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Shatter (Joseph O'Loughlin Book 3) by [Michael Robotham]

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Michael Robotham

Shatter (Joseph O'Loughlin Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Michael Robotham (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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A naked woman in red high-heeled shoes is perched on the edge of Clifton Suspension Bridge with her back pressed to the safety fence, weeping into a mobile phone. Clinical psychologist Joseph O'Loughlin is only feet away, desperately trying to talk her down. She whispers, 'you don't understand,' and jumps.

Later, Joe has a visitor - the woman's teenage daughter, a runaway from boarding school. She refuses to believe that her mother would have jumped off the bridge - not only would she not commit suicide, she is terrified of heights.

Joe wants to believe her, but what would drive a woman to such a desperate act? Whose voice? What evil?

This pulse-stopping psychological thriller is a truly gripping and chilling read from one of the greatest crime writers of today, Michael Robotham.

WINNER of the NED KELLY AWARD for BEST CRIME NOVEL

** Includes BONUS first chapter of the explosive new Joe O'Loughlin thriller, THE OTHER WIFE**

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506 pages
Language

English
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Hachette Australia
Publication date

23 March 2018
File size

1121 KB
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Review

Heart-stopping, heart-breaking and heart-wrenching - VAL McDERMID

He writes in a voice with a haunting sense of soul - PETER MAY

Robotham doesn't just make me scared for his characters, he makes my heart ache for them - LINWOOD BARCLAY

Will have you turning the pages compulsively - THE TIMES --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

Shatter is a gripping journey into the weaknesses and strengths of the human psyche...it is the inevitablility of the plot's development that builds the tension and will have you turning the pages compulsively, desperate to get to the end, but not daring to miss a word - The Times

Brilliant - Company

Genuinely terrifying - Literary Review

Robotham's restrained and knowledgeable method of writing means that the story develops at just the right pace - RTE Guide --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B079RN2TM8
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hachette Australia (23 March 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1121 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
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Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 506 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 9,876 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 855 in Suspense Thrillers (Kindle Store)
- 907 in Contemporary Fiction (Kindle Store)
- 4,000 in Genre Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
848 ratings

About the author

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Michael Robotham

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Two-times Gold Dagger winner (2015 and 2020), twice Edgar best novel finalist (2016 and 2020) and winner of the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (2021), Michael Robotham began his writing career as an investigative journalist working across Britain, Australia and America. Later he became a ghostwriter, collaborating on 15 'autobiographies' for politician, pop stars, soldiers and adventurers. Twelve of these books became Sunday Times bestsellers.

Michael's psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is are currently in development for TV by World Productions. A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020.

Michael has twice won the prestigious Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger for GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL (2020) and LIFE OR DEATH (2015). He has twice been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for best crime fiction novel in the US, and twice won the Ned Kelly Award for Australia's Crime Novel of the Year. Having twice been shortlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, he won the thriller prize with WHEN SHE WAS GOOD (2021).

Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.

His website is: www.michaelrobotham.com

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Customer reviews

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3 star		7%
2 star		1%
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Top reviews from Australia

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Another winner from Michael Robotham

Reviewed in Australia on 19 April 2019

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So far have loved all the "Joe" series and "Shatter" was yet another that I found hard to put down. Such an original and unpredictable story line with the tension building to a big crescendo towards the end. Fast paced yet so easy to read. Michael Robotham, as always, grabs you by the throat in the first chapter and won't let go until the end.

One person found this helpful

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A TRULY OUTSTANDING THRILLER

Reviewed in Australia on 17 March 2014

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I find it simultaneously mystifying but equally reassuring whenever I read an author’s debut novel to find a sense of calmness, confidence and assuredness in the story telling. So it is with Michael Robotham's first novel, SHATTER, published way back in 2009. After we are introduced to the presumed hero of the story, Professor Joseph O'Loughlin, teaching clinical psychology at the university of Bath. The man is living with parkinson's disease and after we meet his family early in the story, the reader witnesses a young lady committing suicide by jumping off a bridge – completely nude – in the city of Bristol. Once we have been introduced to the remaining players of the tale, the story flies along at breakneck speed and the reading never slows you down. There is a level of sophistication in each of the character’s thought processes and conversations that will impress you the most; even the so-called ‘minor’ characters have a level of depth that is most realistic and unusual. Early on, some of the good guys (local constabulary) are appearing to be nothing but belligerent bullies – but that may change as we progress through the book. I certainly hope so.

A scattering of clues are given to the reader by Mr Robotham and chapter four provides the first grisly look at the book's bad guy. He sounds like a seriously deranged, damaged and very dangerous psychopath. Just the thing for our Professor to know how to deal with.

The book really comes alive in the reader's bands in chapter eleven, however, when we meet old friend and former police detective Mr Vincent Ruiz. Together with other characters that have been introduced up to now, the plot is now suddenly extremely well balanced with a good range and balance of supporting cast for the star of the show. Ruiz alone adds a final layer of credence to the whole concept of the investigation and to the readability of the story and makes it therefore that much more believable.

So i think i have said enough of the plot. This book is outstanding. It is a world class whodunit come thriller which has the potential to blow the reader out of the water as we join the hunt for the killer. Given the capabilities of the author of this fine work, it pays to leave your own imagination at the door when you sit down to read SHATTER, unless you want to give yourself a nervous breakdown, when you begin to worry about what might happen to the characters that populate this mini universe. It is a fine addition to anyone's crime library as it is a highly recommended and outstanding purchase.

A highly deserved four stars from me.

BFN Greggorio!

2 people found this helpful

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jeva

If I want a really good read, Michael Robtham is it!

Reviewed in Australia on 4 July 2014

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I can't give less than five stars because Robotham is consistently so good. I get caught up in the mystery and intrigue trying to second guess who and when the solution begins to be revealed. Then the very special bonus of his so accurate insights into relationships.Be it as he struggles with the age old career vs family dilemma or coping with debilitating health issues it is always completely believable.His observations of children and teenage behaviours is so recognizable it, at times, fools me into thinking I am reading biography not fiction. May he go on writing like this for many many books and years!

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Pamela Harrod

Great suspense writer

Reviewed in Australia on 23 May 2021

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I found it hard to put down 'Shatter', the suspense of what was happening to these victims was almost over whelming and I had to know what was going to happen next. Michael Robotham keeps up his wonderful standard of writing and suspense, this is what has made him my favourite author.

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Beautifully written but no surprises

Reviewed in Australia on 21 November 2018

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You will not find a better writer than Michael Robotham. He is one of those rare writers in the genre where you want to linger over his descriptions and savour them. He paints pictures in your mind that you may never forget. However having read the first in the series, the plot of this one was predictable.

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Loz

Spellbinding

Reviewed in Australia on 19 October 2020

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This book keeps you on edge & wanting to not put it down until you finally get to the conclusion. Great read.

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kornelia gold

Each book as good as the other

Reviewed in Australia on 7 October 2019

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Have read 4 of his books and everyone has been amazingly good , full of suspense and drama .

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Nutribabe

Suspense from the get go

Reviewed in Australia on 16 September 2018

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This is the first book of Robotham's that I read and I it made me a fan. This book had me from the start and kept me turning pages and then wanting more. Totally recommend this one.

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Janette Laney

Brilliant

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2020

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Absolutely loving this series. Can really relate to the characters. Just finished Shatter - excellent. Hopefully Joe and Julianne can sort out their differences. Charlie really needs both parents at the moment. She tries to be grown up but she has been through a traumatic experience. Roll on book 4!

One person found this helpful

Manda Scott

Clever plot, excellent characters and wonderful writing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 June 2012

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I'm in that glorious period when the next book is a Platonic ideal, built up in my imagination, but I haven't actually started the work of writing it yet. I'm plotting, and finding character names, and staring at geography and, in this particular instance, watching boxed sets of 'Spiral', the fantastic French police thriller series that's like Lewis on steroids, laced with a strong Burgundy and a lot more sex. Yes, I am in love with Laure. And yes, my beloved knows this...
In amongst all of this, I'm reading around the subject and in this case, that's a pretty wide scope because the new book will not only be set in a new historical period (fifteenth century France) but will have a contemporary thriller thread - hence the Spiral-watching. Hence also the request to my agent for recommendations of good, solid, well written, sharp, cutting-edge thrillers. 'Who's going to be huge in 2-3 years' time?' I need to see where we're at.

In amongst some others, he recommended 'Shatter' by Michael Robotham - whom he also represents: that's the full disclosure coda at the start. But I'm not into writing reviews for people simply because we share an agent: that way lies disaster and an end to review-integrity. I'm writing this, because, yet again, I was up until after 2am finishing this and woke this morning glad that I did because otherwise I'd have lost half a working day having to finish it (when, instead, I could be watching series 2 of Spiral and calling it work).

This is the book blurb:

*****

A naked woman in red high-heeled shoes is perched on the edge of Clifton Suspension Bridge with her back pressed to the safety fence, weeping into a mobile phone. Clinical psychologist Joseph O'Loughlin is only feet away, desperately trying to talk her down. She whispers, 'you don't understand,' and jumps.

Later, Joe has a visitor - the woman's teenage daughter, a runaway from boarding school. She refuses to believe that her mother would have jumped off the bridge - not only would she not commit suicide, she is terrified of heights.

Joe wants to believe her, but what would drive a woman to such a desperate act? Whose voice? What evil?

******

If I had blurb this unexciting, I'd sack my editor and find a new one, but that apart, it does give the gist of the book: Someone is talking women to their deaths - their fates become more elaborate and nastier as the plot unfolds - and our hero is Professor Joe O'Loughlin, a forensic psychiatrist who has Parkinson's disease as his added interest. Dragged unwilling into the case, he has to find out who's doing this and why before his own family falls apart under the pressure.

I have to say that none of this sounds overly promising: every single police procedural these days seems to have a psycho-acadamic at loggerheads with the police and there are only so many variations on human wounded-ness you can manage: drink, drugs, depression, divorce... before they all seem to blend into one another.

But this one stands head and shoulders above the rest. As with all good books, it's the characterisation that does it: fully rounded people who keep stepping out of their stereotypes (the lesbian DI is wonderfully good), but added to that is Robotham's exceptional sense of place - in this case, the area around the Avon Gorge, Bristol and Bath. For someone who lives in Australia, he has a good handle on the south west. And he's intelligent: a former journalist who can clearly do exceptional research but then integrate it into the story so that it feels integral, not tacked on to prove how much time he spent on Google before he started writing. His language is sharp, fast and funny - genuinely funny. When so many other lad-cop writers seem to have a deeply irritating nasal chortle as their writing voice, Robotham's is dryly ironic, but sharply, beautifully, interestingly observant.

And then there's his bad guy. He's followed Val McDermid's lead in this and we have occasional short deviations from the first person present tense narrative of Joe O'Loughlin into the head of the perpetrator. They're in italics, which helps, because while they're not nearly as disturbing as McDermid's monster in 'The Mermaids Singing', they are none the less deeply affecting. In part this is because the inevitable threat to our hero is made a great deal more immediate when we can see the plot unfolding, but in main, it's because the bad guy's past history as a torturer - sorry, interrogator - sent to the unmentionable, forgettable, forgotten prisons of recent wars to drag information from unwilling victims is so utterly plausible, so inevitably damaging and so completely covered up by the authorities when their hens come home to roost, that it left my left-wing, progressive anti-war brain exploding. Which of course is exactly what it's supposed to do. I confess to having skipped some of them in the rush to the end, but I will go back and read them in depth later, promise...

So that's it: good, strong, plausible plot; original, interesting characters (O'Loughlin's family life is beautifully drawn); fantastic sense of place and writing that flows with effortless ease. Five stars and thoroughly recommended.

4 people found this helpful

Alessi Lover

Shatter - Michael Robotham - A Read That Kept me Guessing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2017

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An interesting read that kept me guessing. Why was the woman wearing just shoes and nothing else and why and who drove her to jump were the first questions I had going round my head.
Her daughter too also thinks she was not likely to have taken her own life and so sets out to find out what really happened and who was responsible. Was it the person on the other end of her mothers mobile phone she was talking to when she jumped? Really kept me gripped and enjoyed the read a lot. One of those books maybe an older one but enjoyed reading it.

2 people found this helpful

Glynis Perfect

suspense at it's best!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 June 2014

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I was recommended Say I'm sorry by Michael Rowbotham and was hooked. I went on to read Shatter straight away. Couldn't put it down, so read it in two days. I am now reading his first novel with Joe McLoughlin as his main character. I enjoyed Shatter even more than Say I'm Sorry which I thought would be impossible. This author captivates you right from the first line of the story. He writes with such conviction. His characters are flesh and blood so you feel for them. Wanting retribution for the horrors commited by the 'baddy' in his intriguing well plotted tales. Best of all is the humour which makes you giggle or laugh out loud in the banter between ex cop Ruiz, Joe's buddy who is there for him when he's in a tight spot. My favourite criminal psychologist since Cracker. A definte must read novel.

2 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Flawless

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 June 2008

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This is quite simply the best thriller I have read in a very long time, the pace is breathtaking, from the very first chapter I found it impossible to put down. Its the kind of book that even when you are not reading it you are thinking about the plot, and cant wait to pick it up again. I lent this to my wife who is not a thriller fan, and she read it in the shortest time, and we spent some time talking about the characters and events in the book. This is what reading a book should be about.
The villain is one of the most scary guys I have ever come across, You just know if he ever looks your way then you've pretty much had it. But his evil is not a physical threat, but a psychological one, he could destroy your life without even getting close.
This does make you wonder about Mr Robothams state of mind, to come up with something this devilish is a bit of a worry.
I have read every one of his books, and loved them all, but this is a class of its own. simply superb.

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