Twenty years ago, two eleven-year-old boys were murdered in Bristol. The bodies of Charlie Paige and Scott Ashby were found near the dog racing track. Sidney Noyce was convicted of the brutal crime and died in prison—some people perceive him to be the killer and others think he was a convenient scapegoat because he was mentally challenged and could be easily coerced into a confession. There are still lingering questions after all this time.
There was a third boy, Cody Swift, who was supposed to be out with Charlie and Scott the night they were killed, but he got in trouble and had to stay home. It turns out that this punishment actually saved his life. He is now an indie filmmaker and has haunted by the death of his best mates all these years. The unanswered questions and loose ends bring him back to Bristol in search of answers. To help document the information, he starts a podcast which are a series of interviews he conducts with individuals attached to the case. It turns out that there are many people who don't want to visit the past. The one who has the most to lose from Swift's fixation is Charlie's mother, Jess. She is forced to take matters into her own hands in order to protect her daughter from hearing about this horrific crime—she doesn't even know she had a half brother, let alone that he was killed.
A body that has been dead for quite some time is discovered in the same location where the boys were found. Another investigation is opened and Detective John Fletcher who was on the original case must revisit his files to see if the two crimes are related.
This book was absolutely riveting from the first sentence! I have been on a tear of British mystery/suspense books lately and this one did not disappoint. Having reviewed Macmillan's Odd Child Out, I was hoping to check in again with Detective Jim Clemo. But this book, this book was all its own, and in my opinion her best yet (I have also reviewed The Perfect Girl). It was perfectly executed with enough twists to propel the narrative without becoming predictable or clichéd. And as my followers know, any book that mentions Depeche Mode is a winner!
This page-turning, clever novel is filled with complex and layered characters. Congratulations, Gilly on another wonderful accomplishment!
GILLY MACMILLAN is the New York Times bestselling author of What She Knew (previously published as Burnt Paper Sky in some territories), The Perfect Girl and Odd Child Out.
Gilly is Edgar Award nominated and an ITW award finalist. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages.
She grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
Macmillan lives in Bristol, UK with her husband, three children and two dogs and writes full time. She’s currently working on her sixth novel.
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