Belinda Bauer

Really enjoyed the first half or so of this book. Good page turner with wonderful descriptions and a wicked way with words. (I particularly liked "a rota of nurses, all busts and bingo wings"). Having being brought up in small village, the slightly claustrophobic atmosphere came over with great authenticity.

However, as the story developed, the characters seemed to lose their definition and drift away, and, as the body count increased, my interest decreased and I started skipping to the end.

I enjoyed this, it's a compelling read with a taught cat-and-mouse, psychological edge to it. Arnold Avery is menacing, and every bit as calculating as something that might have been dreamt up by Thomas Harris.

The back story to Steven Lamb wanting to write to Avery is just as compelling as Avery's story and poignant too. It's well handled and manages to walk the fine line between being gritty and quite heartbreaking without breaking into cheap sentimentality.