Shaun Hutson - Purity

[andydecker]

Shaun Hutson – Purity (Little, Brown UK, 1997, HC, 345 pages)

The 1997 Hutson novel is in many regards a well written story. It is also the one which even after all his "thrillers" stray most from his established formula. While we have the usual bunch of miserable, pissed-off people as protagonists, this is not even an action story. A serial killer is at work, and the investigation touches the life of many people. And basically it doesn‘t matter who the killer is. He is found out more or less coincidentally, much like in a giallo movie. The gore is used sparingly, and there is not much action. While it is a stretch to compare Hutson‘s grim‘n‘gritty with one of those cozy crime movies like Hallmark Mysteries,  as a mystery story Purity is as banal as the best of them.

This is unfortunate, because the novel feature some of Hutson‘s most mature writing. While some characters are as usual tired cliches – the obsessed copper who destroys his marriage with his work; the married, censorship-happy MP who wants to ban violent movies but of course is a closet gay and has got AIDS – some are well drawn.

The heroine Amy could also be seen as a cliche, but she is more. The ex-model and celebrity, who is now the host of a call-in radioshow – remember those? - is interesting and maybe one of Hutson‘s most mature characters. Shaken by a cancer scare, she doesn‘t play amateur sleuth but stumbles onto the case.

For all the usual coincidences which too often propel the narrative and the often not very convincing red herrings, Amy‘s story is surprisingly realistic and serious. But who reads Hutson for being realistic and serious?

As a serial killer novel this isn‘t very thrilling, but parts of it are really well done. And of course this is as much removed from books like Erebus or Assassin as is possible.