Acclaimed author Michael Robotham conquered international best-seller lists with this electrifying thriller. After a woman is brutally slain, investigators bring psychiatrist Joe O'Loughlin in for expert consultation. Joe is shocked to discover the dead woman is a former patient of his who cried rape when he rebuffed her sexual advances. Citing doctor/patient confidentiality, Joe hides this information. But the truth emerges, and suddenly he is the prime suspect.
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"This is the first book in the Joe O'Laughlin series. I went back to this after I had listened to the third. I really enjoyed this; I found it well-written and suspenseful. Like the other book I listened to in this series, I liked the intermixing of Joe's personal life with the mystery/main story of being wrongly accused of murder. I cared that Joe might be convicted of a murder he did not commit and rooted for him to find the real killer."
— Mathilde (4 out of 5 stars)
“[A] pleasantly creepy story, which is plotted with precision and narrated with real intelligence by the doctor, whose decision to keep mum on a serious medical condition of his own makes him look suspicious –and leaves him vulnerable when the real murderer shows up.”
— New York Times“The plot is not a new one—respectable citizen wrongly accused—but Michael Robotham handles it with unusual skill as he has us suspecting one person and then another.”
— Washington Post“Nail-biting tension full of fine characterization, brilliantly researched detail, and subtle humor.”
— Daily Mirror (London)“A clever plot…an absorbing read…a welcome new name in the genre.”
— Telegraph (London)" Joe O'Loughlin, a London psychologist, while helping Det. Insp. Vincent Ruiz on the case of a murdered nurse, Catherine Mary McBride, becomes the primary suspect in the killing. The story has many twists and turns, but at times things became a little confusing. I did not enjoy this book "
— Karen, 2/11/2014" This was ok - nothing new in the mystery dept. the main character is being framed for murder and he has to run from the police and figure it out.. this isn't a spoiler - the reader understands from the beginning that he isn't committing the crimes. He also as Parkinson's - I don't know why the author did that - it didn't add anything to the story. "
— Debbie, 1/21/2014" Written in first person narrative from the viewpoint of a psychologist in London whose former patient is found dead. The "plot thickens" and Joe successfully uncovers a long term vendetta. Interesting and suspensful. "
— Anna, 1/17/2014" First book I've "read" (listened to it) by this author, but won't be my last. Psychological mystery, with sardonic comments on human nature and daily life in modern London thrown in for good measure. The narrator, a psychologist, is a murder suspect, and he races to prove himself innocent by proving one of his patients as the murderer. Wonderfully narrated as well. "
— Kanewsted, 1/13/2014" The book is interesting and I am very interested in psychology so I loved that part of it. I got to a point that I had to just know what happened. I rarely do this but I skipped around and to the end to figure it out. This author has potential. "
— Harriet, 1/9/2014" Entertaining, smart, well-written. I'll definitely be reading more from Mr. Robotham. "
— Laura, 1/3/2014" One of the best contemporary thrillers I have read - snarky, twisty, fast...perfect. "
— Caroline, 12/27/2013" Lots of twists. A good first read of Michael Robotham. "
— Stacey, 12/14/2013" Good psychological crime story, written in 3 parts, plot moves right along. Flawed but likeable narrator and gruff detective. Looks like this may be a series. Will look for more titles to listen to. "
— Julie, 12/8/2013" Took me a while to get into this but really enjoyed second half. "
— Alsjem, 11/24/2013" 4.5 stars - wow, what a ride!!! "
— Suzanne, 11/24/2013Michael Robotham is a former investigative journalist whose psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-three languages. In 2015 he won the prestigious UK Gold Dagger for his novel Life or Death, which was also shortlisted for the 2016 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best novel. He has twice won a Ned Kelly Award for Australia’s best crime novel and has twice been shortlisted for the CWA UK Steel Dagger in 2007 for The Night Ferry and 2008 with Shatter.
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.