A Novel Haul

 

I think there’s a danger right now, in the wake of Gone Girl’s popularity, that new thrillers feel like they have to have some gruesome shock factor in order to be thrilling. Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks proves that what a good thriller really needs is a thought out plot, realistic twists and well written characters. I loved the understated nature of the storyline and the fact that it gave the chance for the characters to shine, whilst also being unexpected and full of plenty of twists.

 

Abi’s mum has gone missing, taking with her her two year old twins. Fourteen years later Abi writes to her estranged husband about her attempts to come to terms with her loss. Meanwhile, Kathryn is living a small community life with her now sixteen year old daughters and praying that her past doesn’t catch up with her. The plot relies heavily on he idea of family manipulation, reputations that are worth protecting over everything else and the bigger lies that are spawned from little ones. I loved it.

 

It’s a really good debut, and I especially appreciated it being such a sympathetic portrayal of living with a troubled parent. It’s well plotted, each character has a strong voice and the ending will make you cry, even just a little.

 

Beneath the Surface is released on March 24th. I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

https://anovelhaul.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/beneath-the-surface-by-heidi-perks/