Steph's Books

First of all I have to say how good Alex Marwood is at creating characters that the reader will loathe. I have read books before where I struggled to like anybody but the ones in this book were the most despicable that I have ever come across. There were a handful that I liked. Mila, Ruby, Joe and Claire. Apart from Claire they were all children in 2004 when Coco disappeared.
The story covers two events. The weekend of Sean's 50th birthday party when Coco disappeared and twelve years later at his funeral. Mila has very reluctantly agreed to accompany Ruby to the funeral so they can say their goodbyes to the father they never really knew. Mila spends some of the time suspecting that she is more like him than she wants to admit. She questions why the friends she socialises with have been absent since the news broke about her father's death. She also enjoys the time she spends with Ruby who she hadn't really got to know.
The revulsion I felt towards the other characters was there all the way through but at one point I actually felt sickened by Sean. If you have read the novel you would probably be able to work out which part of the novel I mean. If you haven't you will just have to read it to find out. Another character was a manipulator who would turn the situation into something that would make them look wonderful and they could control everything.
It's a cracking read and very addictive. Each chapter focuses on a different character and covers both periods in time. You want to read another chapter so you can go back to the period that interested you to see what happened next.

I have read all the books by this author and this is my favourite one. Not the easiest topic to read but It didn't really focus on Coco and an investigation. It was more about the people who failed her.

I received a copy via netgalley for which I thank the publisher. I have since purchased the novel.