Saturday 19 March 2011

Twisted Wing ~ Ruth Newman

Browsing round the library the other day, a seriously dangerous occupation which should definitely carry a health warning, I came across a book by an author I hadn't heard of before but which had a recommendation on the front by Sophie Hannah.

Scary, tantalisingly unpredictable and very, very hard to put down.

As Sophie Hannah is one of those few writers whose works I automatically read, I thought it was worth a risk and took Ruth Newman's first novel, Twisted Wing, home with me. It was a good move.

Set in the fictitious Ariel College, Cambridge, the story begins with what appears to be yet another in a series of killings. A third student, June Okewano, is found horrifically butchered in as many years. However, this time two other students are found with the victim. One, Nick Hardcastle, becomes the immediate suspect given that he is discovered attempting to replace June's intestines back inside her body. The other, Olivia Corscadden, is in what appears to be a catatonic state, unable to respond to anything.

Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Weathers calls in his old University friend, forensic psychiatrist, Matthew Denison to try and unlock the evidence that he feels sure must be in Olivia's mind if only she can be reached and helped to communicate. Over a period of weeks and eventually months, Matthew pieces together not only all that has happened since Olivia and Nick arrived at Cambridge, but much about Olivia's early life that will prove relevant to the investigation as well.

The reader is encouraged to fit the pieces in the puzzle together at the same time as the investigative team and consequently makes as many false moves as they do. In fact, I pinned the culprit very early on, but was repeatedly made to think that I had got it wrong and that I was doing that individual a disservice. At least my mistakes didn't directly lead to an innocent individual being accused of murder. Matthew Denison is not so lucky.

Newman is a real find. I was completely gripped by the story from the very first pages and thoroughly convinced by the characters she has created. The atmosphere of menace is deftly evoked and the eventual denouement both realistic and terrifying in its implications. I thought at first she was looking to build up a series, and would have been happy to go on developing a relationship with Weathers and Denison. However, given the metaphorical coup de grace delivered in the final pages I don't see how that would be possible. Nevertheless, I have her new book, The Company of Shadows, on reservation from the library and hope it will live up to its predecessor. If you like Sophie Hannah, or even more, I think, if you enjoy S J Bolton then it would be worth your giving this a try.


Annie


16 comments:

  1. What?!? Ariel College? Well, I'm glad you liked it, because now you *know* I have to read it.

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  2. SP, I hadn't thought about that. Of course you have to read it, it's your book!

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  3. Sophie Hannah sold me both Ruth Newman and Jane Casey last year. The latter I love, the former I'm less sure about. I loved the start of this one and admired the plotting but I thought the end went rather OTT. Her next book I was less taken by, but I think it might just have been the wrong moment.

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  4. I do like a good suspense novel if its well written with complex and convincing characters. This one sounds like all that and more. Thanks for the recommendation!

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  5. I hadn't heard of this one before, but it sounds like my kind of book. Thanks :)

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  6. Fleur, that's the second rather flaky review of 'The Company of Shadows' I've come across since I reserved it from the library. Oh well. I'll give it a go.

    Becca and Nikki-ann, as you will see, Fleur wasn't as sold on it as I was, but I think it is worth your trying out.

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  7. Hi Annie, totally different subject, although I enjoyed your review, but Oedipus is now on at the Nottingham Playhouse, same production, if that is nearer to you.

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  8. Thank you Leah. I can get there (or more to the point, get back) if there is a matinee on a day I'm free. I'm off to look now.

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  9. Hello Annie,

    This is not an author I have come across before, but certainly one I am going to be adding to my list. This book sounds like just my kind of read.

    Browsing the library or any establishment that has books on display, should come with a government health warning.

    So should blogging, or any other social networking medium, that has anything to do with literature or books. People highlight so many great new authors or books, that there is never going to be enough time to read even a small proportion of them. Deciding on a system of prioritising the reading order, is nigh on impossible and TBR piles get to extremely dangerous levels without you realising it!

    Thanks for the great recommendation LOL

    Yvonne

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  10. Yvonne, my library reservation list has grown to ridiculous proportions since I started blogging, which is stupid when you think about it because really I have less time to read as I am spending time writing than I had before. But life would be very dull if we never did stupid things, wouldn't it?

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  11. I've read two of SJ Bolton's novels (still have one to read and a new one to look forward to), so I am going to have to find a copy of this, which doesn't seem to be out here in the US. I've gotten back into the bad habit of ordering from The Book Depository again, so will look for this one again. May have to read Sophie Hannah as soon as I finish my current mystery read! I'm off to the library now as a matter of fact!

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  12. In many respects, Danielle, Newman is more conventional than Bolton, who I think is one of the more original voices out there at the moment. I have the new Bolton on reserve at the library and am anticipating that more than the second Newman, which I picked up yesterday. Nevertheless, give this a go and let me know what you think.

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  13. I read this a while back, and found it so-so. There were parts that impressed me - particularly the handling of multiple personality disorder. But I didn't like the way she had her students interact so aggressively all the time. Being surrounded by students it just didn't ring true to me - they tend to cling to one another and be mostly supportive. Their friendships are too important to be treated with contempt or indifference. But the plotting was good, I agree.

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  14. I wonder if having a majority of students who live at home alters this, Litlove? Over the past couple of years we have moved to a situation where many of our students are living with their families and they don't seem to make the same friendship groupings within the University as they did. However, that wouldn't be the case here. Although it would explain why I didn't find that so unbelievable.

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  15. Sophie Hannah and S J Bolton??? SOLD!!

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  16. BW, you can't get much better recommendation, can you? But, I'm told that Newman is one of those writers I was mentioning in my response to you earlier who hasn't made it through to the next novel. I do have her follow up on the shelves, so I suppose I should judge for myself, but I'm rather loathe to give it reading time at the moment.

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