Title: The Suspect
Author: Fiona Barton
First published January 22, 2019
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 3.84
Overview
The Poker Chip is a thrilling western tale with a dash of romance. Vance Brennan falls in love with the beautiful Lexie Moody, but she chooses to marry a scoundrel named Jeff Warren.
When Warren bets his wife on a game of poker and loses, Brennan comes to her rescue, only to find himself on the run from a vengeful Mexican. With danger lurking at every turn, Brennan must fight to save Lexie’s life and win her heart.
But even with his unwavering love, Lexie finds herself facing a deadly threat from her former husband. Will she be able to save herself and start a new life with Brennan, or will her past catch up with her?
Find out in this gripping western novel by R. O.
Lane.
About the Author
Throughout my career, I’ve had some unexpected experiences. I’ve worked as a senior writer at the Daily Mail, news editor at the Daily Telegraph, and chief reporter at The Mail on Sunday.
During my time at The Mail on Sunday, I won Reporter of the Year at the National Press Awards. However, I eventually gave up my job to volunteer in Sri Lanka.
Since 2008, I’ve been training and working with exiled and threatened journalists all over the world.
But despite my various roles, a particular story had been brewing in my mind for some time. As a national newspaper journalist, I covered many notorious crimes and trials.
In doing so, I often found myself wondering what the wives of the accused really knew, or allowed themselves to know. It wasn’t until I left journalism that I was able to turn this fascination into a novel.
The Widow tells the tale of a missing child, narrated by the wife of the man suspected of the crime, the detective leading the hunt, the journalist covering the case, and the mother of the victim.
I’m thrilled to say that The Widow is now available in the UK, and will be released around the world in the coming months. However, my characters’ sudden silence feels like a rebuke, and I’m currently hard at work on my second book.
These days, my husband and I are enjoying a lovely life in south-west France. I like to write in bed early in the morning, when the only sound is our cockerel, Sparky, crowing.
Editoral Review
The Suspect by Fiona Barton is a thrilling crime novel which was first published on January 22, 2019. Barton is a renowned British novelist who has won accolades for her previous works like The Widow and The Child.
The Suspect falls into the crime genre and follows investigative reporter Kate Waters who is trying to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of two teenage girls.
The plot of the book is centered around two British teenage girls, Alex and Rosie, who vanish while on a trip to Thailand.
Kate Waters, the investigative journalist who is known for her work in missing persons cases, is assigned to cover the story. As she digs deeper, she uncovers several layers of a web of lies, deceit and dubious characters.
With the help of police detective Bob Sparkes, Kate travels to Thailand to probe further, which unleashes unforeseen consequences. The Suspect is a well-written novel that is both gripping and suspenseful.
Barton has done an excellent job of engaging the reader with her writing style and storytelling. The characters are well-developed and are relatable, especially as they struggle to deal with their grief and pain.
The pacing of the book is perfect, as the author effortlessly blends the taut mystery with a nuanced exploration of the characters psychology, thus making the book much more than just a thriller. Barton has also tackled some pertinent social and cultural issues that are relevant today.
The book delves into sex tourism, victim blaming, and the power of social media in influencing the outcome of crimes. All these themes are tackled deftly with empathy, nuance and without sounding preachy.
While the book has several strengths, it is not without its flaws. One of them is that at times the plot could be predictable, and some of the characters could have been fleshed out more.
However, these are minor concerns that do not take away from the overall quality of the book. In conclusion, The Suspect is an engrossing novel that deserves its place among the best crime fiction books released in recent years.
The storytelling, well-drawn characters and exploration of pertinent social issues make it stand out from the crowd. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy crime and thriller novels.
Anyone who has read and enjoyed the works of Gillian Flynn, Tana French, and Paula Hawkins will find The Suspect to be a satisfying read. I give the book an 8 out of 10 for its excellent storytelling, writing, pacing, and exploration of timely themes.
