Loved this. Didn’t see where it was going and there’s a MASSIVE twist...

Picked up at today's meet up in Abingdon. I like a bit of twistiness!!!

I must admit the first half of this dragged a bit for me. I took ages to read it and found myself wondering what on earth all the fuss was about. I did have a sense of unease throughout that all was not quite right with the Jenna's story. Then half way through there is a jaw dropping bombshell I really didn't see coming and from then on it gripped and held me and took me a very short time to finish.

I found Clare Mackintosh's writing a little clunky in places in the 'she walked over to the door and opened it' kind of clumsy descriptive style. She does however have a handle on realistic description of police procedures and attitudes, having been a police officer herself. Her police characters are also sympathetic and quite 'ordinary'. Some of the more disturbing elements of the plot and characters probably also drew on her experience working as a detective (no spoilers!).

Good first novel. Needed a little more polish to make it a great one.