Wasp-Waisted by David Barrie - Revision history

Sue at 14:46, 11 October 2020

2020-10-11T14:46:48Z

Sue at 12:48, 1 March 2018

2018-03-01T12:48:14Z

Sue at 17:48, 18 December 2014

2014-12-18T17:48:43Z

Sue at 11:13, 19 March 2011

2011-03-19T11:13:07Z

Keith at 22:45, 20 November 2009

2009-11-20T22:45:06Z

Sue at 10:32, 2 November 2009

2009-11-02T10:32:17Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:35:46Z

1 revision

Sue at 11:51, 29 September 2009

2009-09-29T11:51:00Z

New review

{{infobox
|title= Wasp-Waisted
|author= David Barrie
|reviewer= Sue Magee
|genre=Crime
|summary= A tightly plotted police procedural which makes good use of its Parisian setting and great cast of characters. A real page-turner. Definitely recommended.
|rating=4
|buy= Yes
|borrow= Yes
|format= Paperback
|pages=320
|publisher= John Law Media
|date= June 2009
|isbn=978-0956251800
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956251803</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0956251803</amazonus>
}}
{{competition
|prize=a copy of ''Wasp-Waisted'' by David Barrie
|text=Five people will each win a paperback copy of the book. For your chance to win just answer the following question:

Of the following, who is not buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris: Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Serge Gainsbourg, or Jim Morrison?

|date=31 October 2009
}}

Franck Guerin used to be one of the elite, dealing with national security, but after an incident in Corsica which left him badly wounded he's been moved into criminal investigations. His first case proves to be something of a problem when a young model is found dead in a luxury hotel in Paris. Worryingly, a stunning photograph of the body is delivered to Exposé, a big-circulation scandal sheet, before the body is discovered and it can only have been taken by the murderer. Despite the provenance of the picture it's difficult not to be in awe of the skill and artistry which produced it. All Guerin has to go on is the ''very'' expensive underwear which the body is wearing – or you might almost say ''modelling''.

Oh, I did enjoy this book. After the initial few pages which are over-heavy in setting the Parisian scene the pace never lets up as Guerin works his way through the world of ultra-chic lingerie in all its many forms. I did wonder if this was going to be the excuse for sexual indulgence but Barrie understands the subtle differences between the erotic and the pornographic and never oversteps the mark. You'll learn a lot about lingerie (definitely not ''underwear'') and the women whose passion it is to own a ''du Bellay'', particularly after some of the most beautiful women are found dead in the firm's products.

And what of the title – ''Wasp-Waisted''? Well that's the name of a very up-market and select publication – definitely not a magazine – featuring erotic colour photographs of women in upmarket lingerie. It's not about the bodies, or the lingerie, beautiful as they are, but about the image, the beauty of the picture. It's for the collector.

I liked Guerin too. He's a policeman but he doesn't have any problem relating to his superior, isn't a womaniser and if there's a drink problem it's down to his consumption of coffee. He's not long over injury and extensive surgery but he's still determined to track down the murderer even when bodies seem to be piling up (or should that be reclining gracefully?) all over Paris. Every character comes off the page well – even the bit players – and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next.

The plot is well constructed with clues neatly scattered and unusually for this type of book it will bear rereading just for the pleasure of seeing how it was done. I did work out the identity of the murderer about fifty pages before the end of the book, but unusually for me this wasn't a disappointment as there's a real pleasure in reading the book – it's not just the answer to a puzzle.

I'd like to thank the publisher for sending a copy to the Bookbag. We hope that we'll be seeing more of Franck Guerin and particularly of David Barrie.

If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[Family Life by Paul Charles]] and [[Playing With Bones (DI Joe Plantagenet) by Kate Ellis|Playing With Bones]] by Kate Ellis.

{{interviewtext|author=David Barrie}}

{{amazontext|amazon=0956251803}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6807756}}

{{commenthead}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:46, 11 October 2020
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	If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[Family Life by Paul Charles]] and [[Playing With Bones (DI Joe Plantagenet) by Kate Ellis\|Playing With Bones]] by Kate Ellis.		If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[Family Life by Paul Charles]] and [[Playing With Bones (DI Joe Plantagenet) by Kate Ellis\|Playing With Bones]] by Kate Ellis.
		+
		+	[[David Barrie's Captain Franck Guerin Novels in Chronological Order]]

	{{toptentext\|list=Bookbag's Christmas Gift Recommendations 2009}}		{{toptentext\|list=Bookbag's Christmas Gift Recommendations 2009}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:45, 20 November 2009
Line 30:		Line 30:

	If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[Family Life by Paul Charles]] and [[Playing With Bones (DI Joe Plantagenet) by Kate Ellis\|Playing With Bones]] by Kate Ellis.		If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[Family Life by Paul Charles]] and [[Playing With Bones (DI Joe Plantagenet) by Kate Ellis\|Playing With Bones]] by Kate Ellis.
		+
		+	{{toptentext\|list=Bookbag's Christmas Gift Recommendations 2009}}

	{{interviewtext\|author=David Barrie}}		{{interviewtext\|author=David Barrie}}

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-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title= Wasp-Waisted
 |author= David Barrie
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 |isbn=978-0956251800
 |website=http://www.waspwaisted.com
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956251803</amazonuk>
+|cover=0956251803
-|amazonus=<amazonus>0956251803</amazonus>
+|aznuk=0956251803
 }}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |buy= Yes
 |borrow= Yes
 |pages=320
 |publisher= John Law Media
@@ Line 36: / Line 35: @@
 {{interviewtext|author=David Barrie}}
-{{amazontext|amazon=0956251803}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6807756}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0956251803}}
 {{commenthead}}

← Older revision	Revision as of 17:35, 24 October 2009
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