Derek Raymond - I Was Dora Suarez

 

Rating: 3/5

 

Review:

Simultaneously lyrical and stomach-churning 

 

I’m unsure about whether I’m glad I read I Was Dora Suarez or not. It certainly had its merits, but it is pretty stomach-churning in places and had some narrative flaws which I found a bit off-putting. Be aware that there are some frankly disgusting descriptions of murder and other acts and that anyone sensitive about swearing should avoid this book.

The nameless narrator is called back to the police department from which he has been dismissed, in order to investigate two particularly disgusting murders which are described in horrible detail in the opening chapter. It is utterly repellent but done in a way that is not exploitative or sensational; Derek Raymond brings us the reality of what a nasty murder really might mean. The remainder of the book is the narrator’s investigation and pursuit of the killer over the following couple of days; this, too, is vicious and occasionally violent and uncovers some truly vile practices in the criminal underworld.

First published in 1990, the book has some then topical themes of AIDS and rogue, violent police officers. What redeems it from being just another exploitative gore-fest is Raymond’s writing which is thoughtful, lyrical, and sometimes poetic. I found it compelling for much of the time, but it does have its flaws. For example, extracts of writing from notes left by the eponymous victim are in exactly the same lyrical voice as that of the narrator, which doesn’t fit at all with what we know of her background and education. Writing of her impending death, for example, she writes “...and so, with unearthly intentions, I go into a dark room as a dark bride.” It’s haunting – but written by a poorly educated woman from a violent home who worked as a supermarket cashier and was then forced by circumstances into prostitution? I think not, and there was quite a lot of this. The book does get rather repetitive as the detectives question and threaten witnesses; there are detailed descriptions of things the narrator cannot possibly have seen; suddenly, and with no evidence shown to the reader, they think the killer is responsible for another dozen murders...and so on.

All this makes it hard to give the book a rating. Some aspects of it are very good, others really aren’t, so three stars is the best I can come up with. Worth reading but approach with caution.