A Particular Attachment

Heather is a psychotherapist and lives in Chiswick, in West London. She’s happily single and likes her work. Among her favourite patients is Phoebe, who reminds her of her own troubled younger self. Then, one summer evening, Phoebe is dead – apparently the victim of a fatal fall from the balcony of her flat. But did she jump, did she fall, or was she pushed? Heather thinks Phoebe would never have killed herself, so what did happen? Who can she turn to? She enlists the help of her former employer, Max, who has become a friend and father figure to her; and the police, in the form of Det Insp John Kelly, who warns her off amateur sleuthing but warms to her, and she to him; and she starts investigating anyway. I enjoyed A Particular Attachment. It’s very accomplished for a first novel, I liked the relationships between the characters, whether good or bad. Most of the story takes place in a well-described West London, between Chiswick, Fulham, and Hammersmith and the author is clearly familiar with the area. I also liked the courtroom scenes – they aren’t overlong but are key to the plot and have a feel of realism to them. Heather is relatable, far from perfect, tempted to fall back into her old ways, but doing her best – the other characters are also well-drawn even when unlikeable, and there are certainly some of those. The novel is set in 2016-17 which allows ignoring more recent events. There is an atmospheric sense of time – in Heather’s house (I imagine a cosy Victorian terrace), ‘it started to be very cold … there was frost on the grass and fog obscured the trees at the end of her garden.’ This sense of time also adds to the realism of the plot in another way – it all takes time. The inquest is seven months after the death, the investigation proceeds at its own pace, and life carries on elsewhere. I would recommend this work to anyone who likes character-driven detective novels set in a present-day urban landscape.

On the surface, A Particular Attachment is a mystery crime novel, but its undercurrent reaches beyond the central plot, giving it a depth which makes it an especially satisfying and thought-provoking read. By means of succinct, fluent prose, the writer builds a compelling picture of the protagonist, Heather, in a gradual and subtle way as the plot develops, and themes emerge which draw the reader in further. The boundaries separating professional from personal become blurred, for both psychotherapist and Detective Inspector, and the ethical dilemma facing Heather is conveyed with a clarity and perspicacity which increase the suspense. The field of mental health is incorporated into this novel seamlessly and effectively, and gives it an added dimension which only the most accomplished writer can achieve. It is a novel that will remain in the mind after the closing chapter.

This is a fast-paced literary crime fiction novel that’s well-worth the read. It is skilfully told. At first, I was apprehensive as I didn’t know this writer. But I didn’t need to be. I was immediately inside a well-thought out plot. With a small set of characters, all drawn acutely well, with detailed nuances. Characters you both cared deeply for; characters you didn’t, because you weren’t meant to. This is a very well-told story in the crime fiction genre. The writing style is superb. Geraldine is a master story- teller. The story is deftly told. Pace and suspense are maintained in equal measure. Sentences are spare and prose is taut. Geraldine Taylor has the skill to create a whole world of tension and atmosphere in just a few words. It is a riveting read cantering towards the final denouement, leaving the reader feeling satisfied with how the story ends. I can see this being made into a television serial, or a film.