Whew! Kevin certainly likes to take his readers by the neck and shake them violently. This isn't a comfortable read but it's impossible to put down. Ruben is the central character, with telepathic abilities, especially where his family is concerned. The book begins with the discovery that his older sister Rachel has been raped and murdered in some remote place in Dartmoor. Ruben's older brother, Cole, decides to go to Dartmoor and find out what happened - which means Ruben feels he must go too. Cole is a loose cannon, dangerous and with a violent temper. However, he's also the more streetwise of the two and feels a responsibility for the safety of his younger brother.
In Dartmoor, the two brothers find that their sister's murder was a lot more complicated than a random killing. It seems that everyone in the village is involved in some way, but Cole's impetuous nature soon means that Ruben and he end up in extreme danger themselves. The violence is graphic and real, and as with his other books, there is no pat solution to the story. I felt vaguely queasy at points, but that just shows what a powerful effect the book was having on me.
What Kevin manages to do better than anyone else is to create characters that are overwhelmingly human. They aren't nice or kind on the whole, and they're usually self-absorbed - just like real people. But they can also be capable of great love and affection - and weakness. I suspect that's one of the reasons why his books are so strong. You can't help but recognise the human weaknesses in his characters.
That and a blood-thumpingly good plot, obviously.
Not for the faint-hearted - but that's why it's so good.
Amazon Home
