Publication Date: Available Now from Faber
Source: Review Copy
What kind of woman walks out on her family? Gregg knows. The kind of woman he picked up in a bar three years ago precisely because she had that kind of wildcat energy.
And now she’s vanished – at least from the life that he and his kid will live. We’ll follow her, to a new town, a new job, and a new friend, who thinks he has her figured.
So who is this woman who calls herself Polly? How many times has she disappeared before? And who are the shadowy figures so interested in her whereabouts?
Sunburn is a subtle and enigmatic piece of storytelling featuring a subtle and enigmatic main protagonist. A beautifully written joy to read.
This is a slow burn, cleverly manipulative and genuinely compelling story, where the mystery elements play within the character studies, a story of two people hiding secrets and playing parts. It is utterly riveting as you follow Polly and Adam through a long summer of a relationship built on lies, neither of them are who they appear to be to each other and ultimately things will take a very dark turn..
I loved this one because it wasn’t so much about the mystery elements at all, this is a tense and completely absorbing psychological drama, an understated yet captivating unraveling of motivation and personality. Polly is especially puzzling, not only to us the readers, but to Adam who is more drawn to her as time moves on…
I love stories like this. You never really know where they are going to leave you – it isn’t about a twist or a sudden shock, it is about the vagaries of human nature and how we relate to each other, about the secrets we keep and how they define us. The end of Sunburn was beautifully done, leaving me with a satisfying feeling of melancholy, this was a novel I didn’t want to leave behind..
Sophisticated, chilling, with a vivid sense of place and time I think it’s possible that Sunburn is my favourite novel from this author yet.
Highly Recommended.
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