Anthea Cohen

A comfort re-read. The real world is giving me much anxiety right now and it is oddly comforting to immerse myself in the world of Agnes Carmichael again, my favourite anti-hero. The author, Anthea Cohen (real name: Doris Simspon) was well ahead of her time. A contemporary of my late great-grandmother, she created Agnes - a professional woman with rather modern views, one who was an antithesis to what a woman was (is?) supposed to be, someone who did not strive for the white picket fence and 2.4 children, someone who did not even particularly strive to be liked. I've read the whole series before, and I keep coming back and re-reading parts of it and the thing that I really like about it, is that Agnes evolves... unlike many cozy mysteries series with no real character development, you can actually see Agnes grow as a person, while remaining true to herself.… (más)

Let me preface this with saying that I have long been a fan of Agnes Carmichael, the main character of this novel, and I was beyond excited to find out that Endeavour Press are doing new releases of the series because I have really struggled to get my hands on several of the books in the series, including this one. So, needless to say, when I was offered a copy of the novel by Endeavour in exchange for review, I jumped at the chance. Warning: the Agnes Carmichael novels are addictive.

Agnes is an anti-hero like no other, she doles out justice to those who hurt others (human or animal) in her own vigilante way, and yet she is so very ordinary. It would be hard to find a character who is similar to her - she is strong and independent, yet she is vulnerable and insecure, a perpetual outsider who cannot quite figure out the intricacies of social interactions with others, with no special talents or superpowers. I have seen her described as utterly charmless. And yet, it is difficult not to like her, even if certain decisions of hers are morally questionable. Agnes is an orphan, utterly alone in the world, and very proud of her nursing career. She is 55 now, and in one of the earlier novels in the series she receives a substantial inheritance from a former patient and the money changes her life, allowing her to eventually overcome some of the insecurities that have been plaguing her for years.

Each novel deals with a different set of events in Agnes' life, and there are 18 books in the series, written between 1982 and 2005. You do NOT need to read them in order, they are quite stand-alone and there are few recurring characters. It is however interesting to watch character development occur as Agnes tries to get used to being wealthy and learning to interact with a different social circle. This particular novel is right in the middle of the series and has Agnes struggle with her changing social position, romantic advances from an eligible bachelor as well as dealing with drug dealers who are targeting a local school.

Apart from seeing justice being doled out in the "eye for an eye" manner, you also get a voyeuristic glimpse into the life of someone who had nothing, and suddenly finds herself with a fortune - what's not to like?… (más)

3.5 stars

This is one of the Agnes Carmichael series novels, and whilst I adore the series, this was so far one of my least favourite books in it. Perhaps it was the subject matter - HIV/AIDS and the ethics revolving around the topic. This novel was first published in 1992 and the opinions on the subject are quite dated, and somewhat difficult to read on an emotional level. That said, Anthea Cohen did a fabulous job of getting inside the mind of someone who may or may not be infected and whose life starts falling apart as a result of being exposed to this illness.

I won't restate the plot outline which is obvious from the blurb but I must say that it's not all blood and gore and unbelievable drama at every corner. No, Cohen's novels are more of the cold, calculating, psychologically twisted variety. She maintains tension throughout the story and her books always send a bit of a chill down my spine. Oh, and Agnes Carmichael is the most unusual and fascinating anti-hero! Don't be put off by the fact that it's a series - each book is quite standalone and well worth checking out.
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