fredag den 5. februar 2010

Megan Abbott, Bury me Deep (2009)


Reviewed for the 2010 Global Reading Challenge, North America, America.

This crime novel is American writer Megan Abbott´s fourth book. I won it in a competition.

The plot begins when Doctor Seeley goes to Mexico to work in the mining area as he has acquired an unfortunate taste for his own medicine.

His wife, Marion Seeley, is left behind in a guesthouse in Phoenix. The problem is that this is 1931, and that Mrs Seeley is so very young and inexperienced and pretty, far too pretty for her own good.

She works in a clinic where she meets the helpful nurse Louise Mercer who is more than ready to introduce her to a large circle of interesting friends.

The reader soon fears that this cocktail of innocence and experience will turn into disaster. Louise and her bosom friend, Ginny, are always mysteriously surrounded by generous ´gentlemen´ who are more than willing to bring liquor and an interesting supply of useful drugs. Marion does not really notice the slow process of corruption she is going through until she is so entangled in their complicated lives that she cannot get out.

The plot was inspired by the true story of Winnie Ruth Judd. Usually ´true crime´ is not my favourite taste, because authors too often let the truth obstruct their imagination, but this cannot be said about Abbott´s compelling mystery.

True crime AND noir? I shouldn´t like this story at all! But I did, partly because of the Abbott´s absolutely wonderful language, and just like Marion, this reader was soon caught in the web, unable to put down the story, even though she bit her nails in anticipation, worried how wrong things might turn out for Marion.

Not another word about the book. You will have to read this one yourself to find out why this story has been nominated for an Edgar Award!

15 kommentarer:

Anonym sagde ...

Dorte - Thanks for this excellent review. Like you, I wouldn't normally think of myself as really enjoying noir, but this sounds like an absolutely fascinating book. I'll have to find it.

Anonym sagde ...

sorry, I got "cut off" before I was able to finish my post. Here is the rest. I had it in my pile of library books, and like you, got caught in it. Noir or not, it was hard to let go of it..

iasa sagde ...

I love that cover. Ah True crime and Noir? I should love that. I will have to add this to my TBR list.

Dorte H sagde ...

Margot: I agree that she really captures one. The language is such a pleasure, and I just HAD to know what happened to Marion.

Iasa: it is so funny that she writes noir about true crime & ´naughty girls´- this book should not be my taste at all, but I enjoyed every bit of it!

pattinase (abbott) sagde ...

Needless to say, I am happy you liked this book.

Jose Ignacio Escribano sagde ...

I take due note

Dorte H sagde ...

Patti: I know you are proud of her, and you should be!

Jose: I am sure you´ll enjoy this one.

Louise sagde ...

Sounds like a good read, although like I said the other day, I don't care much for "noir" :-D

Mack sagde ...

Megan Abbott is a wonderful writer. The slow pacing was perfect, echoing Marion slow drift toward corruption. Her Edgar Award winning Queenpin is well worth the read as well. Queenpin is after the style of Jim Thompson though not nearly as noir as he wrote. Personally I'd say read everything she writes.

Dorte H sagde ...

Louise: I don´t know what is happening to me; this week I have enjoyed two novels called ´noir´. And I think you would love it too so perhaps it is not really black, just gray or blue :D

Mack: yes, she really makes you sit on the edge of your seat!

Elizabeth Spann Craig sagde ...

Thanks for the tip! I'm a noir fan, although I usually don't have it in my TBR pile. It's good to be reminded of the genre every now and then!

Elizabeth

Donna sagde ...

Glad you enjoyed it Dorte. This wasone of my favourite books of last year. I think she is a wonderful writer - she really ebokes the period and lets you see and hear and feel and smell everything her characters do. Wonderful stuff.

Dorte H sagde ...

Elizabeth: she is probably the best noir writer I have ever read!

Donna: I still love police procedurals more, and I am a big fan of series, but as I just said to Elizabeth, this is is a wonderful noir story!

Beth F sagde ...

Now I'm intrigued! Hummmm.

Dorte H sagde ...

Beth: and this one is not a teaser! I had to struggle a bit with the American slang, but you should have an advantage over me here.