‘What Doesn’t Kill Us’ by Ajay Close

Published by Saraband,
9 February 2024.
ISBN: 978-1-913393960 (PB)

In Leeds there have been a number of murders of prostitutes. When there is another, Police Constable Liz Seeley is ordered to investigate, she meets her boss Detective Sergeant Sproson at the scene. The latest victim is Marie Gallacher, and she has a six year old son.

Detective Sergeant Moody at the Station instructs Liz to visit Tanya Sharp, attacked three months ago believed to be by the murderer. She had managed to run off. Liz discovers Tanya is not a prostitute, now the police are really concerned.

Meanwhile, Liz leaves her violent partner Ian and moves in with a group of women’s liberationists. She doesn’t tell them that she is a police officer. The group organise attacks on shop windows advertising sexy underwear and lingerie, smashing the glass, Liz keeps a low profile and stays clear of the action.

The women get on well together until Rowena arrives one day and takes over. She has rather extreme views. Then another woman is murdered, and the perpetrator sends a tape to the police, revealing facts that only the murderer can know, he has a scouse accent.

Things now really hot up with the feminists. Rowena wants to start a revolution, and they attack a cinema showing a film degrading women, burn porn magazines stolen from a shop and shatter offending shop windows. Liz tries to stay out of it but when they set fire to a sex shop which burns down, she is really unsure what to do.

To make things more difficult for Liz, a member of Special Branch instructs her to give him information about the women responsible for all the destruction. She is torn between her newfound friends and the responsibilities of her job.

Another murder, making a total of twelve takes place and once again she is not a prostitute, but this time it’s an eighteen-year-old Queen’s Guider. Women are now more terrified than ever to go out at night. Surely the police must get a breakthrough soon, they have never had a case like this before.

An incredibly descriptive story which brings the late seventies to life, especially the women’s lib movement and everything that went with it. Fascinating too, the attitude of policemen towards the policewomen and how they treated them at the time.

Thoroughly recommended especially for readers interested in the then height of the women’s lib movement and its impact.
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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

Ajay Close grew up in Yorkshire. She is a Scottish-based dramatist. She worked at Granta before becoming a journalist and then a writer. Her novels explore the emotional flashpoints of place, politics and family. Her novels are pacy, often political, dealing with family and relationships under pressure.  

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.