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Kate Lange #1
Damaged
Haunted by the death of her sister and wounded by her ex-fiancé's accusations, lawyer Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm.
When the grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death.
Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career, her reputation--and for redemption.
Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.
Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.
Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of The Body Butcher.
When the grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death.
Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career, her reputation--and for redemption.
Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.
Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.
Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of The Body Butcher.
466 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2010
8,065 people are currently reading
4,707 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Callow
11Ìýbooks214ÌýfollowersPamela Callow, JD, MPA, is the bestselling author of the Kate Lange legal thriller series. With over one million readers, Pamela Callow’s critically-acclaimed series has been compared to works by Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen and John Grisham. Her debut novel DAMAGED was a Levy Home Entertainment “Need to Read Pickâ€�, with Top Ten Bestseller placement everywhere books were sold across North America. The series is currently under option for network television development.
A member of the Nova Scotia bar, Pamela Callow also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration. Prior to making writing a career, she worked as a Strategic Services manager with an international consulting firm.
She would love to visit all the countries where the Kate Lange books are published, but in the meantime, she drinks copious amounts of coffee, daydreams, spoils her pug Peaches, and sings in a barbershop chorus.
A member of the Nova Scotia bar, Pamela Callow also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration. Prior to making writing a career, she worked as a Strategic Services manager with an international consulting firm.
She would love to visit all the countries where the Kate Lange books are published, but in the meantime, she drinks copious amounts of coffee, daydreams, spoils her pug Peaches, and sings in a barbershop chorus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 791 reviews
May 17, 2018
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Setting: Halifax, Nova Scotia
POV/s: Third-person, multiple
Writing style: 3.5/5
Romantic HEA?
“When I was sixteen I killed my sister.�
Thirty-one year-old Kate Lange’s life hasn’t been an easy one. Four months into her job at a new law firm has her feeling frustrated. She isn’t being offered the cases that interest her most and she still has some nagging feelings towards her ex, Ethan. Adopting a new pet and purchasing a home in her old neighborhood has only created more challenges. Her hopes of burying the past once and for all is also proving to be impossible.
I liked this story! There were some pleasant surprises at the end and the pace was relaxed and shifted into fifth gear towards the end. Kate made some TSTL decisions that ²õ³ó´Ç³Ü±ô»å’v±ð gotten her killed but I found myself rooting for her in spite of her foolishness. The numerous POVs could’ve been scaled back a bit because each one wasn’t all that interesting.
Funniest scene? It involved Ethan and a group of dogs:
Favorite scenes? When Kate finally found what she was looking for!
▷First time reading this author’s work and I look forward to reading more!
Setting: Halifax, Nova Scotia
POV/s: Third-person, multiple
Writing style: 3.5/5
Romantic HEA?
“When I was sixteen I killed my sister.�
Thirty-one year-old Kate Lange’s life hasn’t been an easy one. Four months into her job at a new law firm has her feeling frustrated. She isn’t being offered the cases that interest her most and she still has some nagging feelings towards her ex, Ethan. Adopting a new pet and purchasing a home in her old neighborhood has only created more challenges. Her hopes of burying the past once and for all is also proving to be impossible.
I liked this story! There were some pleasant surprises at the end and the pace was relaxed and shifted into fifth gear towards the end. Kate made some TSTL decisions that ²õ³ó´Ç³Ü±ô»å’v±ð gotten her killed but I found myself rooting for her in spite of her foolishness. The numerous POVs could’ve been scaled back a bit because each one wasn’t all that interesting.
Funniest scene? It involved Ethan and a group of dogs:
Favorite scenes? When Kate finally found what she was looking for!
▷First time reading this author’s work and I look forward to reading more!
October 31, 2016
Pftttt.
To be honest, this wasn't a bad book as such. It's just that this particular style of book/writing has been done so much better before by the likes of JD Robb & Karen Rose, to name but 2 such authors. For myself, I don't really have a lot of patience for books like this with the supposedly strong female lead who is actually a bit insipid and boring, and the lead male who is supposed to be the stereotypical alpha male, and all the blah-blah-blah waffle about 'hard male bodies' and 'cute butts'. I'm like rolling my eyes and all 'oh-please-fgs-I-dont-CARE!!' ;)
That saying, every review I've so far seen for this has been 4- and 5-stars, so maybe it's just me!!
To be honest, this wasn't a bad book as such. It's just that this particular style of book/writing has been done so much better before by the likes of JD Robb & Karen Rose, to name but 2 such authors. For myself, I don't really have a lot of patience for books like this with the supposedly strong female lead who is actually a bit insipid and boring, and the lead male who is supposed to be the stereotypical alpha male, and all the blah-blah-blah waffle about 'hard male bodies' and 'cute butts'. I'm like rolling my eyes and all 'oh-please-fgs-I-dont-CARE!!' ;)
That saying, every review I've so far seen for this has been 4- and 5-stars, so maybe it's just me!!
November 15, 2017
Good start to new series.
But you have to be patient, parts dragged on and on. Kate Lange established, good attorney, she does really dumb things. Like playing investigator and without doing any background checking, giving her house keys to dog walker. This sentence doesn't give away anything. If you read this book to the end, I'll say you're very patient reader.
But you have to be patient, parts dragged on and on. Kate Lange established, good attorney, she does really dumb things. Like playing investigator and without doing any background checking, giving her house keys to dog walker. This sentence doesn't give away anything. If you read this book to the end, I'll say you're very patient reader.
November 9, 2020
Set in Halifax, Nova Scotia, protagonist Kate Lange, a woman with a troubled past, is a newbie at a law firm, trying to make her mark. Kate meets with a woman seeking custody of her granddaughter, but Kate can find no legal path for action. The granddaughter is soon found murdered. Kate, plagued by guilt, gets involved. Her ex-fiancé�, Ethan Drake, a police detective, is also trying to solve the case. When a partner presents Kate with a medical case, she seizes it as an opportunity to move beyond family law. These two cases form the basis of the plot.
This is a combination legal thriller and medical mystery. Is the initial book in a series so the first part of the book sets up Kate’s backstory. I am not a big fan of thrillers, but occasionally a topic will intrigue me, as it did here. It is loosely based on a real legal case in the US, with ramifications in Canada.
I found it engrossing, and liked the unusual premise, but ultimately it is plagued by my usual complaints about thrillers. In this case, there are many coincidences that must occur for everything to come together. It is plot-driven, so the characters, aside from Kate, are not developed in any depth. Regular readers of thrillers will likely enjoy this book as much, or more, than I did.
This is a combination legal thriller and medical mystery. Is the initial book in a series so the first part of the book sets up Kate’s backstory. I am not a big fan of thrillers, but occasionally a topic will intrigue me, as it did here. It is loosely based on a real legal case in the US, with ramifications in Canada.
I found it engrossing, and liked the unusual premise, but ultimately it is plagued by my usual complaints about thrillers. In this case, there are many coincidences that must occur for everything to come together. It is plot-driven, so the characters, aside from Kate, are not developed in any depth. Regular readers of thrillers will likely enjoy this book as much, or more, than I did.
May 5, 2017
Kate was a great character. She was strong, tough, brave, determined, intelligent. I mean, the woman got herself free of a group of criminals and solved a criminal case all by herself!
I absolutely loved Randall. Even though he was a dick at times. When he stole Kate's case notes? Oh man, that was bad. Yet, he helps her in the end.
Kate and Randall totally want each other. I was really hoping they would kiss or something at least once. Alas, they did not. I rest assured, though, knowing that the desire is there and there is at least one more book in this series, during which Kate and Randall may finally act on their attraction.
Ethan bothered the hell out of me throughout the whole book. So, needless to say, I was very glad when Kate told him they were done. Forever.
It was amazing how everything fit together and I loved trying to solve the mystery myself while I was reading the book.
I totally knew something was up with John from the beginning. He gave off a weird vibe to me.
To be honest, I was suspicious of Finn the Dog Walker. I originally thought he was the killer. I mean, come on: the way he was portrayed sometimes made it seem like he was the killer.
Oh, and what the hell happened to Hope Carson? She seemed to fall off the face of the planet after a little while.
This was a great book, though, and I can't wait for the second one.
I absolutely loved Randall. Even though he was a dick at times. When he stole Kate's case notes? Oh man, that was bad. Yet, he helps her in the end.
Kate and Randall totally want each other. I was really hoping they would kiss or something at least once. Alas, they did not. I rest assured, though, knowing that the desire is there and there is at least one more book in this series, during which Kate and Randall may finally act on their attraction.
Ethan bothered the hell out of me throughout the whole book. So, needless to say, I was very glad when Kate told him they were done. Forever.
It was amazing how everything fit together and I loved trying to solve the mystery myself while I was reading the book.
I totally knew something was up with John from the beginning. He gave off a weird vibe to me.
To be honest, I was suspicious of Finn the Dog Walker. I originally thought he was the killer. I mean, come on: the way he was portrayed sometimes made it seem like he was the killer.
Oh, and what the hell happened to Hope Carson? She seemed to fall off the face of the planet after a little while.
This was a great book, though, and I can't wait for the second one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2010
Damaged introduces Kate Lange, a lawyer who gets involved in finding a serial killer. Due to her involvement with the grandmother of the victim and a slight involvement in a medical law suit, Kate feels that the police are missing something and goes after the killer herself. She does a better job of interviewing the witnesses than the police do.
My problem with this book is that it doesn't know exactly what it wants to be. There is suspense, but not quite enough. There is medical mystery but not as well done as some others I have read. The romance part is not interesting at all. Actually the best character development in the story is Alaska, the white Huskey. There are too many characters and most are not well developed. The story had potential, but it just didn't get moving fast enough.
I actually set this book aside and read something else for a couple of weeks before coming back to finish it.
What I liked was:
a pretty good story
nice descriptions of Halifax
potential for a sequel which might have promise
What I didn't like:
too many characters that really don't advance the story
a few unanswered questions
a romance that doesn't get on track
My problem with this book is that it doesn't know exactly what it wants to be. There is suspense, but not quite enough. There is medical mystery but not as well done as some others I have read. The romance part is not interesting at all. Actually the best character development in the story is Alaska, the white Huskey. There are too many characters and most are not well developed. The story had potential, but it just didn't get moving fast enough.
I actually set this book aside and read something else for a couple of weeks before coming back to finish it.
What I liked was:
a pretty good story
nice descriptions of Halifax
potential for a sequel which might have promise
What I didn't like:
too many characters that really don't advance the story
a few unanswered questions
a romance that doesn't get on track
March 6, 2018
If you are looking for a book with a smart, strong female lead character, this book does not deliver. Kate Lange makes mistake after mistake in her personal relationships and in her career that make no sense for someone with a law degree. Not to mention the swooning over every man she meets and conversely the swooning by every man who meets her. The plot line is interesting, but the cast of one-dimensional characters overshadows this one positive.
March 9, 2017
Don't Think So
Once I stopped paying attention to the grammatical errors and the awkward use of words, it seemed the book had to get better. Well, I hope others enjoyed it. The protagonist is pathetic; all that comes to mind is a saying heard long ago: poor me, poor me, pour me a drink. Seriously? I also disliked the ridiculous sexualization of every relationship. Every relationship? Anyway, perhaps Ms. Callow's sequels will be better? Different? I'll be passing on them, I'm afraid.
Once I stopped paying attention to the grammatical errors and the awkward use of words, it seemed the book had to get better. Well, I hope others enjoyed it. The protagonist is pathetic; all that comes to mind is a saying heard long ago: poor me, poor me, pour me a drink. Seriously? I also disliked the ridiculous sexualization of every relationship. Every relationship? Anyway, perhaps Ms. Callow's sequels will be better? Different? I'll be passing on them, I'm afraid.
August 25, 2017
This book could not decide whether it was a legal thriller, a medical mystery or some sort of bad romance novel. The heroine, Kate Lange, has joined a prestigious legal firm. She is haunted by a driving accident 15 years before, and her sister's death from the car Kate was driving is mentioned many times. It preys on her mind and causes her to blunder into the police investigation, determined to rescue young street girls who are on drugs and disappearing.
Her ex is a policeman and they had an unpleasant breakup. He still looks upon her romantically. The book too frequently refers to glances of appreciation or lust and longing from male members of the legal team. Descriptions of people's eyes also seem to be emphasized over their personality or appearance. As Kate seemed so insipid to me, I failed to understand all the romantic interest she inspired.
We know how her past car accident fills her with guilt, but learn little about her strength and determination since which lead her to become a member of the legal team. I quit the book on page 174 when she was looking admiringly at her newly hired dog trainer's physique.
I very rarely fail to finish a book, and from readers' reviews there must be a good plot there. I had not known about the author, and at the beginning was pleased to learn that this was the first of the Kate Lange series and 3 more had already been published. I hope that in the subsequent books a lot of unnecessary filler has been removed
in order to drive the suspense. At 399 pages the plot moved too slowly for me and lacked the intended thrills of a mystery.
As a Nova Scotian,I liked the idea of the story set in Halifax. It mentioned real Halifax streets and landmarks, but just wasn't feeling a sense of place. The story could be set anywhere.
It is very possible that if I continued the book I would be caught up in an intriguing mystery, but putting aside for now. Shelved as Unfinished.
Her ex is a policeman and they had an unpleasant breakup. He still looks upon her romantically. The book too frequently refers to glances of appreciation or lust and longing from male members of the legal team. Descriptions of people's eyes also seem to be emphasized over their personality or appearance. As Kate seemed so insipid to me, I failed to understand all the romantic interest she inspired.
We know how her past car accident fills her with guilt, but learn little about her strength and determination since which lead her to become a member of the legal team. I quit the book on page 174 when she was looking admiringly at her newly hired dog trainer's physique.
I very rarely fail to finish a book, and from readers' reviews there must be a good plot there. I had not known about the author, and at the beginning was pleased to learn that this was the first of the Kate Lange series and 3 more had already been published. I hope that in the subsequent books a lot of unnecessary filler has been removed
in order to drive the suspense. At 399 pages the plot moved too slowly for me and lacked the intended thrills of a mystery.
As a Nova Scotian,I liked the idea of the story set in Halifax. It mentioned real Halifax streets and landmarks, but just wasn't feeling a sense of place. The story could be set anywhere.
It is very possible that if I continued the book I would be caught up in an intriguing mystery, but putting aside for now. Shelved as Unfinished.
November 14, 2016
Dnf after reading 120-pages.
Kate Lange is a young attorney in a high-powered law firm, who's constantly trying to prove herself to her boss. When the granddaughter of her new client gets brutally murdered, Kate throws herself into the investigation while wrestling with her own demons.
2 Stars
This wasn't badly written, but I couldn't get into it. Sometimes I force myself to finish a book, just for the sake of it, but there was no forcing this one down my throat. There was too much gibberish about the characters' eyes. Every other pages, the eyes were doing this, or that. It got annoying fast.
Medical thrillers aren't really something that I go for and, had I know that Damaged by Pamela Callow was one, I would have most likely skipped it.
Kate Lange is a young attorney in a high-powered law firm, who's constantly trying to prove herself to her boss. When the granddaughter of her new client gets brutally murdered, Kate throws herself into the investigation while wrestling with her own demons.
2 Stars
This wasn't badly written, but I couldn't get into it. Sometimes I force myself to finish a book, just for the sake of it, but there was no forcing this one down my throat. There was too much gibberish about the characters' eyes. Every other pages, the eyes were doing this, or that. It got annoying fast.
Medical thrillers aren't really something that I go for and, had I know that Damaged by Pamela Callow was one, I would have most likely skipped it.
Read
December 23, 2014"Damaged is a fast-paced medical thriller that introduces us to young lawyer Kate Lange. She's trying to overcome her past and make a career at a prestigious law firm when she's faced with a case that will bring up old pain and guilt ..." From a review posted by an eHarlequin.com member. Read more
May 28, 2017
This was brilliant! A legal, medical, thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat, with enough meat around the bone to deserve 5 stars.
April 19, 2017
Good mystery.
June 25, 2010
When I was first approached by a publicist to review Damaged by Pamela Callow, I was a little hesitant to accept. I tend to steer away from books that I think fall into the adult commercial fiction genre because they usually end up annoying me. But since Pamela Callow was a new author (Damaged is her debut novel), and since I had worked with this particular publicist before, I decided to give it a shot.
I'm surprised to say that I'm glad I did. I actually ended up enjoying Damaged a lot more than I thought I would. I came into the book expecting it to be your typical dime-a-dozen-only-concerned-with-the-plot-and-not-the-characters type of book. I have to admit that there were a few things that bothered me in the book (mainly that I didn't care for the love interest and that I saw a few of the plot twists coming). But I'm happy to say that, overall, Damaged was definitely a notch above your average suspense novel.
I thought that the majority of the plot was good: action-filled and pretty fast-paced; but what I liked the most about this book was that the characters (both the major ones and the minor ones) were actually decently drawn out. I really liked the main character, Kate, her elderly neighbors, her boss, and even her dog, Alaska!
This is one of those books that breaks those stereotypes that we develop as readers. (Don't look so innocent. You know you catch yourself doing it every once in awhile too)! If I would have walked into a bookstore or library, I would never have picked up this book. Since I was lucky enough to be offered a review copy, I got to read a pretty good book that I would have missed out on otherwise!
Pamela Callow is a nice addition to the book world, and I'll definitely be looking out for her name in the future!
In a Sentence
Though some spots were mediocre, Damaged as a whole is a chilling tale from a talented new author!
I'm surprised to say that I'm glad I did. I actually ended up enjoying Damaged a lot more than I thought I would. I came into the book expecting it to be your typical dime-a-dozen-only-concerned-with-the-plot-and-not-the-characters type of book. I have to admit that there were a few things that bothered me in the book (mainly that I didn't care for the love interest and that I saw a few of the plot twists coming). But I'm happy to say that, overall, Damaged was definitely a notch above your average suspense novel.
I thought that the majority of the plot was good: action-filled and pretty fast-paced; but what I liked the most about this book was that the characters (both the major ones and the minor ones) were actually decently drawn out. I really liked the main character, Kate, her elderly neighbors, her boss, and even her dog, Alaska!
This is one of those books that breaks those stereotypes that we develop as readers. (Don't look so innocent. You know you catch yourself doing it every once in awhile too)! If I would have walked into a bookstore or library, I would never have picked up this book. Since I was lucky enough to be offered a review copy, I got to read a pretty good book that I would have missed out on otherwise!
Pamela Callow is a nice addition to the book world, and I'll definitely be looking out for her name in the future!
In a Sentence
Though some spots were mediocre, Damaged as a whole is a chilling tale from a talented new author!
December 1, 2018
Gack! This novel was a jumbled compilation of familiar plots and it took every ounce of my patience to finish it. The characters, for all their evil ways, were flat and dull. The main character was uninspired (except for the multiple descriptions of various men who lusted after her curvy bottom). By the end, I really didn’t care if any of them survived.
July 17, 2017
This had the feel of John Grisham's The Client. A legal thriller with a flawed but dedicated lawyer along with large cast of secondary characters who get just as much page time.
The first book in the series introduces us to Kate Lange who has just started a new job with Barrett, Lyons and McGrath Law firm. Kate has had to work hard for everything in her life. She has an ex-con for a father and she still feels guilt for the car accident that killed her sister when she was a teenager. She has always wanted to be a litigation lawyer but do to lack of experience keeps getting stuck with family law cases. She is hoping that at the new law firm she just started at that she would get more cases in that field. This proves to be a double edge sword as she gets a case she doesnt want in the family law field and then her mentor at the firm asks her to help out on a litigation case against man suing a pharmaceutical company. The family case changes to murder and in her investigating between the two cases � worlds collide.. No worries � no spoilers.. This ends up putting Kate's life in danger from killer that's doing sick things to his victims.
Some of the secondary characters are her boss, Randall Barrett who at times is scarily domineering but with a mysterious air around him. Kate has to work hard to prove herself to him. Then there is her ex fiance who is a homicide detective who gets Kate's case. Ethan is a good cop but a condescending man when it comes to his personal life. What he did to Kate to cause her to call off the engagement was a dick move on his part. And then there is her newly adopted dog Alaska and her elderly neighbors who give her the friendship and companionship she has been lacking in her life.
The characters intrigued me enough that I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series which has her boss Randall in the hot seat accused of murdering his ex-wife..
The first book in the series introduces us to Kate Lange who has just started a new job with Barrett, Lyons and McGrath Law firm. Kate has had to work hard for everything in her life. She has an ex-con for a father and she still feels guilt for the car accident that killed her sister when she was a teenager. She has always wanted to be a litigation lawyer but do to lack of experience keeps getting stuck with family law cases. She is hoping that at the new law firm she just started at that she would get more cases in that field. This proves to be a double edge sword as she gets a case she doesnt want in the family law field and then her mentor at the firm asks her to help out on a litigation case against man suing a pharmaceutical company. The family case changes to murder and in her investigating between the two cases � worlds collide.. No worries � no spoilers.. This ends up putting Kate's life in danger from killer that's doing sick things to his victims.
Some of the secondary characters are her boss, Randall Barrett who at times is scarily domineering but with a mysterious air around him. Kate has to work hard to prove herself to him. Then there is her ex fiance who is a homicide detective who gets Kate's case. Ethan is a good cop but a condescending man when it comes to his personal life. What he did to Kate to cause her to call off the engagement was a dick move on his part. And then there is her newly adopted dog Alaska and her elderly neighbors who give her the friendship and companionship she has been lacking in her life.
The characters intrigued me enough that I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series which has her boss Randall in the hot seat accused of murdering his ex-wife..
July 2, 2010
Confession: I do not normally read thrillers. I like watching them well enough, but I've never read John Grisham, nor am I likely to. So why did I pick up Damaged?
Damaged is a thriller set in Halifax, my home town, and I will admit that was the draw. A big time trade paperback set in any Canadian city is intriguing enough, but one that isn't set in one of Canada's big 3 cities? And Halifax?
So that's what got the book into my lap. What kept it there (until long after I should have gone to bed) was a great story, amazing characters and simply great writing. There was a couple of lines I read over and over just because I couldn't help but think how great they were. I don't do that very often.
It's a thriller, so I'm not giving away the story, so I'll focus on the characters that are the centrepiece of this story. Yes, it has a great plot with enough twists to keep the reader turning pages, but I think that Callow's real talent is her characters - from her heroine, lawyer Kate Lange, to a lowly drug pusher on the fringes of society. Each of them are complex human beings, damaged by life and trying to make sense of who they are and where they fit in each other's lives. Like a moody Halifax morning, shades of grey are everywhere making this novel richer than I had expected it to be.
And to my delight, Halifax was a great setting for this book - which is probably an ironic statement, given how it certainly doesn't show the best of the city. But it makes it a real place, which was another thing I appreciated. Callow got the flavor of the city right. As far as North American cities go, Halifax is an old city, and not a terribly big one. A name means something in Halifax. Memories are long. It is glorious in the sun, and dank in the rain. Callow captured both aspects of it perfectly.
So now I am impatiently awaiting Callow's next novel, which is a surefire sign that I am hooked on a novelist. If you aren't typically a thriller reader, or you're looking for a brand new setting, give "Damaged" a try. You won't be disappointed...except when you get to the last page and there isn't any more to read.
Damaged is a thriller set in Halifax, my home town, and I will admit that was the draw. A big time trade paperback set in any Canadian city is intriguing enough, but one that isn't set in one of Canada's big 3 cities? And Halifax?
So that's what got the book into my lap. What kept it there (until long after I should have gone to bed) was a great story, amazing characters and simply great writing. There was a couple of lines I read over and over just because I couldn't help but think how great they were. I don't do that very often.
It's a thriller, so I'm not giving away the story, so I'll focus on the characters that are the centrepiece of this story. Yes, it has a great plot with enough twists to keep the reader turning pages, but I think that Callow's real talent is her characters - from her heroine, lawyer Kate Lange, to a lowly drug pusher on the fringes of society. Each of them are complex human beings, damaged by life and trying to make sense of who they are and where they fit in each other's lives. Like a moody Halifax morning, shades of grey are everywhere making this novel richer than I had expected it to be.
And to my delight, Halifax was a great setting for this book - which is probably an ironic statement, given how it certainly doesn't show the best of the city. But it makes it a real place, which was another thing I appreciated. Callow got the flavor of the city right. As far as North American cities go, Halifax is an old city, and not a terribly big one. A name means something in Halifax. Memories are long. It is glorious in the sun, and dank in the rain. Callow captured both aspects of it perfectly.
So now I am impatiently awaiting Callow's next novel, which is a surefire sign that I am hooked on a novelist. If you aren't typically a thriller reader, or you're looking for a brand new setting, give "Damaged" a try. You won't be disappointed...except when you get to the last page and there isn't any more to read.
March 29, 2018
DNF at 24%...
It's been a while since I put a book down without finishing it. It's been a while since I put a book down because the characters irritated me to no end.
Kate was my main qualm (who happens to be the main character...) she's impulsive, unprofessional and so goddamn irritating, I couldn't hack her account of things. I started reading Damaged because of all the 5-Star reviews and I honestly believe I was reading a different book to everyone else.
By no means was this book badly written, I believe had the characters been more relatable and loveable I'd at least have been able to finish the book. Maybe if I'd have been more patient things might have picked up but for me, it wasn't worth it. I have so many other books that i know I'll enjoy reading to waste time trying to get into this one.
It's been a while since I put a book down without finishing it. It's been a while since I put a book down because the characters irritated me to no end.
Kate was my main qualm (who happens to be the main character...) she's impulsive, unprofessional and so goddamn irritating, I couldn't hack her account of things. I started reading Damaged because of all the 5-Star reviews and I honestly believe I was reading a different book to everyone else.
By no means was this book badly written, I believe had the characters been more relatable and loveable I'd at least have been able to finish the book. Maybe if I'd have been more patient things might have picked up but for me, it wasn't worth it. I have so many other books that i know I'll enjoy reading to waste time trying to get into this one.
June 13, 2022
This is a re-read after I read this 12 years ago. I picked up the sequel at a book sale and realized I had absolutely no memory of this one. Even while reading, nothing seemed familiar. Which was odd -- you'd think a book that talks about mad cow disease as much as this one does would stick out in my mind. I didn't even remember if I'd liked it.
I did like it, but it took until the end to be sure of that. This book is weirdly written like a romance novel, with lots of looks and flushing and conversations and emotions conveyed through the eyes, but there's no actual romance. There's not even any hanky-panky. Which was good, because this was actually a decent murder mystery and medical thriller. I'm glad I grabbed the sequel.
I did like it, but it took until the end to be sure of that. This book is weirdly written like a romance novel, with lots of looks and flushing and conversations and emotions conveyed through the eyes, but there's no actual romance. There's not even any hanky-panky. Which was good, because this was actually a decent murder mystery and medical thriller. I'm glad I grabbed the sequel.
August 19, 2010
Kate Lange is a first year associate at a high-class law firm who is embroiled in a mess � a mess she feels partly responsible for; a mess made by the Body Butcher�
The Body Butcher� did that grab your attention?
Kate is trying to make a name for herself at the law firm of LMB, but when she keeps getting handed the piddly little family law cases, she becomes exasperated. When her new client, a grandmother who would like to gain custody of her out-of-control granddaughter, who also happens to be the daughter of a well-respected judge in the community, walks in, begging for Kate’s help, she finds herself in a very sticky situation. Not wanting to annoy her managing partners, she basically tells the grandma that she needs to find evidence of neglect before anything can be done. I mean who wants to step on the toes of a judge?! Not a first-year law associate!
When the out-of-control granddaughter is found dead, with all of her limbs removed, Kate bears a heavy burden. Is she responsible for the girl’s death? Should she have done more? As her guilt begins to overwhelm her, she starts to investigate on her own, uncovering some secrets that are complex and may prove deadly. And as more bodies begin to pile up, Kate finds herself engrossed in a scheme so outrageous that she may not live through to its final conclusion.
Kate is a multi-dimensional character with a lot of back-story that is slowly revealed to the reader through the course of the book. She is recovering from a tragic event in her teenage years and is struggling to come to terms with a father who is not quite on the right side of the law. Throw in a recent break-up with her fiancée, who is a cop, and you have the makings of a very multifaceted character. There’s almost too much going on with her. Talk about someone with a lot of issues!
Without going into a lot of details and getting into some of the major plot points, there were certain parts of this book that I had a hard time with and that could be due to my lack of knowledge about the medical field as a whole. The author does do a terrific job of plotting everything out, but I didn’t find the subject matter particularly interesting, so I got bogged down in it at certain parts. And with this book being a hefty 450 pages, there were quite a few times that I really had to plod through the narrative.
This is a good start to the Kate Lange series from debut author, Pamela Callow. Was it a good thriller? Absolutely. Was I blown away by this book? Not really. Will I read the next book in the series? Probably. It will depend on the subject matter - and from the brief snippet at the end of this book, I think it sounds more my style!
The Body Butcher� did that grab your attention?
Kate is trying to make a name for herself at the law firm of LMB, but when she keeps getting handed the piddly little family law cases, she becomes exasperated. When her new client, a grandmother who would like to gain custody of her out-of-control granddaughter, who also happens to be the daughter of a well-respected judge in the community, walks in, begging for Kate’s help, she finds herself in a very sticky situation. Not wanting to annoy her managing partners, she basically tells the grandma that she needs to find evidence of neglect before anything can be done. I mean who wants to step on the toes of a judge?! Not a first-year law associate!
When the out-of-control granddaughter is found dead, with all of her limbs removed, Kate bears a heavy burden. Is she responsible for the girl’s death? Should she have done more? As her guilt begins to overwhelm her, she starts to investigate on her own, uncovering some secrets that are complex and may prove deadly. And as more bodies begin to pile up, Kate finds herself engrossed in a scheme so outrageous that she may not live through to its final conclusion.
Kate is a multi-dimensional character with a lot of back-story that is slowly revealed to the reader through the course of the book. She is recovering from a tragic event in her teenage years and is struggling to come to terms with a father who is not quite on the right side of the law. Throw in a recent break-up with her fiancée, who is a cop, and you have the makings of a very multifaceted character. There’s almost too much going on with her. Talk about someone with a lot of issues!
Without going into a lot of details and getting into some of the major plot points, there were certain parts of this book that I had a hard time with and that could be due to my lack of knowledge about the medical field as a whole. The author does do a terrific job of plotting everything out, but I didn’t find the subject matter particularly interesting, so I got bogged down in it at certain parts. And with this book being a hefty 450 pages, there were quite a few times that I really had to plod through the narrative.
This is a good start to the Kate Lange series from debut author, Pamela Callow. Was it a good thriller? Absolutely. Was I blown away by this book? Not really. Will I read the next book in the series? Probably. It will depend on the subject matter - and from the brief snippet at the end of this book, I think it sounds more my style!
July 29, 2010
Kate was a new lawyer at Lyons McGrath Barrett law firm. She knew that she was going to have to work hard to prove that she belonged there. Having recently ended an engagement to Ethan Drake, detective, she had got a new job, bought a new house, and acquired a dog named Alaska.
Barrett was determined to keep Kate practicing family law for 2 reasons - He had a bone to pick with Ethan Drake and with John Lyons - the partner who had recruited her. He assigned her a case with a futile outlook. A grandmother (Marian) wanted custody of her granddaughter (Lisa) - but did not have any proof that the granddaughter wasn't being taken care of properly or that she was doing drugs. The hitch was that Lisa's mom was Hope Carson, a criminal court judge known for her icy personality and demeanor.
Kate tells Marian that she really doesn't have a case, but after mulling it over tries to call her back to discuss it. Unfortunately it is too late and Lisa has been murdered and dismembered. Talk about opening a can of worms! Now Kate has to worry that she did everything by the book in talking with Marian. She figures she can throw her law career out the window when John Lyons assigns her a litigation file with Trans Tissue as the client. Trans Tissue makes surgical products and they are being sued by someone who believes they contracted Hep C after an arthroscopic knee surgery using their product. See, the surgical products are made from human tissue from cadavers harvested by tissue suppliers.
So you really have two stories in one. You have the medical mystery of how this patient contracted Hep C and you have the very grisly thriller of the serial killer. There are quite a few supporting characters which are absolutely necessary to round these out and the book kept me tuned in all the way to the end. They did not give anything away too quickly but rather dropped the pieces in a little at a time. Definitely a must read. I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the series Indefensible, which is due out in January of 2011. I just discovered there is a third book - Tattooed coming out in August of 2011 and a fourth book planned for 2012.
Barrett was determined to keep Kate practicing family law for 2 reasons - He had a bone to pick with Ethan Drake and with John Lyons - the partner who had recruited her. He assigned her a case with a futile outlook. A grandmother (Marian) wanted custody of her granddaughter (Lisa) - but did not have any proof that the granddaughter wasn't being taken care of properly or that she was doing drugs. The hitch was that Lisa's mom was Hope Carson, a criminal court judge known for her icy personality and demeanor.
Kate tells Marian that she really doesn't have a case, but after mulling it over tries to call her back to discuss it. Unfortunately it is too late and Lisa has been murdered and dismembered. Talk about opening a can of worms! Now Kate has to worry that she did everything by the book in talking with Marian. She figures she can throw her law career out the window when John Lyons assigns her a litigation file with Trans Tissue as the client. Trans Tissue makes surgical products and they are being sued by someone who believes they contracted Hep C after an arthroscopic knee surgery using their product. See, the surgical products are made from human tissue from cadavers harvested by tissue suppliers.
So you really have two stories in one. You have the medical mystery of how this patient contracted Hep C and you have the very grisly thriller of the serial killer. There are quite a few supporting characters which are absolutely necessary to round these out and the book kept me tuned in all the way to the end. They did not give anything away too quickly but rather dropped the pieces in a little at a time. Definitely a must read. I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the series Indefensible, which is due out in January of 2011. I just discovered there is a third book - Tattooed coming out in August of 2011 and a fourth book planned for 2012.
February 18, 2019
I don't hand out many 5-star reviews, but Damaged deserved it for many reasons. I didn't find more than 3 or 4 grammar errors in the entire book ... and yeah, I'm a Virgo (so grammar and spelling errors throw me off the plot). Star One. There were several main players in the book, but they were all so well drawn and complete that I didn't find my elderly brain reeling with the question "Wait, who is this, again?" Star Two. The background and action was written in such a way that it kept me totally involved in getting to know each character, fascinated with learning small things from their past that helped define them as well as discovering their strengths. Kate Lange was laid open for us to recognize that sorrows and fears in her life often drove her to kick herself into gear, and to face everything head-on, while being cautious of placing herself into harm's way. Confidence that was warranted, but self-preservation. Star Three. The story was riveting, didn't defy credulity, and was truly difficult to put down (okay, I admit it ... I didn't put it down until my hubby poked me at 4am). Star Four. And lastly, not only was Kate Lange NOT a super-human whose feats were impossible to be believed ... not only was this was a mystery that is so ghastly that it twists my heart to imagine even a small part of it being possible ... but it was a mystery with people who were realistic, some likable, some detestable and maybe even a few whose self-importance outweighed anything human. And I was glad to finish it, because I think I'd stopped breathing. Star Five. I will totally be seeking more books by Pamela Callow, and Kate Lange is more than a character in a book, now. She's someone who I respect and find fascinating. I look forward to "seeing" her again! Star Six (oops ... )
September 8, 2014
Damaged was really well-written, and I enjoyed reading a novel set in my home city. Kate Lange is a strong lead character, and I look forward to reading the next installment in her life. Her strength comes from the pain in her past, a pain that hasn't let her go. She's an interesting character with a lot of depth.
My low rating is based on personal enjoyment, not quality of writing. It was a bit on the scary side for me near the end, but the profanity is what really caused the rating. I can ignore mild profanity and the occasional major expletive, but the novel has more than that. Oddly enough, there's a section near the beginning where it's particularly concentrated and the tension isn't all that high. (Kate and her ex-fiance face off.) I'm glad I pushed through that section, because the swearing wasn't as frequent after that and when it happened, it was a better fit with the characters and circumstances.
My low rating is based on personal enjoyment, not quality of writing. It was a bit on the scary side for me near the end, but the profanity is what really caused the rating. I can ignore mild profanity and the occasional major expletive, but the novel has more than that. Oddly enough, there's a section near the beginning where it's particularly concentrated and the tension isn't all that high. (Kate and her ex-fiance face off.) I'm glad I pushed through that section, because the swearing wasn't as frequent after that and when it happened, it was a better fit with the characters and circumstances.
June 19, 2014
Embrace yourself for a new kind of thriller. Take part legal thriller and part medical thriller, you get an amazing combination of a fascinating thriller. That's what Pamela Callow did in her Kate Lange series set in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In Damaged, Kate Lange is an associate in a prestigious law firm and stuck with the family law cases with litigation dreams. When she received a case of a missing private school student, she's more than stuck in family drama, but she has issues of her own haunted past as well. From there, she came across a medical mystery on her own with nefarious people and shocking consequences. This thriller will leave you cold to the marrow of her bone.
April 21, 2019
"Damage limitations"
There's a lot to like in this debut thriller. The writing and vocabulary are of a high standard and even the legal/medical 'oddballs' were explained to a layman's satisfaction. There was a real change of pace at times throughout the book and the frantic race towards the denouement was electric. What held me back from giving a 5* was Kate herself, I couldn't warm to the main character, which is a 'must' for me. Also, why bother having a police force if we can all go digging for clues and solving crimes without them? It offers up conflict between the detective and our intrepid Kate, but that's all.
There's a lot to like in this debut thriller. The writing and vocabulary are of a high standard and even the legal/medical 'oddballs' were explained to a layman's satisfaction. There was a real change of pace at times throughout the book and the frantic race towards the denouement was electric. What held me back from giving a 5* was Kate herself, I couldn't warm to the main character, which is a 'must' for me. Also, why bother having a police force if we can all go digging for clues and solving crimes without them? It offers up conflict between the detective and our intrepid Kate, but that's all.
December 10, 2012
I think I found a new author to follow. This is the 2nd book I read. Read her 2nd book, Indefensible, first not knowing it was based on the same character so I went back and read Damaged. Enjoyed both books. There were actually two stories going on and then they started to connect into one. I do think Callow could have given us a better view into the serial killer than she did, developed the story a bit more,his background and how he stalked his victims. May have made the middle of the book more suspenseful. Still I enjoyed it an will likely read another of her books.
October 20, 2017
Great story, would have given 5 stars except for all of the foul language...really not necessary. Would have made the characters more "mature" if that kind of language hadn't been used. Won't be reading anymore of this author.
August 19, 2010
An awesome, awesome read from a brilliant new author. A definite page turner to keep you reading into the wee hours of the night.
December 3, 2019
This is the first novel I've read from Canadian author Pamela Callow. I've read an ebook version of this novel, which is the first ebook I've ever read. I liked the experienced of reading an ebook and from now on I will read both paperbook and ebook, depending on what's available.
The story is set in Halifax, Canada, but as the story mentioned only the city name of Halifax, I didn't realize it was in Canada until I've read several chapters. A brief mention about the city would be good for non canadian readers. It's already diffilcult for me to imagine a Canadian city filled with crimes such as prostitution, drugs, and murders, even less a city I've never heard of before.
For her first book and the first of a series, the author wrote about a criminal case, known, read and seen way too many times by all, and a legal case, which I've seen alrealdy once on an NCIS episode. The author used two different known subjects to crime thriller readers and combined them into one. Thus, readers might be disappointed that the cases are not creative.
Despite all the crime trhiller novels out there in the market and on TV, Pamela Callow was successfull in creating a totally new leading character by the name of Ms. Kate Lange. She's totally different from all the other central characters I've read before in several ways:
1. First of all, Ms Kate Lange is not a cop, not a detective, and no law enforcement agent of any kind. She's a lawyer.
2. She's a 30 years old young first year associate lawyer in one of the best firms in Halifax with no previous experience in criminal investigation unlike the central characters of too many crime novels, whom are very experienced, trained, and sometimes even burnout by their jobs.
3. The character of Ms Kate Lange is very well develop by the author. She's a young lawyer with professional ambitions, a complicated love story and a traumatic personal past. She's full of doubts about her personal and professional lives and choices.
4. In fact, Ms. Kate Lange doesn't investigate the legal and criminal case to find criminals like most cops do in other novels. On the contrary, she does her best to assist victims or their relatives, deceased or alive, in finding the truth and does it beyond her experience and abilities until she discovers the real truth behing the crimes and find the criminals.
The best thing about this book is definitely the creation of this original and creative leading character, Ms. Kate Lange, who's fascinating and interesting to follow and read until the end of the book.
The story is set in Halifax, Canada, but as the story mentioned only the city name of Halifax, I didn't realize it was in Canada until I've read several chapters. A brief mention about the city would be good for non canadian readers. It's already diffilcult for me to imagine a Canadian city filled with crimes such as prostitution, drugs, and murders, even less a city I've never heard of before.
For her first book and the first of a series, the author wrote about a criminal case, known, read and seen way too many times by all, and a legal case, which I've seen alrealdy once on an NCIS episode. The author used two different known subjects to crime thriller readers and combined them into one. Thus, readers might be disappointed that the cases are not creative.
Despite all the crime trhiller novels out there in the market and on TV, Pamela Callow was successfull in creating a totally new leading character by the name of Ms. Kate Lange. She's totally different from all the other central characters I've read before in several ways:
1. First of all, Ms Kate Lange is not a cop, not a detective, and no law enforcement agent of any kind. She's a lawyer.
2. She's a 30 years old young first year associate lawyer in one of the best firms in Halifax with no previous experience in criminal investigation unlike the central characters of too many crime novels, whom are very experienced, trained, and sometimes even burnout by their jobs.
3. The character of Ms Kate Lange is very well develop by the author. She's a young lawyer with professional ambitions, a complicated love story and a traumatic personal past. She's full of doubts about her personal and professional lives and choices.
4. In fact, Ms. Kate Lange doesn't investigate the legal and criminal case to find criminals like most cops do in other novels. On the contrary, she does her best to assist victims or their relatives, deceased or alive, in finding the truth and does it beyond her experience and abilities until she discovers the real truth behing the crimes and find the criminals.
The best thing about this book is definitely the creation of this original and creative leading character, Ms. Kate Lange, who's fascinating and interesting to follow and read until the end of the book.
April 5, 2017
I have recently been in a reading slump and have not been able to find a great, juicy read in a while. THEN I stumbled on this series! Kate Lange is a fantastic protagonist. She is smart, in-shape, confident, hard-working and doesn't sleep around or waste the reader's time with leading men on. I find it to be incredibly annoying when female main characters string along two or three guys romantically and then spend all this time frantically wondering why-oh-why these guys are interested in them, even though they are the ones that cultivated that interest.
Kate does not do that. She pushes her ex-fiance to the side and has no problem keeping him away. Her other romantic interests are extremely slow-going and not pushed by her. She stays professional. Good for you Kate!
The other great aspect to this series is its plot. The story line was interesting, a little creepy and done well. All of the clues fit together at the end and the various characters' roles all made sense. It was a concise and very enticing plot. Who doesn't love a serial killer/national uncovering of a conspiracy? (Especially when that conspiracy actually makes sense and is verified throughout the plot)
Overall this was an enjoyable read and I can't wait to see what Kate will do next.
Kate does not do that. She pushes her ex-fiance to the side and has no problem keeping him away. Her other romantic interests are extremely slow-going and not pushed by her. She stays professional. Good for you Kate!
The other great aspect to this series is its plot. The story line was interesting, a little creepy and done well. All of the clues fit together at the end and the various characters' roles all made sense. It was a concise and very enticing plot. Who doesn't love a serial killer/national uncovering of a conspiracy? (Especially when that conspiracy actually makes sense and is verified throughout the plot)
Overall this was an enjoyable read and I can't wait to see what Kate will do next.
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