Scan barcode
A review by katykelly
Life or Death by Michael Robotham
3.0
3.5 stars.
I kept reading this one, intrigued. But having recently read The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair (on the surface, very different to Robotham's novel), the twists and conspiracies of that measured up in my eyes to be smarter and better thought through.
This isn't bad though, not at all. What a great premise for a start - a man put in prison for robbery and murder, about to be released, escapes the NIGHT BEFORE he is to be let go. WHY?! The money from the heist was never recovered,,,
Then his former cellmate finds himself released under dubious circumstances, told to find Audie, the missing prisoner. He knows something isn't right, but what? Moss and Audie both narrate segments, along with Desiree, a great 'little' character (speaking in height terms here, not demeaningly), she's spunky and could do with material devoted to her alone. Exceptionally short, she's had to push hard to succeed, and she is bright enough to realise that things don't add up with Aude's original conviction. Will Moss or Desiree turn up anything that shows Audie isn't what he is painted to be?
I never quite felt I understood everything that was going on, but did enjoy the surprises along the way. Audie is a little too saintly though (almost daily beatings in prison for ten years and he keeps his cool?!), and Desiree doesn't get much more do in in the second half than a few revelation scenes and a last-minute dash to the final confrontation moment. She could have been much more a part of it.
Some great minor characters, some of whom get despatched unexpectedly easily. Audie's backstory, when it finally comes, is a good one, very revealing and sad.
This was my first Robotham. I'm not normally much of a thriller/conspiracy reader, and won't read this genre much more often, but it makes a change from my usual reads and I'm glad to have tried a new author.
I kept reading this one, intrigued. But having recently read The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair (on the surface, very different to Robotham's novel), the twists and conspiracies of that measured up in my eyes to be smarter and better thought through.
This isn't bad though, not at all. What a great premise for a start - a man put in prison for robbery and murder, about to be released, escapes the NIGHT BEFORE he is to be let go. WHY?! The money from the heist was never recovered,,,
Then his former cellmate finds himself released under dubious circumstances, told to find Audie, the missing prisoner. He knows something isn't right, but what? Moss and Audie both narrate segments, along with Desiree, a great 'little' character (speaking in height terms here, not demeaningly), she's spunky and could do with material devoted to her alone. Exceptionally short, she's had to push hard to succeed, and she is bright enough to realise that things don't add up with Aude's original conviction. Will Moss or Desiree turn up anything that shows Audie isn't what he is painted to be?
I never quite felt I understood everything that was going on, but did enjoy the surprises along the way. Audie is a little too saintly though (almost daily beatings in prison for ten years and he keeps his cool?!), and Desiree doesn't get much more do in in the second half than a few revelation scenes and a last-minute dash to the final confrontation moment. She could have been much more a part of it.
Some great minor characters, some of whom get despatched unexpectedly easily. Audie's backstory, when it finally comes, is a good one, very revealing and sad.
This was my first Robotham. I'm not normally much of a thriller/conspiracy reader, and won't read this genre much more often, but it makes a change from my usual reads and I'm glad to have tried a new author.