This is the first book in the Detective Caelen Small series and what a gripping and rather breathtaking start it is! And I guarantee you won’t see that ending coming! It will leave you gobsmacked, flicking back through the pages to see how you missed it but more importantly, ready to read the next book in the series NOW!!

Now, Caelen Small isn’t the easiest of characters to like as when we meet her she has retreated into herself, away from others. It’s obvious that sometimes very distressing had happened to her but we have to wait to find out the full extent of the horrors she has seen as we are drip fed snippets throughout the book. There were a few major surprises along the way that I hadn’t been expecting but they added an edge to the storyline that worked really well! Once Caelen herself gradually opens up, I found I had to reexamine my initial reaction to her and felt I understood what made her tick so much better once the pieces started to fall into place. I liked her more the more I discovered about her which is the exact opposite of how I felt about other characters. It’s probably best to mention here that it did take me a while to get used to the authors writing style as I felt there was so many characters to get to know very quickly and I had to concentrate quite heavily sometimes with much flicking back to check facts and characters. But once engrossed in the fast paced narrative, I found myself swept away by the action taking place right up until that jaw dropping conclusion.

This has the potential to be a great series with its intelligent and intricate plotting and darkly atmospheric settings. It has a convoluted storyline that means you have no idea who to trust because around every corner lurked another shocking development. I found myself thinking it would make one of those crime dramas that the BBC do so well. In fact, if you have enjoyed such dramas as Between the Lines and Line of Duty then this book will be right up your street.

This was my first encounter with this author and I was impressed. The plot is quite complex, and I was a little disappointed by the epilogue, but the story itself was full of unexpected twists and as soon as the reader thinks they know who to believe in and trust, that certainty vanishes. Well worth a read.