Book Review: The Suspect

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

The Suspect     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Michael Robotham
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
2004, Time Warner, 406 Pages

Professor Joe O' Loughlin has everything a successful career as a clinical psychologist, a wonderful wife and a lovely daughter. When a young woman is found dead with multiple stab wounds, the police ask Joe to help. He soon discovers that the dead woman is actually someone he used to know. Joe becomes certain that one of his other patients has killed her, but the police have another suspect in mind.

'The Suspect' appears deceptively simple on the surface and as the novel progressed, I could not be sure how Robotham was going to continue developing it. However, 'The Suspect' is like an onion. The more layers you peel off, the more complex it gets. By the time you reach the denouement, you realise that Robotham has created a complex and intricate thriller.

Robotham writes in the present tense and employs a first-person narrative. His style is distinctly conversational and modern, with numerous humorous comments to alleviate the atmosphere of tension that quickly builds. He also succeeds in using a varied range of characters, nearly all of whom have hidden depths. Certainly, the developments in the main protagonist are unexpected, as he becomes a pawn in a complex game. His locations of Liverpool and London are vivid and his pace suitably fast.

This is Robotham's first novel under his real name, but he is also the pseudonymous author of ten non-fiction titles, and with this novel is an example, we should be seeing his name at the top of the charts for a long time to come. The thriller market is becoming increasingly saturated, making it crucially important to bring something innovative to the genre. Robotham' s enjoyable writing style and excellent characters fulfil these criteria and will make this appeal to any thriller reader.

Luke Croll - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

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