Malcolm and Harriet Benson appear to be a normal couple; they are friendly enough with their neighbours,
although they do tend to keep themselves to themselves. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that ten-year-old Daisy, whom they abducted three years earlier, lives in a locked room in the house, with no natural light because the window has been blocked by wooden boards. As the story starts Malcolm informs Harriet and Daisy that they should prepare to welcome a new addition to their family, a sister for Daisy; her name is Poppy, she is six years old and fits all the criteria he uses to find the “right” child for his family. Although Daisy believes this is no place to bring another child, her experiences over the years have taught her how she is expected to behave in order to avoid punishment and, as she has learnt that it is futile to complain, she assures her “parents” that she will share her toys with her new “sister”, will read to her and, most important of all, will explain to her “how everything works” in this strange household.
The abduction of Poppy is being investigated by DS Nathan Cody and his partner, DC Megan Webley. They are members of Liverpool’s Major Incident Team, which is headed by DCI Stella Blunt. From the start the team is confounded by the unusual and audacious nature of this “early hours of the morning” abduction, carried out as Polly’s parents are asleep in their own bedroom. It soon becomes clear that this is no opportunistic snatching but is one which has been meticulously planned. With a lack of leads and no understanding of the motivations of the abductor, the team becomes increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress in their investigations. When a third young girl is abducted fears for the safety of the children increase and the need to find a resolution becomes more urgent, placing the team members under even more pressure.
I found this a well-paced and immediately engaging story. It effectively and convincingly combines the horrors of what is happening in the Benson household and the efforts of the police to solve the crime, the result being a fast-moving psychological thriller. I thought that the characterisations of each one of the members of the MIT were well rounded and developed and that the complex dynamics of the various interrelationships were convincingly well portrayed. These interactions captured the mostly good-natured if, at times, edgy banter which seems to be essential when people are working under extreme pressure, especially when the situations they are dealing with are so disturbing, stressful and even life-threatening.
The story was told from the shifting perspectives of Nathan, Malcom and Daisy, thus offering insights into the various characters, their motivations and the developing investigation. I thought this was very well and smoothly handled. There was never a time when I felt any confusion about whose perspective was being explored and I found that the various twists and turns were credible and convincing. This device was particularly effective in gradually exposing what was happening in the Benson household and the motivations behind the abductions. It quickly became clear that Malcolm’s rationale for abducting these young girls was, to say the least, twisted and that his violent outbursts when thwarted in any way was a huge threat to their safety. The daily horrors faced by the girls was well captured, as were their individual reactions to their incarceration and, as the story progressed, the tension which was generated during Malcolm’s interactions with them made for some very uncomfortable and disturbing moments, at times verging on unbearable. I thought that in his resolution of the story the author posed some very thought-provoking questions for the reader in relation to the ambiguity of the kidnappers’ motivations – something which could make for some very interesting reading group discussions!
The fact that Daisy had been living this life for three years meant that she felt a huge responsibility for ensuring that her new “sisters” quickly learnt the rules set by Malcolm and Harriet. This was an absolute necessity, not only for their safety but also so that she wasn’t punished for any disobedience on their part. Their arrival is very disturbing for her because their presence also serves to remind her of how much she has lost since she was snatched from her own family. For the most part I thought that the author managed to convey a convincing picture of the girls’ reactions and feelings and there were moments when I felt as though I was in the locked room with them, feeling their terror whenever they heard the bolt on the door being slid open. However, I did find that there were a few occasions when I needed to retreat into a degree of suspension of disbelief at the maturity of Daisy’s thought-processes as she tried to find a resolution to their predicament. When compared with the author’s overall understanding of human psychology this was rather surprising.
The fact that this is the third book in a series featuring Nathan Cody didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story because I found that the author managed to provide sufficient background information to explain the behaviour and motivations of this troubled detective and the history of the team, thus enabling it to be easily read as a stand-alone novel. The fact that it was set in Liverpool, and especially the fact that it featured the suburb of Crosby, my childhood home, added an extra dimension to my enjoyment of this well-written novel and I’m now keen to read the two earlier books in the series!
although they do tend to keep themselves to themselves. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that ten-year-old Daisy, whom they abducted three years earlier, lives in a locked room in the house, with no natural light because the window has been blocked by wooden boards. As the story starts Malcolm informs Harriet and Daisy that they should prepare to welcome a new addition to their family, a sister for Daisy; her name is Poppy, she is six years old and fits all the criteria he uses to find the “right” child for his family. Although Daisy believes this is no place to bring another child, her experiences over the years have taught her how she is expected to behave in order to avoid punishment and, as she has learnt that it is futile to complain, she assures her “parents” that she will share her toys with her new “sister”, will read to her and, most important of all, will explain to her “how everything works” in this strange household.
The abduction of Poppy is being investigated by DS Nathan Cody and his partner, DC Megan Webley. They are members of Liverpool’s Major Incident Team, which is headed by DCI Stella Blunt. From the start the team is confounded by the unusual and audacious nature of this “early hours of the morning” abduction, carried out as Polly’s parents are asleep in their own bedroom. It soon becomes clear that this is no opportunistic snatching but is one which has been meticulously planned. With a lack of leads and no understanding of the motivations of the abductor, the team becomes increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress in their investigations. When a third young girl is abducted fears for the safety of the children increase and the need to find a resolution becomes more urgent, placing the team members under even more pressure.
I found this a well-paced and immediately engaging story. It effectively and convincingly combines the horrors of what is happening in the Benson household and the efforts of the police to solve the crime, the result being a fast-moving psychological thriller. I thought that the characterisations of each one of the members of the MIT were well rounded and developed and that the complex dynamics of the various interrelationships were convincingly well portrayed. These interactions captured the mostly good-natured if, at times, edgy banter which seems to be essential when people are working under extreme pressure, especially when the situations they are dealing with are so disturbing, stressful and even life-threatening.
The story was told from the shifting perspectives of Nathan, Malcom and Daisy, thus offering insights into the various characters, their motivations and the developing investigation. I thought this was very well and smoothly handled. There was never a time when I felt any confusion about whose perspective was being explored and I found that the various twists and turns were credible and convincing. This device was particularly effective in gradually exposing what was happening in the Benson household and the motivations behind the abductions. It quickly became clear that Malcolm’s rationale for abducting these young girls was, to say the least, twisted and that his violent outbursts when thwarted in any way was a huge threat to their safety. The daily horrors faced by the girls was well captured, as were their individual reactions to their incarceration and, as the story progressed, the tension which was generated during Malcolm’s interactions with them made for some very uncomfortable and disturbing moments, at times verging on unbearable. I thought that in his resolution of the story the author posed some very thought-provoking questions for the reader in relation to the ambiguity of the kidnappers’ motivations – something which could make for some very interesting reading group discussions!
The fact that Daisy had been living this life for three years meant that she felt a huge responsibility for ensuring that her new “sisters” quickly learnt the rules set by Malcolm and Harriet. This was an absolute necessity, not only for their safety but also so that she wasn’t punished for any disobedience on their part. Their arrival is very disturbing for her because their presence also serves to remind her of how much she has lost since she was snatched from her own family. For the most part I thought that the author managed to convey a convincing picture of the girls’ reactions and feelings and there were moments when I felt as though I was in the locked room with them, feeling their terror whenever they heard the bolt on the door being slid open. However, I did find that there were a few occasions when I needed to retreat into a degree of suspension of disbelief at the maturity of Daisy’s thought-processes as she tried to find a resolution to their predicament. When compared with the author’s overall understanding of human psychology this was rather surprising.
The fact that this is the third book in a series featuring Nathan Cody didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story because I found that the author managed to provide sufficient background information to explain the behaviour and motivations of this troubled detective and the history of the team, thus enabling it to be easily read as a stand-alone novel. The fact that it was set in Liverpool, and especially the fact that it featured the suburb of Crosby, my childhood home, added an extra dimension to my enjoyment of this well-written novel and I’m now keen to read the two earlier books in the series!