|
[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
DIRTY LITTLE LIES is a debut thriller from a scientist – and thereby may lay some of its problems. Joe or Josephine Public probably doesn’t know much about forensic science, and so those of us without that knowledge have no idea how likely John Macken's central premise is. Reuben Maitland runs a progressive elite crime squad, where some cutting-edge new research looks like working miracles when it comes to tracking down the bad guys. But someone's got an in on the research, and it's being turned against the team – and Reuben's on the run and his colleagues are in danger. It's a rather baggy, sprawling tale, the kind where you get to the end, scratch your head and really aren't sure if you missed something significant en route. I mean, it makes sense. Sort of. If you don't probe too deeply. Macken assumes too much as well. Our leading man, Reuben, is a forensic wizard. I've always assumed a lot of forensics work is now done by civilians. That's never made clear here – periodically someone will refer to Reuben as police whereas it appears he isn't. But I don't understand, if he isn't, why he and two DCIs would be in the running to head a unit. The snag, as well, is that the characters aren't well-drawn enough to make you care. Reuben is on the Tony Hill lines – talented but screwed up. His police and forensic colleagues aren't terribly memorable either, although I did think the investigator Moray Carnock had strong possibilities. The second half of the book flags after Reuben gets the boot and has to track down the killer more or less on his own. Most annoyingly, Macken doesn't play fair with the reader, keeping back some vital information. And there's one glaringly obvious plot strand that the police and author seem to ignore at their convenience. Technically Macken has some work to do – tenses tend to jump around, and I can guarantee that you will spot one of the attacks coming a mile off (my neighbour must have wondered what I was yelling about!) For all its first book faults, DIRTY LITTLE LIES is an unusual debut, and Macken should be worth a second look next time out.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, February 2007
[ Top ]
QUICK SEARCH:
Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]
| 
