When a small child is found wandering alone, the local shopkeepers call the authorities immediately. Twenty minutes later, the girl's mother turns up, panicked and distraught. It doesn't take long to clear things up, and mother and daughter are soon reunited and sent on their way.
Miles away, the body of a man is discovered, floating in a bathtub, but the most surprising discovery of all is that he isn't dead. Despite his injuries, he is very much alive.
Two seemingly unrelated events. But as DS Harper begins to investigate, disturbing truths start to come to light that connect the man to the mother and child, and suddenly it's not clear where the danger truly lies. Harper must find out, and quickly. Because someone, or some thing, is closing in and she needs to uncover the truth before it's too late...
Weaving together the trademark folklore inspiration that readers loved in Little Darlings, with the procedural narrative force of a brilliant mystery, this is the excellent and unnerving new novel from Melanie Golding.***
Leonie presses her palm to the outside of the shop window. NOW, LEONIE (FRIDAY 21 DECEMBER)
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(@HQstories, 11 November 2021, ebook, 384 pages, #ARC from the publisher via @NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed)
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I've enjoyed other books by the author and knew I had to read this without even reading the blurb. I have a fondness for books about selkie and the like. There's something I find really appealing about them. I didn't even know the book would include elements of myth, legend and folklore until I started to get into it. This is nothing like any book I've red before featuring similar myths and I was impressed by the way the author blended folklore and a thriller. I didn't want to stop reading. This is original and well written.
