A visceral thriller from the creator of the hit BBC drama Silent Witness , introducing synaesthetic detective DCI Mark Lapslie.
I've looked into the eyes of women who have banged nine-inch nails into the skulls of their victims with hammers ... we evaluate them, trying to determine whether they have actually changed, or whether there's still a core of evil within them...
Before his diagnosis, DCI Mark Lapslie thought everyone was like him. Now he knows he suffers from synaethesthesia - a rare neurological condition that has cross-wired his senses. The sickening clamour of sounds he can taste has smothered his marriage and stifled his career.
At the scene of a fatal traffic accident, Lapslie's interest isn't in the recently deceased driver, rather the desiccated corpse found lying next to him. Something about the body stirs a fleeting recollection at the back of Lapslie's mind... he can't quite put his finger on it, but he can almost taste it...
Memories haunt Violet Chambers. Taking tea with her friend Daisy, she knows it's time to move on. As Daisy falls to the floor, eyes streaming, face burning, Violet calmly waits. Black hellebore is remarkably potent. It won't be long now.
Discover the other books in the DCI Mark Lapslie Tooth and Claw, Scream, Thirteenth Coffin and Flesh and Blood.
Nigel Colin McCrery was an English screenwriter, producer and writer. He was the creator of the long-running crime dramas Silent Witness (1996–present) and New Tricks (2003–2015).
Αναπάντεχα ωραίο,παρόλο που δεν έχει φοβερή δράση. Έξυπνο και με ωραία πλοκή, παρόλο που σχεδόν φωτογραφίζεται ο ένοχος νωρίς, κρατάει την αγωνία του μέχρι τέλους. 4,5⭐
Okay quick! Check Amazon to see if this fantastic book is still free, if it is grab it! If it's not - grab it. I was enthralled by this visceral book by the creator of Silent Witness and my full raving review is on way!
I bought this book years ago based on some unjustified belief that this book had sought me out. After the adrenaline rush of reading The Night Sister, I thought this one might keep up the momentum, but I was rather disappointed. The pivotal story is interesting, but the author gives equal attention to the investigator and his personal quirks and backstory, probably in the hopes to develop an arc for a series (I guess this is the first of many). While the writing isn't bad, I found I wasn't much interested in his story, and was frustrated that each chapter predictably moved back and forth between the murderer and the investigator -- his unusual form of synesthesia (which had no bearing on the action at all), his recent divorce, his paranoia in being manipulated by his boss. The final explanation of his paranoia is based on some very sketchy ideas about the British criminal justice system and reentry practice that didn't hold much water for me, and it really dulled down my ability to enjoy the murder plot, which should have stayed front and center -- a crazy old lady with granny issues.
When you are in the mood for an Agatha Christie like murder mystery then this book is for you. With a twist of course, as DCI Mark Lapslie, our lead inspector, lives in a daily hell. He has a condition called, synaesthesia, where he "taste" sounds. Like when somebody speaks to him he gets the taste of lime on his tongue or the laughter of his kids taste like vanilla. So of course his life hasn't been very pleasant in the last couple of years. He has been off of work almost a year, when he gets a call that he is wanted to investigate a crime scene with a dead body.
Soon, however, the more Mark investigates, the more he realizes that this may not be the only victim involved. As he battles his condition in order to persevere in his investigation, there seems to be somebody in the background that doesn't want him to succeed in solving this crime. Meanwhile it appears that the hunter has another prey in sight...
I liked Mark, I can imagine him saying some of his sarcastic remarks in his British accent and I just smile. I look forward to reading more of the investigations of DCI Mark Lapslie.
This was a spontaneous purchase from a rummage table. I had never heard of the author or book before, but the premise caught my attention and I thought it would make a decent holiday read. And I was rewarded indeed with a great story. The complex M.O., poisoning her victims and taking on their identities one after another, was very original, while the choice of an elderly woman as serial killer was unusual but fitting. The investigating DCI also was different, as Mark Lapslie suffers from synaesthesia, which manifests in all kinds of flavors invading his taste buds upon hearing different sounds. While this condition partly benefits his job, at most times it is a great challenge he has to endure.
But as if the combination of these two bizarre characters wasn't enough, the author adds a third element of surprise, which at the end explains some mysteries and connections. However, I thought it was too much and spoiled the otherwise perfectly balanced alternation between investigator and criminal, therefore "only" four stars. However, I will definitely check out the next book in the series.
Still Waters is a solid murder mystery with some interesting aspects. The protagonist is a detective who has synaethesia (he tastes sounds), which prevents him from functioning normally. The murderer is an elderly woman who poisons other elderly women. This isn't a "whodunit" since we spend half the book with her, but the mystery lies in how the police will connect the initial body to her and track her down before she can do more damage.
Nothing knocked me over, but I did enjoy the unusual characters. They added some flavor (no pun intended) to the typical mystery novel.
A very good, very suspenseful thriller about a serial killer outside of London and the police officer who is investigating. I read another of McCrery's novels, Silent Witness, a while back, and it was good but this one is much better. Also interesting is that the main character, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Lapslie, suffers from synesthesia, a neurological condition, and it causes him to be isolated from his colleagues, friends, even his own family, and it makes for an even more compelling story. I would definitely recommend!
Right off the bat, the thing that grabbed me with this book is that we know who the killer is immediately. None of this poking around, trying to find out whodunit, only to be disappointed because either it was too easy to figure out who the killer is or because the twists were too ridiculous. It was simply two loose ends - on one side, a serial killer who hasn't been caught yet, and on the other, a detective who is on the trail - coming ever closer until they finally meet at the story's conclusion.
The conclusion happened rather abruptly, however, and after reading the last line, I flipped the page back and forth a few times because I fully expected there to be one more chapter wrapping everything up. The story stopped rather than concluding, which was quite the whiplash effect since the tension was so perfectly taut and just kept building more and more all throughout the story.
That was my one and only complaint, however (other than not really understanding the title... it doesn't pertain to anything in the story whatsoever). I don't read much crime fiction and I don't usually enjoy mysteries, so this was kind of a stretch for me, and it paid off. I always like a curmudgeonly protagonist who has unwavering commitment to a sense of rightness and goodness and yet is damaged and flawed enough to be believable. I like that the serial killer in this story was a woman who approached all her murders with a very feminine energy - it was a fascinating way to break the usual mold of these sorts of stories. And as I said before, the way this story was paced out gave it such a momentum to make putting it down downright painful sometimes.
Overall, quite an enjoyable read, if you're not too squeamish and if you like crime fiction or police dramas.
A very young girl witnesses a horrible crime committed by a person in her family that should have loved and protected her. This event so warped this girl that she went on throughout her entire life committing crime after crime. Her murder weapon is not a knife or a gun. Her weapon is her knowledge of common plants that any of us might have in our garden. But the plants can kill if handled in the proper manner.
The girl, now a woman, has many names. It is amazing that she can keep track of who she is and who she has been and who she intends to be. She stalks women that are old and vulnerable. She befriends them and then when she has their confidence she takes kills them and takes over their identity. There is no great financial gain to be had in her method. She sells off anything of value and rents out whatever real property the victim owned. Then she moves on to the next victim. Just one mistake leads to her downfall.
She is forced to abandon one of the bodies in the woods due to her car breaking down. Now the police have discovered that body and the investigation begins.
Mark Lapslie is a detective on leave. He suffers from Synesthesia. Sounds turn into taste to Mark. For example, when his phone rings he tastes dark chocolate. The problem has caused a break up in his family. The everyday noise of family life is too much for Mark to handle. Now he is being called back to work. He has been contacted by DS Bradbury, a female officer. She is at the scene of a car crash and the crash of the car has caused the body that was left when the car broke down to be discovered.
Lapslie and Bradbury begin an investigation that leads them to some of the most horrific murders that can be imagined. But the investigation is not easy. Someone does not want them to catch the murderer.
This book is very different, exciting and horrifying. It is unbelievable how a person can be twisted so in their life to commit such violence against unsuspecting, trusting women.
I found this on one of my searches for British detective series on KU. The premise is gorgeous (not giving anything away here) and I loved the start of the story. There was some truly beautiful writing:
‘Polio,’she said, her voice tasting of brandy and soda.
And this:
’I sometimes worry,’ Lapslie said, ‘about what might happen if you guys ever decide to go freelance.’ ‘We do talk about setting up a murder consultancy,’ Burrows admitted. ‘But we’d have to register for VAT and everything, and it’s just too much trouble.’
THAT was perfect!
I loved the purity of the writing - no typos, no redundancies, no clumsy errors - and the police procedure parts were a joy to read. I wasn’t that smitten with the pov of the murderer, but that is my own personal quirk.
Lapslie was a bit of a mystery though. I would have loved more details of his personal life - we learned very little about his life really. I wanted to ‘see’ him as I read, to know what his house was like and his bedroom and what he did in the evening. It was a bit ‘thin’ in that respect and I did feel a little cheated. However, the writing was gorgeous and the crime brilliantly detailed. I also loved the inclusion of a major criminal from Lapslie’s past.
Rating wise I am really not sure how to rate this. It’s a definite three star, but the writing and the overall plot deserve more. I wanted to give this 5 stars, but I was left feeling that there was a lot I didn’t know about Lapslie and he was still a bit unformed.
I will, however, definitely read the next book in the series.
I generally liked the British settings and the characters and plot of this mystery. I really liked the weapon of choice of the murderer and how the murderer made use of it in so many ways throughout the story. I wasn't thrilled with the switching back and forth of the viewpoints, though. I enjoyed this book up until the very end. The ending was a little bit of a let down, it was just too simple a conclusion. I hope to see another book by this author that further develops the characters of Detective Mark Lapslie, his sergeant Emma Bradbury, and Dr. Jane Catherall because I really liked these characters and found their unique characteristics very interesting.
Μέτριο μεν, τίμιο δε. Για ανάγνωσμα Σάββατο βράδυ με κουβέρτα στον καναπέ - Κυριακή πρωί κάτω απ' τα σκεπάσματα, καλό ήταν. Προβληματικός ο προβληματισμός που προσπαθεί ο συγγραφέας να αναδείξει σχετικά με το σύστημα δικαιοσύνης και την απονομή αυτής (δεν λέω περισσότερα για να μη σποϊλεριάσω). Ωραίο το εύρημα με τη νευρολογική κατάσταση του αστυνόμου Λάπσλι, αλλά μάλλον μένει ανεκμετάλλευτο. Ωραίο το φινάλε. Στιλ γραφής τυπικό, στα όρια του ανεκτού. Μισό αστέρι παραπάνω απ' ό,τι πραγματικά άξιζε.
Wow! What an incredible page-turner this book is! I was captivated from the first page and it did not disappoint. I love the originality this story held. I guarantee there is not another book quite like it with the same storyline. Core of Evil actually scared me at some points - not an easily achieved feat for books.
While this is the first in the Mark Lapslie series it’s the fourth I’ve read & is the one I’ve most enjoyed.
The book opens with a rather shocking prologue where a grandmother turns on her pestering grandchild in a rather barbaric way - it certainly whetted my appetite for more!
The story that follows doesn’t go down the “whodunit” crime route. From the start we know who the murderer is - or at least who she’s claiming to be - & how refreshing for a serial killer to be an older woman for once. This side of the story follows the killer as she targets her victims & inveigles her way into their lives before poisoning them – ouch!! She then takes over the deceased’s identity & assets before moving onto to her next victim…& so on…
The other side of the story is (not unsurprisingly) the police investigation. Led by Mark Lapslie, the investigation is complicated by the fact that he has no idea of who he is looking for & hampered not only by orders from above but his medical condition of synaesthesia which means he tastes noises.
The two stories compliment each other well & as Lapslie tries to track down this pensioner poisoner before more lives are lost, the tension builds beautifully leading to a satisfying conclusion. The characters were all plausible but my only query is with Lapslie’s condition. Most detectives have a fault, quirk, foible, call it what you will, to distinguish them from the hundreds of others out there & Lapslie’s synaesthesia is certainly one of the most unusual characteristics but for me it doesn’t really add anything to the story. Personally, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this novel even if Lapslie was …for want of a better word…normal. Frequent descriptions of the same taste of the same people has the potential to get rather repetitive. That said it’s a risk I’m willing to take & look forward to following this up with book 5.
Meet Madeline Poel in the Core of Evil by Nigel McCrery. She is not your typical serial killer: she kills you for your identity, and everything you own. That's how she has survived ever since she was released from prison through a government project which, instead of locking prisoners up for eternity, releases them "... because we are up to capacity ... For every person is sent to jail one has to be released ... by commuting their sentences, or arranging for criminals to get parole when they technically shouldn't ... because some judge somewhere has said that life means life ..." Perhaps the government gave Madeline the idea of living other people's lives when they faked her death upon release from prison and organized to get her new identity in line with the prisoner project. She poisons only the old lonely women who have no family, who when they die no one will miss them, or want to inherit their properties.
After she was ... someone whose name was now lost to the past ... Madeline Poel was Rhona McIntyre, Elise Wildersten, Deirdre Finchman, Jane Winterbottom, Alice Connell, Annie Moberley, Violet Chambers, and Daisy Wilson.
This is a gripping story, almost dragging because of the too long expositions, but a suspensful one. You don't see the end coming, which is a classic shocker, when Madeline Poel dies the same way she killed all those women.
This was a particularly creepy story of a female serial killer who kills elderly women and then assumes their identity. She kills them brutally, with poison, that is painful and messy. This was an odd element of the profile as it took the killer a considerable period of time to clean up the messes that were gross and stunk.
She was a predator that stalked the women to determine is they had the resources to make her efforts worthwhile. It was confusing at times since the killer would have two names, the one she has when she starts with her new victim and then while setting up the assets to be able to sell them, she has both names she has to remember.
I did not finish this. It just became too gloomy and distasteful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Olipa mieluisa lukukokemus! Pidin kirjasta todella paljon jo ihan dekkarina sinänsä, mutta synesteetikkona oli mahtavaa lukea kirjaa, jossa päähenkilöllä on sama ominaisuus. Vaikka kyseessä olikin hyvin erityyppinen synestesian muoto kuin itselläni ja tämän rikosylitarkastajan tapauksessa se on suorastaan invalidisoiva, niin oli todella virkistävää lukea siitä osana tarinaa. Harmi ettei kirjasarjaa ole suomennettu kahden ensimmäisen jälkeen.
Kirja kuin tv-sarjan pilottijakso. Liikaa hätäisesti läpikäytyjä sivujuonteita, joita jätetään roikkumaan ilmaan tulevaisuuden varalle, hassunhauskoja henkilöhahmoja, joiden "salaperäiset" taustatarinat paljastetaan aivan suotta pikkuhiljaa, sekä nopeasti läpijuostu juoni, josta ei jää tuleville tuotantokausille kerrottavaa. Nopealukuinen & viihdyttävä, mutta loppuratkaisultaan todella epätyydyttävä pläjäys.
I chose this rating because it had me on the edge of my seat and is a real page turner!!! Crime lovers will thoroughly enjoy this book. Its Minette Walters meets Mo Hayder. Didn't see the end coming, can't wait to read the next book to find out what happens to Mark Lapslie
Horrific start! Cleverly written and descriptive so you felt you knew the locations etc. if anything, a little drawn out and a quick ending leaving you wanting it to go on a bit longer as the rest of book had.
Kept my attention until the end. Beautifully written with elaborate details so you feel like you are in the locations staring at the events unfolding. I truly loved the tug and pull between the killer and detective. Highly recommend!