Kathryn Fox (1) (1966–)

I am re-reading this novel for discussion with my U3A Crime Fiction reading group. I think I originally read the novel soon after publication. Kathryn Fox was at that time a new voice on the Australian noir landscape. In Fact she was largely pioneering this style of crime fiction in Australia. Most of this style of fiction came from British and American authors. (Barbara Seranella, Deborah Crombie, Marcia Muller, Heather Graham, Stephen Booth, Laura Lippmann, Val McDermid, Patricia Cornwell, James Patterson, Jeffrey Deaver - to name a few)

I would like my group to understand in what ways Kathryn Fox is a pioneer.

I feel that with this novel Kathryn Fox had a lot that she wanted to say (as if she was speaking from her experience and her observations). There were topics such as domestic violence that were comfortable reading about (and still aren't). This novel is very different from an Agatha Christie cozy.

We learn that domestic violence is not just physical violence.

Among the other topics that this novel touched on were the cultural differences shown in the various cases, the difficulties of being a single mother (who got custody and why), the importance of forensic evidence being documented and followed up from crime to crime, the importance of appropriate forensic funding, and of there being a place where records are centralised and indexed. She is also telling us that solving crimes is not just a matter of intuition but of training and experience.

Fox is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners with a special interest in forensic medicine. After 12 years, she ceased medical practice to concentrate on writing.

In 2005 her achievement with MALICIOUS INTENT was recognised by being shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Writing — Best First Novel and she was the 2005 winner of the Davitt Award for Crime Writing — Best Adult Novel… (mehr)

This book is a good first suspense novel for the author. It appears to be very well researched in forensic details without giving so much information as to cause the reader to skip over just to get back to the story. I had the “murderer” figured out fairly early on and wish their had been a few more believable red herrings thrown in to add intrigue and interest. The one who was presented was so obviously not the serial killer that I felt that Anya was a bit less intelligent for even suspecting him.

It did wrap up a bit too neatly at the end although there was one small twist that I didn’t expect.

I will look for the next.… (mehr)