MADreads

Postpartum crime scenes

December 9th, 2008 Kylee

Many of the books I’ve read that are considered ‘psychological thrillers’ are pretty heavy on the thrill and light on the psychology.  Emily Perkins’s subtly creepy A Novel about my Wife and Sophie Hannah’s poetic page-turner Little Face are just the opposite.  These are two of the most exciting books I’ve read in ages, and it’s probably just an interesting coincidence that both feature pregnant women… or is it?

Right from the beginning of A Novel about my Wife we know that Anne, the titular wife, is dead, but that’s really all we know; the narrator, her husband Tom, doesn’t tell us how or why she died.  Tom, a struggling screenwriter, guides us through the events leading up to her death, which occurs shortly after the birth of their first child.  Tom is desperately trying to uncover some sort of clue that will lead to an explanation for the tragey, but Tom, like the reader, doesn’t understand the importance of what happens to Tomand Anne until it’s too late.   It might be fair to say the novel isn’t really about his wife, it’s about Tom’s obsession with her.  Though Tom’s obsession is a bit disturbing, it’s also surprisingly understandable.  Anne is an enigmatic woman, and it’s clear that throughout their entire relationship, Tom wasn’t able to figure her out. She has a secret past (like most enigmatic women, don’t you think?), and the flashbacks that Tom shares reveal her to be a charming variety of almost-crazy.  I had a hard time putting this book down, but I wouldn’t say that I was drawn in to Tom’s obsession completely.

In another story about a possibly crazy new mother, Sophie Hannah takes a more traditional approach to the plot of her novel Little Face.  Hannah began her career as a poet, and her skill with language is evident in this book, her first crime novel.  The story of a baby swap and a murder investigation progress alongside each other in this fascinating story.  Adding to the web of a tale is the way Hannah structures her narrative.  Chapters alternate between the voice of Alice Fancourt, the distraught mother of missing baby Florence, and Simon Waterhouse, the investigator that develops unprofessionally fond feelings for Alice.

It’s a treat to find a mystery that has both an unpredictable, thrilling plot, well-developed characters, and beautiful prose, and Hannah’s novel fulfills all of the characteristics.  It has tinges of gothic suspense, an overbearing mother-in-law, and characters with questionable sanity - pretty much everything I look for in a mystery.  Both Hannah and Perkins have used a fresh approach to what could be considered a cliche subject, and I highly recommend both of them to anyone looking for a good wintry book to curl up with - anyone who isn’t suffering from postpartum depression, that is.

Entry Filed under: Literary Fiction, Mystery