Over the last few years, I have had a great time getting through the amazing Tennison series by iconic crime fiction author Lynda La Plante. A prequel series to the Prime Suspect television series, the Tennison books follows a younger version of Prime Suspect’s protagonist, Jane Tennison, as she works her way up the ranks while investigating several intriguing crimes. There have been some awesome books in this series so far, including Good Friday, Murder Mile, The Dirty Dozen, Blunt Force and Unholy Murder, each of which is worth a read, especially for fans of the original show. I managed to get through the eighth book in the series, Dark Rooms, last year, and it is high time I wrote a review for it, especially as the next Tennison thriller is out just around the corner. Her first book went over extremely well, and other famous novels came to follow. One of her best known stories is The Talisman, published in 1987, closely followed by Bella Mafia in 1990. Soon afterward, she began work on Prime Suspect, which starred Helen Mirren. This opened the door for La Plante to win an Edgar-Award from the Mystery-Writers of America for her impressive work on the show. With a brand new character introduced, an elusive foil to Warr, the cat-and-mouse game begins. Expect an explosive showdown! DI Jane Tennison is part of the team investigating the crime. On visiting the crime scene, Jane discovers the house has more horrors to reveal - in the form of a mummified baby who was buried alive. The trip to Australia - how utterly utterly unnecessary. In the time period it’s set, surely this was a huge expense, and whilst international phone calls were expensive too, they would have been a damn sight cheaper than sending two coppers over for 36 hours. So so strange. On the upside we got to see loads more entitled and judgemental attitude from Jane, so that was delightful.

I always know what I am going to get from a Lynda La Plante novel, well written plots that are not rushed answering every question the readers wants answered. Good solid characters and plenty of intrigue made this a very good read. I also doubt this book was ever proof read considering the amount of mistakes i noticed while reading! Overall, Dark Rooms was a weaker Tennison novel from Lynda La Plante, and one that does not really stand out when compared to some of the more impressive books in the series. While I am little critical of it, Dark Rooms did have its interesting and powerful moments, and is still worth a read, especially for established fans of the series. I am hoping that the next book in the series, Taste of Blood, has a better story behind it, and I am still intrigued to see how this series continues.

I always devour books by Lynda La Plante and 'Dark Rooms' was no exception. As well as the core investigation per novel, this series is as much about Jane's life and career. Lynda has teased both ninth and tenth books, which may bring the series full circle as we approach 'Prime Suspect'. I love this series and always enjoy the evolution of Jane's character - it was very exciting to see her once again take a step forward in career with her promotion. I cannot wait to see what is next in store for DI Tennison.

I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve indulged in my love of crime books. I don’t know if I’ve just been living the easy life or what, but I always forget how much I enjoy them until I start reading them. Am I a violent person? No. Do I enjoy reading about crime and people solving murders and such? Yes. I know this is A Thing, so it’s not like I’m a total weirdo out here. The good news is that there are many of us who enjoy these types of books and so it’s fun to be able to share this one with you! The mystery was a good one, and in fact there were several going on at once that were connected. It made for an interesting brain twister, trying to figure out how everything went together. I’ve said before that I don’t try to figure out the mystery ahead of time, I just like to let the story take me where it will. Sometimes I can guess right away what happened, but sometimes I can’t. This time I couldn’t, and I enjoyed the surprise and the suspense right to the end. Blake Brooks, Brand and Marketing Manager at Bonnier Books UK, promised, “Lynda La Plante is writing at the top of her game, and Vanished is a masterclass. Fans are going to be delighted.” Who lies at the heart of this gripping new murder investigation?

Vanished follows on from Buried and Judas Horse, with the series’ origins in La Plante’s iconic bestselling Widows. Jane Tennison herself was an extremely unlikable character and i often found myself frustrated with how she treated practically everyone around her. Jane solves the original case involving a dead young woman in record time and it involves a tragic turn of events. Jane's given little (well, no) kudos for her work but having also uncovered a baby's bones during the investigation she's is keen to pursue it, particularly when she discovers the newborn was smothered. She's reminded however of her previous case that involved decades-old bones with no recourse for anyone still alive. Here however she's got her eye on the building's previous owner, Helena Lanark, and starts looking into the family. Lynda La Plante (born Lynda Titchmarsh) is a British author, screenwriter, and erstwhile actress (her performances in Rentaghost and other programmes were under her stage name of Lynda Marchal), best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series. Dark Rooms' is the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series, prequel to the 'Prime Suspect' TV series (and the novelisations of the first three seasons). Lynda La Plante presents an intricate case for the recently promoted Jane Tennison, her first investigation as a Detective Inspector following her required time spent in uniform. It is now the mid-80s, and we meet up with Jane as she's moved into her new home and is having it renovated. Jane continues to be somewhat a lone wolf, something that continues to cause her problems amongst the team. Yet her clashes with her DCI set the scene for her determination to resolve this case, even if it means working alone.

When the investigation uncovers an international drugs operation on the widow's property, the case grows even more complex. And as the hunt for the widow's lodger hits dead end after dead end, it seems that the prime suspect has vanished without a trace. She dipped in and out of screenwriting and acting, best known for her magnificent work on the Prime Suspect televisions series. Lynda has a strong focus on crime and thriller, as she discovered when she wrote her first series for Thames Television, Widows, in 1983. After this turning point in her life, Lynda signed her first book-deal with Pan MacMillan, who helped her publish her very first novel, The Legacy, in 1987. A compelling, clever plot with a brilliant cast of diverse characters. Utterly riveting' - RACHEL ABBOTT, million-selling author of ONLY THE INNOCENT She formed her own television production company, La Plante Productions, in 1994 and as La Plante Productions she wrote and produced the sequel to Widows, the equally gutsy She's Out (ITV, 1995). The name "La Plante" comes from her marriage to writer Richard La Plante, author of the book Mantis and Hog Fever. La Plante divorced Lynda in the early 1990s.Now the police will have to pay attention and the stakes are raised when the investigation uncovers an international drugs operation on the widow’s property. The police are searching for the widow’s lodger but it appears he has vanished. Laced with gothic undertones in the centrepiece of the decaying Victorian mansion and the horrors hiding within, once home to an eccentric family with a long history of tragedy, this is a tightly plotted police procedural featuring realistic forensic science of the time period, and even a touch of romance for Jane, as well as trips to the coast and as far as Australia, exploring some dark and disturbing themes and complex characters through every navigation of the twisting plot. Throughout the series, discrimination - and specifically misogyny - within the police has been a running theme, once more explored in this novel alongside other abuses of power and the elusiveness of long-buried secrets. Relentless in her pursuit of the truth, Jane finds herself ostracised, but remains determined to solve the mystery of the baby’s death. Dark Rooms by Lynda LaPlante is the eighth in the series featuring 'young' Jane Tennison, although we've slowing been working our way from naïve constable to the kinda scary Detective Chief Inspector readers (and viewers) meet in Prime Suspect. However, and believe me I hate to leave a negative review, but wow; there was very little I enjoyed of this book.

I thought Detective Warr was a great main character, he is determined and a intelligent person. I liked reading about his family life as well. We got to read about a variety of different characters in this book, some were criminals who I wasn’t sure who I wanted Detective Warr to trust. She must decide if she will risk her life to bring the killer to justice simply to claim the reward, or if she should leave the task to someone more experience, more willing, and more trusting than she will ever be able to trust herself after her difficult and harrowing past. The brief storyline with the weed was so so so unneeded and began with ooh whats Eddie hiding and ended abruptly a chapter later, why? Speaking of, since when is it ok to discuss the minutiae of your case with non police, Jane? Extremely unprofessional, and for an obnoxious, overbearing, pompous character like our “heroine”, I would have expected professionalism. How is a main character so awful?? Genuine question because I as the reader should surely be on her side? But she is impatient, irritable, downright rude a lot of the time, pompous, judgemental, and snobby. I don’t think I’ve ever read a character I disliked as much. Both sets of parents were awful, Eddies less so, and Jane’s sister didn’t seem to be anyone you’d want to grab a drink with either.

Publication Order of Legacy Books

Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a heist planned by their deceased husbands. Believing that there’s much more to the story than the eye can meet, he starts an investigation that will bring a lot of his past secrets to surface. What was the point of the investigation? The family history was so all over the place and by the end of the book the whole thing seemed like a waste of time.