As twisted as a Roman road...

Starting out as an actor in The Boys and Z Cars in his twenties, Tony Garnett has gone on to have a prestigious and varied career as an actor, script editor, screenwriter, director and producer. One of his first successes was Cathy Come Home for the BBC, and he soon joined forces with Ken Loach to produce a number of films including The Big Flame, After a Lifetime, Family Life, Days of Hope and The Price of Coal. Besides working with Ken Loach he also introduced Mike Leigh with Hard Labour. In the 1980s he worked in Hollywood and in 1990 he returned to the UK to produce some of television's most iconic shows such as This Life, Between the Lines and Ballykissangel. Self-confessed 'jack of all trades', Tony has now written a book, The Seductions of Lucy Foster.

Let's continue with a warning.

Beware press releases. Beware things written on the backs of books. Now you probably know that already, and I'm sure that I do. But now and again you let your guard down and are tempted by something based on the blurb. You shouldn't be. It just happens.

Here's the blurb. If you liked reading psychological thrillers, would you be willing to give it a try?

Tony Garnett's novel, The Seductions of Lucy Foster, is a psychological thriller that explores the human condition. Lucy Foster is an attractive, intelligent, 30-something millionaire. Her internet business is on the brink of a major expansion and Lucy will do anything to make it happen, including seducing the powerful 70-year-old, Lord Blayne. With Lord Blayne on side, Lucy's success soars to unimaginable heights and her millions multiply rapidly. But Lucy wants more; she wants an obedient young lover, she wants a child and she wants power at the heart of the establishment. A handsome young man, Jim, works as a builder at Lucy's home and she decides to put him on a more permanent kind of payroll for her own pleasure. Jim is a plaything, a diversion to quell her loneliness, especially when he falls in love with her. But who will father her child and who will help her business? Lucy balances her business life with her love life, thoroughly enjoying the game. But there's one thing she can't control. Her mother, in a mental hospital since her birth, harbours a secret so dark that its discovery could destroy everything Lucy has worked so hard to get. Garnett's debut novel is a superb psychological thriller that explores the best and worst in human beings. The Seductions of Lucy Foster keeps the reader hooked from page one to its stunning and surprising climax. It will stay with you far beyond the last page…

Sounds intriguing doesn't it? I was tempted. And giving in to temptation can be a dangerous thing. Sometimes you hit the jackpot. Sometimes, the handle breaks off in your hand. This is one of those moments. This so called psychological thriller is a trashy love story with some cheap "romantic" scenes, and a twist that's about as twisted as a Roman road. Even if you don't read lots of thrillers or murder mysteries, you'll have worked it out within seconds of reading the relevant line in the book. You might still be tempted to plough through the book to make sure you've got it right. It's not worth the effort.

Who cares about an empty shell of a character who has loads of money but no life? I'm afraid that I really didn't like this book at all and I won't be reading it to anyone, not even insomniacs...