A Stain on the Silence by
Andrew Taylor
pbk out January 07
(Penguin)
at £6.99
In recent years, Andrew Taylor has become associated with crime fiction set in the
past, notably with his Lydmouth series and 'The American Boy'. But he first came to
fame with quirky, contemporary books featuring William Dougal and now he has
returned to the present day (although with many flashbacks to the past) in this stand-
alone novel of psychological suspense. The story is told by James, whose contented
world is shattered by the news that his former lover, Lily, is dying, and that he has a
daughter, Kate, of whom he knew nothing and who may have committed murder. An
elaborate plot unfolds as Taylor ventures into Ruth Rendell territory, with a long ago
death affecting lives in the present. The cast contains hardly any characters who are
truly likeable, and there are few flashes of the humour that is, to my mind, one of
Taylor's strengths. But the description of youthful sexual awakening is handled with
sensitivity and there are unexpected developments aplenty. A Stain in the Silence is
likely further to expand this fascinating writer's readership.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
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A Stain on the Silence by
Andrew Taylor
