In an intriguing opening scene, we see a man dead on the floor. The three people standing around are forming the story they will tell the police. From their point of view, their actions are justified. After all, he murdered Ruby! We then go back in time a couple of months and witness the events that led up to that fateful day. During this narrative we also see events from the characters' pasts which enrich the story being told. The story of Vivienne, a successful cafe owner, named for her dead sister Ruby, killed by her boyfriend decades ago when Viv was a child. The boyfriend having been convicted, mostly on Viv's own evidence. But he has always protested his innocence and when strange things start happening to Viv, she starts to doubt herself. As the stakes get higher and her whole world is threatened, can she leave her comfort zone and get to the truth once and for all?
It's hard to say much more specific about this book as the author hasn't really given anything away in the blurb. What I can say however is that this book was a very refreshing return to everything I love about the genre. The red herrings and sleights of hand were executed with aplomb. Fingers pointing at several characters along the way, slowly being whittled down until the truth came out. And boy, wow, I really didn't see that coming. Nope. Not even an inkling of a suspicion. Sucker punched me for sure. Left me reeling, gobsmacked. Well done that author!
Yes, OK, if I have to admit it, and I do for my own reputation, there were a few things that maybe skirted credibility a tad along the way but, when taken as a whole, they were relatively insignificant and didn't jar or distract, so I was happy to accept and move on.
Characterisation was great - so many well drawn people for me to get my investigative teeth into. As with most books of the genre, the author kept me on my toes with my feelings for them all along the way. The execution of the finger pointing so well done that I never felt cheated as I have with some books. It never felt like I was being duped.
Pacing was perfect and, with no superfluous padding, the story got on with itself very well. Description added to rather than distracting from the narrative.
All in all, a cracking read that I thoroughly enjoyed and which left me wholly satisfied at its conclusion. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.