Immersive, descriptive, addictive and full of mysterious intrigue…

Point of view plays a huge part in this immersive, addictive and sometimes frustrating kidnap story that unfolds spectacularly as it progresses. For a debut book, its an incredibly strong arrival for Sam Lloyd in so many aspects but the style is both good for the genre and perhaps just a little confusing in some places.

We see this story told through a few different points of view, which is deliberate to immerse the reader into feeling what ‘Elissa’ is experiencing first-hand and that is a disorientating and harrowing trauma. We meet ‘Elijah’ and see things through his eyes but with a lot of details deliberately omitted for the twisting reveal later. His story and ‘Elissa’s’ kind of run point for a while but later on it feels as if she is second to what is effectively her story. Part of the fun here is trying to guess what is happening in the surroundings and for some parts I got right, others I was surprised by.

There is also a police procedural element which see’s a detective with her own personal issues that kind of enhance the situation a little creating some high stakes and urgency. Most of this concept was quite well done although dark in some parts. There are many details that are kept from the reader until revelations unfold and by then I was invested and addicted. That addiction along with immersion came in waves as it rose then fell in parts. I will say the use of description and keeping his cards close to his chest are two brilliant talents Lloyd has in storytelling and suited this genre perfectly because it kept me reading.

By the end I did find myself with a fair amount of questions left unanswered as explanations were a little on the thin side along with a kind of abrupt ending but my experience was enjoyable and immersive.

4 Stars