Prime Suspect

Prime Suspect was a marvelous BBC production, which starred the amazing Helen Mirrin as Police detective Jane Tennyson, one of the first females to break into that peculiar boys club of non-uniformed police back in the day. We loved the series, making me eager to read the book which I supposed the show to have been adapted. That, however, was not meant to be.

The TV show (according to the bit by the autor at the beginning of this edition, or else the acknowledgments -- I don't have the book on front of me so can't check) sprang from a mention at a lunch with the author and some people in the industry. The book, while well written, is an adaptation of a screenplay. As it was an excellent screen play, the book, too, is good. It is very show more visual, lots of verbal dialogue though little inner introspection, and reads very much, not surprisingly, like a screen play. Very easy to visualize Mirrin speaking and portraying Tennyson. The part suits her.

Though the book was well written, I'll probably give books 2 and 3 a pass. Prime Suspect BBC rolls around occasionally on the Telly (the American version or any other newer ones have no interest for me) and I prefer, in this case, to view my Jane on the television screen, not the viewing screen in my brain.

Rounded up from 3.5 since I liked the screenplay so much. I do not, however, like this cover, which must be based on a later version of the series. show less

One of those books that was written as a successful tv series. I enjoyed Helen Mirren's performance of a high ranking police officer at a time when female officers were hardly tolerated and she had to struggle against the hostility of her male colleagues. These attitudes from the 1990s made the story a bit dated (although I'm sure they still exist to some extent today), but not a bad police procedural nevertheless.

I didn't like many (most) of the characters. I also didn't like the heavy-handed portrayal of sexism, but... perhaps way back in 1991 it was really as bad as all that. I think sexism in the workplace is much more subtle now - of course it still exists, but I think that nobody would explicitly state (to a woman, or to other male coworkers) some of the rude things some of the characters in this book said to or about the female lead.

Taking it as a product of its time, it was a decent procedural. I did watch the Prime Suspect series on TV back in the 90s (with Helen Mirren) and had fonder memories of the story from that show than I got from reading this book.

It was decent. It was a product of its time. it could be seen as dated. I might show more read more in the series, but... only if I were looking for a combo trip down memory lane plus quick straight-forward read. show less

I'm not sure because I can't find any info but this may a novelization of the original Prime Suspect movie. I remember like eons ago watching this on PBS and falling in love with Jane Tennison, who I thought was probably the most ballsy woman I'd ever encountered on screen or off. Now, having read the story, my opinion hasn't changed.

In case you've seen it and forgotten the story, it begins with an investigation into the death of a prostitute named Della Mornay. Sadly, the lead investigator dies of a heart attack as the investigation is proceeding, and Jane Tennison is on hand to take up the case. One of the first things she realizes is that the identification of the body was botched, and from there the case takes on an entirely show more different light. However, that's not the main thrust of the novel. Prime Suspect lets the reader into the backrooms of the police; in this case, into a good-old-boy, chumsy whumsy type situation where women aren't really tolerated, even if they're more than qualified, in fact, BECAUSE they're more than qualified. It also peeks into Tennison's personal life, which she basically sacrifices for her career. All in all, a well-done mystery and well worth the time it takes to read the book. show less

Loved the TV series and the novel is good too. Great police procedural and an examination of the early days of high ranking female officers. Tennison is deeply unsympathetic at times but you just can't help rooting for her.

I'm a huge crime fiction lover and I especially love those that are based on truth. So, when the chance arose to review books 1 and 2 in Ms. La Plante's Prime Suspect series, I jumped. What I found in these two books was gripping complexity that will leave the reader hungry for more!

In Prime Suspect, Jane Tennison's a woman doing a man's job. And those men...well, they aren't too pleased about it, so she has a lot to prove. All she wants is a chance to lead an investigation and prove that she's worthy of doing it the boys' way. She gets her break, when quite unexpectedly, the lead Chief Investigator dies of heart failure and she's thrown into the driver's seat of a murder investigation. Tennison digs around and digs deep, causing a lot show more of ruckus around the precinct. When the clues she finds lead to a new angle, the Prime Suspect is set for release.

I really enjoyed reading about Tennison's tense investigation and watching her prove herself to the boys. I felt myself transform to the middle of the story, as I saw the events unfold through her eyes. It really was a good ride as I followed her on the investigation, searching for the clues, and trying to find out just who the real victim was!

In A Face In Crowd, the tensions are once again rising and leaping to the heart of the story. Tennison is back in full swing and her investigating is once again complex. She's still on a bout to prove her self as the Chief Investigator to her male co-workers. They still don't feel she's up to the work, but when another killer is on the loose in the heart of London, it will be up to Tennison to, once again, prove that she can get the prime suspect before they escape.

The ride was once again a tense one, this time, filled with racism and hatred of the worst. Will Tennison be able to capture her suspect, and once again, close a case before her personal issues are laid before all of London?

These books were, to me, some of the best written pieces of work. Most of the crime novels I read are based here in the States, but reading these ones that are based in London, was awesome. I become a part of London, and each page brought with it a new piece to the puzzle, yet I couldn't quite grasp the who-dun-it until the very last pages. I definitely recommend these books with 4 Books and two thumbs up. Ms. La Plante is an author who's works are going on my wish list now!

This review originated at Reviews By Molly in part with a blog tour. show less

I read this one so I could re-watch the series on netflix. It is a good story but there were times it was choppy. I liked the mystery and Jane is kind of a love to hate her kind of DCI. She is so tough, sometimes too tough but she has to be to break into this old boys club.

The reveal was pretty good but like I said there were times it was choppy and maybe if it had started a new chapter instead of a new scene with barely a paragraph break I think I would have enjoyed it more, however still pretty good

3 Stars