Snap: The Sunday Times Bestseller

Product Information

ABOUT THIS BOOK: On a stifling summer's day, eleven-year-old Jack and his two sisters sit in their broken-down car, waiting for their mother to come back and rescue them. Detective Chief Inspector Marvel thinking about the murder: "Investigating a murder was like doing a jigsaw puzzle in the dark. It's a satisfying feeling for the reader, as I'm sure it is to the author who has created such a feat.

I am almost through with ”Everything Under” and I can safely say it was one of the most unique books I’ve ever read.

At the heart of it all is a family, drowning in misery and unrelenting pain, their future crushed by the inhuman act that deprives them of a loving mother and wife. Most characters are not given the space to develop any complexity; they are like characters in a Carry On film with their individual tic or prominent trait, but with nothing behind it. The characters were brought skilfully to life, and although Jack's loss was difficult to witness, there was lots of light relief in the form of Reynolds and Marvel. Detectives Marvel and Reynolds are investigating the robberies in the area and eventually they get involved with helping Jack look for his mother’s killer.

Spoiler: the murderer killed Jack’s mom because they ‘snapped’ in a moment of madness, but the murder itself involved kidnapping this woman and driving her to another location, bringing her out into a field, and stabbing her, all of which took some sort of premeditation and lasted something like half an hour…? Don't get me wrong, it's totally fine for some relaxed holiday reading in the sun, which I did, but I can think of numerous 'Crime' authors who would have filled the job better.

I know that seems like it should be a given for a thriller, but having read many which fall flat on their faces in this regard, it is nice to read a proper page-turner. Bauer focuses more on her deep character development here as her story grasps simple humanity in the palm of her hand. I really do enjoy thrillers in a guilty pleasure kind of way, but I can’t read too many of them in a row as I get sick of them quite easily.