Blacklands - Belinda Bauer
Steven Lamb is 12 when he writes his first letter . . .
to a serial killer
Every day after school, whilst his classmates swap football stickers, twelve-year-old Steven digs holes on Exmoor, hoping to find a body. His uncle disappeared aged eleven and is assumed to have fallen victim to the notorious serial killer Arnold Avery - but his body has never been found.
Every day after school, whilst his classmates swap football stickers, twelve-year-old Steven digs holes on Exmoor, hoping to find a body. His uncle disappeared aged eleven and is assumed to have fallen victim to the notorious serial killer Arnold Avery - but his body has never been found.
Steven's Nan does not believe her son is dead. She still waits for him to come home, standing bitter guard at the front window while her family fragments around her. Steven is determined to heal the widening cracks between them before it's too late - even if that means presenting his grandmother with the bones of her murdered son.
So Steven takes the next logical step, carefully crafting a letter to Arnold Avery in prison. And there begins a dangerous cat-and-mouse game between a desperate child and a bored psychopath . . .
Review
The premise of this book is totally unique; can Steven really bring his struggling family back together by finding his Uncles bones? Is it as simple as writing to a notorious killer asking for help? Or does Arnold Avery have other ideas as he responds to Stevens letters? The novel is split between Steven and Arnold's experiences giving us intriguing insight into their innermost thoughts throughout their letter exchange. Bauer's remarkable ability to portray so convincingly and seamlessly both characters is captivating and disturbing in equal parts you'll be hooked. Coupled with the vivid descriptions of the beautiful, eerie and dangerous Exmoor and Dartmoor landscapes the tension slowly builds towards the dramatic conclusion. Definitely worth a read!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Read if you enjoyed:
The premise of this book is totally unique; can Steven really bring his struggling family back together by finding his Uncles bones? Is it as simple as writing to a notorious killer asking for help? Or does Arnold Avery have other ideas as he responds to Stevens letters? The novel is split between Steven and Arnold's experiences giving us intriguing insight into their innermost thoughts throughout their letter exchange. Bauer's remarkable ability to portray so convincingly and seamlessly both characters is captivating and disturbing in equal parts you'll be hooked. Coupled with the vivid descriptions of the beautiful, eerie and dangerous Exmoor and Dartmoor landscapes the tension slowly builds towards the dramatic conclusion. Definitely worth a read!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Read if you enjoyed:
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