A chilling case of unsolved murders and mistaken identities unravels when a lake in a Christchurch cemetery releases its grip on the murky past in this exciting crime thriller from the internationally bestselling author of The Laughterhouse. Tragedy can change people. It can turn them into someone or something beyond comprehension. In the two years after losing his wife and child in a drunk driving accident, Christchurch private detective Theodore Tate has stood at the crossroad between the light and the abyss many times. One could say that alcohol made him a different man. One could say lust for revenge made him yet another. But there is only one Theodore Tate.
Cemetery Lake begins in a cold and rainy graveyard, where Tate is overseeing an exhumation—a routine job for the weathered former cop. But when doubts are raised about the identity of the body found in the coffin, the case takes a sinister turn. Tate knows he should walk away and let his former colleagues on the police force deal with it, but his strong sense of justice intervenes.
Complicating matters are a few loose ends from Tate’s past. Even good guys have secrets, and Tate thought his were dead and buried for good. With time running out and a violent killer lurking, will he manage to stay one step ahead of the police, or will his own dark truth be unearthed?
Originally published in Paul Cleave’s native New Zealand in 2008, Cemetery Lake is the first novel to feature Theodore Tate, the “quintessential flawed hero” (Kirkus Reviews) from Collecting Cooper and The Laughterhouse. It is at once a thoroughly entertaining crime novel and an unforgettable drama about the universal battle against the darkness within us all.
Cemetery Lake begins in a cold and rainy graveyard, where Tate is overseeing an exhumation—a routine job for the weathered former cop. But when doubts are raised about the identity of the body found in the coffin, the case takes a sinister turn. Tate knows he should walk away and let his former colleagues on the police force deal with it, but his strong sense of justice intervenes.
Complicating matters are a few loose ends from Tate’s past. Even good guys have secrets, and Tate thought his were dead and buried for good. With time running out and a violent killer lurking, will he manage to stay one step ahead of the police, or will his own dark truth be unearthed?
Originally published in Paul Cleave’s native New Zealand in 2008, Cemetery Lake is the first novel to feature Theodore Tate, the “quintessential flawed hero” (Kirkus Reviews) from Collecting Cooper and The Laughterhouse. It is at once a thoroughly entertaining crime novel and an unforgettable drama about the universal battle against the darkness within us all.
My Review:
I am a sucker for a good dark murder mystery crime book. This is Paul's third Christchurch-set novel and he entices readers to follow along through even the worst acts and most outlandish places with compelling characters that will leave you wanting more. The twists, turns and scepticism leave my reeling for more. Paul did a marvelous job of developing good, well rounded characters that you can both love and despise-sometimes at the same time. Just when you think you have the suspect figured out and you know what is going to happen-BAM-it changes on you and your back at square one putting your evidence back together to catch the murderer right along with Tate. I have to admit part of this book gets under your skin. The book has a couple different themes going at once, but one is the dangers of drinking and driving and the long term consequences that sadly you can never underestimate. I don't want to go into any detail and ruin the book for you, but you get a very real uncompromising portrayal of a man in torment by his past actions and future ones.
I would recommend this book to mature readers only who do not mind some realy dark crime fiction that is pretty vivid.
About the Author:
Paul Cleave is the author of six internationally bestselling thrillers, including Blood Men, Collecting Cooper, and The Laughterhouse. He lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. Visit his website at PaulCleave.com.
Disclaimer: Atria Books
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