What we thought:
Curran's previous novels, Mindsight and Her Turn To Cry blend contemporary lives with the shadows of the past to unsettling effect. Her Deadly Secret creates the same insidious fear in the reader, building uncertainty and doubt in whom we can trust. Each novel is a standalone, so if this is your first, you have more treats in store.
Joe and Hannah's daughter is missing. Lily is only fourteen so they are in a blind panic. Naturally, the searchlight of suspicion falls on the family, turning up surprises. In a parallel storyline, Rose watches the news coverage of missing Lily, forcibly reminded of the loss of her own sister at a similar age. Murdered in the family home.
The two stories connect in a dark and uncomfortable echo, but it's not only the past which is threatened. The danger is present and closer than anyone realises.
The characters' determination to maintain a normal life despite their traumas draws the reader into the emotional tension and dials it up to breaking point.
This is book to devour in one greedy sitting, flipping the pages as the pace increases to the shocking conclusion. And if you're familiar with Hastings, you'll relish the detail of the setting. It adds both beauty and drama, rooting believable characters in a real place.
You’ll enjoy this if you liked: Mindsight, Her Turn To Cry, The Ellen Kelly Series by Sheila Bugler or The Gold Detective Series by Gillian E. Hamer.
Avoid if you don’t like: Psychological drama, police procedurals, the agony of losing a child.
Ideal accompaniments: Bitter lemon with ice, fish and chips in newspaper and a sea breeze blowing through your hair.
Genre: Crime
Available on Amazon
No comments:
Post a Comment