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*** Happy Pub Day. ***

This is a haunting novel. The characters, their circumstances and their environments all combine to create an atmospheric book that is not only dark and disturbing, but ultimately a book about survival. I couldn't figure out if this was a book about a serial killer, a horror novel or maybe a thriller. By the time I finished it, I realized none of these descriptions fit, or maybe they all fit. All I know is that I was mesmerized by the story and how artfully it was told.

Meet Ted Bannerman and his cat Olivia. They live in a decrepit house whose windows are boarded up because people keep throwing rocks and breaking the glass. Why? Well, eleven years ago a child went missing a short distance from Ted's house and the police, suspecting Ted, ransacked his house in their search for the girl, Lulu.. The events of the day LuLu disappeared are recounted by her big sister Dee who, eleven years after Lulu's disappearance has become Ted's new neighbor in her ongoing search for her missing sister. Told initially from these three character's points of view, the past and present collide and the result is anything but straightforward.

I found myself mesmerized by the characters and pulled along the story path by the exceptional writing. This is a finely crafted story about the extent of psychological damage a twisted mind can cause. Do not be fooled into thinking this is just a thriller or a horror story; it is so much more. The reveals and pacing are perfectly timed to keep one immersed in the character's situations and invested in the outcome from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan-Tor/Forge for an advance copy of this book. The publication date is September 28, 2021.