Shadowplay [Hardcover]

Karen Campbell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 27, 2010

You are a police officer. This is what you do. You speak for the dead, and the desperate living. When Anna Cameron is promoted to Chief Inspector and moved to a new division, it should be a turning point for her. But if she thought having a female boss would make things easier, she'd reckoned without the fearsome 'JC' Hamilton. Then her mother goes into a coma in a foreign country and an old woman disappears from a Glasgow care home under suspicious circumstances, and Anna's career and personal life both threaten to implode. The gang-related murder of a young Asian boy and an assault on one of her officers only serve to turn the screws tighter - can Anna be both a good cop and a good person?

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Karen Campbell deserves to be admitted to membership of what's becoming a very large club - Scottish crime writers of excellence ... As to be expected from a former police officer, Campbell portrays her milieu with harsh authenticity, and Anna Cameron is wholly believable in her unheroic role. Glasgow and its citizens are described with vivid passion.' -- The Times on SHADOWPLAY '[a] fine, accomplished novel ... The characterisation is impeccable ... a true literary talent' -- Scotsman on SHADOWPLAY 'Campbell's third and most powerful novel yet ... this is intelligent, gripping crime writing' -- Stylist on SHADOWPLAY 'A well crafted story with gritty dialogue and an intriguing conclusion that promises much for the next instalment in the series' -- Sunday Herald on SHADOWPLAY 'Meticulously detailed and brutally authentic, this could only have come from a writer who has been there, done it and banged up the bad guys.' -- Daily Record on SHADOWPLAY 'Fast-paced and hard-hitting' -- Woman & Home on SHADOWPLAY 'The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public.' -- Guardian on AFTER THE FIRE 'It's a cracking plot, and Campbell's writing is informed not only by her own experience, but by the considerable amount of research she has put into the legal and psychological risks run by firearms officers' -- Daily Mail on AFTER THE FIRE 'Both a gripping thriller and a moving psychological study ... a writer of immense talent and emotional power, and on the brink of huge success.' -- Daily Express on AFTER THE FIRE 'Sharp, perceptive prose and meticulous attention to detail... a literary force to be reckoned with.' -- Daily Record on AFTER THE FIRE 'She handles this topical and gripping tale with expert skill.' -- News of the World on AFTER THE FIRE 20090315 'Bigger than the sum of its parts, and transcending its thriller label, this is a canvas of human nature ... of love and loss and heartbreak and how ordinary people recover after the fire. If you can contain all this in one novel, and contain it well, that'll be what makes it so good.' -- Scotland on Sunday on AFTER THE FIRE 20090315 'I loved it ... Anna is a great, original character and Karen Campbell has a great way with images.' -- Kate Atkinson on THE TWILIGHT TIME 20071114

About the Author

Karen Campbell is a former police officer who lives in Glasgow with her family. She began writing in earnest on the renowned Glasgow University Creative Writing course, and has had several short stories published.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Hb (May 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1444700421
• ISBN-13: 978-1444700428
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,943,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty Glasgow, Gorgeous Writing, March 18, 2011

By 

D. Moore (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shadowplay (Kindle Edition)

Anna Cameron has been promoted to Chief Inspector and moved to a new Division. A fresh start and a clean sheet should be just the ticket. Unfortunately, Anna discovers that she now has the worst boss in the world. On top of that her Mum - who she doesn't have a great relationship with - is seriously ill. Anna has plenty of work to keep her busy - the racially motivated attack of a young man, the disappearance of an elderly lady from a nursing home, added to the fact that someone is threatening one of her officers. Underlying everything in this book is the theme of motherhood. This is one of the best books I've read this year. The first two in the series were excellent but this is something else - gorgeous and atmospheric writing, a wonderful sense of place with a mix of darkness and humour that is the very heart and soul of Glasgow, an authentic depiction of police work that makes you wonder why anyone wants to join up, characters that you really get to know and an absorbing plot. Gritty, witty, and pretty bloody amazing. I was totally captivated from start to finish.