Rush of Blood

What is it about?

While vacationing in Florida, three British couples meet in the same hotel and spend some time together. On their final day, a mentally retarded girl from another hotel goer disappears. And is later found dead.

Back in England, the three couples stay in contact. While doing routine interviews with the couples for her American colleagues, a young police officer discovers some lies and becomes suspicious. And then another mentally retarded girl disappears, this time in England.

My impression

Rush of Blood is an unusual thriller insofar as the focus is on the three couples, the crimes are in the background. Hence it is a rather quiet book, without much action. The author does a good job describing the six people, though I didn't like any of them. The end was surprising, albeit the culprit's motive felt too unrealistic.

Quotes from the book

"Why don't you ever get drunk?" - "Sorry?" - "I mean, everyone should get pissed once in a while." - "Why?" - "It doesn't do any harm, does it?" - "So, everyone should lose control, once in a while? Everyone should do things they're ashamed of or embarrassed about, or that they can't even remember?"

"You know how it works ... the less taste the people have got, the bigger the screen. Fifty-inch plasma to watch Deal or No Deal."

I've never really bought into this idea that, deep down, some offenders want to get caught. Everyone wants to stay out of prison surely, it's a natural instinct, isn't it? It certainly felt natural to me. I felt – I still feel – that punishing me for what I'd done would be wrong.

Lying is what makes us human.

"Happy as a pig in shit, aren't you, my love?"

"How much aftershave can one man wear before it actually becomes an arrestable offence?"

"If we'd caught up with him over here, he'd be getting the needle and I'd be sitting right there in the front row, laughing my ass off."