With old friends like these, who needs enemies? It's a question short, mild mannered detective Edward Newson is forced to ask himself having in romantic desperation logged on to the Friends Reunited website searching for the girlfriends of his youth. Newson is not the only member of the Class of '86 who has been raking over the ashes of the past. As his old class begins to reassemble in cyberspace, the years slip away and old feuds and passions burn hot once more. Meanwhile, back in the present, Newson's life is no less complicated. He is secretly in love with Natasha, his lovely but very attached sergeant, while comprehensively failing to solve a series of baffling and peculiar ly gruesome murders. A school reunion is planned and as history begins to repeat itself, the past crashes headlong into the present. Neither will ever be the same again.
Past Mortem
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'Ben Miles's reading... is flawless' -- Christina Hardyment, The Times
a clever story idea, with an excellent performance by Miles -- The Sunday Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
a clever story idea, with an excellent performance by Miles -- The Sunday Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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The bestselling new novel from Ben Elton
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I always pick 2 novels to take on my annual 2 week holiday and read one in each week ( I take my time). So this year I picked Past Mortem (along with You Are Here by Steve Horsfall). I have never read a book by Ben Elton before, but this blew me away - it's funny, touching and risque with a great comment on how the past catches us all up at some point ( centred in this case around the Friends Reunited phenomenom). The whodunnit leaves you guessing to the end. I read it in 2 days ( and You Are Here in 3). I'll need to buy more books next year!!!
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. D. Clark
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
This is the book which started me reading Ben Elton again. My only previous experience of his novels had been "Gridlock" and "Stark" , which both had their moments, but were, to my mind, neither quite one thing nor the other. I was taken aback by the difference in the quality of writing between those two early novels, and this latest one. This is a one sitting book.
If you've read "Dead Famous" then its probably helpful if I tell you that "Past Mortem " does for the internet school reunion (a la Friends Reunited) phenomenon what "Dead Famous" did for the "Big Brother" phenomenon. Except that there's more murders in this, and they are far more inventive and gruesome. This is not a criticism.The different methods of the murders are essential to the narrative.
Without giving away too much of the plot, several rather horrible people are murdered. There seems to be nothing linking them, except that they have all been mentioned in messages on the Friends Reunited website.
I've already mentioned "Dead Famous" . One important difference in this story is that you are drawn far more into all the characters than in the earlier book. To be honest, I couldn't really have cared less about the three investigating detectives in the earlier novel. This is not true in "Past Mortem". All of the characters hold your interest. There is nothing slack or wasted here.
One word of warning. Of the several others of Elton's novels which I have read, I would say that , in terms of matters sexual, they are earthy, but not worryingly explicit. There is one scene in "Past Mortem" which is extremely graphic in its depiction of a sado masochistic sexual encounter. Actually its rather shocking, and quite funny at the same time, and it is certainly justified in terms of the development of the depiction of the two characters involved. But don't say that you haven't been warned.
So, this is, if anything, a darker Ben Elton - a less jokey ( although still very funny at times ) Ben Elton. I'm hooked.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
A superb read, I could not put the book down, reading right through the night. I have tried to analyse why and how Ben Elton’s style of writing is so captivating, but I can’t tell you. By half way through the book, I had a good idea who the villain was, but there was always an element of doubt, which kept me burning the midnight oil.
There is a great interweaving of different story lines, the crimes with gruesome details, a love story, interesting characters and the sex. The sex – my father used to say
“You youngsters think you invented sex”
I’m now at the same age my fathers was when he made these remarks, and it’s true, youth must have invented sex, there are things in this book I had never dreamt of; but then again, I have lead a very sheltered life.
A truly enjoyable read.
There is a great interweaving of different story lines, the crimes with gruesome details, a love story, interesting characters and the sex. The sex – my father used to say
“You youngsters think you invented sex”
I’m now at the same age my fathers was when he made these remarks, and it’s true, youth must have invented sex, there are things in this book I had never dreamt of; but then again, I have lead a very sheltered life.
A truly enjoyable read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
fast paced
Good elton read with lots of familiar references for a mid 30's reader! Have a few too many clues to the answer a bit early but still a good interesting and dark read.
Published 14 days ago by phily
3.0 out of 5 stars
good
just wanted something easy to read and something that i didn't have to concentrate on and could come back to
Published 1 month ago by rosie
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good page turner but....
It's a while since I read a Ben Elton book, and I was expecting more humour, perhaps I didn't read the previews well enough. Read more
Published 1 month ago by jodb
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great idea for a book
This book is funny, disturbing, a bit rude and easy to read. Probably aimed more at a younger audience and upwards to about 50. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ANNABEL TERRY
4.0 out of 5 stars
KEPT ME GUESSING
A great read and combination of detective novel and observation on modern digital social networking plus a bit off sex thrown in for bad measure!!
Published 2 months ago by D. EVEREST
5.0 out of 5 stars
Could not put it down
One of the best books I have ever read. Brilliantly written. Great mix of humour, romance, crime, sex and grim tortures. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Laura
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Read!
Great book. Enjoy his style very much. There was a bit at the beginning so gross I almost stopped reading it. Get past that and its a great read.
Published 2 months ago by karen
3.0 out of 5 stars
Past Mortem
Definately not one of is best, pretty silly storyline. Much prefer is other novels. It seemed to have been written by a ghost writer.
Published 4 months ago by derek donald
4.0 out of 5 stars
Post Mortem - an enjoyable book, but not Ben's best
Being a thriller and crime book fan myself, I looked forward to reading Post Mortem, but I felt a bit disappointed. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Lisbeth Wigdahl
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good but not great
I've enjoyed quite a few of his books, which I thought were tightly written, but I was a bit disappointed in Past Mortem. Read more
Published 9 months ago by T. Davies
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