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deschatjes's review against another edition
4.0
She gets life in the 1970's down to a T. The cringeworthy sexism, casual misogyny, accepted norms of the pecking order of women in the workplace, and the women who try to fight back. And that's just the context.
On that you have a fairly gripping crime being committed and the police response.
On that you have a fairly gripping crime being committed and the police response.
book7worm's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 The back story to The Prime Suspect stories. I enjoyed the book but felt it had too much padding and could have done with a good edit and 100 pages less.
beccajbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoy Lynda La Plante books and her Anna Travis books are some of my favourites of all time. But this one just felt a bit too long and a bit too flat to me.
It is the backstory for Jane Tennison, La Plante's celebrated female detective from her novel Prime Suspect and the resulting TV show with Helen Mirren. The book examines Tennison's origins on the force, how she becomes a probationary officer and is thrust into the deep end with a murder case within weeks of starting.
I liked getting to know Jane a bit better, and seeing the things she had to deal with as a female police officer in the 70's. I liked how it explored those themes we know were around at the time - racism, sexism, police brutality etc Perhaps it overplayed these a little too much, there was a lot of derogatory talk about black suspects which felt a little over the top, like she was pushing the point that they were racist back then.
The writing was excellent as usual, I get on well with La Plante's style and flow. She has obviously done a lot of research into the police and their procedures. No detail is left out here, which I think makes it feel even longer than it is. I listened to the audio and it was over 17 hours long! It's a long time to fill, and La Plante fills it with not one but two major cases, as well as Tennison's story.
I am glad I read it. I wanted to go back and see where it all began, but I think it could have been shorter, and less detail heavy. I'd recommend for fans of La Plante already, those interested in police procedurals - but if you're looking for a quick read, this is not for you!
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
It is the backstory for Jane Tennison, La Plante's celebrated female detective from her novel Prime Suspect and the resulting TV show with Helen Mirren. The book examines Tennison's origins on the force, how she becomes a probationary officer and is thrust into the deep end with a murder case within weeks of starting.
I liked getting to know Jane a bit better, and seeing the things she had to deal with as a female police officer in the 70's. I liked how it explored those themes we know were around at the time - racism, sexism, police brutality etc Perhaps it overplayed these a little too much, there was a lot of derogatory talk about black suspects which felt a little over the top, like she was pushing the point that they were racist back then.
The writing was excellent as usual, I get on well with La Plante's style and flow. She has obviously done a lot of research into the police and their procedures. No detail is left out here, which I think makes it feel even longer than it is. I listened to the audio and it was over 17 hours long! It's a long time to fill, and La Plante fills it with not one but two major cases, as well as Tennison's story.
I am glad I read it. I wanted to go back and see where it all began, but I think it could have been shorter, and less detail heavy. I'd recommend for fans of La Plante already, those interested in police procedurals - but if you're looking for a quick read, this is not for you!
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
ljm57's review against another edition
3.0
LaPlante dedicates this book to Helen Mirren who brilliantly played the ballsy Jane Tennison in the TV series, Prime Suspect. The story follows the start of Tennison’s career in 1973 where she is posted as a probationary constable in the rough East End of London. Quite a good police procedural & interesting to compare the naive & wet behind the ears young woman with the flawed & tough as nails character (who I much prefer) in the grittier Prime Suspect.
monkeyboystiff's review against another edition
2.0
Not a very good book, both in terms of plot and writing style.
Tons of "telling not showing", Jane's mum describing how she passed her driving test was like something out of Acorn Antiques. All characters spoke in pretty much one voice, and the main Dad villain was laughably evil, being horrible to his wife for no reason except to demonstrate to us he was a baddie.
The main plot was quite dull, and the sense of period was completely absent. It could have been set in any time, bar the sexism.
The love interest was poorly described and had no clear character - his manner changed as the scene demanded it. And then when he was killed, the book takes pains to describe how Jane wouldn't let herself be vulnerable again - as if going "aah, do you see? This is why she's taciturn in the first books".
I wouldn't be reading any more La Plante based on this.
Tons of "telling not showing", Jane's mum describing how she passed her driving test was like something out of Acorn Antiques. All characters spoke in pretty much one voice, and the main Dad villain was laughably evil, being horrible to his wife for no reason except to demonstrate to us he was a baddie.
The main plot was quite dull, and the sense of period was completely absent. It could have been set in any time, bar the sexism.
The love interest was poorly described and had no clear character - his manner changed as the scene demanded it. And then when he was killed, the book takes pains to describe how Jane wouldn't let herself be vulnerable again - as if going "aah, do you see? This is why she's taciturn in the first books".
I wouldn't be reading any more La Plante based on this.
gabizago's review against another edition
5.0
If you like detective stories, you’re gonna love this! Jane Tennison is a probationer officer aspiring to become a detective at a police station in London in an area of high criminality. She slowly gets involved in bigger cases - and the book focuses on two of them: a murder associated with drugs, and a bank robbery. You also get to know more about this unique character, a single lady that still lives with her parents in the 1970s, but slowly realizes she needs to move on to get on with her life. The story is involving, and full of surprises - in the beginning, middle, and even in the end - so it will get you hooked from page 1. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and follow the character in her next set of adventures! This is actually a prequel, so there's plenty of other books to read (and more to follow).
jf8's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
knitswithbeer's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent. I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this series.
kimsleurs's review against another edition
2.0
Sadly, this book was a disappointment. I love Lynda La Plante's books, am a huge fan of the Cold shoulder/Cold heart/Cold blood series and thoroughly enjoyed Bella Maffia. This book, however...
The idea of a young Jane Tennison, just getting started, very much appealed to me. Unfortunately, La Plante seems to think she needs to explain a lot of the terminology that was 'en vogue' in the MET in the seventies, so the book is interspersed with lines like: '...plonks. Jane was told this was a derogatory term used for WPCs'. Generally, even when these specific terms are used, it is pretty clear from the context what they mean. And if I don't know what they mean and really, really want to know, I Google them. Seriously, it is condescending and doesn't help the story.
Talking of 'story', I just couldn't get myself interested in the 'crime part' of the book at all. I didn't care about the characters, didn't love them, didn't hate them, just generally wasn't interested.
I honestly hope that these were teething problems of an accomplished writer trying to get a grip on this prequel thing, and that the next books will be beter. I might try one more book, just in case...
The idea of a young Jane Tennison, just getting started, very much appealed to me. Unfortunately, La Plante seems to think she needs to explain a lot of the terminology that was 'en vogue' in the MET in the seventies, so the book is interspersed with lines like: '...plonks. Jane was told this was a derogatory term used for WPCs'. Generally, even when these specific terms are used, it is pretty clear from the context what they mean. And if I don't know what they mean and really, really want to know, I Google them. Seriously, it is condescending and doesn't help the story.
Talking of 'story', I just couldn't get myself interested in the 'crime part' of the book at all. I didn't care about the characters, didn't love them, didn't hate them, just generally wasn't interested.
I honestly hope that these were teething problems of an accomplished writer trying to get a grip on this prequel thing, and that the next books will be beter. I might try one more book, just in case...