I wish I'd read a bit about this book before starting it: I'd have had a much different approach to the way the story developed and the twists it took. (Of course I wouldn't normally just dive into a book without reading the bumph on the back cover but on this occasion, my partner had just read it prior to myself and her incessant raving meant I had to start it without any personal consideration. Apart from that Ruth Rendell loved it and thought it was '"masterly and satisfying").

So, it starts cryptically with a chapter called "The Tape" (and later, some more chapters called "The Tape") (while all the other chapters were numbered). someone talking (confessing?) about what they've done and what they think about things (related to the story). Sounds familiar? Yes, I could see how it would work as a crime drama on television... in fact I've seen many crime dramas starting just like it. And unfortunately so it continued with the "development" of clichéd characters (well, the police characters were typical stereotypes. Perhaps having a DCI that you can easily picture in your mind helps to bring more reality to the story?). Anyway, over-looking this minor element, the story turns out to be quite enjoyable in it's slowly-developing plot. The main focus being young policewoman Freya Graffham, who has just swapped the high pressures of a London CID for the quiet Cathedral town of Lafferton. She's split up with her husband and is beginning to settle in and enjoy her new single lifestyle. She's beautiful, intelligent and very good at her job. I could see a series of books based on Freya Graffham coming up.

The story begins with a disappearance (or is it a murder?). No evidence. Then another disappearance. Were they related? Some tenuous links appear. Then another disappearance. Yes, they were probably related but still no hard-fast evidence. But Freya Graffham "believes" they're related. So, the story rolled on like this for 80% of the whole book. The in typical clichéd-police-drama-fashion, the murderer decides to contact the police with some evidence... what were they thinking?

And if I'd read the back cover beforehand I wouldn't have been so shocked at the considerable twist that would arrive in the last 20% of the book. And I'm not taking about the murderer.

I'll admit I was upset at the outcome.