Customer Reviews

Human Remains

Loved it! Another winner from Haynes.

Annabel works as an analyst for the police. She lives with her cat, has no friends and cares for her housebound mother. One night she finds her neighbour's dead body, sat at home, apparently starved to death. Soon after, she notices a pattern of vastly increasing similar suicides in the town, all of lonely and vulnerable people. But this story isn't just about Annabel, it's also about Colin...

I'm trying very hard not to give away vital twists and plot points. I really enjoy Haynes' style, it's crime but not really about the murders. She writes about the victims, the killers, the psychology of it, which to me is much more interesting than a straightforward thriller. We are never in any doubt who the bad guy is, in fact, a proportion of the narrative is his, talking us through his life and what he does. Other reviewers have called him creepy. I loved him! Not that I want to go on a date with him, but I found him a rounded and convincing portrayal of a very intelligent and dangerous psychopath.

The story is rather sad - these vulnerable people are not murdered, in fact the dead narrate their own stories - that people with little support can easily be manipulated and there is no-one to look out for them. It's quite a scary thought.

I loved the structure of this, short chapters narrated by Annabel, the 'killer', the victims.

*SPOILER* I thought it especially clever when Annabel's narrations became those of a victim, this was such a shock (though I could see it coming and got very tense!!), as she'd been so stable and assured until that point.
*END OF SPOILER*

This isn't quite going to hit the heights of Into the Darkest Corner for me. I didn't mind the sordid details contained within, but ITDC really was the most powerful book I'd read in a long time, and while Human Remains is excellent, it's not going to make the film ITDC surely will soon (hope someone realises this!!!).

I couldn't help picturing the author in the role of Annabel, I wonder how much of herself and her job is in Annabel, the research of her work shows the minute detail and convinces.

* SPOILER* Just a thought but at the end, I actually thought Audrey's end point (psychologically and almost physically) was very similar to Catherine's at the start of Into the Darkest Corner. I wonder if that was intentional.
*END OF SPOILER*

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for readers who like intelligent crime, who can cope with rather descriptive 'body' scenes and some sordid detail. It's one that you need to keep reading, that pays off in terms of the structure, and that offers great characters you can really relish reading about.

This is the third novel from crime writer Elizabeth Haynes and for me this is her darkest yet. Annabel works as an analyst for the police. She is lonely, with just her cat Lucy for company at home, and a few visits a week to her housebound mum to separate her days. She works hard, and doesn't have any other close relationships, seeing the friendships amongst others at work go on around her without being part of them, feeling rather disconnected.

Having made a grim discovery in the house next door to hers one day, she realises on her return to work that similar deaths are happening in an alarmingly high number in the locality, and takes this information to her bosses at the police station. Why are so many people dying alone at home, not being discovered for some time after their deaths? Though seeming unsuspicious and raising little interest at first- these are deaths after all, not murders, aren't they? - not least a local journalist, Sam Everett.

Through other lonely, troubled voices that are heard briefly in the story, and primarily through Annabel, this novel examines loneliness and the vulnerability of it, whether society should do more for those living alone, making us question our duty to others, and it makes you wonder about both choosing to be alone and ending up that way. As the neighbour of someone who has been found dead and alone comments `I think it's terrible that in this day and age nobody notices you're gone...People should take more care of each other.' This is not to say that the novel offers no hope in this regard; in fact there are people who demonstrate the very opposite and offer kindness and friendship just when it is most needed.

Haynes has created a cold, chilling character for the criminal in this novel. She takes us into his mind; we know that from the outside he looks just like anyone else, he goes to work, goes about his life, no one would know what else he does in private: `If you met me in the street I dare say you would not be unduly worried by my presence...' But inside that twisted mind are the thoughts of man playing with the lives of others and relishing what he does, even believing he is helping them to escape, using his own particular methods: `You want to know how I do it, don't you? I can imagine it, your fervent interest, your curiosity that others might describe as morbid: I can see it in the sparkle in your eyes. Well, ask me, then. Go on. I know you're dying to...' The language here is so apt - `morbid, dying to' - in keeping with the subject matter of the book.

Elizabeth Haynes established herself as a must-read author for me with Into the Darkest Corner. This novel confirms her talent for getting to the heart of the darkest minds and imagining the awful horrors they might commit. She has crafted another compelling story, with characters that get under your skin, a mystery and investigation that keeps you turning the pages, and with a dark, creepy air pervading it all.

Like everyone else it seems, I discovered Elizabeth Haynes' writing through her magnificent debut, Into the Darkest Corner. Her second, Revenge of the Tide, was good too, but maybe lacking a little something for me. But as for this one - it really is absolutely fantastic, arguably her best yet, and I've honestly never read anything quite like it.

The whole book is incredibly original, and all the more engaging because of its grounding in mundane everyday life. As a central character, we have Annabel, a police analyst who lives alone with her cat Lucy, dissatisfied in life and work, running round after her ungrateful elderly mother. First, she discovers the death of a neighbour - alone and inexplicable. Then, through her work, she discovers that there has been a significant increase in the number of people dying alone at home within her small town. She struggles to get anyone interested - surely the increase has to be significant in some way - until local journalist Sam Everett picks up on the story.

The individual behind the deaths is a magnificent creation who makes your blood run cold: and there's a constant underlying humour and incongruity that makes him all the more chilling. The story is told through Annabel and the man behind it all, but interspersed with the voices of those who have died - and the whole structure works really well. Some of the stories are really touching, wonderful vignettes of the lives of the lonely. And she really gets under the skin and into the minds of her two main characters - in different ways, it's an uncomfortable and fascinating place to be.

This is a story that makes you sweat and your pulse race, 100% believable, magnificently dark, incredibly exciting, and I defy anyone to put it down for anything but the briefest of pauses before its fantastic ending. It will stay with me a long time, and I'll always dress properly, put my make-up on and smile when I do an evening supermarket shop from now on - and run a mile if anyone touches me on the arm.

Having now read all three of Elizabeth's novels, I believe that the quality, structure and her literacy skills have just got better and better.
The common thread of her latest novel ` Human Remains `at times is a little too near the truth of today's modern society and the lack of actually knowing or caring who lives next door to you.
This book was well written and keeps you enthralled all the way from the very start to the end.
The quality of detail once again proves the amount of research that Elizabeth has yet again put into her work.

I think that the final chapter in all this will be a sad day for Kent Police but a ' cracking result ' for us who adore crime novels.

Congratulations Elizabeth looking forward to book number 4.

Thumper

This is quite an unusual storyline, a woman who works in the police force as a civilian finds that her neighbour has died and lain undiscovered for a long time. I did think it was an American story to start with but it is set in the UK. Between her and a local journalist, they find a trail of seemingly innocent deaths that are linked to a local man. I was really absorbed in the story and it was a great holiday read. Well written, and will look for other books by this author.

I'm another reader who was terribly disappointed by this book. I read and loved both her first 2 books Into the Darkest Corner and Revenge of the Tide so I could hardly wait to get my hands on her latest offering, especially as several friends whose tastes are similar to mine - loved it.

It was pretty awful, I was so exasperated with the main character Annabel - I just couldn't warm to her and the disgusting and disturbed Colin just made me feel nauseous, but there was none of that tension building, page turning urgency of her other books just a dreary, repetitive inevitability which had hardly any hidden depths or twists.

I can't recommend this but would highly recommend the authors' other 2 books if you haven't read them yet.

A well constructed book with An unusual storyline which kept my attention throughout.
The neuro-linguistic programming aspect was fascinating, and I had an interesting side-trip reading up on that subject (beginning to sound like Colin here !)
Elizabeth Haynes is a new author to me, And I'll certainly be reading more of her work.

This was my first Elizabeth Haynes novel which I chanced upon and having thoroughly enjoyed it I will definitely be downloading her debut, Into the Darkest Corner. The originality of Human Remains is the real pleasure of the book and I couldn’t help but be moved by the themes of loneliness and vulnerability in the novel. It really is a sad affair reading how these characters withdraw from society and give up on life but it is still very viable and therefore very real to the reader. This emotion is perfectly enhanced by slithers of echoes from the deceased spoken from beyond their death to add another dimension to the story standing apart from the voices of Annabel and Colin. The so-called crime is incredibly dark and could have been quite gory but in actual fact it was so fascinating I found myself doing some further reading about some of the methods and processes the author gave to Colin. The offender, Colin is a credible character who, despite his motives and actions, is strangely not totally despicable. I found the character and circumstance of Annabel very effective and very real. The character is so well rounded without the writer having to go into huge amounts of biographical context, rather it is enough to gage her life from her day to day activities, or lack of and her musings at work, at home with her cat and of course at her mother’s house and later the hospital. I was glad that the ending stayed true to the character of Annabel and that the author did not run away with any romantic notions, quite refreshing really and what’s more I thought our final glimpse into the mind of Colin was just perfect!

I have no doubt that this story is truly memorable and I have a feeling it will stay with me for a long time so all in all an excellent read which I have been telling many people since I first started reading it. Get it!

I seem to be reading a lot of 'firsts' at the moment, and this is another as I have never read anything by Elizabeth Haynes before. I picked this book up as an 'Amazon' recommendation, it was either free or very cheap, I can't quite remember which, but I am very glad I purchased it.

This book is exactly the kind of thriller I love. It's very very dark, but has some humour, it is told from the viewpoint of the two main characters Annabel and Colin.

Annabel has the misfortune of discovering her neighbours badly decomposed body after her cat alerts her to a foul smell in the neighbouring house. Her inquisitive mind leads her to investigate a little further as the newspapers report new 'undiscovered' deaths on a regular basis. As a Civilian crime analyst Annabel is not taken seriously at first, but as more bodies are found, the local press begin to take an interest and Sam is introduced to us.

At first Sam appears to be your stereotypical local reporter, only interested in the scoop, but as Annabel's story progresses and her paths cross with Colin's after the sudden death of her mother, we see Sam in a different light.

Colin, well Colin is the most complex character of all. We find out early on his role in the story, and it is very believable due to Hayne's brilliant writing. Although his acts are despicable you will find yourself asking, did he actually do anything wrong?

His viewpoint is that compelling.

The story is complex, with lots of twists and turns, the ending however, gives Colin just what he deserves and in this sort of story, that's all we can ask for...

As an aside, it does almost make you want to check up on your neighbours! I say almost, because although they are older than my parents, they make a right racket constantly so we definitely know that they are okay!

This is a book that crept up on me, drew me in and left me breathless. I found myself restricting how much I read at one go to make it last longer, in the end I gave in and finished it!
The main characters of Annabel and Colin are so believable and what Colin does is so chilling that I found myself wondering whether it were actually possible to do what he did.......maybe it is.
Elizabeth Haynes writes with authority on the subject of police analysts, a role I wasn't really aware of, and makes what some would think of as geeky and boring, fascinating.
Can't wait to read her next book.
An excellent read worthy of the 5 stars I gave it.