Mortal by
Andrea Badenoch
Published by Macmillan
pbk out Aug 99
(Pan)
at £5.99
Imogen Webb, the narrator of this exceptionally interesting first novel, is a woman who solves other people’s problems - a Geordie now living in South London, she runs an advice centre. Her best friend is completely unlike her - Camilla Harding, a beautiful model with a society background. Then, one December night, Camilla is murdered, apparently the latest victim of the Whistler, a serial killer preying upon women in South London.
But is the Whistler really responsible? A few moments before her death, Camilla confided in Imogen: “Someone’s threatening me. He wants to hurt me. Someone I know.” Imogen picks through the remains of her friend’s life and finds a wealth of suspects. Soon she discovers that Camilla, outwardly so open, was a person of many secrets. Imogen never really knew her best friend. But still grief drives her to discover how she died.
Grim and beautifully written, MORTAL explores a dark terrain where love turns to grief, and grief turns to disillusion. Though sometimes slow-moving, it is a powerful, assured and in many ways profound novel. Strongly recommended.
(
Andrew Taylor
- - author of the highly acclaimed Roth & Lydmouth Series)
Mortal by
Andrea Badenoch