Trance

Three murder/suicides and one suspect, Victor Lazar. When there are further violent deaths in the prison where Victor is incarcerated, the grim reaper seems to have followed him into prison.

Now in private practice, former forensic psychologist, Alex Madison, is asked to interview Victor. This prisoner has been moved to solitary confinement, but Alex is left bewildered and not a little rattled by their encounter.

When this dangerous man’s assigned psychologist then takes his own life, the mysterious Victor vanishes from the prison, Alex’s worst fears are confirmed. The suspect seems to be able to control people simply by direct suggestion or conversational hypnotism.

Discovering a link between one of the earliest victims and his estranged father, a renowned research psychologist at Kings College London, Madison starts to dig a little deeper.  His father discloses connections between the initial victims and a Romanian orphanage, providing Alex with a contact in over there.

Alex travels there with Sophie, an associate of the now dead prison psychologist. What he uncovers is horrifying.

With DCI Hartley assigned to the case, Alex discloses what he has learnt and just how dangerous the missing man is.

What Alex and the Police don’t know is that Victor is now also being hunted by the agents of a shadowy cabal from behind the former Iron Curtain.

This is a cracking debut - well-paced, thoroughly disturbing and genuinely creepy in places. Alex Madison is an interesting protagonist. But for me, it’s Victor who steals the show here. I felt equally drawn to and repulsed by him, because the author has crafted the character adroitly, so Victor far more than purely a cipher.

I’m looking forward to Adam Southward’s next book with relish and with a dash of trepidation, as the author has a dark imagination.