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    The Chameleon's Shadow: A Novel
    The Chameleon's Shadow: A Novel
    The Chameleon's Shadow: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Chameleon's Shadow: A Novel

    Written by Minette Walters

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    When British lieutenant Charles Acland returns home from Iraq, his serious head injuries are the outward manifestation of a profound inner change: he may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or it may be, as his psychiatrist suggests, "the prolonged destruction of a personality."

    Though previously well adjusted and known as an extrovert, Acland now withdraws into himself. As he begins his recovery in a dismal provincial hospital, crippled by migraines and suspicious of his doctors, he grows uncharacteristically aggressive-particularly against women, and most particularly against his ex-fiancee. Finally, rejecting medical advice to undergo cosmetic surgery-opting, instead, to accept his disfigurement-and cutting all ties to his former life, he moves to London. There, alone and unmonitored, he sinks into a quagmire of guilt and paranoia-until an outburst of irrational, vicious anger brings him to the attention of the local police: they are investigating three recent murders, all of them apparently motivated by the kind of extreme rage that Acland has exhibited.

    Now under suspicion, Acland is forced to confront the issues behind his desperate existence before it's too late: Has he always been the duplicitous chameleon that his ex-fiancee accuses him of being? Can he control this newly apparent sinister side of his personality? And why, if he truly hates women, does he in the end seek help from a woman-someone as straightforward and self-disciplined as he is unsure and seemingly out of control-to repair the damage to his mind?

    In its timeliness, its psychological complexity, and its unstoppable suspense, The Chameleon's Shadow is a thriller of the first order.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJan 22, 2008
    ISBN9781400175987
    The Chameleon's Shadow: A Novel
    Author

    Minette Walters

    Minette Walters is England’s bestselling female crime writer. She has written many novels, including The Ice House and The Scold's Bridle, and has won the CWA John Creasey Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award and two CWA Gold Daggers for Fiction. Minette Walters lives in Dorset with her husband and two children.

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    Reviews for The Chameleon's Shadow

    3.5/5

    223 ratings19 reviews

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    • 4/5
      One of her better novels.
    • 4/5
      Book DescriptionWhen British lieutenant Charles Acland returns home from Iraq, his serious head injuries are the outward manifestation of a profound inner change: he may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or it may be, as his psychiatrist suggests, “the prolonged destruction of a personality.”Though previously well adjusted and known as an extrovert, Acland now withdraws into himself. As he begins his recovery in a dismal provincial hospital, crippled by migraines and suspicious of his doctors, he grows uncharacteristically aggressive—particularly against women, and most particularly against his ex-fiancée. Finally, rejecting medical advice to undergo cosmetic surgery—opting, instead, to accept his disfigurement—and cutting all ties to his former life, he moves to London. There, alone and unmonitored, he sinks into a quagmire of guilt and paranoia—until an outburst of irrational, vicious anger brings him to the attention of the local police: they are investigating three recent murders, all of them apparently motivated by the kind of extreme rage that Acland has exhibited.Now under suspicion, Acland is forced to confront the issues behind his desperate existence before it’s too late: Has he always been the duplicitous chameleon that his ex-fiancée accuses him of being? Can he control this newly apparent sinister side of his personality? And why, if he truly hates women, does he in the end seek help from a woman—someone as straightforward and self-disciplined as he is unsure and seemingly out of control—to repair the damage to his mind?In its timeliness, its psychological complexity, and its unstoppable suspense, The Chameleon’s Shadow is a thriller of the first order.My ReviewMinette Walters is one of the best psychological criminal writers and this book is a great example of that genre. She has a way of getting into the heads of very disturbing people and is able to show us their capabilities. Acland is a very complex and fascinating character study and Walters has us riveted to this dark story from start to finish. I look forward to reading another of her books and I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy psychological mysteries.
    • 4/5
      The story begins with an ambush in Iraq leaving sole survivor Lieutenant Charles Acland with half his face gone. Post-recovery aggression, with some graphic information from his ex, brings him to the attention of the police who are investigating multiple murders. He seems to have no interest in helping himself but a weightlifting lesbian doctor offers help. With excellent characters and plot, it's a page turner right to the end.
    • 4/5
      Plot not as complex as some of her other books. Something was missing that would have garnered it a higher rating from me.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this, a slow-moving thriller, London-based, with interesting characters and plotting. Four-out-of five within its genre, the three stars just says 'not outstanding'.
    • 4/5
      At first I wasn't going to continue after the first couple of chapters. Mr. Eye-Patch is a first-grade asshole and he stays that way for the entire book. I couldn't figure out why anyone would be at all tolerant of him, never mind actually like him and want to help. But that's Walter's talent - she draws you in despite hating her leading man. I don't care if he's had some kind of brain injury; that's no reason to excuse his violent eruptions. Unless you're a mind reader you won't know he's going to blow and pretty much kill you, but it was obvious there was something else going on. I liked how the events tied together and some of the side characters were ok, but mostly it's a barrel of jerks.
    • 3/5
      I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it was just to far fetched with characters who were unbelievable.Lieutenant Charles Acland is disfigured in Iraq comes back to London has severe issues with people, gets some help dealing with his problems ends up living in a pub under supervision of a Lesbian body building Doctor. A few murders are commited Acland gets blamed and manages to prove his innocence. This book could have been 150 pages shorter. It just wasn't for me.
    • 4/5
      It was a great reading. I liked the injured Lieutenant Charles Acland. He had his secrets but was also one of the reliable characters. The police made a fool of themselves. Mostly nothing has been coordinated and they were far behind the truth. Without the help of Acland and his doctor Jackson who was helping him, no case would have been solved. The story is very gripping and let me guessing until the very last page.
    • 4/5
      This book was a real page-turner for me. It was a psychological thriller with some great characters. Although I suspected 'who dunnit' for some time, there were still enough twists and turns to make sure that I questioned everything I thought. The characters were all quite believable and the way that the author uses memos, newspaper articles etc to further the story is very clever.
    • 5/5
      British author Minette Walters is such an engaging writer: I found this almost impossible to put down. Unlike most crime fiction writers, Walters rarely repeats a character across books.This one is about Charles Acland, an Iraqi war vet flown home with major head injuries. He has amnesia, a problem with extreme rage tending to violence, and a hatred of women. So is it possible that he actually committed a string of murders without actually remembering it? Could be. Even he doesn't know.The story unfolds mostly from Acland's own point of view, with a few news articles, medical reports and emails thrown in - this is something of a trademark of Walters' style. It's gripping, a page-turner, and I certainly didn't guess the ending.
    • 4/5
      Confusing at first, but excellent once past the confusing bit.
    • 4/5
      I wish she'd bring this character back. I really liked him.
    • 4/5
      A new book by Walters is a treat. This one focuses on Charles Acland, a British soldier badly injured in Iraq. Back in Britain, he suffers from severe migraines and personality changes due to his head injury. He refuses plastic surgery for the badly scarred side of his face, nor does he want a false eye to replace the one he lost, preferring to wear a patch. He's suspicious of doctors and becomes agressive, especially toward women. Moving to London, he just wants to be left alone, but after getting into a violent altercation at a pub, he comes to the attention of police investigating the murders of three older, gay or bixsexual men, and a vicious attack on a fourth. When they discover Acland and the fourth victim crossed paths, he becomes their number one suspect. The only people who seem interested in helping him are a psychologist friend of his shrink at the hospital where he'd recovered, and the no-nonsense lesbian doctor who owns the pub with her partner.The odd respect and almost friendship that develops between Acland and Dr. Jackson becomes the key for Acland to prove his innocence, something he seems almost reluctant to do. This time, the psychology is more central to the story than the mystery, but Walters keeps the story moving briskly and by the end, I'd come to care a great deal for the physically and emotionally wounded Acland.
    • 2/5
      British Lieutenant Charles Ackland is injured in Iraq. Hi is scared and facing extensive facial reconstructive surger. Instead of being heroic, he is self centered and bitter.His injury and disfigurement have caused him to become withdrawn.Rather than accept the surgery and hope for a normal life, he decides to live with his disfigurement in London.There, he comes under suspicion of the police when there are a number of murders that seem to be motivated by the same kind of rage that Charles is exhibiting.Did not like the subject and the main character is unlikableDo not recommend.
    • 3/5
      Not her best, too wordy, too much stopping in one place - move ahead already!
    • 5/5
      Unlike many authors of crime fiction writing today,Minette Walters has never gone down the easy road of the 'crime series'. With every book,she has constructed a unique type of thriller inhabited with it's own cast of characters.Not all of these have been to my particular taste I must admit,but this one certainly is.We are told of Lieutenant Charles Ackland,who is serving in the army in Iraq,and who shortly after the book starts,is flown back to England,after being ambushed with his patrol,and in this ambush is terribly disfigured,both physically and mentally.The story follows him as he battles with his problems,which include both withdrawal from the world and extreme rage.At the same time we follow a succession of brutal murders,and the investigations of the police to find the killer.It is with the complex character of Charles Ackland and also with that of Jackson,a 250 pound female,who tries to help him,that the book really comes alive. Jackson,who is not only a lesbian weightlifter,but also a doctor,is a most charismatic character,and one that I hope will be used again. However I suppose with Walter's track record,she will continue to break new ground yet again with her next offering.
    • 5/5
      She is a masterful writer of gritty psychological thrillers
    • 5/5
      Lt Charles Auckland is wounded by a road-side bomb while serving in Iraq and upon his return home begins to suffer from what could be post-traumatic stress disoreder or the appearance of his real personality. Auckland begins to withdraw from those around him and has an angry streak. Things aren't helped when a series of murders occur around Auckland and he becomes the prime suspect in the case. But is there something more at work here? And is Auckland a chameleon, hiding parts of his personality around others and blending into each situation?These questions drive the latest novel from Minette Walters. It's more of a supsense novel, though there are elments of a mystery to it. The resolution of the mystery, while satisfying, isn't nearly as compelling or page turning as exploring the various people who come into Auckland's sphere of influence. After two off books, The Chameleon's Shadow is a return to form for Walters.
    • 4/5
      This book has the usual Minette Walters touch which means that its a good thriller and well worth the price. It is already out in pb in the UK though the 1st edition for US & Can has just reached the shelves of your local bookstore. The trade pb is still pricey at 12 pounds so my suggestion is that you are likely better off with the hc available here.The story is a little different in this novel and the thought did cross my mind that I didn't like it as much as usual. The main character is a British army officer who returns home after being severely wounded and suffering head injuries in Iraq. Half his face is blown away and he isolates himself from family and friends including his former girlfriend. As memory starts to return and due to certain circumstances he comes to the attention of the police who are investigating three "gay murders". Is Lieutenant Ackland an agressive monster and guilty and what was he like before his injury? Is there a dark side to his personality that was present before he went to Iraq? Do his present symptoms mean that he is likely to erupt in rage when he is confronted? He is helped by an unusual character, a very large, gay bodybuilder female doctor, named Jackson. She is formidable not just in size but in intelligience and kindness. It is a heady mix with quite a few medical charts reproduced with the notes of his psychiatrist during his recovery. I would comment more on the ending but I really can't say anything without spoiling the surprise.