Cole leaves London after his marriage fails and accepts a remote job on the coast. All he wants is solitude and to start over, and he is bewildered that his wife doesn’t want to be with him anymore. After all, he is one of the ‘good guys’. He is romantic and caring, he doesn’t drink, he has always been supportive of his wife and her career. He was wanting to be a hands-on dad, and was even willing to be the stay-at-home dad so she could continue to work. Artist Leonora has also moved to this remote seaside place, seeking solitude, her cottage a short walk from his, and the pair forge a bond. Cole believes he may have finally found a soulmate, she just seems so in tune to him and his needs.
But then two young women go missing from the eroding cliffs while protesting about violence towards woman, and it is not long before Cole is a suspect in their disappearance. Leonora and Cole find themselves in the middle of a police investigation and the glare of the media spotlight and they soon discover they don’t know each other very well at all.
This is a page-turning thriller where no one is who they seem to be. The story is told from Cole’s point of view initially until the story dramatically changes viewpoint, creating a great deal of twisty drama. This is a psychological thriller that explores gender, violence and power in our modern-day world. It’s a thought-provoking, captivating read that will entertain and provoke discussion.
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
Pan Macmillan