Genres
Description
The first in a new series featuring DCI John Luther takes us into his past and his mind. It is the story of the serial killer case that tore his personal and professional relationships apart and propelled him over the precipice beyond fury, beyond vengeance, all the way to the other side of the law.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2011-08-04
Physical description
336 p.; 6.12 inches
Publication
Touchstone (2012), Edition: 1st, 336 pages
Pages
336
ISBN
1451673094 / 9781451673098
Local notes
Prequel novel to the TV series, detailing the case that broke Luther's marriage and pushes his morals over the conventional edge at the beginning of the pilot.
Library's review
The ease with which Cross conjures the image and voice of John Luther is nothing short of awe-inspiring. I've read a lot of very high quality tie-in products to movies and TV shows where, as here, the creator is personally the author of the spin-off product as well. Usually, when they're done well,
With "The Calling", I never had to try. John Luther was voiced and played by Idris Elba for me when reading this, in every line, every move, every thought. To say this adds to the experience is an understatement ... but the book really doesn't need nor rely on this. The plotting is exciting -- albeit horrific in typical Luther fashion -- and impressingly able to shed lights on the backstory immediately preceding the first series of the TV show. Somehow, it does this without undermining the weight of its own narrative, and I'd be very surprised if people uninitiated to the TV series would not also find this crime thriller very enjoyable.
The writing is sparse and efficient, conveying more vivid behaviours and character insights in clipped, short phrases than most authors manage in a half-page of florid descriptions. A particular strength here is Cross' ability to have the reader learn not only about the character speaking, but also the character listening, in nearly any given scene.
If you like the TV series at all, you positively must read this book. And if you haven't watched the TV series, this book takes place before it, so if a tortured but brilliant London detective chasing a horrible murderer for 340ish pages sound at all appealing, there's no reason not to jump in right here.
Show More
if I read a line of dialogue conscious of the character's voice and mannerisms in my head, I can hear and see the character in my mind's eye, as though played by the on-screen actor.With "The Calling", I never had to try. John Luther was voiced and played by Idris Elba for me when reading this, in every line, every move, every thought. To say this adds to the experience is an understatement ... but the book really doesn't need nor rely on this. The plotting is exciting -- albeit horrific in typical Luther fashion -- and impressingly able to shed lights on the backstory immediately preceding the first series of the TV show. Somehow, it does this without undermining the weight of its own narrative, and I'd be very surprised if people uninitiated to the TV series would not also find this crime thriller very enjoyable.
The writing is sparse and efficient, conveying more vivid behaviours and character insights in clipped, short phrases than most authors manage in a half-page of florid descriptions. A particular strength here is Cross' ability to have the reader learn not only about the character speaking, but also the character listening, in nearly any given scene.
If you like the TV series at all, you positively must read this book. And if you haven't watched the TV series, this book takes place before it, so if a tortured but brilliant London detective chasing a horrible murderer for 340ish pages sound at all appealing, there's no reason not to jump in right here.
Show Less
Awards
Ngaio Marsh Award (Shortlist — 2012)
Theakstons Old Peculier Prize (Longlist — 2012)
User reviews
LibraryThing member austcrimefiction
Upside, Neil Cross has written some fantastic recent books. Downside, LUTHER THE CALLING has a connection with a TV series which I've never seen. So interesting to see if a fabulous author has written a fabulous book, regardless of whatever's been going on over on the small screen. Especially as, I
The most important thing about any of this author's books is that, particularly as he has such a name as a scriptwriter, there's nothing filmic or screen treatment about the books. These are fully fleshed out stories, with strong characters, really good plots and whilst there's nothing staid about the books, there's nothing obviously "treatment" about them either. This factor is a particular relief for this reader who has ploughed through way too many film scripts loosely disguised as novels over the years to be at all comfortable.
What is particularly worthwhile about this book is the character of DCI John Luther, a moody, difficult, man with a volatile personality and absolute tunnel vision when it comes to getting the bad guy. Rules are broken, lines aren't just crossed - they are obliterated and bridges go up in smoke as Luther strides through the world that Cross builds in LUTHER. Despite the moodiness, despite the intensity of this character, Cross is also able to pull off a fantastic storytelling style. Crisp, pointed yet descriptive, Luther and the world he occupies come vividly to life.
So in a poor attempt to take a leaf from the author's own book: LUTHER's a fantastic character. LUTHER THE CALLING is brutal, in your face, fabulous.
Show More
believe, this has been a reverse adaptation with the TV series coming before the book.The most important thing about any of this author's books is that, particularly as he has such a name as a scriptwriter, there's nothing filmic or screen treatment about the books. These are fully fleshed out stories, with strong characters, really good plots and whilst there's nothing staid about the books, there's nothing obviously "treatment" about them either. This factor is a particular relief for this reader who has ploughed through way too many film scripts loosely disguised as novels over the years to be at all comfortable.
What is particularly worthwhile about this book is the character of DCI John Luther, a moody, difficult, man with a volatile personality and absolute tunnel vision when it comes to getting the bad guy. Rules are broken, lines aren't just crossed - they are obliterated and bridges go up in smoke as Luther strides through the world that Cross builds in LUTHER. Despite the moodiness, despite the intensity of this character, Cross is also able to pull off a fantastic storytelling style. Crisp, pointed yet descriptive, Luther and the world he occupies come vividly to life.
So in a poor attempt to take a leaf from the author's own book: LUTHER's a fantastic character. LUTHER THE CALLING is brutal, in your face, fabulous.
Show Less
LibraryThing member freelancer_frank
This is a book about the paranoid fears of the urban individual. I imagine that it is a book and not, as previously, a television show, because it would be very difficult to get past the censors. Wonderfully gruesome but balanced with a patina of psychological determinism that provides comfort for
Show More
demons. Beautifully structured and paced. A page-turner that fits cleverly as a prequel to series one of the television show. Reads like a screenplay in a good way. Impossible not to imagine Idris Elba as lead. Show Less
LibraryThing member mikedraper
John Luther is a no nonsense Deputy Chief Inspector in London.
He is called to a gruesome scene where a killer has murdered a young couple and stolen their infant.
Luther is a workaholic who puts himself so much into his investigations that it's affecting his marriage. His wife sees that he's acting
The characters are described to perfection with Luther being easy to feel empathy for and hope he can solve the case and save his marriage. The protagonist is a sociopath who doesn't care what the effect of his crimes are to others. Seeing him in action would have most readers check the locks on their doors.
The plotting is clever and this is an extremely enjoyable read.
He is called to a gruesome scene where a killer has murdered a young couple and stolen their infant.
Luther is a workaholic who puts himself so much into his investigations that it's affecting his marriage. His wife sees that he's acting
Show More
irrationally and not getting any sleep. She wants things to be the way they were when they were first married and asks him to take time off...but there's always another victim to save.The characters are described to perfection with Luther being easy to feel empathy for and hope he can solve the case and save his marriage. The protagonist is a sociopath who doesn't care what the effect of his crimes are to others. Seeing him in action would have most readers check the locks on their doors.
The plotting is clever and this is an extremely enjoyable read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Mike-L
Fast-paced. Intense. You hit the ground running and don't really stop until it's all over.
The style of writing is very tight and immediate -- you can tell the person who wrote it is used to writing teleplays because all the sentences are very lean, full of concise details designed to give maximum
The spine of the story is that Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) John Luther is beginning to unravel around the edges, he's seen too much and he takes it all personally, to the point that he has been functioning in a kind of suspended something... rage... pain... anguish... for so long that he doesn't quite realize that it's all starting to leak out until long past the point where he can stop it. He's involved in a difficult case, everyone is counting on him to bring it all together even as they begin to realize that he's passing the point of keeping himself together.
As others have mentioned there is sexual content and extreme violence but I didn't find either to be particularly graphic or sensationalized beyond what was necessary to tell the story. There's a certain kind of nuance to the way the more violent parts of the story are told, you think it's being more explicit than it actually is as a result of that streamlined writing style (I really LOVED the style this book was written in).
I'm not familiar with the TV show. I have no previous knowledge of John Luther or the people in his world but I had no trouble following the story. A (very) minor quibble is that there are a few places where the UK slang and police shorthand were unfamiliar to me. I suspect it's as common to Brits as something like the term C.S.I. or APB is to most Americans and it was only momentarily distracting.
I enjoyed this novel. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who has a taste for the police/detective/suspense genre.
The style of writing is very tight and immediate -- you can tell the person who wrote it is used to writing teleplays because all the sentences are very lean, full of concise details designed to give maximum
Show More
information with minimum description. The last chapter in particular has an urgent intensity to it... things are happening and they're happening fast so hold on!The spine of the story is that Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) John Luther is beginning to unravel around the edges, he's seen too much and he takes it all personally, to the point that he has been functioning in a kind of suspended something... rage... pain... anguish... for so long that he doesn't quite realize that it's all starting to leak out until long past the point where he can stop it. He's involved in a difficult case, everyone is counting on him to bring it all together even as they begin to realize that he's passing the point of keeping himself together.
As others have mentioned there is sexual content and extreme violence but I didn't find either to be particularly graphic or sensationalized beyond what was necessary to tell the story. There's a certain kind of nuance to the way the more violent parts of the story are told, you think it's being more explicit than it actually is as a result of that streamlined writing style (I really LOVED the style this book was written in).
I'm not familiar with the TV show. I have no previous knowledge of John Luther or the people in his world but I had no trouble following the story. A (very) minor quibble is that there are a few places where the UK slang and police shorthand were unfamiliar to me. I suspect it's as common to Brits as something like the term C.S.I. or APB is to most Americans and it was only momentarily distracting.
I enjoyed this novel. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who has a taste for the police/detective/suspense genre.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bibliofile55
Loved this prequel and background read of 'John Luther!' I hope there are more books in the series and I also love the show on BBCA.
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
For anyone who hasn't seen the British police drama "Luther" I highly recommend it. It's available on Netflicks and possibly other venues. This is a prequel. The series stars Idris Elba, the wonderful actor who portrays Nelson Mandela in the new movie.
Luther is a London cop, an early-Davenport
Now I think I'll go watch the series again.
Luther is a London cop, an early-Davenport
Show More
type, so he doesn't have much regard for rules when it comes to finding the bad guy. In this book, written by the creator/screenwriter of the series, Luther leads the investigation into the brutal and graphic murder of a "perfect couple" and the theft of their 8-month old fetus, and his actions lead to the 7-month suspension from which he's returning at the beginning of the series. Luther is brilliant and unorthodox, but extremely violent when he is frustrated in getting information. His beloved wife is about to leave him, which he hasn't quite caught on to, but she continues to be his rock when he is at his darkest. Now I think I'll go watch the series again.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Daftboy1
This is a really good book this if you liked the programme Luther then the book wont disappoint.
John Luther is on the hunt for a killer in London he has killed several people and abducted a little girl. Its a race against time. Luther doesnt always do things by the book.
Neil Cross is becoming one
John Luther is on the hunt for a killer in London he has killed several people and abducted a little girl. Its a race against time. Luther doesnt always do things by the book.
Neil Cross is becoming one
Show More
of my favourite writers. Show Less
LibraryThing member jtck121166
If you've enjoyed Luther on TV Luther Season 1, this is required reading. Fairly standard crime thriller, but well done, and with all the back story you need: this novel is basically the prequel to episode 1. Brilliant.
LibraryThing member antao
“Closure may never come. And if it does come, it may not be what you were hoping for.”
Zoe, when referring to Luther: “So I tell him this, all about myself. Then I ask him about himself, and he tells me about books. As if he's made up of all these books he's read, or was going to read.”
My
I’m not familiar with the TV Series. This book, I’m told, works as prequel to the series. I’m going to rectify soon the fact that I’ve never seen it.
I was not prepared for it. There was a lot of gore, including the deaths of animals and children. The book is ghastly, gory and not for the faint of heart. Would I still recommend it? Without a shadow of a doubt. It’s a solid Crime Fiction (Horror?) novel that manages to be a great addition to the genre with no pretensions or designs to be anything other than being a piece of wonderful Crime Writing.
You can read the rest of this review on my blog.
Zoe, when referring to Luther: “So I tell him this, all about myself. Then I ask him about himself, and he tells me about books. As if he's made up of all these books he's read, or was going to read.”
My
Show More
first Neil Cross, and it won’t be my last.I’m not familiar with the TV Series. This book, I’m told, works as prequel to the series. I’m going to rectify soon the fact that I’ve never seen it.
I was not prepared for it. There was a lot of gore, including the deaths of animals and children. The book is ghastly, gory and not for the faint of heart. Would I still recommend it? Without a shadow of a doubt. It’s a solid Crime Fiction (Horror?) novel that manages to be a great addition to the genre with no pretensions or designs to be anything other than being a piece of wonderful Crime Writing.
You can read the rest of this review on my blog.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TysonAdams
Quite simply, this is an excellent book that I'd recommend to any crime fan.
LibraryThing member Isa_Lavinia
I don't know how many of you watch (*sniff* ...watched) Luther, but if you haven't watched it yet, you are really missing out.
Let me be honest, one of the best things about Luther, for me, is Alice.
She's so unrepentantly insane! She's done horrible things, things I wouldn't forgive any other
I killed my parents for the lols.
But there is no Alice in Luther: The Calling. It's a prequel. I thought I'd hate it, I thought I'd just plod through it with a jewellers loupe, searching for a hint of Alice. Alas, there was no Alice
BUT IT WAS AMAZING
I can't give much away when it comes to the plot because it would all be spoilers for the tv series, but let us just say Luther is trying his best to save a newborn baby from the hands of a pedophile. And things... get steadily worse. By worse I mean the situation, not the writing, plot, or general amazingness of the book.
One thing I have to point out about Neil Cross: he writes women well (well, up until the last season with the Tinkerbell thing). Oh, there are a few haters on the internet, loathing Zoe and even Jenny(!) for being less than 20 feet away from Luther and in possession of a vagina. Admittedly, I don't get the hate, but Neil Cross made it even more impossible to dislike Zoe, impossible to dislike Mark! All of this while still rooting for Luther - let's be real, it helps that Luther is describe throughout as Idris Elba.
pictured above, triggering ovulation on unsuspecting females
But back to the book! It's like Neil Cross sat down and decided to ponder: "what makes human beings, collectively, as a species, act insanely protective?" And he came up with:
- Babies
- Children
- Abused dogs
- Kind grandpas
And then he spent the entire book, (and the series, let's be honest), using them to crush the readers' souls.
There were points in this book where I just threw it away from me because I couldn't stand it any longer. And then, when I stopped sobbing, I'd pick it up and voraciously kept reading it.
Now it's been over a year since I've read it and sometimes, I'll remember something from it and I'm just like, "Someone bash my head in with a shovel, I can't go on living after this book."
So, what I'm saying is: Go on. Read it.
DO IT
Let me be honest, one of the best things about Luther, for me, is Alice.
She's so unrepentantly insane! She's done horrible things, things I wouldn't forgive any other
Show More
character, things I do NOT forgive her! ...And yet I can't help but... like her? Yes, let's go with "like" and not explore how sexy murderous ladies leave me confused.I killed my parents for the lols.
But there is no Alice in Luther: The Calling. It's a prequel. I thought I'd hate it, I thought I'd just plod through it with a jewellers loupe, searching for a hint of Alice. Alas, there was no Alice
BUT IT WAS AMAZING
I can't give much away when it comes to the plot because it would all be spoilers for the tv series, but let us just say Luther is trying his best to save a newborn baby from the hands of a pedophile. And things... get steadily worse. By worse I mean the situation, not the writing, plot, or general amazingness of the book.
One thing I have to point out about Neil Cross: he writes women well (well, up until the last season with the Tinkerbell thing). Oh, there are a few haters on the internet, loathing Zoe and even Jenny(!) for being less than 20 feet away from Luther and in possession of a vagina. Admittedly, I don't get the hate, but Neil Cross made it even more impossible to dislike Zoe, impossible to dislike Mark! All of this while still rooting for Luther - let's be real, it helps that Luther is describe throughout as Idris Elba.
pictured above, triggering ovulation on unsuspecting females
But back to the book! It's like Neil Cross sat down and decided to ponder: "what makes human beings, collectively, as a species, act insanely protective?" And he came up with:
- Babies
- Children
- Abused dogs
- Kind grandpas
And then he spent the entire book, (and the series, let's be honest), using them to crush the readers' souls.
There were points in this book where I just threw it away from me because I couldn't stand it any longer. And then, when I stopped sobbing, I'd pick it up and voraciously kept reading it.
Now it's been over a year since I've read it and sometimes, I'll remember something from it and I'm just like, "Someone bash my head in with a shovel, I can't go on living after this book."
So, what I'm saying is: Go on. Read it.
DO IT
Show Less
LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.
If you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably already know that mysteries just aren't really my thing. They can be good, but they're all so similar in their plot arc, and I just don't feel compelled to read many. As such, I usually reject review
The Calling is a prequel to the the British Series, which is supposedly wonderful. Though I know nothing about it, I can see this book setting up Luther as he must be in the show. His married life falls apart, so that he can be the typical single, gruff detective and free, presumably, for hookups and romantic entanglements later on in the show. Happy husbands are not generally assumed to make compelling television. In The Calling, he also steps outside the bounds of what is allowable for police work, possibly for the first time, another thing that I assume sets up the plot of the show.
My favorite aspects of the novel, though, were those that do not fit into the detective stereotype. While Luther's marriage breaks up in the typical way, through her frustration over his workaholic nature, he cares more than most of the hard-boiled detective types. John Luther is a romantic; he loves his wife wholly and completely, and neglects her during cases, because he simply cannot rest (literally) until the case is solved. His need to resolve cases seems almost pathological. On top of his deep love and respect for his wife, Luther also loves to read and is a rather quiet, nerdy guy outside of the office.
Of course, when he's working, Luther is, without a doubt, a freaking badass that you really do not want to be messing with. He will stop at nothing to catch the bad guy and save a life. I had the most trouble with these aspects because I really cannot imagine him getting away with most of the things that he does. Of course, vigilante justice is much more entertaining than the way 'justice' would really work, with trials and evil men going free, but it just didn't seem believable to me at times.
This book is pretty graphic, so the faint of heart, those who like their mysteries to be of the cozy variety, should pass this one buy with a quickness. Also, even if you like graphic violence in your books, I want to warn that there are brutal scenes of animal violence (even worse than Origin) and crimes perpetrated against children. If you have young children, you might not want to read this, unless you're really good at not imagining fictional circumstances happening to your own kids.
All in all, The Calling did follow along with pretty standard mystery tropes, but I did enjoy it a bit more than usual. If you like dark, gritty mysteries, this should please you.
If you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably already know that mysteries just aren't really my thing. They can be good, but they're all so similar in their plot arc, and I just don't feel compelled to read many. As such, I usually reject review
Show More
requests for mysteries. However, I made an exception for this one, because it's based on a BBC series, one I haven't seen actually, but still! The allure of British programming is irresistable to me!The Calling is a prequel to the the British Series, which is supposedly wonderful. Though I know nothing about it, I can see this book setting up Luther as he must be in the show. His married life falls apart, so that he can be the typical single, gruff detective and free, presumably, for hookups and romantic entanglements later on in the show. Happy husbands are not generally assumed to make compelling television. In The Calling, he also steps outside the bounds of what is allowable for police work, possibly for the first time, another thing that I assume sets up the plot of the show.
My favorite aspects of the novel, though, were those that do not fit into the detective stereotype. While Luther's marriage breaks up in the typical way, through her frustration over his workaholic nature, he cares more than most of the hard-boiled detective types. John Luther is a romantic; he loves his wife wholly and completely, and neglects her during cases, because he simply cannot rest (literally) until the case is solved. His need to resolve cases seems almost pathological. On top of his deep love and respect for his wife, Luther also loves to read and is a rather quiet, nerdy guy outside of the office.
Of course, when he's working, Luther is, without a doubt, a freaking badass that you really do not want to be messing with. He will stop at nothing to catch the bad guy and save a life. I had the most trouble with these aspects because I really cannot imagine him getting away with most of the things that he does. Of course, vigilante justice is much more entertaining than the way 'justice' would really work, with trials and evil men going free, but it just didn't seem believable to me at times.
This book is pretty graphic, so the faint of heart, those who like their mysteries to be of the cozy variety, should pass this one buy with a quickness. Also, even if you like graphic violence in your books, I want to warn that there are brutal scenes of animal violence (even worse than Origin) and crimes perpetrated against children. If you have young children, you might not want to read this, unless you're really good at not imagining fictional circumstances happening to your own kids.
All in all, The Calling did follow along with pretty standard mystery tropes, but I did enjoy it a bit more than usual. If you like dark, gritty mysteries, this should please you.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jtck121166
If you've enjoyed Luther on TV Luther Season 1, this is required reading. Fairly standard crime thriller, but well done, and with all the back story you need: this novel is basically the prequel to episode 1. Brilliant.
LibraryThing member cjordan916
Gross content. Just seems like the author wants to shock people with depravity. Did not finish.
LibraryThing member zot79
Hard-boiled. That's what they used to call this sort of thing. I guess they still do. In any event, this is hard-boiled, even brutal, detective fiction. Sparse, hard-hitting prose. Gritty, realistic characters and settings. Bad, bad, bad guys. Basically decent, but driven cops that sometimes cross
DCI (that's Detective Chief Inspector - this is a British novel, through and through) John Luther first came to life as a television character for the BBC. This novel, written by the show's creator and writer, is a prequel to the series, showing that the detective was just as driven, just as brilliant, before those episodes. It also shows a man tormented to the point that he cannot sleep and he can no longer connect with his wife. He is a driven man. Driven to use his powers of deduction and insight to find a serial killer. A killer that is stealing children for purposes that are beyond the imaginings of even DCI Luther. From page one you know he will not let up until he tracks down the fiend. Until the last page you do not know if he will succeed or destroy himself trying. Or perhaps both.
This is top-flight writing. As I said above, the prose is sparse and hard hitting and will keep you turning pages. Not a book for the squeamish. It's written in the present tense, which adds to the immediacy and probably reflects its origins in television. Highly recommended for those that can take it.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review.
Show More
the line in order to get the bad guys and protect the innocent. Classic hard-boiled.DCI (that's Detective Chief Inspector - this is a British novel, through and through) John Luther first came to life as a television character for the BBC. This novel, written by the show's creator and writer, is a prequel to the series, showing that the detective was just as driven, just as brilliant, before those episodes. It also shows a man tormented to the point that he cannot sleep and he can no longer connect with his wife. He is a driven man. Driven to use his powers of deduction and insight to find a serial killer. A killer that is stealing children for purposes that are beyond the imaginings of even DCI Luther. From page one you know he will not let up until he tracks down the fiend. Until the last page you do not know if he will succeed or destroy himself trying. Or perhaps both.
This is top-flight writing. As I said above, the prose is sparse and hard hitting and will keep you turning pages. Not a book for the squeamish. It's written in the present tense, which adds to the immediacy and probably reflects its origins in television. Highly recommended for those that can take it.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
Luther: The Calling by Neil Cross is a 2011 Simon & Schuster publication.
My DH and I watched every Luther episode ever made- all without the benefit of having read this book first. While I kept intending to read it- I never quite managed to work it into my schedule… until I noticed it was part
I will confess, though, that both my husband and I were occasionally put off by the show due to the very dark nature of the plotlines. It seems we’ve both mellowed just a bit over the years. So, though I was somewhat prepared for a dark, gritty crime thriller I was not ready for the descriptions of one of the most heinous sorts of crimes out there. I had to take a few breaks before I was able to complete the novel.
This book is basically the setup for the series- the case that nearly breaks the unorthodox John Luther. This meant that “Alice” had not come along just yet- and I was a bit disappointed she was not a part of this book. I always thought the series was better when she was a part of it.
That said, John Luther is a flawed, complicated character-an anti-hero type who flaunts the rules and manages to somehow come out of it with his job still intact. The book is well-written and executed and is unflinchingly realistic at times- from the graphic depictions of the crimes and the criminals- but also the corruption and vigilantism. I am disappointed to see that a planned follow-up has never materialized. I’d love to see more installments in the series, even though I found this one a bit hard to get through due to its graphic nature and subject matter.
Overall, I was glad I finally got around to reading this book. I wish I’d done so before watching the show, though, as I feel it would have given me a better understanding of John’s actions in that first season. Even if you have not seen the show- if you like dark, twisted, gritty crime thrillers this is one you might want to consider.
4 stars
My DH and I watched every Luther episode ever made- all without the benefit of having read this book first. While I kept intending to read it- I never quite managed to work it into my schedule… until I noticed it was part
Show More
of the KU program. I immediately borrowed it, super excited by the prospect of getting to read a ‘Luther’ story. I will confess, though, that both my husband and I were occasionally put off by the show due to the very dark nature of the plotlines. It seems we’ve both mellowed just a bit over the years. So, though I was somewhat prepared for a dark, gritty crime thriller I was not ready for the descriptions of one of the most heinous sorts of crimes out there. I had to take a few breaks before I was able to complete the novel.
This book is basically the setup for the series- the case that nearly breaks the unorthodox John Luther. This meant that “Alice” had not come along just yet- and I was a bit disappointed she was not a part of this book. I always thought the series was better when she was a part of it.
That said, John Luther is a flawed, complicated character-an anti-hero type who flaunts the rules and manages to somehow come out of it with his job still intact. The book is well-written and executed and is unflinchingly realistic at times- from the graphic depictions of the crimes and the criminals- but also the corruption and vigilantism. I am disappointed to see that a planned follow-up has never materialized. I’d love to see more installments in the series, even though I found this one a bit hard to get through due to its graphic nature and subject matter.
Overall, I was glad I finally got around to reading this book. I wish I’d done so before watching the show, though, as I feel it would have given me a better understanding of John’s actions in that first season. Even if you have not seen the show- if you like dark, twisted, gritty crime thrillers this is one you might want to consider.
4 stars
Show Less