| The Carrier by Sophie
Hannah is an intense psychological thriller. It can be considered
a love story and a gripping mystery, a “who done it”
of sorts. Released earlier this month in the US, it has already
won the 2013 Crime Thriller of the Year at the UK National
Book Awards.
This story offers deep insights into interpersonal relationships
through the different character’s personalities. The
plot begins when Gaby Struthers, a scientist who has an innovative
technology company must room with Lauren Cookson, a caregiver
prone to hysteria. They are stuck in Germany overnight when
their plane is delayed. Lauren lets slip that she knows someone
who has been arrested for murdering his wife, Francine, and
that he, Tim, is innocent. Panicky, she refuses to discuss
the matter further, but a quick Google search tells Gaby that
the man now in jail is the only man she has ever loved. The
storyline plays off the book, Murder On the Orient Express
by Agatha Christie, where a certain number of people are “persons
of interest” in the house where the murder occurred.
Recurring characters, Detectives Simon Waterhouse and Charlie
Zailer try to sort out the different stories of those involved,
attempting to find the true murderer. The sub-plot shows,
through poetry, the love Gaby and Tim have for each other,
and how Gaby will stop at nothing to prove Tim’s innocence.
The characters are a dichotomy of each other, with the heroine,
Gaby, the only one that is truly likeable, although, Lauren
is someone that grows on the reader. Gaby is strong, smart,
independent, and sharp-tongued. It is a wonder why she would
fall so hard for Tim who appears boring, self-centered manipulative,
wimpy, and spineless. Lauren is frighteningly prone to hysteria,
a complainer, whiny, yet very vulnerable, insecure, and has
a moral compass.
Hannah noted, “I wanted Gaby’s character to stand
out. My intention was for Gaby to be the heroine and the one
who the readers will identify with. She finds herself in a
situation where almost everybody she comes into contact with
is abusive, unsatisfactory, or not very supportive. While
Gaby is tough and must look after herself, all the others
let her down. I will have a future cameo role for her in another
book. To Gaby, Tim is like a performance that seems to impress
her. What makes her attracted to him is his attitude. Opposites
attract. She is intelligent, a high achiever who has her act
together in every way but her romantic feelings. Gaby is a
sucker for Tim’s awful, manipulative, and useless ways.
She should have walked away from him since he caused her a
load of misery. Regarding the other characters, I did not
intentionally write them as despicable. They were pushed around
with forces beyond their control. Although Lauren can be infuriating
she does have redeeming features.”
Adding to the intrigue of the novel are the many themes of
the book. The examination of people’s dysfunctional
relationships, how their emotions make them behave as they
do and what lengths ordinary people will go to in response
to extraordinary events. There is also the potent subject
of mercy killing vs. assisted suicide vs. murder. Finally,
the author explores what happens when a good person takes
on evil traits.
The Carrier is a riveting tale of emotionally scarred
and psychologically paralyzed characters. What makes the story
even more interesting is the alternating perspectives between
the heroine Gaby and the police investigation concerning the
mystery.
Hannah also gave a heads up about her next book due out this
summer, Woman With A Secret, a Zailer and Waterhouse
mystery. It is about a respectable housewife and mother, Nicki,
who is leading a dangerous secret double life. Because of
her suspicious behavior, and her inability to explain to the
police her whereabouts, Nicki becomes the person of interest
in a murder investigation. The victim is a controversial newspaper
journalist, a shock jock columnist who seems to offend every
element of a population.
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