★ 10/01/2018 From the start, mood dominates in this tale, which is both a conventional detective story and a tale of unquenchable fatherly love. Retired police detective Frank Elder is surprised when his daughter Katherine contacts him. When she was 16, she was kidnapped and raped repeatedly. The monster who did it went to jail but the damage was done; Frank and Katherine have been alienated ever since. Now there are cuts on Katherine's wrists, and Frank learns that another man, an artist for whom she modeled, has been abusing her. When the artist is found dead, Katherine is suspect, and Frank is drawn back into detecting to clear her name. At the same time, the rapist escapes during a prison transfer and wends his way across the country, intent on teaching Katharine and Frank one final lesson. Around this violent, almost lurid tale of risk and detection, Harvey ("Charlie Resnick" detective series) weaves a story of deep emotional truth, with good people seeking to restore lost things and regretting their memories. VERDICT There's enough tension in this book to please any lover of a good detective story and quality writing that will satisfy general fiction fans.—David Keymer, Cleveland
Well-rounded, sympathetic characters have always been a hallmark of Harvey's work, and he's at his best here. Katherine's mood swings are uncomfortably real, as she's desperately in love one minute and the next just plain desperate. Cad though he is, her feckless lover, the painter Anthony Winter, is still recognizably human. But the richest character of all is Elder himself, tough on the job but stopped in his tracks by a song.
The New York Times Book Review - Marilyn Stasio
09/03/2018 At the start of British author Harvey’s darkly atmospheric fourth and final novel featuring former Nottingham detective inspector Frank Elder (after 2006’s Darkness and Light ), Elder’s estranged 23-year-old daughter, Katherine, visits him in Cornwall, where he’s been leading a hermitlike existence. When he notices cuts on her wrists and asks about them, she says it was an accident and refuses to say more. That night, she wakes up screaming from a bad dream; the next morning, she returns home to East London without saying goodbye. Elder eventually learns that his emotionally fragile daughter, who’s still recovering from being abducted and tortured when she was 16, has been pushed to the edge by becoming a person of interest in a murder. Meanwhile, the man convicted of kidnapping her escapes while being transferred to a different prison and begins killing again. Only some predictable action leading to the intense climax mars Harvey’s heart-wrenching send-off. Agent: Sarah Lutyens, Lutyens & Rubinstein (U.K.). (Nov.)
It’s such a joy to kick back and savor the latest novel by one of the true masters of the genre. Elder proves to be an affecting and memorable protagonist.
The Baltimore Sun [Praise for John Harvey]
Harvey’s novels remain one of the high points in the history of crime fiction.
Booklist (starred) [Praise for John Harvey]
Full of sharp and poetic sketches. Once the multiple criminal mysteries have been solved or resolved, the puzzle remains of what’s to become of the solitary Elder. It’s a tribute to Mr. Harvey’s skill that we look forward to finding out. Swiftly paced.
The Wall Street Journal [Praise for John Harvey]
"Fans of John Harvey’s books are already familiar with his signature sharp dialogue construction and subtle character development. This novel is not an exception. A good read from a master of crime storytelling."
Well-rounded, sympathetic characters have always been a hallmark of Harvey's work, and he's at his best here. The richest character of all is Elder himself, tough on the job but stopped in his tracks by a song.
Marilyn Stasio - The New York Times Book Review
Harvey’s books are a joy because he excels in every aspect of crime fiction, including adroit plotting, sharp dialogue, subtle characterizations, and an underlying, shimmering intelligence.
Harvey writes with great power about the disappointments and tragedies of living, and he always digs deep into the emotional recesses of his charactersall of which makes the devastating ending of this remarkable novel all the more powerful.
"Harvey’s lean prose and fast pace keep the pages turning. A few terrifying twists up the stakes and a shocking finale will have readers reeling. Procedural fans with a soft spot for P.I. tales will love this, but a father’s love and a young woman trying desperately to crawl out of the darkness and into the light are at the heart of this crackling tale."
The architecture of Harvey’s storytelling begs to be admired, with its multiple narratives, shifting time lines, and elaborate plot details.
"Well-rounded, sympathetic characters have always been a hallmark of Harvey's work, and he's at his best here. The richest character of all is Elder himself, tough on the job but stopped in his tracks by a song."
The New York Times Book Review
"Harvey’s taut, fast-paced plotting and lean prose lead to a heartbreaking climax. Body & Soul is both a top-notch procedural and a powerful tale of a gulf between a father and daughter — and the ties that can bind them together."
"Harvey writes with great power about the disappointments and tragedies of living, and he always digs deep into the emotional recesses of his characters—all of which makes the devastating ending of this remarkable novel all the more powerful."