Denise Mina’s The Good Liar is a suspenseful exploration of the impact of wealth, class and power on a murder case. Is justice truly blind? Can expert testimony always be trusted? Is it possible for the law keep pace with technology?
The book opens as a celebration at the Royal College of Forensic Scientists in Regent Park is about to commence and we meet Prof Claudia Atkins O’Sheil and Lord Philip Ardmore. The former is a special guest at the event. Her best known case is a hot topic for the elite members of the audience – the murder of two people at Chester Terrace, located in a posh area of London.
What Claudia reveals about the case will blow her world apart, impacting her children, her work colleagues and her mentor Philip. Her career as a forensic scientist will be all but over and she will lose her home. Claudia has much to lose.
But why would anyone willingly destroy everything that they love? Her reasons become clearer as you read on. The novel is divided in two time periods. The chapters set in the present are titled with the time leading up to Claudia’s scheduled speech. Those set in the past are simply numbered chapters. In both we receive Claudia’s perspective on events, but beware – at times, she’s not the most reliable narrator.
Things were very different for Claudia a year ago. She was grieving the loss of her husband, James. He died in a car accident leaving behind a massive amount of debt. She and her children shared a modest flat on a housing estate with her sister, Gina.
Thankfully, Philip has provided her with financial advice, such as how she might monetise parts of the Blood Spatter Probability Scale that she developed. Her ambition and drive have taken her quite a distance from the lower-middle class home in Glasgow that she grew up in. It’s unlikely Claudia ever envisaged becoming friends with a Lord and she appreciates the career doors that Philip has opened up for her.
When Philip receives a distressing call from the police requesting that he come to a crime scene to identify the victims, Claudia offers to drive. The address is Chester Terrace. Jonty Stewart, an old school friend of Philip’s owns the house. Someone has brutally stabbed Jonty and his fiancée, Francesca Emmanuel, to death.
The police quickly identify a suspect who Claudia believes is innocent. When they are alone, she seizes the opportunity to tell him to get a lawyer. However, when she later hears of his confession, she does nothing, distracted by her new position as a clinical director and the big new home she and her family have moved into rent free. To complicate matters, Gina has started using again and needs to go back into rehab. So the suspect ends up in jail even though she thinks he’s innocent.
The possibility of a flaw in her Blood Spatter Probability Scale and other red flags spur Claudia to start looking into the Chester Terrace case again. She learns things that make her concerned about her family’s safety. Maybe the best way to reveal the truth is in a public setting with many witnesses.
Emotionally, Claudia is all over the place because of her discoveries. It’s no wonder she goes from burning rage to being frozen with fear. The many twists and turns in the plot make The Good Liar unputdownable. Will Claudia do the ethical thing and tell the truth or will she remain silent to keep hold of her comfortable life? Her husband used to describe her as someone who could be seduced by power and a nice venue. The tension continues to build even as Claudia steps onto the stage.
If you’ve read previous books by Denise Mina such as Confidence and Blood Salt Water, you’ll know that her plots and characters are to be savoured. Her strength as a writer comes from her ability to create believable characters in interesting situations that capture your attention. While some authors may paint the image of minor characters with broad strokes, Mina gives sharp edges and depth to her characters. Gina’s character is a good example. It would be easy to focus on her addiction but she’s shown as an artist, a sister, an aunt and a friend. At times, it is Gina who holds Claudia to account.
The Good Liar is a thought provoking novel that will grab your attention and get you questioning the fairness of the law. If you enjoy themes related to family, ethics, professional credibility and privilege, you will love it. Although this is a tale about a murder, Mina explores how even with groundbreaking forensic evidence corruption and whole variety of other matters can still lead to a miscarriage of justice. The shift in focus is fascinating, making for a highly enjoyable read.
Also see The Descent by Paul E Hardisty or My Husband’s Lies by Maryann Webb.
Harvill Secker
Print/Kindle/iBook
£8.99
CFL Rating: 5 Stars
