A review by rhodamack09
Tastes Like Fear by Sarah Hilary
5.0
This review was originally posted on StrupagAs ever, I close the final page of a Sarah Hilary novel and I am in awe. It's not just the plot that leaves me feeling this way but her writing. I can see each of her books so clearly in mind's eye and Tastes Like Fear is no different. I'm left feeling more like I've watched a movie than read a book.
As with her previous books, Hilary tackles an emotional and challenging subject in her plot. Once again she handles it with great care and respect. This is, for me, one of the reasons that Sarah Hilary is such a fantastic writer.
DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake (I like to think of them as 'The Dream Team') are back with a new case to solve - the disappearance of a teenage girl. When a young girl causes a fatal car crash and disappears from the scene, Marnie and Noah are called to investigate. Is this the girl they've been looking for?
This incident opens up their case as they realise that it's not just one girl that in trouble, there seem to be more.
In fact a man, Harm, collects runaway girls. He keeps them 'safe' - unless they break his rules.
The topic of runaway teenagers is obviously an emotional one. Hilary not only captures the mindset of the runaways but she examines the families that they leave behind.
There's more to Hilary's work than a 'who dunnit'. She makes us care about her characters, consider their lives and the situations they find themselves in. She gives us a glimpse into the minds of the victims, their families and the criminals themselves.
She does all this while weaving an intricate plot with carefully crafted prose.
Naturally, I enjoyed catching up with Marnie and Noah. As ever, I like the way Hilary takes us into their personal lives, as well as professional. It's this, for me, that really bring home how real these scenarios are. It's easy to forget that police have their own lives. Professionally they may have to deal with murders, accidents, assaults, deaths, but at the end of the day they still go home to a partner, a beer and a meal. Personally, I've always felt that Hilary doesn't glamorise her fiction, she keeps it very real, which makes it all the more powerful.
Yes, I've not really discussed the plot but I'm not going to - you'll just have to read it! What I will say though is that you haven't read Someone Else's Skin and No Other Darkness yet then get reading as this is a series of books you don't want to miss!
Let me finish with a rather bold statement - Sarah Hilary is my favourite crime writer. If you're a fan of the genre you need to read her books. Tastes Like Fear is a stunning third novel in a tremendous series.
As with her previous books, Hilary tackles an emotional and challenging subject in her plot. Once again she handles it with great care and respect. This is, for me, one of the reasons that Sarah Hilary is such a fantastic writer.
DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake (I like to think of them as 'The Dream Team') are back with a new case to solve - the disappearance of a teenage girl. When a young girl causes a fatal car crash and disappears from the scene, Marnie and Noah are called to investigate. Is this the girl they've been looking for?
This incident opens up their case as they realise that it's not just one girl that in trouble, there seem to be more.
In fact a man, Harm, collects runaway girls. He keeps them 'safe' - unless they break his rules.
The topic of runaway teenagers is obviously an emotional one. Hilary not only captures the mindset of the runaways but she examines the families that they leave behind.
There's more to Hilary's work than a 'who dunnit'. She makes us care about her characters, consider their lives and the situations they find themselves in. She gives us a glimpse into the minds of the victims, their families and the criminals themselves.
She does all this while weaving an intricate plot with carefully crafted prose.
Naturally, I enjoyed catching up with Marnie and Noah. As ever, I like the way Hilary takes us into their personal lives, as well as professional. It's this, for me, that really bring home how real these scenarios are. It's easy to forget that police have their own lives. Professionally they may have to deal with murders, accidents, assaults, deaths, but at the end of the day they still go home to a partner, a beer and a meal. Personally, I've always felt that Hilary doesn't glamorise her fiction, she keeps it very real, which makes it all the more powerful.
Yes, I've not really discussed the plot but I'm not going to - you'll just have to read it! What I will say though is that you haven't read Someone Else's Skin and No Other Darkness yet then get reading as this is a series of books you don't want to miss!
Let me finish with a rather bold statement - Sarah Hilary is my favourite crime writer. If you're a fan of the genre you need to read her books. Tastes Like Fear is a stunning third novel in a tremendous series.