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The Breaker by Minette Walters
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Minette Walters has won awards and acclaim since her very first crime novel was published.
The Breaker by Minette Walters is available. Click for more info or to buy it now.
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Related Links at MysteryNet.com
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The Breaker by Minette Walters
Features
Mass Market Paperback:
362 pages
; Dimensions (in inches): 1.23 x 6.88 x 4.29
Publisher: Jove Pubns; Reissue edition (August 1, 2000)
ISBN:
0515128821
Amazon.com
The nude body of a 31-year-old woman washes up in a secluded cove on the Dorset coast; at the same time, her 3-year-old daughter is found wandering alone in the streets of a nearby town. The woman, Kate Sumner, was raped and choked before being thrown into the water, and traces of Rohypnol, the so-called date-rape drug, are found in her bloodstream. There are just three suspects in the crime: Kate's husband, William Sumner, a tortured and sexually frustrated man; a handsome, charming but also very disturbed young actor named Steven Harding; and Tony Bridges, a teacher whose friendship with Harding is complicated by jealousy and anger. Out of these basic ingredients, Minette Walters--the reigning alchemist of the British psychological thriller--has spun another complicated story of passion and repression. In the introduction to the reviewer's edition, Walters says: "Each character is portrayed in depth, and the solution lies in understanding what goes on inside their heads." This is true, up to a point. But what Walters doesn't mention is the sly, slow, and occasionally devious way she doles out the information needed to reach that understanding. You have to weigh the evidence of tidal charts and forensic tests. You must also decide whether the little lies of the characters add up to a big guilt. It's a plausible ending, but you may feel a bit manipulated. Other examples of Walters's alchemy: The Dark Room, The Echo, The Ice House, Hardcover edition.
Reader Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
She's a wonderful writer; the mystery is fair., July 1, 2002
Reviewer:
A reader
from San Francisco, CA United States
I agree with most of the previous reviewers that the mystery wasn't too difficult to figure out. I think the present book, "The Breaker," is a wonderful read if you like good writing, but the mystery is a bit stilted. However, I think Minette Walters is a gifted writer. Her characters (both major and minor) jump off the page and the dialogue is believable. In all of her books, she's great at developing her characters. I particularly like the fact that all of them are flawed, even the protagonists. What's really good: She has no reoccurring characters through her books. They're all new and different - a new cast of characters to discover and enjoy.
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