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DI Marnie Rome #1
Someone Else's Skin
The debut of an exciting new series for fans of Sophie Hannah, Kate Atkinson, and Tana French
Five years ago, a shocking and bloody crime left Detective Inspector Marnie Rome’s parents dead. Not even her partner, Detective Sergeant Noah Jake, knows much about Marnie’s past. Though as one of the few gay officers on the force, Noah’s not one to over-share about his private life either.
By chance, Marnie and Noah are at the domestic violence shelter when Hope Proctor stabs her husband, Leo. It should be an open and shut case of self-defense, but none of the eight witnesses tells quite the same story. And the question remains: How did Leo get into the secure building? As the violence spirals, Marnie finds herself drawn into a place where the past casts long shadows and she must tread carefully to survive.
Five years ago, a shocking and bloody crime left Detective Inspector Marnie Rome’s parents dead. Not even her partner, Detective Sergeant Noah Jake, knows much about Marnie’s past. Though as one of the few gay officers on the force, Noah’s not one to over-share about his private life either.
By chance, Marnie and Noah are at the domestic violence shelter when Hope Proctor stabs her husband, Leo. It should be an open and shut case of self-defense, but none of the eight witnesses tells quite the same story. And the question remains: How did Leo get into the secure building? As the violence spirals, Marnie finds herself drawn into a place where the past casts long shadows and she must tread carefully to survive.
416 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2014
162 people are currently reading
5283 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hilary
39 books583 followersSarah’s debut, Someone Else's Skin, won Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and was a World Book Night selection. The Observer's Book of the Month ("superbly disturbing”) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it was a Silver Falchion and Macavity Award finalist in the US. No Other Darkness, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award. Her DI Marnie Rome series continued with Tastes Like Fear (longlisted for Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2017) and Quieter Than Killing (Observer’s Thriller of the Month). Come and Find Me was published in 2018, with Never Be Broken to come in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 566 reviews
November 10, 2017
This year I'm doing a Reading Challenge; so I have 26 books with specific subjects that I need to read.
Book 14:A book with a character with your first name
Initially I thought finding a book with a character with my first name would be difficult, but when then my research prove me so wrong that I actually could pick and choose.
Picking Someone Else's Skin was really an excellent choice!
I fell right into the story.
'DI Rome, slayer of dragons.'
I like the complexity of the characters; especially DI Marnie Rome. She's fierce and in charge; taking challenges on head first; but it might be her internal struggles causing this fierceness.
The way Hilary build this beautiful broken strong piece of art she calls Marnie Rome amaze me. Marnie feels so real to me I can easily fall into her character and believe it's me.
The counter characters amplifies Marnie's character so well you feel you know them all.
The slow build of suspense and drama works you up in a way that makes you feel part of it.
The tricky premise of the plot with multiple witnesses was perplexing and thought-provoking.
Me reading a lot of suspense, thrillers and crime usually figures out the plot quite quickly, but not this time. Hilary gives you enough and just little enough to keep you guessing and going in the wrong direction.
This was Sarah Hilary's debut novel; which makes me very exited for the next books in the series.
I found a new favorite author!
November 21, 2015
WHOA just finished reading SOMEONE ELSE"S Skin by Sarah Hilary & i must say i adored this book It took me on a journey that was enjoyable & had disturbing content.
I Thought DI Marnie Rome was one tough nut who would always come to the right conclusion i also had a connection to DS Noah Jake was likable & a very strong character.
Sarah Hilary is a very accomplished author with such subjects as female genital mutilation Spousal abuse & racism issues in one read which many authors would not touch.
DI Marnie Rome & DS Noah Jake come to a woman's shelter to interview Ayana Mirza as she is a witness to her brothers who attacked a man while taking his hands off, anyway also there Hope Proctor stabs her husband Leo with a knife he ends up in hospital & so does she as she is suffering shock Hope said Leo Beats her & tortures her but is she telling the truth.
Simone who is Ugandan was adopted but was held captive in Uganda for a year by a terrible man who mutilated her genitals & tortured her being a woman this part of the book was horrible to read she then meets up with Hope she helps her escape from the hospital.
Marnie & Noah then look into Simone's past & think she knows more than she is saying but find out something they did not expect they go back to the Proctors home & find a room with scratch marks all over the walls looks like finger nails marks all over the walls.
What happens next is a woman's deluded tale of lies or truth on Hope's part is she the victim or the abuser.
This also had Stockholms Syndrome involved which i thought was very interesting i could go on forever about this book no wonder this won thriller of the year 2014 deserved every accolade will read the next in the series if this is anything to go by.
I Thought DI Marnie Rome was one tough nut who would always come to the right conclusion i also had a connection to DS Noah Jake was likable & a very strong character.
Sarah Hilary is a very accomplished author with such subjects as female genital mutilation Spousal abuse & racism issues in one read which many authors would not touch.
DI Marnie Rome & DS Noah Jake come to a woman's shelter to interview Ayana Mirza as she is a witness to her brothers who attacked a man while taking his hands off, anyway also there Hope Proctor stabs her husband Leo with a knife he ends up in hospital & so does she as she is suffering shock Hope said Leo Beats her & tortures her but is she telling the truth.
Simone who is Ugandan was adopted but was held captive in Uganda for a year by a terrible man who mutilated her genitals & tortured her being a woman this part of the book was horrible to read she then meets up with Hope she helps her escape from the hospital.
Marnie & Noah then look into Simone's past & think she knows more than she is saying but find out something they did not expect they go back to the Proctors home & find a room with scratch marks all over the walls looks like finger nails marks all over the walls.
What happens next is a woman's deluded tale of lies or truth on Hope's part is she the victim or the abuser.
This also had Stockholms Syndrome involved which i thought was very interesting i could go on forever about this book no wonder this won thriller of the year 2014 deserved every accolade will read the next in the series if this is anything to go by.
August 5, 2013
Coming February 2014 From Headline
Meet DI Marnie Rome. Several years ago she suffered a tragic loss to a violent act...since then she has struggled to come to terms with it despite her protestations that she is fine. When she walks in on another act of violence at a local womens shelter a journey begins for her and those around her that will take your breath away.....
This was a heart stopping rollercoaster of a ride from start to finish. Brilliantly imagined, totally convincing and utterly compelling you will live and breathe every moment of this terrific debut novel...not only that but it will give you cause for reflection on some difficult issues.
Taking Domestic Violence as its core Ms Hilary has crafted a tale of great depth and cleverly written contrasts, each character playing their part in the whole with aplomb. Some of the best characters in the book will only appear peripherally and yet each time they do they leap off the page. Marnie herself is complex yet caring - in her determination to protect these women she often stumbles - but from the start you know she will always get up again and do the right thing. Her "sidekick" if you like, Noah is equally well drawn. He comes from a very different place to Marnie and they are a perfect literary partnership. The women you will meet in this novel are brave yet scared, strong yet weak - some of what you read will be hard to take but important to hear. The very real problems faced by anyone trying to help these victims come to terms with their past is also given a great part in here through yet another amazing character. A very real issue treated sensitively and realistically buried in the heart of an almost perfect crime novel. Very clever indeed.
I can't talk about the plot in depth because almost anything to be said about it would be heading into spoiler territory, this is Marnie's journey very much so - I WILL say that it is tightly knitted, complex and at times surprising - and the almost perfect prose means that this is a book to be savoured. I am in awe.
Finally thanks to the author and to the publisher for sending me an advance copy of this book to review
Meet DI Marnie Rome. Several years ago she suffered a tragic loss to a violent act...since then she has struggled to come to terms with it despite her protestations that she is fine. When she walks in on another act of violence at a local womens shelter a journey begins for her and those around her that will take your breath away.....
This was a heart stopping rollercoaster of a ride from start to finish. Brilliantly imagined, totally convincing and utterly compelling you will live and breathe every moment of this terrific debut novel...not only that but it will give you cause for reflection on some difficult issues.
Taking Domestic Violence as its core Ms Hilary has crafted a tale of great depth and cleverly written contrasts, each character playing their part in the whole with aplomb. Some of the best characters in the book will only appear peripherally and yet each time they do they leap off the page. Marnie herself is complex yet caring - in her determination to protect these women she often stumbles - but from the start you know she will always get up again and do the right thing. Her "sidekick" if you like, Noah is equally well drawn. He comes from a very different place to Marnie and they are a perfect literary partnership. The women you will meet in this novel are brave yet scared, strong yet weak - some of what you read will be hard to take but important to hear. The very real problems faced by anyone trying to help these victims come to terms with their past is also given a great part in here through yet another amazing character. A very real issue treated sensitively and realistically buried in the heart of an almost perfect crime novel. Very clever indeed.
I can't talk about the plot in depth because almost anything to be said about it would be heading into spoiler territory, this is Marnie's journey very much so - I WILL say that it is tightly knitted, complex and at times surprising - and the almost perfect prose means that this is a book to be savoured. I am in awe.
Finally thanks to the author and to the publisher for sending me an advance copy of this book to review
May 2, 2017
Did enjoy the start of this book did enjoy Marnie Rome character,would give it 3.5 I think it dragged on in parts of this book it could of been shorter but still would read the next book in this series.
January 4, 2021
Well this was an unexpected delight! I still find it odd to say that about books where so many terrible things happen, but they're really books about looking for the helpers - and finding them.
This is the first in the series following Marnie Rome (yay, because there's nothing like finding a good series when there's already a good few books to catch up on), and there's a lot going on. There's the murder of Marnie's parents, a girl in a women's refuge who needs the help of Marnie and her partner, Noah, and the unexpected attack on a man who breaches the refuge on the day they're there to visit.
Luckily, Sarah Hilary has the hang of the writing thing - not content to merely balance all of those competing elements perfectly, she also manages to write absolutely gorgeous descriptions of London and the characters she's invented. This could have slipped into melodrama, or a mess of tangled plotlines so easily, but instead it was just a very satisfying, occasionally horrifying, but ultimately brilliant read. Very much looking forward to taking a segue from cleaning out the TBR backlog to catch up with this series.
This is the first in the series following Marnie Rome (yay, because there's nothing like finding a good series when there's already a good few books to catch up on), and there's a lot going on. There's the murder of Marnie's parents, a girl in a women's refuge who needs the help of Marnie and her partner, Noah, and the unexpected attack on a man who breaches the refuge on the day they're there to visit.
Luckily, Sarah Hilary has the hang of the writing thing - not content to merely balance all of those competing elements perfectly, she also manages to write absolutely gorgeous descriptions of London and the characters she's invented. This could have slipped into melodrama, or a mess of tangled plotlines so easily, but instead it was just a very satisfying, occasionally horrifying, but ultimately brilliant read. Very much looking forward to taking a segue from cleaning out the TBR backlog to catch up with this series.
August 30, 2015
There are so many good reviews of this book and I've gushed about Sarah Hilary elsewhere, so I'm just going to say that if you like crime but you haven't read this series, you're missing out.
February 10, 2014
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this new crime novel, after all it takes something quite spectacular to live up to the billing ‘the crime debut of the year,’ especially in February!
To begin with we have the DI, Marnie Rome who has a troubled past. So far so normal for a crime novel, but in her case her back story include murdered parents which has left her determined to succeed in her job, although her personal life seems a little bleak. Her partner is DS Noah Jake, a Jamaican and gay, this presents no problems except with DS Ron Carling who is the macho policeman. However this is much more than a formulaic police procedural, this book is as much about why some of the crimes are committed as it is about how they were and who did it.
Desperate to bolster their case against a suspect, DI Rome and DS Jake visit a woman’s refuge; they need the resident to make a statement about her treatment at his hands and walk in to find a man lying stabbed on the floor. The action starts with a bang but this turns out to be a nightmare of a case to investigate, the women are far from ideal witnesses but DI Rome is determined to find answers.
This is just the sort of book I enjoy, there are so many different stories all playing out; those of Marnie, Noah, the social worker Ed and the female residents have clear personalities and stories to tell without slowing down the pace or preventing a bucketful surprises along the way.
This was a brilliant read and I do hope this isn’t the last we hear of DI Rome as I for one thoroughly liked this protagonist and the reassurance that the crime genre still has a lot to offer its readers. For once I agree with the publisher's claims.
I was extremely lucky to receive a free copy of this book from Lovereading as I am on their reviewing panel but it will be published on 27 February by Headline.
To begin with we have the DI, Marnie Rome who has a troubled past. So far so normal for a crime novel, but in her case her back story include murdered parents which has left her determined to succeed in her job, although her personal life seems a little bleak. Her partner is DS Noah Jake, a Jamaican and gay, this presents no problems except with DS Ron Carling who is the macho policeman. However this is much more than a formulaic police procedural, this book is as much about why some of the crimes are committed as it is about how they were and who did it.
Desperate to bolster their case against a suspect, DI Rome and DS Jake visit a woman’s refuge; they need the resident to make a statement about her treatment at his hands and walk in to find a man lying stabbed on the floor. The action starts with a bang but this turns out to be a nightmare of a case to investigate, the women are far from ideal witnesses but DI Rome is determined to find answers.
This is just the sort of book I enjoy, there are so many different stories all playing out; those of Marnie, Noah, the social worker Ed and the female residents have clear personalities and stories to tell without slowing down the pace or preventing a bucketful surprises along the way.
This was a brilliant read and I do hope this isn’t the last we hear of DI Rome as I for one thoroughly liked this protagonist and the reassurance that the crime genre still has a lot to offer its readers. For once I agree with the publisher's claims.
I was extremely lucky to receive a free copy of this book from Lovereading as I am on their reviewing panel but it will be published on 27 February by Headline.
June 10, 2015
Well, well…now I know what all the fuss is about. I've been reading some great reviews for Sarah Hillary’s debit novel and was excited to see if it lived up to the hype. Thankfully it certainly ticked all the boxes, so much so that I am already reading book 2. DI Marnie Rome (FABULOUS lead characters name I think) is working alongside DS Noah Jake and their new case involves a woman who is seeking solace at a refuge after being brutally attacked by her own family. When they arrive at the refuge they come across an unfolding scene which involves another woman stabbing her husband in the chest. What seemed like a simple plot line had suddenly become a lot more complicated.
Marnie Rome has an interesting background and as such has certain issues that make her the way she is. There is no hiding her past within the book and it gives you a great feel for her as a character. The pairing with DS Noah Jake was a great one and he too is another interesting character. Nowhere near as brash and prickly as Marnie, but he too comes with his own past and back story. From the first few chapters I felt drawn in to the storey and was completely involved. The subject matter makes for some depressingly realistic reading but the story is very engaging and I couldn't find fault with anything.
Seeing as this was Sarah Hillary’s debut novel, it was fantastic and certainly I hope the start of another fantastic series. Wonderful characters and great storyline mean that I am not waiting and will move straight on to book 2 ‘No Other Darkness’ which was released in April 2015. I would definitely recommend this to people looking for new Crime authors, and can only hope that book 2 is just as good, if not better than the first.
Marnie Rome has an interesting background and as such has certain issues that make her the way she is. There is no hiding her past within the book and it gives you a great feel for her as a character. The pairing with DS Noah Jake was a great one and he too is another interesting character. Nowhere near as brash and prickly as Marnie, but he too comes with his own past and back story. From the first few chapters I felt drawn in to the storey and was completely involved. The subject matter makes for some depressingly realistic reading but the story is very engaging and I couldn't find fault with anything.
Seeing as this was Sarah Hillary’s debut novel, it was fantastic and certainly I hope the start of another fantastic series. Wonderful characters and great storyline mean that I am not waiting and will move straight on to book 2 ‘No Other Darkness’ which was released in April 2015. I would definitely recommend this to people looking for new Crime authors, and can only hope that book 2 is just as good, if not better than the first.
August 7, 2014
This book has not yet been released. It’s release date is 27th February 2014. I was lucky enough to get a proof copy in my Theakstons crime goody bag at Harrogate last weekend. It was the first book I picked out of the pile of books I brought home and I’m so glad it was. I’m just sorry that I’ve finished it now and I have to wait so long for DI Marnie Rome book two.
Hilary’s style is enthralling. She captures you in the scene and holds you there effortlessly. Her words flow and her characters breath right there in front of you. The attention to detail is beautiful. I loved DI Marnie Rome and the entire team behind her. Commander Welland, though not a major character is wonderfully drawn. It’s so clear, you can picture him clearly and even feel the heat emanate from his office!
The opening scene is stunning. Set five years in the past it gives you the driver behind a lot of Rome’s emotions and actions and the repercussions continue to thrive through her life.
The here and now chapters are equally as gripping and Hilary keeps the pace moving. You can’t help but keep turning the pages. She throws in twists and shocks in such a believable manner that I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t say too much about the story without giving away plot spoilers, but what I can say, is that I really can’t wait for the next book Hilary produces.
Hilary’s style is enthralling. She captures you in the scene and holds you there effortlessly. Her words flow and her characters breath right there in front of you. The attention to detail is beautiful. I loved DI Marnie Rome and the entire team behind her. Commander Welland, though not a major character is wonderfully drawn. It’s so clear, you can picture him clearly and even feel the heat emanate from his office!
The opening scene is stunning. Set five years in the past it gives you the driver behind a lot of Rome’s emotions and actions and the repercussions continue to thrive through her life.
The here and now chapters are equally as gripping and Hilary keeps the pace moving. You can’t help but keep turning the pages. She throws in twists and shocks in such a believable manner that I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t say too much about the story without giving away plot spoilers, but what I can say, is that I really can’t wait for the next book Hilary produces.
February 12, 2014
Once in a while I come across a writer and/or book that makes me sit up and take notice. This happened with Someone Else’s Skin – not only has Sarah Hilary produced an action-packed, fast-paced crime novel but it is one of the best-written ones I’ve read recently. The quality of the narrative is superb. Language and character development is pitch perfect and this was a book I really couldn’t put down.
I won’t discuss the plot – as I am sure other reviewers have done – and so no spoilers! Suffice it to say that Sarah Hilary’s protagonist, Marni Rome is a DI with a past horror and terrible loss which impinges on her present. She is likeable, irritating and someone you want to know more about. Fortunately Ms Hilary is writing the second book in the series. I can’t wait to read it.
I won’t discuss the plot – as I am sure other reviewers have done – and so no spoilers! Suffice it to say that Sarah Hilary’s protagonist, Marni Rome is a DI with a past horror and terrible loss which impinges on her present. She is likeable, irritating and someone you want to know more about. Fortunately Ms Hilary is writing the second book in the series. I can’t wait to read it.
April 20, 2015
When DI Marnie Rome and her colleague, DS Noah Jake, are asked to attend a woman’s refuge to try and persuade a victim of domestic abuse to give evidence against her brother - the main suspect in another vicious crime, what they originally believed would be a routine visit turns into something far more complex. They arrive at the scene to find the husband of one of the women lying on the floor, the apparent victim of a stabbing. During their investigation for the truth, they have to work their way through a web of deceit and secrets where nothing can be taken at face value.
This is Sarah Hilary’s debut crime novel, which, after a bit of a unsure start for me, ultimately turned into an excellent read. I must admit it did take me a while to get into the story. For one thing, the text was sometimes a little too descriptive and I was struggling to understand the meaning and secondly, I didn’t take to the character of Marnie straight away and it took me a while to care about her. However, it was well worth sticking with it as I was rewarded by a dark, gripping story with interesting and well-drawn characters that kept me turning the pages into the early hours.
Marnie Rome is a complicated character with a tragic back story. Her own history is referred to throughout the book and is made to feel an integral part of the novel. She has her own secrets and demons to deal with but far from being defined by the events of the past, they have made her stronger with a determination to succeed. Her sidekick, Noah Jake, has to deal with prejudice and discrimination from others, including some of his colleagues, however the two of them, both damaged in their own way, work well together and this is a partnership that I would love to see developed further in future books.
The story is not a pretty one – it is primarily about domestic abuse and control and the desire to inflict pain and yes there is violence, albeit not gratuitous. Sarah Hilary has created a compelling and wholly believable tale about the darker side of human nature and there are plenty of twists and turns throughout to make this a thriller that you will not want to put down. I shall certainly be looking out for the next Marnie Rome story.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Headline for the digital copy to review
This is Sarah Hilary’s debut crime novel, which, after a bit of a unsure start for me, ultimately turned into an excellent read. I must admit it did take me a while to get into the story. For one thing, the text was sometimes a little too descriptive and I was struggling to understand the meaning and secondly, I didn’t take to the character of Marnie straight away and it took me a while to care about her. However, it was well worth sticking with it as I was rewarded by a dark, gripping story with interesting and well-drawn characters that kept me turning the pages into the early hours.
Marnie Rome is a complicated character with a tragic back story. Her own history is referred to throughout the book and is made to feel an integral part of the novel. She has her own secrets and demons to deal with but far from being defined by the events of the past, they have made her stronger with a determination to succeed. Her sidekick, Noah Jake, has to deal with prejudice and discrimination from others, including some of his colleagues, however the two of them, both damaged in their own way, work well together and this is a partnership that I would love to see developed further in future books.
The story is not a pretty one – it is primarily about domestic abuse and control and the desire to inflict pain and yes there is violence, albeit not gratuitous. Sarah Hilary has created a compelling and wholly believable tale about the darker side of human nature and there are plenty of twists and turns throughout to make this a thriller that you will not want to put down. I shall certainly be looking out for the next Marnie Rome story.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Headline for the digital copy to review
September 19, 2014
This is a very good read, introducing a new detective pair DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake.The story starts when the due visit a battered women’s refuge to try and persuade one of the residents to act as witness in a current case but they walk in on a very dramatic, scary situation. I don’t want to say any more about the plot, so as not to spoil the read for someone else, but suffice to say that it centres around the theme of domestic violence, manipulation and control. Some way into the book I did grasp where the story was heading and as soon as my suspicions were confirmed, I was hooked completely. The characters were extremely well written and Marnie herself has a past which helped make this a detective story with a difference. The story is well paced and twists and turns with a healthy dose of shocks and surprises for the reader.
I did have a couple of gripes about the book. It was a little repetitive at times, especially with the questioning of the women in the refuge. My main thing though was the refuge itself. I don’t know anything about refuges really, but I was surprised when the main member of staff there was a man, Ed. I would have thought that women arriving at a refuge would generally have been so traumatised that it would have taken a long time for them to be able to be in the company of any man, and that staff would have been female. For the same reason, I found it a bit weird that Marnie took Noah with her to the refuge, and not another female officer.
That having been said, this really is a cracking read, filled with suspense and action, and I am looking forward to the author’s next book.
I did have a couple of gripes about the book. It was a little repetitive at times, especially with the questioning of the women in the refuge. My main thing though was the refuge itself. I don’t know anything about refuges really, but I was surprised when the main member of staff there was a man, Ed. I would have thought that women arriving at a refuge would generally have been so traumatised that it would have taken a long time for them to be able to be in the company of any man, and that staff would have been female. For the same reason, I found it a bit weird that Marnie took Noah with her to the refuge, and not another female officer.
That having been said, this really is a cracking read, filled with suspense and action, and I am looking forward to the author’s next book.
July 8, 2015
Review: Someone Else's Skin by Sarah Hilary Someone Else's Skin is the 'crime debut of the year', claims the back cover of Sarah Hilary's first novel. Big words to live up to indeed. Detective Inspector Marnie Rome is brilliant at her job and a rising star in the police ranks. She has also had to fight her way back following the murder of her parents. Marnie is dependable and fierce, if only on the surface. There are secrets swirling beneath the surface that Marnie keeps firmly to herself. But secrets have a way of making themselves known. Marnie and her partner, Detective Sargeant Noah Jake, visit a women's refuge to interview one of the residents. At the refuge, they discover the brutal murder of another woman's husband. As the duo investigate, events begin to spiral and the violence escalates. In order to discover the identity of the killer and solve the case, Marnie needs to look closely at her own secrets and face her demons once and for all.In Marnie Rome, Hilary has created a brilliant female lead character. A little flawed by events beyond her control, Marnie throws herself into work to keep herself sane. But this case comes a little too close to home. Throughout the book, Marnie comes across as dependable and highly skilled at her job, but a more vulnerable and entirely human side shows through the hard exterior at times. Utterly endearing, Marnie's character is bound to strike a chord with readers of all ages. The author has created a brilliantly constructed series of events that test Marnie and Noah to the limit, with both detectives being sucked into the eye of the hurricane. This novel really kept me guessing with its twists and turns. Every time I thought I had sussed it out, I was pleasantly surprised by being proven wrong. I really struggled to put this book down. I kept falling asleep and dropping the book, which woke me up so I could read just one more chapter! Apologies to my hubby and our dogs for the disturbed sleep! Someone Else's Skin grabbed my attention from the outset, pulled me in and then flung me out like a wet dishcloth at the end! Utterly enthralling.
I'm really excited about this new crime author and I'm really looking forward to reading her next novel.Thanks to the bookbridgr team for the review copy I received in return for an honest review.
I'm really excited about this new crime author and I'm really looking forward to reading her next novel.Thanks to the bookbridgr team for the review copy I received in return for an honest review.
January 4, 2020
“Someone Else’s Skin” is the first book in Sarah Hilary’s Detective Inspector Marnie Rome series. The first book is a pretty standard British police procedural mystery but has unique aspects. (I just realized that most British police procedurals I read are murder mysteries but there is no dead body in “Someone Else’s Skin”—only other several serious crimes: attempted murder, kidnapping, sexual battery, wounding and violent sexual domestic abuse.) The primary way in which the Marnie Rome books are different is Marnie herself. Her mother and dad were murdered violently by an adopted son who they had fostered soon after Marnie left home at age 18.
Another strength of this Marnie Rome book are the secondary characters. For example, her sergeant is Noah Jake, an openly gay, biracial (Jamaican-British) police detective with a handsome blonde-haired, blue-eyed boyfriend. Her boss is Tim Welland, who was the supervising officer for Marnie’s parents’ crime scene. Marnie’s potential love interest is Ed Belloc, a good-looking guy who works in Domestic Violence Victim Support Services. Unusually, the perpetrator in “Someone Else’s Skin” is also a highlight of the book (typically I usually find myself less interested in the criminals in the police procedurals I read).
The plot was suspenseful. Both Marnie and Noah get placed in extremely dangerous situations and since it’s the first book, it seemed possible that one or both of them might not make it through to the end of the story without harm.
Overall, I found this book quite a strong entry in the British police crime procedural genre: I like that the main character is a female detective and enjoyed the characterization of DS Noah Jake. I look forward to reading the sequels in the series. Soon!
Another strength of this Marnie Rome book are the secondary characters. For example, her sergeant is Noah Jake, an openly gay, biracial (Jamaican-British) police detective with a handsome blonde-haired, blue-eyed boyfriend. Her boss is Tim Welland, who was the supervising officer for Marnie’s parents’ crime scene. Marnie’s potential love interest is Ed Belloc, a good-looking guy who works in Domestic Violence Victim Support Services. Unusually, the perpetrator in “Someone Else’s Skin” is also a highlight of the book (typically I usually find myself less interested in the criminals in the police procedurals I read).
The plot was suspenseful. Both Marnie and Noah get placed in extremely dangerous situations and since it’s the first book, it seemed possible that one or both of them might not make it through to the end of the story without harm.
Overall, I found this book quite a strong entry in the British police crime procedural genre: I like that the main character is a female detective and enjoyed the characterization of DS Noah Jake. I look forward to reading the sequels in the series. Soon!
October 10, 2014
A disappointing read. I had high hopes for this debut novel given the glowing reviews. The main character needed to be in deep therapy, not leading an investigation. The story itself relies on too much violence to try to hook the reader. It leaves the reader feeling sad about the direction that society is taking. I found this book to be a waste of time and will not read the next book by this author.
July 31, 2015
This is an amazing novel that has justifiably deserved the great reviews and recognition it has received. In part that is due to the originality of the police investigation, the subject matter and the thrilling unsettling writing. It is a well crafted story about manipulation and control, mostly seen through domestic abuse. What makes it stand out is the various themes it tackles in this seldom reported and written about aspect of power in relationships. So the novel covers violence in Africa, abuse of position, domestic violence and parental failings, while finding space for honour based crime,sexual explortation and sadomasochism.
It has a wide appeal and is above all else an honest representation of the secrets, society often fails to acknowledge or address. But at its core are the raw emotions of fear, loss, powerlessness and revenge.
Sarah Hilary is an author who has burst onto the crime scene with this stunning book and I have no reservations in offering my complete recommendation as one of the book to read in 2015.
As someone who works in the area of DV much of the research and representation of a refuge rings true; how women can be disempowered after escaping from longstanding abusive partners. However, I am unsure if all women fleeing could only hope not to be traced if they changed their NINO. I am not aware of this practice even in MARAC cases. I found the plotting weak around the abduction of one of the women as I would expect DBS checks to prevent the incident reported in this account. This lost a star for me as did the overuse of the word skin in the narrative that occurred so frequently it jarred. I got this wonderful theme thoughout the book without the over emphasis. I loved the more subtle references in terms of cutting and tattoos.
Having said that I haven't read such a complete book in a long time where the book fully reflects its title and gives full voice to it throughout the plot.
It has a wide appeal and is above all else an honest representation of the secrets, society often fails to acknowledge or address. But at its core are the raw emotions of fear, loss, powerlessness and revenge.
Sarah Hilary is an author who has burst onto the crime scene with this stunning book and I have no reservations in offering my complete recommendation as one of the book to read in 2015.
As someone who works in the area of DV much of the research and representation of a refuge rings true; how women can be disempowered after escaping from longstanding abusive partners. However, I am unsure if all women fleeing could only hope not to be traced if they changed their NINO. I am not aware of this practice even in MARAC cases. I found the plotting weak around the abduction of one of the women as I would expect DBS checks to prevent the incident reported in this account. This lost a star for me as did the overuse of the word skin in the narrative that occurred so frequently it jarred. I got this wonderful theme thoughout the book without the over emphasis. I loved the more subtle references in terms of cutting and tattoos.
Having said that I haven't read such a complete book in a long time where the book fully reflects its title and gives full voice to it throughout the plot.
September 17, 2015
Not sure what all the fuss is about with this long drawn out and mediocre book! I was looking forward to reading it with so many five star reviews, but found it constantly frustrating in that it lacked something throughout the whole plot. There were far too many individual stories and characters that constantly seemed to be chopping and changing and it kept on jumping from one loose end to the other; too many coincidences and oh, it was so long and drawn out, which tended to lose the plot somewhat (as did the two incompetent detectives)
I did not care for D.I.Rome and wondered why the story was interrupted repeatedly when she was off visiting the boy who killed her parents instead of concentrating on her job. Why would she want to do that? She seemed a glutton for punishment. The whole thing about the side story of Stephen didn't seem necessary to the story once it had been explained at the beginning of the book.
Her abrupt treatment of her partner D.I.Jake was not exactly friendly for most of the time especially as her own behaviour as a detective was not exactly exemplary. I personally did not care for the 'going into' the twisted emotional and sordid backgrounds of so many distasteful characters. overall I found the story distinctly dark and depressing. I like a murder/ mystery to have some degree of humour but it never happened. I only struggled on through all the tortuous twists and turns to find out how it ended. When I did get to the end, I found it flat and unsatisfactory with quite a few puzzles not explained sufficiently. D. I. Rome's love affair was extremely tepid and somehow did not ring true. Most disappointing!
I realise that for most readers this book was a five star read but it was not for me.
I did not care for D.I.Rome and wondered why the story was interrupted repeatedly when she was off visiting the boy who killed her parents instead of concentrating on her job. Why would she want to do that? She seemed a glutton for punishment. The whole thing about the side story of Stephen didn't seem necessary to the story once it had been explained at the beginning of the book.
Her abrupt treatment of her partner D.I.Jake was not exactly friendly for most of the time especially as her own behaviour as a detective was not exactly exemplary. I personally did not care for the 'going into' the twisted emotional and sordid backgrounds of so many distasteful characters. overall I found the story distinctly dark and depressing. I like a murder/ mystery to have some degree of humour but it never happened. I only struggled on through all the tortuous twists and turns to find out how it ended. When I did get to the end, I found it flat and unsatisfactory with quite a few puzzles not explained sufficiently. D. I. Rome's love affair was extremely tepid and somehow did not ring true. Most disappointing!
I realise that for most readers this book was a five star read but it was not for me.
February 6, 2017
Enjoyed my introduction to Marnie Rome, courtesy of Tracy at TBC's recommendation for the reading . This was well written and well plotted if a little dark and disturbing at times. A bit too gritty and hard to read in places but it added to the strength and impact of the story. Another senior police woman fighting demons to add to my other favourites and I will be looking for the next book shortly! Thanks again to Tracy for the recommendation.
February 14, 2015
My answers to questions from David, moderator of the Kindle English Mystery group.
Was Marnie Rome a good character, one you could relate to etc.
I thought Marnie was an interesting character, but there is a lot about her backstory that was left vague, particularly her attachment to her parents’ killer Stephen, her own personal demons (what is behind the tattoos she has?), & the history of her relationship with Ed Belloc. As a character, she wasn’t quite well realised enough for me to care about her.
Unlike a lot of thrillers there were no dead bodies piling up everywhere. Did this make the book better for it or not and did it matter to the storyline?
Her partner Noah came quite close enough & the torture scenes were quite vivid - having suffered fractured ribs myself I could imagine how Noah felt & I’ll never look @ a kettle bell quite the same way again.
How soon or not did you pick up on who was doing the abuse?
About one page before the author told us, which is just about my baseline in mysteries. This one was a real OTT sadist & I tend really to enjoy them (in story books, not real life!). The father was a pathetic alcoholic wreck, which seemed poetic justice.
Did the book capture you and make you want to keep reading to the end. Was the pace and the twists right or were there times you wondered where the story was going?
Yes it did tho’ I thought the entire subplot with Ayana & her brothers was unnecessary & contributed little to the story.
How did you rate the book (1 to 5) as per Goodreads rating system?
A definite but low four star; I’ll never look @ it again.
Would you read another Marnie Rome book? and would you read another book by the same author that wasn't a DI Rome book?
I doubt I’d read another Marnie Rome book. There are just too many even better mysteries out there with main characters I’m more drawn to, though the author seems to be trying to lure to return to find out more about Marnie & Stephen. But authors often get a lot better with practice & I can imagine Sarah Hilary writing a winner someday soon.
Was Marnie Rome a good character, one you could relate to etc.
I thought Marnie was an interesting character, but there is a lot about her backstory that was left vague, particularly her attachment to her parents’ killer Stephen, her own personal demons (what is behind the tattoos she has?), & the history of her relationship with Ed Belloc. As a character, she wasn’t quite well realised enough for me to care about her.
Unlike a lot of thrillers there were no dead bodies piling up everywhere. Did this make the book better for it or not and did it matter to the storyline?
Her partner Noah came quite close enough & the torture scenes were quite vivid - having suffered fractured ribs myself I could imagine how Noah felt & I’ll never look @ a kettle bell quite the same way again.
How soon or not did you pick up on who was doing the abuse?
About one page before the author told us, which is just about my baseline in mysteries. This one was a real OTT sadist & I tend really to enjoy them (in story books, not real life!). The father was a pathetic alcoholic wreck, which seemed poetic justice.
Did the book capture you and make you want to keep reading to the end. Was the pace and the twists right or were there times you wondered where the story was going?
Yes it did tho’ I thought the entire subplot with Ayana & her brothers was unnecessary & contributed little to the story.
How did you rate the book (1 to 5) as per Goodreads rating system?
A definite but low four star; I’ll never look @ it again.
Would you read another Marnie Rome book? and would you read another book by the same author that wasn't a DI Rome book?
I doubt I’d read another Marnie Rome book. There are just too many even better mysteries out there with main characters I’m more drawn to, though the author seems to be trying to lure to return to find out more about Marnie & Stephen. But authors often get a lot better with practice & I can imagine Sarah Hilary writing a winner someday soon.
March 24, 2014
I received a copy of this book from Bookbridgr.com in return for an honest review........
Detective Inspector Marnie Rome has seen plenty of murder and mayhem in her life, both professionally and personally. When she is assigned a case involving an honour based crime, it brings more than she had bargained for. Herself and DS Noah Jake find themselves at the centre of an attempted murder in a women's refuge. Someone is not telling the truth and the witnesses are all abused women with plenty of experience at keeping secrets. Too many loose ends make for uneasy feelings for Marnie and she begins her search for answers.
This debut novel from Sarah Hilary is high class crime fiction. DI Rome is a new character with buckets of potential for follow up novels. Her sidekick, DS Jake, is the calmer of the two and together they are a team to be reckoned with. The partnership works really well and the reader is not given too much backround information, paving the way for further insight at a later stage.
The writing is razor sharp and the use of short sentences, throughout the novel, gives it a snappy pace that makes you want to keep turning those pages. Some hard-hitting topics make a great plot, with domestic violence, racism, homophobia and foster care all getting a look in.
The violence is described in depth and has a gritty feel without it seeming to be an attempt at shock tactics. Unfortunately, we live in a world where such violence exists and we can't hide from that fact. I did see how the story was heading fairly early on in the book, but this didn't take away any of the enjoyment. The characters are sufficiently different to avoid the usual stereotypes of the crime thriller genre; no aging alcoholic detective with an ex wife who couldn't stand being married to the job, or young rookie cop with a plan to change the ways of the police force. This is a modern novel, with a crisp approach. It would be a great TV series and I have no doubt that we will hear more from DI Marnie Rome in the near future.........
Recommended.
Detective Inspector Marnie Rome has seen plenty of murder and mayhem in her life, both professionally and personally. When she is assigned a case involving an honour based crime, it brings more than she had bargained for. Herself and DS Noah Jake find themselves at the centre of an attempted murder in a women's refuge. Someone is not telling the truth and the witnesses are all abused women with plenty of experience at keeping secrets. Too many loose ends make for uneasy feelings for Marnie and she begins her search for answers.
This debut novel from Sarah Hilary is high class crime fiction. DI Rome is a new character with buckets of potential for follow up novels. Her sidekick, DS Jake, is the calmer of the two and together they are a team to be reckoned with. The partnership works really well and the reader is not given too much backround information, paving the way for further insight at a later stage.
The writing is razor sharp and the use of short sentences, throughout the novel, gives it a snappy pace that makes you want to keep turning those pages. Some hard-hitting topics make a great plot, with domestic violence, racism, homophobia and foster care all getting a look in.
The violence is described in depth and has a gritty feel without it seeming to be an attempt at shock tactics. Unfortunately, we live in a world where such violence exists and we can't hide from that fact. I did see how the story was heading fairly early on in the book, but this didn't take away any of the enjoyment. The characters are sufficiently different to avoid the usual stereotypes of the crime thriller genre; no aging alcoholic detective with an ex wife who couldn't stand being married to the job, or young rookie cop with a plan to change the ways of the police force. This is a modern novel, with a crisp approach. It would be a great TV series and I have no doubt that we will hear more from DI Marnie Rome in the near future.........
Recommended.
February 1, 2014
I rate this at 3.5 stars.
Detective Inspector Marnie Rome and Detective Sergeant Noah Jake are investigating a crime and visiting a women's refuge to interview one of the residents. What they discover when they arrive is a man lying seriously injured on the floor, he's been stabbed and is the husband of one of the women. Suddenly Marnie and Noah are in charge of a complex investigation and one that soon spirals out of control.
As well as a couple of storylines concerning the refuge there is also one from Marnie's past when she suffered a devastating loss to a violent act. Despite it being very well written, I found all the different parts of the story made it a little difficult for me to get into the book properly to begin with and I wasn't sure where it was all going. Around half way through though the story accelerated and became much more interesting for me. The book has plenty of short chapters to keep you reading as well as twists and turns. I thought I was being very clever having worked one of them out only to be surprised again.
This is the authors first novel and it is an impressive debut. Despite my early reservations I did like the characters of Marnie and Noah and I'm hoping that this will be the start of a series, I would like to discover more about the pair of them.
I received a copy of this from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Detective Inspector Marnie Rome and Detective Sergeant Noah Jake are investigating a crime and visiting a women's refuge to interview one of the residents. What they discover when they arrive is a man lying seriously injured on the floor, he's been stabbed and is the husband of one of the women. Suddenly Marnie and Noah are in charge of a complex investigation and one that soon spirals out of control.
As well as a couple of storylines concerning the refuge there is also one from Marnie's past when she suffered a devastating loss to a violent act. Despite it being very well written, I found all the different parts of the story made it a little difficult for me to get into the book properly to begin with and I wasn't sure where it was all going. Around half way through though the story accelerated and became much more interesting for me. The book has plenty of short chapters to keep you reading as well as twists and turns. I thought I was being very clever having worked one of them out only to be surprised again.
This is the authors first novel and it is an impressive debut. Despite my early reservations I did like the characters of Marnie and Noah and I'm hoping that this will be the start of a series, I would like to discover more about the pair of them.
I received a copy of this from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
January 1, 2016
Well I can see why Someone Else's Skin won the Theakstons Old Peculier crime novel of the year award. It's got everything you want in a crime novel: crime, multiple theories twists and a cracking police officer as the main character.
We are introduced DI Marnie Rome and her team. Rome and one of her sergeants, Noah Jake arrive at a women's refuge to quiz a woman about the misdemeanours of her brothers only to find a man bleeding to death from a stab wound and his wife in a state. This chance visit causes a chain reaction of events leading to missing persons but who is pulling the strings?
I loved the relationship between Rome and Jake, it felt like he was her favourite DS. And the chemistry between Rome and the social worker Ed Belloc, there were sparks from the start! Will it aspire to anything? I really hope so, Rome deserves some happiness!
The subject of domestic violence is a sensitive one to do and do right but I think (not being an expert or anything) Sarah Hilary has got it right. Not just the expected "husband physically abusing his wife" but psychological abuse and inter-family abuse.
I really enjoyed this book, but unfortunately real life got in the way of me devouring it! I'm looking forward to reading No Other Darkness which is sat waiting patiently on my Kindle. And I'm very excited to hear there is a third outing for Marnie Rome in 2016!
We are introduced DI Marnie Rome and her team. Rome and one of her sergeants, Noah Jake arrive at a women's refuge to quiz a woman about the misdemeanours of her brothers only to find a man bleeding to death from a stab wound and his wife in a state. This chance visit causes a chain reaction of events leading to missing persons but who is pulling the strings?
I loved the relationship between Rome and Jake, it felt like he was her favourite DS. And the chemistry between Rome and the social worker Ed Belloc, there were sparks from the start! Will it aspire to anything? I really hope so, Rome deserves some happiness!
The subject of domestic violence is a sensitive one to do and do right but I think (not being an expert or anything) Sarah Hilary has got it right. Not just the expected "husband physically abusing his wife" but psychological abuse and inter-family abuse.
I really enjoyed this book, but unfortunately real life got in the way of me devouring it! I'm looking forward to reading No Other Darkness which is sat waiting patiently on my Kindle. And I'm very excited to hear there is a third outing for Marnie Rome in 2016!
April 26, 2016
5 Stars
I was almost sceptical when I started this one--it felt like there was too much information given away too quickly, like the mystery was missing. And now, even having finished it, I feel like it wasn't the typical mystery. The reveal was closer to the 60% mark than the 90% mark, how I normally like it.
But, surprisingly enough, I still loved this book. It was gripping, and the reveal was brilliant, even if a bit early.
But the characters made it. It's rare that I connect to every single character in a book, but Sarah Hilary really writes them perfectly. DI Marnie Rome and Ed Belloc were my favourites. I'm a sucker for a romantic subplot, and I would have preferred a bit more of a forbidden edge, but for the time spent on the romance, I think this was perfect.
Definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a pretty fast paced mystery with a few twists and turns.
I was almost sceptical when I started this one--it felt like there was too much information given away too quickly, like the mystery was missing. And now, even having finished it, I feel like it wasn't the typical mystery. The reveal was closer to the 60% mark than the 90% mark, how I normally like it.
But, surprisingly enough, I still loved this book. It was gripping, and the reveal was brilliant, even if a bit early.
But the characters made it. It's rare that I connect to every single character in a book, but Sarah Hilary really writes them perfectly. DI Marnie Rome and Ed Belloc were my favourites. I'm a sucker for a romantic subplot, and I would have preferred a bit more of a forbidden edge, but for the time spent on the romance, I think this was perfect.
Definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a pretty fast paced mystery with a few twists and turns.
July 30, 2015
I bought this book because I had heard fantastic things about the author, and I was not disappointed. This is a very strong storyline, with fascinating but harrowing glimpses of the lives of the people within. I really enjoyed reading about Marnie Rome, and look forward to reading the rest in the series. This is an intense fast paced story, with enough twists and turns to keep you gripped throughout. The scene setting is excellent, and the author does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. I could easily imagine this as a TV series, and it is of no surprise that this is an award winning book.
January 8, 2016
Only a couple of people in the group enjoyed this book and one member couldn't finish it. While a few of us agreed that it was well-written, we felt that there were just too many important issues touched on but not explored properly, and that this prevented us from getting involved with the characters so that we didn't really care what happened to them. We were baffled by the rave reviews which the book had received. A couple of members had read her second book and said that it was much better, in fact one member had to check twice to see if it was really written by the same author.
January 3, 2018
Absolutely superb. Twisty, heartfelt, exciting, worrying and confident. I love Sarah Hilary's voice. I've been fortunate enough to have read No Other Darkness already. Now I know that its brilliance was not a one-off.
January 18, 2014
An excellent debut novel; edgy, fast-paced, chilling and well written. Realistic characters with heart and a multi layered plot. This is the classic page turner.
September 13, 2014
An outstanding novel. Sarah has really gripped the subject matter, and created an emotional, yet powerful crime story. Looking forward to No Other Darkness. Just 5 stars all the way through.
April 27, 2019
More of a 4.5 but couldn’t give it a four!
Really enjoyed this. The start kind of lost me a bit with all the leads and different routes it may have taken but then it came together and it had me hooked.
A new favorite detective to add to the list!
Really enjoyed this. The start kind of lost me a bit with all the leads and different routes it may have taken but then it came together and it had me hooked.
A new favorite detective to add to the list!
January 13, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
Some secrets keep you safe, others will destroy you…
Detective Inspector Marnie Rome. Dependable; fierce; brilliant at her job; a rising star in the ranks. Everyone knows how Marnie fought back from the murder of her parents, but very few know what is going on below the surface. Because Marnie has secrets she won’t share with anyone.
But then so does everyone. Certainly those in the women’s shelter Marnie and Detective Sergeant Noah Jake visit on that fateful day. The day when they arrive to interview a resident, only to find one of the women’s husbands, who shouldn’t have been there, lying stabbed on the floor.
As Marnie and Noah investigate the crime further, events begin to spiral and the violence escalates. Everyone is keeping secrets, some for survival and some, they suspect, to disguise who they really are under their skin.
Now if Marnie is going to find the truth she will have to face her own demons head on. Because the time has come for secrets to be revealed…
D.I. Marnie Rome knows what it’s like to suffer loss. Her parents were murdered 5 years ago and since then she has used her grief and guilt to climb the ranks in the police force.
Together with D.S. Noah Jake she is investigating Nasif Mirza, a brutal man who is wanted in connection with an attack which left a man without his hand. This leads them to a women’s refuge where Mirza’s sister is hiding after an attack by her brothers left her blind in one eye. On arriving at the refuge Rome and Jake find one of the resident’s with a bloody knife in her hand, her husband lying stabbed and dying on the floor.
As Rome begins to investigate things soon emerge to be not as clear cut as they initially seem. Two of the women from the refuge disappear, with a third soon to follow. In a race against time to find the missing women Rome has to deal with someone who thrives on pain, come face to face with her own prejudices and try to let go of the ghosts that still haunt her regarding her parents and their killer.
This is the crime debut of Sarah Hilary, who has previously won awards for her short stories, and with it she brings us a new rising star in crime fiction.
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was gripping, thought provoking and disturbing. The ensemble of characters were well written, all fitting into the story and I found myself hoping that they would return in the next instalment. If I wasn’t reading it I was wanting to, and when I was reading it I was in that position most of us find ourselves in when we are reading a good book – wanting to read it to find out more, but not wanting it to end. If all the crime novels I read this coming year are half as good as this I’m in for a treat.
Yes, I had guessed how the story would progress before it was revealed in the book, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. This tends to happen with the vast majority of crime fiction I read, and given that the bulk of my reading is taken up by this genre guessing the storyline and twists is part of the fun.
Sarah Hiliary has written about a topic that is often shied away from and has dealt with it in a way that is both sensitive, enlightening and shocking. Though Rome has her dark moments, secrets she keeps under her skin, she makes a refreshing change from the dour, borderline alcoholic leads in crime novels that are regular layers in crime novels. She has her own demons to contend with, the story of her parents’ murders and her relationship with her foster brother is a theme that will carry on through the series.
In Marnie Rome, Sarah Hilary has created a new force to be reckoned with. I can easily see this series being made into a TV series, only hopefully, if this does happen, TV execs will do themselves a favour and keep Rome and her colleagues as they are in Someone Else’s Skin.
The great thing about discovering a new author and a new series of novels is that you have the next book in the series to look forward to. The bad thing about it is the wait until the new novel is published. I am impatiently waiting for the next Marnie Rome novel.
4.5 stars
Some secrets keep you safe, others will destroy you…
Detective Inspector Marnie Rome. Dependable; fierce; brilliant at her job; a rising star in the ranks. Everyone knows how Marnie fought back from the murder of her parents, but very few know what is going on below the surface. Because Marnie has secrets she won’t share with anyone.
But then so does everyone. Certainly those in the women’s shelter Marnie and Detective Sergeant Noah Jake visit on that fateful day. The day when they arrive to interview a resident, only to find one of the women’s husbands, who shouldn’t have been there, lying stabbed on the floor.
As Marnie and Noah investigate the crime further, events begin to spiral and the violence escalates. Everyone is keeping secrets, some for survival and some, they suspect, to disguise who they really are under their skin.
Now if Marnie is going to find the truth she will have to face her own demons head on. Because the time has come for secrets to be revealed…
D.I. Marnie Rome knows what it’s like to suffer loss. Her parents were murdered 5 years ago and since then she has used her grief and guilt to climb the ranks in the police force.
Together with D.S. Noah Jake she is investigating Nasif Mirza, a brutal man who is wanted in connection with an attack which left a man without his hand. This leads them to a women’s refuge where Mirza’s sister is hiding after an attack by her brothers left her blind in one eye. On arriving at the refuge Rome and Jake find one of the resident’s with a bloody knife in her hand, her husband lying stabbed and dying on the floor.
As Rome begins to investigate things soon emerge to be not as clear cut as they initially seem. Two of the women from the refuge disappear, with a third soon to follow. In a race against time to find the missing women Rome has to deal with someone who thrives on pain, come face to face with her own prejudices and try to let go of the ghosts that still haunt her regarding her parents and their killer.
This is the crime debut of Sarah Hilary, who has previously won awards for her short stories, and with it she brings us a new rising star in crime fiction.
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was gripping, thought provoking and disturbing. The ensemble of characters were well written, all fitting into the story and I found myself hoping that they would return in the next instalment. If I wasn’t reading it I was wanting to, and when I was reading it I was in that position most of us find ourselves in when we are reading a good book – wanting to read it to find out more, but not wanting it to end. If all the crime novels I read this coming year are half as good as this I’m in for a treat.
Yes, I had guessed how the story would progress before it was revealed in the book, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. This tends to happen with the vast majority of crime fiction I read, and given that the bulk of my reading is taken up by this genre guessing the storyline and twists is part of the fun.
Sarah Hiliary has written about a topic that is often shied away from and has dealt with it in a way that is both sensitive, enlightening and shocking. Though Rome has her dark moments, secrets she keeps under her skin, she makes a refreshing change from the dour, borderline alcoholic leads in crime novels that are regular layers in crime novels. She has her own demons to contend with, the story of her parents’ murders and her relationship with her foster brother is a theme that will carry on through the series.
In Marnie Rome, Sarah Hilary has created a new force to be reckoned with. I can easily see this series being made into a TV series, only hopefully, if this does happen, TV execs will do themselves a favour and keep Rome and her colleagues as they are in Someone Else’s Skin.
The great thing about discovering a new author and a new series of novels is that you have the next book in the series to look forward to. The bad thing about it is the wait until the new novel is published. I am impatiently waiting for the next Marnie Rome novel.
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