Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer is a great whodunnit. I loved the author’s style from the moment I read the first chapter of Snap and she is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors.
Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer
4 out of 5
Published in 2013 by Transworld Publishers Ltd
You can order a copy from Amazon, Waterstones
Blurb: Patrick has uncovered a crime that the experts were too close to see . . .
Life is strange for Patrick Fort – being a medical student with Asperger’s Syndrome doesn’t come without its challenges. And that’s before he is faced with solving a possible murder.
Because the body Patrick is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things. And now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery – while he dissects his own evidence . . .
My thoughts: Rubbernecker is separated into four parts:
- Part one is an introduction, per say, where the author introduces you to the main characters and gives a background to their lives “before”.
- Part two is switching between Sam’s and Patrick’s point of view.
- Part three, the juiciest one of the book, is where all the action happens! Had to pick up my jaw from the floor a few times.
- Part four wraps up the whole book and although it clears up some questions it leaves a few still hanging in the air…
The book is gripping from start to finish, but more so in the last 100 or so pages. I barely moved from the sofa this morning needing to find out what happened next!
The author is touching on a few difficult subjects in this book- like death, autism, mental health and a touch of suicide. Despite the dark matters the book doesn’t feel all gloom and doom and is actually pleasant and interesting to read.
In summary this is what happened:
Sam was involved in a car crash and as a result was locked in his body as a coma patient in the hospital ward. I thought it was compelling to read his narrative and I truly felt his frustration of not being able to express himself despite having a perfectly healthy mind.
Tracy Evans, a nurse in the coma patient ward, would rather have been out in clubs having a good night than changing the diapers and feeding tubes.
Patrick Fort had been desperate to know what happened to his dad after he died when Patrick was still a boy. He enrolled at The Cardiff University in an anatomy class to find out what takes place when a human body stops. He was not interested how it works.
The body in the anatomy class was all but a quiet one, trying to tell him a lot of things. Patrick was convinced that Number 19’s cause of death was incorrect and was determined to find out why he lay dead on the table in front of him. Patrick just needed to stay out of danger long enough to gather the evidence…
Patrick was hands down my favourite character – if any of you have seen The Good Doctor then Dr Shaun Murphy is exactly how I imagined Patrick. Blunt, emotionless and very smart!
The only criticism I have is that I thought the story-line of Tracey and Mr Deal was not finished and I was left wondering what happened. I, like Patrick, need to know why!
Regardless, Rubbernecker did not disappoint and is a strong 4 out of 5 stars.
I have been keeping an eye out for Belinda Bauer’s books at my local second hand book shops – yesterday I was in luck and picked up Finders Keepers. Have any of you read that one yet?
As always, let me know your thoughts about the book and perhaps we can discuss it in a bit more detail 🙂
