Unholy Murder by Lynda La Plante
A coffin is dug up by builders in the grounds of an historic convent - inside is the body of a young nun.
In a city as old as London, the discovery is hardly surprising. But when scratch marks are found on the inside of the coffin lid, Detective Jane Tennison believes she has unearthed a mystery far darker than any she's investigated before.
However, not everyone agrees. Tennison's superiors dismiss it as an historic cold case, and the Church seems desperate to conceal the facts from the investigation.
It's clear that someone is hiding the truth, and perhaps even the killer. Tennison must pray she can find both - before they are buried forever . . .
In Unholy Murder, Tennison must lift the lid on the most chilling murder case of her career.
About the author
Lynda La Plante was born in Liverpool. She trained for the stage at RADA and worked with the National Theatre and RDC before becoming a television actress. She then turned to writing - and made her breakthrough with the phenomenally successful TV series WIDOWS.
Her novels have all been international bestsellers. Her original script for the much-acclaimed PRIME SUSPECT won awards from BAFTA, Emmys, British Broadcasting and Royal Television Society as well as the 1993 Edgar Allan Poe Writer's Award.
Since 1993 Lynda has spearheaded La Plante Productions. In that time the company has produced a stunning slate of innovative dramas with proven success and enduring international appeal.
Based on Lynda's best selling series of Anna Travis novels, Above Suspicion, Silent Scream, Deadly Intent and Silent Scream have all adapted into TV scripts and received impressive viewing figures.
Lynda has been made honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and was awarded the BAFTA Dennis Potter Writer's Award 2000.
On 14th June 2008 Lynda was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List (Writer and Producer for services to Literature, Drama and to Charity).
On 3rd October 2009, Lynda was honoured at the Cologne Conference International Film and Television Festival with the prestigious TV Spielfilm Award for her television adaptation of her novel, Above Suspicion.
Books penned by Lynda La Plante include: The Legacy, The Talisman, Bella Mafia, Entwined, Cold Shoulder, Cold Blood, Cold Heart, Sleeping Cruelty, Royal Flush, Above Suspicion, The Red Dahlia, Clean Cut, Deadly Intent and Silent Scream, Blind Fury (this entered the UK Sunday Times Bestsellers List at number 1 having sold 9,500 copies in its first two weeks), Blood Line, Backlash, Wrongful Death, and Twisted, which have all been international best-sellers.
In Feb 2012 Lynda's chilling tale of THE LITTLE ONE was published in conjunction with Quick Reads through Simon & Schuster UK.
Lynda's latest book, Tennison, was published on 24th September 2015 and is the prequel the highly acclaimed Prime Suspect. The story charts Jane Tennison's entry into the police force as a 22 year old Probationary Officer at Hackney Police Station in 1973.
Review
‘Unholy Murder’ is a thrilling and engrossing story that I think is the best one yet in the Tennison series! This is book seven in the series but it can easily be read as a standalone read. I do recommend reading the whole series though as they have been cracking reads and getting to know Jane before the ‘Prime Suspect’ years has been such a joy! It's quite clear that La Plante knows how to write a police procedural and this one was a corker.
It's now 1982 and Jane is a Detective Sergeant working out of the Bromley station. She is studying for her Inspector exams so is quite enjoying the quiet station as it gives her time to study. That all changes when a local builder finds a metal coffin when digging some foundations for a new development. The coffin has been found on the site of an old convent and during the examination of the coffin, the body of what looks like a nun is found. What follows is an investigation into the convent, the property developers and the Catholic Church.
Once again we find Jane investigating a murder and there are some familiar faces - DI Stanley and DS Lloyd! I really like both these characters but it was interesting to see Lloyd as I didn't realise this was the guy who was shot in that armed raid that ended Jane’s time in the Flying Squad. Jane has come a long way since the start of the series and she is much more mature but she is still making the same mistakes as before! Getting involved personally with someone involved with the case and also not telling people her suspicions. The latter happens quite a lot and proves to be her downfall time and time again! Maybe this time it will sink in. But Jane is a great protagonist. Seeing her survive in a male-dominated profession and fighting for her place in it. She is determined to always find out the truth and nothing will stop her from doing this. She is also as straight as they come - no dodgy dealings with Jane.
The narrative in this outing is engrossing and thought-provoking, especially in its dealings with the Catholic Church. We all know how the Church is willing to cover up its crimes and it's no different here. I felt such empathy for the victim and her story was so very sad. Did I guess the killers? Yes, but the reveal and the process of getting there were intriguing and I was hooked right from the start. This isn't a fast-paced story but it's more about the investigation and the ups and downs of the case. I really liked the inclusion of DC Boon and hopefully, we will see more of him in future books.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
