Whole Life Sentence

I am a big fan of Lynda La Plante's Jane Tennison books so I was excited to read her latest instalment. Jane Tennison must be one of crime fictions greatest creations. La Plante has drawn on the experiences of a real female detective in creating her character. In this book Jane is promoted and joins a new Area Major Incident team. Her welcome there is decidedly cool. She has to contend with misogynistic fellow officers who give her a cold case to solve. They are reluctant to give her credit for her ideas but Jane faces their opposition with confidence and good humour. Jane also has a new love interest. Will he be 'the one'.
Another great read in the Jane Tennison series of books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Jane Tennison is one of the best crime characters around, and it’s been fascinating reading the path of her career, as she’s risen through the ranks in a totally male orientated society, It feels so authentic with the scale of the misogyny of the time, which unfortunately is still around today, although no where as bad as when these books are set. To get to her rank she has had to sacrifice so much, put on a front of being as hard as nails and hiding the fact that she cares what people think, that she loves her job with a passion and knows she has to work twice as hard as the men just to try to keep up with them.

In this case her new boss is determined to side line her, but he obviously doesn’t know what she’s capable of, how tenacious she is, and the fact that she is a very good police officer. With only the help of one inexperienced police woman, Maureen, she is determined to make headway in the cold case that she has been assigned.

As always an excellent read, so well written and plotted. It’s got to be 5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What a treat to meet the feisty Jane Tennison again. On this occasion, she is eager for promotion to AMIT at the Met, but she’s forced to confront obstacles in the hostile male-orientated environment. It’s certainly an insight into sexism, but Jane has enough confidence to stand up for herself, keep her cool—well, most of the time - and prove her worth. Bravo, Jane.

Alongside her is an endearing sidekick, Maureen, who, although inexperienced, is not the airhead they believe. Their teamwork is praiseworthy as they unravel a complex, fascinating cold case and a suicide. Credit for their hard work is thin on the ground.

It beggars belief that Jane survives on such meagre sustenance and sleepless nights while she puts a hundred per cent into solving her cases and the intuitive way she can “read” people and think outside the box.

Thank you for a terrific read.

Picking up a Lynda La Plante book you just know you won’t be able to put the book down! Especially with Jane Tennison! Life is never easy for her and the way she always has to prove herself to male nastiness at work! I feel Jane has grown up since we first met her and she now picks her battles better than she used to!

Totally gripping story line and now I’m finished I think I might go back to the start of the series and re read!

Thank you Lynda for being the queen of thrillers and can’t wait to read your next book!

This is a fitting end to a tremendous series of books. Tennison is one of the all time great fictional detectives and this doesn't disappoint. I've read all the books in this series and once again Lynda La Plante does a great job of highlighting how difficult it was for women in the police force. The plot is fantastic, illustrates how Tennison could spot things no one else could.

Now I've finished the series I'll finally be able to read the Prime Suspect series of books as I didn't want to do so until it has finished.

It has been a while since I have read a La Plante novel and I am challenging myself as to why. I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish and want to read more. It was a great page turner.
It follows Detective Jane Tennison as she remarkably manages to get herself into an elite team, where no woman has previously worked. It’s clearly a misogynistic team with thoughts already turning to how they can get her turfed out. Not least by allocating her a storage room as an office and a cold case, to keep her out of the way!
However, she is a tough cookie, spurned on by the challenge presenting itself, refusing to be riled and drawn into anything oughtn’t – even though this can be hard to do.
She makes her presence known, ensuring that there is provision for women’s toilets for starters… Her excellent detective skills, executed with due rigor from looking at the detail and following evidential lines, not the fast and loose style of her counterparts, enables her to evade the traps set before her and demonstrate why she should have a place on the team.
I was completely behind her from the outset. She outwits the circling vulchers with aplomb and dignity. An amazing and speed read.