Copycat Killings (Killing the Shadows - Val McDermid)

Member Name: TigerTiger

Product:	Killing the Shadows - Val McDermid
Date:	01/10/01 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Keeps you on the edge of your seat right until the very end, Good characterisation

Disadvantages: Little novelty factor really, most has been done and said before

Crime fiction is by far one of my favourite genres of fiction, I love the way crime authors build suspense, the way the novels twist and turn until you are not sure where they are heading and the finale which always keeps you on the edge of the seat. Indeed there are many crime and forensic novels on offer in the shop, some better than others. Val McDermid is by far one of the better crime authors, although relatively new to the scene. If you like authors such as Patricia Cornwall then I think you should read on with interest.

~~The author~~

Val McDermid grew up in Scotland and then studied English at Oxford University. After being a journalist for 16 years she gave it all up to become a writer and now does this full time in Manchester. Val has written 16 books in total to date. Including 6 in the Police Inspector Kate Brannigan range of which I have read a number, 5 Lindsay Gordan novels which are from the viewpoint of journalist, as well as a number of stand alone novels like this current book "killing the shadows". One of her most well known works to date is "The Mermaids Singing" which won the 1995 Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel of the year.

~~Killing the shadows 2000~~~

"Killing the shadows" was sitting on my shelf for an abnormally long time, it wasn't that I didn't want to read it, just that for some reason I could never get round to it. I'd read some rave reviews about it even in magazines so I was actually excited even at the prospect of reading it. I even took it on holiday intending to read it whilst laying there sunning myself. On day one I knocked over a bright blue slush puppy style drink and the book spent the rest of my holiday on the balcony drying out looking in a rather sorry blue state. Now in September, only about 10 months after buying the book I have just finished it and I can't believe it took me so long, more to the point I cannot believe I missed ou
t on such an excellent read for so long, yes "Killing the shadows" was a delight to read from start until finish.

"Killing the shadows" is a complex novel for sure, with many intertwining plots and sub plots. We meet the main character Professor Fiona Cameron, an academic psychologist who basically also aids the police in psychological profiling, using computer technology to track serial offenders on the main. Fiona we learn has many issues after her younger sister was raped and murdered whilst at university and this loss continues to haunt her throughout the novel. Indeed reaching some resolution (if ever possible) and learning to come to terms with this is a key theme in the book.

In addition though we meet Fiona when she is just reeling from a bad experience with the Met. She was called in to help with a murder case, however, the police failed to follow her advice and as a result the investigation went wrong and caused a great deal of embarrassment with no convictions made. Vowing never to work for them again she takes on a case overseas in Toledo. However, at the same time there is a killer on the loose much closer to home. He is a killer that is preying on the writers of crime novels who have turned psychological profilers into the "heroes of the nineties". He is taking scenes from the writers novels and turning them in to reality when he kills them. As if this wasn't bad enough Fiona Cameron just happens to live with Kit Martin, a famous crime writer who also just happens to be on the killers list. For Fiona Cameron it becomes a race against time to use all the psychological knowledge and expertise, as well as common sense to get the killer before he takes away someone else that she loves.

Obviously there is a lot going on in "killing the shadows" and nothing is straightforward. There are also many people involved in all the different investigations and so it took me quite a while to
work out who belonged where and what their role was. However, do not take this to be a criticism, far from it. Yes, the book could be complex, but it was intriguingly so and I found that I wanted to put the pieces together more and more.

The characterization of the book was also well done and I really did start to care for both Fiona and Kit. You see the devastation that the loss of her sister has already caused and you just don't want Fiona to lose Kit as well. I think they portray Fiona in a good light as well, in terms of someone who manages to balance a successful career with a steady relationship and home life. She is a strong independent woman who is a great role model for all women. There are also many other interesting characters that emerge in the book. There is Steve, a policeman on the failed met case desperately trying to salvage something from the mess and make an arrest, whilst simultaneously we see him battling with his feelings for Fiona, whilst being Kit's best friend. We also meet Caroline who happened to be the girlfriend of Fiona's dead sister. Even the characters who play a smaller role are interestingly written.

The book isn't just written in constant dialogue, it is split up in a set pattern, which broke it down and made it all really interesting. The killer left a coded journal of his actions (very convenient!) and this has been translated and every now and again we are given a section of this as a police evidence extract, so we can see what was going through the killers mind at the time. Also, just before he preys on his next crime writer we are given the chapter of their novel, which he is replicating and then in the next chapter we see the reality of how he executed it. It is all pieced together in such a way that you know what to expect format wise.

Any good crime novel needs to build up some suspense and towards the middle and end of this novel the pages just couldn?t get turned fast enough.
Yes, it was another very late night!! You started to realise what was going on and what they needed to do to stop it, also you saw them making some fatal errors and it all started becoming a race against time, but there was nothing you could do! The suspense and on the edge of your seat feeling all started to become too much.

Often with these books some people are put off them by the gore factor and so I think it is important to state what level this was, just in case it is important to people. This is no way near as bad as the likes of ?American Psycho? which turned my stomach?. However, there are some scenes which are unpleasant, after all he is killing people in the manner in which a crime writer wrote, which is likely to be quite sensational to get the right effect. However, I think I would give it a 6 or 7 out of 10 rating for gore, it wasn't too unbearable, but it is for an adult audience.

Overall this was a great read which had all the makings of a great crime novel, it had well portrayed characters, a believable plot, twists and turns, high suspense levels and enough information forensic wise to make it interesting and like the author did actually know what they were talking about. Val McDermid is definitely one to keep an eye on, especially for me as my interest in Patricia Cornwall starts to wane a little (as does the quality of her books). If this is your thing then definitely get hold of a copy. It is £6.99 in all good bookshops and on Amazon.co.uk.

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