Random by Craig Robertson
Jun. 6th, 2011 10:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
Glasgow is being terrorised by a murderer the media have nicknamed ‘The Cutter’. But how do you catch a serial killer when even he doesn’t know who’s next?
Telling the story in his own words, The Cutter reveals the method, and motives, that drive him to kill again and again, in an escalating spree that leaves DS Rachel Narey and her team mystified.
The newspapers call him The Cutter. He prefers it to Jock-The-Ripper. He’s a killer who selects his victims at random, narrating his methods and his motive to the reader as he moves around Glasgow. His job as a mini-cab driver brings him into contact with all layers of society, including DS Rachel Narey, who’s heading up the investigation to catch him and the criminal underworld boss, Alec Kirkwood, who wants to bring The Cutter to a more savage justice. As The Cutter continues his work, he finds himself caught between the net thrown by Narey and Kirkwood and as it grows tighter, he wonders if he will be able to complete the task that he set himself …
Craig Robertson’s debut novel is a tensely written crime thriller that’s told from the perspective of the killer in a strong first person voice. It’s an interesting device and one that works well until the final quarter of the book, when new information that was not previously apparent is suddenly revealed in a way that feels contrived.
This is a shame because The Cutter’s voice and the way in which he slowly reveals his story is well executed. In many ways and despite his actions The Cutter is a sympathetic character and the scenes between him and his wife are particularly touching as both struggle to deal with a personal tragedy in their own way. Yet there is still a coldness to him and the way he decides to stick to his own random rules is at times quite chilling, especially as he shows a determination to potentially kill children and a young woman who reminds him of his own daughter.
Because this is told from the killer’s perspective there isn’t much room to show the police investigation, but there’s still enough there to get a strong idea of DS Rachel Neavey and her willingness to go against conventional wisdom on The Cutter and his motives. She’s a strong-minded, plain-speaking character who follows her instincts and I hope that Robertson will bring her back in later books.
All in all, this was a page-turning read and an interesting take on the genre. I’m really looking forward to reading Robertson’s next book.
The Verdict:
Craig Robertson’s debut novel is an interesting perspective on the criminal thriller, told with a strong voice and in a manner that keeps the pages turning. The story didn’t quite work for me in the final quarter, but it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the book and I’m interested in reading the author’s next book.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the free copy of this book.
Glasgow is being terrorised by a murderer the media have nicknamed ‘The Cutter’. But how do you catch a serial killer when even he doesn’t know who’s next?
At the desk at the door were two glass bowls. One held mints, the other business cards. I reached into the business cards with my right hand. I delved deep and took one out:
Jonathan Carr. Salter, Fyfe and Bryce Solicitors. 1024 Bath Street.
Perfect. Not that it would have mattered who he was or what he did.
All of my victims are selected at random. Each one brought to me by a cruel twist of fate. But I’m not a complete psycho … I wouldn’t want you to think that …
Telling the story in his own words, The Cutter reveals the method, and motives, that drive him to kill again and again, in an escalating spree that leaves DS Rachel Narey and her team mystified.
The newspapers call him The Cutter. He prefers it to Jock-The-Ripper. He’s a killer who selects his victims at random, narrating his methods and his motive to the reader as he moves around Glasgow. His job as a mini-cab driver brings him into contact with all layers of society, including DS Rachel Narey, who’s heading up the investigation to catch him and the criminal underworld boss, Alec Kirkwood, who wants to bring The Cutter to a more savage justice. As The Cutter continues his work, he finds himself caught between the net thrown by Narey and Kirkwood and as it grows tighter, he wonders if he will be able to complete the task that he set himself …
Craig Robertson’s debut novel is a tensely written crime thriller that’s told from the perspective of the killer in a strong first person voice. It’s an interesting device and one that works well until the final quarter of the book, when new information that was not previously apparent is suddenly revealed in a way that feels contrived.
This is a shame because The Cutter’s voice and the way in which he slowly reveals his story is well executed. In many ways and despite his actions The Cutter is a sympathetic character and the scenes between him and his wife are particularly touching as both struggle to deal with a personal tragedy in their own way. Yet there is still a coldness to him and the way he decides to stick to his own random rules is at times quite chilling, especially as he shows a determination to potentially kill children and a young woman who reminds him of his own daughter.
Because this is told from the killer’s perspective there isn’t much room to show the police investigation, but there’s still enough there to get a strong idea of DS Rachel Neavey and her willingness to go against conventional wisdom on The Cutter and his motives. She’s a strong-minded, plain-speaking character who follows her instincts and I hope that Robertson will bring her back in later books.
All in all, this was a page-turning read and an interesting take on the genre. I’m really looking forward to reading Robertson’s next book.
The Verdict:
Craig Robertson’s debut novel is an interesting perspective on the criminal thriller, told with a strong voice and in a manner that keeps the pages turning. The story didn’t quite work for me in the final quarter, but it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the book and I’m interested in reading the author’s next book.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the free copy of this book.
