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mrsfligs's review against another edition
3.0
WHAT is this book about?
A 12-year-old boy named Steven Lamb lives a sad life in a family that was broken long before he was born. Years ago, his Uncle Billy (age 11) was abducted and murdered by a serial killer. At least that is what everyone thinks happened. Billy’s body has never been found, and the killer never admitted that Billy was one of his victims. Broken by the loss of her beloved son, Steven’s Nan is the only one who never believed that Billy was murdered. She still waits for him every day, looking out the window for hours at a time. This distance and preoccupation with Billy led to the neglect of her other child, Steven’s mother Lettie. Now, Lettie has brought her two young sons, Steven and Davey, to live with her mother. Yet the family dynamics of anger, sadness, emotional distance and instability are so strong that even young Steven can sense it. He feels that if he can just find Billy’s bones, he will be able to fix what is wrong with his family.
This is why Steven has spent the last three years digging up Exmoor, the moor that surrounds his home in the small village of Shipcott. Exmoor (known locally as the Blacklands) is where the bodies of other victims were found, and Steven is sure that if he digs long enough, he’ll find his uncle’s bones and bring peace to his family. His obsession with this quest has resulted in an isolated existence—causing tension with his best (and only) friend Lewis. But Steven cannot let go, despite his realization that his quest may well be impossible. One day, Steven has an epiphany. There is one person who knows exactly where his uncle’s body is buried―the person who buried it. So Steven writes a letter to the killer in prison―triggering a dangerous game of cat and mouse between him and the killer.
WHO do we meet?
Steven Lamb is the young boy who is doggedly trying to fix all that is wrong in his family. I found his courage and determination so touching and sad. He knows that there is something wrong in his family, and he’s trying everything in his power to fix it. This kind of naivete and innocence makes Steven’s sad and lonely life pierce the reader’s heart. For me, the best chapters were those told from Steven’s point of view. Whether he is avoiding the bullies that constantly dog him, trying to please “Uncle Jude” (one of his mother’s boyfriends) so he’ll stay, or attempting to keep his friendship with Lewis on an even keel, Steven is the kind of child that you can just imagine falling through the cracks. When his own teacher can’t quite place him (except as the child who smells like mildew and once wrote a good letter), I just wanted to reach out and give him a big hug.
Arnold Avery is the pedophile/serial killer who has been biding his time in prison ever since his capture. Striving to be a model prisoner so he can reduce his sentence and resume hunting children, Avery has made peace with his incarceration. That is, until Steven’s letter arrives and sparks Avery’s imagination. Interested by the possibilities that Steven’s letters conjure up, Avery becomes even more involved and motivated when he discovers that Steven is a young boy. This realization ignites Avery’s long dormant base instincts and motivates him to win this particular game no matter what the cost.
WHEN and WHERE does the book take place?
The setting of the book is Somerset (located in South West England), with the action taking place primarily on the moors, Steven’s village and Avery’s prison located in Dartmoor (south Devon, England). The setting is the present day, with Avery’s occasionally flashing back to his “glory” days two decades before.
WHY should you read this book?
For me, the heart and soul of the book is Steven Lamb. He just broke my heart. His struggles to fit in and save his family just ripped at my heart. Every maternal instinct in me wanted to pluck him from the pages of the book and take him home with me. This is a child who is “benignly” neglected and living a secret life that becomes very dangerous without anyone having the faintest idea. Bauer, alternating narrations primarily between Steven and Avery (with occasional forays into the minds of Lettie, Steven’s teacher and Lewis), ratchets up the tension as we learn of Avery’s increasing interest in Steven. Reading the book is very much like watching a horror movie where you know the hero is in big trouble but he continues on, oblivious and clueless to the danger lurking around him. You want to yell “Watch out! Don’t go there!” but, of course, you can’t.
Although Steven made the book worth reading, I did struggle with some of Bauer’s decisions. First of all, (and I’m doing my best to avoid spoilers here), there is a wild bit of coincidence in the last part of the book that I found completely distracting and unnecessary. Why Bauer made this particular decision (a bit of “karma is a bitch and can repeat herself in each generation”) is beyond me. I didn’t think the story required it, and it took me right out of the narrative.
My other issue was with the Arnold Avery character. Obviously, he is unlikable and horrid. In addition, he is full of himself―fancying himself to be very smart and clever. Although Bauer is giving us Avery’s view of himself, I felt unsure about Avery’s true character. Was he criminal mastermind who just happened to get caught? Is he as clever as he thinks? There are a few indications that Avery is not quite the genius he makes himself out to be, but Bauer’s vagueness on this point led to some frustration on my part. Is he a “Hannibal Lecter” type or more of a “garden variety” pedophile/killer who is ruled by his desires rather than his intellect? It makes a difference, and I started to think Avery was less menacing than he should have been. It began to feel less like a “cat and mouse” game and more like a “slightly smarter rat and mouse” game, if that makes any sense.
Still, the book goes by quickly, and you definitely want to find out what is going to happen next. Despite its flaws, I thought it was a decent read and perfect choice for the RIP Challenge. This was Bauer’s first book, and I think she has definite potential. I’d be willing to read her second book, Darkside, which was released earlier this year.
A 12-year-old boy named Steven Lamb lives a sad life in a family that was broken long before he was born. Years ago, his Uncle Billy (age 11) was abducted and murdered by a serial killer. At least that is what everyone thinks happened. Billy’s body has never been found, and the killer never admitted that Billy was one of his victims. Broken by the loss of her beloved son, Steven’s Nan is the only one who never believed that Billy was murdered. She still waits for him every day, looking out the window for hours at a time. This distance and preoccupation with Billy led to the neglect of her other child, Steven’s mother Lettie. Now, Lettie has brought her two young sons, Steven and Davey, to live with her mother. Yet the family dynamics of anger, sadness, emotional distance and instability are so strong that even young Steven can sense it. He feels that if he can just find Billy’s bones, he will be able to fix what is wrong with his family.
This is why Steven has spent the last three years digging up Exmoor, the moor that surrounds his home in the small village of Shipcott. Exmoor (known locally as the Blacklands) is where the bodies of other victims were found, and Steven is sure that if he digs long enough, he’ll find his uncle’s bones and bring peace to his family. His obsession with this quest has resulted in an isolated existence—causing tension with his best (and only) friend Lewis. But Steven cannot let go, despite his realization that his quest may well be impossible. One day, Steven has an epiphany. There is one person who knows exactly where his uncle’s body is buried―the person who buried it. So Steven writes a letter to the killer in prison―triggering a dangerous game of cat and mouse between him and the killer.
WHO do we meet?
Steven Lamb is the young boy who is doggedly trying to fix all that is wrong in his family. I found his courage and determination so touching and sad. He knows that there is something wrong in his family, and he’s trying everything in his power to fix it. This kind of naivete and innocence makes Steven’s sad and lonely life pierce the reader’s heart. For me, the best chapters were those told from Steven’s point of view. Whether he is avoiding the bullies that constantly dog him, trying to please “Uncle Jude” (one of his mother’s boyfriends) so he’ll stay, or attempting to keep his friendship with Lewis on an even keel, Steven is the kind of child that you can just imagine falling through the cracks. When his own teacher can’t quite place him (except as the child who smells like mildew and once wrote a good letter), I just wanted to reach out and give him a big hug.
Arnold Avery is the pedophile/serial killer who has been biding his time in prison ever since his capture. Striving to be a model prisoner so he can reduce his sentence and resume hunting children, Avery has made peace with his incarceration. That is, until Steven’s letter arrives and sparks Avery’s imagination. Interested by the possibilities that Steven’s letters conjure up, Avery becomes even more involved and motivated when he discovers that Steven is a young boy. This realization ignites Avery’s long dormant base instincts and motivates him to win this particular game no matter what the cost.
WHEN and WHERE does the book take place?
The setting of the book is Somerset (located in South West England), with the action taking place primarily on the moors, Steven’s village and Avery’s prison located in Dartmoor (south Devon, England). The setting is the present day, with Avery’s occasionally flashing back to his “glory” days two decades before.
WHY should you read this book?
For me, the heart and soul of the book is Steven Lamb. He just broke my heart. His struggles to fit in and save his family just ripped at my heart. Every maternal instinct in me wanted to pluck him from the pages of the book and take him home with me. This is a child who is “benignly” neglected and living a secret life that becomes very dangerous without anyone having the faintest idea. Bauer, alternating narrations primarily between Steven and Avery (with occasional forays into the minds of Lettie, Steven’s teacher and Lewis), ratchets up the tension as we learn of Avery’s increasing interest in Steven. Reading the book is very much like watching a horror movie where you know the hero is in big trouble but he continues on, oblivious and clueless to the danger lurking around him. You want to yell “Watch out! Don’t go there!” but, of course, you can’t.
Although Steven made the book worth reading, I did struggle with some of Bauer’s decisions. First of all, (and I’m doing my best to avoid spoilers here), there is a wild bit of coincidence in the last part of the book that I found completely distracting and unnecessary. Why Bauer made this particular decision (a bit of “karma is a bitch and can repeat herself in each generation”) is beyond me. I didn’t think the story required it, and it took me right out of the narrative.
My other issue was with the Arnold Avery character. Obviously, he is unlikable and horrid. In addition, he is full of himself―fancying himself to be very smart and clever. Although Bauer is giving us Avery’s view of himself, I felt unsure about Avery’s true character. Was he criminal mastermind who just happened to get caught? Is he as clever as he thinks? There are a few indications that Avery is not quite the genius he makes himself out to be, but Bauer’s vagueness on this point led to some frustration on my part. Is he a “Hannibal Lecter” type or more of a “garden variety” pedophile/killer who is ruled by his desires rather than his intellect? It makes a difference, and I started to think Avery was less menacing than he should have been. It began to feel less like a “cat and mouse” game and more like a “slightly smarter rat and mouse” game, if that makes any sense.
Still, the book goes by quickly, and you definitely want to find out what is going to happen next. Despite its flaws, I thought it was a decent read and perfect choice for the RIP Challenge. This was Bauer’s first book, and I think she has definite potential. I’d be willing to read her second book, Darkside, which was released earlier this year.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
Darkly chilling tale of a boy in search of the bones of his dead uncle who was killed by a serial murderer of children. The killer is in prison, but bodies are unaccounted for. Steven wants answers. And he goes to the source by writing to Arnold Avery. The correspondence begins between the two passing cryptic notes to bypass censors.
Steven wants to help his grandmother get closure. His life is dreary, but he makes do with what he has.
Amazingly atmospheric and I will read more by this author.
Steven wants to help his grandmother get closure. His life is dreary, but he makes do with what he has.
Amazingly atmospheric and I will read more by this author.
throatsprockets's review against another edition
3.0
This is the closest to a Ramsey Campbell book I've read by somebody who isn't Ramsey Campbell. Belinda Bauer's prose style isn't similar to Campbell's but the thought processes of the characters are highly reminiscent, especially the petty cruelties. I found it engrossing and often suspenseful, but there were too many plot contrivances to call it a complete success. I'm very interested in reading her subsequent books.
lisam0183_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Steven is digging his way through Exmoor looking for a body, which he hopes will solve all his families issues. Avery is in prison and looking for a way out.
Avery receives a letter from Steven and so, ensues a game of cat and mouse. I enjoyed this and became engaged with the story and characters pretty early on. Towards the end I actually got scared for Steven and the thought that he would be very badly harmed.
This goes to show how manipulative people can be to get what they want and how innocent people can get sucked into things.
Avery receives a letter from Steven and so, ensues a game of cat and mouse. I enjoyed this and became engaged with the story and characters pretty early on. Towards the end I actually got scared for Steven and the thought that he would be very badly harmed.
This goes to show how manipulative people can be to get what they want and how innocent people can get sucked into things.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
1.0
Twelve year old Billy's uncle was murdered as a child. His grandma treats him horribly, his mom treats him even worse. He's bullied at school and his best friend doesn't want to hang out with him anymore, Billy's favorite pasttime being looking for his uncle's corpse on the moor. So, wanting to cheer everyone up, Billy takes up a correspondence with his uncle's murderer, who is in prison. You know, to get some help finding the body. The killer/child molester Avery is delighted, and we're treated to nostalgic reminiscences of his most gruesome killings and rapes. I did not enjoy it.
kandicez's review against another edition
4.0
This is the story of a young boy, Steven, trying to "fix" his broken family. His mother and grandmother have never gotten past the rape and murder of his uncle because his body has never been found. His murderer is in prison and Steven begins a game of cat and mouse with him trying to ferret out the location of the body. He doesn't understand the danger this poses, he simply wants his mum and nan to be able to move on. He thinks if he can just find the body they will finally begin to heal.
I love when an author can really get inside the head of youth. Steven's sad story was told in genius strokes. Bauer's style reminded me a bit of [a:John Ajvide Lindqvist|479779|John Ajvide Lindqvist|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1230566222p2/479779.jpg] in [b:Let the Right One In|943402|Let the Right One In|John Ajvide Lindqvist|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327893384s/943402.jpg|928338]. Steven has almost no friends, his family is no help and he is bullied in a way that seems almost incomprehensible to an adult as they read. We know things like this this happen everyday, but it hurts to see them in black and white. It hurts even more when the adults in the story are unaware, or worse yet, are and do nothing.
Steven's letters to pedophile Avery excite him in ways beyond comprehension. Bauer doesn't go into graphic detail, but like Bruce the shark in Spielberg's version of [b:Jaws|126232|Jaws|Peter Benchley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327958767s/126232.jpg|2318370], she writes enough that our imaginations fill in the nasty blanks. Avery is truly despicable. I actually shuddered at times when reading from his POV. The longer he and Steven correspond, the more Avery wants what he should not have. He leads poor Steven on, dangling hope in front of him. Sick bastard.
The conclusion felt a bit rushed and coincidental, but was still satisfying. I will be looking for more from Belinda Bauer.
I love when an author can really get inside the head of youth. Steven's sad story was told in genius strokes. Bauer's style reminded me a bit of [a:John Ajvide Lindqvist|479779|John Ajvide Lindqvist|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1230566222p2/479779.jpg] in [b:Let the Right One In|943402|Let the Right One In|John Ajvide Lindqvist|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327893384s/943402.jpg|928338]. Steven has almost no friends, his family is no help and he is bullied in a way that seems almost incomprehensible to an adult as they read. We know things like this this happen everyday, but it hurts to see them in black and white. It hurts even more when the adults in the story are unaware, or worse yet, are and do nothing.
Steven's letters to pedophile Avery excite him in ways beyond comprehension. Bauer doesn't go into graphic detail, but like Bruce the shark in Spielberg's version of [b:Jaws|126232|Jaws|Peter Benchley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327958767s/126232.jpg|2318370], she writes enough that our imaginations fill in the nasty blanks. Avery is truly despicable. I actually shuddered at times when reading from his POV. The longer he and Steven correspond, the more Avery wants what he should not have. He leads poor Steven on, dangling hope in front of him. Sick bastard.
The conclusion felt a bit rushed and coincidental, but was still satisfying. I will be looking for more from Belinda Bauer.
yoneb_26's review against another edition
4.0
Not easy to read a book about a child murderer but despite the subject matter, I really enjoyed the style of writing in this book.
stineym's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
erika_berglund's review against another edition
1.0
Den här boken är mörk, så pass mörk att jag funderade på att sluta läsa. Det är svårt att läsa om barnen som far illa. Efter att ha funderat på om jag skulle lägga bort den så bestämde jag mig för att fortsätta med förhoppningen om att monstret skulle få sitt straff.
Utöver den hemska handlingen så är boken lättläst, det gick snabbt att komma fram till slutet. .
Utöver den hemska handlingen så är boken lättläst, det gick snabbt att komma fram till slutet. .
slafferty's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Pretty basic crime novel. A little stretched thin in a few areas. Felt a bit unfinished.