Alice and the Fly - James Rice

Blurb

This is a book about phobias and obsessions, isolation and dark corners. It's about families, friendships, and carefully preserved secrets. But above everything else it's about love. Finding love - in any of its forms - and nurturing it.

Miss Hayes has a new theory. She thinks my condition's caused by some traumatic incident from my past I keep deep-rooted in my mind. As soon as I come clean I'll flood out all these tears and it'll all be ok and I won't be scared of Them anymore. The truth is I can't think of any single traumatic childhood incident to tell her. I mean, there are plenty of bad memories - Herb's death, or the time I bit the hole in my tongue, or Finners Island, out on the boat with Sarah - but none of these are what caused the phobia. I've always had it. It's Them. I'm just scared of Them. It's that simple.

Review

I did enjoy this novel for the most part. It's intriguingly told through diary extracts and police interviews, giving you a sense of foreboding that something disturbing is about to unfold. However, I can't help but feel the ending was rushed almost too sudden in comparison to the build-up of the hauntingly disturbing ending. The ending itself isn't really explained, leaving me feeling a bit bereft. But maybe that is the whole point and I just don't appreciate it?

⭐⭐⭐

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