Whole Life Sentence by Lynda La Plante
DETECTIVE JANE TENNISON'S POLICE CAREER HANGS IN THE BALANCE: A SINGLE STEP FROM GLORY - OR RUIN.
While she has elbowed her way into an elite team investigating non-domestic murders, there is nothing elite about her first assignments: a missing teenager cold case and an apparent suicide Tennison suspects is, in fact, murder.
But as she uncovers explosive evidence, Tennison's new colleagues watch like vultures circling prey. And, one by one, the cases no one else wanted are taken from her - and the glory along with them.
Now Tennison has had enough: of the rampant sexism, snide remarks and undermining. It's time to take what is rightfully hers from those who have held her back.
She just has to do what she does best: find her prime suspect . . .
About the author
Lynda La Plante was born in Liverpool. She trained for the stage at RADA and worked with the National Theatre and RDC before becoming a television actress. She then turned to writing - and made her breakthrough with the phenomenally successful TV series WIDOWS.
Her novels have all been international bestsellers. Her original script for the much-acclaimed PRIME SUSPECT won awards from BAFTA, Emmys, British Broadcasting and Royal Television Society as well as the 1993 Edgar Allan Poe Writer's Award.
Since 1993 Lynda has spearheaded La Plante Productions. In that time the company has produced a stunning slate of innovative dramas with proven success and enduring international appeal.
Based on Lynda's best selling series of Anna Travis novels, Above Suspicion, Silent Scream, Deadly Intent and Silent Scream have all adapted into TV scripts and received impressive viewing figures.
Lynda has been made honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and was awarded the BAFTA Dennis Potter Writer's Award 2000.
On 14th June 2008 Lynda was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List (Writer and Producer for services to Literature, Drama and to Charity).
On 3rd October 2009, Lynda was honoured at the Cologne Conference International Film and Television Festival with the prestigious TV Spielfilm Award for her television adaptation of her novel, Above Suspicion.
Books penned by Lynda La Plante include: The Legacy, The Talisman, Bella Mafia, Entwined, Cold Shoulder, Cold Blood, Cold Heart, Sleeping Cruelty, Royal Flush, Above Suspicion, The Red Dahlia, Clean Cut, Deadly Intent and Silent Scream, Blind Fury (this entered the UK Sunday Times Bestsellers List at number 1 having sold 9,500 copies in its first two weeks), Blood Line, Backlash, Wrongful Death, and Twisted, which have all been international best-sellers.
In Feb 2012 Lynda's chilling tale of THE LITTLE ONE was published in conjunction with Quick Reads through Simon & Schuster UK.
Lynda's latest book, Tennison, was published on 24th September 2015 and is the prequel the highly acclaimed Prime Suspect. The story charts Jane Tennison's entry into the police force as a 22 year old Probationary Officer at Hackney Police Station in 1973.
Review
‘Whole Life Sentence’ is the final book in the Jane Tennison series which is a prequel to the Prime Suspect TV series. The series has followed Jane from being a probationer to Detective Chief Inspector over ten books and it has been illuminating how life has changed for Jane over the period. She still finds herself working in a force that is rife with misogyny but now she has the strength to face it head on! This is the last book but you can pick it up as a standalone read, although I do thoroughly recommend reading the whole series just so you can see Jane’s character adapt and change as she gets older and hopefully wiser.
Jane has just been promoted to DCI and has asked to be transfered to the Area Major Investigative Team (AMIT) which picks up the major crimes in central London. What she finds on her first day is a superior who is sexist, an office which is basically a cleaning cupboard and instead of a team of detectives Jane only has one WPC. Then instead of a high-profile case, she is handed a cold case in which a young woman disappeared 5 years ago. Jane is thoroughly demoralized but is still determined to find out the truth of what happened. She is also asked to assist in a suicide but Jane thinks there might be more to it.
This isn't a fast-paced book but I found it engrossing all the more for that as we got down to the real nitty gritty aspects and timelines, which is what normally gives people away when they commit crimes! I found it hard to read that even in 1991 Jane is still facing the same sexism as she did when she started back as a probationer. Even the lack of toilet provisions was repeated! Yes, Jane is stronger now but she shouldn't have to put up with it and this time round she is more crafty about how she addresses the system. I'm quite sad that this is the end of the series as I could read about Jane forever. I really enjoyed getting to know her and with her courageous and tenacious grit she really makes an engaging and enjoyable character.
