“It’s bad when the girls go missing. It’s worse when the girls are found…”

Six months ago, Charlotte almost lost everything. Now, she’s determined to keep her daughter, Elle, safe. so when local girls close to Elle in age and appearance begin to go missing, it’s her worst nightmare.

Now I love a good pyschological thriller (and this was up there with the best) but I did figure it out about halfway through, or at least had my suspicions. I think perhaps normal people with less Cynicism than me wouldn’t and it honestly didn’t spoil the book because I was just desperate to see how Walsh would bring it all together. She didn’t disappoint.

“It’s the blood that gets to you first. It’s messy, gets everywhere. Under your nails, in each line, every crevice. It’s a bitch to clean.”

The book starts slowly – but stick with it – everything happens for a reason. Soon it starts to pick up pace and to be honest, the slow-burn was the most agonising but also the most effective so well done to Walsh on that one. It’s most told in the first person, from the perspective of Charlotte Moore with the occasional switch to investigating Detective Inspector Madeleine woods and an occasional outburst from ‘Anon.’ If you’re expecting a book heavy on police procedure think again, this is about the main characters and the entire focus on them makes this a strong book.

Interestingly, a handful reviews have talked about how this book Demonises mental health. Honestly, those who interpret this book in such a way are part of the problem. Books are books. Some address current political turmoil, some address horrors of the past, others are entirely works of fiction. Whatever prompted Walsh to write this book she hardly sat down and thought, ‘I know, let’s write about mental health in it’s worst ever form and increase everybody’s fears.’ She’s an author, an artist with words, and has created something to entertain us whilst also highlighting that out there in the world, all sorts of people exist.

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