- Hardcover: 480 pages
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton; Unabridged edition (23 Jun 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1444700456
- ISBN-13: 978-1444700459
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.5 x 4.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 430,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Proof of Life
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Review
'...This is the type of rule-breaking that separates the good from the great. Proof of Life places Campbell firmly in the latter camp. Ambitious, entirely authentic, and razor-sharp in its observations, it is a superb addition to the Scottish crime canon.' (www.bookgeeks.co.uk )
'With lashings of black humour and wry observation, [PROOF OF LIFE] deftly captures the essence of Glasgow itself, the ebb and flow of the city's energy, its epic patter and inimitable swagger.' (Herald Summer Reads )
'Fearlessly plotted... This slow-burn thriller exploits the classics of the genre - secrets, lies and misdirection - but does it so skilfully that the mechanics are camouflaged amid the emotional entanglements of lives lived... Campbell, an accomplished wordsmith, excels here. You can touch and smell her Glasgow November dreichness, but always her images are unexpected, her prose tight, and her narrative unflinching. As a former Strathclyde Police officer, she has no illusions about the pressures and compromises, the dogged determination and unlooked-for heroism, of the job. This is no police procedural - her officers are raw and real... The denouement is head-behind-cushion nightmarish, brilliantly done.' (Scotsman )
'Karen Campbell deserves to be admitted to membership of what's becoming a very large club - Scottish crime writers of excellence . . . As to be expected from a former police officer, Campbell portrays her milieu with harsh authenticity, and Anna Cameron is wholly believable in her unheroic role. Glasgow and its citizens are described with vivid passion.' (The Times on SHADOWPLAY )
'[a] fine, accomplished novel . . . The characterisation is impeccable . . . a true literary talent' (Scotsman on SHADOWPLAY )
'Campbell's third and most powerful novel yet . . . this is intelligent, gripping crime writing.' (Stylist on SHADOWPLAY )
'Meticulously detailed and brutally authentic, this could only have come from a writer who has been there, done it and banged up the bad guys.' (Daily Record on SHADOWPLAY )
'Fast-paced and hard-hitting' (Woman & Home on SHADOWPLAY )
'The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public.' (Guardian on AFTER THE FIRE )
'Sharp, perceptive prose and meticulous attention to detail... a literary force to be reckoned with.' (Daily Record on AFTER THE FIRE )
'She handles this topical and gripping tale with expert skill.' (News of the World on AFTER THE FIRE )
'I loved it . . . Anna is a great, original character and Karen Campbell has a great way with images.' (Kate Atkinson on THE TWILIGHT TIME )
'With lashings of black humour and wry observation, [PROOF OF LIFE] deftly captures the essence of Glasgow itself, the ebb and flow of the city's energy, its epic patter and inimitable swagger.' (Herald Summer Reads )
'Fearlessly plotted... This slow-burn thriller exploits the classics of the genre - secrets, lies and misdirection - but does it so skilfully that the mechanics are camouflaged amid the emotional entanglements of lives lived... Campbell, an accomplished wordsmith, excels here. You can touch and smell her Glasgow November dreichness, but always her images are unexpected, her prose tight, and her narrative unflinching. As a former Strathclyde Police officer, she has no illusions about the pressures and compromises, the dogged determination and unlooked-for heroism, of the job. This is no police procedural - her officers are raw and real... The denouement is head-behind-cushion nightmarish, brilliantly done.' (Scotsman )
'Karen Campbell deserves to be admitted to membership of what's becoming a very large club - Scottish crime writers of excellence . . . As to be expected from a former police officer, Campbell portrays her milieu with harsh authenticity, and Anna Cameron is wholly believable in her unheroic role. Glasgow and its citizens are described with vivid passion.' (The Times on SHADOWPLAY )
'[a] fine, accomplished novel . . . The characterisation is impeccable . . . a true literary talent' (Scotsman on SHADOWPLAY )
'Campbell's third and most powerful novel yet . . . this is intelligent, gripping crime writing.' (Stylist on SHADOWPLAY )
'Meticulously detailed and brutally authentic, this could only have come from a writer who has been there, done it and banged up the bad guys.' (Daily Record on SHADOWPLAY )
'Fast-paced and hard-hitting' (Woman & Home on SHADOWPLAY )
'The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public.' (Guardian on AFTER THE FIRE )
'Sharp, perceptive prose and meticulous attention to detail... a literary force to be reckoned with.' (Daily Record on AFTER THE FIRE )
'She handles this topical and gripping tale with expert skill.' (News of the World on AFTER THE FIRE )
'I loved it . . . Anna is a great, original character and Karen Campbell has a great way with images.' (Kate Atkinson on THE TWILIGHT TIME )
Product Description
Chief Inspector Anna Cameron is a woman with everything to lose. Her life is finally back on track, but the mistakes she made in the past are about to come back to haunt her.
When a body is discovered in a Glasgow canal, the death proves to have an unexpected link to something Anna wants desperately to forget. As Glasgow pulses with the threat of terrorist attack and growing civil discontent, she realises everything she holds dear is at risk.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
PROOF OF LIFE is one of those novels that has several apparently disparate strands that the reader gradually realises are connected, in this case converging into an explosive climax involving them all. This approach poses various challenges to the author, most of which Karen Campbell passes with flying colours. In particular, the tricky plotting is superb, as various characters see or just miss each other; as different people have different incomplete understandings of the same events; and information is partially or completely gathered or in some cases not gathered. Each character has to have credible motivation for their actions, and in the main I think here that they do. The slight failure is that the first half of this (long) novel is slow.
There is a murder near the start of the book: the body of a woman is found in a Glasgow canal and turns out to have been killed in a nasty fashion. The reader is misdirected a few times as to the identity of the body, but the woman seems to have been connected to a local riding school. The school is under threat of closure because of building development, and for some time one character is convinced that this fact is the motive for the murder - and she takes this supposition to some rather amusing if poignant extremes. There are also various contemporary social themes underlying the plot: the city's attempt to introduce a "smart" card that will track people's dealings and the increasingly uneasy and hostile response of its citizens to this proposal; and the pitch by the city for the Commonwealth Games and how the police plan to deal with that.
The author builds up the tension very well, as a malign sense of threat comes increasingly to the fore, and ties all the previous threads into a credible climax that illustrates neatly the problems of a stretched police force having to deal simultaneously with a major incident as well as less dramatic but just as dangerous ones. I have to say I found Anna's actions in the last sections not credible - up until a certain point I could understand why she acts in devious ways, but two events occur near the end in which I just could not believe. Nevertheless, the ending has a big kick to it, and I am left admiring the author for, yet again, producing a top-quality, very well-plotted and confident novel, pushing the envelope of the "series" concept in a book with plenty of well-observed details. Each book the author has written is very different from the previous one, so I am intrigued about where Karen Campbell will be going next.
There is a murder near the start of the book: the body of a woman is found in a Glasgow canal and turns out to have been killed in a nasty fashion. The reader is misdirected a few times as to the identity of the body, but the woman seems to have been connected to a local riding school. The school is under threat of closure because of building development, and for some time one character is convinced that this fact is the motive for the murder - and she takes this supposition to some rather amusing if poignant extremes. There are also various contemporary social themes underlying the plot: the city's attempt to introduce a "smart" card that will track people's dealings and the increasingly uneasy and hostile response of its citizens to this proposal; and the pitch by the city for the Commonwealth Games and how the police plan to deal with that.
The author builds up the tension very well, as a malign sense of threat comes increasingly to the fore, and ties all the previous threads into a credible climax that illustrates neatly the problems of a stretched police force having to deal simultaneously with a major incident as well as less dramatic but just as dangerous ones. I have to say I found Anna's actions in the last sections not credible - up until a certain point I could understand why she acts in devious ways, but two events occur near the end in which I just could not believe. Nevertheless, the ending has a big kick to it, and I am left admiring the author for, yet again, producing a top-quality, very well-plotted and confident novel, pushing the envelope of the "series" concept in a book with plenty of well-observed details. Each book the author has written is very different from the previous one, so I am intrigued about where Karen Campbell will be going next.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
For fans of Karen Campbell's previous work - The Twilight Time, After The Fire and Shadowplay, Chief Inspector Anna Cameron needs no introduction. Fiesty, contradictory and opinionated, with a talent for finding, and being found, by trouble.
In this fourth novel by the former Strathclyde Police Officer, Cameron is finally settling down with her ready made family, Rob, the widowed doctor who she met whilst investigating a disappearance from a Glasgow care home, his hormonal teenage daughter Laura, and Alice, the cat from Anna's previous lifetime - things are looking up, Anna has finally found herself, and her place, in a world she has become used to fighting. Her boss at work is compassionate and on-side, and she`s even earned a nickname from her colleagues. Life is good for Anna Cameron...
The death of a young woman, found naked in a canal soon reopens old wounds, re-makes old acquaintances - and unleashes a Pandora's box of far-reaching consequences. Everyday Glasgow is laid bare and a brutal underworld, hell bent on revenge is exposed, all set against a backdrop of civil unrest, the 2007 terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport, and the city's impending Commonwealth Games.
Campbell's authenticity lies in her innate understanding of the Police world, which is deftly woven into a tapestry of evocative imagery that places the reader centre stage, immersed in a maelstrom of grand buildings, demonstrations, CID offices - and the safety of family life. Such is the author's finger on the pulse of life within Strathclyde Police, a subtle nod is also given to the flux that a new Chief Constable can create - an element that surely no Strathclyde cop reading the book will miss...
Proof Of Life builds and builds, tying together apparently unrelated events into a crescendo that will have you on the edge of your seat for a denouement that no fan of Karen Campbell's books can miss. It is expertly written and is so much more than the archetypal Police procedural. Family life, past loves, future plans, all are laid out bare and with such style and grace that it is impossible not to be sucked right into Anna Cameron's hopes, fears and dreams.
Karen Campbell seems to get better with each novel she writes. Scottish crime novels are a well established genre, with authors such as Rankin, MacBride and Brookmyre all big hitters, but Campbell adds the extra element of humanity; in all its glory and with all its fallibility; into the mix, and with that she offers arguably the most complete, rounded and authentic characters.
For all this, Proof Of Life is not to be missed.
In this fourth novel by the former Strathclyde Police Officer, Cameron is finally settling down with her ready made family, Rob, the widowed doctor who she met whilst investigating a disappearance from a Glasgow care home, his hormonal teenage daughter Laura, and Alice, the cat from Anna's previous lifetime - things are looking up, Anna has finally found herself, and her place, in a world she has become used to fighting. Her boss at work is compassionate and on-side, and she`s even earned a nickname from her colleagues. Life is good for Anna Cameron...
The death of a young woman, found naked in a canal soon reopens old wounds, re-makes old acquaintances - and unleashes a Pandora's box of far-reaching consequences. Everyday Glasgow is laid bare and a brutal underworld, hell bent on revenge is exposed, all set against a backdrop of civil unrest, the 2007 terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport, and the city's impending Commonwealth Games.
Campbell's authenticity lies in her innate understanding of the Police world, which is deftly woven into a tapestry of evocative imagery that places the reader centre stage, immersed in a maelstrom of grand buildings, demonstrations, CID offices - and the safety of family life. Such is the author's finger on the pulse of life within Strathclyde Police, a subtle nod is also given to the flux that a new Chief Constable can create - an element that surely no Strathclyde cop reading the book will miss...
Proof Of Life builds and builds, tying together apparently unrelated events into a crescendo that will have you on the edge of your seat for a denouement that no fan of Karen Campbell's books can miss. It is expertly written and is so much more than the archetypal Police procedural. Family life, past loves, future plans, all are laid out bare and with such style and grace that it is impossible not to be sucked right into Anna Cameron's hopes, fears and dreams.
Karen Campbell seems to get better with each novel she writes. Scottish crime novels are a well established genre, with authors such as Rankin, MacBride and Brookmyre all big hitters, but Campbell adds the extra element of humanity; in all its glory and with all its fallibility; into the mix, and with that she offers arguably the most complete, rounded and authentic characters.
For all this, Proof Of Life is not to be missed.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the fourth novel in the series of novels featuring Strathclyde Police's Anna Cameron in the central role. As in Shadowplay, she is Chief Inspector in an affluent division of Glasgow.
Her superior officer this time is a total contrast to JC in Shadowplay. Now we have Grannie Annie Reekie, or Auld Reekie who is kind and gentle and tries to mother Anna through her trials and tribulations. Anna had initially been unaware she had also been known by the moniker of 'Picketty Witch' for years among other officers.
The story lines are bang up to date, incorporating the attack at Glasgow Airport and the City securing the hosting of the Commonwealth Games. Both add a certain credence to the fictional story.
A woman has been brutally murdered and her body found in a Glasgow canal. The ensuing investigation opens up old memories for Anna and past indiscretions return to plague her. Some references are made to events in previous stories and past characters are involved. However, although it's not absolutely essential to have read earlier books, it would help a little with some of the background.
There are already a handful of excellent reviews posted for this title and I completely agree with the sentiments expressed by those reviewers. The ending is definitely unexpected and completely took me by surprise. Personally, I felt there was slightly less use of dialect in this book than in those earlier in the series.
Karen Campbell can undeniably compose a tremendous tale and captures the attention of readers with another extremely well written narrative giving a brilliant insight into the lives of her characters.
Her superior officer this time is a total contrast to JC in Shadowplay. Now we have Grannie Annie Reekie, or Auld Reekie who is kind and gentle and tries to mother Anna through her trials and tribulations. Anna had initially been unaware she had also been known by the moniker of 'Picketty Witch' for years among other officers.
The story lines are bang up to date, incorporating the attack at Glasgow Airport and the City securing the hosting of the Commonwealth Games. Both add a certain credence to the fictional story.
A woman has been brutally murdered and her body found in a Glasgow canal. The ensuing investigation opens up old memories for Anna and past indiscretions return to plague her. Some references are made to events in previous stories and past characters are involved. However, although it's not absolutely essential to have read earlier books, it would help a little with some of the background.
There are already a handful of excellent reviews posted for this title and I completely agree with the sentiments expressed by those reviewers. The ending is definitely unexpected and completely took me by surprise. Personally, I felt there was slightly less use of dialect in this book than in those earlier in the series.
Karen Campbell can undeniably compose a tremendous tale and captures the attention of readers with another extremely well written narrative giving a brilliant insight into the lives of her characters.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Proof of Life by Karen Campbell
this is the fourth book I have read written by Karen Campbell and have enjoyed each and every one so much that I cannot wait for her next book which I believe will be out early... Read more
Published 7 days ago by claire Riley
Left me traumatized
This novel is really powerful. I bought the author's four novels together and read them one after the other. Read more
Published 6 months ago by ana
Mixed Reactions
This is - at least in my view - a difficult book to review fairly. In some respects it's a real humdinger of a crime thriller, but there are a couple of significant flaws which... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Stanwegian
Rich & rounded storytelling
Beautifully written, very sharp & funny in places & heartbreakingly sad in others, Proof of Life is a book that asks how our actions influence those around us - and reflects on... Read more
Published 9 months ago by E Webb
Och, ge' ready furra shock
In Karen Campbell's fourth novel, a young woman is found murdered which in addition to prompting an investigation by the Strathclyde police force also brings back haunting memories... Read more
Published 10 months ago by OEJ
Fabulous Read
I have just finished reading Proof of Life by Karen Campbell. Having read her three previous novels I was confident it would be good and I was not disappointed. Read more
Published 11 months ago by D Alexander
Stunning
I picked up the first of Karen Campbell's book purely because she shares a name with one of my friends. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Andy
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