Book Review: The Suspect by Fiona Barton

Content Warning: Drug Use; Date Rape Drug used; Drugged; Death; Sexual Assualt Referenced; Murder; Corrupt Police; Cancer; Romantic Partner dying; Accidental Death; death by vomiting;

Of course, we ended up here.

‘The police belonged to another world – the world they saw on the television or in the papers. Not theirs.’

When two 18-year-old girls go missing on their gap year in Thailand, their families are thrust into the international spotlight: desperate, bereft and frantic with worry.

Journalist Kate Waters always does everything she can to be first to the story, first with the exclusive, first to discover the truth – and this time is no exception. But she can’t help but think of her own son, who she hasn’t seen in two years, since he left home to go travelling. This time it’s personal.

And as the case of the missing girls unfolds, they will all find that even this far away, danger can lie closer to home than you might think ...

This is the third and maybe the last Kate Waters novel, I haven't found confirmation of this, but this feels like the last of Kate Waters. Like the old girl is gonna been left to paster after this one. Also, the way things are referenced in this novel feel like a wrap-up. I have reviewed the first two novels, The Widow and the Child.

Kate Water's personal life was obviously set up from the last book for this one. Her son goes to Thailand and is still there all the years later. So of course, he ends up being involved.

Waters is pretty unlikeable in this one. The other ones she always seemed alright; a Journalist who had good intentions. I should have felt sympathy but it just didn't click in this book. Maybe it's all the complaining about the death of Journalism. Yeah, Journalism has taken a hit with the death of print, but there is Journalism still and in 2020 more people are aware of Clickbait. I don't know if it also I'm just sick of so-called Journalists who have failed to report on cases. Yeah, the internet is a trash fire of miscommunication and propaganda but so are newspapers. Speaking of.

This book takes place during the Scottish Refurdem, random and odd considering August was meant to be a slow time for news. I guess maybe in England but I remember a lot of lying going on then. Maybe it's somehow set in the future. The Scottish Referendum was five years ago and it honestly feels like more. Also at one point, a journalist refers to the case as "The Backpacker murders", which is odd as that refers to real murders that happened in Australia during the early 90s. He seems old enough to know that. Fiona Barton should know that.

The ending of this book acts like its a big dark reveal when its nothing. It's just okay. It is what is.

This book is in several points of view, and we have voices to match in the audiobook; read by Siân Thomas, Mark Meadows, Clare Corbett and Ria Zmitrowicz; this works well especially with my lack of affection for Waters this time. We have the police officer from the first book back to investigate and one of the girls who goes missing in Thailand. Works great as a method of getting the story across.

Overall, I gave this 3/5 stars for Big Mama. I don't think this was a series that benefited from me reading them all back to back. The first two books felt pretty self-contained, while this one felt like it needs the other books more. I don't if this is definitely the end of Kate Waters, but is probably the end of me reading about her.

Released: 24/1/2019/1 March 2019
Read 20/1/2020, Reviewed 26/1/2020
Source: Library

Book Review: The Child by Fiona Barton

Book CW: Child abduction; Death of a Baby; Rape, Rape drugged; sexual assault; child abuse; paedophilia (a young teenager); sexual crime ring; consent issues; child grooming; grooming; mental illness from trauma; parental negotiate. 

People are the worst.

When a paragraph in an evening newspaper reveals a decades-old tragedy, most readers barely give it a glance. But for three strangers it’s impossible to ignore.

For one woman, it’s a reminder of the worst thing that ever happened to her.

For another, it reveals the dangerous possibility that her darkest secret is about to be discovered.

And for the third, a journalist, it’s the first clue in a hunt to uncover the truth.

The Child’s story will be told.

This is the second book by Fiona Barton and the second following old school reporter Kate Waters, now on to another case. I did review the first one. This time the body of a baby is found. This book deals with just as heavy subjects as the last book (hence the content warnings). I think pretty well, revalent to real-world events so not a great book for escapism.

Because we've given three POV almost from the start, you know there's a reason why we're hearing these two women. Obviously, Kate Waters is a reporter and slowly come across the other two and their connection to the baby. Once again, I wouldn't call this a thriller, because it's mostly characters reflecting back and there's no urgency to what is going on, besides the slow death of Journalism. Kate is the only one whose present day is the big factor of this story. This for people who like fictional crime cases and exploration of characters dealing with consequences far after the fact.

This deals with lots of characters including ones who are very unlikable. I don't think I really connected to these characters as people, which is not an issue for me. Maybe if I had that would have added stars.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, as read by Finty Williams, Steven Pacey, Adjoa Andoh, Clare Corbett and Fenella Woolgar. This book had a bigger cast with three main voice actors, Clare Corbett is back the Kate Waters character I think. The cast was good, and distinct from each other.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Journalist Ethics. Once again a well-crafted novel; I am planning on listening to the next book in the series, I'm curious about how that will go with it being set in another country from these ones.

Finished reading 5th January 2020, Reviewed 8th January 2020.

Book Review: The Widow by Fiona Barton

Book CW: Child Abuse, paedophilia, computer grooming, murder, child murder, infertility, unhealthy relationships, minor domestic abuse (isolating, being in control of life decision, gaslighting), mentally unstable characters, questionable consent porn, sexual crime ring;

This is a case where you shouldn't stand by your man.

When the police started asking questions, Jean Taylor turned into a different woman. One who enabled her and her husband to carry on, when more bad things began to happen …

But that woman’s husband died last week. And Jean doesn’t have to be her anymore.

There’s a lot Jean hasn’t said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with the accusing glares and the anonymous harassment.

Now there’s no reason to stay quiet. There are people who want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them that there were secrets. There always are in a marriage.

The truth - that’s all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything …

This is a book dealing with crime and investigation. I wouldn't call it a thriller as I think it's too slow pace and there's no big surprise at the end. Yes, there is that climax at the end but no real tension building up to that. I often do read books where I figured out the ending page one, so I don't mind that, but this could be a bit misleading as this is sold as a thriller. I get why the publisher has done so but it's more like a slow exploration through the past of the characters, rather active present as its told.

This is told in multiple points of view: the Widow, the Reporter and the Officer. All talking about their connection to a murder case. The widow, Jean is the wife of a man accused of killing a child and going through their relationship. Kate the reporter is the one who this series turns out to be, as she does her own investigating. She basically what reporters should be like and her best pal the officer who gives her inside information. All the characters are on the older side and near to the end of their careers which is an interesting insight as Journalism and Police investigation have both changed a lot in the past 30 years. Fiona Barton is a retired Journalist which probably why Kate became the stand out character.

Jean is both a sympathetic character and sometimes dislikable. She has let a man dominant her life, which is sort of understandable for her generation, but it also goes to the extreme lengths in the divorce age. The author talks about in an interview included with this book, that she wanted to explore the wives of these men accused/who have done terrible crimes. I believe this woman exists, but not sure if I like her, which is fine as you don't have to like a character for their story to be worth reading. I hesitate to say enjoy because of the terrible subject matter of this book.

I listen to this on audiobook. It's a well-done production, Clare Corbett does a good job of distincting each POV character. Also does announce whose who every time, I know some audiobooks don't. Listening to this book would be a good way to consume this book.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Locked Computers. This is a well-crafted novel, with characters slowing building up a case together and was an interesting idea. I think the idea is strong enough that other writers would do something completely different while both having good books come out of it. I would read a book with this same premise but more importantly more by Fiona Barton.

(Though, her having worked for the Daily Mail is off-putting). I now have reviewed the sequel.

Finished reading  29 December 2019.