Shatter (novel)
| Author | Michael Robotham |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Sphere Books, London |
Publication date | 2008 |
| Media type | Print Hardback & Paperback |
| Pages | 466 pp |
| ISBN | 978-1-84744-177-5 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC | 176833215 |
| Preceded by | The Night Ferry |
| Followed by | Bombproof |
Shatter is a psychological thriller written by the Australian author Michael Robotham that was published in 2008.[1]
Plot outline
Professor Joseph O'Loughlin (referred to as Joe throughout the novel) is tasked by the police with stopping a woman, Christine Wheeler, from committing suicide, only to fail. When Wheeler's teenage daughter appears onto his doorstep, she insists that her mother would not have jumped off a bridge as she did, for she was not suicidal and had a fear of heights. Haunted by his failure to save her and driven by a need to understand what caused her death, Joe searches for the truth, only to be caught up in a string of murders all while dealing with his own problems with Parkinson's disease and his marriage.
Awards
- Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Writing, Best Novel, 2008: winner
- Crime Writers' Association (UK), The CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, Best Thriller, 2008: shortlisted
Dedication
"This is for Mark Lucas, a friend first."
Reviews
Sue Turnbull, in The Age, was impressed with the novel: "Thematically complex, artfully structured, beautifully written and observed, Shatter confirms Robotham's place in the front row of crime."[2]
Reviewing the book in Dark Scribe magazine, Rick R. Reed compared the villain to Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lector and went on: "Shatter really has it all when it comes to the thriller genre: it’s fast-paced, has uniquely and wonderfully-drawn characters, contains a great mystery at its center, and makes you want to read more from Michael Robotham."[3]