|
[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
Denise Hamilton's star character Eve Diamond is one of my favourite crime fiction creations. She's an on-the-ball newspaper reporter with a nose for news and an unerring ability to root out trouble. And I have to admit professional curiosity keeps me hooked on this very strong series. Hamilton, a journalist herself, is outstanding at writing what she knows -- the life of a newspaper reporter who's not quite where she wants to be, but is persistent and won't take no for an answer. I love reading how other country's newspapers work. After a while you realise that a nose for news is international -- but there are also regional peculiarities to keep you intrigued. I remember twitching badly through one of Swedish writer Liza Marklund's books and narrowly avoided heaving an otherwise enjoyable book at the wall as the main character kept saying "oh, we can't ask so-and-so that, as it might upset them!" My squawk moment with Hamilton came when Eve read the quotes back to someone she'd just interviewed. One of the first things you're taught on British journalism courses is never to do that, as you can guarantee the person will then get cold feet and want to start altering what they've said. One of Hamilton's strengths is taking you into a busy newsroom. In SAVAGE GARDEN there's an engrossing subplot, which often refers back to the Jayson Blair affair, featuring keen new reporter Felice Morgan. You'll note I'm in avoidance mode when it comes to describing what happens in SAVAGE GARDEN. The book revolves around the disappearance of Catarina Velosi, a controversial actress who's supposed to be starring in the new play from Alfonso Reventon, a former gang member-turned-playwright. And he's a friend of Eve's new lover Silvio. The plot was . . . fine. But I couldn't bring myself to care in the least about any of those characters. Alfonso is particularly charmless, and I got very fed-up with the lovey-dovey stuff with Silvio. After a while I wanted to shake Eve for putting up with being lied to, and jab him somewhere painful for being a pain in the neck! What Hamilton does best, aside from writing about newspapers better than any novelist I know, is her portrayal of Los Angeles and the eclectic people who make up its population. I loved the images of Eve standing in her home and watching the city spread out below her. Hamilton doesn't write bad books, but SAVAGE GARDEN isn't her best. In the end I tuned into the Felice subplot which rang horribly true on all levels, and did my best to pretend the Silvio stuff was a necessary evil.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, July 2006
[ Top ]
QUICK SEARCH:
Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]
| 
