From Library Journal
While Detective Constable Louisa Barratt is talking to some London street women, the women are approached by a man who begins insulting and threatening them. The man follows Louisa, who has turned and walked away, and pulls her into an alley and rapes her. She manages to get free but is haunted by feelings that she somehow caused the incident and that because she is a police officer she should have been able to handle the situation better. Louisa tells her story in the form of police reports, listing the facts as she analyzes them using her professional expertise. She also traces the identity of the man to discover his motivation. Louisa's being very near to burnout after six years in the Child Protection Unit adds to her angst and gives the story another dimension. Herself a former police officer, Harkness offers a fresh look at what it means to be a female officer in a large metropolitan area. The only jarring note to this excellent debut is the unfortunate title. Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights-University Heights P.L., OH
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Louisa Barratt works for the Child Protection Unit of the London police. She's tough, funny, eccentric, and good at her job. Like many thirtysomethings, she's looking for love and happiness--a better job, a husband, a house, maybe even kids one day. But then a catastrophic event changes Louisa's life forever. Walking home in broad daylight, she's attacked and nearly raped. She defends herself in the only way she knows how, but when her new boss fails to show up for work the next day and his battered body is found in a nearby alleyway, Louisa realizes that the actions she took to defend herself will have far-reaching consequences. Written by a thirtysomething London policewoman, this hard-hitting first novel is a sort of copper's version of
Bridget Jones' Diary, albeit with a more serious theme. Cleverly written and sharply witty, the story nonetheless has a sad, empty feel as Louisa struggles with the angst of being an unfulfilled 31-year-old. A spot-on portrayal of one aspect of the contemporary urban experience and a good description of the everyday life of a London cop.
Emily MeltonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved