What do you think?
Rate this book
The Lover
It is Autumn in 1940, and London is in the grip of the Blitz. An unidentified female corpse is discovered in an alleyway in Soho. It is the fourth to be found in the last few weeks. The women—all prostitutes—have been horribly mutilated. It’s clear that in the darkness and confusion of the war-ravaged city, a "Blackout Ripper" is at work. Inspired by a true story, this is a breathtaking new novel from one of the most talented and distinctive crime writers working today.
359 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
About the author
Laura Wilson
238 books75 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Laura Wilson is an English crime-writer based in London, where she was born and raised. She has degrees in English Literature form Somerville College, Oxford, and University College London, and has worked as a teacher and editor of non-fiction.
Many of her novels have either a historical setting or a distinct historical connection, and often have split or dual narratives. Her first novel, A Little Death was shortlsited for a CWA Dagger award, and her fifth, The Lover was short listed for both the CWA Gold Dagger and the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger.
Laura Wilson is an English crime-writer based in London, where she was born and raised. She has degrees in English Literature form Somerville College, Oxford, and University College London, and has worked as a teacher and editor of non-fiction.
Many of her novels have either a historical setting or a distinct historical connection, and often have split or dual narratives. Her first novel, A Little Death was shortlsited for a CWA Dagger award, and her fifth, The Lover was short listed for both the CWA Gold Dagger and the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 4, 2022
An OK read ,
But why such a depressing ending?
Why did the author have to kill of the prostitute Rene Tate, the only character in the novel I cared for
She plaid a large role and five of her friends were killed. Would putting in a happy ending for her have been too much?
But why such a depressing ending?
Why did the author have to kill of the prostitute Rene Tate, the only character in the novel I cared for
She plaid a large role and five of her friends were killed. Would putting in a happy ending for her have been too much?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2019
The Lover (2004) by Laura Wilson is a historical mystery set in England during World War II and based on the true story of the "Blackout Ripper." Like his predecessor, Jack, the Blackout Ripper set his sights on women who were known or rumored to be prostitutes. He got his name because he worked at night during the blackout years of the war in London. The actual murderer, Gordon Cummins was accused of murdering four women, found guilty and hanged for the murder of one of them, and suspected of killing two more. Wilson's book fictionalizes the story--crediting her murderer with three described deaths and implying more. However, one of the murders is laid at the feet of the man who had been living off the earnings of the prostitute and the book's end seems to imply that the actual killer escapes formal justice, but is missing--presumed dead in the war. A very unsatisfactory ending for those of us who like to see the killer get his just desserts in the final chapter.
This book is a mess. It changes point of view in every chapter. Sometimes that works, but more often than not, it doesn't. And it definitely doesn't here. The reader has little chance to become comfortable with the characters and have much connection to them because as soon as you start to settle down with a character, Wilson bounces us over to somebody else. The sole exception, is the kindly prostitute Rene Tate...which is unfortunate because, of course, she doesn't survive. Poor Rene who looked like she might have found an understanding man with whom she could settle down and get herself off of the game.
The descriptions of the murders are much more violent than I expected from this sort of historical mystery. Very off-putting and it made me skim more of the book than I should have liked--but when the killer showed such glee at what he was able to do with a poker and a can opener....Well, I just couldn't do it.
Not a book that I feel like spending a great deal of effort on reviewing and definitely not one that I can recommend.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
This book is a mess. It changes point of view in every chapter. Sometimes that works, but more often than not, it doesn't. And it definitely doesn't here. The reader has little chance to become comfortable with the characters and have much connection to them because as soon as you start to settle down with a character, Wilson bounces us over to somebody else. The sole exception, is the kindly prostitute Rene Tate...which is unfortunate because, of course, she doesn't survive. Poor Rene who looked like she might have found an understanding man with whom she could settle down and get herself off of the game.
The descriptions of the murders are much more violent than I expected from this sort of historical mystery. Very off-putting and it made me skim more of the book than I should have liked--but when the killer showed such glee at what he was able to do with a poker and a can opener....Well, I just couldn't do it.
Not a book that I feel like spending a great deal of effort on reviewing and definitely not one that I can recommend.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 6, 2024There isn't a true star for this book. I can't say I really liked it, but I can say it is very well written.
It's London during the blitz, and as if it isn't enough that its citizens are being driven under their stairs and their tables and their beds by the German bombers overhead every night, someone is killing prostitutes, too.
The construction of this narrative is really interesting. The narrative tension comes not from a slow reveal of the murderer's identity, because we find out who it is early on. It is very difficult not to feel some sympathy for him when we follow him to work. (Trying not to give too much away.) You'll lose that sympathy immediately when you live through the first murder inside his head. Never has killing someone been more realistically rendered. This is not a novel for the squeamish.
No, the tension comes from the story being told not only by the murderer, but by three of his victims. We get to know them very well indeed, and to like them, and to agonize over who is going to die.
Outside of the murder, which provides the storyline, there is a wealth of riveting detail about the Blitz, which is very nearly a hymn to the stamina and endurance of the Londoners who lived through it.
When I looked over to my right I could see Mrs Everley's head, twisted to one side, just one eye and the corner of her mouth, and this bedstead right across her neck, squashing it. I think I must have called out her name, because I saw the eye move to look at me, and then she made a little noise like she was trying to clear her throat. I said, 'It's all right, the rescue men'll be here soon.'
She said, 'I'm only sorry I couldn't offer you a cup of tea.'
I said, 'Oh, never mind about that, I'm sure we'll be out of here in a minute,' She didn't answer, and after a few minutes I realised that she was dead, poor woman.
We follow pilots into cockpits as well:
It must have been Mathy who went down in flames. Must ahve been trapped in the cockpit. Burnt alive. Heard his screams over the R/T. We all did. Poor bastard. He'd dreamed about it--woke me up once, yelling and beating the bedclothes, trying to put the fire out. Called it the flames of hell...Jesus. I don't want to go that way. I could be next. This time tomorrow, I might not be here. It's possible. Might as well make the most of it while I am.
Jesus indeed. I've read a lot of World War Two history, but I can't say I've ever come away from another book more aware of what it was like to live through something like that, and wondering how the hell those people made it through. Ordinary people, gallant and courageous beyond imagination.
One warning: Someone got the date wrong on the prologue. This will lead to serious confusion and not a little annoyance. Try to ignore it.
Spoiler, don't read any further if you don't want to know who dies.
One thing I really dislike about this book is that it's the hooker who dies, not the so-called good girl. The wages of sin, my ass. Rene was a better person by far than Lucy, and had a lot more to live for.
It's London during the blitz, and as if it isn't enough that its citizens are being driven under their stairs and their tables and their beds by the German bombers overhead every night, someone is killing prostitutes, too.
The construction of this narrative is really interesting. The narrative tension comes not from a slow reveal of the murderer's identity, because we find out who it is early on. It is very difficult not to feel some sympathy for him when we follow him to work. (Trying not to give too much away.) You'll lose that sympathy immediately when you live through the first murder inside his head. Never has killing someone been more realistically rendered. This is not a novel for the squeamish.
No, the tension comes from the story being told not only by the murderer, but by three of his victims. We get to know them very well indeed, and to like them, and to agonize over who is going to die.
Outside of the murder, which provides the storyline, there is a wealth of riveting detail about the Blitz, which is very nearly a hymn to the stamina and endurance of the Londoners who lived through it.
When I looked over to my right I could see Mrs Everley's head, twisted to one side, just one eye and the corner of her mouth, and this bedstead right across her neck, squashing it. I think I must have called out her name, because I saw the eye move to look at me, and then she made a little noise like she was trying to clear her throat. I said, 'It's all right, the rescue men'll be here soon.'
She said, 'I'm only sorry I couldn't offer you a cup of tea.'
I said, 'Oh, never mind about that, I'm sure we'll be out of here in a minute,' She didn't answer, and after a few minutes I realised that she was dead, poor woman.
We follow pilots into cockpits as well:
It must have been Mathy who went down in flames. Must ahve been trapped in the cockpit. Burnt alive. Heard his screams over the R/T. We all did. Poor bastard. He'd dreamed about it--woke me up once, yelling and beating the bedclothes, trying to put the fire out. Called it the flames of hell...Jesus. I don't want to go that way. I could be next. This time tomorrow, I might not be here. It's possible. Might as well make the most of it while I am.
Jesus indeed. I've read a lot of World War Two history, but I can't say I've ever come away from another book more aware of what it was like to live through something like that, and wondering how the hell those people made it through. Ordinary people, gallant and courageous beyond imagination.
One warning: Someone got the date wrong on the prologue. This will lead to serious confusion and not a little annoyance. Try to ignore it.
Spoiler, don't read any further if you don't want to know who dies.
One thing I really dislike about this book is that it's the hooker who dies, not the so-called good girl. The wages of sin, my ass. Rene was a better person by far than Lucy, and had a lot more to live for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2023
Overall, I felt this book was okay, but nothing to boast about. Initially, it was a bit challenging to get into and was a little confusing to follow until you’re able to get a good grasp of the main characters. The book is written so that each chapter is from the perspective of a different character. The book seemed to drag on a little bit until the last 20 or so pages when it finally reached a suspenseful climax and it abruptly ended, as though the author was ready to give up and be done with it, leaving many unanswered questions.
March 3, 2022
Niet goed, gestopt met lezen.
July 9, 2012
I was not a fan of this one. I read it for an adult summer reading program as a title by an English author. The story is based on a Jack the Ripper sort of copycat killer during the London Blitz of 1940. I love mysteries and I love historical fiction and thought it would be a win win, but I had trouble following the story. It's told in by different narrators and goes back and forth slightly in time, which made it more challenging to following. In addition, there were few characters I liked or felt like rooting for. The one exception was the prostitute Rene, who I really liked and Harry her almost boyfriend. The part of the novel that I did enjoy was getting a sense of what the Londoners experienced during the unending raids and blackouts. I had never read about any of the experiences of the people during this time. My heart was filled with compassion for those who went through it and while it was sad to read, I was glad to learn more about it.
November 4, 2011
As much as I enjoyed reading The Lover, at least before the last few pages, I have to admit that I ultimately felt let down by the author. Without totally giving away the ending, I think Wilson underestimated and undervalued her female characters in favor of going for a "shock" ending.
My full review:
http://xoxoxoe.blogspot.com/2011/11/l...
My full review:
http://xoxoxoe.blogspot.com/2011/11/l...
March 19, 2014
This wasn't a terrible book, just not my kind of thing. I'd have preferred it to be more mystery than thriller. Set in wartime London there are two great female characters - one a young office worker, the other an older prostitute - and the best thing about the book was waiting for them to meet up. I just felt there could have been a much better story about them than this one.
September 13, 2015
I really, really, really wanted to like this one however I just couldn't. I loved the way the book started out, it almost felt like they were introducing 'the gentleman serial killer', and then it just... just petered out--there was no proper continuation... I couldn't make it past chapter 5, I think!
December 13, 2011
Excellent WWII murder mystery set in London during the Blitz, based on a real-life murderer called The Black Out Ripper. Compelling cast of characters, well written - will definitely read more by Wilson!
August 7, 2018
Min recension: En kriminalroman med betoning på roman. Inte så spännande utom på slutet och mördaren får vi känna från första början. Men bra är den, tre människoöden kommer oss nära. När boken är slut känner man sig "drabbad".
January 7, 2010
Great tale of an airman, a prostitute and a canteen worker during the Blitz -
Read
July 27, 2011Not bad, but better on the evocation of wartime London than on suspense/mystery
June 11, 2017
Several POVs made it a little tough to follow, but it built to an impressive climax that had you guessing until the last page.
July 7, 2013
For a story dealing with war and murder, this book was surprisingly poignant. Very well written and somehow gentle despite the violence. A memorable read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews