Publication Date: November 2nd from Trapeze
Source: Proof copy
KISS THE GIRLS
A young woman is found dead in her bedroom surrounded by rose petals – the latest victim of ‘The Lover’. Struggling under the weight of an internal investigation, DI Dominic Bell is no closer to discovering the identity of the killer and time is running out.
AND MAKE THEM DIE…
As the murders escalate, Clementine Starke joins an online true crime group determined to take justice in their own hands – to catch the killer before the police. Hiding a dark secret, she takes greater risks to find new evidence and infiltrate the group.
As Starke and Bell get closer to cracking the case neither of them realise they’re being watched. The killer is closer to them than they think, and he has his next victim – Clementine – firmly in his sights.
So it is no secret at all that Stephanie Marland (better known currently as Crime Thriller Girl Steph Broadbribb) is a good friend of mine who I love dearly – and you might think that would mean I’d give her an easy ride but trust me you would be mistaken. If anything I’m a much tougher critic of the people I have come to know well, they have to go some for me to be impressed even slightly.
So when I say that “My Little Eye” is a bang on psychological thriller of the most addictive kind, throwing us some brilliantly divisive and fascinating characters with a twisted plot full of gorgeous unpredictability you can be reassured that I genuinely mean it. And then some. I raced through this read in my grasshopper on acid type manner, every time I thought I could put it down something else happened that made me do that proverbial “one more chapter” thing.
Clementine is just brilliant. She’s unusual, compelling, creates unpredictability all by herself you hardly need a mystery element so right away you are sucked into this, as she rockets around London (brilliantly described) trying to catch a murderer. The central theme – could a group of online crime enthusiasts solve a murder in real time – is a cleverly socially current one – we’ve all been on Twitter and Facebook doing our armchair detective thing on the headlines of the moment, in My Little Eye that takes on a whole new vibe.
Dom the detective (I couldn’t help that it’s how I’ve been thinking of him all the way through) is also an intelligently divisive character and one of the strengths of this read for me was in the way he and Clementine came together. We also have a mystery element that is beautifully imagined, has a truly thrilling serial killer vibe and doesn’t necessarily do what it says on the tin all the way through. That alongside the layered characterisation and the really very good writing (she says grudgingly once again I can’t complain even though it’s one of my favourite things to do) makes “My Little Eye” a pure joy to read. Get the caffeine, get the chocolate, find a corner to hide in and go into Clementine’s world. You won’t regret it.
Highly Recommended. Well done Steph – all the wine for you.
Happy Reading!
