Title: The Suspect
Author: Fiona Barton
Series: Kate Waters #3
Publisher: Transworld
[Synopsis]
The police belonged to another world – the world they saw on the television or in the papers. Not theirs.
When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing on their gap year in Thailand, their families are thrust into the international spotlight: desperate, bereft and frantic with worry.
Journalist Kate Waters always does everything she can to be first to the story, first with the exclusive, first to discover the truth – and this time is no exception. But she can’t help but think of her own son, who she hasn’t seen in two years since he left home to go traveling. This time it’s personal.
And as the case of the missing girls unfolds, they will all find that even this far away, danger can lie closer to home than you might think…
[My Review]
The Suspect is a gripping, brilliantly crafted novel that is just as addictive as her other novels, which I’ve also loved.
You definitely don’t need to read this series in order but, having read the first two, I feel like I’ve got a good understanding of the characters including Kate and Bob Sparkes, making what happens in this novel even more emotive (no spoilers here though!).
I always love an element of mystery, especially combined with travel, and so I particularly enjoyed reading about Thailand, which made up a good chunk of the story and is a country I’ve visited before and loved. Therefore it brought back memories but my trip was (thankfully) very different to the two girls’.
The story jumps back and forwards in time, with various perspectives included, such as the parents of Alex and Rosie, the reporter Kate, and the police too. I find this kind of structure really interesting and I got completely hooked on the story. There’s plenty of grit and darkness to the plot, as well as a complexity that isn’t too confusing but still very intriguing. Highly recommended (as well as the rest of the series!)
[Rating: 5/5]
Many thanks to Transworld for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
[…] […]