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Charlie Resnick #7
Living Proof
Charlie Resnick is assigned to protect mystery writer Cathy Jordan from a stalker, and he must catch the culprit at a convention of crime writers. By the author of Cold Light. Reprint.
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
21 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
John Harvey
276 books203 followersaka Jon Barton, William S. Brady (with Angus Wells), L.J. Coburn (with Laurence James), J.B. Dancer (with Angus Wells), John B. Harvey, William M. James (with Terry Harknett and Laurence James), Terry Lennox, John J. McLaglen (with Laurence James), James Mann, Thom Ryder, J.D. Sandon (with Angus Wells), Jon Hart
John Harvey (born 21 December 1938 in London) is a British author of crime fiction most famous for his series of jazz-influenced Charlie Resnick novels, based in the City of Nottingham. Harvey has also published over 90 books under various names, and has worked on scripts for TV and radio. He also ran Slow Dancer Press from 1977 to 1999 publishing poetry. The first Resnick novel, Lonely Hearts, was published in 1989, and was named by The Times as one of the 100 Greatest Crime Novels of the Century. Harvey brought the series to an end in 1998 with Last Rites, though Resnick has since made peripheral appearances in Harvey's new Frank Elder series. The protagonist Elder is a retired detective who now lives, as Harvey briefly did, in Cornwall. The first novel in this series, Flesh and Blood, won Harvey the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 2004, an accolade many crime fiction critics thought long overdue. In 2007 he was awarded the Diamond Dagger for a Lifetime's Contribution to the genre. On 14th July 2009 he received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Nottingham in recognition of his literary eminence and his associations with both the University and Nottingham (particularly in the Charlie Resnick novels). He is also a big Notts County fan.
John Harvey (born 21 December 1938 in London) is a British author of crime fiction most famous for his series of jazz-influenced Charlie Resnick novels, based in the City of Nottingham. Harvey has also published over 90 books under various names, and has worked on scripts for TV and radio. He also ran Slow Dancer Press from 1977 to 1999 publishing poetry. The first Resnick novel, Lonely Hearts, was published in 1989, and was named by The Times as one of the 100 Greatest Crime Novels of the Century. Harvey brought the series to an end in 1998 with Last Rites, though Resnick has since made peripheral appearances in Harvey's new Frank Elder series. The protagonist Elder is a retired detective who now lives, as Harvey briefly did, in Cornwall. The first novel in this series, Flesh and Blood, won Harvey the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 2004, an accolade many crime fiction critics thought long overdue. In 2007 he was awarded the Diamond Dagger for a Lifetime's Contribution to the genre. On 14th July 2009 he received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Nottingham in recognition of his literary eminence and his associations with both the University and Nottingham (particularly in the Charlie Resnick novels). He is also a big Notts County fan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 5, 2022
I have read several books in the Charlie Resnick series and thoroughly enjoyed them. And this one was also headed in the right direction until the last few pages and then BAM!!!!.....out of the blue something happens which doesn't play fair with the reader. I like mysteries that give us a hint of information that lets the reader try to figure out who dunnit', along with the police. I love a good twist ending to a story but not one that suddenly in the last three pages brings in new information that was not mentioned previously, even subtly. It makes you think that maybe you missed something but that is not the case here.
It is an interesting plot with the usual characters that we see in all the Resnick books and moves right along. Harvey's books are easy and comfortable reads and Charlie Resnick is a well developed protagonist. But, oh, that ending......it caused me to rate it lower than I usually would rate the books in this series.
It is an interesting plot with the usual characters that we see in all the Resnick books and moves right along. Harvey's books are easy and comfortable reads and Charlie Resnick is a well developed protagonist. But, oh, that ending......it caused me to rate it lower than I usually would rate the books in this series.
December 4, 2017
As usual there is a great deal going on in this Charlie Resnick novel set in Nottingham. A book and film festival is being held and an american crime novelist has received threats, meanwhile men using the services of prostitutes are being assaulted and eventually one turns up dead of stab wounds. Throughout Lyn Kellogg is trying to come to terms with her kidnapping, from the last story, and her feelings for Resnick.
The book is all about victims. Victims of perceived moral damage in the letter writer, the prostitute was a victim of men who had abused her and others had been the victim of marital/infidelity issues and Lynn had been subjected to violence. The story offers no solution but then is there one. I don't think that men come out of this story in a very good light.
The book is all about victims. Victims of perceived moral damage in the letter writer, the prostitute was a victim of men who had abused her and others had been the victim of marital/infidelity issues and Lynn had been subjected to violence. The story offers no solution but then is there one. I don't think that men come out of this story in a very good light.
April 17, 2019
Another fine entry in the Charlie Resnick series, this one takes a turn toward American pop culture and the art of writing mysteries, all done through a new set of characters.
While Charlie and his team are trying to solve a mysterious set of stabbings of men who may have hooked up with prostitutes, he is enlisted to keep an eye on a visiting American mystery writer, Cathy Jordan, who has received a series of threatening letters, starting in the U.S. and following her across the pond. Cathy doesn't seem overly worried, until she encounters a horrific "gift" sitting outside her hotel room.
In the meantime, there is a lot of good commentary on modern mystery-thriller writing, since Cathy Jordan has created a hard bitten, lesbian PI in American and she is paired at a literary festival with the Agatha Christie-like Dorothy Birdwell, a writer of gentle parlor mysteries who is jealously guarded by a younger male companion.
As always, Harvey is superb in mixing the working class grit of Nottingham into the more refined world of book readers and authors' festivals, and the investigation really gathers momentum when one of the stabbing victims dies, and it becomes a homicide investigation.
There are one or two twists at the end of this novel that I wasn't sure were necessary -- at least they wouldn't have been for me -- but that was completely overshadowed by his usual fine artistry.
While Charlie and his team are trying to solve a mysterious set of stabbings of men who may have hooked up with prostitutes, he is enlisted to keep an eye on a visiting American mystery writer, Cathy Jordan, who has received a series of threatening letters, starting in the U.S. and following her across the pond. Cathy doesn't seem overly worried, until she encounters a horrific "gift" sitting outside her hotel room.
In the meantime, there is a lot of good commentary on modern mystery-thriller writing, since Cathy Jordan has created a hard bitten, lesbian PI in American and she is paired at a literary festival with the Agatha Christie-like Dorothy Birdwell, a writer of gentle parlor mysteries who is jealously guarded by a younger male companion.
As always, Harvey is superb in mixing the working class grit of Nottingham into the more refined world of book readers and authors' festivals, and the investigation really gathers momentum when one of the stabbing victims dies, and it becomes a homicide investigation.
There are one or two twists at the end of this novel that I wasn't sure were necessary -- at least they wouldn't have been for me -- but that was completely overshadowed by his usual fine artistry.
May 25, 2017
Clearly I'm out of kilter with other readers in my opinion of this book. But in reality only my slight OCD for finishing books I start got me through this one.
Where do I start on why this did nothing for me?
I didn't like any of the characters, and I mean ANY. They felt like caricatures, and I didn't care what happened to them.
The plot was paper thin, lacked any suspense, pacing or real denouement. There was even a terrible "book within a book" aspect, which only served to highlight how bad the structure was. There were lots of crime writer references, given the plot line, and frankly I'd rather have been reading any of those than this. Sorry John Harvey, this is my first taste of your work, and I shan't be rushing back. The only bright spot in this? I didn't pay for it - it was passed to me by my ex-mother-in-law. Clearly I'm not in her good books anymore....
Where do I start on why this did nothing for me?
I didn't like any of the characters, and I mean ANY. They felt like caricatures, and I didn't care what happened to them.
The plot was paper thin, lacked any suspense, pacing or real denouement. There was even a terrible "book within a book" aspect, which only served to highlight how bad the structure was. There were lots of crime writer references, given the plot line, and frankly I'd rather have been reading any of those than this. Sorry John Harvey, this is my first taste of your work, and I shan't be rushing back. The only bright spot in this? I didn't pay for it - it was passed to me by my ex-mother-in-law. Clearly I'm not in her good books anymore....
March 29, 2022
This book represents John Harvey and Detective inspector Charlie Resnick at their best!
As usual the action takes place in Nottingham (and I particularly enjoyed the occasional references to Loughborough!), and the beleaguered Resnick is up against it once again. A local festival is celebrating crime fiction and some classic noir films. Popular American author Cathy Jordan, responsible for the immensely successful series of garish and violent thrillers featuring feisty private investigator Annie Q Jones is the star attraction. However, she has been receiving threatening letters, and the festival organisers approach the police to offer additional security.
Meanwhile a prostitute is attacking her male clients at various venues around the city. These attacks are escalating in their seriousness and, eventually, as the police feared would be the case, a punter is murdered.
As always with Harvey's masterful series of Resnick novels, the plot is entirely plausible and the characters perfectly credible. The readers share Resnick's weariness and the sheer despair of Lynn Kellog, his long-suffering Detective Constable. And, as usual, we are treated to sumptuous descriptions of the marvellous sandwiches that Resnick somehow always finds time to construct, and which he invariably manages to spill down his tie.
As usual the action takes place in Nottingham (and I particularly enjoyed the occasional references to Loughborough!), and the beleaguered Resnick is up against it once again. A local festival is celebrating crime fiction and some classic noir films. Popular American author Cathy Jordan, responsible for the immensely successful series of garish and violent thrillers featuring feisty private investigator Annie Q Jones is the star attraction. However, she has been receiving threatening letters, and the festival organisers approach the police to offer additional security.
Meanwhile a prostitute is attacking her male clients at various venues around the city. These attacks are escalating in their seriousness and, eventually, as the police feared would be the case, a punter is murdered.
As always with Harvey's masterful series of Resnick novels, the plot is entirely plausible and the characters perfectly credible. The readers share Resnick's weariness and the sheer despair of Lynn Kellog, his long-suffering Detective Constable. And, as usual, we are treated to sumptuous descriptions of the marvellous sandwiches that Resnick somehow always finds time to construct, and which he invariably manages to spill down his tie.
November 8, 2020
Mystery series - interesting in that Harvey writes of an American crime writer on tour in England and needs protection. Lots of inside jokes and a panel discussion with Ian Rankin. I might even listen to one of his jazz references some time. The real murderer is revealed in an underhanded way.
No pharmacy references
Canadian references - k d lang poster; Canada geese (again); Canadian tourist
No pharmacy references
Canadian references - k d lang poster; Canada geese (again); Canadian tourist
June 7, 2017
Charlie Resnick in assigned to protect a writer of mysteries who is attending a crime writer conference. Resnick must also resolve a series of stabbings, the last of which ends in murder. The story moves along nicely if not with the urgency found in previous books in the series.
March 22, 2022
Big Feelings are Coming
A lighter weight entry into the series, but then, there’s been a lot of heavy goings on with Resnick’s team. Death, kidnapping, and now Big Feelings are coming. It’s more of an episode than an event. But either way, it’s readable, and it’s Resnick. 👏
A lighter weight entry into the series, but then, there’s been a lot of heavy goings on with Resnick’s team. Death, kidnapping, and now Big Feelings are coming. It’s more of an episode than an event. But either way, it’s readable, and it’s Resnick. 👏
September 29, 2017
Love this series, but did not like this entry quite as much.
April 2, 2019
A good murder mystery. Keeps you wrapped up throughout the whole book. I am reading the whole series of Charlie Resnick mysteries and love them.
May 5, 2019
Another great read!
March 14, 2020
Another surprise ending!
May 9, 2020
A Charlie Resnick novel, good plot with lots of background detail. Crime writers convention and attacks on over the side salesmen. Easy read.
September 24, 2020
Not one of his best.
April 12, 2021
Another good British murder mystery. Liked the ending.
September 25, 2021
Pretty dated in prevailing attitudes and social norms.
August 31, 2022
I'm a big fan of John Harvey books, but not a big fan of this book. The plot was dull and I felt a bit short changed by it.
January 22, 2015
This is a bit of a departure from the other books in the series. Resnick and his group are assigned to watch over an American author of crime fiction in Nottingham for a convention dealing with crime fiction and noir films. The author is a bit Sue Grafton-ish, and has been receiving threatening letters. Her first appearance at the conference ends with a feminist demonstrator throwing blood red paint at her and some of her fans. Her counterpoint is a straitlaced, elderly British writer of cozies in attendance with her much younger (ahem) nephew.
The behind the scenes look at the conference(which is an actual event) is entertaining, as is the passing inclusion of Ian Rankin as one of the attendees. And Harvey probably had fun creating the alternate character and voice of the American lesbian PI protagonist of the visiting author.
In the real world, a pair of violent youths have been robbing and assaulting people and someone, apparently a prostitute, is stabbing johns with increasing violence.
It's a bit lighter than other books in the series, but still a very good read
The behind the scenes look at the conference(which is an actual event) is entertaining, as is the passing inclusion of Ian Rankin as one of the attendees. And Harvey probably had fun creating the alternate character and voice of the American lesbian PI protagonist of the visiting author.
In the real world, a pair of violent youths have been robbing and assaulting people and someone, apparently a prostitute, is stabbing johns with increasing violence.
It's a bit lighter than other books in the series, but still a very good read
August 16, 2016
Although it hasn’t been long since I visited Inspector Charlie Resnick of the Nottingham police precinct, it was good to go back. These books are rather slow, and yet they keep me pushing the play button on the audio book player to the last word.
An American writer of mystery fiction is visiting Nottingham, and she has received threatening letters leading up to her visit. She’s in town to do some book signings, and Inspector Resnick’s team has been assigned to provide at least a modicum of protection. He can’t do much, because his group is rather thinly spread already. In a rather interesting reverse of most detective fiction, a series of killings have taken place in which a mysterious prostitute is killing men after she lures them to their room. Initially, they’re only humiliated or wounded and released. But one man ultimately dies, and his widow is someone Resnick knew from many years ago.
Both these plots are equally interesting, and I didn’t see the solution to the prostitute murders coming at all.
An American writer of mystery fiction is visiting Nottingham, and she has received threatening letters leading up to her visit. She’s in town to do some book signings, and Inspector Resnick’s team has been assigned to provide at least a modicum of protection. He can’t do much, because his group is rather thinly spread already. In a rather interesting reverse of most detective fiction, a series of killings have taken place in which a mysterious prostitute is killing men after she lures them to their room. Initially, they’re only humiliated or wounded and released. But one man ultimately dies, and his widow is someone Resnick knew from many years ago.
Both these plots are equally interesting, and I didn’t see the solution to the prostitute murders coming at all.
August 17, 2013
I disliked the inclusion of the author-character's book, it felt unnecessary and was extremely distracting. I would have liked more focus on Lynn and what she was going through, plus a bit more exploration of the dynamic between her and Charlie, he's virtually an automaton with his routine of work, home, sandwiches, coffee, cats, repeat. The coincidence of Ben's old love was just weird, it didn't fit, it felt like a way to show a piece of Charlie's past that simply didn't exist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2014
Stars: 2.5
Grappig verhaal; voor een thriller niet echt spannend. De zaken die spelen hebben wel potentie, maar door de vele namen en de niet al te onverwachte onthullingen komt het niet helemaal over, helaas. Misschien komt dat ook doordat het boek al wat ouder is en omdat deze thriller er eentje uit een reeks is en ik die verder niet heb gelezen. Al nodigt dit boek niet echt uit om de rest ook te lezen. Jammer want de achterkant klonk zo veel belovend =/
Grappig verhaal; voor een thriller niet echt spannend. De zaken die spelen hebben wel potentie, maar door de vele namen en de niet al te onverwachte onthullingen komt het niet helemaal over, helaas. Misschien komt dat ook doordat het boek al wat ouder is en omdat deze thriller er eentje uit een reeks is en ik die verder niet heb gelezen. Al nodigt dit boek niet echt uit om de rest ook te lezen. Jammer want de achterkant klonk zo veel belovend =/
February 6, 2008
Harvey's two series (Frank Elder and Charlie Resnick) are worth investigating if you like police procedurals with a heavy hint of the psychology of the character. He delves into the lives of his detective, their friends and family, as he builds a picture of the victim's circle. Great reading.
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April 17, 2014Well, I love Charlie Resnick. Love his personality, his cats and his sandwiches. This book wasn't that great but I was a bit surprised by the ending.
I've checked my library for the other Resnick books, but all that's left are the short stories.
I've checked my library for the other Resnick books, but all that's left are the short stories.
June 9, 2014
You have to really enjoy the Charlie Resnick character. He is likable and low key. In this book the low key part goes to an all-time low. While mixing 3 different cases in one book you still have time for a quick nap.
April 8, 2017
Poignant, sentimental, and shocking describe this Charlie Resnick novel. I also enjoyed the fictional authors he introduced us to. I'm so glad I decided to re-read these pieces of literature disguised as police procedurals.
April 4, 2011
Another solid read in the Resnick series, not as gritty as Rebus but still good.
December 26, 2010
I liked this book better than Cold Light. The story, IMO, had more red herrings and the mystery of it all continued to the very end.
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March 7, 2014Charles Resnick #7
December 10, 2014
Charlie Resnick #7.
February 20, 2015
Another excellent book featuring the English police inspector Charles Resnick.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews