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A Bad, Bad Place

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A Bad, Bad Place is a good, good book. Actually, scratch that, because it's not merely good, it's bloody brilliant. It's crime fiction done different, and that's what makes it stand out. How is it done different, I hear you cry. Well, instead of being told from the point of view of the police tasked with investigating the murder, it's told from the POV of the child who discovered the body, and her nana, Maggie. 🐕‍🦺

Meet wee Janey, who is 12 years old, and, had the misfortune of finding the body of a young woman, whilst out walking her dog. Actually, it was said dog, Sid Vicious (I kid you not) who found the deceased. 🐕‍🦺

From this point on we follow Janey as she becomes more and more withdrawn. The trauma of her discovery is apparent, as she tries to reassemble her memories of that day. 🐕‍🦺

Maggie's POV sheds more light on how Janey is coping, and gives us the family's backstory. 🐕‍🦺

Set in Glasgow in the late 1970's, A Bad, Bad Place is gritty and dark, but there is a black humour within. The characters are well fleshed out, and most of them are likeable. 🐕‍🦺

I loved this book. It was, hands down, one of my favourite books this year.

Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

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6 months ago