- Paperback: 220 pages
- Publisher: ARCADIA BOOKS (1 Aug 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1906413657
- ISBN-13: 978-1906413651
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 13.7 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,045,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Orpheus Trail
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
When a child is found dead among the charred remains of a pier fire, surrounded by the old-fashioned toys of the Greek god Dionysus and a ritualistic fire basket, Detective Inspector Hildreth calls in the local museum's curator, Alex Kish, to help him decipher the mysterious symbolism. Soon Hildreth and Kish are caught up in a race against time to interpret these ancient codes before the killer strikes again.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am not a thriller reader, but this is a very literary thriller, like her previous Alchemy - Maureen Duffy is literary to the bone, and at heart a poet, I think, more so as her career goes on. The high spots in this book for me were images that were pure poetry, flaming on the page, often tragic but beautiful images of dead children (I found myself wondering whether the author had seen dead children during the second world war, when she was herself a child.) The thriller element certainly WORKED - I got more and more drawn in, wondering who the criminals really were, needing to know. But I couldn't help wondering if the author were more interested really in the ancient myths and rituals that underlie this modern story: the poetry more than the prose. See her wonderful recent collection of poems, Family Values from Enitharmon Press, for more evidence that she is one of our great British writers.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Somewhat mysteriously, my book group chose this. However, it is a good read, well paced. I presume the message is that we are shaped by many historical influences and that Christianity is just one of those and no better than many other cultural/historical/god worshipping influences. It is a fair enough view.
It is a modern setting though involving a twisted unidentified group of repulsive child smugglers. There are murders or deaths of pre teenage boys. The narrator is an isolated character, emotionless. It is suggested that modern technology contributes to his lack of emotion but such types have lived through the ages. My own children communicate a lot through technology but are very emotional.
The ending was a bit contrived and seemed an anti climax. Perhaps with the TV spin off in mind?
It is a modern setting though involving a twisted unidentified group of repulsive child smugglers. There are murders or deaths of pre teenage boys. The narrator is an isolated character, emotionless. It is suggested that modern technology contributes to his lack of emotion but such types have lived through the ages. My own children communicate a lot through technology but are very emotional.
The ending was a bit contrived and seemed an anti climax. Perhaps with the TV spin off in mind?
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
May Contain Mild Plot Spoilers
This book is nicely written, but the problem is the plot, and the actions of the hero/museum curator.
Like characters in a Robert Goddard novel, the curator seems to spend all his time inanely shuttling about from place to place, accompanying and assisting the Police to an extent they simply, one hopes, would never involve a lay person, particularly one as clueless,inept and ineffectual as Alex. At least two people die due to his meddling.
Unlike most of the Robert Goddard characters, Alex does have a full time job, but one from which he can absent himself at no notice and and with zero accountability.
Why are these elaborate murders being carried out? We get a vague idea.
Who did the murders? We never find out. But by then we just don't care either.
All that lingers is dissatisfaction at a whole story which might have been so much better.
This book is nicely written, but the problem is the plot, and the actions of the hero/museum curator.
Like characters in a Robert Goddard novel, the curator seems to spend all his time inanely shuttling about from place to place, accompanying and assisting the Police to an extent they simply, one hopes, would never involve a lay person, particularly one as clueless,inept and ineffectual as Alex. At least two people die due to his meddling.
Unlike most of the Robert Goddard characters, Alex does have a full time job, but one from which he can absent himself at no notice and and with zero accountability.
Why are these elaborate murders being carried out? We get a vague idea.
Who did the murders? We never find out. But by then we just don't care either.
All that lingers is dissatisfaction at a whole story which might have been so much better.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
