Topping from Below [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Laura Reese (Author), Isobel Aiken (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

An explosive erotic novel about two sisters, each of whom embarks upon a harrowing journey into unimagined sexual territory, a game with a seductive man who knows no rules or limits, and a murder. 2 cassettes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The title of this devilishly pornographic?albeit literate?novel is taken from the argot of sadomasochism and refers to a rebellious dynamic in which the dominant partner (the "top") is subtly manipulated by the submissive partner (the "bottom"). After her young sister, Franny, is found murdered?bound, gagged and mutilated?Nora Tibbs, a journalist for the Sacramento Bee, discovers in Franny's computer a diary that details her brief affair with "M.," an arrogant music professor in his late 40s. Cruelly exploiting the overweight, love-starved woman, M. forced Franny to submit to a humiliating gamut of outre sexual practices. Convinced that M. is Franny's murderer, Nora sets out to prove his guilt by pretending to submit to his depraved aberrations. But, to her astonishment, she discovers a dark, pagan side of herself when M. enthralls her with intense, if perilous, sexual pleasure. Graphic descriptions of exotic sexual practices (bondage and discipline, sadomasochism, bestiality, etc.) accumulate, counterpointed by Nora's sweetly romantic relationship with a fellow reporter. The suspense, a bit attenuated by thin secondary characters, also is muted by artless foreshadowing, but the conclusion is satisfying in a savage sort of way and Nora's plunge "down, all the way down" under M.'s manipulations will keep most readers gripped even as they're aware that Reese's shameless pandering is manipulating them in turn. Comparison to Story of O is well earned. 100,000 first printing; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternates.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

After her sister is murdered, Nora Tibbs moves to a small college town near Sacramento. She believes that Franny's lover, Michael, is responsible for her death. Nora becomes entangled in a vicious web of wanting to know more about her sister's life and the dark fascination that Michael holds for both sisters. In her first novel, Reese explores the ghastly realm of women who, through some quirk of nature, allow themselves to be physically brutalized in order to feel loved. She writes well, using succinct prose, and in the process creates a neat little suspense novel. Be forewarned, though: explicit sex, sex with animals, mutilation, and torture are all here for the asking, as is the harsher reality of sadomasochism in all its pain, degradation, and domination. Recommended for adult fiction collections.
-?Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights-University Heights P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette: 23 pages
• Publisher: B & B Audio; Abridged edition (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882071581
• ISBN-13: 978-1882071586
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,639,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take A Walk On The Dark Side - A Beautifully Written Novel!, October 29, 2004

By 

Jana L. Perskie "ceruleana" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Topping From Below (Paperback)

"Topping From Below" is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a very long time, and is reminiscent of the work of Alfred Hitchcock - minus the obvious sexual content. This novel is usually billed as BDSM erotica which really limits the readership. I find this sad because as a novel it is excellent and deserves to be enjoyed by a wider audience. While many potential readers will shy away from a novel with a BDSM theme, they certainly enjoy novels like "Silence of the Lambs," many novels by Stephen King, and suspense thrillers involving serial killers like Jack the Ripper. Although the latter books have little or no sexual content, they are usually much more violent in nature than this spellbinding mystery, suspense novel by Laura Reese. For those who are not familiar with the terminology, BDSM describes a number of related patterns of human sexual behavior. The major subgroupings are described in the acronym "BDSM" itself - bondage and discipline, domination and submission. The book's intriguing title, "Topping From Below," refers to a rebellious dynamic in which the submissive, (the bottom), partner manipulates the dominant mate (the top).

Nora Tibbs, an attractive, successful, 30-something journalist is obsessed with the mysterious murder of her younger sister Franny. Franny's decomposing body was found bound, gagged and mutilated on the floor of her living room. There was no evidence of breaking and entry, so it is speculated that the victim knew her killer and voluntarily allowed him/her to enter her home. The coroner, after the autopsy is completed, is unable to determined the cause of death.

Nora is haunted by her sister's death and is determined to find the murderer. While looking through Franny's papers, she finds a diary on her sister's PC detailing the victim's BDSM relationship with a man called "M." Always believing she knew her sister well, she is shocked that Franny would even consider entering an "abusive relationship." The more she reads the more convinced she becomes that "M" committed the heinous act which ended her sister's life. The police have checked out this potential suspect, thoroughly investigated him, and found no evidence involving him in the case. The relationship between Franny and "M" was between two consenting adults, and the BDSM lifestyle is not a crime. Nora continues to believe "M" is guilty and is determined to prove it. She finds his home and work address and literally stalks "M," a talented musician and music professor with very unusual sexual proclivities, (to say the least!), until finally the two meet. He knows from the beginning who Nora is, but is intrigued by her and the possibilities of forming a relationship with the sister of his former lover.

From the very first page to the last sentence the suspense and the tension increase. The writing is superb and the three main characters, Nora, "M" and Franny are intriguing, well defined and developed. The conclusion is a knock-out! I really couldn't put this book down.

I feel it necessary to warn potential readers that this book is for a mature audience. There are extremely graphic sex scenes, not all of them pleasant. However, none of the sexual material is gratuitous. All of it plays an important role in the plot and the development/decline of the characters. The novel could be compared, in a sense, to the "Story of O," but the storyline is quite different.

If you're intrigued but in doubt, check it out at a local bookstore. If you're just plain interested - go for it! Take a walk on the dark side. It is an excellent read! Highly recommended.
JANA

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An erotic thriller to haunt your nightmares, February 9, 2000

By 

Linda Linguvic (New York City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Topping From Below (Paperback)

It's a modern erotic thriller with a great plot, deeply developed characters, and intelligent lively writing.

A young woman sets out to find her sister's killer. Her sister was involved in a sadomasochistic relationship and she suspects this man is responsible. She soon becomes involved with him also, and the "who done it" part of the mystery deepens. Of course I read the last chapter; I always do; but this didn't lessen the impact at all. The story moves fast, the writing is complex, and the sex scenes are frequent, violent, and explicit.

I've read two books recently that have these kinds of scenes: one was "The End of Alice" about a child molester; the other was "In The Cut" which was about a serial killer. Many years ago I read "The Story of O," which also has this quality. "Topping From Below", like these, is not for everyone. Many of the scenes will make you cringe. There's psychological and physical cruelty and scenes including whips, chains and bestiality. The title refers to an expression that supposedly comes from the sadomasochist culture. The "top" is the dominant partner; the "bottom" is the submissive. If the submissive starts to gain control, it's called "Topping From Below".

You might throw this book away in disgust, but it will surely haunt your nightmares, take you away from the comfortable and hurl you into a world where pain and degradation is a sexual turn on.

For the adventurous only. But be forewarned.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting storyline & not for the weak of heart and mind., September 4, 2000

By 

"miss_caprice" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Topping From Below (Paperback)

By far one of the better books I've read in a long time. The story is disturbing to say the least. It's about control and domination by a man, sexually and mentally, written from a woman's point of view. Nora's sister is brutally murdered with no apparent cause of death. She's convinced the ex boyfriend is the killer and decides to get involved with him and whatever that entails to get to the bottom of her sister's death. As mentioned in my heading, this book is not for the weak of mind. The sex is graphic, and not run of the mill "Harlequin Romance" sex either. It will shock some, intrigue others, fascinate many. Well worth the time invested.