Robert lives in North East England. He works in Recruitment by day, and is usually to be found knee deep in a pile of books as a reader and reviewer by night. He has recently signed with The Blair Partnership, and his debut crime novel, What Falls Between the Cracks was released in Spring 2018.
It starts with an unwelcome and unwanted advance in a bar as Joanna Oliva fends off an overly friendly hands-on admirer. Calling it a night she heads home, but hears footsteps following her down towards the canal.
Before Joanna can process what’s happening the man is behind her. She panics, turns, pushes, and next thing she knows her pursuer is lying face down at the bottom of the steps. What does she do? Stick around to call him an ambulance and risk him getting up to pick up where he left off (with his advances in the bar), or does she run home to safety leaving her attacker on the ground?
The story then splinters off into two parallel tracks that are Conceal versus Reveal, plunging Joanna into both worlds; and therefore living with the consequences of each course of action, and how it affects her life and that of those around her. The novel poses questions to the reader namely which path would you choose, to run or to stay?
Some have conjectured that this novel shares themes with the film Sliding Doors. I would state that it actually takes that premise a step further. We don’t just see the alternate futures that Joanna’s choices create; we actually live them out through her eyes. We eavesdrop on her internal debates as to the rights and wrongs of each choice. It makes the reader constantly question what you would do in her shoes.
The alternating of Conceal and Reveal chapters keeps the two story lines flowing robustly to an elegant climax. The insight into Joanna’s imperfections makes her an ideal narrator to steer you through a beautifully written book, which is a remarkable sophomore work from Gillian McAllister.
