&sq=&lang=&file=File:The_Lover_2004_cover.jpg) First edition cover | |
| Author | Laura Wilson |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | crime fiction |
| Publisher | Orion Publishing Group |
Publication date | 17 June 2004 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 282 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-7528-5980-3 |
| OCLC | 59271349 |
The Lover is a 2004 crime fiction novel written by Laura Wilson and first published in the United Kingdom by Orion Publishing Group on 17 June 2004. A fictionalized account of the activities of a serial killer known as Blackout Ripper who began killing prostitutes in London during World War II, the novel follows the viewpoints of three different people, including the killer, as their individual lives begin to intersect.
It was released in the United States by Orion's American branch. The novel was nominated for two 2004 Crime Writers' Association awards. The French translation, released in 2005 by Albin Michel, won the Prix Littéraires 2004 Prix du Polar Europeen. Critics heavily praised the work, with British papers The Independent and the Telegraph's reviewers both selecting it as one of the best novels of 2004.