Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Above Suspicion by Lynda La Plante
London copper Anna Travis, is the bright and eager young daughter of recently deceased Detective Chief Superintendent Travis. Anna is brought on board by Detective Chief Inspector Langton, whose murder team has been completely outfoxed by a serial killer with a trail of six murdered prostitutes dating back 12 years. Anna joins the team just as they identify the corpse of a younger victim with no history of prostitution, a casualty that Langton takes as a sign of the killer's escalating blood lust. Further investigation reveals handsome up-and-coming film actor Alan Daniels as a potential suspect, and Anna and Langton widen their inquiry to include Daniels's past movie locations in the U.S., following a trail of victims to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. Suspense builds and circumstantial evidence continues to pile up, but absolute proof eludes Anna and Langton as the sociopathic suspect attempts to turn his seductive powers on Anna.

I wouldn't say this was the best suspence thriller I've read especially since we know who the killer is in the first 1/3 of the book. Most of the book is dealing with Anna's insecurities and anxieties regarding her job and being put out there for the murder to confide to. I did wonder how they would get him to confess or find him responsible. It was done but kind of by luck versus good detective work. This author has written the Prime Suspect series which in my opinion are better done but this book was not a bad result. Just kind of trying.