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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Frances Fyfield is now universally acclaimed as one of this country's finest crime writers, with a depth of psychological understanding quite the equal of the previously unassailable duo of PD James and Ruth Rendell. The intense and expressive quality of her prose illuminates narratives that both celebrate traditional storytelling values and explode them. Undercurrents may well be her most disturbing work yet. In the past, some male readers may have been discomforted by her recurring preoccupation with male violence against women, but Henry Evans, the protagonist of this novel, is the perfect conduit for both the male and female reader into a truly mesmerising narrative.
When Henry was backpacking around India some 20 years before, he encountered the beguiling Francesca Chisholm. Francesca's father died, and Henry's reluctance to alter his travel plans obliged her to leave without him. For all of his adult life, he has regretted this decision, and finally resolves to travel to the English coastal town of Warbling (the name is the book's only miscalculation) to track her down. But Henry is in for a shock. It's a very wet February, and his hotel is flooded, so he is obliged to stay at a strange alternative hostel. The solicitor who has traced Francesca suggests that he regard her as dead but Henry persists. He discovers that Francesca has confessed to killing her five-year-old son, drowning him in the sea. She is imprisoned and the case appears to be closed. But is it? Henry decides to find out precisely what happened. And his scarifying odyssey into the dark night of the soul--both his and hers--is something he finds himself unprepared for.
Fyfield adroitly presents her protagonist with an implacable mystery--but the solving of this mystery is no mechanical trick, as it so often was in the golden age of crime fiction. The journey Henry undertakes will change him forever, and the insights into the troubled Francesca's psyche are as rich and profound as anything in literary fiction. As always with this author, the characters are fastidiously created, and the taut structure of the plot is accentuated by the relative brevity of her narrative. Some may wish for a longer book, but there isn't a wasted word here, and anyone in doubt as to Fyfield's position in the pantheon of English crime writing should not hesitate.
--Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'Fyfield at her best - compelling - disturbing - but always elegant ... ' Minette Walters 'Her knowledge of the workings of the human mind - or more correctly the soul - is second to none.' Ian Rankin 'Undiluted brilliance.' The Times
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I had never before read any books by Frances Fyfield. I therefore had no idea of what to expect and by reading the back cover, was expecting a pacy, modern thriller, perhaps in the style of Nicci French.
The central character Henry Evans, an American, embarks on a journey to Warbling in England, on a quest to look for his lost love of twenty years before, Francesca Chisholm. He finds out that she has committed some terrible crime, and is drawn into the world of the inhabitants of Warbling, who all seem to have something to hide...
I was at first disappointed at the seemingly slow pace, but as I read on, was captivated by the beautiful, old-fashioned, effortless writing of the author. An author takes time to engage the reader into the lives of the characters and the setting in which they lived. There is certainly an undercurrent in the author's writing style, a sense of the ominous, whenever you turn the page.
The only criticism I have, is that I never felt passionately enough about any of the characters. The book is so removed from being over emotional that it prevents the reader from feeling strongly for the characters.
A compelling read nevertheless.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the second Frances Fyfield book I've read and it will most likely be the last. I found her style of writing very hard going, with elusive characters and very unrealistic dialogue. She evokes the atmosphere of an out of season seaside town well but I found her characterisations to be very airy fairy and not true to life. Great if you like this sort of stuff, but give me Ruth Rendell any time. Something to get the teeth into, with believable characters!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was recommended this book by a friend of mine, and reading the back cover I was looking forward to an enjoyable read. Undercurrents tells the story of Henry Evans who finds himself in search of a woman, Francesca Chisholm, who he met whilst backpacking in India. Over twenty years have passed and when he arrives at her home town on the seaside in England, all is not as he expected... Francesca's had a son, who has been murdered, and she has confessed to it. Henry doesn't believe it is possible so goes out to seek the truth.
Fyfield cleverly intertwines the story of the book with letters written by Francesca from her prison cell, casting more mystery onto the truth behind the story. The problem I had with this book though was that it was somehow just boring... yes, there is suspense; yes, it is quite well written although the characters are a bit lacking in my view and the dialogue is sometimes a bit basic; yes, it is difficult to put down.
However, the story doesn't really go anywhere, it struck me as a good idea but an opportunity lost in the way it was written. When I finished the book I was disappointed. The overview on the back cover suggests a far more exciting perhaps psychological thriller, but this simply doesn't deliver. Looking at the reviews here, they seem to be quite mixed and I guess what one person finds an enjoyable read another may find boring. I wouldn't be able to recommend this book to anyone though.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Boring
I'm new to Frances Fyfield. Based on this, I won't become a fan. It's a long time snce I've struggled to get to the end of a book. Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2009 by Ireland
Hard to digest
I've read other Fyfield novels and enjoyed them, especially those with Helen West in them. However, this one was like wading through treacle. Read more
Published on 26 July 2004 by sam155
mysterious and entertaining
A middle aged American man returns to a small seaside town in the UK insearch of a long lost love. All is not well however. Read more
Published on 22 April 2004 by C. K. Colebrooke
Very slow and too much detail
Normally, a novel that contains alarge amount of detail contributes to the atmosphere. Somehow, when Frances Fyfield does this in Undercurrents, it just interferes with the... Read more
Published on 5 Dec 2001
Pretentious and boring
The blurb on the back of this book builds it up to be a whodunnit thriller. In fact, it's a tedious and pretentious waste of paper. Read more
Published on 31 July 2001
Highly literate mystery, tremendous atmosphere
Frances Fyfield is a highly skilled write who perfectly evokes the atmosphere of a Kent coastal town in winter, while leading us through a web of intrigue involving complex and... Read more
Published on 29 Jun 2001
Boring
When I read the back of this book, despite never having read Frances Fyfield before, I had to buy it there and then. Read more
Published on 22 Jun 2001
Fyfield moves into the Rendell, Walters waters
London lawyer Frances Fyfield writes two excellent series, but on this occasion she leaves both behind to dabble very successfully in the dark psychological waters usually stirred... Read more
Published on 9 Jun 2001
beautifully written thriller with twists and amazing setting
This book contains the best descriptive writing about the sea I have ever come across. It is evocative and very immediate. You feel you're in that cold, wet spray. Read more
Published on 15 April 2001 by wanda_bevan@yahoo.co.uk
Frances Fyfield writes with language to inspire imagination.
This is the first Frances Fyfield book I have read and will certainly read another. Her characters are believable; her description amazing - it was obviously based at Deal in Kent... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2001
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