Death Mask Book Review By Milo

Posted in books, Crime, football, Kathryn Fox, Media, review, Thriller by KFadmin on April 1st, 2011 | Comments Off

A glowing Death Mask Review By Milo.
Death Mask by Kathryn Fox – Book Review
March 25, 2011

Although I was fully aware of the sensitive theme behind Kathryn Fox’s “Death Mask” it hadn’t prepared me for the jaw dropping impact it would have on me within 10 pages. Despite being a despicable act, I hadn’t truly grasped the brutality of gang rape – were you aware that rape remains one of the most under reported violent crimes today?

The beginning left me breathless in its evocative delivery – a blushing new bride is brutally and savagely attacked while on her honeymoon. She returns, unaware of what’s happened and discovers she has contracted multiple sexually transmitted diseases. A virgin, Hannah had saved herself for her husband and the discovery of the diseases has left her in shock and uncertainty. It sets the tone for the rest of the book and to be honest, it doesn’t let up from beginning to end.

This scenario lays down a solid foundation that is, to be frank, unshakable. The narrative is fluid and incredibly powerful and left me reeling and breathless on numerous occasions. Despite “Death Mask” being a work of fiction, there is no doubt that scenes similar to the ones found in the book are very real to hundreds and thousands of innocent victims in today’s society. Kathryn Fox, a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine, gives voice to these acts of cowardice, selfishness and dare I say weakness.

When the victim of a violent gang rape accuses five premier sportsmen of being her attackers, she has no idea that her suffering has only just begun.

It’s a scandal that rocks a nation of sports fans.

But, in spite of a huge amount of evidence, no one seems to believe the girl.

So when Dr Anya Crichton, with her forensic and sexual assault expertise, is asked to get involved – albeit on behalf of the team managers – she knows she can’t say no.

But as she investigates further, she realises that the scandals, violence and abuses run much deeper, and much further into the past than she could ever have imagined.”

Fox, who currently lives in Sydney, brings a rather distinctive, yet at the same time a subtle Australian feel to this thriller. Her vocabulary utilises distinctive ‘isms such as “rapt”, “mate” and of course it doesn’t get much more Australian than vegemite! - it made me long for Sapphire Beach just north of the magical Coffs Harbour in New South Wales.

Characterisation is impressive and well thought out, her two main protagonists – Dr Anya Crichton and Ethan “catcher” Rye – work well together and form a believable alliance. Crichton is undoubtedly the star of the show and is an incredibly authoritative character, Fox bringing her obvious medical knowledge to very good use – in fact I’d go as far to say Crichton is one of the most confident lead roles I’ve read this year – male or female.

As you would expect with any thriller, the twists and turns are there in abundance and you never really know what’s going to happen along the way. Mysterious deaths, steroid abuse, self-centred owners, religious leaders and an in-depth behind the scenes look at how American Football teams survive day to day. Ethan, a well-connected private investigator, adds another side to the investigation and brings his investigative knowledge to the fore as he and Anya attempt to find the truth behind an alleged gang rape involving five footballers.

To add a little more realism, Fox cleverly incorporates recent news events into the novel. Tiger Woods’s infidelity is briefly examined as is Mike Tyson’s comeback following his prison release, how Hollywood came out to support Roman Polanski and the negative effect on Rupert Everett’s career following an admission that he was gay.

The one thing I hadn’t anticipated on was the rollercoaster of emotions I experienced with this novel – anger, incredulity, disbelief and compassion – all there or thereabouts dependant of the storyline. “Death Mask” has left an indelible mark on me, one I hadn’t expected when I began reading.

A remarkably well-paced thriller, I struggled to put the “Death Mask” down finally reaching its conclusion at two thirty in the morning – exhausted! Highly recommended, I can’t wait to read the next adventure in the Crichton chronicles and discover where Fox next takes our intrepid medical investigator!

Published by Hodder “Death Mask” is available from Amazon