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Books Related to Still Waters Nigel McCrery - ISBN: 1847240747
Still Waters - Nigel McCrery - Rated
This is a skilful thriller combining police procedural with the thoughts/actions of a serial killer in alternating chapters.
McCrery has had successful TV series and this work could easily be adapted and in some ways is more suited to TV.
There is a great deal of small detail included but the characters lacked depth. "Violet Chambers", I appreciate, could never be deeply drawn for we are not meant to know her as she assumes various identities. The reader gets to know her through her actions and thought processes which are evil and scary. DCI Lapslie's condition of synaesthaesia is interesting but seems to get in the way of his character development.
Pace of the plot is good - and the plot itself is a strong one.
There are parts which are expertly conveyed - in particular the first chapter, the deadly tea party and the descriptions of the Essex towns.
However, overall I felt this would be more suited to the screen which would allow greater connection with the characters and convey the conspiracy sub-theme running alongside the murder investigation.
Fabulous thriller - Rated
A female poisoner a detective being returned from sick leave - `Still Waters' is brilliantly written. Whilst I don't enjoy `Silent Witness' preferring `New Tricks', I do think he is a great writer; this novel goes to prove that. Although the detective has synaesthesia which is a neurological condition resulting in emotions emitting smells; for me this wasn't the selling (or major) point for the novel.
The lead female character is fascinating. I was hooked early on. In parts the stereotype section of your brain will kick and you'll picture her as a man; suddenly becoming confronted by the atrocity of her crimes; realising that it's a woman which somehow makes it all worse.
You never really get to know Violet, which will all become clear when you read it. It's difficult to form an attachment to any of the characters actually; usually this isn't a good thing but it works in this novel. The length is just right; if it had been any longer it would simply have been spinning out something; like a lot of novels do. Instead the ending is tidied up (but in a good way) and you feel a sense of satisfaction and completion on reaching the last sentence.
I read this over two nights and I simply didn't want to put it down. There are undoubtedly better crime novels if you want to find your heart racing and pulse galloping. However, this plot is subtle and very realistic. It becomes quite surreal at just over the half way point but then you realise how it easy it was for Valerie to get into the situation she does. This may sound odd and badly reviewed but it is difficult to pinpoint when exactly I'm talking about without giving plot details away.
Get yourself a copy of this book, it is worth while to spend a couple of nights reading a quality, well written novel.
