Customer Reviews

Nina Todd Has Gone

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the third Lesley Glaister book that I've read this year and the third that I've really enjoyed. Straight away this book has a sinister feel which progressively increases throughout. The characters are well portrayed and each chapter varies from the perspective of the two main characters as well as brief chapters which flashback to earlier events. At the top of each chapter there is a symbol which denotes which viewpoint the chapter is written from - it's slightly confusing to start with but that just adds to the atmosphere of unease.

I don't want to add any spoilers to this review, so I'll be careful what I say, but I did think it was interesting how Glaister makes you feel about certain characters. Since discovering her writing, I continue to be surprised that Glaister isn't much more well known in the UK. It's great to find a British author who writes psychological thrillers that are so compelling without being filled with gratuitous violence. In "Nina Todd has Gone" Glaister has produced another high quality book that I would highly recommend if you enjoy thrillers.

As an fan of Glaister's writing I was very pleased not to be disappointed with this, her latest read. It's an easy enough book to read, but what it explores is deep and complex: who are we? What is identity? None of the characters are quite what they seem at first and the more you read the more the layers unravel.

It's actually quite terrifying at times especially towards the end, but also rather funny too. There's a great scene with a drunken budgie, and some of the minor characters are hilarious and well-observed.

Nina Todd herself is such a great creation. I found myself cringing and wincing at many of her social faux-pas, but then rooting for her, then being furious with her, then laughing at her, then crying for her.

I really can't recommend this book highly enough.

With three young children and a busy job, I shamefully still found the time to read this book in only 3 days. My first Lesley Glaister book but certainly not my last, I found this book just incredible. The story is utterly compelling from the first to the last page but what really makes this book so special is the way that the action unfolds through the thoughts of the different characters - brilliantly done. A highly recommended read.

This is the only book that i have read by Lesley Glaister and thought it was brilliant. I would recommend this book to readers.

This book plods along nicely, but doesn't really wow!

This was not a bad read, but I felt it was lacking substance and plot twists to make it a truly stunning read.

The character of Nina was a bit annoying. I am assuming that her character flaws were meant to make her endearing, but I just found her annoying that she couldn't learn from her mistakes. I also thought how she handled Rupert was weak. By telling him to go away one minute and then popping to the pub with him was just daft.

I also didn't like how Mark's version of events were written in disjointed sentences, I felt that it made it awkward and ruined the flow of the story.

Nina Todd meets Rupert,' the most handsome man she has ever seen in real life,' while attending a work training course. She returns home to her boyfriend Charlie, her office job and hopes to leave her indiscretion at the hotel and return to her normal life. Unfortunately Rupert wants more....

Nina Todd has Gone is a slow burning psychological thriller. From the flashbacks in between the chapters we learn more about Nina's early life, and in turn Rupert's early life as well as his current thoughts. These narratives slowly reveal more about Nina, Rupert as well as Charlie, Charlie's mother and his reclusive brother Dave.

I find it hard to say whether I liked Nina's character, I couldn't truly sympathise with her as Lesley Glaister cleverly feeds us the consequences of her actions reflected by Rupert and Charlie.

This is ultimately a book about who is good, who is right and none of the characters were. If you like endings that wrap up neatly and tie everything in a bow this is not the book for you.

I had never heard of Lesley Glaister until a chance recommendation led me to read and fall in love with her novel Chosen and immediately after I finished that, I ordered this. I was not disappointed, and will now be ordering her entire back catalogue. I note that Glaister has celebrity fans including HIlary Mantel (who 'discovered' her) and Sophie Hannah, and accolades from them are much deserved.

Nina Todd Has Gone follows my favourite narrative structure and one that I suppose was pioneered by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine - two different viewpoints, looking back over a crime that happened many years ago and is now catching up with the protagonists. It is a much-used format now, and Vine's work aside, I have never seen it employed so deftly as here.

It tells the story of Nina Todd, who we know is living under an assumed name after commiting a crime in her late teens. The parallel narrative is told from the perspective of someone who has dedicated his life to finding her, who has just discovered who and where she is, and who is making plans to capture and torture her. The result is a fast-paced race all over the UK as Nina flees from her persuer and the police and her protection officers try to get to her before he does. Reading back the above description, that sounds rather generic. I promise you it's not. The psychological insights are spot on, the language is flawless and the most accomplished thing is that even through a frenetic thriller style cat-and-mouse plot, NIna Todd is gradually revealed to be a damaged, sympathetic character with whom the reader cannot help but identify. When it came to the chapter that outlined her 'crime' I was not only impressed by the revelation - the victims were not who I had thought - but astonished to find myself tearful with compassion for a murderer, too.

If you like Barbara Vine, stand-alone Ruth Rendells, Nicci French, Rosamund Lupton, Jane Casey, Erin Kelly, I recommend this book.

This is the first book I have read by Lesley Glaister and a ripping good read.

The title of the book is so apt, as you get to find out who and what Nina Todd was/is but all done in a such a way that makes you think. Was it all her doing? Has Rupert now got his revenge? If so, what for and why?

A definite psychological thriller, that keeps you wanting to read the next chapter to find out what happens. all I can say is that the climax is every bit as good as the first chapter .... on a scale of 1-10 ... 10.

I really don't want to give away any story lines as you have to read it to understand just what a good writer Lesley Glaister is, as the main character is so life like, you can actually visualise her as a person you could meet in the street or at work. That is what Glaister does here, brings the ordinary together with the disturbed mind for a gripping, thrilling read.

I enjoyed this book so much that am now looking at any other of her works.

Well paced novel. Liked the main character - page turner.
Story threaded well and I look forward to reading her other novels.

Stated well and soon got into the story but got fed up with all the repetition of the story from the different characters,and felt some of them were very weak and a disappointing ending