Le second suspect

by Lewis Heather

Un couple elegant quitte un luxueux hotel de Manhattan en pleine apres-midi. Elle porte un attache-case, lui un pesant sac de golf. a l'interieur: le corps d'une prostituee qu'ils viennent d'assassiner au cours de leurs ebats...
Lorsque des policiers en civil surgissent, le film s'accelere: en quelques minutes, Gabriel Santerre, l'un des avocats les plus reputes de New York, et son epouse Ingrid, se retrouvent menottes au poignet.
Au commissariat, un etrange duel a distance s'engage entre Santerre et sa femme. L'avocat accuse sa compagne, psychiquement fragile; cette derniere, hagarde, reste silencieuse comme si elle cherchait a proteger quelqu'un... Mais pour l'inspecteur du NYPD, Carolyn Reese, il ne suffit pas de compter parmi ses amis intimes le procureur general de l'etat de New York pour etre au-dessus de tout soupcon.
Sexe, corruption, luttes d'influence: l'enquete qu'elle va mener mettra au jour l'envers d'un monde en apparence si respectable... Premiere parution: l'Archipel, 2002.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery

Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating as a retellling of 'Notice', and deeply moving given what happened to Lewis.
The mystery isn't as well done as it might have been, but this still works as a standalone book.

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to be combined with Heather Lewis's The Notice, as these stories are clearly related. As a detective story, this book is fairly routine, but as a depiction of stone-cold courage that gazes into the abyss without even blinking, it is clearly the work of the author of House Rules.

[Greg Urbaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just make me miss my friend even more...

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dark crime drama. I am surprised how much I was into this even though almost all of the action is told in flashbacks. Usually, I hate that sort of book. However, I also had already read Lewis's Notice, which in a lot of ways plays as a first hand version of this same story from the teen prostitutes point of view, and without the police angle, so I may have felt a bit more on the inside.
Some of the writing is a little clunky (which is certainly not true of Notice), but it didn't detract from sustaining my interest.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, I don't finish a book I don't like so it never appears here. This one is an exception. I didn't really like it but I'm not sure it's not worth reading. It's one of the darkest mysteries I've ever read. Gabriel and Ingrid Santerre are a couple with money and power and they kill young prostitutes. Caroline Reece, NYPD detective, wants to prove this and she wants it badly. While you read the book, you can literally see a black and white movie of it in your head complete with ominous sound track. Interesting.

[Lars Meijer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Second Suspect (of De tweede verdachte in de Nederlandse vertaling) kent een interessante voorgeschiedenis. Oorspronkelijk was het plan van Lewis om met Notice , die ik recentelijk las en waanzinnig vond, te debuteren, maar deze werd door achttien uitgeverijen geweigerd, vanwege de inhoud. Zodoende stelde haar literaire agent voor om het boek te herschrijven naar een thriller voor een 'groter publiek', en dat werd De tweede verdachte.

Met deze kennis is het waardevol om beide boeken naast elkaar te lezen, aangezien dit boek zich een jaar of tien ná Notice afspeelt. De horror blijkt nog niet voorbij te zijn. Bij vlagen merk je dat het thrillergenre Lewis niet helemaal ligt, maar alsnog weet ze een scherpe en wederom, bij vlagen ook, angstaanjagende roman te schrijven.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't just recommend this to anyone, but for those who can handle it, it is one you will not forget. Read "Notice" first!!!!!

I once read someone say that Heather Lewis has a knack at capturing the dark side of humanity. This is seen in all three of her works, "House Rules", "Notice", and "Second Suspect".

There were a few things I felt happened differently than previously written in "Notice" that is revisited in "Second Suspect." Honestly, sometimes Heather Lewis's writing can be confusing in the prose and voice she writes in. I would have to reread and cross-reference.

Very good writer. Very cringy matter. This is her least darkest book of the three, I feel.

"House Rules" is not associated with the same characters or timeline.

[Amie Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's interesting reading a book written in a mindset of 2 decades ago. The wife clearly has some PTSD and mental health issues, but these are just played off as being crazy or not worth mentioning, which is a reflection of the misunderstanding of the time. The book itself is dark in concept but just does not engage the reader fully, being your typical detective drama. I was also left confused by the ending.

[Helin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book of the trilogy. I plan on finishing them all and then reading them once again. Unfortunately, I met Heather Lewis very recently and learned that she has only three books published. I guess the universe, or the divine creator or whatever you like to believe, don't know what to do with precious things. The way she writes is beyond my description skills. its beautiful, its sad. Its real

[Emmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this 3.5 stars.

I read another book by this author which was very disturbing and yet very compelling, which is why I wanted to read this. It has some of the same elements but didn't have the same pull.

[Ian Headon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb writing - grim and grubby and squalid - tension written delightfully

[Jasmine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't not recommend this enough

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to chose a book for a challenge that I'm working on that had received bad reviews, so I searched a few places to find some ideas and this book mentioned in an review from and Ivy League school. I enjoyed the book though. I very often figure out who the culprit is in crime stories, but this one kept me on my toes.

[Jenn. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compared to 'House rules' and 'Notice' this book was very disappointing. I actually got bored reading it. Would never had thought that, as I loved Heather's other books (though they were difficult to read because of the subject matter). Too bad there won't be any more...

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast read, however, the story did not flow as well as I would have liked. Overall a good book. I was just frustrated at times trying to follow the present/past conversations.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who is really responsible for the murder of a young prostitute? Husband and wife are both suspects, and while it seems as if he is framing her, the wife’s innocence is questionable too.