Mik lives in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, but travels the length and breadth of the UK as a Project Manager. He's a long-time crime fiction fan, with bookshelves groaning under the weight of signed copies from some of the greats of the genre. He's also a reviewer, and an aspiring crime writer, with hopes of joining his literary heroes on a shelf near you in the not too distant future.
On the outside Miriam Jackson has the perfect life, a great job as a radio host, married to Nick a wealthy and handsome film director and a teenage daughter Tabitha.
Things look to be fine, until after a chance meeting with an ex-partner. Miriam risks it all for a night of passion with her first love. When she arrives home the following morning her life quickly begins to unravel. While spending the night away Tabitha has gone missing. She is 16 and the police don’t take the situation as seriously as she’d like. This is when recovering alcoholic Maddison Attallee – a private investigator steps in. Maddison herself is busy trying to repair her reputation (after losing her former job with the police).
Together Maddison and the Police Force attempt to track down Tabitha before it’s too late. Things are clicking together before a series of devastating revelations blow everything Miriam believed into pieces and places Tabitha’s life in danger.
This is the second book I’ve read from Niki Mackay, and after an excellent debut she set the bar high. This is a robust psychological thriller that throws you straight in at the deep-end with the child disappearance.
There are twists and turns throughout and it is told from several points of view so that in the end, I suspected everyone had a secret to hide and a part to play. There are many fascinating characters. The kidnapper was everything you’d expect from a sociopath, manipulative, calculating and totally apathetic toward suffering, however but special mention has to be made of Maddison - she’s a strong, relentless firecracker who despite her many personal issues is still more than capable of finding Tabitha.
The author expertly pulls at threads until something unravels and reveals a shockingly sinister secret that is every parent’s nightmare.
Niki Mackay deals with disturbing subjects in this book and does so with a sensitivity that makes the revelations poignant. This is a strong and uncompromising read that will have you questioning what you know of your own family life.
