A missing persons case is at the core of the story although there is much more going on character-wise. Detective Sergeant Manon Bradshaw has just returned from another internet date gone wrong and is unwinding listening to her police radio when a report comes in of a missing woman. Edith Hind—daughter of Sir Ian Hind, physician to the royal family—has gone missing. Her flat door left open, blood at the scene, and she hasn't taken her handbag, keys, or phone. Bradshaw realizes how big this case is, and that the first 72 hours are critical in any missing persons case—you find the girl, or you look to recover a body.
The story unravels through multiple perspectives. Steiner develops her characters via their personal lives and relationships. Manon is incredibly layered and we've only just scratched the surface with her character. Steiner takes a woman in a high-power position and juxtaposes her with such a vulnerability in her love/relationships. I can't wait to see how she develops over the series.
This was my first Susie Steiner read and I absolutely loved it! I could totally see this as a BBC show, a dark copper drama like Luther or Broadchurch. In fact, Davey reminded me of Justin Ripley from Luther.
Can't wait for book two!
SUSIE STEINER is a former journalist at The Guardian, where she worked as a commissioning editor for eleven years. Prior to that, she worked for The Times, the Daily Telegraph, and the Evening Standard.
Steiner lives in London with her husband and two sons.
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