Two eighteen-year-old girls that went backpacking in Thailand go missing. Their families are understandably bereft and worried, where could Alex and Rosie be? What were they doing before they disappeared?
Detective Inspector Bob Sparkes is on the case, as is Kate Waters. She has a way with people, they trust her. Kate is a sharp-as-a-tack journalist that does everything in her power to ensure she is the one with the scoop, at any cost, even to the detriment of her own family. Although this case feels all too familiar—her own son left home to travel abroad two years ago and contact with him has been sporadic at best.
As the case unfolds, it becomes apparent that danger is actually closer to home than what they all think.
In Barton's third novel, we once again check in with journalist Kate Waters. The beauty of this book is that you do not need to have read The Widow or The Child, it can function as a standalone novel. Her writing is clever, succinct, and well-sculpted. She uses her personal experience as a journalist for the dominant voice in the narrative. Through this lens Barton provides the multi-faceted sides to the story and subsequently the ripple effect of the case—it impacts not only the victims and those of interest, but their families as well.
Told through multiple points of view (The Reporter, The Mother, The Detective, and from Bangkok), Barton effortlessly weaves the stories together. First hand we witness the hope and despair of the families that are waiting for news about their missing daughters, the ruthless reporters and the lengths they will go to, and see just how quickly things can spiral out of control.
Another theme that is explored is perception—just how well do we really know anyone, even our own children?
This book had me, it was my favourite to date, that is until the end. Without giving anything away, I was left confused. Did she purposely finish it this way because there are no more books in this series? I feel that she might have painted herself into a corner. That being said, if this is indeed the last novel featuring this character, than I loved it! If not, I'm sure she will redeem herself with book four and I would absolutely read it!
FIONA BARTON is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author. Her debut, The Widow, was a bestseller and has been published in thirty-five countries and optioned for television. Her second novel, The Child, was a Sunday Times bestseller.
Previously, she was a senior writer at the Daily Mail, news editor at the Daily Telegraph, and chief reporter at the Mail on Sunday, where she won Reporter of the Year at the British Press Awards. While working as a journalist, Fiona reported on many high-profile criminal cases and she developed a fascination with watching those involved, their body language and verbal tics. Fiona interviewed people at the heart of these crimes, from the guilty to their families, as well as those on the periphery, and found it was those just outside the spotlight who interested her most . . .
Born in Cambridge, Fiona currently lives in south-west France.
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