- Hardcover: 400 pages
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton; First Edition edition (9 July 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 034093669X
- ISBN-13: 978-0340936696
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.4 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 234,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Lovers
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
In The Lovers, John Connolly’s latest, highly individual entry in his distinguished Charlie Parker series, his doughty private eye’s life is in a downward spiral. The authorities don’t trust him, and he has been deprived of his investigator's license (including his right to bear arms). He’s holding down an undemanding job in a Portland bar. But Charlie is not the kind to stay in the shadows for long: he is about to undertake the most challenging (and potentially destructive) assignment of his life: he has decided to uncover the facts behind his policeman father’s death and – even more importantly -- the killing of a young couple that his father was responsible for. Immersing himself once again in the painful circumstances of his own childhood, he comes across a mystery: an unidentified young man and woman who appear to have been present at many death scenes; and – even harder to accept – they have been seen right back to the days of the suicide of Charlie’s father. This mysterious duo are shadowing Charlie -- will he find out the motivation behind his father’s terrible act before he, too, violently dies?
Dublin-born John Connolly is as celebrated in the US as he is in Britain for his perfect assimilation of American idioms in the remarkable series of crime novels featuring Charlie Parker, but it goes without saying that bestselling success requires something more than nailing a US tone of voice. That such as Connolly winners as Every Dead Thing,The Reapers and now, The Lovers, work as well as they do is also down to the fact that he is able to import a striking and stylish use of language into his violent narratives. And there is another element to his work – an audacious move beyond the parameters of normality. The Lovers, like other Connolly books, transports the novels’ battles between good and evil into an almost metaphysical realm. This is always the most controversial component of his books, and inevitably, it’s not to everyone’s taste. But those who love John Connolly know such things are part of the warp and woof of his work, and they move him into a territory that is very much his own. --Barry Forshaw
Review
'More restrained and reflective . . . but no less powerful' (Marcel Berlins, Sunday Times )
'As ever with Connolly, the macabre narrative is couched in prose that is often allusive and poetic.' (Barry Forshaw, Independent )
'Visionary brand of neo-noir . . . terrifically exciting, tightly plotted . . . written in an uncommonly fine, supple, sensuous prose.' (Irish Times )
'Tremendous stuff, as Connolly's novels always are.' (Mark Timlin, Independent on Sunday )
'His latest plot is a clever mixture of quest and chase, written in prose that unfolds at warp speed, and rarely fails to sing.' (Observer )
'A tightly plotted, beautifully constructed novel where John Connolly exhibits his considerable skills.' (crimesquad )
'You may think at times you are reading a literary novel but then Connolly will remind you he's just as adept at the violent strategies of the thriller. Either way you will be left shaken by the experience.' (Daily Express )
'His usual intriguing blend of fast-paced crime fiction and fantasy.' (Independent )
'A strange, compelling mixture of genuinely scary gothic horror, humour and hard-nosed crime, The Lovers is among his best. Best read by torchlight in a broken-down car, right at the end of a forest track. During a storm.' (Herald )
'Superbly written . . . another excellent entry in the Charlie Parker series and can be easily read as a stand-alone' 4 stars (RTE Guide )
'As ever with Connolly, the macabre narrative is couched in prose that is often allusive and poetic.' (Barry Forshaw, Independent )
'Visionary brand of neo-noir . . . terrifically exciting, tightly plotted . . . written in an uncommonly fine, supple, sensuous prose.' (Irish Times )
'Tremendous stuff, as Connolly's novels always are.' (Mark Timlin, Independent on Sunday )
'His latest plot is a clever mixture of quest and chase, written in prose that unfolds at warp speed, and rarely fails to sing.' (Observer )
'A tightly plotted, beautifully constructed novel where John Connolly exhibits his considerable skills.' (crimesquad )
'You may think at times you are reading a literary novel but then Connolly will remind you he's just as adept at the violent strategies of the thriller. Either way you will be left shaken by the experience.' (Daily Express )
'His usual intriguing blend of fast-paced crime fiction and fantasy.' (Independent )
'A strange, compelling mixture of genuinely scary gothic horror, humour and hard-nosed crime, The Lovers is among his best. Best read by torchlight in a broken-down car, right at the end of a forest track. During a storm.' (Herald )
'Superbly written . . . another excellent entry in the Charlie Parker series and can be easily read as a stand-alone' 4 stars (RTE Guide )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It is time...yes my friends, time to rise, time to stand up and say proudly...."I like horror". Yes there will be those who mock, those who will cast you out. They will attack you with their vampire romance but you must be strong. To test your faith, I have a task for you. Go to your nearest bookshop, enter the crime section (no-one said it would be easy) and find John Connolly's books. Then you must move them, one by one and carefully place them in the horror section (if you can find it) and if anyone moves them back you must persist and return them to the horror section once again. Should you be challenged in your task, by a well meaning staff member perhaps, say only these words.."it's a horror novel".
You see, without wishing to cause civil unrest in your local Borders (although come to think of it, that might be fun) there is a serious point to be made here. John Connolly is one of my favourite authors and the reason I like him so much is that he injects his crime novels with a fair old dose of supernatural adrenalin. His writing has an edge, a darkness, it's on the borderlands but with The Lovers Connolly has crossed over to the darkside. The supernatural elements don't remain in the background here they are at the forefront, indeed without the spectre of the occult this book could not exist.
Charlie Parker is John Connolly's hero, a troubled, even broken man, his history is one filled with blood, death and loss. The previous books have detailed some of this history but have left several large boulders unturned. The Lovers fills in a few of these blanks and in particular the mystery surrounding the death of Parker's father. Why a seemingly mild mannered family man and respected police officer shot two, apparently innocent young people and then took his own life. I can't go into any detail without spoiling the book for you, suffice to say the answer explains much of the supernatural elements that have lurked in the pages of the previous books.
A word of caution though, if you are new to Charlie Parker then please start at the beginning and work your way to this book. Start at Every Dead Thing and read them chronologically, yes you could probably read them out of sequence but if you do you won't get the full sense of mystery, the subtle hints at something deeper. Without that history this book would be much weaker as it is though it is an immense achievement, tying up several loose ends in dramatic and unexpected fashion whilst at the same time unravelling a few other areas of mystery which will no doubt lead us deeper down the supernatural rabbit hole (I can't wait).
So highly recommended this is the book which finally gets to the soul of Charlie Parker and does it with style, inventiveness, vivid characterisation and beautiful prose. In my mind Connolly keeps getting better with each book and seems to be getting the rewards he deserves in terms of sales (currently No4 in Tesco Book charts just ahead of Michael Jackson: Life Of A legend!). So, on second thoughts, maybe we shouldn't upset the applecart, leave the public to appreciate the nuances and skill of a great horror writer, even if they do think they are reading a crime novel.
You see, without wishing to cause civil unrest in your local Borders (although come to think of it, that might be fun) there is a serious point to be made here. John Connolly is one of my favourite authors and the reason I like him so much is that he injects his crime novels with a fair old dose of supernatural adrenalin. His writing has an edge, a darkness, it's on the borderlands but with The Lovers Connolly has crossed over to the darkside. The supernatural elements don't remain in the background here they are at the forefront, indeed without the spectre of the occult this book could not exist.
Charlie Parker is John Connolly's hero, a troubled, even broken man, his history is one filled with blood, death and loss. The previous books have detailed some of this history but have left several large boulders unturned. The Lovers fills in a few of these blanks and in particular the mystery surrounding the death of Parker's father. Why a seemingly mild mannered family man and respected police officer shot two, apparently innocent young people and then took his own life. I can't go into any detail without spoiling the book for you, suffice to say the answer explains much of the supernatural elements that have lurked in the pages of the previous books.
A word of caution though, if you are new to Charlie Parker then please start at the beginning and work your way to this book. Start at Every Dead Thing and read them chronologically, yes you could probably read them out of sequence but if you do you won't get the full sense of mystery, the subtle hints at something deeper. Without that history this book would be much weaker as it is though it is an immense achievement, tying up several loose ends in dramatic and unexpected fashion whilst at the same time unravelling a few other areas of mystery which will no doubt lead us deeper down the supernatural rabbit hole (I can't wait).
So highly recommended this is the book which finally gets to the soul of Charlie Parker and does it with style, inventiveness, vivid characterisation and beautiful prose. In my mind Connolly keeps getting better with each book and seems to be getting the rewards he deserves in terms of sales (currently No4 in Tesco Book charts just ahead of Michael Jackson: Life Of A legend!). So, on second thoughts, maybe we shouldn't upset the applecart, leave the public to appreciate the nuances and skill of a great horror writer, even if they do think they are reading a crime novel.
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a long time fan of John Connolly's writing I was slightly disappointed by his last book "The Reapers", as I felt that it lacked the prose style of his previous books whilst also employing a slightly tired plot scenario. I am happy to say that no such concerns can be raised over the "The Lovers".
Plot-wise, it tells the story of why Charlie Parker's father inexplicably murdered two teenagers before taking his own life when Charlie Parker was a 16 year old boy. This investigation into the past is neatly woven together with contemporary events.
Stylistically, some of the wirting is excellent and is of a standard that if the subject matter were different would place John Connollly's writing in the category of "literature". Happily such boundaries are increasingly blurred so we get to enjoy excellent prose in a contemporary crime thriller.
In summary this really was the most enjoyable read I have had for a time (and I pile through 2-3 books a week),. It is a definite return to top form for John Connolly.
Plot-wise, it tells the story of why Charlie Parker's father inexplicably murdered two teenagers before taking his own life when Charlie Parker was a 16 year old boy. This investigation into the past is neatly woven together with contemporary events.
Stylistically, some of the wirting is excellent and is of a standard that if the subject matter were different would place John Connollly's writing in the category of "literature". Happily such boundaries are increasingly blurred so we get to enjoy excellent prose in a contemporary crime thriller.
In summary this really was the most enjoyable read I have had for a time (and I pile through 2-3 books a week),. It is a definite return to top form for John Connolly.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Either I finished the book too late at night or I missed something!{Apologies if I did.}I had enjoyed the book until very near the end but here's where I got confused.
Did these beings, previously indestructible, suddenly die for ever? and why were they after Charlie anyway?
Can anybody out there explain this to me?
Did these beings, previously indestructible, suddenly die for ever? and why were they after Charlie anyway?
Can anybody out there explain this to me?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The 'wrong' Connolly.
I bought this book in haste, confusing the author with Michael Connolly, whose books I have read and enjoyed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Brian R. Martin
Hard, hard work
One for the "I bought it, so I'm reading it" category. I'm currently into the final 110 pages (yes, I'm counting) of this and don't care who lives, who dies, or does what. Read more
Published 11 months ago by D. Spencer
The Lovers
As always with John Connolly I expected the book to be full of twists and turns and I was not disappointed in the least! Read more
Published 12 months ago by sharona
The lovers
I recieved this book in excellent condition, and just a few days after i ordered it
I am extremely pleased with my purchase and i would use this seller againThe Lovers
I am extremely pleased with my purchase and i would use this seller againThe Lovers
Published 13 months ago by macdonnchaidh
The Lovers
This book was another great piece of escapism from John Connelly could just keep on reading and reading
Published 21 months ago by Batty
brilliant
I have been a fan of the authors work since a friend leant me 'Every dead thing' several years ago. Since then I have read each book in order and this offering was certainly not a... Read more
Published 22 months ago by S. Heatley
No better way to spend some free time
I love reading books and I have read a lot. John Connolly won me as a fan with his writing style, his humor, his charming characters and intriguing stories. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Diana Zaharieva
rubish
i've tried to read this book but can't, john connolly keeps on jumping from one type of story to another and i'n getting confused with the plot of the story. Read more
Published on 5 April 2010 by Ms. E. Oliver
A bit of a disappointment
Having been a fan of John Connolly for some time, I was a little disappointed in this offering. It rambled on without getting anywhere and I felt that the characters were all a... Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2010 by Madeleine Godbold
Charlie Parker back on the job!
You really do need to read the Charlie Parker books in sequence and when you do ... you get the full picture. Read more
Published on 12 Mar 2010 by White Rose
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