Without Consent

Dr. Anya Crichton #2

by Kathryn Fox

Dr Anya Crichton, pathologist and forensic physician, is back on another chilling case that will stretch her forensic talents to the limit.
This time, Anya is on the trail of a violent serial rapist. Suspicion immediately falls on the deviant Geoffrey Willard, recently released from prison after serving a full term for the brutal rape and murder of a fourteen year old girl.
As Anya delves deeper into a myriad of forensic evidence, she begins to suspect that Willard is innocent. When two of the victims are later stabbed to death, a blood-smeared shirt holds the key to the truth.
Only the killer knows that Anya has made a mistake. One that could prove fatal...

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Australia, Mystery Thriller

381 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Kathryn Fox is a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine who currently lives in Sydney, Australia.Her debut novel, MALICIOUS INTENT, received international acclaim, won the 2005 Davitt award for adult fiction and was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly best debut novel award. In addition, it toppled The Da Vinci Code to become  the no. 1 crime book on Amazon in the UK and Germany. Fox is also the author of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling WITHOUT CONSENT, SKIN AND BONE, BLOOD BORN, DEATH MASK, COLD GRAVE AND FATAL IMPACT. In her spare time, Kathryn indulges in her favourite pastimes - reading and playing the harp (very badly).

Reviews

[Li'l Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Addictive Dr. Anya Crichton Series!

“Hey.” Nick clapped and flicked the hair from his eyes. “Got a surprise for you, in the backyard. Want to see?”
“Sure.”
They passed the inside laundry and opened a screen door that led to a small grassed yard. Attached to the clothesline, a golden labrador puppy strained at his lead.
“Meet Caesar,”Nick announced. “He’s all yours.”
Geoffrey turned around to see Miss Bonython arrive with two full cups of tea. “Is he shitting me?”
“No,”she said, smiling. “This is your pup. Donated by a charity that helps people adjust to life outside prison.”
Geoffrey squatted down and received a face-licking. For his trouble, Caesar got a rough pat and a roll in the dirt.
From around the side gate, two of the men in suits reappeared and approached Miss Bonython. Geoffrey quickly retreated toward the back door.
The one with flared nostrils spoke. “No sign of trouble. We’re off.”
The kind woman put the cups down on the back step and followed him out. “Isn’t anyone staying in case the press finds the family? You know what they’re like, with all the publicity about the release.”
“Listen, lady, I’ve got a kid the same age as the one that bastard raped and mutilated.”
“Detective,” she said, “he served his time, twenty years in fact, and by law has earned his freedom.”
“Earned?” He stood with his face over Miss Bonython’s. “That prick hasn’t earned anything. The reason he served the whole damn sentence is ’cause he showed no remorse. Murdering pedophiles like him don’t rehabilitate. They go on to rape and kill again. If you’ve got kids, you’d better lock your doors and windows.”
The woman refused to back down.
“Like I said, he’s done his time. And so has his mother, being forced to leave her home all those years ago and being driven away when anyone discovers who her son is.”
“Our job is to protect the community, not nursemaid pervert child-killers.”
June Bonython put both hands on her hips, but still looked small compared to Bully-Boy.
“Detective, I’m afraid you’re missing the point. Whether you like it or not, the judicial system released Geoffrey Willard back into our community. That makes him someone you are obliged to serve and protect.”


Anya nodded. “How many cases are we talking about?”The chief coroner frowned. “I’m not really sure. I’d like you to look at a dozen to start with.”She poured the mineral water into the wilting pot plant. “I don’t want this to look like a witch-hunt, which is why I would like it to stay just between us for now. And I don’t expect this to be pro bono.”Anya knew she could use the extra income. Twelve case-reports were the equivalent of about three weeks’work. “Fine, but why me? Why not someone like Peter Latham?”Morgan looked around, presumably to ensure no one was eavesdropping. “For a couple of reasons. You’re the only fully independent forensic pathologist in the state, so you’re removed from the lockerroom talk within the departments. And if we’re being honest, because you’re a woman.”She seemed to anticipate Anya’s offense at that comment. “This isn’t an affirmative-action thing. I thought about Peter, but unfortunately he’s part of the problem.”Anya couldn’t believe what the coroner was saying. “I know Peter and his work. He’s above any kind of reproach—professionally and personally. Did you know he is my son’s godfather?”Shifting to stand, she added, “I won’t help you undermine him.”Running a finger around the rim of her empty glass, Morgan smiled. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t put you in that position. I agree with you. It’s not Peter I’m investigating, it’s his mate over there, Alf Carney.”Morgan perused the room and rose. “Can I rely on you and your discretion?”Investigating a colleague was never going to make her popular, but getting the coroner offside would be the worse career move. Anya nodded. “Courier the files to my office and I’ll let you know what I think.”Morgan’s eyes widened. She gave a half-smile then turned and embraced an elderly man who seemed more than willing to escort her in to dinner. Never a fan of Alf Carney, who had deliberately tried to block her accessing vital information for a potential homicide case, Anya watched him finish his conversation with Peter Latham and make a direct line for the exit. She wondered what he had done to warrant a clandestine investigation. Anya hoped that, just maybe, Morgan’s concerns about Carney’s work were unfounded. Becoming a “whistle-blower”was the last thing Anya needed.

Louise Richardson sat on the blue lounge, body trembling. Mary Singer, the counsellor on duty, had draped a cotton rug around the woman’s shoulders and locked the door leading to the rest of the sexual-assault unit. Anya knocked and waited. Mary stepped outside to speak in private. “She’s been assaulted with a knife as she left work and headed for her car. Thankfully, the wounds are superficial, but she’s pretty traumatized.”Anya pulled an elastic band from her wrist and swept her uncombed hair into a ponytail. “Did he threaten to kill her if she called the police?”Mary nodded. “Took her credit cards and told her he’d be watching and would come back if she told anyone.”She glanced over her half-glasses. “You look tired.”“I was asleep on the lounge when you called.”Troubled by the prospect of investigating Alf Carney, Anya hadn’t felt like going to bed when she arrived home after speaking to Morgan Tully. She had begun watching a movie and dozed off before the ending. Anya took a deep breath and braced herself. This examination could take hours. Louise Richardson barely acknowledged the two women entering the room. She hugged the rug and trembled. “Are you cold?”Mary asked. “No,”she muttered, “I just can’t stop shivering.”“That’s pretty normal at this stage. It’ll pass in a little while.”Anya sat on the coffee table. “I’m Doctor Anya Crichton. I’ve come to see if you’re okay, and to make sure you’re safe.”
“How can I be safe after what he did to me?”

*********
Without Consent by Kathryn Fox is book two in the Dr. Anya Crichton series and was just a thrilling as the first! Anya is a dynamic, genuine, and likable character! The storyline is fast and furious, full of heart pounding events that had me shaking with tension! The twists had me guessing wrong time and time again!
This is a highly exciting and addictive series and I can't wait for book three!

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Dr. Anya Crichton series.
Book one Malicious Intent was a great read but this is even better.
Dr. Crichton is just one of those character that you can't help gravitating to. As a pathologist and forensic physician working with rape victims she is a passionate scientist and is caring and empathetic with her highly traumatised patients.
The subject matter is rape and is very confronting, so this book is not for the faint hearted.
In the first book I found the medical terminology a bit daunting but not so daunting in his book, which was good.
Twenty years ago Geoffrey Willard was accused and subsequently sentenced to twenty year in prison for the rape and murder of a young woman. It is now twenty years later and he has just been released from prison.
Rape victims, with injuries that are consistent with what happened twenty years ago, start appearing in the rape clinic, where Anya work. The police suspect Geoffrey Willard but Anya is not so sure.
What follows is a tale that twists and turns with every chapter. There is a list of characters that are inept, greedy, self serving career builders, the downtrodden and the downright evil.
As for the end, I did not see it coming, not in the least.

If you like your murder mysteries with a scientific feel you'll love this.
A very entertaining read and comes with a 4 star recommendation.

[Jülie ☼♄  · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 in the Anya Chrichton series and I thought it was just that much better than the first, which to me was good, but a little "cheesy" in places.
So hopefully they will just keep getting better.

Although this one deals with the dreadful crime of rape, it is not too graphic as to be confrontational and is even somewhat edifying in the ways that this subject is treated by both the victims and the system...and to some extent, the general public.
The book flowed nicely and had some real surprises toward the end which I hadn't guessed at...so it was not as predictable as first impressions would have suggested.

I liked it enough to want to continue reading this series and I gave it 4★s

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject matter (rape victims) was hard to take in places but the story flowed and the technical details were interesting and not obstructive. Kathryn Fox writes exactly as Patricia Cornwell did in her early days pitting a single, feisty, female forensic specialist against the rest of the world and involving her in police work way over her head. This usually leads to said forensic specialist narrowly avoiding death at the end of the book. However by adding a thrilling story to this pattern Fox has given us another very good and very readable book.

[Angela Verdenius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing story line, great mystery, and characters just like us - easy to relate to. Really enjoyed it, and loving the Aussie flavour .

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second book in Kathryn Fox's Anya Crichton series. Anya is developing well as an interesting, strong and at times feisty character and the plot moved along at a good pace.

As a forensic pathologist, Anya volunteers at a women's crisis centre and sees women after they have been raped. She helps them to decide if they want her to collect evidence of the rape and whether to go to the police or not. Rape is a difficult subject to write about but the author does it well and sensitively without going into unnecessary graphic details that we don't need to know. When Anya sees a series of rapes with similar injuries and other similarities she suspects that a serial rapist may be at work. Under suspicion is a man who has recently been released from goal after serving 20 years for the rape and murder of a 14 year old, however Anya has doubts about whether he really is the current rapist.

The ending was quite thrilling and had a few twists I didn't see coming. Although I usually don't like novels where the main character becomes a victim of the criminal in this case it didn't feel too contrived because Anya had been closely involved with the rapist and his family . Looking forward to reading the next book in the series, but hope that the focus will be less on Anya's work at the sexual crisis centre and more on her work as a forensic pathologist.

[MaryG2E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was keen to read the second instalment of the Dr Anya Crichton series, after enjoying the first novel, Malicious Intent.

I imagine the author has gone to a great deal of trouble to research the topic which is examined with such care - sexual assault. As with the first book, Kathryn Fox spends a good deal of time and words on establishing the background and context for the case she is investigating. The detailed descriptions of what transpires in a clinical setting after a victim reports being assaulted were highly informative. Also, she covers much of the forensic detail in a way that is understandable to the layperson. Good research, carefully explained for the reader, seems to be a hallmark of Fox's style.

I gained insight into the tensions between the law upholders and the professionals who support victims of sexual assault. The fine line between invasion of victims' privacy and the need to catch the offenders is well illustrated. Fox creates some lively snapshots of the types of people who are involved in various aspects of a criminal investigation, from the impatient, sharp-tongued copper to the self-important psychologist, from the studious forensic pathologist to the brash, publicity- seeking defence lawyer. She also draws compassionate pictures of the sufferers whose bodies are violated and lives torn apart by sexual assault and domestic violence.

Given Fox's propensity for detailed background information and scene-setting, the actual investigation and pursuit of suspects tend to take second place in this novel, as happened in the earlier instalment of the series. I've learned to be patient and to let the story evolve at the pace set by the author, as she does eventually get to the crux of the investigation. For those readers who relish police procedurals, this novel might seem a bit low on detail. I must confess I would have liked a bit more focus on detection, a couple more clues to possible perpetrators, because I love guessing "whodunnit?" So for me the pace lagged a little at some stages.

Most of the police characters are set in opposition to the doughty Anya, as she pursues her own independent lines of inquiry, doggedly determined to show the police the errors in their assumptions. She's not a particularly likeable character, our heroine Dr Crichton, though her qualifications and dedication are exemplary. Her rather prickly personality has resulted in professional problems, with her reputation, income earnings and future career all under threat. The one bright spot in the otherwise bleak landscape of her personal life is her 4yo son Ben, of whom she has custody one weekend per fortnight. The times with Ben inject some light and humour into what would otherwise be a very grim story.

There's a lot to like in this well-written, admirably researched crime novel. For me, the main character is rather unappealing and I found it a little difficult to empathise with her and her dilemmas as a consequence. The quality of the scientific material greatly impressed me. For this, I'm happy to rate this book 4 stars.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars because I could not put it down, much like the first book in the series. It didn't pick up right away from the end of the first book, but did reference events that took place, which was fine by me. The action picked up from the very first page, and while it was a little confronting, the plot twists kept me guessing. The start of the climax was a little predictable, and then took another turn that I didn't see coming at all. The resolution was a nice touch, but I would have liked to see a little more, based on how one of the characters acted. Can't wait to read more of this author.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty suspenseful read and a toughie in some places to read. Not because of writing, but because of content. Anya Crichton is an Australian forensic pathologist who is a rape victim's advocate. She collects all the samples from a rape victim's attack. So right off the bat you know what the subject matter of the book is about.

Once Anya has collected the kits from three different women, she knows that she is dealing with a serial rapist and sets off to prove that others had been raped by the same man. But in the process, one of the women that she assisted has now come up murdered. Did the rapist come back to finish a job. The clock starts ticking as it appears that the rapist is coming apart and raping women faster. Can Anya stop this madman before he rapes more women. Has Anya become a target?

If you can handle the subject matter, this was a really good book. This is a first book for Ms. Fox and I am looking forward to reading this next in the series.

[Sonia Cristina]

Não me apetece ler sobre violações. Já vi que o resto da série incide muito sobre este tipo de crime e outros abusos contra mulheres, por isso acho que me fico por aqui. É pena...

[Nick Davies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh dear. This wasn't very good - forensic pathologist lady Dr. Anya Crichton here solving a case involving several brutal rapes and a couple of murders following the release of a distinctly odd chap from prison. Writing who should be a supporting character at the centre of this thriller (as opposed to this being a police procedural with a smaller amount of forensic input) is in truth a deeply problematic decision, but interestingly here this inconceivable aspect wasn't what I found most egregious about the novel.

It just came across like the author thought the reader was simple. There were explanations via dialogue which spelled out key points where they really needn't have been, stereotypical bad and good characters painted cartoonishly so, and an excess of description of trivial stuff about how people were dressed and the heroine being a mother (I get it, she's a sassy career woman and a mother.. fair enough, but much of this added nothing at all). Almost without exception all the male characters were evil (often raping/murdering) bastards, and except for Dr. Crichton all the females were victims or back-stabbing police/lawyer bitches - which was problematic in what this implied.

The first quarter of the book was also heavy with proselytising about flaws with the difficult balance between legal requirements and evidence recovery from rape victims and the vulnerability of women at this point - I appreciate this, but the book laid this on so heavily and repeatedly it felt more like a pamphlet on 'what to expect the police/medics to do if you have been raped' than a crime novel, and the overall stance felt heavy handed in falling more on the 'how dare anyone ask to swab/photograph to gather evidence, these women have been raped!' side than on the 'this is a difficult situation, a balance between the forensic needs and ensuring the health and wellbeing of the victim who has gone through a traumatic experience'. In my humble opinion, the author failed to stop this becoming preachy - I am probably the wrong gender to be the target audience.

At least it was quick and easy to read.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a better read than the first book. The story flow and plot lines were stronger, and the writing style is easier to read and follow somehow. I like how the writer introduces the characters again subtly for new readers. Perhaps now I have greater expectation for book 3.

[Monique Dugal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. Keeps you guessing until the end. Loved the main character and enjoyed the in depth discussions
About the forensic evidence. Totally enjoyed
Every twist and turn!

[Michelle Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me thinking all the time. Thank you Kathryn Fox, your book did what a great book should

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find with the second book in this series I am liking the series more and more, a large part of that is due to Anya the main character. A lot of times these procedural books can be boring and stuffy, but not these ones. There is a good balance between science and people. Since Anya deals a lot with rape victims there are always heartbreaking elements to the books, but how she treats the victims with respect goes a long way to make the scene not any harder than it has to be.

Anya seems to have a balance in her life between her work, her work with rape victims, and her life. When she has been you can just see how that is the most important thing to her, even though she does truly enjoy her work.

The crime in this book was bad and it seemed like they got worse as the book went on. But the clues were there laid down if you paid close enough attention for you to figure out the bad guy. Although this time around you really had to wonder who was the worse bad guy, as there were bad guys all around.

I am looking forward to the next book.

[Sara Bartczak · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was written well; some details weren’t obvious at all. I thought it was odd that Fox opted to not describe the protagonist so the reader was left to imagine her however they wanted. I couldn’t tell where the story took place for the longest time (England, Canada, USA, New Zealand...) and had to google museums or small town names mentioned in the book to find out. Also, the ending was really fast and without any real closure. The entire book is 400 pages but everything happens in the final 30 pages. Arguably, you could read the first 10 pages and last 30 pages of the book and still understand the whole story.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the forensic and medical aspects of sexual assault examinations. This is another good mystery from Fox but I found the repeated rapes very gruelling to read and the resolution of the 'whodunit' left me feeling unsatisfied.
Fox has been compared to Patricia Cornwell and she is easily as good as Cornwell at her best (the early days) and far superior to any of her latest offerings.

[Wael Margheni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of crime novels but this one I started by chance and got my interest. The book is really good but I am not really happy with the ending; So predictable.
I'll be reading more of the 'Dr. Anya Crichton' series.

[Chava · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyable listen. Lots of twists and turns.

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing in this book was really poorly done one of the few books I gave up on as the quality was so bad.

[Joharis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta leer thrillers escritos hace ya un tiempo ya que tienen como un sentimento de nostalgia al leerlos.

Este libro trata sobre temas muy fuertes con escenas explícitas sobre el abuso sexual y matar a las personas. Hay veces que me quedaba asqueada con nuestros antagonistas, lo cual considero que es un buen trabajo por la autora ya que no escribe las escenas como para dar shock sino porque la historia lo permite.

Tenía mis teorías de quien era el perpetrador de los crímenes pero me tomó por sorpresa el final ya que hay muchas cosas que no me esperaba. Siento que el libro termina atando muchos cabos de una manera tan buena que parece perfecta pero no me molesta taanto.

Son entretenidos de leer, so lo recomiendo!

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yet another crime book involving assault and sometimes murder of women. A serial predator is terrorising a location in America. It may be related to a man in his forties just let out of jail after serving 20 years for a brutal crime. He's gone back to live with his mom, who would really, really, rather he had not. She says he was always strange - it's a case of 'We Need To Talk About Kevin'. Why was she obliged to accept him? He's over 40. Why does anyone think this is safe for her? I did not like this. If the man is creepy and brutal, put him in a halfway house with supervision.

There is continual emphasis on the crimes against women of all ages, including seniors and young teens. I won't be buying more by this author.
I read a paperback. This is an unbiased review.

[Ejlkasld · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the second of the series and I thoroughly enjoyed this. The time taken to read is definitely not a reflection of how good it was. I was guessing throughout the whole book and then figured it out only to be surprised by another twist. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

[Wide Eyes, Big Ears! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Anya Crichton, forensic pathologist, tackles a series of rapes. The story and action was compelling although the rape scenes were hard to stomach. These are good mysteries and I didn’t figure it out beforehand. Due to the graphic nature of the rapes, I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who had endured one.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Not my favorite plot line and I wish it had more medical terminology. I felt like she wasn’t really a pathologist, she really worked in the SA unit more often. I also wish this involved her doing her own autopsies instead of getting reports and using cold cases. Lacking a lot in this novel.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining enough crime thriller with a forensic physician as the lead character rather than a detective. The main thing I recall from the story was the shocking proposal of how rape victims should be treated.

[Colette Lamberth · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know that an audiobook has you hooked when you walk for miles rather than take a bus so you can keep listening. Jennifer Vuletic does a good job of the narration and her ‘Ben’ never fails to make me smile. An investigation into a serial rapist was always going to be a challenging read (listen) but I felt the level of detail was just about right and not overly graphic.

[Sarah Faichney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathryn Fox handles sexual assault with accuracy and sensitivity whilst raising pertinent issues. Anya Crichton is a brilliant character and I am loving this series. Jennifer Vuletic narrates the audiobooks perfectly. Highly recommend!

[R.J. Spruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first. I found the red tape when dealing with rapists and the procedures when processing evidence frustrating.
I was happy with the outcome though, especially for Willard.