About Until You’re Mine, I said: If Samantha Hayes goes from strength to strength, I am looking forward to her next offering. This is it.
That DI Lorraine Fisher from the previous story features more prominently in this one is a moot point. The two stories are not otherwise connected. Briefly, she is visiting her sister in her childhood village of Radcote. A series of local unexplained teenage suicides, complete with notes, seems too much of a coincidence. Lorraine, fearing for the welfare of her nephew Freddie, gets involved.
Although definitely a good read, it lacks the tension of its psychological predecessor, being more of a who-dunnit. The plot is a strong plus. The clues are all there and the red herrings are reasonable. The surprise ending qualifies for a satisfying mystery.
There are perhaps too many characters, although it has to be said that their flesh hangs well on their bones, and nobody is sketchily or unnecessarily included, once the reader is able to sort out who’s who in the zoo. Cyber bullying is one of the motivators that drives at least one of the teenaged characters. Another is infidelity and the associated guilt. The autistic Gil is scarily real and authentic, too.
I was a bit uncomfortable with the inconsistent viewpoints. There are two first-person views and the rest are third-person, which seems an odd approach. Still, this did not detract from a fast-paced, exciting, gripping read with a jaw-dropping finale.
