This story, a melding of two narratives, is an attempt to capture a sympathetic biography of Alan Turing who was badly treated by the establishment and a police procedural in which a detective tries to get to the bottom of a mystery.
This disturbing tale of Turing’s suicide and the circumstance that let to it is told through the eyes of Detective Leonard Corell who was in charge of the investigation. The book reveals Turing’s life and his obsession with mathematics but above all we are shown the anti-gay attitudes at the time and openly admitting to homosexuality was treated as a crime. The novel is set in 1954. More than half the story is devoted to follow Corell.
The book contains a wealth of details about life and theories although it came out somewhat between a dramatized version of a biography and a kind of a lousy detective drama. I really couldn’t tell where the fine line stood between the historical part and where we stepped into the author’s vivid imagination. I also found the characterization to be not only dull but also very thin. I will not expand any further and leave to the readers whether to like or dislike the way this story develops.
What a pity, I would have loved to know more of this exceptional man and have more confidence in what was written. This is not the case here. I also had a hard time keeping my attention at bay, too much intellectual stimulation needed to keep up with the mathematical concepts and philosophical conversations making a painfully slow moving plot one that couldn’t held my attention till the end. Too many dull moments and I agree with those saying this is one of those books that work better as a cure for insomnia.
This novel is not for everyone, it was definitely not mine not to say it wasn’t good book it was simply not my cup of tea.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. “This is the way I see it”.
Book 3 in the Kaspar Brothers series
“Lost Kin” is a haunting tale of international intrigue set in postwar Munich, 1946. The story is a stand-alone continuation of “Liberated” featuring American captain Harry Kaspar. In this latest the long-estranged brothers Max and Harry reunites to confront a secret Allied betrayal as the cold war heats up.
Amid the post-war chaos Harry remained uncorrupted until everything changes when a Munich cop knocks on his door and says “there has been an incident and your brother may be involved”……Harry is dragged into a murder investigation and thus opens an atmospheric and suspenseful story of forced repatriation.
This book has its slow moments but in whole there is enough action and mystery to keep turning the pages till the final dramatic face-off in the snowing Sumava Mountains of Czechoslovakia. The author has deftly created a canvas where innocent people get caught between allies and enemies and has exceptionally captured a world on the razor’s edge of survival. You soon warm to the characters and desperately want them to succeed. Although the subject is treated sensitively it still allowed the brutality to shine through. This historical fiction is well-written not to be too dramatic but yet provides all the necessary tension to keep us on the edge of our seat. The author certainly knows this period and post-war politics and knows how to deliver it. “Lost Kin” will move you.
This is my first experience reading Mr. Anderson but it will not be my last.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. “This is the way I see it”.
I am not surprised that this psychological thriller made its debut as the no1 Best Sellers for Fiction in 2015 and stayed there for a number of weeks and to this day is still going strong. This is an amazing story that DreamWoks Pictures acquired the rights to make into a movie. “The Girl on the Train” is a mystery and suspense novel that follows the lives of three women.
The story is a first person narrative told from the point of view of Rachel, Anna and Megan. It begins with Rachel on the commute home from London, a journey in which she routinely drinks four pre-mixed gin and tonic and this is just a starter. Rachel is prone to blackout and is a pathetic drunk. The trip takes her along the backs of houses on the street where she used to live. Daydreaming about her ex-husband and his new wife Anna and obsessed with a young couple living in a neighbouring house whom she named Jess (Megan) and Jason (Scott). The train stops outside their houses every morning. When Megan’s went missing and her body is found in the woods, Rachel is desperate to get to the bottom and get answers. Under the influence, her memory and imagination become confused…….and we are into an exceptionally imagined drama…..
I won’t say much more about the plot and leave it to each to dive in spoiler-free.
Their perspectives and the timescales are juggled with great skill, cleverly plotted and perfectly paced, from the impressive beginning to its surprising final act. Once into it, it is not an easy book to put aside. We find compelling characters: Rachel is a wreck, Megan is charming and Anna is love struck blind. A large range of emotions are perfectly captured and illustrated. The writing is excellent and very cinematic. The greatest strengths are the plot and place. “The Girl on the Train” is a classic whodunit without a detective as protagonist.
This novel is captivating and an excellent read
