Title: All Of Us Are Broken
Author: Fiona Cummins
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Synopsis:
It’s been a long time since the Hardwicke family has been on holiday. But thirteen-year-old Galen has wanted to see the wild dolphins at Scotland’s Chanonry Point for as long as she can remember, and her mother Christine – a lone parent since her beloved husband left – is determined she gets her wish. But their serene trip is about to be interrupted.
When DC Saul Anguish is called to investigate the shooting of an ex-police officer in Midtown-on-Sea, Essex, he quickly discovers that this is the first in a string of killings by Missy and Fox, a damaged young couple hell-bent on infamy, their love story etched in blood. In pursuit, Saul follows their trail north.
The paths of the Hardwickes’ and the deadly couple are about to collide. When Saul and his forensic linguist partner, Blue, arrive on the scene, they witness the unthinkable: a mother forced to make an impossible choice.
Saul must uncover the truth about the couple. But can he find the strength to lay the ghosts of his past to rest before they break him?
My review:
All Of Us Are Broken is a welcome return for me to DC Saul Anguish and his team, who we first met in Into The Dark, which I really enjoyed. However, for me, the plot in All Of Us Are Broken is even better, making this book easily one of my favourites of the year!
The characters feel well-rounded and convincing We get some development of Saul and Blue’s relationship with one another, which was initially introduced in Into The Dark, so I’d recommend starting with that book if you can, but if not this novel can absolutely be read and enjoyed as a standalone too.
What makes this novel so gripping is the dark, shocking storyline following a spate of killings across the country investigated by DC Anguish and his team. The book opens with an incredibly shocking scene that you won’t forget in a hurry, and from there on I was completely hooked!
I liked that the book had a focus on the people doing the killings – which we soon find out (so it’s not a spoiler!) are being carried out by Fox, a man with a very dark past, and Missy, a disgraced school teacher – as well on as on the police’s investigation. Their ruthlessness and depravity are morbidly captivating to read about. The book is laced with tension throughout and I couldn’t put it down! The book is steeped in tension throughout, making it impossible to put down. If you’re in the mood for something darkly twisted and shockingly gripping, this is well worth a punt.
All Of Us Are Broken is an incredibly gripping crime thriller – you can’t go wrong with novels by Fiona Cummins, but this one is exceptionally addictive.
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