Pages: 434
Published: 12th July 2018
Genre: Crime Thriller
A woman and child are found locked in a basement room, barely alive.
No one knows who they are – the woman can’t speak, and there are no missing persons reports that match their profile. The elderly man who owns the house claims he has never seen them before.
The inhabitants of the quiet Oxford street are in shock. How could this happen right under their noses? But DI Adam Fawley knows that nothing is impossible.
And that no one is as innocent as they seem …
A sequel! It is a long time since I read anything other than a standalone book, but having read Cara Hunter’s first DI Adam Fawley thriller and loved it, it was only natural that I moved on to the next one. And the outcomes? Well, this was another superb read and one which lifts Hunter high on my list of favourite authors.
The plot of this book is dark and exceedingly complex. The mystery has so many different strands, creates all manner of possibilities, and it kept me guessing all the way until the truth is revealed. This is a story where you cannot take anything at face value; anything that looks like an obvious or rational conclusion ends up unravelling in entirely the opposite way.
The pacing of the book is again extremely good. It moves swiftly and concisely, but still handily accommodates every last detail. It was a compulsive read – there were many moments where I was like, ‘just read on a little longer’, and ended up being taken in by a mystery that never fails to intrigue.
The police investigation plays out in an unexpected way. Always gripping, always full of twists and new pieces of information, a lot of which are red herrings. If the situation uncovered at the beginning of the book is not serious enough, it just keeps on escalating and produces endless possible explanations until it reaches a powerful and shocking, if slightly convoluted finish.
Cara Hunter is such an innovative storyteller. I have come across a number of authors who use different techniques of advancing the plot, but none have used such a wide range. In addition to the interview transcripts, social media threads and online news articles from Close To Home, the first book in the series, here we also have text messages, web forums, academic papers (but only the abstract – argh!), and a screenplay. It is all very stylish!
In my opinion, the characters here are slightly less impressive and well-drawn than in Close To Home. I like Fawley and also the very individual personalities of all of his colleagues. However, I found some of their actions (mainly Quinn’s) to be a little cliched. The supporting characters such as the suspects and the witnesses, were also a bit of a mixed bag.
That is one of the reasons why it was not quite perfect for me. I also struggled a bit with the tone towards the end, and with such an elaborate plot, there was perhaps bound to be the odd unanswered question.
But overall, this was another wonderful book. It is powerful, it deals with all kinds of themes and contains a plot so deep and so complex that every little detail and piece of information is relevant. It played on my mind and had me working on a lot of different theories as it went along, which for me is the kind of engagement and interaction a reader should have with a book of this genre, and it delivers on so many levels.
This book deals with some dark themes, such as sexual exploitation and strong references to rape and false imprisonment. There are also descriptions of murder and crime scene detail.
If any of these things are likely to cause a negative response, then it perhaps would be best advised to skip this book.
Another fabulous read from Cara Hunter, and there are only a few months to wait until the next book in the series! Not quite as perfect as Close To Home, but almost there.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 