A chilling, addictive tale of murder and corruption
The Pool of Unease
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An intricate mystery. --Sunday Telegraph, Seven
Tangled Web
'Sampson's storytelling is fluent and compelling and her characterisation rewarding...wonderfully atmospheric and evocative'
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
While living in Beijing from 2002-2005, I was always looking for a novel that captured the contradictions of contemporary life there. Hats off to Catherine Sampson for writing such a good one! Pool of Unease isn't just a gripping thriller --it's a window into a China that most people who tune in to the Olympics will never see. From the opening scene where hapless Chinese detective Song finds himself running panicked through the woods with a child he has just saved, to the murder of a British man that brings intrepid journalist Robin Ballantyne to Beijing -- it's clear we are caught up in a world where things are not as they seem. Sampson does a wonderful job of showing why this is particularly true in modern China where the lives of newly rich and desperately poor entwine and Western expectations clash with Eastern values. Her Chinese characters, Song and Blue, are so well-drawn and believable (and Robyn's connection with them so palpable) that even after the story arrived at its unexpected conclusion, I couldn't help but wonder happens to them next.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the third "Robin Ballantyne" book from this author. It is set in Beijing where the author lives and which she clearly knows well. By an interesting and unusual twist, her heroine is a stranger there and knows it not at all. She is an investigative journalist, on assignment from London concerning the murder by decapitation of a British businessman. Sampson's local knowledge enables her to create a mounting sense of menace, with utterly convincing Chinese characters.
By R. Clark
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book but obviously not as much as some of the other reviewers. I thought the picture of modern China was really fascinating and I wonder to what extent this has influenced the other reviewers in arriving at a 5 star verdict. The plot was not nearly strong enough for 5 stars In a review of one of the author'e earlier novels a reviewer says "the self righteous protagonist is unconvincing and alienating"; I wouldn't go as far as that but I do understand and share, in part, the sentiment and this is one of the weaknesses of the novel. I also found the first chapters a little hard to get into but that may be because of the setting. If that is so then it is still fair to say that the author didn't do quite well enough to overcome that hurdle. in fairness I would say that if it had been possible I would have given it 3.5 and I will read another of the author's books
By The Bagster
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed this. I'm not going for five stars like the previous reviewers, because I found a little too much explanation towards the end instead of the whole thing just unfolding. Nevertheless, a very good read. I don't know China as well as the author does, but I know it well enough to know that she has got it right -- the pollution, the paranoia, the food, the state of the built environment in places where tourists aren't expected to go. And, of course, the corruption and the abuse of power. Through all this, the action takes place through characters we can believe in and care about. Four stars.
By J. Wing
Format:Paperback
Catherine Sampson's two previous crime thrillers feature Robin Ballantyne,documentary maker for "the Corporation",and she has again surprised me by moving the action to Beijing with authentic details re: locations and culture of this city. Her descriptions of trying to rear her twin kids and solve crimes simultaneously make the story entertaining as well as a gripping thriller.It centres around the murder of a British businessman in Beijing, and the problems of trying to solve the murder while on a tourist visa. Chinese detective Fong is a new character in her novels - her direct opposite but with the same objectives - to solve the mystery I recommend this book for a good read which is different.
By Annie Yu
Format:Hardcover
Just read this book, and could barely put it down. It is packed with action and excitement and is also beautifully written. Refreshingly, it is brutally realistic rather than quaint, which is the big drawback with many novels about China. The double Chinese/foreign viewpoint used to tell the story illuminates both the many twists in the plot and the dark side of rapid development and social change. Sampson is clearly on home turf, portraying very convincingly the disorientation of the newcomer to China, and the awful pitfalls that can lie in wait. I, for one, am hoping for more tales of Detective Song in Beijing.
By jodb
Format:Hardcover
This is the third book from the author, but stands up well on its own without having to have any knowledge of the earlier books. It paints a totally convincing - if very dark - picture of modern China and the chasm between the new middle classes and the rest of the population. As a crime thriller, it kept me turning the pages, and I liked the fact that not every loose end was neatly tied up - I guess that means we might be hearing more from the Chinese private eye! Thoroughly recommended, whether or not you have ever been to China.
By Caroline P
Format:Hardcover
I first discovered Catherine Sampson's novels through her latest one, the Pool of Unease. The central character, Robin Ballantyne, takes one on a journey through Beijing's sinister back streets, exposing a side of the city that foreigners rarely see. It is a gripping story, with a heart-pounding finish. Having read this one I ordered the other two: Falling Off Air (the first Robin Ballantyne novel) and Out of Mind and loved them almost as much. Being more familiar with China than London, where the first two are mainly set, I could relate more to the third, but they are all wonderful novels. In the Pool of Unease Robin shares center stage with a Chinese detective, Song. He is incredibly believable (and lovable!)-- Catherine Sampson has created an original hero without the stereotyping so common in China fiction written by foreigners. I want more of him! A must read for anyone heading to Beijing for next year's Olympics.
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