- This edition read on my Kindle (Amazon)
- ASIN : B0BNSBKM8H
- Publisher : HarperCollins
- Publication date : June 1, 2023
Synopsis (Amazon)
Longlisted for the 2024 Davitt Best Adult Novel Prize
Only a handful of inmates in Westmead Prison have committed crimes so atrocious that they've been locked away for life, and for fifteen years, convicted murderer Tomas Kovak has refused to disclose where he hid the body of his victim, a vulnerable young woman.
When Kovak is diagnosed with terminal cancer, intense pressure is put on Dr Laura Fleming, criminal psychologist, to find the location of Kovak's victim so her grieving family can find some sort of closure.
Laura has to use all of her training, skills and instinct to form a connection with the cold, remorseless killer, a man who has refused any psychological assessment since the day he confessed to the murder.
With every session, Laura becomes more and more convinced that something about Kovak's story doesn't ring true, and as his health rapidly deteriorates, the pressure on Laura ramps up. She becomes increasingly desperate, resorting to unconventional methods to find out what she can from the secretive man.
As she inches closer to the truth, she discovers some people will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden ... and the people Laura cares most about are fair game.
Love can make you do terrible things.
My Take
An unusual setting and plot. Dr Laura Fleming, criminal psychologist working in an Australian prison with convicted criminals is asked to see if she can get convicted murderer Tomas Kovak to talk to her. For 15 years Kovak has refused to talk but now he has terminal cancer and only weeks to live.
A well thought out scenario. Laura manages to get Kovak to see her and she wheedles some information from him but then he clams up again. Through another of her clients she finds people who knew Kovaks before the murder but his confession makes even less sense to her.
An excellent read.
My rating: 4.6
About the author
Mercedes Mercier writes 'just-one-more-page' crime with twisting plots and relatable characters. As well as writing books, Mercedes works in the criminal justice system, providing her unique insight into the world of prisons, crime and offenders.
After a brush with death, Mercedes decided to throw herself into life. She lived overseas, became a black belt in Karate, skydived, and volunteered with animals. When she doesn't have her nose in her laptop and her mind in a story, she loves to read, travel, try new restaurants, and listen to podcasts (true crime of course).
Mercedes lives in Adelaide, in a tree-top home surrounded by nature and animals, with her partner and beloved dog.
No comments:
Post a Comment