What do you think?
Rate this book
Hit List
‘The tension builds like a storm out at sea that creeps towards the shore...’
‘Completely engrossing’
When you pass a stranger on the street, how can you know that he is a killer?
Claude Cousteau lives by a code of honour based on his own ideal of human worth. No one is held in higher esteem than Felix Dumas, a successful but corrupt lawyer, who nonetheless commands Cousteau's absolute respect and loyalty.
In search of a new start, recent divorcee Martha Burton moves to a picturesque French village, unaware of the danger she will find there.
‘Completely engrossing’
When you pass a stranger on the street, how can you know that he is a killer?
Claude Cousteau lives by a code of honour based on his own ideal of human worth. No one is held in higher esteem than Felix Dumas, a successful but corrupt lawyer, who nonetheless commands Cousteau's absolute respect and loyalty.
In search of a new start, recent divorcee Martha Burton moves to a picturesque French village, unaware of the danger she will find there.
- GenresPsychological Thriller
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2013
6 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
B.A. Spicer
14 books74 followersBev Spicer has been writing full-time for eight years, from her crumbly Charentaise house in France. In a past life she gained a degree in English and French Literature (Keele University) and a PGCE in English methods (Queens' College, Cambridge).
She has lived in Bridgnorth, Cambridge, Rethymnon (Crete), Mahe (Seychelles), and now lives in Charente Maritime with her husband and youngest son. The next place she wants to explore is probably Spain. Her husband is very tolerant, and secretly enjoys chaos.
Bev has been a teacher, blackjack dealer for Playboy, examiner for Cambridge ESOL, secretary (various sorts - most boringly 'legal'), lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, and a Sunday checkout girl for Tesco (who allowed her to deliver surplus bakery products to the homeless – ‘every little helps’).
She loves people, reading, writing, speaking French, astronomy (quantum theory addict), gardening, travelling, and hates housework, cooking, drizzle and honey.
Bev publishes under the name Bev Spicer for her lighter books and B. A. Spicer for more literary work.
She has lived in Bridgnorth, Cambridge, Rethymnon (Crete), Mahe (Seychelles), and now lives in Charente Maritime with her husband and youngest son. The next place she wants to explore is probably Spain. Her husband is very tolerant, and secretly enjoys chaos.
Bev has been a teacher, blackjack dealer for Playboy, examiner for Cambridge ESOL, secretary (various sorts - most boringly 'legal'), lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, and a Sunday checkout girl for Tesco (who allowed her to deliver surplus bakery products to the homeless – ‘every little helps’).
She loves people, reading, writing, speaking French, astronomy (quantum theory addict), gardening, travelling, and hates housework, cooking, drizzle and honey.
Bev publishes under the name Bev Spicer for her lighter books and B. A. Spicer for more literary work.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 14, 2015
3.5 stars
The story opens with Claude Cousteau reliving a time in his childhood when he was helping his father, who was an undertaker, to dress and prepare bodies for viewing. An unhealthy obsession began to take hold of Claude and he had to satisfy his macabre desire to know how it would feel when a person’s life force was extinguished by his hand.
Claude is a man who doesn’t feel the need for friends or relationships and lives a solitary life. The only person who has had an impact on his life is Felix Dumas, the son of his father’s friend. Felix had been kind to the young Claude, and Claude holds Felix in high regard. Now a prominent lawyer, Felix is not above shady dealings but regardless, Claude makes it his business to ‘help’ Felix whenever he can.
Claude is a complex and chilling character, more so because he’s so focused on safeguarding, as he sees it, the person he’s fixated with, whether or not that person wants Claude’s help.
Martha Burton, a British divorcee, has lived in France for almost two years, in the picturesque village of St. Martin-le-Vieux, teaching English. Dissatisfied in her relationship with Michel, and because of her work, she begins to make more friends in the local community. Looking for a special tree for her garden brings her into contact with Guy Roche and his wife, Angeline, which in turn leads to more characters being introduced.
I like the distinctive ‘Frenchness’ of the village, the sense of community, and the convoluted and unexpected way people’s lives can overlap. It was intriguing and I enjoyed the first and last parts of the book, wondering where the story would take me, but for some reason I kept losing concentration and connection with the characters during the middle section. I think perhaps it felt a little slow and didn’t completely work for me. The concluding scenes, however, bring everything to a disturbingly believable conclusion.
The story opens with Claude Cousteau reliving a time in his childhood when he was helping his father, who was an undertaker, to dress and prepare bodies for viewing. An unhealthy obsession began to take hold of Claude and he had to satisfy his macabre desire to know how it would feel when a person’s life force was extinguished by his hand.
Claude is a man who doesn’t feel the need for friends or relationships and lives a solitary life. The only person who has had an impact on his life is Felix Dumas, the son of his father’s friend. Felix had been kind to the young Claude, and Claude holds Felix in high regard. Now a prominent lawyer, Felix is not above shady dealings but regardless, Claude makes it his business to ‘help’ Felix whenever he can.
Claude is a complex and chilling character, more so because he’s so focused on safeguarding, as he sees it, the person he’s fixated with, whether or not that person wants Claude’s help.
Martha Burton, a British divorcee, has lived in France for almost two years, in the picturesque village of St. Martin-le-Vieux, teaching English. Dissatisfied in her relationship with Michel, and because of her work, she begins to make more friends in the local community. Looking for a special tree for her garden brings her into contact with Guy Roche and his wife, Angeline, which in turn leads to more characters being introduced.
I like the distinctive ‘Frenchness’ of the village, the sense of community, and the convoluted and unexpected way people’s lives can overlap. It was intriguing and I enjoyed the first and last parts of the book, wondering where the story would take me, but for some reason I kept losing concentration and connection with the characters during the middle section. I think perhaps it felt a little slow and didn’t completely work for me. The concluding scenes, however, bring everything to a disturbingly believable conclusion.
December 3, 2014
In a picturesque seaside town in Southern France, past and present come together with fatal results.
In B.A. Spicer's psychological thriller, contacts made in the course of everyday life have profound consequences. On the surface, Martha Burton, a British divorcee starting over in a dreamy French town, and Claude Cousteau, an undertaker's son in more ways than one, might as well live in different universes. But thanks to a mixture of coincidence, which in this case appears in the form of shady businessman Felix Dumas, and the rather insular nature of life in a small town, their worlds collide...and they don't even know it.
Spicer has a knack for creating complex characters with rich, unique back stories and messy inner lives. In this novel, they also share an odd social blindness that causes them to miss the dangerous picture developing right in front of them. These men and women flit through their days caught up in personal pleasures and private concerns unaware of how their actions ripple out to affect those around them. Claude, especially, is a fascinating mix of depravity and misplaced loyalty. He's a terrifying variety of monster--the kind who appears ordinary, even bland.
Reading THE UNDERTAKER'S SON is an engrossing experience.The tension builds like a storm out at sea that creeps towards the shore. By the final scenes, you want to squeeze your eyes shut, and yet you cannot stop reading. So you give in and are rewarded with a climax that cuts to the bone.
In B.A. Spicer's psychological thriller, contacts made in the course of everyday life have profound consequences. On the surface, Martha Burton, a British divorcee starting over in a dreamy French town, and Claude Cousteau, an undertaker's son in more ways than one, might as well live in different universes. But thanks to a mixture of coincidence, which in this case appears in the form of shady businessman Felix Dumas, and the rather insular nature of life in a small town, their worlds collide...and they don't even know it.
Spicer has a knack for creating complex characters with rich, unique back stories and messy inner lives. In this novel, they also share an odd social blindness that causes them to miss the dangerous picture developing right in front of them. These men and women flit through their days caught up in personal pleasures and private concerns unaware of how their actions ripple out to affect those around them. Claude, especially, is a fascinating mix of depravity and misplaced loyalty. He's a terrifying variety of monster--the kind who appears ordinary, even bland.
Reading THE UNDERTAKER'S SON is an engrossing experience.The tension builds like a storm out at sea that creeps towards the shore. By the final scenes, you want to squeeze your eyes shut, and yet you cannot stop reading. So you give in and are rewarded with a climax that cuts to the bone.
April 22, 2014
The characters in this novel were flawed, but certainly memorable. This is the story of a crooked lawyer and the many flawed people he influenced and changed by his actions. A very well told story that leaves you with some deep insights into the psychology of people; it was quite a fascinating read!
The only flaw, which could have been just me, is the action and drama of the story seemed at times to dip and then pick up again. Perhaps these slower parts could have been deleted without losing any of the story. Overall, though, it was a very profound and deep work which I would highly recommend to all serious readers!
The only flaw, which could have been just me, is the action and drama of the story seemed at times to dip and then pick up again. Perhaps these slower parts could have been deleted without losing any of the story. Overall, though, it was a very profound and deep work which I would highly recommend to all serious readers!
December 20, 2015
A very enjoyable read.I found the book even more interesting, because used to live in France, not far from where the plot was set. I could feel and see myself right back there.
The characters are believable and their lives cleverly interwoven. The tale involves love, intrigue, crime, murders a-plenty, sadness and joy. I didn't guess the outcome; the climax remained obscure right to the end. I wouldn't say I couldn't put it down, but I was always keen to get back to the story and spent far more time reading than I really had time for! I I will check out other books by this author.
The characters are believable and their lives cleverly interwoven. The tale involves love, intrigue, crime, murders a-plenty, sadness and joy. I didn't guess the outcome; the climax remained obscure right to the end. I wouldn't say I couldn't put it down, but I was always keen to get back to the story and spent far more time reading than I really had time for! I I will check out other books by this author.
August 3, 2015
The Undertaker’s Son by B A Spicer. Psychopaths, crooks and small-town France I am reviewing this book as part of Rosie’s Book Review Team. Thanks to Rosie and to the author for providing a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The book intrigued me because of the description and the setting. We all seem to expect crime, and crime novels, to be set in big cities, but when evil hides in a small, picturesque and peaceful town, it seems worse. As if evil had no place in such environment. It’s true that it’s perhaps more difficult to hide in a small and idyllic French town, but some manage to hide in plain sight.
The novel, written in the third person, is told from the point of view of a large number of characters, from the “evil” character hinted at in the description, the undertaker’s son of the title, Claude, to Patrice, a young student who ends up being more central to the plot than it seems at first. The author allows us to peer into the heads of her characters, and this is sometimes a very agreeable experience (like in the case of Martha Burton, the British divorcee out to create a new life for herself in France, who despite disappointments in love, is fairly happy), and at others, an utterly terrifying one. Apart from Claude, who has no redeeming qualities, and Patrice, who is a nice young man without any shades, all the rest of the characters are all too human, they hesitate, they are morally ambiguous at times, and even downright immoral. Felix Dumas, the crook, is utterly dislikeable, but even he has some redeeming qualities (he does not understand his son, but seems to love him, and he tells Claude not to take drastic measures. He does not want anyone killed.) And Angeline… It’s a credit to the author that by allowing us into the minds of her characters, we might not agree with what they do, the secrets they keep, or their reasons and justifications, but we understand them. Well, that is, except for Claude.
Claude reminded me of the main character in Peeping Tom due to his fascination with death. But, in contrast with Mark Lewis, the protagonist of Peeping Tom, who is a victim of his father’s psychological experiments, Claude is unknowable. We share his memories and see his attachment to Felix, but he operates outside of our conceptions of right and wrong. He’s a psychopath, but from what we get to see of him, he uses his interest and fascination with death in a utilitarian way, and turns it into a business, rather than being compelled to kill. He plans his jobs with military precision, and seems alien to humankind, functioning at a different level. This is not the typical serial killer whose neighbours would say he seemed so “normal”. He is nothing if not extraordinary. A character very difficult to forget that makes us question the limits of humanity and conscience.
The plot is intriguing but the writing ebbs and flows through certain moments, like parties, planting a tree, and the fleeting memories of a dementing old-man, that help us get a vivid sense of the town and its people, and make us care for the fate of its inhabitants. For the duration of the book we become privileged town dwellers and get to know everybody. This is not a frantically paced thriller, but a novel that shares in the more relaxed pace of its setting, and that’s perhaps what makes it more chilling.
The ending is satisfying (perhaps everything works out too well and that’s the least realistic aspect of the novel) and reassuring. I look forward to reading more novels by B A Spicer.
Four and a half stars.
The book intrigued me because of the description and the setting. We all seem to expect crime, and crime novels, to be set in big cities, but when evil hides in a small, picturesque and peaceful town, it seems worse. As if evil had no place in such environment. It’s true that it’s perhaps more difficult to hide in a small and idyllic French town, but some manage to hide in plain sight.
The novel, written in the third person, is told from the point of view of a large number of characters, from the “evil” character hinted at in the description, the undertaker’s son of the title, Claude, to Patrice, a young student who ends up being more central to the plot than it seems at first. The author allows us to peer into the heads of her characters, and this is sometimes a very agreeable experience (like in the case of Martha Burton, the British divorcee out to create a new life for herself in France, who despite disappointments in love, is fairly happy), and at others, an utterly terrifying one. Apart from Claude, who has no redeeming qualities, and Patrice, who is a nice young man without any shades, all the rest of the characters are all too human, they hesitate, they are morally ambiguous at times, and even downright immoral. Felix Dumas, the crook, is utterly dislikeable, but even he has some redeeming qualities (he does not understand his son, but seems to love him, and he tells Claude not to take drastic measures. He does not want anyone killed.) And Angeline… It’s a credit to the author that by allowing us into the minds of her characters, we might not agree with what they do, the secrets they keep, or their reasons and justifications, but we understand them. Well, that is, except for Claude.
Claude reminded me of the main character in Peeping Tom due to his fascination with death. But, in contrast with Mark Lewis, the protagonist of Peeping Tom, who is a victim of his father’s psychological experiments, Claude is unknowable. We share his memories and see his attachment to Felix, but he operates outside of our conceptions of right and wrong. He’s a psychopath, but from what we get to see of him, he uses his interest and fascination with death in a utilitarian way, and turns it into a business, rather than being compelled to kill. He plans his jobs with military precision, and seems alien to humankind, functioning at a different level. This is not the typical serial killer whose neighbours would say he seemed so “normal”. He is nothing if not extraordinary. A character very difficult to forget that makes us question the limits of humanity and conscience.
The plot is intriguing but the writing ebbs and flows through certain moments, like parties, planting a tree, and the fleeting memories of a dementing old-man, that help us get a vivid sense of the town and its people, and make us care for the fate of its inhabitants. For the duration of the book we become privileged town dwellers and get to know everybody. This is not a frantically paced thriller, but a novel that shares in the more relaxed pace of its setting, and that’s perhaps what makes it more chilling.
The ending is satisfying (perhaps everything works out too well and that’s the least realistic aspect of the novel) and reassuring. I look forward to reading more novels by B A Spicer.
Four and a half stars.
August 6, 2015
I have to admit to being a bit of a Francophile so this book appealed straight away although not only because of its setting, but also because Bev Spicer is a writer whose books I’ve enjoyed previously.
I was hooked straight away. The sleepy charm of the French village and the relationships between its inhabitants are all really well drawn. And the character we meet first, Martha, appeals to me with her brave decision to move to France alone to live the life she wants after her marriage collapses.
But this book isn’t a jolly light summer read about British people abroad. It’s far darker and deeper than that. There’s the creepy Claude, whose obsession with a childhood friend, and strange career choice make for a very chilling character; Felix Dumas, a villain that you desperately want to get his just desserts; spoilt, selfish Angeline, who is so intent on her ambitions that she fails to see, and almost loses, what she already has; and unreliable Clement, who I wanted to hate, but whose touching dedication to his father made me warm to him. All these characters, and more, are woven together in a narrative that is intelligent, engrossing and a real pleasure to read.
This isn’t a book with a fast-paced plot, lots of excitement and dramatic twists and turns, but it is no less compelling for that. It is a well-crafted, thoughtful book about people, the choices they make, the secrets they keep, the obsessions that drive them and the paths they choose.
My only gripe is that, having become invested in Martha’s story, I felt that I lost her about half way through; she became simply part of the larger cast of characters, rather than the centre around which the others revolved. Aside from that, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book.
4-5 out of 5 stars.
I was hooked straight away. The sleepy charm of the French village and the relationships between its inhabitants are all really well drawn. And the character we meet first, Martha, appeals to me with her brave decision to move to France alone to live the life she wants after her marriage collapses.
But this book isn’t a jolly light summer read about British people abroad. It’s far darker and deeper than that. There’s the creepy Claude, whose obsession with a childhood friend, and strange career choice make for a very chilling character; Felix Dumas, a villain that you desperately want to get his just desserts; spoilt, selfish Angeline, who is so intent on her ambitions that she fails to see, and almost loses, what she already has; and unreliable Clement, who I wanted to hate, but whose touching dedication to his father made me warm to him. All these characters, and more, are woven together in a narrative that is intelligent, engrossing and a real pleasure to read.
This isn’t a book with a fast-paced plot, lots of excitement and dramatic twists and turns, but it is no less compelling for that. It is a well-crafted, thoughtful book about people, the choices they make, the secrets they keep, the obsessions that drive them and the paths they choose.
My only gripe is that, having become invested in Martha’s story, I felt that I lost her about half way through; she became simply part of the larger cast of characters, rather than the centre around which the others revolved. Aside from that, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book.
4-5 out of 5 stars.
August 18, 2015
Suspense, intrigue and more....
The focal character is looking for a man. She is sizing up every man she meets and expands on the character of them. While the suspense and intrigue are well presented, the story was related via the activities of these same prospective lovers. The story bounces around a tad too much and repeats circumstances bringing characters to 'this' point. I personally found this feature very distracting and confusing. Perhaps if I had been able to read without interruption it wouldn't seem as confusing. The author presented vivid descriptions and was well spoken. I would definitely read more of her writing!
The focal character is looking for a man. She is sizing up every man she meets and expands on the character of them. While the suspense and intrigue are well presented, the story was related via the activities of these same prospective lovers. The story bounces around a tad too much and repeats circumstances bringing characters to 'this' point. I personally found this feature very distracting and confusing. Perhaps if I had been able to read without interruption it wouldn't seem as confusing. The author presented vivid descriptions and was well spoken. I would definitely read more of her writing!
August 11, 2015
The Undertaker's Son
This is a very unusual story with many different characters and plots . Sometimes the reader has to take a deep breath and re-read a section to keep all the people and situations straight but it will definitely keep your interest and I loved the surprise ending, very fitting for the storyline but totally unexpected and that was what makes it so good.
This is a very unusual story with many different characters and plots . Sometimes the reader has to take a deep breath and re-read a section to keep all the people and situations straight but it will definitely keep your interest and I loved the surprise ending, very fitting for the storyline but totally unexpected and that was what makes it so good.
February 22, 2016
Great book loved Martha especially wouldn't mind living in France myself!!
living in France myself!! Will recommend this book my friends. There was so much going on to keep you interested and what a great ending too!
living in France myself!! Will recommend this book my friends. There was so much going on to keep you interested and what a great ending too!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews