Hurting Distance

Hurting Distance by Sophie Hannah is a perfect example of a book that has a very annoying main character yet I was absolutely spellbound by the story. Naomi Jenkins was, on the surface, a total nut case, overly obsessed with her married lover and ready to deliver the most outrageous lies in her desperate need to be with him. But as the story develops and Naomi’s biggest secret is revealed the reader comes to realize this is a seriously twisted, creepy thriller that is both disturbing and gripping.

The second of her Spilling Detective series, this psychological suspense story certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. The author expertly weaves her twists and turns around each character, until all the lies, and coincidences have affected show more everyone. “Circles within circles, that is what it is”, one character correctly muses. The author is able to develop a real sense of menace as the plots builds momentum and the secrets of both victims and perpetrators are revealed.

Hurting Distance is a stylish, original story dealing with obsessive love, the aftermath of rape, and ultimate betrayal. Excellently crafted, this book kept me riveted to it’s pages, but I offer a slight warning, this is a very dark tale and certainly isn’t for everyone. show less

I wish there were more stars availabe as this book has left me chilled. I was captivated! I read the second half of the book alone last night and I wish I hadn't; my heart was racing. Although there are a few bits I'd like to discuss with someone to clear up; this has got to be the best thriller I've read this year and possibly one of my top ten books of the year.

I've not read `Little Face' therefore I have no preconceptions of this writer's style. If it's as good as this I'll wait until I have company thank you very much! I did partially struggle with the how Sophie Hannah had Naomi addressing Robert as `you' as this made the reading somewhat challenging. However, when the plot runs away from about Chapter 9, I was able to switch off show more from this.

We are introduced to quite a few characters over the space of the novel but the main one is Naomi Jenkins. Having suffered a traumatic experience (and I mean traumatic, it is quite horrific) three years ago, she hasn't really got over it in my opinion. Having never told anyone she decides to describe it in detail when her married lover, Robert Haworth goes missing. She figures that by saying Robert committed the crime in question against her the police will take her concerns seriously, as opposed to presenting herself as a jealous mistress.

I've not carried out any research into this book so I don't know how Sophie Hannah has been able to write with such clarity but my goodness it is disturbing and gripping. You will like Naomi one minute and despise her next; then there comes along her flat mate, the detective and other characters. Be prepared for one huge rollercoaster. Cancel your plans and turn on the fire; this is a read you need to be ready for. show less

This novel was a disturbing read, not one to read when you are alone in the house. Though I initially found Naomi quite irritating, as the story unfolded, some of the more bizarre quirks in her personality were explained. It is difficult to review this thriller without revealing too much of the plot, so I'll just say that I was truly caught off guard by the big twist in the plot, and was riveted once I sank into the story. Hannah has a true gift for the unexpected and this books did not disappoint. A great read if rather disturbing in its depiction of violence again women.

I can’t resist a bargain. $10 for a paperback is a bargain to me, so I bought this copy after reading the glowing reviews for Sophie Hannah on Novel Insights. At the demise of my local Borders store, I picked up another Hannah book (why were there so many left?), thinking that if I didn’t enjoy this book, I’d give the other to my mother. No chance, I really enjoyed Hurting Distance and plan to read the entire series.

Don’t stop reading at the mention of the word ‘series’. These books can easily be read alone and out of sequence (like the Brock and Kolla mysteries by Barry Maitland). Although they feature the same detectives (Charlie –female- and Simon) who seem to have some on-again, off-again relationship, their show more relationship is only a minor part of the backstory. The focus is on the crime, and what I’ve found unique in regards to this book (and it seems, the other books in the series from a quick flick) is that they offer both the police view and the view of the victim.

Hurting Distance opens with the victim, Naomi Jenkins, reporting the disappearance of her lover Robert. As Robert’s married and only meets Naomi once a week, the police aren’t terribly interested. Naomi then tries desperately for them to recognise his disappearance by reporting a rape. Only it wasn’t Robert who raped her…or was it? The story then unfolds using alternate chapters to tell Naomi’s side of the story versus that of the police. Naomi’s not an easily likeable character and it takes the reader a while to work out what is going on in her head, but Charlie and Simon are instantly likeable.

Hannah uses both language that is lyrical and other devices (such as emails, police statements) to tell the story. In that way, she reminds me of Minette Walters but the story is original and doesn’t get bogged down the way some police procedurals do. Sure, the action does reach a crescendo as the pieces of the crime fall into place, but Hannah uses innovative details (such as Naomi being a sundial maker who once sold a font to Adobe) to make this original and very, very good.
Highly recommended! These books are also available as ebooks which I’ll probably make use of in the future.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com show less

This is an excellent novel: well plotted, engaging, disturbing and convincing.

The ‘secret’ mentioned in the blurb is revealed in the email printed before the start of the first chapter and is key to the novel, but not in the way you would expect. Naomi Jenkins was raped three years ago but has decided that she is a survivor; she has told no one of her ordeal and has found herself a lover, albeit a married man. The email suggests a very individual response to feelings and situations, which is bourne out as soon as the reader hears her voice. Naomi’s first person narrative, which is interspersed throughout the dominant third person narrative, is addressed to a ‘you’, her missing lover, and engages the reader immediately as she show more seeks to explain why she has broken the only promise she ever made him. Initially an unsympathetic character – obsessive, devious, imperious – she gradually evolves into a heroine of sorts as the novel develops and she responds more personally to her past.

Detective Charlie Zailer initially dismisses Naomi’s worries as unfounded and ridiculous, thinking she is just another woman who can’t accept that her lover has returned to his wife. In fact, Charlie goes on holiday, a fact which may seem irrelevant but, in this tightly plotted novel, becomes anything but. This leads to Naomi’s daring act: she confesses her truth, twisted into a lie, and forces the police to investigate this ‘disappearance’ fully. Their subsequent initial discovery creates more questions which neither Naomi nor her lover’s wife seems willing to answer. All three women endure emotional difficulties, although they often seem firmly in control of what they choose to reveal to others. This creates a more engaging plot as the reader tries to identify with their feelings and actions.

The baddies are also carefully developed. Although not initially obvious, their earlier actions and dialogue allow the reader to think ‘of course’ when their role is revealed. The casual attitude some of them take towards their action is terrifying, far more so than if they reveled in their own evil; they do not seem to recognize their actions as wrong and respond to mundane points in typically mundane ways: here is evil made appallingly human. Ultimately the novel is not about what has been done to Naomi, but what is being done to her and the lengths that one person can stretch to hurt another.

Revelations are gradual and always believable, supported by relevant dialogue which fleshes out the characters and relevant history. Even the seemingly obligatory (for this genre) showdown in which the criminal confesses his motives to the potential final victim is largely believable. Twists continue until the final few pages, making this compelling reading. Even those twists which you can predict are thoughtfully unfolded, revealing more than anticipated in their execution. Chapters typically end, James Patterson style, on a dramatic cliffhanger that you need resolved.

Dialogue forms a large part of the novel and flows neatly, perhaps due to the author’s practice in poetry. This contrasts sharply to the chapters narrated by Naomi, where her thoughts often seem clipped by contrast, consisting of largely simple sentences beginning with ‘I’. This helps to create a distinct voice for the character but also slows the pace slightly.

A surprising but very enjoyable element of the novel was the occasional flashes of comedy. Proust, in particular, seems to be the focus of much humour as he over-reacts to situations, although his character is far from one-dimensional. The humour never detracts from the seriousness of the situations, but does provide a welcome respite from the often emotionally draining atmosphere.

Overall, this is a compelling read in which the author rarely hits a wrong note. As soon as I had finished I reread key sections of the narrative to fully appreciate the skilful storytelling. Be prepared to set aside a large chunk of your day to read it in one sitting! show less

The second of ten in the Waterhouse-Zailer mystery series finds Detective Sergeant Charlie still smarting from her rejection by Detective Constable Simon, her still-a-cypher-about-women co worker. The primary PoV is that of rape victim Naomi Jenkins, a sundial maker (!) whose lover disappears unexpectedly. I saw the critical connections in a brief flash of prose but the entire winding plot, filled with coincidences that seemed remarkable rather than created, is excellent. The characters, especially the rude and despised Superintendent Proust, fill the novel with humor and with the travails of everyday life for those who encounter some of the most venal and the stupidest people in Brit crime fiction.

Naomi Jenkins is having an affair with a married man and harboring a dark secret she has not shared with anyone, including her moody lover, Robert. But, when Robert inexplicably disappears, Naomi begins to feel a bit desperate. Her desperation escalates when she goes to Robert’s home and peers through one of the windows – something she sees causes her to have a full blown panic attack, and then Robert’s bitter wife Juliet confronts her. Fearing the worst and certain the police are doing nothing to find Robert, Naomi decides to reveal her secret but hide it within a lie – she tells the police that Robert is a sick psychopath who raped her. What Naomi doesn’t know is that Robert also is hiding something – and the truth is show more darker and more frightening then anyone could imagine.

Sophie Hannah’s novel is a twisty, dark, psychological thriller that kept me reading long into the night. Naomi Jenkins is a damaged, obsessed woman. Naomi’s path crosses that of Police Sargent Charlie Zailer, a woman whose bad luck with men has made her cynical about relationships and the two of them begin to unravel the truth as the novel moves forward. Nothing about this story is predictable – even when I thought I knew where the plot was going, it would suddenly take a sharp turn and go somewhere else. Hannah gives her readers just enough information to make them think they understand the characters, and then takes them in another direction. The effect is unsettling.

If the book has a weakness it is the voice of the male characters who come off a bit stunted and stereotypical. I did not particularly like any of them. Luckily, it is Naomi and Charlie who carry the novel, and it is their female perspectives which give the story its strength.

This was my first Sophie Hannah book and it has made me curious about her previous work. Her writing is shocking and suspenseful. She dares to go to the darkest corners of the human psyche and explore the unthinkable. Many readers may be put off by the graphic nature of The Truth-Teller’s Lie, but mystery and thriller buffs will find it hard to put down.

Recommended for readers who like their thrillers dark, scary and unpredictable. show less