I was introduced to In the Shadows by Shell Baker on the Facebook Crime Book Club group and quickly put my hand up to review it. I knew nothing about Tara or the plot and when I settled down to read it on my Kindle I forgot everything else, due to being gripped from the first few pages, and now I have come to the end of it my pulse is racing and I jumped when the Postman knocked on the door. He asked me if I was alright to which my reply was "I've just finished reading a book and blimey crikey it was a good read".
Detective Inspector Denis Hamilton is tasked with apprehending a brutal murderer stalking the streets of London - and leaving not a shred of DNA evidence. As the suspect list mounts, his frustration and pressure from his superiors intensify. Grace Murphy, who is dealing with the recent loss of her beloved grandfather, falls deeper into despair when her friends’ bodies are discovered. Fearing she may be the killer’s next target, she begins to question if her horrifying nightmares are the key to unravelling the murderer’s identity. How far would you go to uncover the truth? Would you venture into the shadows to unmask a killer?
The story starts with the prologue and who can fail to want to read more when the opening sentence is "They never found the first dead body. I didn't want them to. I was in control, powerful, and important". Those three words were for me the underpinning of the character of the killer - control, powerful and importance. The killer seemed to need to teach the victims a lesson and each lesson was learnt towards the end of the book and when the penny clicked and I was hyperventilating my initial thoughts as to the killer were infact correct.
Grace is a complex character who seemed angry and jealous about a lot of things. Her grief at losing her grandfather was immense and she seemed to expect a lot from her friends, when Natasha couldn't meet her for a drink she went tonto, surely a true friend would be happy that someone they care about was enjoying herself? Grace's mother was one of the characters that stood out, she was a caring and concerned mother whose intentions were to help her daughter in her time of need, she didn't seem to have any friends she could talk to and was desperate to make her daughter better. Having been in the Police I was frustrated when Carly appeared at the station and very little information was taken, but then again how many people ramble about things after they've had more than enough intoxicating liquor? When the identity of Carly was revealed I gasped.
Maria was a charming therapist, kind, gentle, knowledgeable. Having been hypnotised a number of times I heard Maria's voice as a Welsh Valleys accent which made me worry I too would drift off to a hypnotic state, but no I was awake with my pulse racing, my heart in my mouth and an overwhelming sense of sadness when the session ended. I often give Hypno Clare book recommendations so can't wait to tell her!
In short: Crikey. Blimey. Pulse racing. Brilliant.
Thank you Shell for your patience whilst I sorted out my Kindle (which will come as no surprise to Karen) and thank you Tara for In the Shadows - perfect company during the time when most people sleep.
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