Luther

The Calling

By: Neil Cross

Narrated by: David Bauckham

Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

A brilliant stand-alone crime novel and prequel to the acclaimed BBC series by the show's creator and sole writer....

Meet Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. He's a murder detective with an extraordinary case clearance rate. He's obsessive, instinctive, and intense. Nobody who ever stood at his side has a bad word to say about him. And yet there are rumors that Luther is bad - not corrupt, not on the take, but tormented. He seethes with a hidden fury that at times he can barely control. Sometimes it sends him to the brink of madness, making him do things he shouldn't - things well beyond the limits of the law.

Edgar Award-winning writer Neil Cross has created one of the most compelling characters in modern crime fiction - a man who may be a force for good or hell-bent on self-destruction. For fans of the award-winning series starring Emmy-nominee Idris Elba, and for all lovers of crime fiction, Luther is hailed by The Guardian as "Britain's own Stephen King."

©2011 Neil Cross (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

“Luther is to crime fiction what his historical counterpart was to religion.... Gripping, taut fiction by a new master in the genre” (Guillermo del Toro)

As good as the show

What did you love best about Luther?

The tone and atmosphere of the book is a perfect match for dark, unpleasant subject. You live inside the tragic, claustrophobic mind of Luther during his chapters, creating an unbearable tension similar to what Luther himself must feel.

What other book might you compare Luther to and why?

It is similar to the Millennium series by Stieg Larsen. Both are crime series and both feature bleak worlds, both feature smart and iconoclastic protagonists.

Have you listened to any of David Bauckham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There is little to laugh about in this book. There is a lot to cry about if a person is given to it.

Any additional comments?

This book is based on the British show of the same title, written by the man who created the drama originally. It is just as good as the excellent program whose namesake it shares.

Horrific Crimes Solved by Conflicted Cop

There's no question my 3 star rating is influenced by the brilliance of Harry Hole, gritty persistence of Harry Bosch, the genius of Sherlock Holmes, the toughness of Dave Robicheaux, and wit of Lady Georgiana Rannoch. I mention these because Luther, for me, falls far short of all of those series.

The murders in this tale are as brutal and inhuman as any I have encountered anywhere. The police work is pretty straightforward, until our hero takes the law into his own hands.
Still I was riveted to the story by its intensity.

More Luther Please!

Would you consider the audio edition of Luther to be better than the print version?

As an American, I preferred to listen to the narration of this story rather than use my own inner voice for the characters. English accents are fascinating, and David Bauckham, does an excellent version of Luther's persona.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Luther, obviously. He's a smart character and makes the tough choices. And well written. I don't listen to many police dramas, but I could definitely find time for more Luther. In some ways, Luther is like that bald guy on the TV show The Shield (at first anyway). Even when he starts crossing the line, like going vigilante a little bit, I'm right there rooting for him.

Have you listened to any of David Bauckham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I'm looking forward to Peter James book called "Dead Tomorrow". Thanks in part to all the links Audible provides to authors and narrators on their website.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, just like I wanted to watch all of the episodes of the TV series at once too!

Any additional comments?

Yes. More Luther Please!

Lose the music

Interesting to read the book after watching the series.
The Luther in each was very similar.
Narrator was OK but didn't put any effort into distinguishing between characters except for a few.

Whoa!

Detective John Luther's calling in life is murder. He's exceptionally good at it -- not at committing the crime, but uncovering who did it. He's an extraordinary man; he has a near-genius IQ and has the personality to be liked and trusted by everyone with whom he works and lives. But what stands out about Luther is his eerie sixth sense about people, the type of overwhelmingly powerful intuition we sometimes hear and marvel about (and perhaps were all meant to have but which got lost in evolution somewhere for most of us). When Luther's on the trail of a murderer, he's obsessive, unrelenting, madly driven, super-charged, and ... oh, yeah -- very, very dangerous.

The narration by David Bauckham is excellent. The story by Neil Cross is superb but dark and brutal. It is not for children or even adults who are easily shocked, offended or unnerved. It graphically describes gruesome or horrifying scenes (murder and otherwise) without apology, clearly expresses what Luther sees and feels at the scene and while on his hunt for the killer, and precisely communicates the growing and perhaps soon-to-be unmanageable rage within him. The subplots flow quite well within the story and add to, rather than detract from, the overall characterization of this extremely complex man.

This is one of the few crime novels I would recommend spending your credits on, if you think you're strong enough to take it.

This is essential if you liked the British TV show

This is essential if you liked the British TV show with Idris Elba. The book is a prequel, and it’s no slight cash-in for fans but a real, substantial crime novel that could stand on its own. But like the show, it’s can be creepy, gruesome and doesn’t shy from sexual fetishes. Often crossing ethical lines and ignoring his wife, John Luther investigates the case of a couple that’s butchered and an 8 1/2-month-old baby is cut from the woman’s stomach. Bechdel test: I don’t think it passed. Grade: A-

The narrator is excellent and does a strong Elba impersonation.

A bit too British for my taste

Reading is, first and foremost, a matter of taste. IMHO this one's a bit too British for mine. I love a good police procedural but I guess local (US based) cases appeal to me more, and getting through the heavy British accent of the narrator (appropriate as it might be) was too much for me.

Too Gritty For My Taste

I had enjoyed the tv series but this took me too far into the dark minds of serial killers. I will not continue with this series.

Great Prequel

Gripping from beginning to end. Just what you expect from anything with DSI John Luther.

Creepy McCreeperson

I loved watching the series Luther, except for the episode with the man who licks his victims. Too creepy. This audio book goes too far in that direction for my taste.