Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Mulholland Books (2014), Edition: Reprint, 375 pages
Description
After a woman is brutally slain, investigators bring psychiatrist Joe O'Loughlin in for expert consultation. Joe is shocked to discover the dead woman is a former patient of his who cried rape when he rebuffed her sexual advances. Citing doctor/patient confidentiality, Joe hides this information. But the truth emerges, and suddenly he is the prime suspect.
Media reviews
Kirkus Reviews
British journalist/ghostwriter Robotham’s first novel is a masterful riff on I Confess with a psychologist substituting for the embattled priest.
Professor Joe O’Laughlin is shocked to hear about the murder of Catherine Mary McBride, the Liverpool nurse he’d treated for self-mutilation who
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responded by coming on to him and crying rape. He’s even more disturbed when he realizes that one of his current patients, Bobby Moran, fits DI Vincent Ruiz’s description of the sadistic killer. Bobby’s nightmares and violent behavior, together with compelling circumstantial evidence, make Joe itch to share his suspicions with Ruiz despite his secular priesthood’s promise of confidentiality, and eventually he gives in. But it’s already too late: Ruiz, pointing to baffling discrepancies in Joe’s description of Bobby and Joe’s lack of alibi for the fatal night, arrests Joe for murder. So far, so predictable—especially the hoary reason Joe can’t say where he was when Catherine was killed. When Joe turns detective in order to save his skin, however, his narrative takes off, for he’s both desperate and drastically competent, fully a match for the demon bent on destroying his livelihood, his family, his home and his life.
Readers will forget their own jobs, meals and families while they race to find out which one of his targets the killer actually hits before he’s brought down. Show Less
Publisher's Weekly
Joe O'Loughlin, a London psychologist, loves his job and loves his family—wife Julianne and eight-year-old daughter Charlie—even more in Australian author Robotham's well-written, if somewhat convoluted, debut suspense novel. O'Loughlin's life takes two disastrous turns: first, he's diagnosed
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with Parkinson's disease; second, while helping Det. Insp. Vincent Ruiz on the case of a murdered nurse, Catherine Mary McBride, he becomes the primary suspect in the killing. The crime occurred close to O'Loughlin's London home, giving him opportunity, and it turns out that McBride had been his patient and had accused him of harassment, giving him plenty of motive. Vivid characters mostly avoid stereotype, while a fast and furious last section makes up for a wealth of asides and anecdotes that, however effectively done, slow the narrative. More seriously, the book can't decide whether it's a psychological mystery or a conspiracy thriller and strains credibility well past the breaking point. Still, Robotham shows real promise, putting a fresh spin on the familiar crime fiction trope of the falsely accused man. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
It's been a long while since I stayed up until 4:00am to finish a book but that's what I did reading this one. I really liked the main character, flaws and all, and the story rocked along at a rollicking pace. There were a couple of slightly awkward/clumsy plot resolution moments but nothing major
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and they didn't detract from my "enjoyment". I use the quotes for the word enjoyment because frankly I'm not sure it's the right word to describe the increased pulse rate and tremmors that accompanied my reading of this book. Top effort. Show Less
LibraryThing member JFHilborne
London psychologist Joe O'Loughlin is a family man who has just received some devastating news about his health. Joe is at a meeting providing counseling for a group of prostitutes and is interrupted by an aggressive Detective holding a photograph of a murder victim. DI Ruiz believes the victim
When Joe learns the identity of the dead woman, he fears exposing the connection he shares with her, aware it gives him motive. As the killing occurred near his home, he also had opportunity. As DI Ruiz uncovers the connection, he soon looks at Joe as the primary suspect. This would have been a great suspense plot by itself. However, the author introduces several other characters into the first chapters and the plot turns much more convoluted.
Joe believes one of his especially disturbed patients is behind the killing, but he can't find enough evidence to satisfy Ruiz. The more Joe hunts for the evidence, the guiltier he looks, until he finds himself alone and on the run, with his whole life crumbling around him. Joe could turn it all around if only he would admit to his alibi.
For the well-respected psychologist, the situation becomes dire. The DI appears to want Joe to be guilty. Ruiz is an aggressive detective and does not seem willing to look at any other suspects. As more killings occur, the plot becomes far-fetched and a little incredulous. For the most part, the story moves well and the characters well developed and mostly likable. The writing is tight and the dialogue is crisp. Suspect is a decent, perhaps a little over dramatic, thriller.
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might have been a prostitute and he invites Joe to assist in his investigation. Joe soon learns the dead woman is a nurse, a former patient of his, and one with whom he shares bad history. When Joe learns the identity of the dead woman, he fears exposing the connection he shares with her, aware it gives him motive. As the killing occurred near his home, he also had opportunity. As DI Ruiz uncovers the connection, he soon looks at Joe as the primary suspect. This would have been a great suspense plot by itself. However, the author introduces several other characters into the first chapters and the plot turns much more convoluted.
Joe believes one of his especially disturbed patients is behind the killing, but he can't find enough evidence to satisfy Ruiz. The more Joe hunts for the evidence, the guiltier he looks, until he finds himself alone and on the run, with his whole life crumbling around him. Joe could turn it all around if only he would admit to his alibi.
For the well-respected psychologist, the situation becomes dire. The DI appears to want Joe to be guilty. Ruiz is an aggressive detective and does not seem willing to look at any other suspects. As more killings occur, the plot becomes far-fetched and a little incredulous. For the most part, the story moves well and the characters well developed and mostly likable. The writing is tight and the dialogue is crisp. Suspect is a decent, perhaps a little over dramatic, thriller.
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LibraryThing member smik
Joseph O'Loughlin, psychologist becomes a murder suspect when a nurse and former colleague is found dead from multiple stab wound, all of them self inflicted. DI Vincent Ruiz is the policeman/investigator
LibraryThing member cefeick
Robotham's best. Suspect presents a highly likable but also flawed narrator that you can't help but root for. The character is the best part, wrapped in a murder mystery that takes our protagonist from London to the Welsh countryside and to other parts of Europe as he works to clear his name.
LibraryThing member bhowell
This is an excellent debut by a new mystery writer.
LibraryThing member FuzzySlippers
I picked this book up from my husband's nightstand because I was bored and had nothing to read....what a gem! I was riveted from the get-go. I love that it's British, loved the writing style, and was captivated by the unfolding story and the "what's going to happen next?" question every time I
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picked it up. A good ride! Show Less
LibraryThing member jrepman
London psychologist whose past returns to haunt him.
LibraryThing member karriethelibrarian
Good twists and turns. A great book to listen to.
LibraryThing member jepeters333
After a woman is brutally slain, investigators bring psychiatrist Joe O'Loughlin in for expert consultation. Joe is shocked to discover the dead woman is a former patient of his who cried rape when he rebuffed her sexual advances. Citing doctor/patient confidentiality, Joe hides this information.
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But the truth emerges, and suddenly he is the prime suspect, even as he comes to a shocking conclusion - the profile of the murderer closely matches another of his patients. Show Less
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
Not one of the best mysteries I have read, but it was good. It took a while for the story to get moving, but it ending with a bang.
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
In Suspect Joe is at the center of everything since it's his former-patient who's been killed. Ruiz is the investigating officer and is convinced Joe is guilty. And who wouldn't? Joe routinely makes bad decisions and keeps covering up information or even outright lying. Circumstantial evidence
Aside from the relentless plot against Joe and Ruiz's determination to close the case, there is the whole side-issue of Joe's recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Naturally he's emotionally wrecked by this news and compounds the problem by not being up front with his wife, instead turning to a former patient and erstwhile lover. Another of Joe's bad decisions. Eventually he pulls his head out of his ass, but it's not pretty. Not only is he struggling with his own future disability, but how he will hang on to his practice, his marriage and be a good father to his daughter and unborn child. There isn't a lot of angst-y flailing, but a pretty good portrait of a person trying to deal with a life-changing health issue. As a person who's been on the receiving end of some not so good news from a doctor, I thought Robotham handled it pretty well.
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piles up. Eventually Joe ends up on the run, hiding from Ruiz and desperately trying to find out who set him up and why. The answer is more dazzlingly Byzantine than you usually get in a thriller of this type and it was pretty staggering. His enemy is an old one and spent years compiling enough information to destroy everyone and everything in Joe's life. That's some kind of twisted revenge fantasy. And it almost worked.Aside from the relentless plot against Joe and Ruiz's determination to close the case, there is the whole side-issue of Joe's recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Naturally he's emotionally wrecked by this news and compounds the problem by not being up front with his wife, instead turning to a former patient and erstwhile lover. Another of Joe's bad decisions. Eventually he pulls his head out of his ass, but it's not pretty. Not only is he struggling with his own future disability, but how he will hang on to his practice, his marriage and be a good father to his daughter and unborn child. There isn't a lot of angst-y flailing, but a pretty good portrait of a person trying to deal with a life-changing health issue. As a person who's been on the receiving end of some not so good news from a doctor, I thought Robotham handled it pretty well.
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LibraryThing member dspoon
At forty-two, psychologist Joe O'Loughlin seems to have it all: a thriving practice, a beautiful wife, an adoring daughter. But Joe's snug, happy work is crumbling. Recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he's dreading the inevitable and all too palpable deterioration of his body and mind.
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Then, when the police ask for his help in solving a brutal murder of a woman they assume is a prostitute, he's horrified to recognize the victim as a nurse he once worked with, and with whom he has a bit of a past. As Joe begins to suspect that one of his patients may be responsible, the police zero in on him instead. Show Less
LibraryThing member shaososa
Robotham demonstrates he is a heavy hitter in the thriller genre.
LibraryThing member christinelstanley
Wow, what a treat!
I loved the narrative, the betrayal, plot twists and there were times when I was truely too scared to read the next paragraph! Exceptional writing skills. I will have to read the next book.
I loved the narrative, the betrayal, plot twists and there were times when I was truely too scared to read the next paragraph! Exceptional writing skills. I will have to read the next book.
LibraryThing member VirginibusPuerisque
I once described reading crime fiction as, "The literary equivalent of putting on the slippers after wearing high heels all day and having that first cup of tea when you get home from work". Well this was truly a welcomed return to the comforts of reading a favourite genre, but what a sweet return.
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I loved the blend of the psychological thriller, the twists and the growing awareness of the entanglement of the central character Joe O'Loughlin. I liked the parallels of O'Loughlin's struggle over his body afflicted with Parkinsonism and the struggle to regain control over his own life. Even the somewhat cliched device of "the wrongly accused sets out to prove his innocence" was deftly handled, so much so that I paid it little regard. A fast paced and well written thriller. Now I'm a new fan of Michael Robotham and obviously I have some catching-up to do, but the tea is hot, I have my ugg boots on and I just can't wait! Show Less
LibraryThing member cmt100
Complex, interesting, and gripping. A new author with a long list--oh joy!
LibraryThing member boabflower
A good story. This is the first on the Joe O'Loughlin series and they just get better.
LibraryThing member dpappas
This novel kept me up at night because I just had to finish it. It seemed slow to me for the first half (slow but still interesting). It picked up in the second half and I was glued to it. This is one of the best psychological thrillers that I've read in a while. I would, and plan on, recommend
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this novel to family and friends. Show Less
LibraryThing member Smiler69
When an unknown woman is found brutally murdered, the police call in psychologist Joseph O'Loughlin, who has a gift for figuring people out based on non-verbal cues in hopes he can help them figure out who the victims was. O'Loughlin is a very talented man with a roster of interesting clients, one
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of which is particularly disturbed and disturbing. But he also has secrets of his own to hide, and quickly goes from being a collaborator to becoming the prime suspect in the case, and DI Vincent Ruiz isn't willing to give him any breaks. Someone is trying to frame the doctor and he knows exactly who it is, but he'll have to put his own life at risk to prove the killer is at large if he has any hope of putting his life back together. I thought this was a great thriller and took an instant liking to the psychologist, as the principal character and narrator of the story, so immediately followed up with the next book in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member dspoon
At forty-two, psychologist Joe O'Loughlin seems to have it all: a thriving practice, a beautiful wife, an adoring daughter. But Joe's snug, happy work is crumbling. Recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he's dreading the inevitable and all too palpable deterioration of his body and mind.
Show More
Then, when the police ask for his help in solving a brutal murder of a woman they assume is a prostitute, he's horrified to recognize the victim as a nurse he once worked with, and with whom he has a bit of a past. As Joe begins to suspect that one of his patients may be responsible, the police zero in on him instead. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kathy89
Psychologist is accused of killing the nurse who charged him with sexual harassment, he refuses to give an alibi because he was cheating on his wife with a former patient. When his lover is then murdered, he realizes one of his patients has very cleverly set him up.
LibraryThing member archangelsbooks
Although the premise is quite promising, a wrong man scenario where the wrong man has Parkinson's Disease, the book never truly lives up to its promise. I found most of the plot to be predictable and forced. This is another example of a writer writing with the movies in mind. Also, to my mind,
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there were many passages that just did not ring true. I started an old Lovejoy mystery by Jonathan Gash after finishing Suspect, the writing is fresh, quick and natural - something Robotham could do well to study. Show Less
LibraryThing member jjaylynny
Good brain-candy thriller by a writer with serviceable prose and pretty clever hooks. The first Joe O'Loughlin mystery; I'm goin' backwards.
LibraryThing member luann1
I completely enjoyed this book! I have not enjoyed a book like this since my last John Grisham novel. The writing was clean and clear cut. I did not have to work at reading. The story was quick moving and even had a touch of good humor along the way.
LibraryThing member librarian1204
Having first read this author's newest book, I went back to the first one. A book you can not put down even when at times you would like to. Think I 'll take a breather before Zi read his next one!
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2003