and has a pet parrot. She lives in a warehouse and has affairs with married men. She's a badass in her field - dedicated to her patients and to finding the truth.
And I basically fell in love with her as an MC.
Natalie has four different patients who she is seeing primarily and each has a story that is important to the overall plot. But it was a lot for me to keep track of. I found myself getting lost in the details of everyone's lives.
There is a subplot where Natalie is being stalked. Someone is leaving her letters, USBs with videos, breaking into her home, leaving dead rabbits at her door. I found it all to be pretty tame and I was more engaged with the patients and how they connected.
My only real complaint about this book is the writing style. It's very sparse. It focuses so much on dialogue and the psychological/medical aspect that I was missing a sense of setting, atmosphere and secondary characters.
But, I'm such a sucker for this kind of in-depth psychology vibe in a novel.
⭐⭐⭐½ | 3.5 stars rounded up
book source: Legend Press via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
October 19, 2022
Dr Natalie King was a forensic psychiatrist; she was also a rebel who liked to bend the rules. Her focus was on women who suffered from abuse; whether past or current. Some of her patients had tendencies toward violence; some were spending time in prison – when she was stopped by Crown Prosecutor Liam O’Shea on her way to her rooms where she saw her patients, the words he uttered made her pause. Amber Hardy had been Natalie’s patient and was now serving time in prison -though she had been charged with murder, both Natalie and Liam weren’t sure she should be there.
Even though the realization that Amber’s ex-husband had moved on so quickly had shocked Natalie, Liam’s announcement that Travis’ second child Chloe was missing after his first had been murdered sent chills down Natalie’s spine.
Suddenly Natalie began to receive notes and threats; she increased her security on her home and alerted Tom, a fellow band member of her concerns. Initially she dismissed the threats but when her home was broken into, and her very vocal bird Bob was terrorised, she informed the police. Of course there was little they could do, and Natalie had some secrets of her own.
Danger and twisted patients dogged her days; her nights she tried to avoid the temptation of married, sexy and charming Liam, the Irishman with a killer smile. But would Natalie find her stalker? Would she find little Chloe before it was too late?
Aussie author Anne Buist has written a gripping thriller for her debut. She is a professor at the University of Melbourne with over twenty five years experience in psychiatry, so her knowledge for the writing of this novel was extreme. Hard to read at times yet gripping in its intensity, the twists and turns kept me guessing throughout. I feel this author will go far and have no hesitation in recommending Medea’s Curse to all thriller lovers.
With thanks to Text Publishing for my copy to read and review.
Even though the realization that Amber’s ex-husband had moved on so quickly had shocked Natalie, Liam’s announcement that Travis’ second child Chloe was missing after his first had been murdered sent chills down Natalie’s spine.
Suddenly Natalie began to receive notes and threats; she increased her security on her home and alerted Tom, a fellow band member of her concerns. Initially she dismissed the threats but when her home was broken into, and her very vocal bird Bob was terrorised, she informed the police. Of course there was little they could do, and Natalie had some secrets of her own.
Danger and twisted patients dogged her days; her nights she tried to avoid the temptation of married, sexy and charming Liam, the Irishman with a killer smile. But would Natalie find her stalker? Would she find little Chloe before it was too late?
Aussie author Anne Buist has written a gripping thriller for her debut. She is a professor at the University of Melbourne with over twenty five years experience in psychiatry, so her knowledge for the writing of this novel was extreme. Hard to read at times yet gripping in its intensity, the twists and turns kept me guessing throughout. I feel this author will go far and have no hesitation in recommending Medea’s Curse to all thriller lovers.
With thanks to Text Publishing for my copy to read and review.
September 13, 2023
Yay! Gave myself a pat on the back for getting to the end of this one. It's really hard to evaluate with stars, because I wouldn't recommend anyone actually read this. The only reason I stuck with it was because I completely agreed with the author's agenda. Anne Buist has more than 25 years of clinical psychiatry under-her-belt, and that is one of the main reasons I chose to read her novel. Her knowledge and real-life experience shows in the interviews with the patients/characters - for example there is always a thin-line between offering therapy and trying to push for further information - as these patients are in custody or remanded for serious charges. Dr Natalie King is required to work in conjunction with the courts, and police and lawyers who want to establish fact, motives and whether the suspect is guilty or not of - infanticide.
I couldn't not think of Mothers Don’t by Katixa Agirre, which covers very similar material. In Agirre's book, a mother is charged for the murder of her infant twins. And Celia Fremlin's book The Hours Before Dawn a recent read, AND Margaret Drabble's novel from 1965, The Millstone; all of them deal with the difficulties of stress induced by the arrival of a new baby, specifically in relation to lack of sleep, lack of support, life-style and change in economic circumstance and status. I didn't make any of these book choices because of the others; they just seem to have come up together. It's interesting because each writer takes a different angle on the same basic material, which is the mother and her baby. Buist has a forensic psychiatrist gathering evidence to either incriminate or exonerate the mother - or to consider another perpetrator.
Fremlin's take on motherhood - is to suggest that any mother given a particular set of circumstances, could behave like Euripide's famed character, Medea - but ultimately Fremlin's purpose is to demonstrate the incredible resistance that her main character has.
And Drabble - again the question raises it's ugly head - babies die all the time, and not all mothers are able to provide the care they need, or indeed are able to protect their infants from harm from another quarter. Drabble takes a hard look at how babies and young children suffer immensely because they do not have a voice.
In Buist's book, one of the central characters, a twenty-year old mother, Amber describes how her baby's eyes grow big with fright and her lip quivers as the father yells and throws a pan of hot food over the mother's head. The baby cries from fear... and Amber ends up confessing to a death she was not responsible for - and yet she is implicated because - did she do enough to save her child?
I think the main problem with the readability of Buist's book is that she takes on far too much. There are 4 central patients, plus other minor ones in Dr King's care. There is a stalker, there is a sort of boyfriend, a lawyer who happens to be involved in one of the cases. And Dr King is involved in a band, she's the singer. She arrives at her hot venues on a Bucati - clearly Buist didn't want any Miss Marple images hanging around her feisty, hot, sexy and super-intelligent central character, and there is Natalie King's supervisor who needs to be kept up to date with her case-load, particularly in relation to any errors in practice code. There is an egotistical Dr Wadhwa - who challenges King's every diagnosis; there is a lot of psycho-babble - and there is a huge cast of minor but necessary characters in terms of family members and friends, because King has to investigate all the family relationships and establish the formative experiences of her patients. To understand the childhood of Georgia for example King tracks down a mother who has not been in touch with her daughter for more than 34 years.
Along with the complex and over abundant plot lines, there is a problem of too much raw material - loads and loads of interview type questions and answers, which fall over into a very similar dialogue pattern with lawyers, police investigators, secretaries and co-workers. Style problems and structure problems.
If I had been her editor I would have cut the boyfriend story, the stalker story, the night-clubs/King as singer story, even the Jessie story - a patient who has not committed any murders - but who is included in the paedophile ring investigation which overlaps with the lover, Liam O'Shea, Irish background etc. I would have CUT ALL of that - and just concentrated on the three main women, two of whom (Amber and Tiphanie) are connected via a particularly nasty male, Travis: and then Georgia, (only one surviving child from 5! pregnancies) plus her husband, Paul and Georgia's family history, that would have been ENOUGH!
Anyway this was Buist's debut novel - and I'm forgiving her all of the above because of her intentions and purpose, which is to show how Natalie King protects her patients no matter the circumstances, and proves that it is the slow psychological work, that resolves the criminal investigations. I couldn't help but think of Simenon's Maigret, because he also prioritises the psychology. What drove this person to do that? Or why would they do that? etc.
Two stars - but I might try Buist's latest offering which is Locked Ward (2023).
I couldn't not think of Mothers Don’t by Katixa Agirre, which covers very similar material. In Agirre's book, a mother is charged for the murder of her infant twins. And Celia Fremlin's book The Hours Before Dawn a recent read, AND Margaret Drabble's novel from 1965, The Millstone; all of them deal with the difficulties of stress induced by the arrival of a new baby, specifically in relation to lack of sleep, lack of support, life-style and change in economic circumstance and status. I didn't make any of these book choices because of the others; they just seem to have come up together. It's interesting because each writer takes a different angle on the same basic material, which is the mother and her baby. Buist has a forensic psychiatrist gathering evidence to either incriminate or exonerate the mother - or to consider another perpetrator.
Fremlin's take on motherhood - is to suggest that any mother given a particular set of circumstances, could behave like Euripide's famed character, Medea - but ultimately Fremlin's purpose is to demonstrate the incredible resistance that her main character has.
And Drabble - again the question raises it's ugly head - babies die all the time, and not all mothers are able to provide the care they need, or indeed are able to protect their infants from harm from another quarter. Drabble takes a hard look at how babies and young children suffer immensely because they do not have a voice.
In Buist's book, one of the central characters, a twenty-year old mother, Amber describes how her baby's eyes grow big with fright and her lip quivers as the father yells and throws a pan of hot food over the mother's head. The baby cries from fear... and Amber ends up confessing to a death she was not responsible for - and yet she is implicated because - did she do enough to save her child?
I think the main problem with the readability of Buist's book is that she takes on far too much. There are 4 central patients, plus other minor ones in Dr King's care. There is a stalker, there is a sort of boyfriend, a lawyer who happens to be involved in one of the cases. And Dr King is involved in a band, she's the singer. She arrives at her hot venues on a Bucati - clearly Buist didn't want any Miss Marple images hanging around her feisty, hot, sexy and super-intelligent central character, and there is Natalie King's supervisor who needs to be kept up to date with her case-load, particularly in relation to any errors in practice code. There is an egotistical Dr Wadhwa - who challenges King's every diagnosis; there is a lot of psycho-babble - and there is a huge cast of minor but necessary characters in terms of family members and friends, because King has to investigate all the family relationships and establish the formative experiences of her patients. To understand the childhood of Georgia for example King tracks down a mother who has not been in touch with her daughter for more than 34 years.
Along with the complex and over abundant plot lines, there is a problem of too much raw material - loads and loads of interview type questions and answers, which fall over into a very similar dialogue pattern with lawyers, police investigators, secretaries and co-workers. Style problems and structure problems.
If I had been her editor I would have cut the boyfriend story, the stalker story, the night-clubs/King as singer story, even the Jessie story - a patient who has not committed any murders - but who is included in the paedophile ring investigation which overlaps with the lover, Liam O'Shea, Irish background etc. I would have CUT ALL of that - and just concentrated on the three main women, two of whom (Amber and Tiphanie) are connected via a particularly nasty male, Travis: and then Georgia, (only one surviving child from 5! pregnancies) plus her husband, Paul and Georgia's family history, that would have been ENOUGH!
Anyway this was Buist's debut novel - and I'm forgiving her all of the above because of her intentions and purpose, which is to show how Natalie King protects her patients no matter the circumstances, and proves that it is the slow psychological work, that resolves the criminal investigations. I couldn't help but think of Simenon's Maigret, because he also prioritises the psychology. What drove this person to do that? Or why would they do that? etc.
Two stars - but I might try Buist's latest offering which is Locked Ward (2023).
September 30, 2016
Natalie King doesn't fit the mold of the orthodox psychiatrist. She sings in a rock band, rides a powerful motorcycle, has a strictly sexual relationship with a married crown prosecutor and occasionally messes around with her own bipolar medication. Oh, and she owns a speaking parrot. In her role as a forensic psychiatrist, Natalie works with the victims and perpetrators of crimes involving children. One of her cases involves a mother who is believed to have killed three of her children; in another Natalie suspects a father may have killed two of his daughters. When someone is stalking her and she receives threatening notes, Natalie has to work out whether this is connected to one of her cases or possibly to her private life. Content wise, this covers some unpleasant stuff. But the themes of infanticide, child and sexual abuse are covered in a sensitive manner. There is nothing terribly graphic in this. It is more a detailed psychological exploration. There is a fair bit of medical/psychological speak as Natalie has sessions with her patients and attends supervision with her mentor, Declan. The author, Anne Buist, is a clinician, teacher, and researcher in the area of ante- and postnatal mental health disorders and that clearly shows in her writing. I really liked this book, but I found it wasn't something that I could read quickly or in a leisurely manner. It required concentration and time. There was such a large cast of characters that I had trouble keeping up with all the details, how people were connected, who was accused of what etc. As I got further into it, all the different threads came together though and it turned into a well-plotted and exciting psychological suspense story with some very well-drawn characters. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the Natalie King series, Dangerous to Know.
Thanks to Legend Press who provided me with a copy of Medea's Curse via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Legend Press who provided me with a copy of Medea's Curse via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2022
Medea’s Curse is the first fiction book by Australian psychiatrist and author, Professor Anne Buist. The audio is narrated by Rebecca De Unamuno. A stalker is just what Dr Natalie King, forensic psychiatrist, does not need. She is already at loggerheads with Associate Professor Wadhwa over a patient’s diagnosis; Crown Prosecutor Liam O’Shea is dangling an interesting case in front of her nose, a case related to one that she considers a failure on her part; Married-With-Kids-Liam-O’Shea is sexy and charming and Natalie is only half-resisting her lustful impulses; she knows her supervisor, Declan Ryan, will disapprove of both the interesting case and Natalie’s poor adherence to her mood-stabilising medications; and her newest patient is setting off alarm bells in her mind regarding childhood sexual abuse.
What is keeps Natalie on an even keel (most of the time) are her singing gigs with the band, her very private warehouse apartment and a cheeky cockatoo named after Bob Dylan. At first, she dismisses the mildly threatening hand-written note, but as further communications become more intrusive, sophisticated and complex, Natalie becomes concerned. Meanwhile, she also begins to wonder if her cases, some involving mothers accused of infanticide, are related.
Buist’s protagonist is not your typical forensic psychiatrist: with multiple ear piercings, a Ducati 1200, a mental health history of her own and a reluctance to take her meds, Natalie King sings in a rock band and has an avid sexual appetite. Luckily, Buist assures us there will be more of this passionate and edgy new heroine.
Buist includes a funny and, no doubt, highly accurate description of a manic episode from the point of view of the person experiencing it. Her expertise in the mental health field is apparent in every paragraph, and mentions of actual cases that readers will recognise add authenticity. There is quite a bit of jargon, so a glossary of mental health terms might have been helpful.
Buist gives the reader a plot that is original and believable, with more than one twist to keep the reader guessing to the end. Her characters are multi-faceted, and none are quite what they first seem to be; her dialogue is realistic and the subject matter is very topical. This thought-provoking psychological thriller will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned. A brilliant read.
What is keeps Natalie on an even keel (most of the time) are her singing gigs with the band, her very private warehouse apartment and a cheeky cockatoo named after Bob Dylan. At first, she dismisses the mildly threatening hand-written note, but as further communications become more intrusive, sophisticated and complex, Natalie becomes concerned. Meanwhile, she also begins to wonder if her cases, some involving mothers accused of infanticide, are related.
Buist’s protagonist is not your typical forensic psychiatrist: with multiple ear piercings, a Ducati 1200, a mental health history of her own and a reluctance to take her meds, Natalie King sings in a rock band and has an avid sexual appetite. Luckily, Buist assures us there will be more of this passionate and edgy new heroine.
Buist includes a funny and, no doubt, highly accurate description of a manic episode from the point of view of the person experiencing it. Her expertise in the mental health field is apparent in every paragraph, and mentions of actual cases that readers will recognise add authenticity. There is quite a bit of jargon, so a glossary of mental health terms might have been helpful.
Buist gives the reader a plot that is original and believable, with more than one twist to keep the reader guessing to the end. Her characters are multi-faceted, and none are quite what they first seem to be; her dialogue is realistic and the subject matter is very topical. This thought-provoking psychological thriller will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned. A brilliant read.
January 28, 2015
Medea’s Curse is the first fiction book by Australian psychiatrist and author, Professor Anne Buist. A stalker is just what Dr Natalie King, forensic psychiatrist, does not need. She is already at loggerheads with Associate Professor Wadhwa over a patient’s diagnosis; Crown Prosecutor Liam O’Shea is dangling an interesting case in front of her nose, a case related to one that she considers a failure on her part; Married-With-Kids-Liam-O’Shea is sexy and charming and Natalie is only half-resisting her lustful impulses; she knows her supervisor, Declan Ryan, will disapprove of both the interesting case and Natalie’s poor adherence to her mood-stabilising medications; and her newest patient is setting off alarm bells in her mind regarding childhood sexual abuse.
What is keeps Natalie on an even keel (most of the time) are her singing gigs with the band, her very private warehouse apartment and a cheeky cockatoo named after Bob Dylan. At first, she dismisses the mildly threatening hand-written note, but as further communications become more intrusive, sophisticated and complex, Natalie becomes concerned. Meanwhile, she also begins to wonder if her cases, some involving mothers accused of infanticide, are related.
Buist’s protagonist is not your typical forensic psychiatrist: with multiple ear piercings, a Ducati 1200, a mental health history of her own and a reluctance to take her meds, Natalie King sings in a rock band and has an avid sexual appetite. Luckily, Buist assures us there will be more of this passionate and edgy new heroine.
Buist includes a funny and, no doubt, highly accurate description of a manic episode from the point of view of the person experiencing it. Her expertise in the mental health field is apparent in every paragraph, and mentions of actual cases that readers will recognise add authenticity. There is quite a bit of jargon, so a glossary of mental health terms might have been helpful.
Buist gives the reader a plot that is original and believable, with more than one twist to keep the reader guessing to the end. Her characters are multi-faceted, and none are quite what they first seem to be; her dialogue is realistic and the subject matter is very topical. This thought-provoking psychological thriller will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned. A brilliant read.
What is keeps Natalie on an even keel (most of the time) are her singing gigs with the band, her very private warehouse apartment and a cheeky cockatoo named after Bob Dylan. At first, she dismisses the mildly threatening hand-written note, but as further communications become more intrusive, sophisticated and complex, Natalie becomes concerned. Meanwhile, she also begins to wonder if her cases, some involving mothers accused of infanticide, are related.
Buist’s protagonist is not your typical forensic psychiatrist: with multiple ear piercings, a Ducati 1200, a mental health history of her own and a reluctance to take her meds, Natalie King sings in a rock band and has an avid sexual appetite. Luckily, Buist assures us there will be more of this passionate and edgy new heroine.
Buist includes a funny and, no doubt, highly accurate description of a manic episode from the point of view of the person experiencing it. Her expertise in the mental health field is apparent in every paragraph, and mentions of actual cases that readers will recognise add authenticity. There is quite a bit of jargon, so a glossary of mental health terms might have been helpful.
Buist gives the reader a plot that is original and believable, with more than one twist to keep the reader guessing to the end. Her characters are multi-faceted, and none are quite what they first seem to be; her dialogue is realistic and the subject matter is very topical. This thought-provoking psychological thriller will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned. A brilliant read.
September 29, 2016
After reading the blurb for this book I couldn’t wait to read it.
Natalie is a great protagonist. Her job is certainly not the easiest of ones and reading of her chats with her patients at times was very harrowing. You can tell she really cares about the women that are her patients and even though she has to go behind the actions of their crimes to find out the truth, it can’t be easy to not judge someone, especially a mother who has killed their child.
I like how Natalie doesn’t really rely on anyone. She has a man in her life. Probably not one that’s suitable, but it doesn’t matter to her, I think she just prefers the benefits it brings.
The story does jump around quite a bit which did make me struggle to keep up with what was going on. One minute I would be reading of Natalie with one of her patients the next Natalie would be with her ‘boyfriend’ or somewhere else and I have to admit I don’t think it flowed as well as it could have done. If it had flowed better I think the story would have grabbed me a lot more than it did.
The story line itself is a really good one and when the connections start to fall into place for Natalie, it makes for quite a sinister read.
Medea’s Curse has all the elements of a great book. It’s still a decent read but for me if the story had just flowed better, it would have been an outstanding read, instead of ending up being an okay one.
My thanks to Legend Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Natalie is a great protagonist. Her job is certainly not the easiest of ones and reading of her chats with her patients at times was very harrowing. You can tell she really cares about the women that are her patients and even though she has to go behind the actions of their crimes to find out the truth, it can’t be easy to not judge someone, especially a mother who has killed their child.
I like how Natalie doesn’t really rely on anyone. She has a man in her life. Probably not one that’s suitable, but it doesn’t matter to her, I think she just prefers the benefits it brings.
The story does jump around quite a bit which did make me struggle to keep up with what was going on. One minute I would be reading of Natalie with one of her patients the next Natalie would be with her ‘boyfriend’ or somewhere else and I have to admit I don’t think it flowed as well as it could have done. If it had flowed better I think the story would have grabbed me a lot more than it did.
The story line itself is a really good one and when the connections start to fall into place for Natalie, it makes for quite a sinister read.
Medea’s Curse has all the elements of a great book. It’s still a decent read but for me if the story had just flowed better, it would have been an outstanding read, instead of ending up being an okay one.
My thanks to Legend Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2015
When they say "write what you know" Anne Buist seems to have taken that advice very much to heart, especially when it comes to the clinical and working experience of her central character - Dr Natalie King. Hard to say about the Ducati, history of mental health problems and clothes sense.
MEDEA'S CURSE starts out in extreme acceleration mode with the back story of a contretemps on the steps of the Court, followed by an encounter with Crown Prosecutor (and later sex interest) Liam O'Shea, and the disappearance of a child. The father of the missing child was also the father of a dead baby, one that her mother had pleaded guilty to killing. That mother, Amber Hardy, is in prison, and both O'Shea and King aren't convinced she should be there. Hardy's story, her partner (and the father of both children) Travis, and his new daughter and partner are quickly expanded, along with that of another patient of King's, and from there the cast gets more complicated with work colleagues, fellow band members of King's, O'Shea as a love interest, the drummer of the band as a love interest, a mad cockatoo, the bike and Hardy's own therapist.
Needless to say, in the first half of this book readers will need to be paying attention. There's a lot of characters, a lot of back stories, a lot of interactions and a lot of health and welfare information imparted. King is a complicated person in her own right, what with her own mental health problems; a "friends with benefits" relationship; problems with work colleagues and patients; a strong sexual attraction to O'Shea (despite his being married); her relationship with (and tendency to try to snow) her own therapist; and a reckless disregard for her own safety - not just because she rides the Ducati.
To be fair though, paying really close attention might mean that some flaws become slightly over-obvious. Such as why she's somewhat blasé about her personal safety despite the increasingly threatening behaviour of a stalker. It's doubtful that I was the only reader screaming "security camera's..." for a big part of this book. Whilst it may be that much of the personal jeopardy elements of King's behaviour were not completely unbelievable, they did became increasingly frustrating. And then there was all that pet bird disregard. Okay if you want to put on your security system version of a nightie and high-heels and trip around with a candle fine, but somebody needs to think of the bird!
Of course it is possible that many of the worst of the unbelievable elements were designed specifically to show King's tendency for erratic behaviour. Just as her increasing concern, and involvement in the lives of her patients is designed to show the caring, considerate part, but it did prove a major distraction at points.
On the upside there's certainly nothing wrong with the pace of this plot, as for all it's complications and interwoven elements, it rips along at great speed, and King is an interesting new character on the Australian Crime Fiction scene. Edgy and difficult, complicated and unusual, she's got a lot of potential to be a very welcome addition. Perhaps now that her foibles and strengths have been established, and the pattern of behaviour and craziness established, future books will have a little less of the kitchen sink feel about them. Especially as it's hard to imagine that King's going to be spending any time near anything as mundane as a sink.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
MEDEA'S CURSE starts out in extreme acceleration mode with the back story of a contretemps on the steps of the Court, followed by an encounter with Crown Prosecutor (and later sex interest) Liam O'Shea, and the disappearance of a child. The father of the missing child was also the father of a dead baby, one that her mother had pleaded guilty to killing. That mother, Amber Hardy, is in prison, and both O'Shea and King aren't convinced she should be there. Hardy's story, her partner (and the father of both children) Travis, and his new daughter and partner are quickly expanded, along with that of another patient of King's, and from there the cast gets more complicated with work colleagues, fellow band members of King's, O'Shea as a love interest, the drummer of the band as a love interest, a mad cockatoo, the bike and Hardy's own therapist.
Needless to say, in the first half of this book readers will need to be paying attention. There's a lot of characters, a lot of back stories, a lot of interactions and a lot of health and welfare information imparted. King is a complicated person in her own right, what with her own mental health problems; a "friends with benefits" relationship; problems with work colleagues and patients; a strong sexual attraction to O'Shea (despite his being married); her relationship with (and tendency to try to snow) her own therapist; and a reckless disregard for her own safety - not just because she rides the Ducati.
To be fair though, paying really close attention might mean that some flaws become slightly over-obvious. Such as why she's somewhat blasé about her personal safety despite the increasingly threatening behaviour of a stalker. It's doubtful that I was the only reader screaming "security camera's..." for a big part of this book. Whilst it may be that much of the personal jeopardy elements of King's behaviour were not completely unbelievable, they did became increasingly frustrating. And then there was all that pet bird disregard. Okay if you want to put on your security system version of a nightie and high-heels and trip around with a candle fine, but somebody needs to think of the bird!
Of course it is possible that many of the worst of the unbelievable elements were designed specifically to show King's tendency for erratic behaviour. Just as her increasing concern, and involvement in the lives of her patients is designed to show the caring, considerate part, but it did prove a major distraction at points.
On the upside there's certainly nothing wrong with the pace of this plot, as for all it's complications and interwoven elements, it rips along at great speed, and King is an interesting new character on the Australian Crime Fiction scene. Edgy and difficult, complicated and unusual, she's got a lot of potential to be a very welcome addition. Perhaps now that her foibles and strengths have been established, and the pattern of behaviour and craziness established, future books will have a little less of the kitchen sink feel about them. Especially as it's hard to imagine that King's going to be spending any time near anything as mundane as a sink.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
September 14, 2016
Medea's Curse was a tough read in places due to the subject matter - infanticide and chld abuse - but was none the less compelling for that and Anne Buist has somehow managed to speak to the issues in a sensitive way whilst also writing an often edge of the seat psychological thriller.
In Natalie King, Forensic psychiatrist, the author has created a really cool yet intriguing main protagonist who takes you on this journey through the darker side of human nature with panache and a strange vulnerability. Not entirely mentally healthy herself, Natalie with her biker attitude yet empathic qualities makes you stay with her all the way even when her behaviour is perhaps exasperating.
As to the intricate and well defined plot, this is emotionally charged and often fraught but with some terrific insights into the causes and personalities that drive women that kill their children. On top of that it is a page turner - the mystery element is well defined and not easily unravelled, which keeps things interesting whilst also being extraordinarily thought provoking.
I liked the mix of investigative and medical themes, the psychological insight and the fact that you are never sure where this will all end up. The character arcs are interwoven brilliantly, Natalie is set up to continue which I am extraordinarily happy about and if Anne Buist can keep up this level of authenticity and quality writing she's just found a reader for life.
Recommended.
In Natalie King, Forensic psychiatrist, the author has created a really cool yet intriguing main protagonist who takes you on this journey through the darker side of human nature with panache and a strange vulnerability. Not entirely mentally healthy herself, Natalie with her biker attitude yet empathic qualities makes you stay with her all the way even when her behaviour is perhaps exasperating.
As to the intricate and well defined plot, this is emotionally charged and often fraught but with some terrific insights into the causes and personalities that drive women that kill their children. On top of that it is a page turner - the mystery element is well defined and not easily unravelled, which keeps things interesting whilst also being extraordinarily thought provoking.
I liked the mix of investigative and medical themes, the psychological insight and the fact that you are never sure where this will all end up. The character arcs are interwoven brilliantly, Natalie is set up to continue which I am extraordinarily happy about and if Anne Buist can keep up this level of authenticity and quality writing she's just found a reader for life.
Recommended.
June 8, 2015
Whilst I enjoyed this book and really liked the character of Natalie, there was something about it that I did not find compelling. It took me a while to get into and once I did, whilst being quite fascinated at how the story was unfolding, I could still leave it for long periods. Which is unusual for me with a book of this nature and with this topic. Perhaps it was just a mood thing. It was very cleverly written and the premise was a good one with a few things going on that were satisfactorily tied together. The medical and psychiatric knowledge Buist brings to this novel is faultless....well I'm no expert but it all seemed valid to me. I do have a slight niggle and that is in the proofreading/editing as there were numerous errors that did distract me from my reading more than I would have liked. All in all a 3.5 star read for me and one I would still recommend. It did leave me wondering if there may be a sequel which is always a good thing.
September 2, 2025
This thriller tackles various challenging topics.
Read
February 23, 2015This is a fantastic psychological thriller. Natalie King, the female protagonist is a complex protagonist with lots of quirks and flaws, which makes her incredibly unique in this genre. Anne Buist is also a psychiatrist and her intelligence and knowledge of complex psychological and ethical issues shines through, giving this book a depth that many other thrillers lack. Looking forward to seeing what Natalie King does next!
February 15, 2017
Book one in the Natalie King, Forensic Psychiatrist series. Not only is that sentence informing you that this is the first book in a crime series but it’s also my reason for reading this book – Natalie King is a Forensic Psychiatrist. If it involves the assessment and treatment of those involved in the Criminal Justice System, you have spoken to the Criminologist in me and I’m reading the book!
There’s a few storylines/cases running simultaneously in this book, each one totally engrossing – Amber, currently in prison for the murder of her child; Travis, the father of a murdered child, with his second daughter missing; Tiphanie, the mother of a missing child; and Georgia, charged with killing her three children. Straight away, I want to say this book is at times hard to read and may be upsetting for some readers due to it’s content but Buist has over 25 years clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry and knows her field well, infanticide is never going to be easy reading but Buist writes with decorum. This is a fictional book, it has a plot and elements of humour, it’s a great crime thriller, original, realistic and thought-provoking.
When Natalie starts receiving threats she’s not sure if it’s related to her work or just some ‘sicko’ trying to scare her. This is a complex, layered read, it’s emotionally charged but essentially it is a mystery book with a plot that keeps you turning pages. This book makes you pay attention, due to the many layers of this story, you can become easily lost, the story doesn’t have the smoothest flow, as it jumps back and fourth between cases, so as the reader, you have to keep up!
Natalie, on medication to stabilise her own moods, sings in a band outside of work, rides a motorbike, has a pet parrot, and a wonderful love-hate relationship with a sexy Irish prosecutor, Liam O’Shea. With a fully developed backstory, you really warm to Natalie, and this pulls you into the story as you’re rooting for her the whole time. A protagonist that’s likeable, both strong and vulnerable at the same time.
If you enjoy a slow-burner, can handle the difficult subject matter, then I highly recommend this book. Buist uses humour extremely well to break up the dark content. This book grabs hold of you, packed with tension, an intelligent crime thriller, an overall enthralling read. I’m looking forward to reading book 2: Dangerous to Know.
*My thanks to the author, Anne Buist, for providing me with a copy of this book*
There’s a few storylines/cases running simultaneously in this book, each one totally engrossing – Amber, currently in prison for the murder of her child; Travis, the father of a murdered child, with his second daughter missing; Tiphanie, the mother of a missing child; and Georgia, charged with killing her three children. Straight away, I want to say this book is at times hard to read and may be upsetting for some readers due to it’s content but Buist has over 25 years clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry and knows her field well, infanticide is never going to be easy reading but Buist writes with decorum. This is a fictional book, it has a plot and elements of humour, it’s a great crime thriller, original, realistic and thought-provoking.
When Natalie starts receiving threats she’s not sure if it’s related to her work or just some ‘sicko’ trying to scare her. This is a complex, layered read, it’s emotionally charged but essentially it is a mystery book with a plot that keeps you turning pages. This book makes you pay attention, due to the many layers of this story, you can become easily lost, the story doesn’t have the smoothest flow, as it jumps back and fourth between cases, so as the reader, you have to keep up!
Natalie, on medication to stabilise her own moods, sings in a band outside of work, rides a motorbike, has a pet parrot, and a wonderful love-hate relationship with a sexy Irish prosecutor, Liam O’Shea. With a fully developed backstory, you really warm to Natalie, and this pulls you into the story as you’re rooting for her the whole time. A protagonist that’s likeable, both strong and vulnerable at the same time.
If you enjoy a slow-burner, can handle the difficult subject matter, then I highly recommend this book. Buist uses humour extremely well to break up the dark content. This book grabs hold of you, packed with tension, an intelligent crime thriller, an overall enthralling read. I’m looking forward to reading book 2: Dangerous to Know.
*My thanks to the author, Anne Buist, for providing me with a copy of this book*
May 5, 2015
An Australian psychological thriller debut about a forensic psychiatrist working in Melbourne. Buist has had over 25 years experience in clinical psychiatry and this book was fascinating to read (all the patients she was seeing), their psychological disorders were layered and Buist teams their stories with some major suspense, twists, a stalker, a messed-up, sexy affair making Medea's Curse a complex and compelling read.
The one downside to this was how complex things did get -- at first it took me a while to find my groove with so many threads introduced (they all do come beautifully together).
This thriller was different to others I have read as it spends significant time in the psychiatrists office, which I completely loved. Completely recommended for anyone who is into perinatal psychiatry. cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. despite the novel being framed so well into a captivating set-up, the content rings true and I really felt for the characters and their tragedy's. Definitely haunting and I'll be back for more!
mini factoid: Buist is married to Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project.
The one downside to this was how complex things did get -- at first it took me a while to find my groove with so many threads introduced (they all do come beautifully together).
This thriller was different to others I have read as it spends significant time in the psychiatrists office, which I completely loved. Completely recommended for anyone who is into perinatal psychiatry. cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. despite the novel being framed so well into a captivating set-up, the content rings true and I really felt for the characters and their tragedy's. Definitely haunting and I'll be back for more!
mini factoid: Buist is married to Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project.
October 20, 2017
Such a good book! Great start to the Natalie King, Forensic Psychiatrist Series.
Natalie King, the main character, is as complicated and unconventional a person as you'll ever find. Besides being a forensic psychiatrist, she sings in a band, rides a motorcycle, has affairs with married men and has her own mental health problems.
The book deals with very hard issues: mothers suspected of killing their children, pedophile rings, stalking.
I like that the main character is flawed but very human. She's strong even when things gets more and more difficult with each page, and the stories she hears from her patients (and her own) are enough to get anybody down. Add to it that her personal life is kind of messy and you have very complex story.
But the more complex it gets, the more it got me hooked. It's a great book, and one I recommend fully
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Natalie King, the main character, is as complicated and unconventional a person as you'll ever find. Besides being a forensic psychiatrist, she sings in a band, rides a motorcycle, has affairs with married men and has her own mental health problems.
The book deals with very hard issues: mothers suspected of killing their children, pedophile rings, stalking.
I like that the main character is flawed but very human. She's strong even when things gets more and more difficult with each page, and the stories she hears from her patients (and her own) are enough to get anybody down. Add to it that her personal life is kind of messy and you have very complex story.
But the more complex it gets, the more it got me hooked. It's a great book, and one I recommend fully
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2019
This book was hard to read -- it was well written, but the content ultimately was difficult to get through. The plot twists and multiple story lines kept me guessing about everything, and while I guessed one of the final reveals, I did not see the other coming. I would have preferred more closure for a few of the minor story lines in the resolution. I'm uncertain if I will read more in the series.
September 30, 2016
A couple disclaimers seem to be in order:
First, I immediately requested this book, just after reading the title (I do love the Medea story, especially the reimaging (Medea) by Christa Wolf - which is one of my all-time favourites and you should all check it out!). Second, I don't really read much mystery or thriller. So, I might not be the best person to review this book.
But, I definitely enjoyed this. Especially the latter half of the book was really gripping and had me second guessing everybody's motives. Given the subject matter (women who might or might not have killed their children and who might or might not be to blame), it definitely had some very dark moments, but those were offset by the brilliant characterization of those women. Anne Buist made me have a good look at my own prejudices and she managed the seemingly impossible: making me empathize with women who are convicted of having caused the death of their children.
In the beginning I found the main character to be bit of a walking clichè with her rock chick persona, but as the book kept on and the cracks in her exterior starting to appear, she became a whole lot more interesting and believable. Even though I sometimes wanted to smack her for being reckless (as an psychiatrist she should know better!), I understood why she did it and that I can appreciate.
One of the biggest strengths is definitely the fact that Anne Buist absolutely knows what she is writing about and it shows. The characters are fully fleshed out and everybody is distinctly unique. So while the writing style didn't always work for me and the story might just be a little bit implausible, I still want to read the next book when it comes out. And that is a feat in itself (like I said, I don't really do thrillers).
___
I received an ebook via NetGalley and Legend Press in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
First, I immediately requested this book, just after reading the title (I do love the Medea story, especially the reimaging (Medea) by Christa Wolf - which is one of my all-time favourites and you should all check it out!). Second, I don't really read much mystery or thriller. So, I might not be the best person to review this book.
But, I definitely enjoyed this. Especially the latter half of the book was really gripping and had me second guessing everybody's motives. Given the subject matter (women who might or might not have killed their children and who might or might not be to blame), it definitely had some very dark moments, but those were offset by the brilliant characterization of those women. Anne Buist made me have a good look at my own prejudices and she managed the seemingly impossible: making me empathize with women who are convicted of having caused the death of their children.
In the beginning I found the main character to be bit of a walking clichè with her rock chick persona, but as the book kept on and the cracks in her exterior starting to appear, she became a whole lot more interesting and believable. Even though I sometimes wanted to smack her for being reckless (as an psychiatrist she should know better!), I understood why she did it and that I can appreciate.
One of the biggest strengths is definitely the fact that Anne Buist absolutely knows what she is writing about and it shows. The characters are fully fleshed out and everybody is distinctly unique. So while the writing style didn't always work for me and the story might just be a little bit implausible, I still want to read the next book when it comes out. And that is a feat in itself (like I said, I don't really do thrillers).
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I received an ebook via NetGalley and Legend Press in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
October 8, 2016
Natalie King is not your typical psychiatrist. She rides a Ducati, fronts a band, and has her own mental issues that she's sometimes lax about taking her meds for. (As even most people who aren't psychiatrists can tell you, that's irresponsible and dangerous.) She varies between very likeable to wanting to shake her and ask her what she thinks she's doing.
This book is great but very complicated with a large cast of characters. I'd recommend reading it in one or two sittings if possible, because it's easy to get confused with so much going on! It's all very interesting, though. Very obvious that it was written by an author with a lot of experience with these kind of cases.
Natalie is being stalked and it's not easy to figure out who it is. She's abrasive, has been involved in high profile court cases, and happens to be seeing a married man. There's a number of people who might want to mess with her head or even hurt her. She has to figure it out before it's too late... while searching for the truth about several women she's treated that have been accused of murder.
By the way, I loved Bob the parrot. He was the perfect bright spot in a book that involved some very heavy subject matter.
My thanks to Net Galley and Legend Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This book is great but very complicated with a large cast of characters. I'd recommend reading it in one or two sittings if possible, because it's easy to get confused with so much going on! It's all very interesting, though. Very obvious that it was written by an author with a lot of experience with these kind of cases.
Natalie is being stalked and it's not easy to figure out who it is. She's abrasive, has been involved in high profile court cases, and happens to be seeing a married man. There's a number of people who might want to mess with her head or even hurt her. She has to figure it out before it's too late... while searching for the truth about several women she's treated that have been accused of murder.
By the way, I loved Bob the parrot. He was the perfect bright spot in a book that involved some very heavy subject matter.
My thanks to Net Galley and Legend Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 12, 2016
There are so many wonderful elements to this crime thriller that I'm hard pressed to find a point to begin with.
Natalie is a fiercely independent woman and specializes in working with abused women and children. She rides a Ducati. She fronts a rock band. She has lovers but no need for a man. She lives in a warehouse.
A real woman's woman. If you're the independent type.
What really made this book a good read for me, is that she sees a psychiatrist herself. She's been on the other side.
Which makes for a really interesting situation when her own mental stability takes a wobble.
There was one sticking point I had with this book. When Chloe goes missing, it's quickly presumed that she is likely dead and that it's somehow related to her half-sister's death for which her sister's mother is in jail for.
Sure, that's a natural line of thought but that should not keep the police and community from making a sustained effort to find Chloe. Especially if she truly did wander out the front door as hypothesized.
A solid thriller on both the crime and psychological front and I look forward to reading the next book!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Natalie is a fiercely independent woman and specializes in working with abused women and children. She rides a Ducati. She fronts a rock band. She has lovers but no need for a man. She lives in a warehouse.
A real woman's woman. If you're the independent type.
What really made this book a good read for me, is that she sees a psychiatrist herself. She's been on the other side.
Which makes for a really interesting situation when her own mental stability takes a wobble.
There was one sticking point I had with this book. When Chloe goes missing, it's quickly presumed that she is likely dead and that it's somehow related to her half-sister's death for which her sister's mother is in jail for.
Sure, that's a natural line of thought but that should not keep the police and community from making a sustained effort to find Chloe. Especially if she truly did wander out the front door as hypothesized.
A solid thriller on both the crime and psychological front and I look forward to reading the next book!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 4, 2016
Natalie King is a forensic psychiatrist, she rides a very large Ducati motorbike, sings in a band and is sceptical about love. She has room for a man in her life, but she wants it on her terms and she is definitely not looking for commitment. Natalie herself is now being stalked but from whom? is it a former patient she has treated or someone connected with her current cases? Currently Natalie is working with three different patients, all of whom are accused of or have murdered their children. I liked Natalie's character, she is very independent and strong but also has a softer side that makes her so good at the job she does. This book kept my attention throughout, lies, deception and a few great twists that enhance the story. I will look forward to the next instalment of this series.Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2016
I received an ARC of this ebook from netgalley for an honest review.
I'm having a hard time reviewing this book. I loved the book but at the same time, felt like it was missing something. It did keep me guessing and I never did figure it out. That was a pleasant surprise for me. I usually have everything figured out by the middle of the book.
The storyline was a little too slow at the beginning, but did pick up by the middle of the book. The last part of the book went really fast. I just had to know how it ended.
If you like psychological thrillers I definitely recommend this book. It will keep you guessing to the last chapter.
I'm having a hard time reviewing this book. I loved the book but at the same time, felt like it was missing something. It did keep me guessing and I never did figure it out. That was a pleasant surprise for me. I usually have everything figured out by the middle of the book.
The storyline was a little too slow at the beginning, but did pick up by the middle of the book. The last part of the book went really fast. I just had to know how it ended.
If you like psychological thrillers I definitely recommend this book. It will keep you guessing to the last chapter.
January 11, 2017
I wasn't sure when reading this if it were the first or the second of a series - Buist constructs the back story of her forensic psychiatrist protagonist, Natalie King, so well, I sometimes had the impression she was referring to a previously published story. King's character and behaviour aren't always sympathetic, but they are well-motivated and believable. The book describes actions on the extreme end of the spectrum of human behaviour, making the novel not always comfortable to read, but the issues dealt with - and the world King inhabits - are fascinating.
May 24, 2015
There's a lot going on in this book and I had to concentrate to take it all in. Then I was hooked. An unconventional, appealing heroine, a tight plot and a depth of understanding about the motivation of what appears to be an unforgivable crime makes this book a real page turner. The twists and turns kept me wondering and the ending satisfied. Medea's Curse deserves to be a best-seller. I look forward to the next in the series.
October 5, 2016
A forensic psychiatrist in Australia. Mental health, abuse, death and professional boundaries. Thanks to Net Galley and to Legend Press for providing me with a free copy of this book.
When I first read the description of the book, I thought this was the book for me. I do read in a variety of genres, I am a psychiatrist and I worked in forensic psychiatry (although in the UK, not in Australia like the protagonist) for a number of years. I also write and have a psychiatrist as one of my characters, so I was interested in this novel, not only as a reader but also as a writer.
As I read the novel I realised that perhaps I wasn’t the best person to give feedback on it, as although I enjoyed the descriptions and discussions of mental health matters that are one of the pillars of the book, I was not in a position to comment on how somebody who wasn’t familiar with the material, would find it (although from the comments I’ve read, it seems people enjoy it and don’t find it difficult or too detailed).
The novel is told in the third person from the point of view of Nicole, a young female psychiatrist who works in a forensic setting, both in a hospital and also sees outpatients in her own practice. She only works with female patients, and has her own mental health problems (she is bipolar, and regularly sees a therapist, currently only for supervision, Declan, who functions as the voice of reason, although unfortunately he isn’t always given the full information). Nicole identifies herself closely with some of her patients and finds it difficult not to get over-involved (after all, she was also an impatient, and had a difficult childhood, like many of the women she works with). That causes quite a few of the complex situations she sees herself in, although perhaps also makes her get ‘results’, albeit at a high personal cost.
Nicole is not a model of professionality or a model patient either. Sometimes she doesn’t take her medication, she mixes it with alcohol, and she struggles with issues of confidentiality. She does not get on well with the Professor who is the star psychiatrist in the department where she works, and she has her own morality that might clash with accepted standards(she does not want long-term romantic relationships, but sex with a married man, even one she knows due to work, is OK). She is also not the wisest and tries to convince herself that she is not scared and does not need anybody when she gets evidence that she’s being stalked. And if you think of psychiatrist as bookish and boring, Nicole is none of that. She plays in a band, rides a big motorbike and favours leather gear.
A couple of warnings: there is sex in the novel, although not explicit and too descriptive, but if you don’t like sexual language, there is some. From the point of view of the plot, it helps demonstrate that Nicole’s impulsivity spreads to many areas of her life, illustrates her high mood at one point, and at the end, it helps us get a better picture of what her true priorities are. The second warning is about the main subject of the book. The author works in postnatal mental health, and the patients Nicole works with and the cases being investigated pertain to infanticides or child murders, and also to paedophilia and sexual abuse, and although not gory, the psychological descriptions ring true and might be difficult to read if you are especially sensitive to those themes. It is not a light or feel-good book, that’s a fact.
The different women Nicole works with and their different families, mirror one another and at times it might be difficult to extricate the smaller characters and differentiate between them even if you’re playing close attention, but the main characters’ psychological makeup rings true, and there are masterful descriptions of symptoms of mental illness, like those Nicole experiences when she’s going high. I could also identify professionally with the issues Nicole has with the difficult interface between being a psychiatrist to her patients, and also having to take into account that they are (or might be) criminals and might represent a risk to others. She struggles with issues of confidentiality and risk, and that is one of the true complexities of forensic psychiatry.
The plot is complex and twists and turns, making the reader share with the protagonist in her doubts about diagnosis, guilty parties, about her stalker, and even about her personal relationships.
I recommend it to readers with a particular interest in mental health and psychological thrillers, who are not unduly concerned about sex or child abuse and murder in their books, and who enjoy complex characterisations and plots.
When I first read the description of the book, I thought this was the book for me. I do read in a variety of genres, I am a psychiatrist and I worked in forensic psychiatry (although in the UK, not in Australia like the protagonist) for a number of years. I also write and have a psychiatrist as one of my characters, so I was interested in this novel, not only as a reader but also as a writer.
As I read the novel I realised that perhaps I wasn’t the best person to give feedback on it, as although I enjoyed the descriptions and discussions of mental health matters that are one of the pillars of the book, I was not in a position to comment on how somebody who wasn’t familiar with the material, would find it (although from the comments I’ve read, it seems people enjoy it and don’t find it difficult or too detailed).
The novel is told in the third person from the point of view of Nicole, a young female psychiatrist who works in a forensic setting, both in a hospital and also sees outpatients in her own practice. She only works with female patients, and has her own mental health problems (she is bipolar, and regularly sees a therapist, currently only for supervision, Declan, who functions as the voice of reason, although unfortunately he isn’t always given the full information). Nicole identifies herself closely with some of her patients and finds it difficult not to get over-involved (after all, she was also an impatient, and had a difficult childhood, like many of the women she works with). That causes quite a few of the complex situations she sees herself in, although perhaps also makes her get ‘results’, albeit at a high personal cost.
Nicole is not a model of professionality or a model patient either. Sometimes she doesn’t take her medication, she mixes it with alcohol, and she struggles with issues of confidentiality. She does not get on well with the Professor who is the star psychiatrist in the department where she works, and she has her own morality that might clash with accepted standards(she does not want long-term romantic relationships, but sex with a married man, even one she knows due to work, is OK). She is also not the wisest and tries to convince herself that she is not scared and does not need anybody when she gets evidence that she’s being stalked. And if you think of psychiatrist as bookish and boring, Nicole is none of that. She plays in a band, rides a big motorbike and favours leather gear.
A couple of warnings: there is sex in the novel, although not explicit and too descriptive, but if you don’t like sexual language, there is some. From the point of view of the plot, it helps demonstrate that Nicole’s impulsivity spreads to many areas of her life, illustrates her high mood at one point, and at the end, it helps us get a better picture of what her true priorities are. The second warning is about the main subject of the book. The author works in postnatal mental health, and the patients Nicole works with and the cases being investigated pertain to infanticides or child murders, and also to paedophilia and sexual abuse, and although not gory, the psychological descriptions ring true and might be difficult to read if you are especially sensitive to those themes. It is not a light or feel-good book, that’s a fact.
The different women Nicole works with and their different families, mirror one another and at times it might be difficult to extricate the smaller characters and differentiate between them even if you’re playing close attention, but the main characters’ psychological makeup rings true, and there are masterful descriptions of symptoms of mental illness, like those Nicole experiences when she’s going high. I could also identify professionally with the issues Nicole has with the difficult interface between being a psychiatrist to her patients, and also having to take into account that they are (or might be) criminals and might represent a risk to others. She struggles with issues of confidentiality and risk, and that is one of the true complexities of forensic psychiatry.
The plot is complex and twists and turns, making the reader share with the protagonist in her doubts about diagnosis, guilty parties, about her stalker, and even about her personal relationships.
I recommend it to readers with a particular interest in mental health and psychological thrillers, who are not unduly concerned about sex or child abuse and murder in their books, and who enjoy complex characterisations and plots.
February 19, 2017
For all my reviews, visit Clues and Reviews
www.cluesandreviews.wordpress.com
Medea’s Curse, a mystery by Anne Buist, follows forensic psychiatrist, Natalie King, works with violent criminals. Specifically, in this novel, her clients are all women who have committed infanticide. As she works through these women’s issues, she becomes entrenched in issues of her own as she begins receiving anonymous notes from someone. Someone who knows too much. Someone who may be putting her in danger….
The subject matter in itself was very interesting. All the characters that Natalie King treats are accused of committing infanticide. Each woman is equally complex and her stories are fully developed throughout the course of the novel.
Author, Anne Buist, is a bit of an expert on the subject matter discussed in Medea’s Curse. She is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and has twenty-five years of clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry dealing with cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. This makes the plot even more chilling; the reality of these scenarios had my stomach turning.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the development of Natalie King; she is smart, edgy and beats to her own drum. She was an excellent protagonist.
As much as I enjoyed our female lead, the character development, and the general plot, there are a lot of moving pieces to this novel; multiple characters all dealing with complicated backstories and plots. Sometimes, it was a struggle to place everyone. I found that it became jumbled and I struggled to pick up and put this one down. I feel like if you were to read this book in one sitting, it would be okay. Otherwise (and more realistically), you may struggle to keep people and plots in order.
I think all fans of a slower paced and well-developed psychological thrillers will enjoy this first novel in, what I believe, will become a series. However, if you want something simplistic that you can read mindlessly, this would not be your choice. Overall, I gave this one a 3/5 stars.
www.cluesandreviews.wordpress.com
Medea’s Curse, a mystery by Anne Buist, follows forensic psychiatrist, Natalie King, works with violent criminals. Specifically, in this novel, her clients are all women who have committed infanticide. As she works through these women’s issues, she becomes entrenched in issues of her own as she begins receiving anonymous notes from someone. Someone who knows too much. Someone who may be putting her in danger….
The subject matter in itself was very interesting. All the characters that Natalie King treats are accused of committing infanticide. Each woman is equally complex and her stories are fully developed throughout the course of the novel.
Author, Anne Buist, is a bit of an expert on the subject matter discussed in Medea’s Curse. She is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and has twenty-five years of clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry dealing with cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. This makes the plot even more chilling; the reality of these scenarios had my stomach turning.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the development of Natalie King; she is smart, edgy and beats to her own drum. She was an excellent protagonist.
As much as I enjoyed our female lead, the character development, and the general plot, there are a lot of moving pieces to this novel; multiple characters all dealing with complicated backstories and plots. Sometimes, it was a struggle to place everyone. I found that it became jumbled and I struggled to pick up and put this one down. I feel like if you were to read this book in one sitting, it would be okay. Otherwise (and more realistically), you may struggle to keep people and plots in order.
I think all fans of a slower paced and well-developed psychological thrillers will enjoy this first novel in, what I believe, will become a series. However, if you want something simplistic that you can read mindlessly, this would not be your choice. Overall, I gave this one a 3/5 stars.
April 20, 2016
Review: MEDEA' S CURSE by Anne Buist
One of my favorite themes in mysteries and psychological thrillers is the "difficult" female protagonist. You know who I mean: edgy, self-centered, often narcissistic, selfish, rough upbringing, but highly intuitive and with intense determination and drive. Take, for example, Angela Marsons' DI Kim Stone; Robert Bryndza' s DCI Erika Foster; Celina Grace' s DS Kate Redman. All women on the edge, carving their own paths.
Enter Natalie King, not a criminologist, but a forensic psychiatrist, specializing in women who are either victims or perpetrators of violence (often both). Natalie gets a category all her own in the "edgy" niche, but she well deserves it. In terms of psychological evolution, if evolution is a mutable response to the collapse of society and culture, Natalie King is the next stage.
One of my favorite themes in mysteries and psychological thrillers is the "difficult" female protagonist. You know who I mean: edgy, self-centered, often narcissistic, selfish, rough upbringing, but highly intuitive and with intense determination and drive. Take, for example, Angela Marsons' DI Kim Stone; Robert Bryndza' s DCI Erika Foster; Celina Grace' s DS Kate Redman. All women on the edge, carving their own paths.
Enter Natalie King, not a criminologist, but a forensic psychiatrist, specializing in women who are either victims or perpetrators of violence (often both). Natalie gets a category all her own in the "edgy" niche, but she well deserves it. In terms of psychological evolution, if evolution is a mutable response to the collapse of society and culture, Natalie King is the next stage.
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