The Talisman

Legacy #2

by Lynda La Plante

From the goldmines of South Africa to the boardrooms of the City of London, from the risks of the casinos to the heady glamour of the London fashion world, the author continues the saga of a family's fortunes. This edition also contains Books 6-14 of "The Legacy".

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Novels, Thriller

704 pages, Paperback

First published June 11, 1988

About the author

Lynda La Plante, CBE (born Lynda Titchmarsh) is a British author, screenwriter, and erstwhile actress (her performances in Rentaghost and other programmes were under her stage name of Lynda Marchal), best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series.

Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a heist planned by their deceased husbands.

In 1991 ITV released Prime Suspect which has now run to seven series and stars Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. (In the United States Prime Suspect airs on PBS as part of the anthology program Mystery!) In 1993 La Plante won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for her work on the series. In 1992 she wrote at TV movie called Seekers, starring Brenda Fricker and Josette Simon, produced by Sarah Lawson.

She formed her own television production company, La Plante Productions, in 1994 and as La Plante Productions she wrote and produced the sequel to Widows, the equally gutsy She's Out (ITV, 1995). The name "La Plante" comes from her marriage to writer Richard La Plante, author of the book Mantis and Hog Fever. La Plante divorced Lynda in the early 1990s.

Her output continued with The Governor (ITV 1995-96), a series focusing on the female governor of a high security prison, and was followed by a string of ratings pulling miniseries: the psycho killer nightmare events of Trial & Retribution (ITV 1997-), the widows' revenge of the murders of their husbands & children Bella Mafia (1997) (starring Vanessa Redgrave), the undercover police unit operations of Supply and Demand (ITV 1998), videogame/internet murder mystery Killer Net (Channel 4 1998) and the female criminal profiler cases of Mind Games (ITV 2001).

Two additions to the Trial and Retribution miniseries were broadcast during 2006.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was only my second La Plante read and the difference between this and her highly acclaimed novel 'Windows' couldn't have been more stark.

I've seen a few other reviewers mention the necessity of reading 'The Legacy' first, so I was probably already on a hiding to nothing when trying to pursavere with this sequel.

The family curse would definitely have made more sense having followed the story through, whilst this instalment follows the fortunes of brothers Edward and Alex Stubbs.

Admittedly the various decades added some interest, but it's never a good sign when as a reader your checking to see how many more pages are left...

[[ J o ] · Rating 1 out of 5]

Roughly 917 pages longer than it needed to be.

[Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting but longwinded. when i finished it i was glad to be done.

[Kenneth · Rating 1 out of 5]

When you buy a book by Lynda Le Plante you expect a tight fast-paced thriller. At least I did. What I got was a long, and I do mean long, story about two brothers which moves at a snail's pace and has so many holes you could use it to strain cabbage. I tried to finish it. I tried to suspend disbelief, but when a character who is supposed to be extremely clever does things that even John Darwin (canoe man) knew he couldn't get away with, I gave up.

I know in the music business managers and record companies put a lot of pressure on artists to make records that are just like the last one that sold well. I would have thought that this author would have had enough clout to resist such pressure, but the more you read this book the more you realise that it was written because "We need a sequel to legacy." Having read 400 of it's 750 pages I can definitely say "No we don't."

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first book and couldn't wait to read this one. I have today that overall I was a bit disappointed. Most of the characters were not nice people but for me I your that the story didn't flow like this author's books normally do. At times the pace was slow and cumbersome and at other times fast and frenetic. It continued the story of where the first book left off but both the main characters turned into not very nice people.

[anne dempsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I buy every book I see of Lynda's. When reading this, I kept thinking is this another author with the same name.
Her books usually really flow and are very believable and engaging. This book didn't seem believable, sudden epiphany and then straight back to hatred repeatedly with most of the main characters. Didn't make sense at all. But I love all her other books that I have read, and will continue to read her books. Think it must be an aberration.

[Debi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I made it to the last page of this tome and didn’t get the result I was looking for. 740 pages of convoluted, disjointed drivel, hordes of unnecessary characters, unbelievable protagonists with no redeeming features at all and a plot that went nowhere and was way too long. It had the potential to be a great family saga but ended up being a cross between ‘Dallas’ & ‘The Sopranos’. Definitely not my cup of tea (or beverage of choice) - sorry Lynda La Plante fans.

[Karina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got half way through and realised I have no interest or connection to any of the characters or finding out what happens to them.
Was expecting a thriller and instead waded through thick murky sludge for 420 pages only to realise there was still another 300 to go.
Well. Nope. I'm sorry. But I can't do it.
I'm gonna stare at the wall instead.

[wendy brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Absolute rubbish. Long winded. Boring. Should of given up on it after 4 chapters instead of wasting my life reading it. Poorly written. Didn't flow. Repeated itself. Dragged on and on and on

[brian howse · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was'nt even worth one star, Total rubbish, expected more from the author, totally disappointed, would like my money back

[Bernard · Rating 3 out of 5]

At least 3.5 stars.

Having read THE LEGACY, it seemed natural to read this (also long) follow up, about the two seemingly at war brothers and their differing, respective lives.

Like its predecessor a page turner, and from time to time I would throw realism out the window and enjoy a good story.

I didn't think the dialogue was always believable - in a scene set in the England of 1954, one lady asks one of the brothers "Are you gay?". (As in homosexual).
Now come on, I don't think anyone in 1954 England would have said anything like that, when gay meant happy, joyful carefree, and so on.

[Angela Oatham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great follow up to The Legacy This tells the story of Evelyn and Freedom's sons Edward and Alex. Bound together by the curse that follows them from the grave can they finally throw off the darkness that follows them? I did feel it was slightly rushed at the end but it was still an excellent read.

[Emma Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

You really need to read the first book, The Legacy in order to get the full story of these brilliant books. I found that I was gripped with the first book, Getting to know the story and where it was heading. I couldn't wait to read The Talisman after finishing. I didn't find this as exciting as the first book, However, It was gripping enough to continue and find out what happens next.

[Shellbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this sequel. Picks up from when the Legacy ended. Great characters to fall in love with, especially Harriet, she's a sweet gentle soul. Story flowed nicely, with no unnecessary paragraphs. I'd love to read another one, because I believe the characters have more stories to tell. Highly recommend.

[Janice Drabble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book and couldn't put it down. I enjoyed reading The Legacy and equally enjoyed the story of the two brothers in The Talisman. I thought the plot flowed well and loved the different sides to the characters in the book even though they weren't very nice at times. Overall I give this book five stars!

[Julie Round · Rating 3 out of 5]

A longer book than those I usually read and I found it difficult to sustain the level of interest that it probably deserved. The characterisation was good and the story of the two brothers and their business dealings intricate but the love story didn't quite ring true and I was quite glad to reach the end.

[james walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read well written with most enjoyable plot and story line

My first book by this author and will look forward to reading more. Hoping others will be as entertaining and written in same style

[John Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling, page-turning, long (but the need, I put it that high, to know what was going to happen, made the length acceptable, just) but also characters that were never quite likeable enough to care about them. Overtones of Archer's Kane and Abel.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too long-

loses its momentum in the middle section. Having been so close to both boys emoticons and thoughts in the early parts, the middle seems less engaging with their mindset and more about their business transactions which is quite monotonous- but a good story.

[Mrs H L Rowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very different novel from Lynda's Widow's or Jane Tennant/Prime Suspect. I enjoyed the development of the characters and how their lives intertwined; right until the last chapter, I still didn't know how it would end.

[Hrh Queencat · Rating 2 out of 5]

740 pages of melodrama and excess; everyone "roared" with laughter and sang at the "tops of their voices"; improbable events and obscene wealth; too much betrayal and over the top indulgence; Romany Freedom Stubbs was larger than like even though he'd been dead before the book began

[Stuart Nutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Lynda La Plante story.

An interesting story from an excellent author. Lots of research involved into the gypsy world, and high end business world. Rather fanciful but perhaps that's what is wanted in a story.

[Kathy Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Lynda La Plante and loved this book. I was intrigued from the very beginning - how one brother ended up in prison because of the actions of the other, how their lives interconnected afterwards and the effects on their families.

[June Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, love the style of her writing, this is the first book I have read of hers, going to search out another. Would definitely recommend.

[Patricia Reynolds. candy Buckmaster. Josie Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

One of her best books. Very enjoyable read that you won't be able to put down. Brilliant follow up to the Legacy

[Michelle Gurney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read , but very long .

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

An epic saga telling the tale of two brothers overcome with greed and ambition.
The story kept me interested as there was so much happening,a great read.

[Thereasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book full of drama and action

[Kristine Schillert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just loved story and characters, had to finish it

[Katrina Delorenzo]

Kate mosse