Rating: 
Summary: Complex plot with a lot of surprises
Review: I liked reading that book very much. The plot is complex and full of twists and turns and it leaves the reader more than once in complete disbelief and surprise. This novel is not a typical detective story, as it is more psychological than action-oriented. Walters shows her knowledge of human nature and of the social background of the main characters in her book. By mixing two stories, Roz', who is deeply depressed and actually not able to live at the moment, gets the ultimatum either to write a book about Olive or to abandon it altogether, and Olive's, which is a statement of human indifference, Minette Walters was able to knit a story full of tension - which is still absolutely delicate.
Rating: 
Summary: Really wonderful
Review: I loved it.I think I've read it a hundred times and every time it 's gotten better.The problems of olive are described well but not yellow press like.You have to read it cause it's the best Minette has written.In my onpinion only the dark room is as good as this one .
Rating:
Summary: Really wonderful
Review: I loved it.I think I've read it a hundred times and every time it 's gotten better.The problems of olive are described well but not yellow press like.You have to read it cause it's the best Minette has written.In my onpinion only the dark room is as good as this one .
Rating:
Summary: A whodunnit till the end...
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It kept me wondering 'till the end. A real recommendation!
Rating: 
Summary: I thought the plot and many of the characters thin .
Review: I thought the plot and many of the characters thin in this unusual tale of an obeese murdereress. I felt many of the characters were designed as plot devices to fill holes in the plot. Some of the actions of the characters such as the sculptress's attorney were totally unbelieveable except for this reason. The ending of the book - who actually did the crime - was quite unsatisfying. This character by nature, gave the author permission not to fully explain motives and actions that had transpired in the story.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best recent mystery novels
Review: I've been an avid reader of mystery novels for nearly 40 years, and thought I'd seen everything. But this book jolted me -- and not because of the violence (I've read much worse). Not only is it a gripping, well-plotted story with well-drawn characters and a generally satisfying ending, but also the author grapples with larger issues -- the complexities of family relationships and marital problems; the slippery slope of semi-legal business deals; and beauty, or lack of it, and how it affects our view of people (the obese Olive turns out to be a far more admirable person than her beautiful sister Amber). The 'good' characters aren't angelic, the bad guys are mostly weak folks trying to cover their behinds rather than deep-dyed villains, and both the writer and her ex-policeman lover are 'difficult,' conflicted people -- just like real life. The book isn't an easy read -- you do have to pay attention, and I think some readers' discontent with the ending arises because they expect the author to hand them everything on the platter. But stick with it (read it twice, if necessary) and you'll appreciate just how well done it is.
Rating:
Summary: Very well plotted, but beware of very graphic violence !
Review: Minette Walters has written a well-plotted mystery.
The characters are complex, and one is quickly engrossed by the story. But for the squeamish, beware! The violence is very explicity,graphically described.
Rating:
Summary: There is a Reason She Won the Edgar Award
Review: Minette Walters is one of few writers who can take the reader by the hand and lead them wherever she chooses to go - no questions asked. She deftly spins a tale that keeps the reader engrossed from the first to the very last page.Olive is an amazing character, Ms. Walters writes her so well that you can almost see her sitting in your room, sculpting her wax creations. As soon as I finished this book I ran out and bought every book Minette has written and I was not disappointed in any of them! Ms. Walter's is a literary legend in the making.
Rating:
Summary: A superb achievement
Review: Minette Walters' The Sculptress, which deservedly won the 1994 Edgar Award for best mystery novel, is that rare book that deftly interweaves many different elements into one convenient package without sacrificing any of its remarkable qualities or losing sight of its identity. It's a book as multi-faceted as it is satisfying, and as an English mystery it packs a surprisingly savage bite. Rosalind Leigh is a likeable young journalist with a tragic past and an uncertain destiny who is sent to interview Olive Martin, a monstrously obese woman sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for the grisly murders and mutilation of her mother and younger sister. The tension and chemistry between Roz and Olive is somewhat reminiscent of that between Starling and Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. It soon becomes clear, however, that Walters is taking a different and more ambitious direction than Harris. As Roz researches Olive's dark past, she uncovers numerous inconsistencies that escaped the attention of the police, her defense attorney, and even her tight-lipped solicitor. That and a genuine liking for the mysterious "Sculptress" are enough to persuade her that Olive is innocent, and is concealing more than she lets on. From there Walters, demonstrating masterful control of pace and plotting, slowly and with infinite cunning unravels a web of subtle intricacy. The details of the crime are meticulously worked out; each new plot complexity fits seamlessly into place with each subtle nuance of character in a way that reminds one of Ruth Rendell, one of the few writers who actually rivals Walters. The characters are wonderfully engaging. Rosalind is the perfect protagonist for the contradictory reason that she is far from perfect; she is a fully rounded character whose flaws contribute as much to the story as her considerable assets. Hal Hawksley, the burly and attractive young ex-policeman who arrested Olive after the murders, is no less complex, and he makes an ideal love interest for Roz. Both people are troubled souls with considerable spunk, and their blossoming romance, mercifully unclichéd, brings a welcome humor and passion to what would otherwise be a bleak psychological thriller. Most fascinating of all is Olive Martin, a woman of incredible sensitivity and wisdom trapped in a fat and unappealing body. Side characters, like Roz's tactless friend Iris Fielding and the liberal and compassionate Sister Bridget add delightfully to the depth of the story. The Sculptress succeeds as both a compulsively readable entertainment and as a richly rewarding mainstream novel, but like all masterworks it is far more than the sum of its parts. It's a novel worth reading for the sheer enjoyment of the prose alone. Sometimes you'll come across a line of dialogue so scathingly witty you'll find yourself laughing out loud; sometimes you'll read a passage so profound and beautifully written you have to reread it. This book made me want to thank God and Minette Walters that there are still some authors who can really write. You'll be grateful, too.
Rating:
Summary: The best!
Review: Other reviews here have summarized the plot...suffice it to say the plot is simple, and the characters are complex. That's what makes this novel so compelling: it's populated by real people, albeit not always very nice ones, and these people are making their way in a world which is not friendly to them. There's a layer of philosophy here too: organized religion, mysticism, and the occult all come into play as the story unfolds. It's a satisfyingly deep and well-written book, and I recommend it highly.
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