This is one of the most solid psychological thrillers I have ever read. By that I mean it has a depth to the story, a window to another world I will never experience. But also it is a book that is hard to put down. I read it in two sittings.

For the first half of this book I really wasn’t sure what I was reading. A traumatised war reporter, Kate, returns to her sleepy seaside hometown after the death of her mother. Her sister Sally is an alcoholic and they are both haunted by the ghosts of a violent childhood. I was under the impression that it was a family drama - a story about a woman facing her demons. But then the second half kicks in and it turns into a well crafted, fast-paced, twisty thriller.

I thought the author did a great job with the plot and characterisation. Kate and Sally feel like real people and the various twists were genuinely unexpected.

What really let this book down for me, though, was the dialogue, which was perpetually clunky and inauthentic. There was not a single conversation that I thought sounded real - to me, everyone sounded anachronistic, like they were having afternoon tea in an Edwardian drawing room. This had a massive impact on my enjoyment of the book. It contains a fair bit of dialogue and each time some of it came lumbering along it would yank me right out of the story. I think if the dialogue had been better this would have been a solid 3 stars, perhaps even 4. But it really bugged me.

(With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review)

The first 70% of this book: 2.5 stars. ..then she hits you with 4-star twist! The author builds her foundation slowly and carefully, which almost lulled me to sleep, making the surprise turn more startling. This book is PTSD-heavy and useful for anyone interested in learning more about that experience.

2,5. Četlo se to vcelku dobře, ale nepřišlo mi to extra napínavé ani zajímavé.

This book was absolutely AMAZING. I finished it in 2 days. First off, the way the author describes sensory details is incredible. I could taste, smell, see, and hear every detail of the story. I felt like I was there. Also, the PLOT TWISTS. it starts as a story about a woman with PTSD who lost her mother, turns into a story about her drunken sister and her failed marriage, and ends with a kidnapping twist. The entire thing was a rollercoaster in the absolute BEST way.

With a slow build up this one ends with a racing dynamite finish! Covering so many topics including PTSD, horrific dysfunctional families & alcoholism. Brilliantly written!

Wow